Hail on Three

Fantasy Extravaganza with Mailbag Matt from Cyprus!

• Josh Edwards • Season 1 • Episode 22

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James and Josh are joined by Mailbag Matt from Cyprus, and after briefly touching on the Bengals pre-season game, they dive into all things Fantasy Football as we enter draft season, including:

- 3 way draft night food draft!
- Commanders fantasy relevant outlook
- Matt's 'my guys' and 'sleepers'
- Bold predictions revisit and new additions

@HailOnThreePod

How would you describe the culture surrounding this football team? You know, the culture is actually damn good. Daniel looking, moving to his left under pressure, stays on his feet. Uh, now he falls the end zone. It is caught for a touchdown by.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Welcome to another episode of the Hail on Free podcast. This week's fantasy extravaganza episode with the highly touted fantasy expert, dialing in from the Middle East. Mailbag. Matt from Cyprus is with us. Uh, before we go over to Cyprus, I'm gonna say hello to James who joins me from across London. How's it going, mate?

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Hello? Yeah, very good. Thank you. Very excited for this one. Um, obviously Matt came on after the draft around May time where he is dishing out some elite stats there. Um, and a few bold predictions and some my guys in there. And that is my dog. So

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

It's been a while since we've had cheddar on.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

we'll just cut this out. Until he stops.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I we're keeping this in a hundred percent.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Cheddar. Cheddar. Wait,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Oh, poor thing. Desperate to hear Matt's fantasy takes cheddar. Is,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

To the good

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

yeah,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

cheddar, that's enough.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

on your lap.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Just muted him. I can mute him, you see as the, uh, as the host, uh,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

right? Sorry. Yeah. Thanks for coming back, Matt. Yeah, it's been eagerly awaited to get you, you back on. and I'd kind of, I think the people would actually like to know the man behind the mailbag as well. So we've everyone you live in Cypress, but it's quite mysterious. What does your day look like? What did the day look like for you, Matt?

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah. Thanks for having me on again, guys. Obviously going from mail room to podcast is quite the, the journey, so really honored to be back on twice. But yeah, my day job is actually, uh. Uh, I actually help link, uh, people write LinkedIn posts, so a bit of a teaching. And, uh, one of my posts that I've part today was actually about, uh, yesterday morning where I was cooking some lunch. So Sarah and my wife look poorly at the moment, so I'm, um, in the kitchen doing kitchen duties, and I started cooking some lunch and I put some lentils on to boil and, uh, over overcooked them. Absolutely left them. They went to mush, turned it into a soup, and I posted about that on LinkedIn today, and it's, looks like it's going viral weirdly.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Okay, so

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

viral is viral? What does that mean?

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Uh, it's got, it's nearing like 90,000 impressions, which 90,000 views.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

similar to us.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Normally,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

similar to the podcast, I reckon. Yeah.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

normally around this time of day, a post of mine would have about 4,000, 5,000. So it's going pretty nuts

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Okay. You've, you've caught me off guard there. I was expecting some stories about the beach or, but no, just, just messing around with some lentils. Um.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

around with some, but

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

pulses.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

plug plugin. Plugin is work as well. Very clever. Nice. Uh, later on this episode, we are gonna get into the nitty gritty of of the fantasy predictions and, and chat we had earlier in the off season and then some kind of new stuff now that we're, fully in draft season and people are starting to, to, to ramp up for their drafts. So we'll hear some more expertise from Matt. Um, we're also gonna do a bit of fun. We we're gonna do a draft night food draft between the three of us live on the pod, um, which I've probably done more prep for than else actually recently. Uh, workwise or personal lifewise. Um, and that'll be good fun. Um, but before we do that, we're gonna have a bit of a chat about the commanders preseason game last night.'cause they did play against Cincinnati last night. Um, and we will hear from Lee on that briefly as he's between meetings, found a conference room and given us a quick voice clip. So let's hear from Lee now.

Afternoon guys. I just thought I would drop a little voice note. I know you have Matt on today to discuss every being a fantasy football for the upcoming season. Looking forward to hearing some tips and tricks myself as I have my draft coming up in a couple of weeks. Yeah, so I did watch the game last night. Elise, most of it really enjoyed the first half actually. It was good to see some of our starters out there. I thought it was a good test for the defense because. Burrows played maybe up to four series. Um, I think the Bengals are obviously trying to shift their slow starts from recent years, so that was, that was good. They were moving the ball. But yeah, it was some, some decent energy out there. I thought that, uh, Harris, the safety mayman could, plays Qua Martin as well. So it was good to see, see some, um, see some of our starters out there. So I thought it was a good test. First half. Obviously Daniels has his one series. Uh, which was very successful. Uh, nice to see Deebo with the jet sweep. And then, uh, Daniels uh, ran it in after a really good, uh, Chris Rodriguez run, so that, that was called, he didn't even throw the ball once, but that will be it for him. For preseason. It got the crowd going if nothing else. And then, yeah, CrossFit Merit had a, had a great touchdown. It was a pretty big hold to run through, but that was, that was encouraging. Um, yeah, overall decent outing. Obviously when you've got Sam Hartman throwing the, the team, the ball, it doesn't, doesn't help much to really evaluate, uh, some of our other players. So it has been a bit disappointing to not see Mariota out there. I think that would help, to be honest, in terms of evaluation. But yeah, overall it was nice to. To see what looked like a team that more resembled the players We'll be seeing in a few weeks.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Thanks Lee. Thanks for, um, giving us a couple of minutes on your thoughts of last night's game. Um, pretty much covered it all to be honest. James, out of, out of that and outta the game last night, I'm sure you've watched some highlights and stuff. Anything you wanna, you wanna bring up quickly or.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

I was, um, struggled to get sleep last night. I woke up and actually saw a lot of the key clips and then watched the kind of YouTube highlights this morning. Um, you can probably guess what I was excited about, um, with Crosky Merit. Um, that's obviously a very interesting turn of events, obviously. Uh, Ben Standard called this a week ago. he claimed didn't have any inside sources, more of a gut feeling, um. it's coincidence or not, but Brian Robinson appears to be out of the doors. We've all seen, um, something we touched on near the start of the year as we thought could be a possibility, but then we thought that was very much not a possibility when they only drafted someone in seventh round and obviously very close to season now. So, interesting how it's kind of un unfolded and obviously the run game looked explosive last night. As I messaged you this morning, Josh, like, I think they want guys in there that can all keep the defense guessing, right? I think Brian Robinson's you kind of know what's gonna happen. Um, you could do a number of things with Crosky Merrit. You've got Eckler Rodriguez, and, and obviously Daniels himself. So I'm quite excited to see where the run game goes. Um, other things from last night, there was some Jayden Lane sightings, um, which looked good. Some nice route running, made a nice catch, um, which is interference, but he still, still caught it. Um. That looked good. noticed Amos didn't play, he was pulled last minute. Um, but I think Quinn has revealed that it was just a precaution. Uh, if it's a regular season game, he would've played. no concerns there. Um, I do think the usual depth concerns there are kind of there at cornerback, um, seeing how kind of, um, the second half kind of unfolded, and still nothing from Luke McCaffery, um, I dunno what's going on there. Is he getting open? Is he, is he not developing how we'd hoped? those are my kind of takeaways from just like the highlights I saw and looking at like the box scores and stuff. But, um, dunno. Josh, did you see anything different to I or.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

No, nothing, nothing different. Like it was a big statement to come out running the ball as, as they did and as effectively as they did with the, the ones. So Deebo and as you say, um, Crosky, Merri, um, Daniels finishing off the drive of a touchdown. They just went down the field in like three and a half minutes and, and sliced right through the Bengals, which is not a good defense as we know. But that was really good to see, really simple kind of offense that was executed really, really well. Um, all you really wanna see from these games is like the ones go out and do well and no one get hurt. And then a couple of the rookies flash, and I think that's what we got, like you said, with Lane with Ky Merit.

