Fantasy Football Expert Roundtable: Cutting Marvin Harrison Jr., Our Favorite Christmas Songs and More!

Time for the Week 15 fantasy football roundtable! Let's jump in!!

1. I know he’s coming back this week, but Marvin Harrison Jr. seems like that guy who you drop into your starting lineup and he pays you back with a 7/5/44 game (and then after you’re eliminated he’ll do 11/7/151/2 the following week). We’ve gotten this far without him. Can you (should you?) cut Marvin Harrison Jr. for a handcuff RB?
 

Jake Trowbridge: Do I want to start Marv Harrison against a Houston defense that pretty much shut down every pass-catcher on the Chiefs? Frankly, I’d rather start Marv from Home Alone against Kevin McCallister. So yeah, assuming I have respectable WR depth, I’d be okay dropping Harrison to waivers as sort of a booby trap for my leaguemates in exchange for a running back with big upside.

Cooterdoodle: You are asking the wrooong person. I put the "RB" in rbiased. I've ridden the high of picking all the right weeks to start all the right handcuffs this season [pause for applause]: Bhayshul Tuten in Week 14. Kyle Monangai before he was cool. Hell, Blake Corum's 12-128-2 statline is sitting pretty in my starting lineup as we speak! If you're not starting Harrison, I have to assume you have better WRs on your team. And I've never been arrested, but I can say for certain that there's a very specific kind of thrill that comes with handcuffs. Go get that RB, rbaby!

Peter Overzet: Marvin Harrison Jr., the back-up to Michael Wilson?

For real, though, you can definitely cut Marvin Harrison Sr.’s son for a handcuff RB. Not only is he banged up, but the Cardinals have a brutal Week 15 matchup vs. the Houston Texans on tap. Go ahead and cut him. It’ll feel good.

2. Speaking of handcuffs — who is your must-have bench RB right now? (let’s sayyyy 35% owned or lower)

Jake: Anytime someone starts a question with “speaking of handcuffs” I’m worried they found my secret fun time drawer and have too many follow-up questions. So…PHEW. I recently talked about Devin Singletary’s high-upside stashability, especially if Tyrone Tracy Jr’s injury lingers. But even if the two backs split the pie, Singletary has shown sneaky flex usage and has great matchups the next few weeks.

Cooterdodle: The world is your oyster! But why not take a shot on Ollie Gordon?? Though MIA received positive news on De'Von Achane — and Jaylen Wright saw the majority of the work in Achane's absence in Week 14 — my offseason love for Ollie remains strong. If you want the safer play, grab Wright. But I want upside. BONUS ANSWER: If the “rostership %” rule didn’t apply: Bhayshul Tuten and Tyler Allgeier are much more fun to roster.

Pete: Singletary and Gordon are great answers. In fact, I’m kind of upset that they were stolen from me. Devin Neal has an incredible schedule for the playoffs, but is probably already rostered. Same goes for Trey Benson, who gets the Bengals atrocious run defense in Week 17. How about Brian Robinson Jr.? Maybe someone dropped him last week because the Niners are on bye. He would be an uber-smash start if CMC gets dinged up anytime over the next couple weeks.

3. What’s a largely underappreciated Christmas song you’ll listen to 100 times between now and the end of the month that you’d like to spread the word on?

Jake: I’ve got an expansive playlist of obscure holiday songs to help get my holly jollies off. It includes Sufjan Stevens, The Killers, Fountains of Wayne, and many more. But man do I adore “I Don’t Know What Christmas Is (But Christmas Time is Here)” from the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Plus, I recently got to see it performed live! The lead singer of the Old 97s wasn’t dressed up as a phallic-looking alien at the show, but it was still delightful.

Cooterdoodle: The wannabe hipster in me wants to say it’s “Yule Shoot Your Eye Out” by Fall Out Boy, because that would’ve impressed the guys in my high school a few decades ago. But the boring truth: The Will Ferrell/Zooey Deschanel version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” We are an Elf family in December.

Pete: Geez, I continue to get sniped by Jake. Sufjan Steven’s Christmas albums (he has two different box sets) are my favorite Christmas-related music. He’s so talented that he accomplished the impossible–making The Little Drummer Boy an enjoyable listen.

4. We won’t hold you to this, but who is this year’s 2018 Damien Williams? Or 2021 Rashaad Penny? Or, dare I say, 2009 Jerome Harrison?

