Baltimore Ravens 2021 Fantasy Football

Baltimore Ravens 2021 Fantasy Football with Frank B from Fantasy Wire HQ

Intro 00:18
You’re listening to the good old boys fantasy football podcast. Now here’s your hosts, Kevin, Derek and Alex.

Derek 00:25
Oh righty, welcome and ladies and gentlemen to another episode of the good old boys fantasy football Podcast. I am Derek and I’m joined as always, by your co host, Kevin and Alex. Guys. How are we doing tonight?

Kevin 00:39
Steven, good, man. It is a it’s summertime. It is hot as crap here, everywhere over the weekend. So I was feeling it. Oh, brutal, man. It was brutal. So my main concern was keeping the children cool and as comfortable as possible. But let me tell you I run hot to begin with. So I was I was hurting. I’ve been hurt in unit and then today at the office, their AC went out so it didn’t have AC at the office today. So I have had a stretch of five days with basically no air conditioning anywhere I go except my truck. So I’ve been spending a lot of time in my truck for no real reason other than burning diesel and having air conditioning. So that’s how my weeks go on so far, guys.

Alex 01:29
I don’t know if I’d trade your week. We’re just being asked to conserve power because Texas’s power grid is so awesome. So we’re same song, second verse. We went through it in February, but no blackouts yet. Fingers crossed. Sorry, I didn’t join you guys. Last week, there was a hockey game that I was very interested in the Colorado Avalanche in Las Vegas nights Golden Knights playing. And I said Hey guys, I’ll join you after the game ends. And then I said well maybe went over to if it goes to overtime, it might be a little bit longer, turns out very short overtime, but the ABS lost and I was just going to if I would have joined you, piston everybody’s Cheerios because I was in that great of a mood. So I decided for the betterment of everybody that I would not join last week. And we’ll keep this upbeat and light because I was not an upbeat and light mood after that game. But the avalanche went on to lose again. So hockey season in my eyes is done. I might still watch a game or two of the Stanley Cup playoffs. But now it is football season. Because God knows the Rockies aren’t going to get my attention. And now we can focus we can focus on football.

Derek 02:46
Well, there we go. There we go. Alex, I’m just glad to see you back. No pleasure having you here. I’m glad that you know you’re able to leave last week in the past and be able to join us for some good old fashioned football talk here as you gear up towards the season. But gotta wait for Denver sports fans by the way. Oh,

Alex 03:06
sports fans, your absolute for straight nuggets loose for straight. The Rockies exist. And we’re trotting out Teddy Bridgewater and or drew Locke on week one right now.

Kevin 03:19
The Rockies have won more games over the past 10 days than the avalanche nuggets combined. Let us not trash the Colorado Rockies just yet. Yeah,

Derek 03:29
there’s there’s that for you. But guys, we are joined by a special guest tonight. We got Frank B from the fantasy wire HQ. Coming to you live. Frank How you doing?

Frank B 03:39
Pretty good, man. Pretty good. Yeah, Rockies are the Rockies. They are just existing out there. I’ll tell you I’m an Orioles fan. So I mean, I’m in the full rebuild. You know, I got another five years to wait. Hopefully we’ll see what happens. But yeah, man brewers here in Wisconsin. They’re they’re coming around a little bit. They’ve got some good pitching finally. But yeah, I’m just doing baseball and car stuff right now till the football comes back around for fantasy drafts. And July, August, we’ll start hammering out some big boards and whatnot. All the good stuff.

Derek 04:08
Yeah, absolutely. Frank, we had john last year to help us break down a team and yeah, obviously you’ve you’ve been working on some stuff. So what if what have you been up to since the last time we spoke last summer?

Frank B 04:20
Yeah, honestly, for I mean, once the Superbowl is over for me, I’m in between, and I tried to get a breather, you know, away from football and whatnot. And then once spring rolls around here, I mean, you got to cram everything in every weekend. But I do car stuff on the side car photography videos. I got a pinned on my Twitter. I’ve been hitting that really hard and growing. It’s just the side hustle. And that’s been crazy fun. Just getting new gear, camera stuff, videos, car shows, stuff like that. I don’t know if you guys are into that. I’ve been hitting that hard as hell, the past couple of months. But um, yeah, that’ll fade out towards the end of summer fall. We’ll come in. We’ll do the pick back up on the fantasy stuff. And that’s really it. That’s really at the top How to Sell here to in Wisconsin. I’m enjoying it because I love the heat. I need it after suffering through six months a winter and minus 30 and 20. All that good stuff. So I’m welcoming I love it every any day I get outside, I’m outside.

Kevin 05:15
That’s awesome. And I being a car guys, the one thing I feel like I missed out on my adolescence, right, like, my dad wasn’t a huge car guy, my grandpa man, like, I appreciate the beauty of them. I really do. Especially you start getting into the older muscle cars and just how beautiful these look in car shows and all the time and dedication it takes. But to be honest, I know absolutely nothing about it. I just know they look really pretty. And if money was no object, I’d like to own a couple. Like, that’s the extent of my knowledge with it. But that’s, you know, that’s okay.

Frank B 05:51
Yeah, car, car stuffs good for me. It’s a full variety. So I’m into so many different styles. I don’t have like, you know it. You don’t get pigeonholed into one thing. You just kind of appreciate a lot of different things. And there’s some stuff I can’t come close to touching that we did one show at Milwaukee and there was an old Ferrari It was like a 1954 1956 Ferrari. And I’m looking at I got all these pictures. And I started researching the car to see what you know what was I looking at there? Because I couldn’t find the owner. I don’t know where he was. The car was a $1.8 million car. Only 35 made in the world one Yeah.

Alex 06:26
Was it a California?

Frank B 06:28
No, it was in Milwaukee. I think he was gherardi cow Oh, Noes for 10 Super America. And it was like a handcrafted one from Ferrari himself. But yes, stuff like that. It’s like it hits you later, you can just keep finding information out on these cars. You know, long after you’ve done the show and just some of it’s just absolutely amazing. And that’s just run the gamut, you know, from mild to wild and, and all of it.

Kevin 06:55
Very cool. So realizing that it’s not quite football season for you yet, but obviously the NFL close rate job of it is and the NFL does a great job of dominating the news. Really, no matter what time of year it is. It is turning into a 365 business. So my question, I guess is this what news story? Do you keep coming across that you think is being overblown? That and I guess that really isn’t that big of a deal that people just can’t shut up about? I’m in Wisconsin, so you know what I’m gonna say. Fair enough. Fair.

Frank B 07:36
I know. Yeah, I think it’s just Oh, completely overblown and I mean, it it’s just out of this world the stuff I mean, Rodgers himself hasn’t even said anything. So it’s just crazy. And now the more the Packers talk, the more they look like fools with this. Mark Murphy comment here this past week. On he’s a complicated fella. If that doesn’t, I’m just so it’s just crazy, you know? But yeah, that’d be that’d be the one for me.

Alex 08:07
I don’t know if you guys saw it today, but I think he was doing some press for that match that’s coming up with him and Tom Brady and then Phil Mickelson and Bryson to Shambo calm got a good jab in today. He was asking is talking to Bryson and saying you know, I think your partner there. We’d like to go for it a little bit more, you know if given the opportunity and so that was a pretty good jab at matla fluor not going for for it there in that playoff game. Rogers also is wearing a shirt that said I’m offended if you get a chance Go Go check out that interview. It’s hilarious Yeah, I didn’t see that. That’s pretty good guys go check that out today. It’s a very funny dish the four of them you know via zoom like we’re doing basically talking about the upcoming match but obviously some some jabs getting thrown in there. So I know that what we’re going to break down your team here but is there is there something that you’ve got your eye on in terms of maybe a player that’s in a new landing spot and I know it’s still early and training camps really haven’t happened but is there some other you know one particular offseason move that really caught your attention that you thought hey this could be a this could be a good thing or or the other way Hey, this could be a fantastic blow up

Frank B 09:32
um honestly I think for me the Julio Jones going to Tennessee because part of me I really want to see if i mean i don’t think he’s gonna blow up again and be what he was back in the day right? But the combination of him and AJ Brown together to me is pretty intriguing. Without Art Smith, they’re running the offense. Are we going to see Tannahill open it up canny? You know, we always say is Tannahill just the game manager type QB or is he capable of doing more Are we I think we find out I think there’s a lot of different angles this season with that addition. And those two together I think could be pretty dangerous along with Derrick Henry. I mean, you got a good, you know, big three there. And a tight end, you lose Johnny Smith, it’ll be first skor but overall, yeah, I’m curious to what they do as a wide receiver tandem.