Is the rookie Crosky Merrick touchdown, Washington.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I did have a little look at some cut ups of, of Connolly on the right hand side of the line. He looked really good. Um, blocking. Footwork, of staying with Edge Rush's later in the play. Just, just solid stuff from our first round pick. So that was good to see. yeah, playing Baltimore in the last preseason game, like Lee says, like probably won't really see many people that will make the field this year, but, yeah, may maybe we'll even jump on and have a quick chat about that after that game because um, it's football in the end of the day. Um, but yeah, good stuff from last night. Uh, I think we'll probably talk about a few of those players and the fantasy impact, um, of how things are shaken out for the commanders later on in the pod. So we'll get into that. But overall, I mean, we lost the game. That's the other thing. I dunno if anyone actually mentioned that.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Technically we lost again, O2 in the preseason. What

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah. and obviously the Daniels run was quite funny, a bit scary, um, but I think luckily the Bengals defenders probably could have gone harder on him when he, as he was heading towards the end zone there. But came out unscathed and, um, sort of a sideline interview straight afterwards and he was like, okay, whatever. I just wanna score. So, um, he was having fun, which is good to see.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Yeah, they pulled him after that, right? I mean, they'd probably pulled him anyway, but like that was, that was, I'm sure that was like, okay, yeah, we definitely need to get him out now if he's gonna play properly. Um, they don't quite have the, um, blue jersey or not that blue bib on or whatever. It's says they can't be hit in preseason. But I do think generally, unless you get like a nutcase on the other side, trying to make a name for himself, they're not really flying in and trying to, um, trying to hurt each other, which is good. But yeah. Cool. That's enough on that. Then let's get to the important stuff. Um, my true love in life, watching football and eating food, um, both of which have got me in trouble at various points, but one of my favorite combinations, um, I mean, I have a bit of fun and do a, a draft, which we haven't done on the show yet, and I'll go'cause Miles wanted to come on and do one. I'm sure we sort of try and make this a bit of a feature and some people on and do various different live drafts and stuff. So I've loaded up a, my favorite AI agent to us a live, a live order. On the pod. So let me just first off, give it its parameters and hit go and let's see who's going

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Drum

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

three picks

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

drum roll.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

General please. Who's got the first pick? It is Matt. Matt,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Oh,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

first.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

there we go. So

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

this could go, this could go many ways.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah, so

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

be, then

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

God,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

me

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Oh, fuck.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

and then it's James.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Uh,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

back to back.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

oh, James didn't want that at all.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Snake. So James.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

I got the double. I got the double.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

So, all right, Matt. Matt, you've got the overall first round. First pick. I've got a thought on what I think this should be. Um,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Hmm.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

but controversially think, maybe you won't pick it, but we'll see. Go on. Also, this has probably changed since your kind of vegan, non-vegan days, right? Like done this a few years ago.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, I've been, I've been through many, uh, many phases in my life where yeah, if you, if you, if he caught, if he caught me in 2020, it would've been, uh, vegan. Yeah. Um,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

be lentils.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

today could be lentils. Yeah. Got, got a lovely lentil soup in the fridge. So, um, yeah. Number one overall, so, so this is fantasy draft night? Yeah. Fantasy draft night food. Okay.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Yeah. To be more specific. Not, not

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah. Yeah. So,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

just watching NFL. Like if you are, if you are having the draft,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Hmm.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

together. That's the assumption as well. Right. We're getting together rather than you're just at home on your own.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Okay. Yeah. So. I've, I've been in Cyprus now for about four years, so I haven't actually had, I haven't actually had a drive a fantasy ride with you guys for that long, I don't think. Um, so I've almost forgotten what it feels like to have one together boohoo. But, um, my, I think if I, if I were to go for, uh, something that, that we're gonna eat with, we're all together on fantasy draft night. It's gotta be buffalo wings with blue cheese.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Fuck sake.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

And I think that, I think I would, I would say exactly the same thing for fantasy draft night, for Super Bowl night for NFL draft night for breakfast. I think I would say that for anything NFL related, to be honest, it just goes hand in hand, doesn't it?

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

what I would say there is in the context of draft night, you want those wings coming out before you draft. You don't want to be getting messy hands when you're on the clock and things like that. So,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, that's an important one. That is an important one because some of the, oh, I'll come onto it, but

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

you don't wanna give any way over picked.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah. I don't wanna give my pixel away.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I was gonna try and talk you out of it by saying. No, you should change it.'cause imagine you're just sort of whizzing through the first round or the second round maybe, and, and you're just sticky buffalo fingers

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

You got,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

the place. You can't, you can't get your iPhone working.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah. Picks coming up. You got a minute? Yeah,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

you've got your, you know, you've got your Bible folder. It's just covered in source. The pages are sticking together. You can't check your rankings.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

No. Okay. I like it. I think it's, it would've been my pick. I dunno if it would've been yours,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

It was, and it was that exact of wing as well, and source. So,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

boneless for you though.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

no, that fa that phase is over as well, so,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

it good?

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah. You.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Nice. Okay. I'm up. Uh, I don't, I, I'm going to take a bit of a gamble and hope that I get what my second thing after James has gone back to back, but I'm going to, I'm gonna play it relatively safe and go with pizza. And this is, this is probably more, I'm assuming, more like we're at someone's place

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

out in a bar. think bar pizzas like, can be a bit hit and miss unless you're like at a decent pizza place. But I just think like three or four different pizzas, slice stuff, little dips on the side, different types. It's perfect. You just grab a slice, smash a slice, fold it in half, do what you want, and then you can come back to it later.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

For the listeners, Josh's face is absolutely lighting up as he is saying this.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

buffalo wings have to be eaten hot. You can't fuck around with them after an hour. But pizza, you know, great. If you've overdone it next day, I think it, for me, it's the safe, it was my safe second pick. so I'm gonna pick any, any disagreements or

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

no, I, I think I agree in that it's probably more of a home one than a bar one. Um, but it is a option that you can go to throughout the draft, um, for during and after. Um, so yeah, a strong, strong pick that probably would've been, probably, would've been my pick to be fair.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

It is your pick now, mate. What are you gonna go for?

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah. Um.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

You got back to back

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

I don't really care what order I don't take this orders what I actually do.'cause I'm gonna get'em both anyway, but, so I'm, I'm going, going nachos here. Um, I think that is a really nice option for a draft that you can kind of snack at. Um, not too heavy, you know, I need to be in a good, healthy frame of mind as I'm drafting. Don't wanna be feeling too bloated. Um, yeah, third overall pick. I'm going nachos.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Hold on. What, what combination of nachos, what, what's on top?

