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NFL News and NFL Schedule Fantasy Impact
Intro 00:05
You’re listening to the good old boys fantasy football podcast. Now here’s your host, Kevin, Derek and Alex.
Derek 00:13
Alrighty. Welcome, and ladies and gentlemen to another episode of the good ol boys fantasy football Podcast. I am Derek and I am joined as always by your co host, Kevin and Alex. Guys. We’ve also got a special guest joining us tonight and that Steven pintado of the fantasy coach’s podcast coming to us, we’ve got a great show for you tonight. We’re going to hit up some NFL news. We’re going to do some talking about the NFL schedule. And some things we’re excited about. Navy not so excited about coming atcha make sure that you’re hitting us up on the socials Twitter, Instagram, Facebook twitch at good old boys, f f. You can find this other website good old boys FF calm and the YouTube channel the good old boys fantasy football podcast. Make sure you click like and subscribe. hit those follow buttons. Thanks, guys. So guys, let’s go ahead and hit up some news and a little bit coming out not a ton going on right now with the NFL news. And you’ve got Courtland Sutton is expected to be ready for camp. Zach Ertz not reporting to camp amid some trade rumors out there. The Giants went out and signed to Kelvin Benjamin as a tied in and Travis etn has been working out as a wide receiver in the rookie camps. So guys, what do you make of some of this news coming out of the league?
Kevin 01:25
I’m still trying to figure out why the hell the Giants signed Calvin Benjamin. I’m really at a loss for that one like and that did make headlines, like a lot, just something to talk about. But that actually made like NFL headlines of of something that you know was newsworthy, and I can’t for the life of me figure out why. But overall, the etn stuff smoke and mirrors right it Yeah, he lined up out there. What formation or excuse me? What playbook in the NFL doesn’t have a formation where running backs lineup out wide? At least once or twice a game, right? It’s just personnel groupings. Like big freaking deal. Like it doesn’t doesn’t even remotely you know, raise a flag on etn or James Robinson. I don’t think that that changes. Are they going to try and find ways to get the ball? Yeah, possibly. Is there a familiarity there between Trevor Lawrence and etn absolute freakin loot Lee? Is he gonna line up outside 30% of the time? Hell no. Like, that is just absolute smokescreen horseshit coming from Urban Meyer.
Alex 02:45
Its urban, trying to make all the James Robinson owners like breathe a sigh of relief only to get their hopes and dreams crushed when the season starts. This to me, it’s much ado about nothing, right? Like et ns working as a wide receiver and rookie camp. Okay. Yeah, we haven’t seen Trevor Lawrence turn around and hand the ball off to him more more. So it’s just turn and hand the ball to him, or pitch it to him. But that chemistry is there, they don’t have to worry about that. It’s not like two dudes that are meeting for the first time on a football field. They know each other, they’ve got it down. That’s okay. Let’s try and work him out in some other areas. Before we get the whole team here, and maybe catch you know, get them a little more up to speed or show some other things. Or it’s not reporting not a big deal to me either. There were a lot of vets that weren’t going to report early to some of these mini camps as part of the CBA you know that there was something with the CBA where they didn’t have to and you know, if you didn’t want to go it’s not like it’s detrimental to his contract or anything like that. It could be that he doesn’t want to play in Philadelphia anymore. But for the for me right now. It just means he didn’t want to show up to otas. And let’s be honest, does he really need to the guy’s an established player in this league. He needs like four or five reps, and he’s probably good to play a season so the Sutton news is great for Broncos fans. The bad news is that we still only have Teddy Bridgewater or Drew Lock throwing to him.
Kevin 04:25
Not June 2 yet
Alex 04:27
realize I know I know. I know. I know. And then yeah. Kelvin Benjamin, whatever. Not gonna even I’m not even gonna try to make sense of it. Not even gonna try.
