The Breakfast Table Fantasy Sports Podcast: Recent Episodes
Mike Salfino
Autopsies on the recently departed, Stafford in LA and Goff in DET, why a pencil was Patricia's downfall, blitzing Mahomes and Brady, man vs. Chiefs, Brady the Mad Bomber, big plays and sacks, why the Bucs run defense is a minus against Mahomes, punting props, can Kelce and Hill be stopped without a mercy rule, Andy Reid with a bye, MVP props and a proxy for the pick, who we like and why the total really matters if you like the underdog. Plus a mini-fantasy baseball podcast previewing what's to come, free-throw shooting on the hardwood and boardwalk and even more. We're making this public for non-members but please join us for baseball and football as we alternate week by week until training camp.
NOTE: This is a free sample of a members only Patreon podcast available here: https://www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast?fan_landing=true
Mike and Scott discuss their picks in the 1,440-team, 120-league Scott Fishbowl. The very unique scoring is reviewed. Did Mike execute his plan on maximizing expected pick value given all positions are essentially equal? Can you do similarly in your upcoming draft? I guess it depends if you can live with something like one running back through 12 rounds. Does superflex always mean "two QB"? Scott and Mike somehow end up with two of the same QBs. What are the ADP surprises in ADP? Where are their two leagues eerily similar and wildly divergent? It's 99% football but they still manage to argue about Fred Lynn in a sidebar on Alex Verdugo. See their teams and all the SFB info here at Rotogrinders: https://rotogrinders.com/columns/scott-fish-bowl-x-app-3067367 And thanks for your support!
Special guest Sean Chavel of FlickMinute.com discusses Mike's 10 most noteworthy movies he's watched during the pandemic. Not the best, just the most interesting: Targets, Rio Bravo, Christine, Freebie and the Bean, Straight Time (on Sean's recommendation), Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, The Ultimate Warrior, Black Sunday and The Killing. Two just happen to be set during the Super Bowl. Lots of Tarantino is discussed since a couple of these are inspiration for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and one appears briefly in his most rewatchable film. Follow Sean on Letterboxd.
Continuing our Fantasy Movie Draft, rounds 7-through-12. We had to fill nine genres like fantasy positions and then had three utilities. Check the spreadsheet and follow along to decide who has the best "team." Which movies did we hate to leave out? The free agent wire is LOADED. Did Scott break the genre rules? Decide for yourself. Special guests: Cara Salfino and Geoff Foster of Jordan Peele's Monkey Paw Productions (and Mike's former editor who knows a thing or two about punching up copy as in a scene from one of his picks, as Mike can attest). Too many highlights to mention due to the incredible material provided by the greatest movies ever made. Thanks for your support. Back to sports and the NFL draft next episode. Full Draft Results: https://tinyurl.com/yc8zy56b
Part One of a Fantasy movie draft with Scott, Mike and special guests Cara Salfino and Geoff Foster, from Jordan Peele's Monkey Paw Productions (and Mike's former editor). This is a snake draft. We have nine "positions" to fill in any order -- comedy, horror, rom/rom-com, sci-fi/fantasy, drama, action, Western, thriller, crime/detective. Plus two utilities. Did any strategies emerge in the early going? Which genres are scarce and loaded? Or do you just pick the best movies? Or your personal favorites? Does the one Manhattanite focus on Manhattan movies? All this and more. Part II next week. We're going 11 rounds and reserves, too.
Warning: Spoilers abound. Scott and Mike are joined by Geoff Foster of Jordan Peele's Monkey Paw Productions to review "Uncut Gems" starring Adam Sandler. Geoff also was Mike's sports editor at The Wall Street Journal and FiveThirtyEight. Why is this movie like Leaving Las Vegas, Goodfellas, The Parallax View (super spoiler), Fargo and Midnight Cowboy? How is the sports gambling handled? Is the Diamond District portrayal legit? Comedians as actors. Athletes as actors. Sports superstition. Tip-off parlays. Mob rules. 1970s throwbacks. All this and more.
Mike and Scott and joined by special guest Cara Salfino, follow up on their Eight Men Out review (a film starring Cusack). Cara pulls a Rob Gordon and lists Cusack's Top 5 films, in reverse order. And Scott and Mike weigh in. In Breakfast Table fashion, detours abound (Cameron Crowe movies, movies that everyone loves that Scott hates, great bad movies, Tom Cruise, time travel, Scott's movie take that he says everyone disagrees with and Scott and Mike hating on something everyone else seems to love). A must listen for film buffs/Cusack fans.