Derek 10:22
Very, very cool. Well, Frank, how can the listeners connect with you and where can they learn more about you online?

Frank B 10:29
Yeah, on Twitter at fantasy wire HQ. And then also I’m on Baltimore, airwaves 1570 am w nst. Every week on the Dennis Colossus show, we’re talking ravens fantasy football, just to mix everything NFL news, all kinds of good stuff. They’re

Derek 10:46
awesome. And I know you that the fantasy wire podcast will be kicking up here soon as well look forward to those coming out there again. So always a always a good time with your quick cast that you you’ve put out there so cool, guys, let’s make sure that if you haven’t done so already, hop over there, give him a follow give him a you know, click the click the subscribe button on his socials the Follow button on those while you’re doing that, hit up our socials as well Twitter, Instagram, Facebook at good old boys FF click the subscribe button on the YouTube channel. We appreciate it. We do have a very fun show for you tonight. Frank bean is here to talk his home team the Baltimore Ravens that’s where we’re gonna go to next. We’ll also hit up some NFL news some takes around the league there and we’ve got a new little thing we’re gonna do tonight called most underwhelming take should be a lot of fun when we get there fun little twist there. But guys, let’s go ahead and head on over to the Baltimore Ravens and we’re going to start where we always do that is with the running back room. JK Dobbins is the coming into the sophomore season finished his running back 21 last year 134 rush attempts, 805 yards, nine rushing touchdowns, 18 receptions on 24 targets for an additional 120 through the air. Guys your thoughts on JK Dobbins.

Kevin 12:11
I like JK Dobbins. I think he was extremely efficient down the stretch last year right like he really propelled a lot of teams through the fantasy playoffs with his ability to find the end zone and and even in in games where maybe he wasn’t overwhelming as far as statistically throughout the game, he was still falling into the end zone getting you that extra six points to help kind of push your team over the top. So coming into year two, having a full season to prepare, film study, work with the offense and get healthy on the offensive line as well which is a big key. I do expect him to have furthered success into his second year. My biggest drawback is you know Yes, it’s a bummer for him that they resign Gus Edwards I think that’s good for the Ravens but I do think it’s bad for JK Dobbins ceiling. But he does have a cap on on his ceiling because then the ultimate cheat code and in Lamar Miller Earth excuse me, Lord Jackson. And the fact that some of these plays the zone reads right? Like maybe Dobbins was really supposed to get in that ball. Jackson saw something else he’s taken off so the ceilings kept a little bit but I do think he’s extremely efficient where he’s going and drafts right now. If you are really looking to go running back heavy, you can get JK Dobbins as your third running back at the very middle, middle third, round to top a fourth round depending on what kind of draft you’re looking at there. So if you want to go running back heavy, Dobbins is a great play for that guys. We know Baltimore is going to run the ball, yes, they’d like to pass more. But ultimately, if you can get a guy like Dobbins who is going to consistently see the field who’s coming into a full offseason of preparation and in a run first offense that screams targets and volume and that’s what you want, specially if you’re looking further down the jet, the depth chart for running backs.

Alex 14:14
Yeah, I think I’m gonna preface this by saying you know, we talk about teams that you want a piece of teams that you want a piece of their offense or anything. It’s not It’s not that I want a piece of the Ravens offense, but I wouldn’t mind having a piece of the Ravens running game with any of these guys that they that they have out there. Dobbins is obviously I think the the crown jewel of running backs in terms of, you know, the the position there because I think that what he showed us last year is pretty impressive. coming off of a rookie season with the no training camp and all the COVID stuff and all that business so I like his value, Kevin Where you’re saying down there and that, you know, end of third, copper fourth is a solid. I see him as a solid RB too. And while I’m not sure that, you know, his numbers are gonna be drastically different from last year. Still, if he can find his way into the end zone, even if he does it only, you know, six or seven times, that’s still going to be pretty productive there. You know, if he doesn’t flirt with 10 or or come close to nine. I still think that that he is the piece of that ravens running back room that you should cover it over the other? The other two?

Frank B 15:38
Yeah, I would definitely agree to that the Dobbins will be your should be your lead back. Gus Edwards will sprinkle in there right. And then don’t forget about Justice Hill either. I mean, what you know, where does this guy factor into this whole offense? Because the if you look at just the stats for rushing, right, I mean, pass right there bottom of the barrel 32 they’re ranked 32 and pass yards per game average. But on rush on the rush side, it’s 34 attempts a game 191 for yardage. Now without Mark Ingram, where you know, how’s that pie getting broken down and obviously, Dobbins is your man. And they’re going to run the ball again, just like they do every year. I know they keep talking this hype with receivers, Sammy Watkins Bateman, we’re going to throw the ball now. I still don’t believe it. I don’t think it’s going to be that much of a jump. I think it’s just talking a good game. You know, people want that pass game in Baltimore. But it’s just it’s not what they do. And they’re going to run the ball good this year. Again, Jackson is going to steal probably a third of that whole rushing game. Gus Edwards, I think he’s a better player than most of fantasy owners believe because I know when I take him all the time and in fantasy he’s just filling in for me for a week, or I picked him off off waivers as a backup or a handcuff. And but then he’ll lay down some good games and then other ones so he can disappear. But he can get get the job done. But Dobbins to me, he’s top choice. on third downs for that team completely. They’re going to be you’ve got to have that guy on the field of third down. He’s the difference maker. He’s he tells the field and I don’t know it’s it’s kind of like 250 combined touches 1200 yards between Dobbins Edwards and Justice Hill. And then drafts you’re right i mean his ADP you’re looking at around 24 maybe the 15 back off the board to 18 but he could be a top 10 running back to you on a stack up like he said for running backs. I mean, he’s he’s definitely going to be there for you just got to grab them.

Derek 17:42
I almost almost did it. I don’t know if y’all saw that. But I almost did it. We

Alex 17:47
say inhale save

Derek 17:48
the first one. So we’re still at zero anyway. Um, now y’all are y’all are spot on as far as ATP goes, right? Like the what I had downloaded earlier, he’s got the Rb 16 off the board. So right in line with with what y’all are thinking, the average draft position happens has him coming off right between pic 29 and 30. So right there, towards the back half of what y’all are talking about. He it’s an interesting one, because of the fact that when you look at this Baltimore team, they’ve come out and said that they want to try and pass the ball more, right. But I think that is again going to be a lot of coach speak there. what you hear on on what they think they want to do versus what they’re going to do, they’re still going to run the ball. In the heavy, heavy format there. You’ve got Lamar Jackson, who’s probably going to siphon off somewhere in the neighborhood of 160 rush attempts when it’s all said and done there. Which leaves this which leaves the pie smaller for everybody else there. And when I think it’s all said and done, I think you’re gonna see JK Dobbins, roughly right around 250 total opportunities. But my question that I’ve got for y’all is, is I was working on some stats and projections earlier on this team and we’re I’ve kind of got it. I’ll set the line at 1100 rushing rushing yards for JK Dobbins over under.

Alex 19:08
Under

Frank B 19:10
Yeah, you got to go under for it. If there was no Lamar Jackson. I take it over, right. Yeah, I go under there.

Kevin 19:19
Yep. Three.

Derek 19:21
Well, I’ll be the I’ll be the odd one out there. I’ve had them just over 1100 yards on that one. So there’s some definite opportunity you make that face Alex however

Alex 19:33
well, because I’m thinking about it. And the thing is, and this is something that I have to remind myself and I think we probably all need the reminder, extra game this year, right? Seven tantras at it, so I don’t I guess I was when I said under I was fairly convicted but but now I’m not. I’m a little more lukewarm on

Kevin 20:01
How many total rushing yards do you have for the Ravens?

Derek 20:06
Oh, I’ve got Lamar at 952. I’ve got JK at just over 1100 Gus busts about 850 and Justice Hill just below 200.

Kevin 20:17
So 3000 yards, roughly, right? 3000? Yes.