Steven Pintado 04:42
Who knows maybe they maybe he paid them to join the team who knows but this time your guys a lot of things you’re hearing outside of thing people saying they’re playing this season at least. It’s all smoke and mirrors. I mean, it’s they’re hyping up different things they’re trying to throw off people and what they’re planning on doing this year. You hear a lot of that over the next couple months here, especially when the rookies get in there and mixed in with the veterans, and the coaches are gonna start hyping up their players. That’s what they’re supposed to do, right? Like not supposed to say he’s doing okay like now he’s doing the best job possible level contrast is amazing quarterback Bruce Aaron just said out there a couple of weeks ago. I mean, they’re gonna say these things about their quarterbacks, they’re rookies, you know, their players, they’re just gonna say these things. So they don’t overhype those things, but it’s definitely gonna be a fun time to listen to all these people talking right now. So
Derek 05:31
beware of the coach speak,
Alex 05:34
in the world we live in to right like there’s so much hyperbole because there’s shows like ours where we need to talk about something right? Like you, the show goes on whether you want it to or not, you know, that Daily Show is gonna happen, whether there’s news happening or not. So sometimes you’re gonna have to make a mountain out of a molehill, just so you can feel 10 minutes of your three hour block that you have on the afternoon. So like it’s going, it’s just the world we live in. Now, with all these media outlets, and everybody trying to cover the NFL 20 473 65 there’s gonna be days there’s going to be weeks where there really isn’t anything, but you got to still bill your show.
Derek 06:18
Very true. Well, guys, any other thoughts on the news?
Kevin 06:22
I think the one thing that I saw, right before we kicked off was the agreement that the Eagles players and the front office made regarding their offseason in that they are not going to hold. So they had their otas or whatever, after this week, I think they’re done with otas they’re not gonna run otas. And in mini camp, they are not going to be running any seven on seven drills. Now. While some people might see that and go, yeah, big freaking deal. I see that and go that is a big deal. Because seven on seven typically these NFL practices is what they go live at. This is when they are, you know, you want to start talking about when guys you know get heated, heated with each other because they’ve been going up against the same guy and you try and get the pads poppin and, and a little bit of that football callus on your body a little bit, a lot that comes in those seven on seven drills. And the Eagles agreed that they will not run seven on seven drills in mini camp in hopes to preserve the health of the players. I don’t know if that’s going to translate to anything. But if a bunch of Eagles start dropping like flies inside the first three, four weeks of the season, you can kind of bet your bottom dollar that that will be traced back to the fact that well, they didn’t actually do anything in mini camp like they, they looked at their playbook. They walked through the routes, they did some conditioning, but they didn’t actually play football. So we’ll see how this develops. But I just wanted to point that out. Because this is the first team that’s kind of made that establishment as all these teams are trying to kind of negotiate with the team’s labor representatives and how they’re going to handle some of the offseason stuff. The Eagles are the first ones that said, Alright, we’re gonna do away with otas. And we’re not going to do seven on seven mini camps. So who knows who else might follow this trend?
Derek 08:37
Like it you also very late in the day as well, I I missed it on on the notes. But you had Joe Burrow, showing that he is going to be full go for the it’s been reported that he’s going to be full go for the opener, regular season opener. So that would be one question mark answered there, so to speak. But let’s go ahead and talk about some NFL schedule. And you know, we’re gonna put a little bit of a twist on this one. So we’ll talk of course about you know, what’s kind of like what you don’t like about the the NFL schedule, that kind of stuff, but we’re gonna put the fantasy twist on it, of course. And what we’re looking for here is either a team that you’re liking the schedule, as far as you know, you’re looking to actively go after guys for positional grouping, things like that, because they’re on this team and they have a great strength of schedule, or guys that you’re looking to potentially stay away from because of the fact that they have a very tough schedule, something like that coming up there. So we’ll go ahead and start on the favorable side. Guys, what are you seeing as far as a very favorable schedule or your best thing you like most about the schedule