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Um, no meat. I don't want all the meat on there.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Okay.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

I'm talking, you know, like sour cream, avo, jalapenos, cheese, all that sort of thing.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Yeah,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Mm.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Um, sorry, not avo. Um, that's, what I want there. um, um, my next pick is also based on almost pairing it up with that. And this is a reliable option, a non messy option because I do want some chicken in there as I've missed out on the wing. So I'm going chicken strips, um,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Mm. Okay.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Damnit,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

not a sauce, you know, maybe like a mayo or garlic mayo or a, maybe a mixture of sauces to dip. Um, but I, I see that as a, I'm happy sitting there with my nachos and my chicken strips as I'm about to draft while I'm drafting. I feel pretty good about that. So, um,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Oh

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

it's worked out quite well actually.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

mate. I'm Matt. I need you to vamp for a bit while I, I, I consider my pick now'cause I,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

up next, but I'm, I'm all over the place. He's, he's just, he. Blow my border apart.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah, I can. I can very easily picture James sitting there curling his fingers over some chicken strips. It's a very familiar, it's a very familiar site for me's

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

You're talking like, these are like tenders,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Tenders. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever the place has on offer of that, whatever they wanna call them.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

frozen oven, oven style chicken contenders.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

pit. It's a good pick. Especially having missed out on wings. I think it's a really, it's very solid. Um, see, I was hoping I would get either wings or, or chicken strips.'cause then you get like the chicken. I don't, I don't really know what else I could go for chicken wise now. So I'm gonna have to pivot.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Uh,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Um,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

whole roasted chicken

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

this

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Rotisserie chicken

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Rotisserie chicken.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I have been known. I have been known. Um, okay. I'm going, I'm not sure how well this is gonna go down, but I'm, I'm going hot dogs.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Hmm.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

a

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

That feels like a panic pick to me.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

A little bit, but I fucking love them, to be

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Okay.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I mean, I think a little bit easier to put together than burgers, right? To cook than burgers. So

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Mm-hmm.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

you're out or if you're at home, hot dogs are a feasible, feasible thing. Um, I wanted a meat option, like a meat bread option. Well, I didn't wanna go burgers. Hot dogs are the obvious one. I love it for baseball, but I think it works for NFL as well.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

meat bread.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

yeah, exactly. Mustard I'm going. Hot dogs. I think that's probably quite a, not that common a pick for a draft night food, but if I ever host one, you'll get one. So there we go.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, I quite like your hotdog pick there actually kind of, kind of quite underrated. Sometimes hot dogs, nobody really considers a hot dog, do they?

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Oh, I do.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Unless you're at like, I don't know, like a game of some sort. Like if you go to like a football game, there's gonna be a hotdog option, but

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

not really gonna make a hot.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

what they call them, rollover

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, they're usually quite, quite nice on the day, aren't they?

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Time and a place for those man, which

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

ihi Town Football Club or a service station on the M1. Okay, Matt, you

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Uh, back to back mate. What are you going for?

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah. So I think the second pick is a pretty easy one for me. So I'm completely discounting that this is a, this is a a, a coherent meal. These are just stuff. It's just stuff.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

That's, that's just how it worked for me, so,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, I, I absolutely would not be eating these at the same time. But my second pick would be a sip kebab, um,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Can

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

purely

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

for the listener

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

so, uh, it's called juicy tender pieces of pork. So it's, uh, it's a, it's instead of your kind of land on a kebab that you'd get in. Um, well, England, um, it's a cria kebab is like chunks of pork. So GY is what they call it. Uh, chunks of pork, uh, cooked over a coal hot coals just slowly turning. Or you can turn it over every now and then, um, inside a pitter bread, tomato, cucumber, maybe a bit cabbage, lemon squeezed all over it, and then some sort of dip siki or tahini or something like that.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Okay. obviously I came over to Cyprus a couple of years ago and we, we did go to a sports bar there.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

I can't remember what we had though.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Oh yeah, we had some good, yeah. Uh, it wasn't on offer there, actually. No,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah, that's more of a burger place. Burger nachos, but,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

But yeah, that, that, yeah. So I like to pick. At what point during the draft would you feel comfortable eating that?

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

well, it's one of those, it's one of those things that you can have on the go because you,'cause you've got your, you've got your cubes of pork and you can pull a cube off, rip a bit of bread, you know, dip it, and then have your bite. And that's your, that's your, your snack done essentially. So you're breaking this, this meal up into, um, essentially.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Sorry, I'm, I'm pissing myself

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

We are, we are going two hours on this, aren't we?

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

So you can, so you can make it very tactically, probably last a whole, you know, hour or so draft, to be fair.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I like

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Okay.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I, I also think this is an option for like, you know, when you're in like round nine and you're either kind of thinking, oh, this is, this has dragged on a bit.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

really take taking the mick again here, or they're on auto draft or whatever, and you're like,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yep.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I'm happy with one of. 20 players, you could just smash a super lucky while you're just sort of Yeah. Hitting the enter button. No

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I like it.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

absolutely. Smashing.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

hit, hitting the enter on your third tight end, Josh,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

yeah, yeah. Uh, you've, you've got your final pick now, Matt, um, in the third round snake. So, so go along with, actually the other thing is, you know, you said you wouldn't have this at the same time, like the same sitting a hundred percent would have buffalo wings and then a souvlaki. So, so some of us don't mind, what's your final pick?

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah. So my, with my final pick, I'm gonna go a bit ro here. So here I want to introduce a snack and, uh. This is a, I don't, I don't think, I don't think I've seen the Yeah, Josh is, I don't think you got anything to worry about, Josh. So

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Okay,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

I'm, I'm, I'm pretty certain I've never seen this in England, but it's, uh, it's called a Brazilian mix

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

or

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

it's, and it's, and it's sen Yeah, so let, let me explain. So, so it's the same kind of, uh, you know, mix vibe as like a Bombay mix or like a nut mix, except this Brazilian mix has like, uh, barbecue hula hoops, those like salty corn pieces, uh, like wasabi nut style things like crunchy coated nuts. Um, and then like, uh, these like wafery kind of crisps. So it's, it's like the most bizarre mix you'll ever see. And I dunno why it's called bazillion mix, but it's just, it's amazing.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I, I just plugged it into the, uh, into the ai'cause I'm getting a little bored drafted up that we can tweet out and it said is in response. Matt's gone wild with the Brazilian mix in brackets. What even is that question mark? So, okay.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

I'm not sure what,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

though.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

I'm not really too sure what to say to that. Um, obviously I can't, it's, to me, it sounds crap. but I'm not gonna, I can't judge until I've seen or had it myself. So, fair play. I think you've got an interesting, uh, interesting picks there.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Okay. So Matt, you, you've, you've rounded out with Brazilian Mix, which I have Googled to verify it's a thing. And you, you weren't just drunk

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

up yourself. It, it, it, although if you Google it, the first thing that comes up is Brazilian funk mix

