Los Angeles Rams 2021 Fantasy Football

Los Angeles Rams 2021 Fantasy Football

Intro 00:17
You’re listening to the good old boys fantasy football podcast. Now here’s your host, Kevin, Derek and Alex.

Derek 00:24
Alrighty. Welcome in ladies and gentlemen to another episode of the good old boys fantasy football Podcast. I am Derek and I am joined as always, by your co host, Kevin and Alex. Guys. How are we doing tonight?

Kevin 00:38
Good man, Doing Good. We’re gonna come up on Memorial weekend. So summer is basically upon us. It feels like so getting little news notes, most of the draft picks, well, little over half the draft picks have all signed now and starting to hear more rumblings about Aaron Rodgers Deshaun Watson and now all the different running backs who are now wide receivers, if you’re listening all the reports coming out of these otas so things are good, man, how are you guys?

Alex 01:09
doing doing? Okay? doing okay? Do it just fine. That’s probably the best way to put it. We are we are in that that low, right. Like this is like the time where you there’s really not much happening. There’s, there’s Yeah, the otas are happening. But otas are happening for you know all the teams and you’re not going to glean too much information out of there. Likewise, your running backs that are all wide wide receivers now. But we are we’re starting to see some of these teams get together see some of these competitions start to shape up and and really over the course of the next week, week and a half, two weeks, we’re gonna start to see how some of these teams might be looking at utilizing some of these players for real once the season actually hits. So it’s it’s one of those weird times where there’s there’s not too much going on in the NFL, which is crazy. Because the NFL has turned into this 365-24-7 365 monster. But yeah, a little bit of a downtime. And then we can really, really start to ramp it up when it comes to actual NFL things. And obviously with the fantasy world that it never stops.

Derek 02:29
No, you’re absolutely right. And guys, we do have a great show for you tonight. Lots of things that we’re going to hit up we’re going to hit on the Los Angeles Rams we’re going to touch some news and notes that we’ve already kind of touched on there but a few more things going on. And then we’re getting into one of my favorite things to do and that’s doing some mock drafting and just drafting in general so right as we’re starting to kind of gear up here towards redraft season. We’re going to do a mock draft here later on and we’re going to see how things shake out there but you know make sure that you’re hitting us up on the socials you know at Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, you know make sure that you’re ended up hitting us up on the on the YouTube we’re streaming there live if you haven’t subscribed there go ahead and do that Twitch and Twitter as well. Sports me Yes you are right that the NFL is a 365 day business. I’m very happy that we’ve got sports me tuning in there posted a battle there about the team that we’re going to go on later tonight and that is the Rams so absolutely fantastic. Let’s go ahead and hit up over into the Rams and we’ll start where we always do and that is with the running backs and they’ve got a dynamic rookie over there. Cam Akers finished 43 on the running back side last year 145 rushing attempts, 625 yards, two rushing touchdowns 11 receptions on 14 targets for an additional 123 and one through the air guys your thoughts on Cam Akers

Cam Akers RB Los Angeles Rams 2021 Fantasy Football

Alex 04:06
I’m gonna go first here because Kevin is going to have a very very intelligent maybe your most gushing review of Cam Akers because I think that that Kevin and you’ll correct me if I’m wrong here but I think that you’re you’re pretty high on Cam Akers this year and and I think we all should be because this team is gonna look obviously a little bit different with the width the change a quarterback that they’ve made, but I still think that running the football is going to be a big part of what they want to do. And Cam Akers is a guy that you know, I have no issues seeing him finishing top 10 running back really and that may be too low, because I think this offense is going to be clicking with Matthew Stafford at the helm and I think whenever you can get cam acres, I don’t think you should sell the farm to get cam acres but whenever You can’t get kingmakers, get it.

Kevin 05:11
Sorry. We’re having connection issues. I’m waiting. I think Alex is done now.

05:14
Yes. No, no, I

Alex 05:15
am I screwed up

Kevin 05:17
here before I jumped the gun. Sorry, buddy.

Derek 05:21
Oh, we’re all good. Kevin is yours

Kevin 05:25
now so kingmakers is kind of everyone’s not it’s not secret right like he’s everyone’s darling of last year posted three three great weeks down the stretch really kind of showed his ability was when he got the full workload and now between the end of the season success McVeigh saying hey you know this guy could this guy can be thrown back like everyone’s cheering gushing gushing over Cam Akers um. I like cam maker well definitely like price like there are spots

Derek 06:17
I see that the connection issues have skipped me for a week finally and unfortunately, it looks like they’ve hit Kevin. This time around.

Alex 06:26
We just rotate Connect. Yeah,

Derek 06:28
yes. Just you know,

Alex 06:31
if it’s not if it’s not at least it’s a flattering picture that it’s saved him on his digitized face. There

Derek 06:39
was a time when I get it. I’m like, Oh, are you back?

Alex 06:44
Is he back?

Kevin 06:48
issues? No, right. saying

Alex 06:50
we’re saying we’re rotating or rotating who has the connection issues in this week? You do the short straw.

Kevin 06:57
Yeah, I guess so. Alright. Like Cam Akers ability, like his ability to one cut and go he does have power in those legs. And he’s used to fighting for every single yard. He played behind a terrible line at Florida State had some success. He got healthy and everything else. So I do expect him to move up now. Is it possible he finishes in RB one territory? That’s absolutely awesome. What Matt Stafford is an upgrade. They’re going to be able to do some more things with that offense, they’re probably going to throw in the ball a little bit deeper than what Jared Goff so it’s going to keep the safety badge anytime you can keep the safeties it helps your running game right like it helps the play action game and then it just comes full circle that way so I like Cam Akers but I like him back in the second beginning of the third like in a you know, sweetheart draft right, like, end up with, you know, Christian McCaffrey maker then, you know, if you watch TV, that’s fine. We’ll see how this shakes out in the mock draft we do later. But Cam Akers everyone’s predicting too. So there’s a good chance I’m not going to get him in a lot of spots guy. I just, I’m not going to reach for him. I like very comparable to and where I don’t feel like I’m going to have to you know, jump around early to mid second round. Instead of landing. I like Dre swith the light a little bit more. does that have anything?