Alex 09:50
this year? I can start here and this is going to be a real shocker to to you guys. But the team that I like the most based on their Schedule they solely on their schedule a no other mitigating factors are the Indianapolis Colts and specifically the quarterback and the running back. Carson Wentz and Jonathan Taylor. Now I know that this isn’t exactly a stretch because it’s Carson Wentz. For me. If you’ve listened to this show at all, you know that I love Carson Wentz and Jonathan Taylor is one of the premier backs in the NFL, but consider this. Their division is not great right now. So they get six divisional games. And that that’s that’s nice when you can knock out you know, six games against teams that are in different areas. But the real kicker here for me. They get the Raiders late and who knows what the Raiders are gonna be? Come the end of the season. Will they have packed it in and turn their attention towards 22? Or will they still be trying to hold on to a threat so the Raiders game late bodes well for Jonathan Taylor and Carson Wentz. So that’s why I like those two, just based on the schedule. Alright, so
Kevin 11:17
on the favorable side, I’m digging Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers schedule, like is just kind of chalked right up for them to get off to a hot start. They have back to back home games with the cowboys and then the Falcons and followed by their first true road test with going to LA to play the Rams but then you have the Tom Brady home coming in week four. Like if the Buccaneers are gonna win that game. If for nothing else, then Tom Brady might retire if they lose it. Like just that is his aside from winning another Super Bowl. This has to be the game that he has circled. And absolutely said, I’m going to throw for 500 yards and seven touchdowns. And I’m going to bury bill Bella check. And it’ll be interesting to see how Belichick scouts Brady after all the years they’re together. So outside of that, obviously they have their divisional games, right but then they play at Philadelphia, they play home against Chicago. Let’s see that at Indianapolis is kind of their their toughest game on the back half of the schedule in week 12. And then but that they host the bills they host the saints down the stretch week 17 they kind of get a softball going to New York to play the Jets. So that helps for the back end. And then they wrap up at home against the Panthers so however this shakes out I really I really think that this schedule catered towards everything Tampa Bay, they really don’t have any massive pitfalls. Yes, there’s challenges. The Rams are not going to be a cakewalk right the game in New England as much as I just said that it’s probably it’s not gonna be a cakewalk right, those guys were together for so long. That belcheck knows what Brady doesn’t like to do well, he will find a way to scheme for that. But aside from those things, they play a lot of defenses with not so great secondaries. And it’s gonna allow Brady in the second year of this Bruce Arians offense to really unlock a bunch of the potential we didn’t see until down the stretch in 2020. So I fully expect Star Wars numbers out of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021.
13:53
Nice one I’m going to go with you guys will like this little bit here but I’m gonna go with the Denver Broncos. Honestly, if you’re gonna get the schedule early on, I mean if the Giants the Jags the Jets early on, and I mean you need to go to the playoffs guys. I mean, maybe for at least week 17 the championship week you have Detroit Cincinnati, the Raiders during the season you have the Raiders you have you know Washington, not Washington but Dallas Phillies not that great in the secondary so I think both sides of the ball if you’re looking to make a determining factor and some guys that will probably lower like DJ more right now TJ more freaking Jerry Judy and Colin son Laden, there’s like five to seven range. I wouldn’t be mad at one of those My wife is up to right now because the matchups are going to be good. I truly believe that. Teddy Bridgewater, we are starting quarterback probably start week one, maybe at least by week four, whatever it may be. I know it’s sad guys, but he did decent. He did decent. He’s not great. But he did decent and I think as long as as long as he starts For you guys most of the season, these matches are favorable and even the run game with Gordon and with Williams I mean, Jags was bad Detroit was bad Cincinnati was bad. There’s a lot that you guys could go after there. And I think if you go with the Broncos as a team that you might want to pick a couple pieces up. You might get some favorable matchups early and you might get some actually some really nice matchups at the end of the season.