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yes, I did just try to do the same.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

of, of, of music. So, um, yeah. Um, an an an interesting one. Um, alright. it says it, it says it's me. It says it's me next. I feel like it's

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

No, it's you.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Is it me? Okay. It is next to me. Alright. Um, I have my head in my hands.'cause when you said snack field, I thought you were gonna steal my rope shout. which I think is a great shout for this'cause sometimes you have too much hot food. mine is popcorn.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Hmm.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Which

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Hmm.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I absolutely love popcorn. Um, salty, sweet, mixed rogue flavors, whatever. But I kind of like the idea of like, if your draft's going brilliantly, which is fairly rare, but you know, when you have that feeling and it's going really well, you can just sort of lay back and like do that meme of just eating popcorn, watching everyone else is fail around you. So that's kind of how I feel with the vibe of it. And you can just eat it late into the night, you know, snack at it, big bowl of it, your own bag, whatever. So popcorn's my

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

This, this is, these are the words of a man that Um,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

A.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

like that has something to do with it. Okay. Yeah. As good as a snap. I think that. got a good mix there. yeah, I actually didn't think this would make it to me. I thought maybe Josh, you might take one of these. So I've, I've gone fairly light with my first two, so I'm gonna go something a bit, a bit heavier here and it's a dish, you know, it's something that we are familiar with. with the sports bar, we often frequent Josh, so I'm, I'm going with the Philly Cheese steak. Um, but it does specifically have to be past Young Avenue. I don't like giving Philadelphia any airtime here, but the cheese steaks in that sports bar are really good. So something a bit more filling. I would like to enjoy that. I wouldn't want that during the draft. I'd probably have that post almost like a celebratory cheese steak run off the evening. So, yeah, I thought I'd go something a bit heavier there and, um, yeah, I'm think I'm pretty happy on my draft. surprised. I thought you're gonna go chips and dip paps Josh. Um, when he said.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

you had, when you had aches, I was a bit like, no, I, I.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Mm

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

don't want to a bit too close to that. Um, it was between that and popcorn

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

mm

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

cheese steak's a good one. I usually,'cause we've drafted from PAs young before and I think had it sort of mid draft and it wasn't the, the best time. Like I should have had it to start or end. Like you said, end is probably the best shout. Um, okay, let me sum it up then. So Matt has gone with Buffalo wings of blue cheese dip, a sip, kebab, and Brazilian mix for his

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Oh

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

very solid, very ec eclectic. And now I know what you mean about like the not having them all on the same meal.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah, it could very easily be start of Maine and Snap.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Yeah,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

No, that, that could work. To be honest, I've gone for p I've gone, mine sounds so basic. I've gone pizza hotdog, and. Popcorn, which is

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

You've gone full American there, to be fair.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I did have a rag. I was gonna say poutine, like from,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Ah,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Oh

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

it

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

okay.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

that's like, that's a disaster, like on a draft night, unless you can eat it before you're drafting. those are my three. And James, you've gone nachos, um, chicken strips, chicken tenders, and cheese steaks, specifically from Pa Young Avenue. Uh, we'll tweet it out. We'll try and get some votes on who thinks who's won

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Mm-hmm.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I, I, I personally think James has,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Matt's maybe of the rogue shout of

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

I am curious to know if anyone in the world will notice the Brazilian mix.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

we are, we are, we are global as you know. So, you

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

think you could write people in,'cause you've got the buffalo wings in there, so people might just accept the Brazilian mix.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

because people do love,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

true.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

people do love their wings, so.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I feel like Buffalo Wings might, I think, I feel like having the first pick may have been a bit more important than. Than sometimes, but Cool. Alright, that was good fun. Let's get onto the real stuff then. The stuff that people probably, um, are sort of listening for, which is, which is Matt's expertise as our resident fantasy expert, um, moving into the season and then me occasionally remembering that I play fantasy and chipping in. And James having some interesting things to say. I'm sure, about this. Um, we are gonna start with, I think we're gonna start with skins players, right? So, um, have a bit of a chat about the Brian Robinson situation, the effect that has on the backfield maybe, and then anything else you wanna talk about commanders wise. So Matt, I'll let you have at it and then we'll jump in.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, so I think the most, like you said, the most interesting situation is the backfield. Um, I think even the last time I was on, we were talking about, is it Jako Crosby? Crosky Merrit? Is that Yeah, I think they call him Bill. Don't, no.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

they do. Which is much easier.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

go with Bill.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

we'll call him Bill. Um, and we're talking about how, you know, he is a seventh round pick and not many seventh round pick. Running backs who make any sort of impact in fantasy. Um, Philip Lindsay was one that we named. Aaron Foster was obviously an undrafted, uh, uh, it was undrafted. Um, and there's not really many that many names to really highlight. So he, he was on an, on an opportunity basis. He was basically, you know, completely, completely off the radar. But now, now with Brian Robinson potentially being traded, that then says that blows the whole backfield completely wide open. So you've then got Rodriguez, who is probably considered the most proven Thumper style running back, I guess, um, ler, who's obviously a pass catcher, but has obviously been really good on the ground as well in years gone by. Um. I don't know of any other players in, in the backfield, but if that, if that, if Byron Robinson does go, then that does just leave the three of them. Bill Rodriguez and, um, ler, which

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I think, I think they still do have Jeremy McNichols on the roster.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

really, okay. All right.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

which I forgot about until someone mentioned it on Twitter and I was like, oh, really? Okay. So, I mean, I don't, they're not gonna suit up four though. Right? So it's gonna be three of those four, like, like you said. Yeah. Sorry.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, so, you know, you've already seen, they've already seen what they, they kind of need to from Rodriguez, I would assume. So they would, and from everything that I've been hearing from Canton in some of the preseason and even, was it last night? The game? Yeah. So even, even last night, it looked like he was, he had a pretty good game for a preseason game. Obviously have to take it with a pinch of salt, but, um, he's been getting a lot, a lot of buzz, um, as it's developed over the last two months. So. Now you could probably see a path where, you know, you've got this murky backfield and he would absolutely be worth some sort of flyer even around, you know, 10th round, I think by, I think Brian Robinson, you're probably taking him around the eighth or ninth round, maybe even, maybe 10th as a kind of rb, RB three, RB four kind of guy.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

I think as we get closer, he's gonna end up higher than that.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Do you really, I don't, I don't, I can't see how he would elevate to anywhere above RB three or,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Mm-hmm.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

back backend RB three. So I be,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