Cara Salfino lends her non-football, non-sports-fan perspective to a forgotten classic, North Dallas Forty. Is it a football movie, body horror movie, film noir, counterculture, iconoclastic classic or... just a movie about football? And can you ever watch football the same way again? The movie the NFL never wanted you to see, 40 years later. Spoilers aplenty so watch it first. This podcast is made possible by the support of our Patreon members: https://www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Mike and Scott channel Siskel and Ebert both figuratively and quite literally in reviewing The Natural -- overwrought caricature or emotionally-rewarding fairy tale? We go through all the performances, plot points, characters, dramatic devices, baseball hyper-realism, cinematic qualities and more. Which of us agrees with Siskel and which with Ebert, nearly 35 years later? What would the back of the Roy Hobbs basically card have said and what would the stats have been for his epic season? Do we both want a New York Knights uniform? Does Redford pass the eyeball test? Would the book ending have been better than the movie's, or vice versa? Hobbs had 80 tools across the board but what would his scouting grade have been in picking women? Should this movie have been about the Arnold Rothstein character or the serial killer of athletes? Spoilers aplenty. This special edition is available to the public, courtesy of our Patreon members.
Scott is on vacation so Josh Hermsmeyer (@friscojosh) of FiveThirtyEight joins Mike to talk about projections and the state of fantasy and real football as it relates to maximizing win probability. Is there true skill level among NFL players or are they merely creatures of their environments and usage? Why and to what extent are zeroRB concepts useful in gaining a competitive edge in drafting? How much of offensive vs. defense outcomes are generally driven by the offense? How often should teams pass and how should they run? Are the under 25 QBs ready to propel the NFL into the next generation of play or is Josh bearish on their prospects? Analysis on players including Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell, David Johnson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Travis Kelce.
A major announcement on the 2018 Fantasy Football Podcast and where to find it for the upcoming season: https://www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Mike and Scott mourn the passing of their mutual friend and fantasy baseball pioneer/esteemed baseball professional Steve Moyer. Baseball topics include the decline in starting pitching, the amorphous nature of baseball where leagues and divisions are hard to delineate, the most volatile players based on NFBC drafts and who we are in and out on, Benintendi vs. Yelich and Betts vs. Harper, the humidor and wall-scraping homers and much more. This podcast has been made public so that everyone can share in our memories of Steve but is typically available weekly only to Patreon $7 members. https://www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
And the first of our 2018 Fantasy Baseball podcasts, which are posted here weekly for $7 Patreon members. Here we talk about the LABR mixed league draft put together by Sports Weekly. Scott Pianowski participated. Mike Salfino opines. Broadly applicable strategy, overvalued, undervalued, sleepers and busts are all discussed in this extensive podcast. Mike will eat a bug if you don't find this extremely useful. Here is a link to the draft discussed. If you enjoy this, please supporting our content and get complete baseball and football coverage all spring and summer, accessible here: https://www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
(NOTE: This podcast was recorded first for members prior to Gronkowski clearing protocol.) After a classic rock intro, Mike and Scott discuss the keys to the big game and pick the winner and the score. Is the Nick Foles we saw versus the Vikings, a much better defense than the Patriots, fact or fluke? Do the Patriots even have to be chameleons in this matchup? Yards per point. Concussion protocols. Deep passing stats. Some Girls vs. Beggar's Banquet. Was David Bowie correct that Jimmy Page should be feared? The odds of a Belichick or Brady retirement. Various prop bets and the one probable loser that nonetheless pays the best odds. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast)
Mike and Scott preview the AFC and NFC championship games. Is the Jaguars defense for real? Are they too scheme specific? What is likely to be the Patriots strategy? Who covers Gronk? Can Bortles win a game at this level like Sanchez once did vs. Brady with a similar defense? With the NFC, is Case Keenum a product of super-elite WR play? Is Nick Foles good enough or just too ponderous? Is this Keenum vs. Foles or are the Vikings better almost everywhere? Which of the big losers in the division round is most likely to appear soon in the Super Bowls: the Saints or the Steelers? And of course, we pick both the games, along with some fantasy sleepers. Breakfast of Champions is served. (Patreon members get this episode like all episodes a day early. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast)
Mike and Scott go over all the games with an eye toward who will star and slump. Which teams will survive and advance? Is Nick Foles capable of leading an Eagles offense that typically struggles on early downs? Is the Falcons defense stout or did they get lucky in silencing the Rams? Is the circus leaving town for Tom Brady? Marcus Mariota: Clutch or lucky? Can Leonard Fournette beast or is he badly overrated? Jacksonville D: All-time or a product of a soft schedule? Why the Saints are the NFL's best and most versatile offense. Is Case Keenum ready for his closeup? All this plus a Bird vs. Dr. J debate over the 1980-81 NBA MVP. Thanks for supporting the pod. Patreon members get this episode like all episodes a day early. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Mike and Scott review all the games from both a playoff draft and daily fantasy perspective. They also predict all the games and focus on the key player matchups that should shape the outcomes. Special focus is given to the Chiefs skill players, the surprisingly successful playoff history of bad teams measured by point differential, the real red zone problem with the Falcons offense, Brees's role in keeping the Saints running downhill, Cam Newton's surprisingly consistent awfulness, the lasting relevance of NFL Films archives on YouTube and the content in the Sports Illustrated Vault, where innovation comes from in coaching, what makes a Hall of Famer and much more. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast (CORRECTION: The Falcons are only middle of the pack in red zone possession per game at home, not overall.)