Derek 20:23
Yeah, right in right in that range, which when you look at it last year, they, they ran the ball 3071 yards, the year before that, when they just ran the ball and did nothing but run the ball, it was just shy of 3300 yards. So it’s in line with what they’ve done each of the past two seasons, a little bit more than than last year, because it’s got an extra game in there. So you’re gonna be looking probably around 30 to 33 3400 total rush yards for that, for that offense. When it’s all said and done. It’s kind of how I’m projecting that. And I see I really see that where you’re gonna see JK Dobbins and Lamar Jackson. Yeah, really Eat, eat into that heavy where they’ll they will combine See, little over two thirds of that that rushing attack on the ground as far as yardage go.

Kevin 21:13
So, yeah, if the Ravens hit that that’s where they’re most successful, right? I mean, right holistically as a team, if they’re doing that and able to set the tone on the ground, that’s where they’re most successful. Now. There’s some pieces that go into that, which I will save until we get into our quarterback segment. But no, it makes sense where you have those and I can, I can start to subscribe to that.

Alex 21:42
I’ll also say what their schedule this year, they get the AFC West and it looks like the NFC north as their non division games. So there are a few games in there where I could see them, you know, having some gaudy stats, just because they can, they can run rampant over a few of those, but there’s also some really tough defenses and don’t forget, they play in a pretty tough defensive division. Right? That’s a pretty that’s pretty tough, tough division there. So I would say that it’s it’s plausible that they could pad some stats, but I think there also be some weeks where it’ll be a little disappointing.

Derek 22:24
Yeah, you very well could be correct. So do you guys see any chance of JK Dobbins breaking into and I when I say any chance, right, there’s always a chance of it but if you were to put a you know, just kind of a percentage on JK Dobbins finishing his RB one this year in RV one territory top 12 running back when the seasons all said and done, what’s the likelihood that you see that happening?

Kevin 22:51
20% 15% because it’s gonna be so touchdown dependent with only 1100 yards. That scares me.

Frank B 23:00
Yeah, I’d say I agree. 20 25% Same deal. I mean, he I think he could get into the top 12 but a lot of things need to go right to really amplify him above all other teammates, the Lamar Jackson, the Hollywood browns, everybody else that they’re trying to get that ball to. He’s just got to be the bulldozer everything’s gonna fall right into place.

Derek 23:22
Right. And that’s one of the things that I

Kevin 23:24
think the talents there though, right? Yeah, we can all agree on that. The talent to do it is there that part of this is just the offensive philosophy where you have three main ball carriers in Jackson, Dobbins and Edwards and then whatever that they decide to do with Justice Hill who barely sniffed the field last year. But the talent for Dobbins is absolutely there. But like I said, I think to expect him to get 12 plus touchdowns as well as the end of last season. That’s a hard number to put on any player to just expect 12 touchdowns. So that’s where my reservation falls in.

Derek 24:08
Right? I think yardage wise he’ll be in that same range that you would expect to see some of those fringe RB ones finish up but I think that you’re right, he’s gonna get siphoned off when it comes to touchdowns. Whether it’s Lamar, you know, sneaking it up the middle on some of those runs, you know, whether it’s a dump off to Mark Andrews when they get down in there some of those types of things. So I’ve got him going to be finishing and running back to territory, but where he’s being drafted at that’s still pretty solid, solid pickup, but I think he will perform right around where is ADP is going to have him. So guys, let’s go ahead and move on over to Gus Edwards. What are our thoughts on Gus Edwards who finished as running back 35 last year 144 rush attempts, 723 yards, six rushing touchdowns, nine receptions on 13 targets for one 29 through the air, your thoughts on Gus Edwards.

Frank B 25:05
I’ll jump in there I was, I was gonna say, I mean, the guy’s a backup. Even if he became the starter, I don’t know, if he’s still got a ton of upside. He’s just the guys just efficient in the run game and that offense, he knows that offense. But to me, I look at that guy and say, Okay, he’s, he’s deficient in a complete team offense, he’s going to have a consistent role. And Dobbins taking the lead. You know, the guy, like we said earlier, he’s not a weekly starter for your team. But on the average, you’re gonna give them seven to 10 carries probably most weeks, and then throw a couple touchdowns in there, you know, just off the the vultures and the end of the game, the game flow, what have you who they’re playing who they’re not. You’re gonna you’re gonna want Dobbins more, right, obviously, but as a bench running back, and like those middle rounds, you’re looking at the board and you’re going, Oh, my God, everybody sucks. That name should pop off. And I think he’s pretty solid for value. And just a good player to have, like I said, by weeks, pluck them off of waivers early just in case and ADP wise. I mean, what like 35 to 45 something like that are already off the board right now. Yeah. That would be the neighborhood he go. And and like I said, it comes down to when you’re in that moment. And you’re looking down the list of players and you’re going down there all all the good ones are gone. Obviously, we’re looking at handcuffs, backups, and everybody else. I think he’s a name I take over a lot of other people.

Kevin 26:35
Oh, absolutely subscribe to that. I think Edwards numbers are very I think it’s very likely duplicates those numbers, I think is what the point is. I’m coming across, right. Again, it’s a run first team. The Ravens obviously, like what he’s doing, there’s a reason that they brought him back signed into an extension. In my opinion, he’s the best pass blocking running back that they have on this roster so that if nothing else will keep him on the field during critical moments. Unless JK Dobbins I’m not gonna say drastically improves but has some significant improvement in his past Pro. On top of the fact that he’s a he’s a great spell back. You don’t have to run Dobbins into the ground, you can keep these guys healthy. He did. He does, like Frank was saying he understands the offense being there for the past four, three seasons, four seasons, excuse me. And so it’s not, he’s not a new guy walking into like, the locker room, there’s already a rapport there. 100 and, you know, I think 180 590 total touches for the season probably sounds about right with that extra game that we were just talking about. And, and with the way that that offense runs, I think, you know, 678 touchdowns as well within that game script for him. So I again, going back to if you didn’t get him at Rb 40. He finishes somewhere between 30 and 35. Most in in, I think is where he ends up at the end of the season. There’s built in value for that. So obviously that helps with fantasy drafts. And much like Dobbins he’s a Yes, he’s the backup but the the game script two touches is there because of how this offense is formulated and how they choose to attack other teams. Like he’s he’s

Alex 28:37
played second fiddle before, right. Like, you know, Mark Ingram was the guy and Gus Edwards was there now, you know, JK Dobbins is expected to be the guy but Gus Edwards is still there. Here are his stats. In his three seasons in Baltimore, he had 137 rushing attempts, 133 rushing attempts, 144 rushing attempts for 718 711 and 723, four yards. The only real difference from his first two years to this last year was he had six touchdowns versus two each of the previous two years. And so that was the big differentiator between you know, his first two seasons, and last year was that he found the end zone four more times. So here’s what I’d say all that to say this, you can expect about 140 rushing attempts, you can expect about 730 740 rushing yards and then probably somewhere in the range of four to five touchdowns. Right. So if nothing else, you can expect consistency out of Gus Edwards it’s just is that consistency, you know is is that floor because I think his floor and his ceiling very, very close to each other right like that’s that’s that’s where we’re at his foreign his ceiling are very, very close to each other. So If you’re willing to have that, then he is a great player to have on your team. Because you know what you’re going to get, you know, when it’s all said and done, it’s just week to week, it might be a little rough because you never know what Lamar is going to do if he’s actually going to, you know, let the ball go on some of those read option plays or, you know, maybe JK Dobbins gets a hot hand and for some reason they decide to ride that it’s just he’s one of those players that is going to be consistent throughout the course of a season but you might have to live with some some scarce weeks and you might live with some some very, very good weeks. You just hope that you have them in the starting lineup when those good weeks happen.

Derek 30:40
Yeah, that’s that’s kind of how I see I see him getting a few more touches on what you’re what you’re talking about there. I see him probably up there closer to about that 180 when it’s all said and done on total touches. You know, right around five touchdowns and just over 800 yards when it’s all said and done. And with with JK Dobbins so you’re getting a guy that is extremely efficient. And that’s that’s kind of been the hallmark of his career is being extremely efficient winning Carrie ball one of the few guys out there that gets over five yards a clip every time he you know, on average rushes the ball. So you what you’re talking about there, Alex? Yes, he is going to be his floor and ceiling are going to be very similar because he is very efficient when he runs that ball to the point where you know, they’re going to try them out there. He’s going to get four or five, six yards on a carry spell JK Dobbins a little bit and come back in and you’ll see that happen to the point where Yeah, he’ll probably get about 10 touches a game as that spell back as some of that pass pro type of back there. So very interesting how that all how that’ll play out there. Guys, any any desire to talk about Justice Hill for the Ravens for 2021 fantasy football?