I guess it's that

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

I be.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

isn't it? As you say, it could well be a committee when we're talking fantasy, and, um, if he's only getting 10 carries and. If he's not getting goal line work, for example, then yeah, you could be right. I guess it's a, it's a tricky one to, uh, figure out where to draft, where to draft him, really, I guess. Depends if you're a Washington fan or not, I guess.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

yeah, this is the thing and our league is sort of stacked a bit with it, so it could be a bit different, but like Daniels was the lead in Russia last year, even with Robinson playing like 14 games. So you, if you're drafting anyone on that team as a running back, I dunno what you think Matt, but like you're kind of relying on goal line stuff and hoping that they punch a few touchdowns in you, not'cause you're not gonna really get the volume.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, I mean, you're, you're looking at what Brian Robinson has done last year and you're basically trying to project the same. I mean, he, he wasn't a disaster at all. I think he was something like, you know, like a backend R two, which is very decent for what you could get at that point in the draft where he was going. So if either of those guys can return backend R two production, and you're getting them in, like, you know, the ninth or 10th round, then that's really good.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah, I guess. I guess it's one of those things where. I think when you see these murky backfields, I think you find if there's like three guys, they all just get drafted. Everyone just takes a shot and just see if something sticks. Um, because it's open, it's sometimes better than maybe drafting someone you know is gonna be I guess.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah. And there's, there's, there's just, you know, and especially with fantasy, like the, the places where you really get leverage over someone is in the, at the end of the draft, if you can pick someone who just explodes and just comes outta nowhere, like, I think, uh, you know, I think LA like last year for example, when he's drafted Brian, Tom, Tom, Brian Thomas in like the 10th round or something, and ended up being like a wide receiver five, uh, the, the, the overall wide receiver five. So, you know, you can, I think the most, the most interesting pick out of Rodriguez. LER and, and Bill would probably be Bill just'cause he's unknown. You know what the other two are like already. You know what you're gonna get out of LER and maybe not Rodriguez so much, but you, you don't, you just don't know what you're gonna get out of, out of Bill. He could just be, you know, once he gets playing against proper NFL teams, he could just be, just look amazing. You just never know.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah. Yeah, I agree. Um, I'm keen to know your thought'cause we'd spoke about back in May. We touched on Deebo. you weren't too high on him at the time, um, off the back of a pretty poor season and I know you had him on your fantasy team as well and he's obviously, uh, battled injuries and stuff. So kind of know what we're getting from Daniels and Zach Ertz for example, um, he can do a job at tight end. So I'm keen to know if anything's changed in your mind with Deebo and obviously your thoughts on where should we draft from McClaren as well, um, given he's still not at at practice.'cause that might be something that people have to come across in, in drafts as well.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, I think for me, for me, the deebo situation hasn't really changed, I don't think. I just, it's probably just'cause I took him last year and he was so awful that I'm just emotionally scarred from it. But I think, you know, someone who is getting older, um, wasn't exactly signed to a ton of money, um, super injury prone. Um, and is the second option if you, if you assume that McLaren is gonna be, be there and ready to play from week one. Um, I mean, maybe with Brian Robinson going, it means that he gets a few more carries again, you just don't know. Um, so I, I still wouldn't be putting in really up my draft board. I'm not, I'm still not excited to draft him. I think McClaren. I think McCan for me, I just, he, he's kind of just raft. I mean, he, he's, if he's still not, if he's still not signed by, I mean we draft in just under two weeks I think. So if, if he's, if he's not signed by then, um, I don't really know how you draft him.'cause,'cause he just dunno if he's gonna be there week one. So it's gonna be, it's probably gonna be one of those situations where in a lot of people's leaves, he's gonna be sliding down the draft board and it's gonna be a bit of a case of like, uh, at what point in like round 5, 6, 7, you know, how far does he slide? And at what point is it, is someone willing to just take a, take the risk on him?

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah, that's a good shout. I guess it, I guess at this point people might hesitate, um, if he's gonna be like your wide receiver two or something. Um, but once you start filling out your flex and your bench spots and you're looking at Terry McClure versus like a, like a Michael Pittman or something like that, you're probably gonna take the swing on McClaren at that point. Um, see how that plays out. Um, now, now we're talking about it. There's for a, for what we expect to be a really good offense. There's no one that's gonna be drafted for Washington that high. Um, I guess the highest could end up being Daniels, depends, varies from league to league and where people value quarterbacks, but. You'd think you'll be those top five that gets drafted at quarterback. So, um, quite an interesting one.'cause you'd expect, one of these guys is gonna pay off at where you're gonna draft them if we expect the offense to be, how it should be.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, I don't, it's, yeah, it is a really tricky one. It's kind of. It's annoying when you get these really good offenses, which just seem to have no real like star option. Um, I think Daniels, yeah, Daniels, I think he's being drafted as like the QB four or five ahead of borough behind, uh, uh, Alan and Lamar. Um, I'm personally not gonna be taking Daniels that high. I think he's being drafted in like the third round in a, in quite a lot of drafts. And for me it's like a, it's like an opportunity cost kind of thing. Like how much, how big of an advantage do you actually gain, you know, for other people If you draft a QB that high when you're giving up, um, you know,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Josh is taking notes.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Just getting my notepad out. Ready to say Matt, Matt will not draft. Jay and Daniel.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

giving away on my secrets.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

as you leave him. Zach tz, um, in like, so Josh can take him with his last bit, I'm sure it'll be fine.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

my man.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah, he is.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

So yeah, it's gonna be, it's gonna be Daniel's the highest drafted one, and then I think McClaren, you're gonna just see how, how far he slides, depending on what, what happens with the, with the contract.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

nice. I think that's it really. We don't need to go much deeper than that on the uh, roster. I guess the long awaited bit now, Matt is where, if we go back to the last episode in May, we're done with you. Um, you planted your flag on RJ Harvey as your my guy. Um, so a few months on him. We're looking for an update on him. Um, are you higher on him? Lower since Preseasons developed, and I understand you have two more my guys to share with us today to, to round it off for us.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, it's been a bit of a rollercoaster, uh, being an R RJ Harvey fan actually, because. He was, he had really good draft capital, so I think he was taking him a second round in the end. Um, Peyton was really talking about post draft. There's a lot of hype about him just coming out of that because the backfield in the bro, in the bro of the Broncos is so bad. Um, just any, any blokes, any of them could be cut at any point it seems. Um, so anyone with, with RJ Harvey's credentials from college and all the talk about him just seemed like they were just gonna walk straight into, uh, immediate volume, which for a, uh, a rookie running back, running back is the, the main thing, you know, opportunity. So if they're going straight into a starting role, then it kind of, essentially it's talent dependent and roster dependent. You know, how good is it? How good is their offensive line? How good are they as a, as a running back, um, you know, what, what, what stats have they got from college? And, and kind of make your call as to how. How high you think they could really go in, in as a kind of in the RB ranking. So opportunity is massive. So he got that, but then not that long after our pod, I think the Bronco signed JK Dobbins, um, who

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

I was gonna see if

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

I,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

um, affected your, your vibes on RJ Harvey.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

it, it made me question it just because, you know, he looked all right at times last year for the Chargers. I remember he started out the first four games where it just looked like he was just on fire. Um, still looks like he was kind of struggling to run a bit after his, after his like multi-year acls or whatever. He is torn. Um, but he looked really good. Um, so that was a bit of a worry just because, you know, veteran back can come in and just kind of do the right things. Um, but as camp has been progressing and, and the stuff you hear out of, out of camp and all that kind of stuff, it just seems like they are. In love with RJ Harvey. Um, just the way, the way he moves, how quick he is, how powerful he is for a small running back. Um, and he is a pass catching, running back as well, which JK Dobbs isn't exactly well known for. Um, so it was kind of, you were just kind of waiting for the pre-season to come just to see, um, how the depth charts and how the pre-season games would, would, would shake out. So then obviously as, as, as I mentioned, it was a rollercoaster, so naturally when the depth chart came out. So Peyton decided to name RJ Harvey as his fifth running back on the depth chart behind names like Arick, Esme, and, uh, de Leon McLoughlin. I think he's still there. So

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Right.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

obviously it was just Sean Peyton playing funny business.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah. Okay. So you are, you're, you're still, you're still on the hype train for RJ Harvey.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yes, absolutely.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

okay, so my question for you is, I believe as a DP is around the sixth round, at the moment, in the sixties, where are you willing to take him?