Derek 15:24
Yeah, I like it. The Broncos definitely have some positional groupings that should feast on on that schedule there. So it’ll be very interesting there. I actually had two that I liked out there, both of them around the running back row. And one of them is Cleveland, I like I like Cleveland scheduled really for the entire season on how that’s gonna shake out they have a couple of tougher matchups, they’re kind of going down the stretch, where they’ll see Baltimore, you know, and other week type of rotation there. But outside of that, they should get some pretty good run up there. playoff matches for the first two weeks look pretty good there as well, Jacksonville. Whoever really establishes themselves as that running back there have great week 15 and 16 matchups there for the what’s most likely going to be the first and second round of the playoffs for a lot of teams. And you’re talking to Houston and the jets in weeks, 15 and 16. So very much like in the run that whoever is that dominant running back can get there. And it’s gonna be one of those that it’d be very interesting to see how that plays out. Let’s go ahead and move on over to the least favorable Schedule A Who are you staying potentially staying away from because of some of the scheduling things that you’re seeing?
Alex 16:39
I’ll go again here. And it is, for me, the least favorable schedule is Baltimore. And so for that, you know, Mark Jackson and that wide receiver room, which, you know, is still the jury’s still out on that connection. But what they get early on, they get the Chiefs in week two, that’s going to be a tough one. They do have some what you would call maybe some easier games with the lions and Broncos and week three and four. But then you’re gonna face defenses like the Colts the Chargers should be improved on defense. You do your division games will be tough. They do I have the bye week eight, which I think is probably the best thing that they have going for them in this schedule because kind of splits the season in half there but you get games against the Vikings should have a better secondary, if they can remain healthy. At that time in the season. Mike Zimmer is known for having a decent secondary, he had to play dude literally coming off the street last year. So if they can have some consistency, that’s not going to be a cakewalk. You get the dolphins after that the bears, the browns, the Steelers. I mean, we’re talking about the pretty good defenses here that they’re gonna have to go up against perhaps the biggest saving grace for this Baltimore team, and people who have you know, Baltimore players. They play the Steelers for the second time in week 18, which should be at the end of the or post fantasy football leagues. So that is nice. But in the lead up to that game. You get the Packers, the Bengals again, and the ramps. So those are tough defensive matchups there for Baltimore players in the playoffs in your fantasy playoffs. And so for that reason I say that that is a very difficult schedule. On top of, you know, what will Lamar Jackson be this year in that receiving room? That, for me is the least favorable schedule.
Kevin 18:54
So my least favorite schedule, as NFL rosters are currently constructed is the Chicago Bears. Their schedule is Rudel. Specifically, they open up in LA against the Rams, so that’s gonna be tough enough. But then specifically in weeks five through 11. They have to go cross country and play the Raiders in Vegas, then they’re home against the Packers, then they’re at Tampa Bay. And then they’re home against the niners. And then they’re at Pittsburgh to play the Steelers. And then they finally have a buy to catch their breath. Only to host the Baltimore Ravens right after their bye week. Guys, that is a defensive prowess, you know, maybe not as much with the Packers but that’s it. That’s the Aaron Rodgers effect, right as the rosters are currently constructed in the NFL. That’s a brutal schedule guys like and that’s you know, not only for the NFL season, but in the heart of the fantasy football season. That’s Six weeks that you’re guys whether it’s Montgomery, whether you like fields and you think you’re going to take a flyer on him like seeing this schedule makes my heart hurt for Alan Robinson because I love me some a Rob. But man, I don’t like this schedule form in the middle of the season that’s going to be a little tough. So, for me, it’s the it’s the bears like I just find that middle of the season when you’re trying to jockey for position and get yourself in the right place for a playoff push and to kind of assert yourself if the bears aren’t careful there guys, they’re going to be out of it after week 11 and they’re still have six weeks left to play. And just try and hold it together to get into the offseason. Like this is gonna be a tough pill for this team to swallow.