Alex 31:51
I’m curious to hear what Frank’s here and

Frank B 31:53
yeah, I mean, that was I was pretty excited when they drafted him was the Oklahoma State or something I want to say and but this past season, he’s he’s like the fourth wheel on the run game. I mean, he just had minimal touches. Change a pace back, but over two seasons to action. 375 combined yards, two touchdowns. 13 catches he looks the part at times. He always has a killer preseason. And when you watch him in preseason, you’re like, he’s got to get on the field. He’s got to get on and you just he just doesn’t it’s too crowded. It’s too crowded. I think the Ravens though want to tap in to his abilities. What he can showcase is he does have big playability but he’s just pretty much a handcuff for me as far as fantasy goes. I don’t rule them out because he’d be a guy that probably if he gets drafted, it’s going to be one around the hundreds, early hundreds to 125. I mean, if at all right. Somebody may pick them up, he may go undrafted, he’s a guy just because I like the Ravens running game and what that presents for fantasy football for opportunity as a handcuff as a app, you know, just a big roster, a basketball kind of thing. I plug them in there just for the hell of it just as a dark throw.

Derek 33:11
All righty, any other thoughts on the Ravens running back room? Jim, let’s go ahead and head on over to the wide receivers room and always a little bit of an interesting one. When you’re talking about the Baltimore passing game. Let’s go ahead and start with marquees Hollywood Brown. 34 is where he finished last year 58 receptions on 100 targets 769 yards and eight touchdowns. Guys your thoughts on Hollywood Brown?

Kevin 33:44
I think Hollywood Hollywood is a good number two receiver. He’s not the he’s not a number one guy. He’s the guy that they want to get into space. That’s where he was most productive last year really on some of those broken down place. Lamar would scramble a little bit hollow Hollywood because of his ability to stop on a dime change direction, would catch the ball in space and create a lot of yards after the catch. I think I think his numbers will slightly improve this season. I think there’s enough help in this passing game. Now they’re not going to single him out. I don’t think anybody was afraid of Willie Snead last year and and Devin Duvernay, and they you know that Porsche Porsche or Porsche Porsche ice or the the other? Yeah, there we go. Thank you. Sorry about that project. So no one’s afraid of those guys. This year. I think they had a little bit more talent around to at least create distractions. So I somewhere in the neighborhood 6570 catches I think his yardage does go up. I think you get somewhere around 900 yards, touchdowns. We’ll see how that happens. But I do think he’s more productive in the passing game this year, just because there’s a few more people to worry about, that actually have alpha type talent at wide receiver, as opposed to just a cast of characters that are there to support Hollywood Brown.

Alex 35:20
Yeah, so remember how I was saying, like, you want to get a piece of the running back room for Baltimore, I have the complete opposite feelings about the receiver room in Baltimore. Just because and you know, it, it really just boils down to who’s throwing the football to them and the lack thereof, of throwing the football. I don’t know, I think, you know, we, we know what Lamar Jackson is, now, I think we’ve got enough to go off of that. That’s what this guy is. And unless something drastic really changes, this team is going to run the football first. And then and even on passing plays, you know, a little more is gonna just take what he can get. And I, obviously, I don’t think that’s sustainable in the NFL. But that’s, you know, that’s how this offense is built. And that’s, you know, I think how Lamar thinks. So when it comes to Baltimore receivers. I know, we’ll talk about Lamar in a second. But when it comes to Baltimore receivers, I’m just so scared at the risk of what’s involved. And in guys, you know, in the few drafts that we’ve already done this year, that I’ve been a part of the receiver pool, there is an embarrassment of riches out there, that I would be willing to turn away from a Baltimore receiver, you know, in, if it’s, you know, if it’s up against two guys in a similar spot, and one of them’s a Baltimore receiver and a guy, it’s a different guy on a different team, I’m likely going to go probably 99 out of 100 times with the guy on the different team, just because I don’t just don’t trust the receiving room in Baltimore. But Kevin, you bring up great points, you know, always, you’ve heard me say on here before, and we’ve talked about it before, a good offense will put stress on the defense. And Baltimore has added stressors, right? They’ve added stressors that can support Hollywood, brown, it’s just to be seen whether those stressors are actual stressors, or just fabricated through the name on the back of the jersey, rather than the output that they have. So that’s those are my thoughts on Baltimore on all the Baltimore receivers, and I’m going to be a broken record talking about all of them, you know, Sammy Watkins, that’s intriguing. But again, I just don’t, I don’t trust the quarterback throwing the football to them. I trust the quarterback in a lot of other ways, but not throwing the football. And so I will I will bow out of the conversation because I’m just going to be a broken record from here on on any other Baltimore receiver that we talk about, because I’m likely going to look elsewhere. Probably to my own detriment, but that’s what it is.

Frank B 38:14
Now, I mean, I don’t blame you. That’s how I am for ravens. For me, my general rule is I try not to draft hometown team players just because they’re usually gone anyway. And it really I never really get put in a spot where I got to make a decision on one because in most of my leagues, I mean I’ve got hardcore ravens guys in there. I’ve got hardcore Packer fans in there. So they’re typically gone and I don’t get a shot at them anyway. But yeah, I like the wide receivers. You know, as a fan of the game, the non fantasy game, I want to see them do more and come around and finally get some kind of offense. But looking at it from you know the real life football standpoint last season that offensive line could not protect anyone or anything back there and they really kind of had no choice but to run. You had stat Ronnie Stanley go out with injury done for the season. They were shuffling around the center’s it was it was a really a bad bad deal. And where they have DJ Fluker they signed, now they lose Orlando Brown, but this year okay, what do they do on the offseason to get better on the trenches? It’s Kevin zit, what sailor villain a waiver from the Steelers Ronnie Stanley comes back to me that’s an addition. So you’ll get a little bit better protection there you got Ben Cleveland drafted out of Georgia big nasty offensive lineman The guy is just a mammoth. So it’s got it there’s nowhere to go but up right there ranked 32 there DFL that you got to go up. It can’t be this bad for another season. Right. And when I look at Hollywood Brown, I think he can improve. I don’t think he is breakout player right? I don’t put them in that total breakout category. But I think he can improve by how much We’ll see. And I’m just as jaded Believe me, I’m sitting there going, we’ll see about that. But overall, the Ravens are going to throw more this season. They keep saying and I think they will. They got to try it out. I think they’re more of a, they they’re a team that they’ll do most of what they say they’ll coach speak it and cover it up. But in the end, if you go back and watch they do, walk the talk, I guess you could say, right. But last year, Brown was terrible that first 11 weeks. He was awful. What do you have for games with fewer than 20 yards? just terrible. And then when you look at the final eight, when they start figuring it out, and they’re trying to get into the playoffs and times are you know, they’re getting desperate here, the final eight including the playoffs, he’s got 534 yards, six touchdowns, 37 catches. And then when I watch the games and the team, the deep targets, were finally kind of starting to get into a little bit of rhythm and the timing and they were connecting earlier in the season. They weren’t connecting at all. I don’t care about palm tree workouts at a park in Florida. Plan and shorts for an Instagram video. I hate that stuff. The hype the hype season stuff that that’s garbage, so they can look awesome in that that generates the fantasy hype than the fantasies hype, get some drafted high, the season starts and he tanks and you’re like, why did I draft this guy? But he sucks. But at the end of the season. When I look at that film, yeah, he comes back. He looks better. They’re getting a little bit more into rhythm. And what was he like a wide receiver three last year finishes as the 36 highest scoring wide receiver in PPR leagues. 183 Fantasy points. His only game though with over 100 yards. Week One five for 101. He finished his 58 catches for 769 eight touchdowns on 100 targets. But the guy’s got the drops. The drops? What I mean, I don’t have much faith in that because do you really see players get better from drops? Not not too often. I mean, if I go back to like Jordy Nelson days up here in Green Bay, and James Jones. Remember the Super Bowl, how many drops that they have in that Super Bowl? That was pathetic, right? It’s just something you always have. I mean, it goes away it comes back. So I need to see brown get consistent with the connection with Lamar Jackson, the good news, Sammy Watkins can keep you know draws a little bit of coverage. Dobbins will draw a little bit of coverage, you’ll get better protection, you add those little small things in and now a defense can’t just key in on Hollywood brown because they really had nobody else outside of him and like he said he is not a number one wide receiver in any shape or form. So now the defense will have to you know, look at another receiver opposite of him. Maybe a slot guy if they’re gonna move they got some speed with Duvernay and crochet those guys are fast for three guys. So maybe that’s enough to get over the hump and have them put a little blip on the fantasy radar for us. But yeah, we’ll see. We will see I think ADP, it’s 35 to 75. It’s a lot of name value, offseason Twitter hype, but if he falls, I think he does give you good value. He’s got to fall to the right spot. But if you did, were in a league and you pick them up late. I think he would give you a good value. If these improvements come and he can be a consistent receiver. Have a little more big games and be that deep threat that they need opposite of Sammy Watkins and I’m sure we’ll talk about him in a second but that’s my take for for Brown.