Derek 08:50
Yeah, yeah, I like Cam Akers as well. I’m thinking I’m right there with you, Kevin, where I’m not looking to necessarily try and overdraft him, which I think is going to be the case. By the time we actually get around to full on redress season, we are going to be seeing kingmaker sneaking up early second, maybe even potentially end of the first type of thing. Just because of the way folks tend to go after these young running backs, and especially off the last couple of games of a season. So I could very well easily see him being overdrafted there. But I think you’re right. I think the sweet spot is probably back in the second maybe even early the third, but I don’t think that he’s going to stick around there. But that kind of leads me to another question as far as you who you guys would rather have another running back that showed a lot of pop last year, and is gallants a sophomore coming into this year as well. So who would you rather be drafting in a second round type of deal? Would you rather draft an Antonio Gibson Would you rather drive to cam acres?

Alex 09:53
I think I would lean more towards acres just because I like the offense. And the continuity more of the continuity that they’ll have they’re

Kevin 10:08
gonna go Gibson because like the Washington football team schedule more than I like the LA Rams schedule playing the niners twice, the Seahawks twice, up and coming Arizona defense twice on top of their non that’s just part of the part of the equation right part of what we should be looking at as we’re evaluate. I feel I sins for portunities a little bit better playing in the NFC East and quite frankly having aims I think are probably a little bit more advantageous than haymakers is going to see at times.

Derek 10:54
Yes, I’m right there with you. And granted a part of that is the fact that I was so high on Gibson last year and the fact that he hit on that one. So yeah, almost a little bit of a my guy kind of thing going there. And it’s one of those that I have to caution myself not to overdraft and Tonio Gibson in the coming season as well. But no, I I lean that way as well. Alex being kind of the odd man out there, but amongst the three of us, but I think this Alex, you’re probably gonna lean more where the sediment of the industry and where the ATP ends up shaking out is that makers will be drafted higher than him.

Alex 11:26
So when it’s all said and done, where are we? Where are we seeing Cam Akers finish? Because I think I think running back, you know, rv 10, you know, is not out of the question. And that might even be on the low side if he gets used the way that Sean McVeigh say so. Are you guys here’s the exercise higher or lower, higher being closer to RB one lower being outside of running back one territory, culture Rb 12 or whatever. Whereas Cam Akers finishing this year,

Derek 12:02
should you set the line at 10? Or 12? I missed that

Alex 12:05
running back 10. Okay, and is the wind over under higher lower higher being towards running back one?

Derek 12:14
I think when it’s all said and done, I’m gonna have him at 11.

Kevin 12:21
Under and I don’t know have a metal thinking somewhere probably in that of the 15 range is is where he’s gonna go. We’ll get into why I think that here once we kind of move on because he’s, he’s the shiny toy in town. But he’s not the only toy in town. And I think that is to kind of eat in a little bit of his ceiling, if you will.

Derek 12:46
Yeah. PJ Kennedy 2121 on Twitter, saying that it’s wills up four acres, and they see some is running back seven, eight on the year. So he’s going he’s he’s betting big there. I like it. That’s bold is

Alex 13:00
possible. Kevin, Kevin brought up a great point. Yeah, you gotta you brought up a great point, though, in that he’s got to play in the NFC West. You know, that’s, that’s six games right there against pretty formidable defenses. And oh, by the way, Arizona added JJ Watt and even even a JJ Watt, you know, at 75% is still a big body in there that you’re gonna have to account for on the O line. So you bring up a good point. I think running back 10 is probably and this is just me spitballing. I haven’t gone through and done running back rankings yet. But I think that’s kind of where I can see Cam Akers being once it’s all said and done is in that running back 10 range if he’s able to build off of what he did at the end of the at the end of last year, and he’s utilized in a way that I think we’d all like to see him utilized.

Derek 13:59
Yeah, yeah, I think that there’s definitely a Yeah, very good outcome possibility for him

Kevin 14:05
and running backs. Yep.

Derek 14:08
It’s one of those to that part of it. Part of it is that you’ve got to temper the expectation a little bit with some of these guys coming back off of injury guys that we didn’t necessarily see last year that you know, the sake ones the the Christian McCaffrey‘s and some of these guys that will go up there as well that I think will end up scooting them back. And that’s why I’m seeing him a little bit more at 11. There. Some looks like Kevin, it will be back with a shortly. He’s got that connection issues going on there. So we’ll we’ll go ahead and move on over to Henderson. Darrell Henderson and JP Kennedy 2121 is also saying that he’s going to get a lot of targets to go along with heavy workload. Henderson proves he’s a proves he’s a jag.

Alex 14:52
Yeah, I don’t know what jag means. Can you clarify there for us? What, what what is jag

Derek 15:01
That was Henderson equals Jags. I am not just the

Alex 15:04
game or just the goal.

Kevin 15:06
Just another guy.

Derek 15:08
Yeah. Okay. Like I’m not gonna disagree with that. I think that he is the, you know kind of the other guy in the backfield there that is not going to necessarily live up to where they drafted him to be in this why they drafted Cam Akers the year after but Daryl Henderson’s where we’ll go. And Daryl Henderson finished as running back 36 last year 138 rush attempts, 624 yards, five rushing touchdowns, 16 receptions on 24 targets for 159 and one through the air guys your thoughts on Darrell Henderson

Darrell Henderson RB Los Angeles Rams 2021 Fantasy Football

Alex 15:50
is it connection issues because I’m deferring to you Kevin? Haven’t held

Kevin 15:53
an issue tonight here.

Alex 15:58
Whoa, boy.

Kevin 16:02
All right. Um, so Henderson while seemingly just another guy you’re not gonna waste a second round pick on a guy and then just have him sit. Yes. Akers was drafted in the first. Henderson’s had some injury ailments if you will, which will allow acres to

Alex 16:37
I have a feeling this iPads about to take a trip across the basement.

Derek 16:46
He’s got that look.

Alex 16:51
Hey, Kevin trice. Yeah, thing your camera. You could just hear your audio. Let’s let’s see if that works.

Kevin 17:06
that better?

Derek 17:07
Yeah. Give me a Henderson spiel.

Alex 17:10
Give us Darryl Hammond. Jamie.

