Best Ball Guy said that with Jordan Addison and Jalen Naylor both leaving practice banged-up today, T.J. Hockenson should inherit a bigger slice of Minnesota’s passing pie. Having already drafted five wideouts and no tight end, he snapped up Hockenson in the Eliminator, confident that Kevin O’Connell will lean on the reliable tight end until the receiver room heals. The takeaway for drafters is that Hockenson’s weekly floor and ceiling both climb in the short-term, making his current ADP a smash in Best Ball elimination formats.

Best Ball Guy likes James Cook ‘quite a bit’ after Buffalo extended the back, arguing drafters have not yet adjusted. The new deal signals organizational commitment, reducing the odds of a committee and projecting steadier touch volume. BBG expects Cook’s ADP to rise in both Eliminator and BBM formats and is drafting him now before the market bakes in the contract-driven workload security.

Best Ball Guy explained why Christian McCaffrey is his most drafted Eliminator pick (nearly 30% exposure). McCaffrey owns a Week 14 bye and what BBG calls ‘the easiest schedule in the NFL,’ giving him maximum scoring windows in Weeks 1-13— exactly when Eliminator teams must avoid weekly bottom-half finishes. The host expects the 49ers star’s game-breaking dual-threat production to single-handedly propel at least one of his 30 Eliminator rosters through the early cuts. His goal: ride CMC’s ceiling to reach Week 13 and pocket the $4K top prize before the bye even matters.

Best Ball Guy called the dismissal of charges against Quinshon Judkins a ‘massive green light’ and is aggressively buying the running back at his post-news ADP in both Eliminator and Best Ball Mania drafts. With no criminal case, BBG expects the team to sign him quickly and believes the NFL is unlikely to impose additional discipline. He is not worried about Judkins’ missed practice time, framing it as a non-issue compared to the value gained by drafting him in the 150s while many drafters paid a premium earlier in the summer. The upside of landing a talent that was previously a mid-round pick at a deep discount outweighs the minimal risk that the league intervenes later.

Best Ball Guy said the uncertainty around Rashee Rice’s legal situation creates a rare ceiling-floor combo worth attacking in huge-field best-ball tournaments. Because Rice’s trial date was pushed to September 20, there is a realistic path to getting at least four regular-season games— and possibly the entire 2025 season— before any NFL discipline kicks in. That unknown is scaring drafters, pushing Rice into the 4th–6th-round range instead of the 2nd/3rd where he opened. In a contest that requires beating roughly 700,000 entries, BBG views that ADP discount as ‘big, big, big potential value’ and is mixing him in despite the volatility, arguing that early-season spike weeks from a Patrick Mahomes receiver are exactly the kind of asymmetric payoff you need to win Best Ball Mania.

Best Ball Guy confessed that he is "having a waking nightmare" about not drafting enough Jerome Ford at pick 170. He highlighted Ford’s useful pass-catching profile, remaining burst, and the fact that the back is still well below the age cliff. Neil Orfield agreed, noting Ford was productive last season and should not be slipping this far. The duo sees Ford as a cheap pathway to early-season points with genuine three-down upside, advising drafters to scoop him whenever he falls into the 170s.

Best Ball Guy said drafters should leave most rooms with Tyler Warren when they miss on the elite tight-end tier. Warren is still available around the 8-10 turn even though he is expected to be a top-15 real-life draft pick. That blend of first-round capital and encouraging early evaluations – Warren is "looking the part" in camp – makes his current ADP a bargain relative to the dusty committee running backs that populate the same range. Guy added that his fallback plan this summer is to double-tap Warren and Colston Loveland in that pocket instead of chasing late tight ends.

Best Ball Guy believes Mark Andrews remains mispriced. Isaiah Likely’s injury could keep him out for weeks, removing Baltimore’s only tight-end timeshare threat, yet Andrews still goes two rounds behind T.J. Hockenson. In a Todd Monken offense trending more pass-heavy, Andrews monopolizes red-zone routes from Day 1 and maintains elite rapport with Lamar Jackson. Guy noted that if ADP were set today with Likely already ruled out Andrews would be a mid-sixth-round pick, so any shares at his current cost represent a rare discount on top-three tight-end production.

Best Ball Guy called TreVeyon Henderson a reach-worthy Round 4 pick whose price is rising fast. Henderson "looked incredible" in joint practices against Minnesota and was ranked the RB2 in the class by early prospect models such as Shawn Siegele’s. The Patriots situation gives him an immediate path: Rhamondre Stevenson’s ball-security issues could hand Henderson goal-line work, and his verified explosiveness makes him a threat to run away with every-down duties. Guy said a single Stevenson fumble could turn Henderson into a weekly league-winner and sees 1-2 turn ADP in 2026 drafts if that scenario hits.

Best Ball Guy said he is taking Lamar Jackson ahead of Josh Allen in current best-ball drafts. He argued Todd Monken’s arrival has made Baltimore’s offense far more pass-reliable, giving Jackson weekly 35-point ceilings without needing 100-yard rushing games. The kicker is price: Zay Flowers can still be scooped in the middle of Round 5, allowing an inexpensive Ravens stack while Allen stacks require earlier capital. Because the market has not fully adjusted to Monken’s influence or the Flowers discount, Guy believes Jackson is the higher-leverage pick at similar ADP.