Alex 43:34
Now let’s turn the mic over to the Hollywood brown apologists Derek

Derek 43:38
well yep ah yeah yeah pretty much you summed it up right there now Hollywood Browns a guy that that I was incredibly high on coming into the league right like you go back and I’m no no secret that I’m an Oklahoma Sooners fan and Hollywood brown coming out of that program doing some very good things when he was a sooner but the problem is is that he even in Oklahoma he was a guy that you get on the ball and just let him out run everybody Well the problem is is when you get to the NFL and now everybody’s you know the house faster than then what you saw on big 12 defense type of type of territory. It kind of caught up there a little bit however you did see a lot of promise start happening over the back half the season like Frank was saying where you they started seeing human action happen through that right now he’s a guy that I would i’d love having on on a best ball type of type of roster because he’s a guy that is a one touch type of player that I one can i on one pass he can take into the house for 80 yards type of thing. I’m just gonna absolutely out run past people and you saw that happen several times over the last few years. And they just couldn’t get on the same page between him and Lamar and the past. The past was either not around him or it would hit him in the hands and inevitably end up on the ground. like Frank was saying there as well. So I think he does have some some big upside there. He’s a very high ceiling floor. But the problem is, I’m sorry, he’s a very high ceiling player, but a very low floor type of player, were in the ninth round, which is back back into the ninth round, which is where he’s currently going. That’s still a little rich for me. But you start moving that back to 10th or 11th. Kind of right there in that range. Probably guy I’ll put on my roster and just see what happens. Because the way I draft that’s, that’s my fifth or sixth wide receiver that I’ve put on my board at that point. So he has some value but it right now, that value is kind of right, where is ADP lies, like you’re gonna get where you’re drafting type of thing. I have a feeling that he’ll fall a little bit more as we get closer to the draft season. You see some of the hype come up on some of these other guys. And at which point that I think he moves a little bit into into a slight value territory there if he moves back about around some guy, Sammy Watkins, and Sammy Watkins had an interesting season as well. Um, you kind of had his standard I’m going to put up one massive game, and then not theme the rest of the time there. But 37 receptions 55 targets 421 yards for two touchdowns. Guys, your thoughts on Sammy Watkins

Kevin 46:20
pass. Sandy Watkins is the guy that I want least out of all these past years that may or may not undo anything. Sammy Watkins is the he’s the guy who just manages to just he keeps finding a paycheck and I don’t know why. I don’t know why but Sammy Watkins keeps fine Sam

Alex 46:42
Bradford of wide receivers very much

Kevin 46:45
Well, yeah, in a lot of ways. He is he was a first round pick who never panned out and then couldn’t hack it in Buffalo. And so they bounced around the league ended up a Kansas City won a Super Bowl there had three three games that entire season two were the first two games in a season. And then one was what the week 1516 something like that. And then you know, he had an okay playoff run like outside of that. He didn’t do squat last year. And he’s not gonna do squat and Baltimore, Sammy Watkins is not the answer to anybody’s problems.

Frank B 47:26
No, yeah, I’m I’m completely in. And for me, if you want to keep it simple, just to ask yourself two things. All you have to ask one and look at a fact on the other. Over the past four seasons, right, this guy plays for the two highest scoring teams in the league at the time, right? The Rams juggernaut chiefs juggernaut. If you put this guy on the top two scoring teams and he still can’t come around, then you bounce him to a team that’s ranked 32 in passing. Okay, no, no, no, no, no, no, go. I’m not even not even to draft them. And then the injuries the fact the injuries. injuries have caused this guy 15 games since 2017. And I mean, he he can’t ever produce wide receiver to stats so for fantasy, it to me, it just makes no sense. availability is the best ability, you can never count on them. The stats like I said in those offenses, he still doesn’t produce I I’m with you, man. I don’t want any part of Watkins and it is Sammy when they were looking for the receiver. And there’s they’re talking all these different guys. My brother and I were like, Man, it’s gonna come down to the same old ravens wide receiver free agent the michael crabtree, right? The same old guys. You’re just like, not John Brown that and let alone Sammy Watkins. We just look at it. You know, we knew it. You knew it was gonna be him. It had to be him. It couldn’t be anybody else other than him. But the passing pie in Baltimore. Like you said it’s a low ceiling. But I guess he’s an upgrade. I just can’t see much impact as far as fantasy goes at all.

Derek 49:11
Yep. Sammy Watkins. Give them to me in a basketball league with my last pick of the draft because he’ll inevitably had one big blow up game that that will win me a week and other than that’s the only format that I’ll even consider touching him with a very last pick of the draft. That’s that’s about where I’ve got Sammy Watkins.

Frank B 49:30
Yeah, the inconsistency I don’t know what like 50 catches or something. Maybe you can put them down for We’ll see. Yeah,

Kevin 49:38
yeah, so I trust Dez Bryant more than I trust Sammy Watkins.

Derek 49:42
Already got enough. Guys, Rashad Bateman. newly acquired first round draft check Rashad Bateman. What are your thoughts on Rashad Bateman?

Alex 49:54
Why did he have to go to Baltimore. There’s so many other better spots for

Derek 50:00
If you’re not here to take

Kevin 50:02
the hackers to have him

Derek 50:06
break free agents and they have to draft them they don’t they won’t come there willingly you

Alex 50:13
talk about just like the ultimate disappointment for a dude that I was like this guy is a stud and I got to see sort of up close you know i claws I followed Minnesota football a little bit and you got to see the talent that this kid had playing in the big 10 which is a no joke conference. I mean, it’s not the SEC but yeah, there’s some good defenses up there in the big 10 and and he was able to get it done and then I just why do you have to go to Baltimore. I was so high on the dude and then now I’m completely out.

Kevin 50:51
I like Bateman, a lot. And the more I think about how I believe that Baltimore is going to use him is early on in the season. I think they’re going to use him for a little bit more of the possession stuff a little bit more underneath to allow Hollywood and Mark Andrews to get behind the linebackers and into space. Bateman is a very good route runner and once they start kind of playing with things I think he is a guy in the second half of the season we will see

Derek 51:32
is having fun again

Alex 51:34
we won’t be finishing that thought is what we won’t see.

Derek 51:38
Well why we while we wait for Kevin to get his internet figured out Frank What are your thoughts on Rashad? Bateman?

Frank B 51:43
Yeah, Bateman. I mean, I’m in Wisconsin, so I’m watching big 10 games and whatnot. And for Minnesota if you look at he had six kind of like big big ol hairy Wait, hold on. He’s back. I don’t want to jump into a big fight here.

Kevin 51:55
No, you’re good man. My take was so good. I broke my internet.

Derek 52:00
frying it too hot.

Kevin 52:02
Good. Good night. Where was that Bateman? Okay, I think Bateman’s second half of the season is going to be much stronger than the first half. So if you can survive, if you can survive having him or if you don’t even draft him, and you wait for someone else to get sick of him. I think that’s where you’re going to be able to find some of that is on the back end. And I’ll get into this further with Jackson because I’m not going to go into my whole offensive philosophy talking about wide receivers. But Bateman will serve a role and Bateman is the type of guy to be a true to be the true x receiver for the Baltimore Ravens which will allow Hollywood brown to play that secondary role and probably fit into his skill set a bit better. It’s just a matter of timing, and being able to connect it pass accuracy, right, like 60% isn’t going to cut it. You have to be able to connect which ties in to Lamar Jackson. So I like Bateman a lot. But it’s the second half of the season where I like him. It’s not the front half.