Happy New Year! The Members-Only Breakfast Table Fantasy Playoff League is announced. Then, some DFS discussion plus lots of sidebars, including: Is Mixon a Gurley in waiting, will Jeff Fisher definitely coach in 2018, has Ebron already broken out, is Two-TE the strategy for 2018, was Matt Ryan bad or unlucky with TDs, who is the NFL MVP, Bigger Disappointment: Dak vs. Derek, Russell Wilson's Tebowing, do the 49ers have the NFL's most enviable QB situation...? Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Mike and Scott analyze all the Week 16 matchups from a fantasy football perspective. Is there sneaky championship value in Baltimore? Is Jimmy Graham an All-Pro or a dud? Will the Rams let down? Are the Chiefs back to full power? What do matchups say about Bortles and Garoppolo? Zeke Elliott Fantasy Super Bowl MVP? Plus giving the Steelers vs. Patriots game a name. Patreon members get the podcast Wednesday overnight. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Scott and Mike look at all the week's games -- Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday -- to get you ready for the fantasy football semifinals. What to do with the Eagles without Wentz and the Packers with Rodgers. Are Bell and Brown the best RB/WR tandem ever? Is Gurley in Bell's class? Did we catch a glimpse on Monday night of Tom Brady's football mortality? Is Cam Newton Joe Flacco with wheels? All the games are analyzed, complete with recommendations on who to play and who to avoid with all the chips on the table. Patreon members get the podcast Wednesday overnight. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Mike and Scott break down the fantasy implications for all the Week 14 games. Bench Cam for Jimmy G? Is Chris Hogan an automatic starter if active? What do we make of Josh Gordon now? Which injuries are creating the greatest potential opportunity to sneak league-winning value? All this and much more. Patreon members get the podcast Wednesday overnight. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month.
Mike and Scott talk about Dez Bryant, the Chiefs offensive woes, Josh Gordon, the whacking of Eli, Kamara regression, the awfulness of Flacco, the fantasy myth about the Patriots offense and review all the key players in every game. Patreon members get the podcast Wednesday overnight. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month.