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, so I've been mocking for a few weeks now, and Josh don't, and uh, I, I think I'm picking, I'm picking third overall, so I'm typically on the turn in most drafts. So I have found myself taking'em in that fourth, fifth turn. Um, if you're in, if you're at that fourth, fourth, fifth turn, you are essentially choosing from the next big bucket of players. So you kind of, so you kind of have to, you do kinda have to reach a little bit when you're on the turn. But yeah, that's, that's where I'm pretty willing to take in because I, that's in the range of like, I'll be twos and kind of where things are a bit murky maybe. Um, and it just seems like he's got a really good opportunity to outdo his a DP there, I think.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Nice. Yeah, so I guess you can just pair'em up with a veteran back at, at that point, earlier in the draft.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Mm.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Cool. Um, okay, so the big reveal, who you, who you are next to my guys.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah. So my next two, my guys, one is a lot more obvious, um, but not so obvious where it's ridiculous. Um, but he had a, I think he, he, he was, it was his sophomore year last year playing for a really good offense. Um, he didn't even start the year as the start in running back. Um, but I think he then started getting a lot more, he was getting some playing time early on. Um, but then I think by the middle of the season, he was basically the starter. And I think the starter even got traded away or injured. So I'm talking about Chase Brown. Um, he was pretty fantastic as soon as he stepped into the starting role. Um, it wasn't, it wasn't absolutely electric as a Russia, you know, averaged 4.3 yards per carry, which is, is great. He had, he finished up the year with just under a thousand running yard Russian yards. But yeah, it looked like he kind of took over the starting role in like week four. Um, but it was really from like week seven onwards where he was not just running quite efficiently and getting and scoring your touchdown there and there, but he was just getting dump off after dump off after dump off from Burrow because obviously the Bengals defense was just absolutely terrible. He was, when they were behind, he was just lobbing it to Chase and checking it down to, to chase Brown. Um, and Chase Brown just was fantastic on a, from a fantasy point of view. So he ended up with about 1200 yards or 1300 yards and 11 touchdowns. So if that, if that continues at a minimum, um. What he was doing as he, when he took over as a starter and was getting proper targets and actually factored into the passing game, then I don't, I don't really understand how he could not be like a top five running back. Um, and he's, but he's being drafted as like a, like 10th or 12th at the back of the second typically,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah, I like that. I, you know, you want to target players on as well, who have, look like they have a workhorse role potentially. I believe he's going near the end of the second start of the third, Matt

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

I guess that seems fair. I guess you could go a little bit higher depending on who's already off your board. Um, if guys like Derek Henry, um, Devon Chain, people like that are gone. Um, yeah, I think that's a good shout. And I don't think they really added anyone to compete as far as I'm.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

No.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

that's what I was just gonna say. They, they haven't added anyone, have they? He's kind of, they, they're, they're all in on him based on what he's done already. And that makes sense. I really liked him in college actually when, when he came out of Illinois.'cause um, of the comparisons then were like Austin Ecla sort of that, that style of back and the, you know, free down back in the sense that he can do everything for an offense

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Hmm.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

a,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

yardage.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

a young Austin Eckler on the Bengals sounds pretty good to me.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. High up my list. He might be one of my guys now. What else you got, Matt?

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Uh, so then my, my third, my guys, so RJ Harvey, chase Brown, and, sorry, just the, the players that are kind of going around Chase Brown, Bucky Irving is being, Dr is being drafted before Chase Brown. For me, that just feels like an obvious Chase Brown and I don't really personally understand that. Uh, Ashton Gente is going before him. Obviously, he's got this kind of generational thing about him, but I, I think you, I. You can get so much more from Chase Brown'cause you've already seen it from him and, but yeah, firstly, I just think there's no real way that he isn't gonna be top five. But, um, so yeah. My third one, and this is a, this is a rogue one. Um, I'm picking this. It's the early on fantasy acumen, not real life. So this is a quarterback, he, it's, it's not Anthony Richardson, but he, he might be making an appearance in my sleeper list. Um, so it, he's, he's probably cut from the same kind of cloth. He's a, a running, running back, uh, running quarterback, which is what you obviously want when you're picking a quarterback in fantasy. Um, but he's going roughly is around the QB 11 slash 12 ahead of Baker Mayfield after Justin Herbert and it's Justin Fields. So.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Okay.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

He's obviously at the Jets now, so that's, you know, he is, got a decent offense around him. Bre Hall, he is, got Garrett Wilson to throw to, he's got a new rookie, Titan Mason Taylor, who I think is gonna be fit for week one now. Um, two other really good running backs as well, involved in Isaiah Davis and Braylin Allen. I'm not a hundred percent sure what the offensive line looks like. I think it's okay, but maybe be I, I I think it might be below average. So, um, the danger here is that he as a passer is just absolutely horrendous and he just gets sacked all the time. Um, but when Justin Fields has been a starter in fantasy, in years gone by, he'd been like top 10 easily, just purely from his legs. So if you look at the three years when he was in Chicago, he was. His rookie year, he was rushing like seven times a game. Uh, second year he was rushing 10 times a game, and in his third year he was rushing probably another 10, about another 10 times a game. So he's adding just so many points with his legs that the passing is almost kind of, you know, it's just, it's whatever. Um, and for that late in the draft,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

yeah, basically you don't wanna watch it, but

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yes.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

should get there. It just might not be pretty.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah. It's gonna be very ugly.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I thought, um, this is hilarious'cause I saw a really funny headline earlier. Today, is Justin Fields being quoted as saying, we are fine with eight yard completions and tiring defenses with running the ball. Which I, which kind of talks to