Frank B 53:10
Yeah, I would I would definitely agree with that. And then going back to what you guys said to, um, as far as like this big play explosive, broken plays and scramble. kind of stuff where the defense loses contain somebody gets open, somebody gets behind them. It’s gonna be those big plays that will probably teesha in the first half. And then the second half, I’m with ya. Yeah, that’s when he comes around because he’s gonna have to grow and get in with the NFL get adjusted and everything. But he’s, I mean, he’s a second big play receiver opposite of Hollywood Brown. If if he bumps up, you know, and Sammy Watkins is out with injury which is inevitable it’s going to happen. And he gets an opportunity and can stick that wide receiver to job because if he doesn’t, it’s probably going to be du Vernay opposite of him, because I think he’s a bigger body guy too behind there that can run fast. And as a speedster, they’re probably gonna want to showcase him too, when they spent two draft picks for receivers the other year, but with Bateman, yeah, I think his game needs a little time he gets in there, but they got to get creative with him and really use him throw him the ball, try to feed him the ball, put him in the slot, move them around, put them outside and just see where he fits, do the experimentation early in the season and find out where this guy fits in the offense. And if if they are locked down on passing, opening up the passing game. I think he’s gonna have a possible wide receiver to job. But overall if I look at Okay, what’s likely to happen it’s to me he feels like a 50 catches seven to 800 yards, maybe three to five touchdowns, something like that. But he needs opportunity. If Watkins is out, that’s his opportunity and he’s got to showcase what he has. And when you cut off there, I was saying like, at Minnesota, you know, the big 10 stuff. That guy had the big games, right the impact games. They were all about five to seven catches 150 plus yards and a touchdown or two and in that ravens offense maybe that’s all it takes to the broken plays the scrambles give them five catches and just have them turn nothing into something so maybe that’s how he can he can really break away from the pack there.

Derek 55:16
Yeah, I can definitely see that what i what i do like about the landing spot of Rashad Bateman going to the Ravens is what it is done for dynasty dynasty rookie draft value because you’re able to get him with a mid second in a lot of cases whereas you know, before the season the hype was pushing him up into you know, mid first late first type of deal and now you’re able to get him lower there and I think the value for dynasty purposes anyway puts him as a later breakout stage type of guy there to the point where it’s a year two year three and then you’re really starting to see the talent as you know as he gears up to leave Baltimore inevitably as as the good wide receivers do there. So that’s kind of how I see that but but Kevin I like the fact that Rashad Bateman you give me hope that I can draft Hollywood brown again. And that’s you know, that’s what I always want to do when I’m heading into draft season is able to draft Hollywood brown so

Kevin 56:17
the opportunity is there, sir. Nice.

Derek 56:19
You know what you gave me hope and the opportunity to draft Hollywood brown once again. Just don’t break my heart. Alrighty, so the Ravens do have a bunch of more wide receivers in there any desire to talk about miles Boykins, Jas pro cise Devin Duvernay?

Frank B 56:38
Yeah Duvernay, for me he I mean he was probably the best kickoff returner for the team. So I mean, he’s got himself a spot passing game was pretty minimal. He’s like 2201 I think he was under 30 targets for the season. But he I saw a couple explosive plays out of that guy. It’s just for fantasy. They’re gonna use them and for wide receiver sets and the game hopefully for him. He’s grown in his sophomore season and he can step up but yeah, Baltimore has got to commit more to the pass game for me to pick this guy up and he probably be available he be to me he’s a waiver watch candidate. He’s a guy that after my fantasy draft won’t draft him. I doubt anybody else would. But after the fantasy draft, I’m gonna mark my little watch list and keep an eye on him because I’ll probably pluck them off maybe at some point. Who knows what happens he could do some damage if if like I said Watkins is injured. Bateman steps up. Then you bump du Vernay to like maybe a slot roll and the guy’s got the speed to do damage. So you never know it’s a crapshoot, but you have to wait and see there is a pretty messy crowded, wide receiver depth there as well.

Derek 57:51
Alrighty, let’s go ahead and move on over to the tight ends and they got Mark Andrews there who finished last season as tied in number 558 receptions 88 targets for 701 and seven through the year. Guys, your thoughts on Mark Andrews might lose connection. I don’t know Franklin’s gonna kick us off on that mark. Andrew, okay.

Frank B 58:21
I didn’t know if somebody somebody Mike was bad or something there. Yeah, what Mark Andrews is the offense. He is he is the Ravens offense so not only see the tight end, he is the offense. A little disappointing in the beginning last season I thought compared to like his breakout 2019 season right. But yeah, he once he finishes the six highest PPR scoring tight end. Miss the pair games, and over the 16 he played two in the postseason, he scored fewer than 10 Fantasy points. disappointing. And the tight end as a as a whole. And fantasy. We know that wasteland that it is I’m still taking them when I can get them. And with this. We keep talking about it with this ravens commitment to increasing the passing game. I don’t know if they’re going to use him as the three down tight end. Just for the blocking game they brought in Josh Oliver and I think they want to put Oliver into that old Hayden Hearst role right to get it back into that multiple sets. So Andrews is going to be your guy to stretch the field. And I think we can see him go back to what he was doing when Hayden hearse was opposite of him. And a better wide receiver core overall is going to help his cause by leaps and bounds but they’ve got to come around because if they can just create better space for that guy in the secondary. That’s when he’s gonna come off and really take off and be a top tight end this season. And have you say that’s what I want? You know, that’s why that’s why I picked you so high in the fantasy draft. So I think he’s around 75 catches maybe 900 yards. You can run double digit touchdowns to me as long as he plays every game we got the extra game this year so why not and in that tight end fantasy wasteland you got to get them by by the fifth pick 10th at the latest if everybody’s going wide receiver runs and or running back runs but man he’s typically around the fifth off the board considering you got to get kelsier kittel one to Darren Waller you know

Kevin 1:00:36
so and Drew’s I think his production is gonna go come back up. And this is all gonna feed into again what I’m talking about here with their offensive philosophy but he is clearly option A but I think the presence of Bateman helps his costs. I think Bateman being six to being able to stretch the field and and being able to control the outside. I guess between between the numbers and the sideline, right that key zone for NFL wide receivers will keep the middle of the field open for Mark Andrews, the more pressure that the running game can put on it, whether it safeties playing up or if for whatever reason this passing game shows more life and not electric, but more life where safeties end up actually rolling coverage to one side or the other because they’re getting burned outside. All these things. Speak well to Mark Andrews and these are things that helped him in his breakout season. His safeties were cheating up, Andrews would go over the top safeties would kind of roll outside a little bit to to look for one thing or another. They’re always keeping an eye on Lamar Jackson, a lot of man coverage. So they were always, you know, looking away from the quarterback. Those things help Mark Andrews when teams can sit back and zone against the Ravens all of them suffer because all eyes are on Lamar Jackson. They’re playing deeper they can keep eyes on Andrews Hollywood brown whoever else is playing on the outside now it’s Bateman. So part of what is going to help Mark Andrews is they need to be efficient enough to force teams into man coverage. If teams can sit back and zone he will struggle because

Derek 1:02:33
Okay, there goes Kevin again breaking the internet man his takes they’re just you’re too spicy tonight. Yeah, he’s just bringing the fire