Kevin 17:16
Crap show. Henderson has proved that he does have a little bit of a nose for the end zone. Like Henderson was able to really set the pace in that Rams backfield with four touchdowns tacked another one through the so he is not. He is not going to get the lion’s share of touches here. So that’s not what I’m saying at all. But I could see this as something like a 6040 split where I think a lot of things to kind of get in that. rb, one territory finish it. rb 10 overall, right. That’s what we’re talking about 30 acres. I think that split needs to be a bit wider. But at 6040 Henderson’s gonna be able to do some damage. It’s a little bit of a smaller guy, he’s a little bit more compact. He is slightly more familiar with the offense given that he has two seasons instead of just one but talent always rises to the top. Henderson is a guy that you can get super cheap and drafts super super late and for as much time and energy and draft capital as we put into say the San Francisco 40 Niners backfield because there’s all these guys at one point or the other. Die will agree disagree, man, he’s gonna see more than 20 That’s okay, we’ll see. That seems low. But we gush all over these Niners running backs right, moster gets drafted Jeff Wilson‘s getting drafted. Trey Sermon, everybody’s kind of back into the first round top of the second round running back, darling is is going to get tons of at least hype this year. We’re gonna see how that’s being used. But it’s only a two horse town there in LA. So he’s got to get some run acres will not be able to last all season long without splitting some of these carries out. So there’s a path to limited targets. I think that’s what’s going to cap acres ability. It’s not that acres isn’t good enough. It’s that Sean McVeigh swore swore up and down that after he ran Todd Gurley into the dirt that he wasn’t going to do that anymore. It could be a three down guy. Yes, he can be a three cautious and not run these out like you did with girly. So there’s a bit of a bit of both sides of the coin here guys and I’m, I’m gonna say Henderson’s an rb, four, maybe RB five somewhere in that territory. So he’s not someone that you necessarily need to run out and go for but if anything happens to acres this guy’s gonna be instantly RB to territory just overnight and he’s gonna be a great spot.

Derek 20:16
Alex, what are your thoughts on Darrell Henderson?

Alex 20:18
Okay, Kevin, you have to turn your camera back on when you’re done talking. That way we can see. That’s what I view. That’s how I view on to his his handcuff. He does have standalone value, but it’s not much. And so RB. Yeah, I mean, he’s in that RB four five range, no problem. But if Akers does get hurt, then he drastically drastically improved. So that’s where I’m at with him. I see him as a handcuff. But it could be he has standalone value. There’s just just not that much. I don’t think in order to really, really seek him out until much later in your draft.

Derek 21:08
Right. And I see his I see Darrell Henderson‘s workload being very similar this year to what it was last year. Right. You look at it from the standpoint that Malcolm Brown was also in that mix last year and consumed over 100 rushing attempts in that in that offense. So you’ve got 100 100 rush attempts vacated and even if you’re taking Cam Akers consumes all of those and picks up some more passing work, which probably will because Matt Stafford likes to check down to a running back and likes to get the running backs involved through the passing game. But even if that’s the case, you’re still talking about the fact that there’s only two running backs there. Cam Akers getting 250 to 260 touches well that’s still gonna leave somewhere in the piece of the pie of about 140 touches on the ground for Daryl Henderson and it keep in mind too This was a guy combined with Kenneth gain Well, those two guys did a lot to keep Antonio Gibson off the field when they were all at college Memphis together so you’re there’s something to be said that that he’s he’s some talent he was a guy taken with some pretty decent draft capitals and a two picks so I see him potentially sneaking up into RB three territory but it’s very back end call it running back 3435 36 somewhere in there. Drew somewhere about running back 48 so very tail end of RB three into RB four territories where I see him So guys, any other thoughts on the Los Angeles Rams running back room?

Kevin 22:46
I’m shaking my head. No, but you can’t see me.

Derek 22:50
Like it. So let’s turn your camera

Alex 22:52
back on when you’re done talking.

22:54
That way it

Alex 22:56
gives Alex a visual cue way I can see.

Derek 23:00
Oh, this is a show made for radio right now. I’m not gonna lie. Yeah,

Alex 23:05
I saw that one. You don’t have to tell me I’m number one. I already know.

Derek 23:09
Alrighty guys. So moving on over to the Los Angeles Rams wide receiver room. We’ve got we’ll start with Robert Woods, who finished as wide receiver 13. Last year, 90 receptions. 129 targets for 936 and six through the air. He also had an additional 24 rush attempts for 155 and two on the ground. So guys, your thoughts on Robert Woods

Robert Woods WR Los Angeles Rams 2021 Fantasy Football

Kevin 23:37
like Bobby woods, I think Stafford is going to be able to utilize these receivers probably a little bit of a way that Jared Goff didn’t like I said earlier. His career wise Stafford’s depth of targets is about four and a half yards deeper per attempt than what Jared Goff is so we’re gonna see different wrinkles and different layers in this Shawn McVeigh offense if nothing else just because of that’s how Matt Stafford plays the quarterback position. Woods is a guy who’s predominantly outside every once in a while he does come into the slot so it’ll be just want you want to see his touchdown number stay around that six or seven right? In 2019 I think it was we thought that he was just going to kind of go ham on and he ended up with two receiving touchdowns and kind of frustrated everyone while the targets and the receptions were there. The touchdowns weren’t so if you can keep Robert Woods around. Five, six touchdowns. I think you’re gonna get I think you’re gonna get your money’s worth out of them. He is a guy you draft him as a wide receiver too. I think that he is a wide receiver too. With sneaky y, just through one upside depending on how many times he can get in the end zone. And he’s sneaking up on that ever elusive 30 year old mark. But I do think that being being in LA and playing with Stafford and kind of the energy that McVeigh brings to the offense, he’ll stay youthful, if you will. But what is the guy that I’m more than half? sticking on my rosters and RB two and then either riding it out because I like them?

Derek 25:43
All righty. Well, JP Kennedy is saying that, TJ, TJ, I’m sorry, PJ Kennedy, my apologies. PJ Kennedy. 2121, on the Twitter saying that he’s selling cup, and we’ll get to cup here after we talk about Robert Woods. Alex holds a special place for Cooper cup on his on his fantasy heart. But what I would tell you, PJ Kennedy 2121, you should download the sports me app. It’s available on the app store, or you can go to get sports me.com. I posted this very question on the sports me earlier join the debate there a lot of fun. There’s been been a bunch of guys already commented on that. We’ll get to that in a little bit. But yeah, Alex, what are your thoughts on old Robert Woods?