20:51
Oh yeah, those bears. For me personally. I’m going with the Panthers and especially like the front half of the season for them. It’s decent. They had definitely some favorable matchups you could say but one thing is that back half the season I’m real nervous to be owning guys like McCaffrey or I mean Anderson like I don’t know if I really want to go out there and drive cars like this diversity early on. Because look, they have they have they had the Cardinals. Okay matchup but still pretty tough. They have then they have Washington, which was tough last year. They have Miami That was tough last year. They get a buy they play Atlanta that should be good. Any of Buffalo Tampa, New Orleans Tampa again, I just did a lot of tough matchups at the end of the season there and again, we all like the matchups with more McCaffrey always but does Sam Donald really step up and take that next level? I don’t know still and it’s kind of nerve racking have to think about Hey, like if can sandahl really do this. We really have never seen Sam Donald really show up before especially in tough matchups. So those end of the season guys, especially that back half there. I’m kind of nervous about going after guys like this even though I do like TJ Moore and Christian McCaffrey of FC McCaffrey are taking one on one but like guys like DJ more right now and Robbie Anderson I’m a little concerned taking them guys because of how that back half the seasons gonna go for them. Or mute Eric
22:20
dang it. We
Derek 22:21
almost out to an entire episode. Below it in the homestretch. That’s homestretch. That’s one. That’s one. Very proud of us though for making it an hour and 45 before we got one so congratulation guys. Alrighty, so mine is going to be in the along the same kind of lines as far as a running back that has has always been very good towards the back half of the season and tends to get stronger and better as the season wears through. But I am not liking the Tennessee Titans schedule, especially in weeks 15 1617. As you start looking at that, so Derrick Henry is going up against a tough Pittsburgh defense followed that up with a what should be a tough now healthy San Francisco defense on a very short week, they go from the Sunday night, the Sunday game, to that Thursday night game for week 16. And then following that up against the team, we just talked about what the dolphins who showed some promise last year with the with the defense. So there’s there’s a few things out there that they had me questioning where I was kind of at with Derrick Henry, but looking at this, this playoff schedule of that it doesn’t leave me warm and fuzzy looking at that, that last bit of that season. So any other thoughts on the playoff schedule or the schedule as a as a whole?
Alex 23:48
Like the worst kept secret, right? When they were revealing the schedule was like, we’re just gonna tease you with all 17 games for every team. That’s the tease that you’re gonna get. And but make sure to watch later tonight when we tell you everything we told you throughout the course of the day.
24:10
Yeah.
Kevin 24:12
Well, that’s just how they fall, right? Like at the end of the season, you know exactly who your particular team or any team is going to face. The next year, it’s just a matter of home road splits, how they fall in the schedule, like into your point people blow up about like, Oh my gosh, schedules released and let’s you know, well, the dates have been released guys, we’ve known the opponents for four months now. Like seriously since December. We’ve known the opponents and now that we’re in May, it’s you know, again, so NFL starved that they you know,
Alex 24:51
you know, piss on a cat and they make a primetime production out of the Schedule B Yes.
Derek 24:58
Alrighty, well Guys, any final thoughts for the listeners?
Kevin 25:05
draft draft and more drafts you have any questions hit us up and let us know. This is my favorite time of year. All the rookie drafts the dynasty drafts, three drafts, the best ball drafts Love it, love it, love it. So feel free to hit us up if you have any questions and you’re doing a slow draft and we’ll help you out best we can.
Derek 25:25
Absolutely. Well Steve, we want to we want to thank you for coming on and being our guest tonight. Always a pleasure having you on. But before we before we get out of here, why don’t you make sure that you plug your socials again let the listeners know where they can connect with you. Yeah, absolutely,
25:39
guys, and I appreciate guys let me come on tonight. It’s definitely a late night for me I’m kind of late sleeper but uh, I powered through for you guys. This is this is a fun episode to talk about. Obviously the dolphins and the NFL schedule so And guys, as always, you can you can follow fantasy coaches over on twitter at coach’s fantasy. And if you guys ever want to reach out to me about any fantasy questions or just talk football you can reach out to me on twitter at coach Steven P. Very cool.
Derek 26:05
Alrighty guys, I do believe that that’s going to wrap up yet another episode of the good old boys fantasy football podcast. Make sure that you’re subscribing on the YouTube channel, the good old boys fantasy football podcast YouTube channel. You can find us on the socials at Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Twitch at good old boys. FF we’ve got the website over there for you goodoldboysff.com. Make sure you’re checking that one out there as well. For Kevin and Alex. I’m Derek Have a good one. Be safe.