Alex 1:02:41
too much bandwidth. Yeah. I’ll, I’ll go until we get Kevin back here. But, Frank, I’m with ya, you know, we talk and we’ve kind of established tight ends in a tear grouping. And obviously in that top tier, it’s, it’s very thin, it’s Kelsey and kettle and those two are head and shoulders above the rest of that that tight end position group and have proven to be head and shoulders above that, that tight end group for a few years now. And then there’s that second tier which feels like it might be closing the gap just slightly in there but but that’s where Mark Andrews is it you know, you’re daring. wallers you Mark Andrews, it used to be what’s his face out there and Philadelphia, that’s how you get a bowl the season he’s had. And and really it was kind of a take your pick to kind of maybe fill up that second tier. And then there was literally everybody else that plays the tight end position. And so Andrews is in that second tier for me in the tight end group. And I you know, it just depends on, you know, when you’re looking at tight end when it comes up in the draft, obviously tight end premiums kind of skewed that a little bit. But I still think that, you know, if you’re starting to notice that, you know, the first three or four tight ends have gone, you’re gonna want to pay attention if that’s how you want to build your team to where Mark Andrews is if he’s still available. And and if you get to a point where you’re in say the probably what fifth or sixth round my two Hi there. Hi ADP a 50 right now, so like 402402 Okay, yeah, it’s it’s by five because yeah, you’re in a fifth round. Yeah, and that tight end run that second tight end run which is really the first tight end run after Kelsey and catalogo I you’re in a spot you’re gonna want to seriously take a look at that just because of what he means to this Baltimore offense. And and take Kevin’s point that he was making before his another spicy take just just crushes internet. With the addition of Bateman with the addition of I know, Watkins might just be eye candy out there, but you know you’ve got Hollywood Brown, it’s going to open things up. And the threat of the run game will either bring those safeties in closer or you know, it’s just going to open things up. It’s another stressor, if you will, on the defense. And so Mark Andrews, he fits in nicely. And he just, you just got to pay attention. And I think that’s kind of the case with a lot of those tight ends in that second tier grouping. You just kind of pay attention to when that runs starts going in your draft, because if you miss out on it, you’re, you’re screwed. There’s just no other way to put it, you’re screwed. And then you’re going to have to try try and look for the best value at the worst possible spot.

Derek 1:05:53
Right now, beautiful thing is you’ve given me yet another Oklahoma player that I can go out and draft so y’all know that I’m in on a Mark Andrews, even though a lot of times it that that is higher than I want to take a tight end, I’m usually super late tight end, you know, whatever’s left in the 12/13 round. I’ll start looking at that way and picking up my tight end there unless of course, it’s tied in premium. But Mark Andrews is kind of an interesting deal there as well because, you know, a lot of times the tight end is touchdown dependent. When you’re talking on a team and talking on overall positional type of ranking there, where they’ve got to, they’ve got to catch a touchdown fall into the endzone for them to be able to be relevant for fantasy. Mark Andrews is one of the guys that isn’t necessarily that are that isn’t necessarily the case for him because he’ll see you have six seven targets over the course of a game. I do think you’re right where Rashad Bateman helps open things up for him a little bit, and that that overall passing game takes a step forward this year. And when you look at it too, right like even if you’re talking tight end being touchdown dependent. Mark Andrews last year saw about 30% of the five zone targets when you’re out there. And when you’re, you know, you’re inside the five yard line and you’re throwing the ball, you’re throwing it towards the end zone, and Mark Andrews gobbling up 30% of those. And so he is the first option when Lamar Jackson drops back to Pass and especially when you’re talking touchdowns, that’s where his first read is and then moving off from there and I think the addition of some bigger body receivers down there helps that out as well. Guys, any other thoughts on the tight end room? Alrighty, let’s go ahead and head on over to the quarterbacks. You’ve got Lamar Jackson and Lamar Jackson had kind of an interesting year last year, a lot of people expected him to kind of carry over that league winning 2019 type of season into 2020 and got off to a bit of a slow start, but definitely brought things around in the back half. He finished as QB number 10 242, completions 700 I’m sorry, 376 attempts, 2757 yards, 26 touchdowns, nine interceptions. And he also put up 151. Temps on the ground for 1005 yards and seven guys your thoughts on the mark Jackson.

Kevin 1:08:24
Lamar Jackson‘s cap we we’ve seen right his ceiling is through the roof. And we’ve seen that. Here’s my take of what hampered Lamar Jackson last year. And it wasn’t as much of Lamar Jackson, as a lot of people might think it was atrocious play calling on first and second down. absolutely atrocious. So they were so set on trying to throw the football early in the season, that they forgot that they were a run first team. And they made Lamar sit in the pocket. So they’d throw on first down, they try and run on second down and then you go into like third and 7/3 and eight and you’d ask Lamar Jackson to throw again, and try and move the chains. And that’s just not how this team is built. If if they would flip that script and allow them to really run the ball consistently on first and second down to shrink, you know, your your yards to yards to go essentially, that’s where he’s successful guys. His completion percentage from his MVP season into last season was 64 to 62%. So there wasn’t a big, big difference there. But honestly, his number of attempts was was down. Basically 20 is down 25 attempts. So basically damn near a whole game for Lamar Jackson. And a lot of that was because their ability their inability to stay on the field, which really, really cost them in the first half of the season as they’re trying to find this new identity. So they got the weapons, the offensive line is healthy again. But they need to remember how this game flow works with Lamar Jackson, there is a path to more successful passing for this ravens team and Lamar Jackson specifically. But they need to remember that it has to be done through the run game, they have to make those safeties play up. They have to force them to play man coverage, and allow that zone read scheme. And the play action off that zone read to to work, that is where he is most successful. And I blame a lot of that on the play calling because Lamar Jackson was out there just trying to execute. He’s not he’s not Tom Brady, guys, he doesn’t come into the huddle with four different plays. He has his primary and he probably has a secondary. And that’s it. Like they are not giving him a whole lot of latitude as far as coming up with new play on the fly. So they need to help him by allowing him to run early in games and kind of get that swagger back that he was missing for a lot of last season. and allowing that offense to dictate to the defense because last year, I feel like they allowed the defense to kind of dictate to them too much it began that season. And that’s what put him in a fantasy hole that he had to, you know, try and spend the last eight games digging out of.

Alex 1:11:38
Yeah, so it’s funny that Derek, you, you read off his stats there. And like those are pretty darn good stats. But I think for a lot of people last year coming off of what was an incredible season in 2019. I think, you know, he fell short of expectations, which were, you know, really unbelievable expectations to begin with. I know I was one of those guys that you know, you’re looking at a super flex league. I think that the choice was pretty clear last year. I mean, it was it was a toss up between, you know, mahomes and Jackson and I think a lot of people with with the way that Jackson was running the football that you were going to go Jackson in those super flex, you know, like, you’re just gonna be the one on one and super flex leagues. Or I guess, Jackson or McCaffrey in those leagues. And you guys gave me a lot, a lot, a lot of grief for for taking him in a non super flex mock draft that we did. But in my opinion, fantasy football is all about scoring points. And if you’ve got a guy who’s going to score points available, you take the guy who’s going to score points. Now I know that you can probably get them a little bit later. But that’s a conversation for another day. I would I would say that. Lamar Jackson, again, we’ve seen what he is, right, we’ve got three seasons, now we’ve seen that he’s going to run the football, like that part of his game isn’t going anywhere, provided he stays healthy. But passing the football is going to be an adventure. And in maybe with some of these additions. It’s not such an adventure anymore. It’s it’s maybe a little bit excuse me a little bit more consistent. I still I still like him, I still think he provides great fantasy value. I think realistically, somewhere in between 2019 and 2020 is a very, very good year. And we’ll be you know, we’ll probably win somebody a championship if, if that’s where he gets is somewhere in between that in terms of those statistical numbers. And I have full reason to expect that that’s what’s gonna happen. It’s just I was a little frustrated because of my own lofty expectations that I had of him last year. And while he still did well, he just didn’t. He wasn’t an MVP. And you know, God forbid, the guy doesn’t have backs back MVP seasons, because that’s so common these days.