Alex 26:29
Yeah, I think Robert Woods, the last three years has been remarkably consistent, maybe not in terms of yards. But in terms of targets, receptions. And with the exception of 2019, where it was pretty much a downright disaster when it came to touchdowns. He’s been he’s been pretty well, the same. Once he kind of established himself in LA, you know, it was different first year in the new offense in 2017. You had a young quarterback trying to figure out you know, his way through. And you know, not that Jared Goff was a spring chicken at that point, but he was still a young, young young quarterback. So I think once he kind of developed that report, it worked out for him and worked out for Robert Woods. I only see Robert Woods getting the same or better. It’s it’s a lateral or better with Robert Woods because he’s got an upgrade at quarterback. And that, to me is the biggest thing. I’ve said this one time, I’ve said it 1000 times as a receiver, you’re only as good as the quarterback throwing to you. And they’ve made an upgrade at the quarterback position in LA. So for Robert Woods, I see no issue with him being at that same 130 targets, 90 receptions and flirting with 1000 yards give or take 150 probably positive but maybe negative 100, negative 150 positive. So I think that that number is good. Because Stafford will throw the football down the field a little bit more to and quite frankly, take a few more chances than Jared Goff will. And so if he can keep that touchdown number right in that 678 range that Kevin was talking about, then yeah, I mean, Robert Woods is a guy that you’re gonna want as wide receiver too. And that’s a really, really good high end, wide receiver too that you can get there.

Derek 28:29
Yeah, and I’m, I’m right there with you. And we had the same debate going until last year going into 2020 you know, the Cooper cup, the Robert Woods like where are you going who you’re looking at there, Robert Woods is just playing consistent. When you look at it like he is going to be the guy that just that’s why I love him as a wide receiver to on my roster because the fact that you know what you’re going to get out of that you’re not going to necessarily get these huge upswing when you’re weak type of things. But that’s what my wide receiver one is forced to provide that pop and provide that that high ceiling, Robert Woods is a wide receiver to is going to provide me a super safe floor that I’m very happy with week in week out and that’s part of the reason I’m a big fan of Robert Woods and I try and put them on just about every roster that I can because he’s very, very consistent. And when you look back at between 2019 and 2020 and 2019 Robert Woods finished right about the same I think he was wide receiver 14 and a half point PPR Cooper Cup was number four and going in this patch after this past year. Robert Woods was wide receiver 13 Cooper Cup was wide receiver 27 and the really the only difference that had to play out there was the touchdowns and we saw the same thing happened this year too. When you look at it, the reception targets are or the reception totals very similar targets very similar yardage, very similar. The only difference was the touchdowns and some of the running game that they involved Robert Woods in to get him some of those You know some of those sweeps and some of those things to to just get him involved in the game things that McVeigh is very, very good at. So personally, if I’m going between the two I’m gonna say Cooper Kupp on my roster, or I’m sorry not Cooper cup I’m gonna say Robert Woods. So but let’s go ahead and move on over to old Cooper Kupp there who was wide receiver 27 last year 92 receptions 124 targets 974 yards and three touchdowns through the air guys your thoughts on Cooper Kupp.

Cooper Kupp WR Los Angeles Rams 2021 Fantasy Football

Alex 30:34
So that was the big issue last year was the fact that you know, Cooper cup, didn’t find the ball all he was standing in the end zone. And I think that was part of the reason why the Rams decided they needed to move on from Jared Goff because there just wasn’t enough in the passing game when it came to touchdowns and passing touchdown. So look, he had a phenomenal year in 2019. He had 10 touchdowns that year was up over 1100 yards. And I had 94 catches. I don’t know that he gets to 10 touchdowns. But if he gets to seven or eight touchdowns, and he can still put up the same reception totals, the same yardage totals, then, you know, Cooper cup is literally just a couple touchdowns away from rocketing up the wide receiver leaderboards. I mean, that’s that’s really what it came down to was the fact that he his numbers, and Robert Woods numbers virtually identical last year, with the exception of touchdowns, and Woods had three more than cutted. So if they can find a way to spread that wealth out a little bit to make sure that it’s not just one or the other. And that’s the game that you have to play with the Rams, when they have two options like that. One is going to get fed over the other and you hope that you’ve got the one and not the other. But I’ve been a big fan of Cooper cup since his college days. I was one of those first guys that was on Cooper cup. I was drafting him in the you know, the last round of these drafts that we were doing, just to have him on my roster. And then it turns out he was a huge piece of that Rams offense and became a coveted a coveted piece, especially after you put up a 10 touchdown here. I think a lot of people are going to be burned by the fact that he didn’t get 10 touchdowns, which is slightly unreasonable to expect. And he was disappointing because he only had three last year. Don’t let recency bias play into it. They’ve upgraded at quarterback Cooper cup is still a vacuum, he will catch literally everything that comes at him. And he’s shown that he might have to miss a game or two because of you know, his size and the way that he plays where he plays on the field. He’s going to take some big hits, but he’s a pretty reliable piece. So when we were to Derek, when you were saying you know if it’s woods or cup, which one do you take? I mean, I guess I would prefer Robert Woods, but I would be okay if I had Cooper cup.

Kevin 33:04
Yeah, I think I think Alex you kind of nailed there there. Cooper cup is a plus route runner and a plus plus, you know, the receiving wide receiver right. And he has great hands very soft hands catches everything very much. His catching style is very much Emmanuel Sanders in the way that he does give his body up and a lot of different ways to try and bring down the football. At times that does lead to injury. That was a down the line was really I think it was his hamstring that was nicked up between weeks 10 and 14. So he wasn’t on the field as much. And the Rams kind of had can dairy as opposed to when they’re both healthy. It’s a true one a and one B situation between these two guys. So it’s very much like the running back room. If there’s two running backs. You go for the cheaper asset, right, like we talked about this a couple weeks ago we were talking about the niners we’ve talked about it or would have talked about it but I think we covered the Texans before they brought in Philip Lindsay and Mark Ingram but it’s the same type of deal like you don’t go for the most expensive asset you hold back and try and get the cheaper asset if you think they’re that close now. Some people are going to be hard sold on Robert Woods and there’s nothing wrong with that because he does have a safer floor. Cooper cup we’ve seen has a higher ceiling. Now I don’t think wide receiver for his in his future. I do think that was his career best. I don’t know that we’re going to see that again. But Matt Stafford has proven over the hears that he can fulfill and facilitate to top and wide receivers. Marvin Jones had great seasons with the Detroit Lions, because it was him and Kenny Golladay. So we’ve seen Stafford do with two guys before, I have no reason to think that he won’t be able to do it again. And for for where cup is, I guess for where he finished last year at wide receiver 2627. He’s not a wide receiver three caliber guy like he is squarely in wide receiver to candidate or territory.