All the Thanksgiving and Week 12 games are broken down and analyzed. Should we care about projecting players who are being played anyway? That's Scott's debate with Kareem Hunt and Adam Thielen, who are projected by Mike. We also get into play action passing with the Rams, Scott rejects Mike's Brees victory lap before he can even take it, goal-line expected touchdowns are put under the analytics microscope and so much more. Happy Thanksgiving! Patreon members get the podcast Wednesday overnight. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Mike and Scott go over all the games starting with Thursday and explore the key players and lineup decisions now and moving forward toward our playoffs. Who is rising and falling? The two argue about whether Drew Brees's performance year to date is descriptive or predictive. Also data on WR this season relative to recent history and expected TD passes based on league-wide splits. Some fireworks ensue. Patreon members get the podcast Wednesday overnight. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
With Ezekiel Elliott/Alfred Morris update. Mike and Scott talk all the games from a fantasy perspective and specifically discuss the difficulty with the WR pool this year and how to manage it and which players who are starter worthy should be either elevated from reserves or picked up. Is zeroRB dead? Are too many teams now zeroBadQB for it to even matter? Patreon members get the podcast Wednesday overnight. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Mike and Scott go over all the games and talk about our appearance on Sunday at Giants Stadium to answer your Week 9 fantasy questions live and in person, with our good friend and Yahoo colleague Dalton Del Don. All the major decisions flowing off of this heavy bye week are covered with a lot of fantasy trade deadline advice and ranking debate for hard-to-peg players addressed in sufficient detail. Thanks so much for your support! Hope to see some of you Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Details to come via Twitter and Verizon, as well as Yahoo Fantasy. Patreon members get the podcast Wednesday overnight. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Mike and Scott talk all the matchups and decide who the Vikings back to own is, whether to cut Martavis Bryant and Terrelle Pryor, whether to sell Jordan Howard, assess the odds of a Amari repeat, pick a Browns QB and much more. All the games and matchups analyzed. Patreon members get the podcast Wednesday overnight. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
This is another long pod but one filled with strong opinions and detailed analysis that you won't find anywhere else, in its most actionable form. Mike and Scott go over all the games. They bicker especially over Jerick McKinnon of all people. Scott, shocker, is all-in on Doug Baldwin. Mike lobbies to have the same weekly rankings analysis applied to him as it was critically to Tyreke Hill. Mike unsuccessfully tries to convince Scott that Thomas Rawls is worth a speculative add vs. a weak Giants run D. Both agree they're sick of Ezekiel Elliott suspension drama. Scott is in on Chris Thompson touches, too. Patreon members get the podcast Wednesday overnight. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
This is one of the better ones. Lots of actionable analysis and deep-dives that you won't get anywhere else. Some bickering of course, too, with Scott scolding Mike for interrupting. Another futile attempt to come in under and hour: it's 1:14. But it's tight and fully packed for your fantasy pleasure. The highlights are too many to mention. Oddly, lots of gambling tips from Mike's Sopranos-ish childhood past. Plus Jets-Pats which has in the past pitted the two against one another as much as it does the teams.
Mike and Scott look at the full slate for sleepers and busts and examining some trends such as scoring in Thursday night games, the lack of dominant market share for most top wide receivers, the viability of the 2004 QB class, the sustainability of Marcus Mariota, Wentz vs. Goff, Barry vs. Emmitt, the brutal Ravens and the surprise team that's now Raven-like (we mean this in a bad way). Patreon members get the podcast Wednesday overnight. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward for as little as $1 per month. www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Mike and Scott go over all the games argue about Travis Benjamin of all people, debate what to do with Terrelle Pryor, rank Goff vs. Watson, fade Road Ben, question the leverage of Julio targets, grade Urination Celebration, plus so much more. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward with bonus podcasts provided to Patrons depending on their level of support: www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast CORRECTION FOR POD: Jamaal Charles did not have more touches than C.J. Anderson last week, as Mike said, just more carries. Apologies.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal and FiveThirtyEight) break down Week 3 of the Fantasy Football Season. Scott says Mike doesn't like trading and challenges his Sopranos knowledge while dissing Drew Brees. Sparks fly. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward with bonus podcasts provided to Patrons depending on their level of support: www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal and FiveThirtyEight) break down Week 2 of the Fantasy Football Season. The focus is on players who are sits or starts and Week 2 and those whose 2017 fate is most likely to gain needed clarity this coming weekend. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward with bonus podcasts provided to Patrons depending on their level of support: www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal and FiveThirtyEight) break down Week 1 of the Fantasy Football Season. They also discuss the landscape-altering NFL Kickoff game moments after KC-NE left the field. The focus is on players with the biggest question marks. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward with bonus podcasts provided to Patrons depending on their level of support: www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal and FiveThirtyEight) break down the tight ends for the 2017 Fantasy Football draft season. They also discuss the rising ADP of Chris Hogan and Kareem Hunt due to preseason injuries. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward with bonus podcasts provided to Patrons depending on their level of support: www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal and FiveThirtyEight) break down the running backs for the 2017 Fantasy Football draft season. Does zeroRB make sense and why? Who are the non-zeroRBs? Todd Gurley stud or dud? Can Kareem Hunt be a championship maker? Play success rate, big-play regression, average value of the three major RB committee roles, profiting from uncertainty and so much more. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward with bonus podcasts provided to Patrons depending on their level of support: www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal and FiveThirtyEight) break down the wide receiver position for the 2017 Fantasy Football Season. Focus is on tier value, middle-round bargains and who is worth drafting with premium picks. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward with bonus podcasts provided to Patrons depending on their level of support: www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal and FiveThirtyEight) break down the quarterback position for the 2017 Fantasy Football Season. They not only rank the passers but quantify injury risk and discuss their impact on their respective receivers and running backs. Please visit Patreon to support this content going forward with bonus podcasts provided to Patrons depending on their level of support: www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal and FiveThirtyEight) set the table for the 2017 Fantasy Football Season with advice to win the draft season. The podcast includes the announcement of a partnership with Patreon to support this content going forward with bonus podcasts provided to Patrons depending on their level of support: https://www.patreon.com/BreakfastTablePodcast
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) analyze the 2017 baseball season for fantasy enthusiasts with tips on strategy, projections, valuations and insights on a multitude of key players at all the positions. Assessments are in the context of Yahoo ADP and recent prices at their two 15-team mixed-league auctions, including the famous Tout Wars. Here them debate Kyle Schwarber and the prices of many other controversial players, including their thoughts on how to best leverage Clayton Kershaw and generally navigate the player pool.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) analyze Super Bowl LI between the Falcons and Patriots, pick the winners and the score, forecast the player props and fantasy football angles, ponder a movie bet, address Toxic Differentials, question respective opponents strength, assess the Falcons bonafides as an all-time offense, discount the "No. 1-ranked" New England defense, quantify the value of Super Bowl experience, debate "Xs and Os vs. Jimmy and Joes" and more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) analyze the AFC and NFC championship games and fantasy implications therein, review the early rounds of the FSTA fantasy baseball draft, have an extended Bryce Harper 2017 valuation debate, preview some late-round 2017 fantasy baseball sleepers, bicker over Brando, honor Mary Tyler Moore (after a false ending) and much more.
The Breakfast of Champions. Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) analyze and predict the AFC and NFC championship games, try to give the Rodgers's throw a name, name Tom Brady's favorite opponents, grade the possible Super Bowl matchups and also name their respective Top 5 Sports Movies in order while also debating what qualifies a film in the genre.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) discuss and predict all four Divisional Playoff games, rookie QBs, the decline of Ben Roethlisberger, the surprising playoff performance to date by Alex Smith, good defense/bad QB playoff teams in history, throwback Swiss Army Knife Tyreek Hill, the unique running style of Le'Veon Bell and provide fantasy advice relating to this week's slate especially for the Breakfast Table Podcast Members Playoff League (join via GoFundMe).
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) discuss and predict all four Wildcard Playoff games, the NFL coaching carousel and the most and least attractive openings, who should be and will be the MVP, MVP theory, John vs. Paul, Stones vs. Stevie Wonder, Vince Ferragamo, all-time Patriots, Terrell Davis and what defines a Hall of Famer and more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) discuss the 2016 Fantasy Football season, key players and busts, slot the 2017 first round, discuss the future of zeroRB, late-round quarterback and the stud and dud wide receivers. They also preview the upcoming NFL postseason, looking forward to the NFC slate and debate whether the Patriots have the AFC locked up.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 16 of the 2016 NFL Season with a hard-core focus on fantasy football. This week: the QB-centric WR-ranking model, debating downhill Dak, Matt Ryan's MVP candidacy and Bert Jones, Heaven Can Wait for Bryce Petty, Bert Reynolds movies, the best football flick, 2016's biggest winning and losing players, forecasting Championship Week heroes, all the games and so much more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 15 of the 2016 NFL Season with a hard-core focus on fantasy football. This week: Robbie Anderson vs. Mike Wallace DEEP CUT, Joe Flacco for the win, whether Wilson is "Danger-Russ" to his fantasy owners, projecting for extreme cold, ranking Tyrell Williams, extinguishing injury optimism, fading the Cowboys, questions for Podcast contest winner Colin Benson, all the games and so much more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 14 of the 2016 NFL Season with a hard-core focus on fantasy football. This week: projecting Derek Carr, the Gronkless Brady, podcast member league Joe Chalmers's three questions including Tarantino movie ranks, Ryan regression, betting on target-based WR projection model and zeroRB in light of 2016, grading our hits and misses, key calls for this week's fantasy playoffs, advanced matchup theory, the down QB week, all the games and so much more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 13 of the 2016 NFL Season with a hard-core focus on fantasy football. This week: Zeke vs. Dak vs. Ryan for MVP, yards per point, whether the Bucs are a playoff team, weighting defensive matchups in picking starters, super-overrated Cam Newton, underrated Colin Kaepernick, the sleeper free agent WR to play in the Windy City, Scott's obsession with birthday sharers, more Cousins bickering, all the games and so much more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 12 of the 2016 NFL Season with a hard-core focus on fantasy football. This week: The podcast member daily fantasy league, whether TD passes are predictive or descriptive, best bets for MVP, surging and declining fantasy players, giving thanks, all the games and much more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 11 of the 2016 NFL Season with a hard-core focus on fantasy football. This week: The podcast member daily fantasy league, the data on Thursday night, long and pointless drives, grading the Titans, fraudulent Chiefs, the Giant Super Bowl sleeper, Dalton vs. Cousins, Gurley vs. Ajayi, MVPs, zeroRB midseason report card, Road Ben, all the games and much more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 10 of the 2016 NFL Season with a hard-core focus on fantasy football. This week: is Carson Wentz the new Mark Sanchez? Will Jameis Winston be a bust? Plus Brees vs. Broncos, dumping Gurley, paperless parking tickets, movies we rewatch, first-half MVPs, OCs as HCs, disappointing Bell, watchable teams, fantasy sleepers and busts and much more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 9 of the 2016 NFL Season with a hard-core focus on fantasy football. This week we help you navigate through the big bye week, focus on pick ups to supplement your limited rosters, discuss the various ranking systems, identify emerging and fading players, analyze all the games and teams and more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 8 of the 2016 NFL Season with a focus on fantasy football. This week: a three-step plan to fix the NFL, survivor picks, the major movers in fantasy rankings, how to leverage heavy bye weeks, winning defenses, assessing Booker, Charles/Sproles, all the games and key players plus bonus coverage that pines for the Classic Sports Network and Howard Cosell.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 7 of the 2016 NFL Season with a focus on fantasy football. This week: What's wrong in Green Bay, diva WRs, Good vs. Bad Cousins, the rise of Exotic Smashmouth, free agent targets, buy lows, sell highs, all the games and more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 6 of the 2016 NFL Season with a focus on fantasy football. This week: Denver's defense and shaping outcomes, Philip Rivers HOFer, why former OCs don't delegate as head coaches, Cocktail and Dreams, Entourage cameo, Romo's Warner future, fading Jamaal, broken tackle and slot data, expected interceptions, fantasy sleeper and busts, all the games and more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 5 of the 2016 NFL Season with a focus on fantasy football. This week: buying low on OBJ, selling low on DeAndre Hopkins, why Melvin Gordon is a ponzi scheme, Cooper vs. Crabtree, Gone Gurley, navigating injuries, pressure stats, benching Matt Ryan, debating Captain Kirk, how coaches can beat the clock, all the games and more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 4 of the 2016 NFL Season with a focus on fantasy football. This week, making sense of zeroRB options coming online, valuing Spencer Ware, assessing injury risk, kissing Cousins, bust rates for tall RBs and tall QBs, split personality teams, Siemian vs. Prescott, Browns vs. Jaguar Moneyball, DeAndre vs. Dwayne vs. Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington and much more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 3 of the 2016 NFL Season with a focus on fantasy football. This week, cutting the chord on big-name QBs, is Luck the new Jay Cutler, who to hit on the waiver wire, kissing Cousins, buying a ARob breakout, the new (improved?) Chargers passing game and much more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview Week 2 of the 2016 NFL Season with a focus on fantasy football. This week, the antediluvian Rams, Quincy Enunwa's snob appeal, respecting the NFL's red-headed stepchild, searching for any ugly great QBs, the suddenly worrisome and attractive players, assessing Aaron Rodgers's supporting cast, how to fish the early-season waiver wire and much more.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview the 2016 NFL season with playoff forecasts and Super Bowl picks while also addressing the most attractive Vegas Over/Unders. The duo also highlights the games and players to watch in Week 1. Along the way, they tie some classic 1970s baseball history to the Miami Dolphins backfield and try to pick a steady quarterback who isn't Ryan Tannehill.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) discuss the biggest last-minute questions heading into the late draft season and the start of Fantasy Football 2016. Does Dak kill Dez? Is Spencer Ware zeroRB gold? Broncos QB nightmare? Are the Colts and Lions offenses overrated? Saints, Cardinals WR pecking order and more. Plus, a Shining shout-out and more.
In Part 2 of their Fantasy Football Draft Week preview, Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) discuss the best, worst, most boring and shoot-the-moon/upside picks for each of rounds 6-plus, according to FantasyPros ADP.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) discuss the best, worst, most boring and shoot-the-moon/upside picks for each of rounds 1-through-5 according to FantasyPros ADP.