Frank B 1:14:26
Right. What are your thoughts on on the MAR? Yeah, for me, I mean, it there’s so much done wrapped with this guy, right. But overall, the whole number to me offensively the Ravens have averaged 222.9 Pass attempts the past two seasons, and that’s more than 40 fewer than the Titans who have scored the second fewer pass attempts. Last season, it falls to 406 and it’s like come on this What are they doing and like you said the plague was atrocious early they were defenses were dictating to them how that game how they were going to play offensively and then the injuries so when the injuries happened and the lot offensive line shuffling began the center and the guard and pulling guys and flipping guys. I’m looking at this and I’m going okay, it’s going to be time to run the ball, or the whole pass game has got to get changed up. So what do they do? Hey, Lamar, let’s take seven step drops. Let’s Let’s sit in the pocket and survey the field and run through three to four progressions that is not going to happen like he got destroyed how to run. It was a mess. I can’t I’ll never wrap my head around last season of why those passing attempts were like, five step drop seven step drop sit there and look for the open guy. All you have is Hollywood Brown. And we talked about that too. It’s like the the offensive play calling as a fan for what I would have expected would have been the quick bubble screens, the short stuff the rhythm, the timing slants the the easy stuff to give me stuff right you play Madden, give me those little free plays, stuff like that. Let your playmakers do their thing. Hollywood Brown, he’s best on the broken plays on the scrambles, the screens, things like that. Let him shine there. Use Dobbins more out of the backfield. So I think that alone is what they’re going to shoot for when they talk about passing game improvements. And you know, we’re going to get it done this coming season in the past game and there is nowhere to go but up. So I think that’s how they’re gonna have to attack it. And then last season, yeah, when that when the passing game stunk, they double down and say we’re running and we’re committing to it and down the stretch. That’s what happened. They get hot. And that’s that’s their strength, right? They have nothing else. So the common question and you know, around the league is, like you said, Does Lamar Jackson, take a leap and come back and get back to the old MVP Lamar Jackson? To me, I think the guy only needs like 220 225 passing yards a game, pair that with all of his rushing craziness over the past two seasons, right? And then maybe that catapults him into a top five top 10 quarterback status. I don’t know but it’s got to come together form at some point, if they’re going to increase the passing game. That’s what I want to see on the stat column is at least 225 per game for this guy, right. But the other narrative around him is is he’s going to take a big jump this year and he’s going to become a passer and like you said he is what he is we know now after the you know the past few seasons, and we’ve waited time through this time to say this so I think that’s his strength. I think the short game is his strength the intermediate stuff the drags the curls, the screens, the rhythm that play to that don’t have him back sitting idle look like Patrick Mahomes You know, when it’s five, seven step drop, just to shoot a streak down the field. Set it up with the play action, get the run game to honor you know, defensive they got to honor the run game that take your shots methodically and that’s where carbs are ball has got to come in Greg Roman and get into a game flow for play calling because yeah, that was that was atrocious, atrocious last season. It was insane. So this is when the Ravens know how they need to win and it’s not by chasing points because they can’t they can’t chase points. We see it every all of their losses go back and look once they’re in the hole. They’re done. They’re done first down, no positive yardage done. So yeah, that’s how they’re gonna have to get out, get out to a lead whether it’s the running game or it’s the play action, the deep shots be methodical call them at the right times get in sync with that play calling and get the swagger like you said for Lamar Jackson right out of the gate. That’s that’s the key to success and a real true improvement for the passing game. So I think he can come around I think he’s got opportunity now that he’s got a little more balanced offense around him as far as even walk ins I mean, it’s the best it’s going to be for you know, wide receivers in Baltimore as far as balance goes, but my bet Yeah, well I mean, I think his his draft ADP is going to be there’s always a guy that’s going to take him first in every draft, you just know it but he’s not going to fall past 15 maybe I don’t know somebody’s always jumping up for quarterbacks to you know, once there’s a couple big names go somebody’s coming back up to grab them so I think he’s still got a lot of upside and he can get into that ceiling where he should be where we expect them for this coming season.

Derek 1:19:37
Yeah, right now ADP has him at 48 off the board and I’ve won QB league puts right is the fourth quarterback coming off which in that range, it puts him right in the potential be kind of overdrafted as far as that goes. For me I I really don’t see him probably up there in the top four. I see him probably right there. Five, six, still working through some projects. And some rankings myself, but where Lamar Jackson is going to shine is when they don’t have him throw the ball a ton right? You look at it where he is at his best is when he averages about 25 Pass attempts a game and then is able to utilize his utilize the run game and utilize his own legs to get himself out of trouble there and that’s where the Baltimore is really going to have to rely on and and really strive to play this this coming years. Let him throw the ball about 25 times and let him play create unbroken plays the rest of the time and establish a run game and that’s that’ll that’ll be kind of theirs to see their secret and the secret to fantasy success. Wow, that was a that was a tough sentence to get through. Guys any any other thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens for 2021?

Kevin 1:20:48
You know, Frank Frank brought up Tennessee’s passing game so I did a quick comparison of Lamar Jackson and Ryan Tannehill just to you know, see see what it looks like. holistically their stats are, like eerily compare. Verbal like their completion is within a single within with 1% they’re rushing touchdowns. They’re the same amount of rushing touchdowns last year, guys, their yards per attempt rushing Tannahill was point one yard behind Lamar Jackson, like, Jackson had two more interceptions and tannehill had, you know, 1100 more yards on 100 more attempts. So that’s where some of the big breakout is but Tannahill finished. They finished basically side by side, right as the season ended up last year. And so if the Ravens can find a way to just be more efficient in the passing game, Lamar Jackson should easily be a top eight quarterback easily like that should be his floor is eight. So it’s going to be interesting to kind of see how this shakes out. I do think that their skill position. Room in general is the best he’s seen since he’s been a professional. It’s just a matter of how does the play calling break down? Like if they try and force feed the passing game, the Ravens are gonna have a very long season. But if they just kind of toss it up and say, You know what, let Lamar be Lamar. And, yeah, we’ll work on a contract extension, because he’s probably the best that they can get here at the moment. But make it a shorter deal. You don’t have to sign him seven years. But if you can get him for four more years, and let him run it into the dirt and just try and take a run at it for the next four years. At least it’s going to be entertaining football for Baltimore, like two yards in the cloud of dust isn’t entertaining, but when you have Lamar Jackson back there who can scramble out of it and break one off for 47 and walk into the end zone. At least it’s entertaining football, both for fantasy and for the game itself to be able to watch that and enjoy it as a fan.

Derek 1:23:10
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Well, Frank, I know that that you have got to get run in there to get an early morning coming up. But before we let you go, we want to get your mediocre take of 2021 fantasy football.

Frank B 1:23:26
Yeah, looking at the Ravens for me. underwhelming take mediocre take you got if I’m sizing up just from what I see on the team and what this team does. It’s got to be Mark Andrews right. I think Mark Andrews jumps in to that top three tight end category after this coming season is all said and done. Only because pretty much everything we’ve talked about broken down on this episode with to me the lucky if you could look at the Ravens say okay, who’s benefited the most just from an overall everything that’s happened since you know, the close of last season. It’s Mark Andrews, the offensive lines upgraded. Wide Receiver help is there. There’s a commitment to the passing game. We’ll see what plays out there. But last season he finished at the sixth highest PPR scoring tight end. He missed a pair of games. Yes, he was disappointing at the end of the season. But man with you know, I’m putting ingredients in the fantasy pot for tight end. As a team. I think he’s got more than his fair share more than a lot of people that he could get into that top elite category and maybe take the place of the Earth’s right it was kittel Kelsey Earth’s now it’s kittel Kelsey Andrews, so I think that’d be an underwhelming take because I think it is likely to happen. And it’s just to me like I said, all the ingredients are there. This guy is got to come out and really throw it down for 2021

Derek 1:25:01
Awesome. Well Frank, we appreciate you coming on and helping us break down the Ravens before we let you go though make sure that you throw out your socials and how the folks can connect with you.

Frank B 1:25:11
Yes, for the fantasy stuff at fantasy wire HQ and then we talked about the cars at the top I do the car page mostly on Instagram you know that to me Instagram for fantasy is kind of man it’s not bad but it’s just I love the Twitter fantasy experience. Nothing beats it. I know there’s trolls and we know all that crap but overall the community is insane. I love it. That’s the only place to go but when I need to go for cars and what I do for my car photography and stuff that’s street official 919 on Instagram and I just put all show pictures stuff I do on there so either one of those accounts, but yeah, fantasy we’re gonna get fired up here. It’s going to be heavy strategy season for me coming up. So if you want to talk fantasy, strategy, draft stuff like that, hit me up on Twitter anytime and we’ll talk about it for sure.

Derek 1:26:01
Awesome. Oh, Frank, it was a blast. You’re welcome back anytime. Appreciate you for having me on. Absolutely. Thank you sir. And have a good one. You too. Take care guys. Alrighty guys, well, I do believe that that’s gonna wrap up yet another episode of the good ol boys fantasy football podcast big thank you to Frank from fantasy wire HQ from coming on to the show. Always a pleasure when he stops by and guys if you haven’t done so already, go ahead and hit up our socials Twitter Instagram, Facebook twitch at good old boys. FF do us a favor. Hop on into YouTube. Click the subscribe button on that YouTube channel. good old boys fantasy football podcast YouTube channel for Kevin and outs. I’m Derek. Have a good one. Be safe.