Derek 35:48
you’re rolling so good.

Alex 35:49
That was that was good because he was agreeing with me. I like that. And then the internet had to drop out on

Kevin 35:55
the internet happened. I’m saying

Alex 35:59
curse words? Oh,

Derek 36:01
no, I’m, I’m right there with you. I do think that it’s gonna come down to one of these guys. I think we’ll finish in wide receiver one territory, it’ll be back end. Somewhere probably in that 12 to 13 just right there at that fringe spot. And I think it’s just gonna depend on who Matt Stafford ends up making that better connection with to it right, the new quarterback coming in. It may very well be Cooper cup, right Matt Shephard has preferred over the course of his career to throw a little bit bigger receivers and Cooper cups got a couple more inches there. So you could see that being the case. And could be that when it gets down in the redzone coming out that slot like that could be how that ends up playing there. So it’ll be very interesting to see the connection and how these guys, you know, really kind of bring that chemistry together here this offseason. And what that looks like,

Alex 36:53
I honestly think the only differentiating factor this year between woods and cup is whoever lands in the end zone more. Correct. Honestly, that’s the only thing that’s going to separate these two is whoever gets more touchdowns because the catches in the yards are going to be similar. It’s just touchdowns. That’s going to be the defining factor. And that is incredibly hard to predict which guy is going to get more touchdowns over the course of a season. So that to me is the difference between will there be you know, is it woods or is it cup? It’s gonna come down to touchdowns and, and that that is so hard to predict.

Derek 37:34
Right, that that is absolutely going to be the case there. I do believe Alex, real quick before we move on to some of these other wide receivers they got in there. I just want to know over under with it being a 17 game season. Do both Robert Woods and Cooper cup get over 100 receptions this year.

Kevin 37:57
Yes, no.

Derek 38:02
I kind of I kind of lean on the on the fact that they are they’re both going to be in 90 or so. So I I’ll be bold and say yes. I think that they’ll just both barely squeak right at about 100 with that extra game in there this year. And if they both play full 17 games, some So guys, they do have a couple of other wide receiver options out there. Van Jefferson is making a comeback doesn’t have to compete with the likes of Josh Reynolds this year. He had finishes 122 last year 19 receptions on 31 targets for 220 223 the air and one touchdown. Any thoughts on on Van Jefferson?

Van Jefferson WR Los Angeles Rams 2021 Fantasy Football

Alex 38:46
Okay, I got PJ, what are you doing? Woods then Vanden cup. PJ, my man? Yeah, whatever it is that you’re smoking. I hope it’s legal.

Kevin 39:04
Yeah, I the only thing that I really is the Florida wide receivers in the NFL. Don’t pan out. So that’s, that’s my knock on Van Jefferson. I like him there. I think he fits. I think he’s gonna fill into that to that third receiver role. He is a guy that you can see Matt Stafford, like, went off the line. I just, it’s hard when you have two alphas like woods and cup to make room for that true third guy. And I don’t know that McVeigh’s offense will allow for that the same way. McCarthy’s offense would say in Dallas. On top of the fact of as PJ a alluded to in the comments, this Rams defense is really stinking good guys, like they don’t get into a whole lot of barnburner. Like they, they get, you know, they’ll get into one, maybe two a year and it seems like they get into one. And it’s it’s one with either the Rams or the Seahawks. And then some off off putting game or not, I shouldn’t say off putting but some odd ball game where they get into a shootout that way, but other than that, they win a whole lot of football game, you know, 24 to, you know, 1424 to 17, something like that, because that defense is so good. And Aaron Donald gets loose that it’s going to be hard for them. Even with a more difficult schedule to be so far behind that they just have to throw the ball 80% of the time in the second half and get some of these garbage points that add up and fantasy, right. Like we love garbage points. There’s nothing better than a backdoor cover because a garbage time like it’s just satisfying fantasy. You’re not gonna get as as much of that from the ramps, you will get some of it for sure. It’s the NFL things happen each week is a completely different scenario. But sitting here looking at it, the that’s not what you need to predict when you’re looking at this Rams team. They’re not they’re not going to be playing that type of football more times than not.

Derek 41:28
Alex, what are your thoughts on Van Jefferson?

Alex 41:32
I certainly not better than Cooper Kupp. To just don’t see it. I just don’t see it. Kevin, Kevin, Kevin’s point is where I’m at, you know that there are two really good receivers on this team and it with so many mouths, like you know, there’s only there’s only one football, there’s you know, there’s there’s just one football to go around. So I’m not sure you know that that either these other two guys will talk about too, too, as well. But I’m not sure that either these guys really make a difference. Unless woods or cups cup goes down. That’s the only way that I see these guys being really really, you know, relevant in the space. But other than that, like if it’s if it’s not woods or cup, you know, it’s good, it’s gonna be tough to be able to plug one of these other guys in and think you’re going to get a consistent or reliable score week in and week out. Because I just don’t I just don’t see that happening. Kevin, Kevin brought up the Great point. McVeigh’s offense isn’t really designed to be that, you know, in other if it were other situations, yes. But that’s not what make Bay’s offense is. And so I just, you know, you tell the defense pick your poison, you want to roll coverage over to Woods aside, great, we’ll throw in a cup, you want to roll coverage over two cup side, great, we’ll throw the woods, a third guy in there, you know, it’s 11. On 11, they don’t get to add an extra guy just because you’ve got woods and cup on the field at the same time. So it just doesn’t, I just don’t see, you know, these guys really making that much hay on a consistent or a I guess just on a consistent basis that would be would be enough to warrant putting them in your lineup week in and week out. Now, there might be a time where there’s a matchup or you know, if you get desperate on by weeks that these guys might be, you know, the play that you have to make. But honestly, with the embarrassment of riches, that is wide receiver talent in this league right now. And it is an embarrassment of riches. For wide receiver talent in this league. I would probably try to find, you know, a better situation, then the third wide receiver for the LA LA Rams.