Jake: Is that “Playoff” Damien Williams? (That’s his official nickname.) And the same Rashaad Penny who put up roughly 500 rushing yards in just three games to close out that season? (Harrison was before my time but I’ll assume he also gave fantasy managers the downstairs tingles at a most opportune time.) In the future, we might add “2025 Devin Neal” to that list of superlatives. The Saints have a very beatable schedule (CAR, NYJ, TEN) and Neal has been ramping up lately.

Cooterdoodle: So uh, you can't make me pick a RB (Can you?). I've been beating my chest to the tune of Isaac TeSlaa since…Well, since Thor Nystrom was beating his chest to the tune of Isaac TeSlaa back in July. And my leaguemates have been giving me sh*t for keeping him on my bench with goose eggs since September. But finally, there's a chance! Sure, TeSlaa may never break off more than 10 points. OR maybe he will score a touchdown every week until the end of time. He has a freaking 50% Reception-to-TD ratio, people!! All he needs is two end zone targets and a dream! (I didn’t say Rashid Shaheed. Are ya proud of me?)

Pete: Am I the Grinch if I say there won’t be one? I’ll play ball, though, and say Devin Neal. In two games without Alvin Kamara, he has a 77% snap share, 62% rush share, 71% route participation rate and an 8% target share. On top of that, he gets the Panthers, Jets, and Titans over the next three weeks. Kamara ain’t walking through that door, Neal is gonna eat.

5. FILL IN THE _______ !!

1. I would rank Shedeur Sanders as my No. ____ QB this week

Jake: Thanks I’ll Pass. (F**king ZING!) But seriously, I’m not investing too much into his performance against Tennessee. If he does it again, then I’ll change my tune. Without any bye weeks to contend with, he’s my QB25-ish on the road against the Bears.

Cooterdoodle: If we're going to start this article off by asking if we should cut Marvin Harrison Jr., then I'm cutting Sanders along with him. It's super exciting that Sanders pulled off a 30+ fantasy outing against the Titans, but the floor is just way too low for me. You've made the playoffs and you need something safer. Do the math and figure out how many QBs are currently being rostered in your league right now(=n). Then, add 1 to it. Sanders is my QB n+1.

Pete: Somewhere between Aaron Rodgers and Philip Rivers, but closer to Rodgers than Rivers. I’m still not sold that Sanders is an every week fantasy starter, but the Bears do give up the 3rd-biggest boost to opposing QBs. Plus, he’s got Harold f’in Fannin at his disposal.

2. Next year, Jayden Daniels will be drafted as QB_____

Jake: 9? 10? Heck, maybe lower if Daniels doesn’t finish the season on an extreme high note. It could become a C.J. Stroud-esque situation. After a disappointing sophomore season, Stroud’s ADP was driven off a cliff like he was in the backseat of Thelma and Louise’s car. We all love Daniels’ rushing upside, but drafters will likely be tired of his “will he/won’t he” injury status.

Cooterdoodle: This all depends. If there's a Jayden Daniels hype video edit that comes out right before your draft, it'll be higher. But if we find out he's suddenly had a Matthew-Stafford-style epidural in the offseason, watch out! QB discount on the way! But either way it plays out… I’m just looking to draft Drake Maye or Jaxson Dart next season.

Pete: QB6. Drafters have short memories and you always want to chase upside at the position. You can find Sam Darnolds on the waiver wire, so might as well take a swing on a guy with proven QB1 overall upside.

3. If Mike Evans is healthy this week, I am _________ him

Jake: Dropping to my knees and thanking. I’m pretty desperate in one league where I clawed my way into the playoffs and Evans would be welcomed to that lineup. Bonus: Getting Evans back should help Baker Mayfield and even Emeka Egbuka, who might have an easier time with WR2 duties.

Cooterdoodle: Dwain McFarland said it best last season when Puka Nacua was returning from his bust bursa sac saga: "Whatever you decide to do, be consistent." If you're going to wait a week for a player to come back from injury, be consistent and wait every time a player returns from injury. Otherwise, go all in! Consistently, of course.

Pete: I am demanding that Baker exclusively throws to him so he can average 215 receiving yards a game for the next four weeks and keep his 1,000 receiving yard streak alive.

6. In seven words, exactly, tell me what you think of the Colts’ QB situation

Jake: Philip Rivers, come home. Let’s get weird.

Cooterdoodle: Daniel Jones was always their Achilles heel.

Pete: