Fitz on Fantasy

The 10th annual Scott Fish Bowl starts in about a month, and host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) opens the show by telling listeners how they can enter a contest to win a spot in the SFB. Then Ray Garvin (@RayGQue) of the Destination Devy Podcast and Dynasty League Football joins Pat to spread the good word about devy leagues and talk about what’s shaping up to be another phenomenal NFL Draft class for fantasy football in 2021. Could fast-rising Trey Lance rival Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields as a QB prospect? Who of Travis Etienne, Chuba Hubbard and Najee Harris is the favorite to be next year’s top-ranked RB? Is Ja’Marr Chase the undisputed No. 1 receiver in the class, or are there one or two better prospects from the Big Ten? And in what’s shaping up to be a watershed TE class, who’s the best of the bunch? Ray talks about his college football career at Chadron State, the culture shock of moving from Las Vegas to the Nebraska panhandle, what it was like to play with Danny Woodhead, and why he stopped wearing a smoke visor on his helmet. Ray also discusses a potentially fatal affliction for dynasty leaguers called RMD, and he and Pat toss around some thoughts on rookies CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, Jalen Reagor, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jonathan Taylor. Ray and Pat also drill down on some veterans, including Derrick Henry, Corey Davis, Preston Williams, Alexander Mattison, Benny Snell, Steven Sims Jr. and Dare Ogunbowale. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Ray Garvin (@RayGQue) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

Joining host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) this week is Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB), who explains how he wound up as co-owner, director of analysis and lead DFS writer at the high-powered startup FantasyPoints.com. Scott then discusses his buzz-worthy “Upside Wins Championships” series – how his philosophies on the link between investing and fantasy football have changed over time, how he was inspired by Shawn Siegele’s famed Zero-RB article, and how the articles have already gotten him some backlash. Scott and Pat talk about whether median projections have any significant utility for fantasy football, then take a closer look at some of the high-upside players mentioned in Scott’s series, including Russell Wilson, Daniel Jones, Kenyan Drake, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Odell Beckham Jr., Calvin Ridley, Diontae Johnson, Rob Gronkowski and Gerald Everett. Scott sings the praises of his adopted hometown, Houston, and offers a Giants fan’s thoughts on whether Evan Engram is a good investment and which NYG wide receiver to target. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) welcomes back 4for4.com rankings ace and Wisconsin basketball legend John Paulsen (4for4_John) to the show this week, and although they mostly talk fantasy football, other topics include the White Stripes’ airport-restaurant etiquette and whether the unexpected springiness of the Bradley Center floor cost John a Division I scholarship. As for the stuff you actually care about … John and Pat do a deep dive on redraft rankings, discussing whether CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy can return value in their rookie seasons, whether Tyler Lockett should be ranked higher than D.K. Metcalf, and whether David Johnson and Le’Veon Bell will get the sort of touch volume to make them bargains at their current ADPs. Fellow native cheeseheads John and Pat critique the Green Bay draft and assess the 2020 fantasy outlook for various Packers. John shares the results of his research into past instances where teams traded up to draft RBs and what it suggests for Jonathan Taylor’s rookie-year value. John and Pat dig into the Rams’ passing game and express their mutual love of Robert Woods, then discuss how they’re approaching the QB and TE positions in fantasy drafts. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: John Paulsen (@4for4_John) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) is joined this week by RotoViz senior fantasy analyst and RotoViz Radio host Dave Caban (@DaveCabanFF), who tells Pat why Ke’Shawn Vaughn’s landing spot may be somewhat overrated and Van Jefferson’s landing spot may be underrated. Dave reveals two of his favorite targets in dynasty rookie drafts, then offers a few thoughts on the two tight ends his Patriots took in this year’s draft. Dave weighs in on some other young Patriots as well: Jarrett Stidham, N’Keal Harry and Damien Harris. Dave and Pat discuss how much confidence they have in the venerable Tom Brady and in the unretired Rob Gronkowski, and why another new member of the Buccaneers, Tyler Johnson, looks like a good long-term investment. Dave explains how he wound up at RotoViz and offers a behind-the-scenes look at a unique company culture. He and Pat also discuss the inherent problems with fantasy rankings, though Dave is kind enough to name-drop two of his favorite values based on early ADP information. And finally, Dave and Pat talk about whether Austin Ekeler, with an early ADP of RB12, is overrated, underrated or properly rated. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Dave (@DaveCabanFF) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

It wasn’t a typical NFL Draft, but for football fans who’ve spent weeks trapped in a sports vacuum, it was manna from the heavens (well, except for fans of the Green Bay Packers). Joining host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) to sift through the draft fallout is Joe Dolan, (FG_Dolan), a host on the Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Channel and a key member of FantasyPoints.com, a new fantasy football website that also features John Hansen, Graham Barfield and Scott Barrett, among others. After talking about the FantasyPoints.com launch and everything the site will offer, Joe shares his thoughts on whose drafts he liked and assesses some of the picks his Eagles made, including the controversial second-round selection of Jalen Hurts. Joe also helps conduct a thorough autopsy on a truly gruesome draft for the Packers. Joe and Pat run through some of the RB landing spots, examining just how attractive backs such as Jonathan Taylor, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, D’Andre Swift, Cam Akers and Ke’Shawn Vaughn will be in 2020 fantasy drafts, and whether there’s any hope for the fantasy value of Marlon Mack, Damien Williams, Kerryon Johnson, Darrell Henderson or Ronald Jones now that their teams have drafted young studs. Joe and Pat also talk about a couple of the late-round rookie RBs who could potentially pop and examine the landing spots for rookie WRs CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Brandon Aiyuk, Michael Pittman and more. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Joe Dolan (@FG_Dolan) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

It’s NFL Draft week! Yes, we’re in the midst of a global pandemic, but don’t let anyone try to steal your joy by making you feel guilty about getting absorbed in the NFL Draft. We have to take our joy where we can find it these days. Joining host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) for a deep dive on rookie prospects is Rotoworld college football analyst Thor Nystrom (thorku). Thor makes an impassioned case for Tua Tagovailoa over Justin Herbert, examines the good and the bad in Jordan Love’s draft profile, and talks about how Jalen Hurts might fit into an NFL offense. Offering some interesting context on the top running backs in this class, Thor details why he puts Jonathan Taylor at No. 1 and J.K. Dobbins at No. 5. Thor and Pat talk about the possibility that Eno Benjamin could be this year’s Devin Singletary, and discuss the intriguing appeal of Antonio Gibson. At wide receiver, does Thor prefer CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy, and does he think Henry Ruggs is a worthy first-round pick? Why is he so high on Laviska Shenault and so down on Donovan Peoples-Jones? Why does Thor list Denzel Mims and Jalen Reagor among his favorite draft crushes? Who is Thor’s favorite tight end in this year’s class (it’s not who you’d expect), and why does he compare Albert Okwuegbunam to Teddy KGB of “Rounders”? Listen in and find out. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Thor Nystrom (@thorku) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

Host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) is joined by Rotoworld’s John Daigle (notJDaigle), who’s riding out the pandemic in Stamford, Connecticut. John and Pat share notes on the quarantine life, including a few potential silver linings, and John offers his best guess on what the 2020 NFL season might look like. Rotoworld has been all over free agency, and John talks about some of the low-key beneficiaries of the free-agent period thus far. He also talks about why free agency hasn’t been especially kind to Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman. John tells Pat how he got into the fantasy industry and how he ended up at Rotoworld, also dropping a key bit of advice for anyone looking to break into the fantasy biz. After writing a series of articles on best-ball tiers at each position, John explains why he’s high on Miles Sanders Devin Singletary, Calvin Ridley and A.J. Brown, and why he’s down on James Conner, Kerryon Johnson, A.J. Green and Aaron Rodgers. And as John mentions during the show, please be sure to join him this Friday for a star-studded Twitch event featuring a number of fantasy football luminaries and some other special guests. It’s a charity event, with proceeds to benefit those hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak. Check out John’s Twitter feed for more information. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: John Daigle (@notJDaigle) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

Hi, everyone. Here’s hoping all of you are safe and healthy, and that this unsettling period in our lives will be over soon. If you find fantasy football conversation to be a welcome diversion in these anxious times, you’ve come to the right place, since guest Rich Hribar of Sharp Football Analysis (@LordReebs) really brings the heat in this week’s episode. Joining host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF), Rich discusses his research into the success rates of rookie RBs and WRs who left college after just three years compared to those who stayed for four years. The early draft entrants generally fared better, but is there still hope for four-year guys in this draft such as Denzel Mims, Brandon Aiyuk. Chase Claypool and Tyler Johnson? Rich also explains why he’s high on J.K. Dobbins and reveals which rookie WR he’s targeting this year. Rich and Pat also dive into some of the bigger free-agent signings discussing what new locations will mean for Robby Anderson, Tom Brady, Stefon Diggs, Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon, Austin Hooper and Hayden Hurst, and what the ripple effects of those signings might be. Rich and Pat also talk about which tight ends they’ll be trying to land in drafts this year after passing on the marquee names. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Rich Hribar (@LordReebs) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

Fantasy owners have rookies on their minds following the NFL Scouting Combine, and Alex Dunlap of RosterWatch (@AlexDunlapNFL) returns from Indianapolis for a deep dive on the rookie class with host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF). Is Jonathan Taylor the top RB in this year’s class, and are his massive workload and his fumbling issues valid concerns? Where should Cam Akers rank among the rookie RBs after his superb Combine showing? Should we disregard positional ambiguity with the explosive Antonio Gibson? Which deep-sleeper RB prospect is Alex planting his flag on? Which player at the Combine most impressed Alex with his personality? Alex and Pat also dove headfirst into this year’s outrageously deep and talented WR class. Alex floated an interesting comp for CeeDee Lamb and explained why he’s not especially concerned with Jerry Jeudy’s uninspiring Combine performance. Alex and Pat put Denzel Mims under the microscope and discuss where he belongs in the rookie WR hierarchy. Alex offers thoughts on the Texas WRs who played in his backyard, Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson. And there’s much, much more on this year’s rookie class, so be sure to tune in for this episode, all you draftniks and dynasty leaguers. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Alex Dunlap (@AlexDunlapNFL) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

Joining host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) this week is Ben Gretch of CBS (@YardsPerGretch), who weighed in on the long-term viability of the XFL and explained the process of putting together his exhaustive and illuminating Stealing Signals column, which Pat considers to be the single most essential weekly column for fantasy football owners. Ben and Pat discussed a number of running backs, including Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Leonard Fournette, Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler. Ben offered his thoughts on where Lamar Jackson should be take in 12-team, single-QB drafts, and he and Pat also talked about Josh Allen’s value, how Allen may limit Devin Singletary’s upside, why Michael Gallup is a young player to be excited about, and why DeAndre Hopkins might not be as valuable a fantasy asset as he used to be. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Ben Gretch (@YardsPerGretch) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

Offseason? What offseason? Host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) and guest Justin Boone (@justinboone), the reigning FantasyPros rankings accuracy champion, discuss their early rankings for 2020. How soon is too soon to draft Lamar Jackson? Where should Carson Wentz and Aaron Rodgers rank among the QBs? Why are Justin and Pat so low on Derrick Henry when he’s in the midst of a historic playoff rampage? Where would Kareem Hunt be ranked if he became the lead RB somewhere? Who should be the WR2 behind Michael Thomas? Is DeVante Parker a top-20 WR? Should Adam Thielen outrank Stefon Diggs? Is Tyler Higbee for real? Justin and Pat tackle all of these questions and more. Bonus! Pat’s friend and colleague Melissa Jacobs (@thefootballgirl), proprietor of TheFootballGirl.com and a devout 49ers fan, joins the show to discuss the upcoming NFC Championship game with Pat, a lifelong Packer backer. The 49ers stomped the Packers 37-8 in an earlier meeting. Is another butt-kicking at hand? Melissa and Pat talk about the game, the 49ers’ defensive line, George Kittle’s locker and other assorted aspects of Championship Weekend. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Justin Boone (@justinboone) Guest: Melissa Jacobs (@thefootballgirl) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

With season-long leagues on hiatus, January is a good time for dynasty talk, and this week host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) is joined by Jordan McNamara (@McNamaraDynasty), author of the book “The Analytics of Dynasty.” Jordan outlines some of his core principles of dynasty league strategy, discusses the value of WRs vs the value of RBs, lists some of the biggest mistakes that novice owners make, and explains how he approaches dynasty startup drafts. After Jordan talks about how he’s handling a New Year’s resolution that has him abandoning meat, poultry and dairy, he and Pat discuss the class of rookie 2020 and the value of early-round picks in this year’s rookie drafts. Jordan mentions the one special rule in some dynasty leagues that he hates more than any other, and then Jordan and Pat discuss the value of Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Jared Goff, David Montgomery, A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, Terry McLaurin and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Jordan McNamara (@McNamaraDynasty) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

New Year’s is a time to take a look back at the year gone by and also look ahead, and on this week’s episode, host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) and guest Colm Kelly of RotoViz.com (@OvertimeIreland) do a little of both. Pat and Colm talk about how their teams fared this year, and Colm lists some of his biggest hits and misses as an analyst. He also discusses co-hosting the RotoViz Overtime podcast with the great Shaun Sigele and enjoying the holidays with his wife and 1-year-old daughter in his little Irish town. Then, Colm and Pat take a closer look at some of the most difficult players to assess for 2020. Can DeVante Parker maintain momentum? Are Odell Beckham Jr. and A.J. Green going to be draft values? Is Adam Thielen a player to avoid? Is Ryan Tannehill for real? Will 2020 be a coming-out party for Derrius Guice? How much faith should we have in Tyler Higbee? Tune it for discussion about all of these players and more. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

It’s semifinal week in the fantasy playoffs, and with so much at stake, Patrick Daugherty of RotoWorld (@RotoPat) toughed out a case of the stomach flu and left his deathbed long enough to join Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) for a discussion about Drew Lock, Marquise Brown, Tyler Lockett and Raheem Mostert. RotoPat also sheds some light on what it’s like to write news blurbs for RotoWorld, and how he felt about the departures of Evan Silva, Rich Hribar and Ray Summerlin. Fitzmaurice has been polling guests on their favorite league formats, and RotoPat dishes on a couple of his favorite leagues, including one with an old-school scoring format. He also lists some of his hits and misses with preseason player touts, questionably putting his endorsement of Mark Ingram into the “miss” category. A proud St. Louis resident, RotoPat goes to bat for Provel cheese, Imo’s pizza and, of course, the St. Louis Cardinals, and explains what it’s like what it’s like to live in the best baseball town in America. The two Pats wrap up the show by discussing Joe Mixon, Breshad Perriman and O.J. Howard. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Patrick Daugherty (@RotoPat) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set

The fantasy playoffs are upon us, and host Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) brings in Fantasy Labs editor-in-chief Matthew Freedman fresh off his spectacular week of DFS recommendations that even included a Peyton Barber tip. Matt and Pat talk about missing on JuJu Smith-Schuster this season but being eager to capitalize on JuJu discounts in 2020. They also examine Miles Sanders’ outlook for the rest of 2019 and beyond, and discuss whether DeVante Parker’s newfound success is sustainable. Matt talks about what it’s like to work with noted sharps Chris Raybon and Sean Koerner and how their approaches differ, and Matt and Pat spend some time talking about rankings philosophy. Matt expresses enthusiasm for the future of Derrius Guice, the incoming 2020 draft class and the dynasty format. And then Pat holds Matt’s feet to the fire on his controversial list of the top 10 pies. The show wraps up with some discussion about Raheem Mostert, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and D.J. Moore. Host: Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF) Guest: Matthew Freedman (@MattFtheOracle) Podcast produced by Colm Kelly (@OvertimeIreland) In association with TheFootballGirl.com Music provided by International Jet Set