Derek 43:56
Yeah, I mean, although we’ve seen it work in the past, right, you think back to 2018, even 2019 for the most part where they had three really good wide receivers on that roster. And they made it work when Brandon cooks was there. Last year, you saw them run a little bit more double tight end sets with both higby and Everett on the field. And Josh Reynolds vacated about 15% of the target share so there could be enough volume there with him running you know, 11 personnel like there could be enough volume there for a guy to maybe sneak up into like a wide receiver for territory and be a flex type of guy or you know, a break glass in case of emergency type of type of move at the wide receiver go for him.

Kevin 44:42
I think part of my problem is all three of these guys are very, very similar. Right so Van Jefferson six to like cup a little bit more straight line speed than cup, his cups a little bit more of a polished wrap. runner. He’s got the same build body mass wise as Robert Woods. But his hands aren’t quite as good as Robert Woods on top of the fact that the guy we’re going to talk about next is Sean Jackson just came into 14th 14th season, but it’s also a bit of a coming home party. He’s also going to be a deep ball threat when healthy Now that might only be two games. Okay, fine. So the Shawn Jackson’s out of the way. But then, let’s talk about I’m jumping ahead here a little bit, but let’s talk about the rookie that the Rams just drafted in the second round. Um, with the two two is six, nine, kind of a scat type wide receiver that he’s going to be able to probably take a little bit of Robert Woods run, I see them using him a little bit more of the end around because he can get lost behind that offensive line sitting there at six or 595 10. But he also ran a sub for four, so he’s got really quick speed. He’s a true slot receiver. So he’s the guy that allows cup and woods to both play outside. But if you have your true slot receiver, and you have cup and Woods outside, where does Van Jefferson truly fit in here other than he knows the playbook a little bit better. So I think that because this Rams wide receiver room as currently constructed goes five deep that Yeah, to Sean Jackson, you can’t count on him to play a whole season so even if you’re going for deep well, if you run an 11 personnel there’s only three wide receivers out there guys like McVeigh doesn’t owe empty back a whole hell of a lot like he likes going 11 personnel last year he ran more 12 personnel he ran in he ran with two tight ends a lot last year. So it depends on which McVeigh you’re going to get. And and a lot of that also affects what we talked about earlier guys like if Stafford’s going 11 personnel, the stretch runs are going to be there for kingmakers. But Stafford likes throwing the ball a hell of a lot more and Jared Goff seems to and where that might be set up for run. I can see Stafford check it out to a lot of those because he just has that gunslinger mentality and some of those design running plays are going to get checked out into passing plays because Stafford loves his right arm. There’s no doubt about that. Yeah,

Derek 47:41
yeah, I think you’ve hit the nail right there on the head. They’ve got a whole lot of guys in there any desire to really think we’ve covered DeSean Jackson they’re pretty deep any desire to talk about to to at Well, the second round rookie that they added into this, this room and pangs picks, says that he’s a Tutu Attwell guy.

Alex 48:04
I tell you what, with with two two, you know, I could definitely see Sean McVeigh. You know, they’ve probably they took two two out well, because his athleticism and speed are attractive, right? I have no insight into this. But it seems to me, like this is one of those things where an offensive minded coach gets a guy that they say, we can put a package in for him. And how many times do we see, we can put a package in for him means that dude’s not going to be on the team come three years from now, because he can’t figure out a spot for him. You know, I mean, realistically, you know, it works on occasion. But if you’re a one trick pony, and your one trick is the package that you have specifically in for the guy, that’s not great. You know, it’s just not great. And And likewise, if you’re, you know, a Tutu Atwell Fantasy owner, if he’s only in on those package plays, well, that severely limits the amount of time that he’s on the field, which severely limits the amount of times that he’s going to get touches. So I I don’t know that. That he’s really again, when it comes to the Rams wide receiving room, if it’s not Woods or Kupp, I’m going to look elsewhere. And I will I will find a better situation than what is after those two.

Kevin 49:25
So I think at will is PJ you hit the nail on the head, he’s going to be a big build stretcher, do do some different things. I see him returning a lot of kicks, guys. Like I see him being that guy on special teams. He’s got really good hands. Like he runs a fourth like I was saying earlier, he runs a 435 and he has really really good hands. So I could see this guy being on punt returns kickoff returns to try and get him that explosiveness and try and get those big plays to flip the field on special teams wise. He is He is the one outlier in this receiving Corps. So, yeah, Pat, he might be on the field a little bit more than what we expect. Like I now I’m not expecting him to see 60 or 70% of the snap count. But I don’t know that I’d be too surprised to see him consistently that that 40 to 45%, which isn’t ideal for what we’re doing in season fantasy necessarily. But he’s a guy I’m going to take a flyer on in best ball leagues, why the hell not if he’s a field stretcher, then there’s a room, there’s a place for him on best colleagues. And so it Wait, sneak your roster and just see what happens. Because at that type of speed, and with this offense and the arm that Matt Stafford has, he’s at least going to have opportunities to make big plays. And at that point, it’s going to be on him to come down with the football and if he does, he will find a spot in the NFL. If he doesn’t, Alex, you’re right. Two, three years. It’ll fade off in the sunset. And we won’t hear from this guy.

Derek 51:09
Very good. Any final thoughts on the wide receiver room for the LA Rams All righty, let’s go and move on over to the tight ends in Tyler Higbee. Little bit of a letdown season in 2020 coming off of that fantastic finish in 2019. But he finished as tight end number 1844 receptions 60 targets 521 through the air and five touchdowns. Guys, your thoughts on Tyler Higbee

Tyler Higbee TE Los Angeles Rams 2021 Fantasy Football

Alex 51:39
I feel like those numbers are where we can expect other ag to be again next year. Right? Like those are pretty solid. I think that’s an accurate representation of what you can expect out of Tyler Higbee I think you know, the maybe he gets closer to 50 catches the extra game in there. And he is maybe able to get over the 600 yard mark. But the five touchdowns feels uncomfortable with five, five touchdowns. But that’s what he is. And when it comes to tight ends, you know, you’re gonna be taking your your lumps at the tight end spot if you’re not getting the you know, top two or three, you’re gonna have to deal with picking the one that you think is going to be the best out of the rest of them. So if you if you go late, I think this is your I think last year was his year and the year before was his year and this year will be the same as all those previous ones. I just that’s just where I see Tyler hitting me finishing that he’s Okay, thanks. He’s great. He’s a that was that was really hurtful and rude. That was hurtful. I’m gonna get on your live stream. Ibiza tell you how you’re doing. But that’s where I see Tyler Higbee finishing with those same numbers as last year. So pick your poison on the tight end. I think that he’s comfortable. That’s his floor is right there. It’s comfortable. I don’t see a ceiling being too much higher.