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Lovely.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

not be that pretty to

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

could stack up points

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

But yeah, I guess,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

be a sleeper, but if he's really, he's made the kind of jump to a my

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

hmm.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

then.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah. Because. Go on James. No, no, you go.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah, no, I think it's, I know you're a guy that likes to wait on quarterback, and I think for anyone waiting on quarterbacks, there's sort of upside shots you wanna take. Um, you can get pocket passes on the wave wire if it doesn't work out, or get yourself and Matt Stafford or Jared Goff or something. So yeah, a good shout. And I guess if they sounds like they are really focusing on the run game, um, which could really help him out. So, um, yeah, I like it. It's nice to have a rogue shout. There's no point just naming all the like, Jamar chase or something like that. So, yeah. Nice. Sorry, you probably have some further thoughts on him, mate.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, no, I was just gonna say, you know, if you're waiting on quarterback, kind of like what we touched on earlier, if you're taking one of these kind of top five quarterbacks, you're taking'em pretty high. So you're gonna be taking a quarterback, uh, instead of a really good running back or a really good ride receiver if you play in a league like ours where we just, where you've just got one qb. Uh, two wide receivers, two running backs, so then two flexes. Then you kind of wanna be taking as many running backs and receivers as you, as you possibly can, um, and then taking a shot of quarterback later on. And your best bet with that is really kind of, or at least your up, your best upside pick is gonna be some, a quarterback who runs. So, um, fields is, is the best at running when you, when you get into sort of round seven onwards, round eight onwards, and then there, it feels like a pretty good value pick. If you can get someone who's putting up, you know, finishes as the overall QB 10, QB eight, maybe, then you're getting a, a massive discount on someone who is performing not that much less than one of these top five people really.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Nice. So to, so to round that off, we've got running back RJ Harvey of the Denver Broncos. We've got running back Chase Brown, the Cincinnati Bengals, got quarterback Justin Fields of the New York Jets mailbag. Matts my guys for 2025. Um, now, Matt, let's quickly, I believe you've got some deep sleepers for us. So there are some names here that people might not know. They might wanna look out for their final pick. So let's, let's reel through those. I know you've got one for each position. So let's get into those before we have a look at some, uh, bold predictions for the season.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah. So I'm gonna go, um, I just, I'm, I'm gonna pick one position, but I'm gonna name three people and just name them quickly because there's more of a category of player who, who is a, a kind of sleeper. Um, second year receivers. So this is receivers in their second year of the league. Um, ideally you want them to have flashed something in the first season, uh, in their rookie season. That gives you some sort of optimism in going to the second year. Um, and the reason for that is that second year receivers tend to have the biggest leap from their rookie year to their second year historically. So in fantasy, you can get a really good value on some of these second year receivers because they're typically just not being drafted. If they've not had this, like, unbelievable first year, like, you know, Brian Thomas, Malik Neighbors, they're obviously going in the, in the first or second round. Um, but the three guys that I have, I have down for that is, uh, Romo Dunes, who was pretty unlucky with rookie Caleb Williams. Uh, looking back, he had quite a lot of yards, barely any touchdowns, but was just routinely being missed on, on deep shots. And, um, yeah, kinda suffered from that. Ricky Pear for the 49 ERs, um, came on in the last like two or three games where I think he ended up just being the defacto wide receiver one for the team. Um, Deebo has gone, Ike is out for presumably the first six weeks. So that just leaves Johan Jennings to to be out, which as a second year receiver, you can kind of see that happening. Um, and then Keon Coleman for the bills, um, again, they, they haven't really added anyone apart from Josh Palmer. Um, so their other receiver is Khalil Shaki, Josh Palmer, and their running backs don't really catch a ton. Um, obviously the problem is passing volume in, in, in Buffalo and how many they, how many, you know, how, how he spreads it around, how Alan spreads it around. But if we're just going on the second year receiver trend, then those three guys are probably worth a shot at the end, towards the end of kind of the single digit rounds.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I like the way you've done this as, as like a trend of, of that same profile, uh, position that's really clever. I think the one, the only one comment I'd say on that one is, um, UNE at the Bears. I wouldn't have been as high on him if, um, their second round pick Luther Bird wasn't hurt or off season.'cause I think burden could be brilliant, but I think he hasn't really trained much. Um,'cause he had had an injury, so that might be a really good shout.'cause he's, he's the immediate number two right now there with DJ Moore there. I think isn, he, so

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I, I had last year and was a bit upset that he didn't kind of reach his potential so he could shout.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Uh, yeah. So, um, and then running backs. Um, so I've got, I've got, uh, one running back who, it's weird that he's a sleeper because in the, in the past sort of two or three years you've been drafted pretty highly. But last year he was just a catastrophic failure. Um, for where you drafted him in, around the second or third round. Um, it's Travis, ETN. So he is still presumably the Jags number one running back. Um, there's been a, a lot of chatter around tank Bigby in the preseason being the start, but um, I think, you know, Jags have now got Liam Cohen in as head coach, who is, uh, I think he's playing, uh, calling plays as well. Um, was really good offensively for, was it the Bucks that he was Liam Cohen was that, you know, the Bucks

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

bucks.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

who obviously had a lot of success with Bucky Irving last year and also Rashad White. So based on that, you can kind of, if, if Travis CTN has still got it, um, he's being drafted. Again, like late single digits, maybe even 10th round in some, some league. So if he is the number one, if he is the starting running back for the Jags and the Jags go from a ship or a bad offense to an okay offense and make some sort of leap, then he's gonna be very valuable. Assuming he can stay fit and has the starting role for, for the season.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Nice. Yeah, I mean, again, that's another murky backfield that people can try and take advantage of there. Um, as you say, new coaches, so if you've had him before, maybe you just wanna try and put that in the past.'cause uh, sometimes these things can turn around and you've got new coaches in. Um, if, if what have you have you got QB and tight end.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

I've got a QB who, uh. Based on, well, so I've got two. So one of them was Anthony Richardson because you, you, you could obviously before the Daniel Jones starting news, and I still think you can still take him, but you obviously don't need to draft him. But the theory behind Anthony Richardson was he, again, kind of similar to Justin Fields where you run so much, he's just gonna be as a starter in fantasy. He's gonna be really useful'cause he runs so much and when he has started in fantasy, it's been really good. So, and you can basically take him with the last pick of your draft and he is probably gonna go un undrafted now. Um, so he is still in play as a sleeper, but Drake may, um, as a sleeper at qb, he was really good as a rookie. He was kind of, he kind of fell below it got out shown by Daniels and, and Bo Nicks, uh, really last year. But he was silently quite good for a Patriots team who just had no offensive weapons at all. Um, they've now got Josh McDaniel's, oc, they've got Stefan Diggs from Free agency. They drafted Kyle Williams, I think it was a second round, a wide receiver. Um, they also drafted, uh, what's the running back called Trayvon Henderson. Um, so they've made a lot of investment into their yoga, so they've made a lot of investment into the offense. He's got a lot more weapons around him. He's going into a second year. He is a running quarterback as well. He ran it a lot more than people, uh, seem to really notice. So he is someone who, again, you could get in the 10th, 11th, maybe even 12th in some leagues, um, after someone like Jordan Love, before someone like Jared Goff or Brock Purdy, and again, could be someone who sneaked into the top 10, maybe even top eight of the callbacks if he has a good year.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Very, very nice. Thanks Matt. Um, very useful. I'll try not to steal any of those players off you in our upcoming draft. but yes, let's summarize those then. So your deep sleepers, you're gonna have to rattle off those receivers for me again. I

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Romo Dunes, Ricky Pear and Keon Coleman.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Cool. running back got Traian. Then at callback we got Drake May. Anthony Richardson. Maybe we'll see about that one.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

nice, thanks Matt. Um, and I think the last bit we wanted to touch on Josh was the, um, in the last episode of Matt came on, we've done the bold predictions, so,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Yes.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

um, I think we've got them to hand, so dunno if you wanna run through those or I can if, if you've not got them.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I haven't got'em. I haven't prepared, I'm