Yahoo's Scott Pianowski and Michael Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) discuss draft strategy and players to target and avoid in their first overview of the 2016 Fantasy Football landscape. The goal: helping you prepare for and plan your upcoming drafts. What to pay attention to and ignore in the preseason, zeroRB, mid-round WR, late-round QB and finessing the TE position are all discussed in snappy Breakfast style.
Michael Salfino (Wall Street Journal, Yahoo, @michaelsalfino) and FantasyInsider.com's Davis Mattek (@davismattek)review the most controversial fantasy football players based on the variance in FantasyPros.com expert rankings. Mike and Davis also discuss zeroRB viability in 2016 and Davis shares his "championship maker" players after tabbing David Johnson last year. Be sure to stay tuned until the end for the second RB who he says will make every draft a success.
Michael Salfino (Wall Street Journal, Yahoo) and Yahoo's Scott Pianowski discuss their Friends & Family fantasy baseball expert league, review each other's picks and players and other bargains and busts that caught their eye. In addition to the extensive draft prep, the boys give a nod to The White Shadow and The NBC Game of the Week in light of the recent passings of Ken Howard and Joe Garagiola.
Yahoo!'s Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino of the Wall Street Journal break down the 2016 LABR Mixed League Draft to help you prepare for yours. Who are the middle- and late-round picks you should target? NFL Free Agency Day 1, Tommy Lasorda media explosions, Peyton Manning's Second Act and Denver's QB search are also discussed.
Mike Salfino (Wall Street Journal) and Scott Pianowski (Yahoo Fantasy) break down the 2016 Fantasy Baseball season by looking at the pitchers and hitters the experts are over and underrating. Also when to draft hurlers, hitter-types to target/avoid in early rounds, finding surplus value and free loot, gaming the draft room and much more.
Mike Salfino of the Wall Street Journal and Yahoo's Scott Pianowski preview Super Bowl 50 and hold a five-round, 10-game draft of the best Super Bowls in history while recollecting and categorizing the Best of the Bowls. And of course, they pick the winner of Broncos-Panthers, with the score.
Michael Salfino (Wall Street Journal) and Scott Pianowski (Yahoo!) review the AFC and NFC championship games and debate greatest teams of Super Bowl Era, The Cam Newton Grand Slam, whether Denver is lucky or good, what happened to the Patriots or as they call it in NY "Christmas in January," randomness and analytics in football, why the NFL dodged a bullet with the Concussion movie, Super Bores and much more.
NFL Breakfast of Champions. AFC and NFC championship week game previews and predictions. Is Peyton done? Taking a page out of Belichick's history to defend Brady. Mush rush. The Eagles vs. Stillwater. Fearing a blowout in Carolina. Runs plus completions vs. YPA. Peyton vs. Brady. Peyton vs. Kobe! No. 1 overall QB week, the original Angry Tom and much more.
Scott Pianowski (Yahoo!) and Michael Salfino (The Wall Street Journal) review the wildcard round and preview the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. They also discuss their views on serving Twitter followers vs. being served by them, the death of David Bowie, NFL officiating, replay review, Massey-Peabody predictions, the NFL MVP race, how much a bye week is worth, No. 1 seeds in history, Peyton Manning schadenfreude and much more.
Scott Pianowski (Yahoo!) and Mike Salfino (The Wall Street Journal) discuss the NFL Wildcard Round with game predictions, fantasy football playoff drafts, how weather(wind and cold) impact scoring, Super Bowl odds, Twitter's new character count, how to weight recent performance vs. full-season performance, the decline of Aaron Rodgers, the ascendance of Kirk Cousins and much more.
Scott Pianowski returns! Mike and Scott review their 2015 takeaways including daily vs. annual fantasy, zeroRB, how to project regression, commonly owned players for winning teams, the new Greatest Show on Turf, No. 1 RB David Johnson, Jets-Bills preview, Packers woes and much more.
Football writer and avid fantasy player Jon Clegg of The Wall Street Journal joins Michael Salfino to discuss his Oakland Raiders, becoming an NFL fan in the U.K., zeroRB zigging and zagging, fantasy playoff heroes and goats, projecting young quarterbacks, the Week 16 slate and more. Scott Pianowski returns next week!
Special co-host Nando Di Fino of the Fantasy Sports Network joins Michael Salfino of the Wall Street Journal and Yahoo to break down the Week 15 slate. Alabama quarterbacks, how dangerous is Russell, Gurley in a short week and vs. the rookie wall, Eddie Lacy vs. Lamar Miller, are too many zeroing out RBs, backing Bortles, upside-down matchups plus all the games.