Kevin 53:15
While I’m not going to say this is hig B’s year, quote unquote, I am gonna say that higby is a guy that I’m I’m targeting at tight end because I wait on tight ends so much. So I’m typically not, I’m not going to get these top three guys. I’m really as much as I like hawkinson and fat to some extent I generally I’m not in play for those guys either. So higby is the guy because he had a let down season and kind of burned everyone last year. I’m okay with waiting and then picking up Higbee we’ve seen Matt Stafford can support a tight end we saw that with TJ Hockenson. So again, not the same guy, but the quarterback can support the volume there. So if you’re going to be streaming tight ends Anyway, I’m okay to start the season with higbee Yeah, there’s a good chance he’s gonna finish you know, tight in probably 13 to 15 on the season, there’s probably a good chance for that because he’s just not going to see that consistent volume that some of these other guys do. But I mean, if it’s coming down between Evan Engram and Tyler Higbee I’m gonna have to toss a coin because the New York Giants are so frustrated with Evan Engram right now. Ingram has the talent to support the higher draft stock. But at any point he could have a terrible game. In the end, the Giants decided to pull the plug and say now we’re not messing with this guy anymore. And and then you’re toast. higby is at least there Gerald out of town. Bryce Hopkins, the coming into the second year guy that they drafted out of Purdue last year. I like him a lot. So He’s kind of one of my deep tied in stashes and dynasty leagues as a guy just to keep on the taxi squad and let him develop. But you know, for starting the season, sitting back waiting on Titan, I’m okay with higbee. Because I trust in the ability for this offense to continue to move the ball. And that’s what I’m really looking at for a tight end is an offense that can stay on the field, move the chains a little bit, and he can help facilitate that.

Derek 55:28
Definitely, he is a, he’s a guy that and that was unfortunate, because in 2019, that back half, you really saw him come to life and really have just a great finish to the year and didn’t live up to that promise in 2020. So I think you’re right, I think he’s been he has burnt a lot of fantasy folks out there to the point where he’s a guy that you can wait and you can pick him up in the 13th 14th round, which is about where I like to draft my tight ends anyway. And for the most part, there’s not going to be a ton of these guys down there. You know, looking at at PJ’s comment down there that he’d rather have Fisker jarwin or even Everett over higbee there might be a chance that that one of those guys is still down there in the 13th 14th round, and you’re right, I think I’d rather go with one of those guys. But chances are pretty good that they’ll be coming off the board and about the 11th or 12th round, and that’s gonna kind of leave me with the Tyler Higbee type of type of tight end there. And you’re you’re probably not wrong that Akers may have more receptions and catches than higbee that’s they’re probably going to be pretty close. And it’s one of those that for the tight end where you’re drafting outside of those top three guys. It’s touchdown dependent. And so really, it’s, it’s what tight ends are you going to draft in the 11th 12th 13th 14th round that you think’s gonna fall into the endzone half of their games because if they can score about eight touchdowns, nine touchdowns on a year, and just fall into the endzone about half their games, you’re going to get a pretty good season out of them. And that’s going to be some pretty good value that you’re going to get later on in the drafts. Some. Any other thoughts on Tyler Higbee. Already new addition to town, Matthew Stafford is now an LA ram coming over with that trade. With that said, Wow, did your coffee.

Alex 57:27
Thank you true came from Detroit. Off went to Detroit.

Derek 57:31
There we go came from Detroit. Jared Goff going to Detroit words. Were a little tough there this time of the night but we got through that.

Alex 57:39
Now we can edit.

Derek 57:40
Thanks, guys. I appreciate the help out there. But he had 339 completions, 528 attempts, 4084 yards, 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, guys your thoughts on Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford QB Los Angeles Rams 2021 Fantasy Football

Kevin 57:56
I love Matthews. Oops. Oh,

Alex 58:04
I was gonna say that’s really all you needed to hear out of Kevin. I was I loved Matthew Stafford. Well, that might be all we do here at a cafe and actually, now that I see it. Yeah, obviously we Kevin Kevin has loved Matthew Stafford since his college days down there between the edges. Yeah, like Stafford’s gonna be a QB one. You know, like, this is such an upgrade for him in terms of general talent around him. And it’s in an offense that is compensate. And keep in mind, you know, we’ve seen Matt Stafford play on teams, where, you know, Matt, Patricia was the head coach and and it just, this feels like a very good match of Matthew Stafford, who has an incredibly high football IQ, Sean McVeigh who has an incredibly high football IQ, those two minds coming together, and then adding to the fact that Matt Stafford’s right arm is unbelievable. And Matt Stafford thinks his right arm is unbelievable. So we’re going to see it, we’re going to see some explosiveness out of this offense. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if Stafford at the end of the year Stafford’s leading in one of those categories, be it completions or, or touchdowns or, you know, passing yards. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him leading one of those categories when it’s all said and done just because of the dynamic pneus of that dynamic Miss, is that a word of what this offense is going to be with those two minds coming together now? Yes. As we mentioned with other guys, they are playing in a very difficult division. But it it it shouldn’t matter too much because those guys will and hopefully they don’t out think themselves when they do this, like Sean McVeigh out thought himself in that Super Bowl. You know, he just overthought the whole thing? Hopefully, that’s not what they do. They keep it simple, but they keep it complex enough that it confuses defenses.

Derek 1:00:11
Yeah, no, I definitely love this fit. Like you just said for all the reasons that you just said as well. The biggest. The biggest question, though, that I have is where are you going to where do you really see Matt Stafford finishing as far as QB ranked at the end of the year? By Wow, why Kevin?