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I can clip them in. I, I can clip, uh, them in from the previous episode

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Ah,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

want. Should I

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

well no, I've gone right here.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

all.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

So,

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

to hand.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

bold predictions from our last mailbag, Matt episode. Matt's was of course around RJ Harvey, saying he'll be a top 12 running back, which would be an RB one in 12 team leagues to him in that episode as Alvin Kamar light and announcing him as his guy. So Matt would be sticking with that. I'm sure, Josh, this one's particularly, um.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

yeah,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Newsworthy today, Joshua predicted Daniel Jones as a top 12 quarterback literally about an hour before we started recording, he was announced as the starting quarterback. So Josh, very much in play, um, again, one of these guys that could be ugly, but we know he's got some Russian upside, um, and a few good receivers in in India as well. Um, mine was, um, the rookie wide receiver Trey Harris, uh, of the Los Angeles Chargers. I had him to lead rookie wide receivers in fantasy points for 2025. I don't feel as confident about that. I've seen a lot of noise about some of the other rookie, rookie receivers out there.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Nearly done again,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Done again.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

superb.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

uh, yeah, that's a bit of a long shot, that one, but I think he's still having a good camp. So I'll stick by that. But, um, do you guys have any additional bold predictions? Now? We're very close to season. You want to add to that, Matt? We'll start with you.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Hmm. I think, uh, I think while we're on the topic of rookie wide receivers, um, is it Amika Buka? I think that's how you say his name. Uh, the Bucks. Bucks Rookie wide receiver. So he was drafted in the first round, so he's got round one capital. Um. Coming into Baker Mayfield, obviously. Um, it actually was just confirmed this morning that Jaylen McMillan is going on to ir. Um, he suffered a bit of a bad injury, uh, over the weekend and he was someone who finished off last year really strong. He was a rookie last year. Uh, someone who I've got on my dynasty team, and I'm actually quite annoyed that he's got injured now. Um, but he was looking like he, he could have a kind of sophomore leap. Um, but just getting so much praise from staff. He's got that round on. Capital. Godwin is also injured and doesn't look like for week one or even the first four weeks potentially. So Buca is literally going in as the second wide receiver be behind Mike Evans. And he looks fantastic from, from everything that we've seen in camp and preseason. So I think, uh, I think he could be, I think he could very easily become a, be a wide receiver too. Push for, you know, mid, wide receiver too, and be very valuable and be a bit of a kind of Chris Goldwin type.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

So, so where, where does that in terms of like positional ranking top, where are you putting in top 20? Top 30.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

I will go on a limb and say he finishes as a top 20 wide receiver and he's, he's currently being drafted as like the wide receiver, 45 I think.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Okay. that's bold then. Nice. Uh, Josh, what you got for us?

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

I'm doubling down on my quarterback fantasy bold predictions.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Better not be stealing my one.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

uh, oh, maybe I had Daniel Jones in the top 12. And I'm going for another quarterback in the top 12, JJ McCarthy, which doesn't look like it's your one by the, by your face, which is

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

No.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

So I, I think Justin Jefferson and that style of offense, Kevin O'Connell style of offense, if he can be a Kurt Cousins type, but maybe fewer picks and a little bit more the ground, then Jefferson, uh, then McCarthy could be, um, dependable enough to crack into that, like the sort of bow nicks model think. Nix was top 10 in the end last year. I think that could be very feasible for JJ McCarthy. And he kind of probably flies under the radar a bit. So that's what makes it bold. And I've got him on my dynasty team. Um, so I had to, I have to go with someone on my, one of my rosters in a bold prediction. Not that it doesn't mean I won't draft Daniel Jones. Who knows? I might do that in redraft. But yeah, I'm going for JJ McCarthy top 12.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Nice. Yeah. So mine is along the same lines. So I'm going bar Young, uh, to finish as a top 12 fancy quarterback. Maybe I'll go by. Let's go top 10, just to try and outdo Josh a bit there. Um. He's basically going free in drafts right now. He's somebody you can just get with your last pick. We can pick up on waves near the time if, have a need there. he's got that rushing upside that we've spoken about, what we want from our fancy quarterbacks. I really like how a Pam's performed down the stretch last year when he got back in the team. Um, they were fighting pretty hard. Their defense was a mess, but the offense seemed to have a of life in it and was performed a bit better. And I really like the coach there, Dave Canales. and uh, obviously they drafted Tech McMillan in the first round that he is as as advertised. so for fancy purposes, I definitely feel like he can be a starting quarterback in fantasy. Um, and I think he'll probably have a decent real life year as well as it happens. I'm, I'm quite bullish on the Panthers this year, so.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Well his, his sort of personal life and that No, I like that. I, I'm more bullish on the Panthers as well actually. So I that I, I wasn't gonna choose that as my bold prediction, but I wasn't far off thinking similar. He, he was in my, in my thought process as well. So I like that one. James,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Nice. Well, well, there we have it then. Um, I think that wraps it up.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

got a bit of homework. I reckon when I go to the lakes next week I'm gonna get a spreadsheet going with all these predictions in and, I think I've got one from the draft. I'm gonna sort of tailor it and get some, some more data in there, and make sure that we can track these sorts of things throughout the season.'cause we'll have, have to have you on again, Matt, at various points to see how these are going and, and your thoughts. Midseason for waiver pickups and trades and stuff if you're up for it.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah, just don't bring me on if I'm not doing very well in our, in our leave.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

We

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Let

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

tell the world. We can just assume you've, won our league every time or

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

If,

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

RJ Harvey is the third string running back, we'll, we just won't bother asking you back on

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah. Just pretend though. Yeah,

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

all credibility

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

yeah.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

so.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

go back and retrospectively edit all of the podcasts and just cut in another name.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Yeah.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Nice. Thanks for coming on, mate. It was brilliant to have you on. We, we have a joke around and stuff, but I think, you know, genuinely some really, really, um, great thoughts and kind of insight on, on fantasy this season and with drafts coming up and stuff, I think people will be excited to, to listen and, and dig into some of those players that you suggested, your guys and your sleepers, so that's brilliant. Um, James, where can people get in touch with us and, um, get, you know, ask us if they wanna come on et.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

So we're on X at hail on three pod and we do still have the email address, uh, the mailbag if you will. hail on three pod@gmail.com. Um, it's where Matt made his name. So do send us an email.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

Yeah, don't be afraid to use it guys. Um, we will have possibly a bit of a roundup of the last preseason game, maybe a really quick one at some point after that. And then we are into like almost the first week of the season when I'm back from holiday. Um, we are gonna have, uh, our friend Jake on who's a Giants fan in the week one preview show. Um, and when we get to the week one preview show, we'll have a bit of structure around how we're gonna do previews and game recaps and stuff. So, um, getting excited now.

matt_1_08-19-2025_200145:

Um.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

and also we can have maybe a bit of a recap of, of how our redraft went in fantasy as well. Maybe that's a good idea. Even if we do 15 minutes or something.

james-braker--mister-_1_08-19-2025_180145:

Yeah, that could be.

josh_1_08-19-2025_180144:

see if Matt enjoyed his Brazilian mix and all that. Alright, thanks guys. Um, until next time, hail.