Michael Salfino of the Wall Street Journal and Yahoo Sports flies solo this one time and previews the first fantasy football playoff week, analyzes all the games, provides downfield passing stats, assesses the zero running back fantasy draft strategy and reviews the Massey-Peabody Week 14 NFL Power Rankings.
With Scott Pianowski sick, guest host Davis Mattek of Fantasy Insiders and Rotowire joins The Wall Street Journal's Mike Salfino to preview the coming NFL action with a fantasy slant. This week, grading the NFL product, innovations we'd like to see, projecting young QBs, rating the wideouts, Cam vs. Carson, Chip's downfall, NFL power ranks, a championship maker in Arizona, all the games and more.
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino, also of the Wall Street Journal, preview the coming NFL action with a fantasy slant. Plus their Top Five non-obvious things, people or places for which to be grateful on Thanksgiving. All the big Sunday games are discussed at length. PLUS making turkey tolerable, audio pleasures, sports as Christmas, TV Classics, passing fancy, POR-ZING-IS and more.
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino, also of the Wall Street Journal, preview the coming NFL action with a fantasy slant. This week: Snowflakes vs. Cam, Packers woes, Vikings Revisited, projecting Osweiler, respecting Romo, fraudulent Falcons, fading A.J. Green, a further review of replay, greatest sports dynasty, all the games and more!
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino, also of the Wall Street Journal, preview the coming NFL action with a fantasy slant. This week: Derek Carr is 67% chicken parm, how to name your kids, unbeaten odds, lucky Vikings, QBR, learning from Lacy, cutting our Luck, Giants vs. Pats, Eli vs. Rivers, all the games and more!
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview the coming NFL action with a fantasy slant. This week: Mets World Series post-mortem, why Peyton Manning is like the saddest rom-com, debating Drew Brees, Pianow's big trade, forecasting amidst uncertainty, interim coaches, all the games and more.
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) preview the coming NFL action with a fantasy slant. This week: Lions reset, the Darth Vader of the NFL, Bengals-Steelers, Fantasy Black Swans, thinking inside and outside on Melvin Gordon, Mets-Royals World Series, Pianow's favorite sci-fi movie (fail), all the games plus Rocky IV and more!
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal)preview the coming NFL action with a fantasy slant. This week: Jets vs. Pats, selling Steve Smith, Eli Manning vs. Joe Flacco, Slumping Seahawks and sustainability of elite Ds, Mets pitchers as Beatles and much more.
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal)analyze fantasy football bargains and busts and preview the coming NFL action. This week: Spinal Tap vs. Best In Show, the many unbeaten and few winning teams, Devonta dumb luck, weird or weirdest fantasy season, recency vs. history in predicting players, Week 6 previews, why Chase Utley is stupid
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal)analyze fantasy football bargains and busts and preview the coming NFL action. This week: mini-MLB playoff preview, whether quality of your players' opposing defense matters, Top 30 busts, Andy Dalton as Stillwater, Grading Gurley, Youngblood over Slapshot, games we're watching Week 5.
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal)analyze fantasy football bargains and busts and preview the coming NFL action. This week: greatest fantasy skills, Travis Benjamin and fantasy valuation theory, stats vs. feel, why Season 1 of classic TV shows can be off putting, firing coaches early in-season, Cam Newton the new Spec Sanders
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) analyze fantasy football bargains and busts and preview the coming NFL action.
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) analyze fantasy football bargains and busts and preview the coming NFL action.
Yahoo fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal) analyze fantasy football bargains and busts and preview the coming NFL action. This episode features 2015 NFL predictions and a discussion of a forgotten favorite football movie that's especially timely today.
Yahoo fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal) analyze fantasy football bargains and busts and preview the coming NFL action. This episode features 2015 NFL predictions and a discussion of a forgotten favorite football movie that's especially timely today.
Yahoo fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal) analyze fantasy football bargains and busts and preview the coming NFL action. Special guest Andy Behrens of Yahoo! on the Zero RB strategy!
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) analyze fantasy football bargains and busts and preview the coming NFL action.
Yahoo! fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of the Wall Street Journal) analyze fantasy football bargains and busts and preview the coming NFL action.
Yahoo fantasy experts Scott Pianowski and Mike Salfino (also of The Wall Street Journal) analyze fantasy football bargains and busts and preview the coming NFL action.