Kevin 1:00:40
I got to know oh, I was gonna say nine, maybe eight. And that’s because his legs don’t lead. And that’s my only thing now. Matt Stafford I expected him to have 35 touchdowns and 4300 yards passing. Like that. 1112 interceptions, like, I think that’s what you’re going to get out of Matt Stafford. His legs is is what the cap is for that and because of that his his ceiling is limited in comparison to your top of the top. But I seem I seem to QB one territory, like I said, 898. And I’m perfectly fine with that. Because he is the guy that you can get a little bit cheaper, right? Like he’s a great super flex option, because you can just sit back draft one quarterback early in a super flex, sit back a little bit, get a couple skill position players and then pick Matt Stafford up, you know, three, four rounds later and, and kind of fill it back in there. And you’re not having to spend two very high picks on quarterbacks in a super flex League, you’re spending one high pick and then one, you know, I guess what sixth seventh round, something like that, which is still it’s high. Don’t get me wrong, but for a super flex. That’s almost a bargain for a quarterback who?

Derek 1:02:15
Yeah, and that’s that’s the beautiful thing, you know, Matthew Stafford, because he doesn’t necessarily have those wheels that a lot of these other mobile quarterbacks have that, really, you know, increase the floor and increase where they’ll finish on that is a guy that you can typically get at the tail end of the second quarterback run in a super flex. And it’s one of those that you don’t necessarily have. He’s not a guy that you have to try and be out in front of that second run happening in order to get your You’re a very high high finish quarterback. So I’m, I’m all in on Matt Stafford this year, especially in the superflux format with with where you can get him and so I think that he’ll probably I think Alex is a little a little bit up there. But I’m going to probably say I’ve seen him finished qb 10 qB 11. right in that range there. So but yeah, no, I I think you’ll have a lot of pop this year.

Alex 1:03:07
Okay, hold on here. But okay, so you guys are the back half a QB one. I’m trying to think of a comp that we would like here.

Kevin 1:03:19
Here’s a row.

Alex 1:03:22
I was

Kevin 1:03:29
Tom Brady.

Alex 1:03:32
Okay, well, that that’s a little different.

Kevin 1:03:34
I would say though the name out of it and look at the stats as what I’m saying. Take Right, right. Right. The name Tom Brady. He finished his QB seven last year Brady did without running. Right. You’re telling me that. Matt Stafford couldn’t have a similar statistical season in 2021 as what Brady did in 20 and finish 789 like what we’re talking about?

Alex 1:03:58
Yeah, but yeah, that’s that’s logical. And I think we also have to take into account that there are quarterbacks that have vacated the league and that’s going to open the door for other people. Namely Drew Brees who probably finished outside QB seven territory because he was hurt last year, but I still think I still think with the weapons that he has around him and yes, he doesn’t really run the football. So you lose that but like, you I mean, you guys think that Lamar Jackson is gonna finish ahead of him?

Derek 1:04:35
Yes. Yes,

Alex 1:04:41
I do. Kevin, you were frozen. Am I frozen? Now you’re good now. You think Lamar Jackson finishes ahead of Matt Stafford.

Kevin 1:04:51
I think I think that Lamar Jackson ceiling is higher than Matt Stafford’s because His rushing ability. Now, if Baltimore gets out to a crap start like they did last year, and they don’t let Lamar run, no, there’s no chance, right? Like we saw that Lamar Jackson season was doomed after like week five, because he was not running so fixated in trying to throw the damn football and the defense’s. Were daring him to throw the football, that it crippled his fantasy production, if they can find any sort of balance, any sort of balancing in Baltimore. Yeah, Lamar Jackson‘s back in the up near the top, but that’s a big if, right, like there’s no there’s nothing saying that’s gonna happen. That’s a big if.

Derek 1:05:47
Right, let me let me read you a stat line here and tell me where you think, as far as relation to where you see Matt Stafford finishing. So let’s go with 4265 yards. 35 touchdowns. 13 interceptions?

Kevin 1:06:08
Yeah, maybe?

Alex 1:06:11
Yeah. Extra game. Give me another 150 yards.

Kevin 1:06:15
I think that you’re breaking up. I was breaking up in an area.

Derek 1:06:20
All right. So the stat line is 4265 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

Kevin 1:06:29
Yeah, sir. I told you guys I am 35 and

Derek 1:06:31
4300 yards. So that’s the stat line from Kirk Cousins last year was 4265 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, which put him at quarterback 11. And that’s kind of where I see him. Is that qb 1011 range to it. Tom Brady got up there because he hit that 40 touchdown mark to get to to be seven. So I don’t see him necessarily getting there. But flavor eyes. This is 40 TDs or bust. And that that could be you don’t see him out there.

Kevin 1:07:05
Like me happy. Because I’m a matt Stafford apologist. I would love to see him get over 40 touchdowns. That’s gonna be really hard to do in that division.

Derek 1:07:15
Yes, yes. But yeah, that’s that’s why I’m saying he’s gonna finish right around 1011. He’ll have more TVs and more yards. Yeah, I think we’re all saying that he will. So, guys, any final thoughts on the Los Angeles Rams for 2021 fantasy football?

Alex 1:07:38
I think if you get the right pieces at the right, right time. This is a team that you know how we were talking last year about you want a piece of this offense, you’re gonna want a piece of this offense, but it has to be the right piece. And it has to be at the right time in the draft, otherwise, you’re going to it. I’m trying to think if there’s another team where it’s so depend for these individuals, where it’s so dependent on where you get them versus what you can expect. So cool. That’s a tough one. That’s not sure I agree with that.

Derek 1:08:20
But he was already buying into 370 plus carries.

Alex 1:08:24
I think he might be hanging out with PJ a little bit and they’re passing it around. But that that I just think that that you you want a piece of this Rams offense but it has to be at the right time as you’re drafting.

Derek 1:08:39
Alrighty guys, well, I do believe that that’s going to wrap up yet another episode of the good old boys fantasy football podcast. Make sure you’re hitting us up on the socials, Twitter twitch instagram and facebook at good old boys FF the YouTube channel the good old boys fantasy football podcast, YouTube channel and the website goodoldboysff.com. Make sure you give us a follow subscribe. Like all of those good things that those places for Kevin and Alex. I’m Derek Have a good one. Be safe.