Best Ball Guy explained that when Justin Jefferson slips to pick 6, drafters can immediately stack him with Round-2 names like A.J. Brown or Derrick Henry. Because Jefferson lived inside the top-three for most of draft season, this 1-2 start is unavailable to roughly 40 percent of the field, giving teams a structural uniqueness edge without sacrificing ceiling.

Best Ball Guy argued that in mid-August drafters should attack fresh news immediately instead of hunting closing-line value. He has been selecting Keenan Allen earlier than current ADP, echoing Establish The Run’s advice that there is no time left for the market to fully reprice veterans once camp reports hit. Waiting a round, the way people used to with Tony Pollard or similar names, risks missing the move entirely; paying the small premium on Allen now locks in a target share magnet before his price climbs.

Best Ball Guy said he is happily scooping Derrick Henry any time a minor hamstring issue pushes Henry past his usual ADP. The slide let him pair Henry with Justin Jefferson in a previous BBM draft, a start he estimates 40 percent of the field cannot replicate because Jefferson rarely lasts to pick 6. He views the temporary injury discount as a cheap way to build playoff-unique, high-upside rosters rather than waiting for the market to correct.

Best Ball Guy told drafters to "hammer" Rashee Rice only if his average draft position drifts into the mid-to-late fifth or sixth round. At that cost the opportunity-weighted upside outweighs the risk tied to Kansas City’s crowded receiver room and possible league discipline; paying a fourth-round tag, however, comes with too much opportunity cost relative to similarly tiered wideouts. His advice is to monitor the ADP slide and pounce once Rice’s price bakes in the uncertainty.

Best Ball Guy advised fading Rico Dowdle this summer. Last year Dowdle was an easy late-round stab because his only competition in Dallas was the diminutive Deuce Vaughn and a washed Ezekiel Elliott. In 2025 he now has to battle Chuba Hubbard and a newly drafted early day-three runner in Carolina. Without a clear path to lead-back volume, the tout is "kind of worried" and no longer sees the sleeper thesis that existed a season ago, making Dowdle a poor roster clogger at his current price.

Best Ball Guy called Justin Fields a "great price" at pick 115 after watching the Jets’ first preseason drive versus Green Bay. Fields marched the starters 75 yards and capped the series with a rushing touchdown, good for roughly nine fantasy points in a single possession. The tout reasoned that if Fields strings together a few drives like that each game he can deliver 25-point weeks, providing Lamar Jackson-type scoring at a ninth-round ADP. The rushing profile paired with New York’s upgraded supporting cast makes him an obvious upside swing in best-ball builds that punt quarterback.

Best Ball Guy reacted to the update that Brandon Aiyuk "could be ready by Week 6" after his injury. With most early drafters paying 20–25 picks more, he now sees Aiyuk as perfectly draftable around pick 120, effectively functioning as a WR6 who can help win the Week 17 finals when healthy. Because Best Ball Mania crowns its champion late, the host is happy to stash Aiyuk at the current discount and bank on a strong second-half surge.

Best Ball Guy warned that Rashee Rice's current 4th-round ADP does not yet reflect the expected 4-to-6 game suspension. He anticipates drafters will push Rice into the mid-to-late 5th or 6th round once the suspension tag appears on draft boards. Because Rice "is more likely to win you weeks 15–17," the host advised waiting for the inevitable price drop and then loading up, calling it an "easy" decision once the market fully bakes in the absence.

Best Ball Guy grabbed Joe Mixon at pick 102, pointing out that most of Best Ball Mania drafted him 50–70 overall. Mixon finished as the overall RB1 through the first eight weeks last season. While the host acknowledges the veteran’s volume-dependency and foot injury, he emphasized that the market already prices in that risk. With Mixon still attached to a "good offense" and half-PPR scoring favoring touchdown backs, scooping him after pick 100 is a "screaming value" that could pay off once positive practice reports surface.

Best Ball Guy said Terry McLaurin's contract situation is being exaggerated and expects Washington to "get it done" well before Week 1. He noted McLaurin is not on the PUP list and no credible report says he will miss games. Because drafters are letting him slide to pick 54, the host views McLaurin as a bargain stack piece in what he believes will be an improved Commanders offense that "should score points." The takeaway: keep drafting McLaurin at or after the mid-4th round instead of fading him over hold-out rumors.

Best Ball Guy said he has been "buying this Terry dip" and happily grabbed McLaurin at pick 54. He pointed out that the wideout’s slide is tied to a PUP-list rumor that appears contract-related rather than injury-related, making the discount unwarranted. At that price McLaurin gives him a fifth-round receiver with WR2 upside and a Week 17 bring-back for his Justin Jefferson Vikings pieces.

Seeing Trey McBride slide well past his usual draft slot, Best Ball Guy groaned that the room was getting “the dumbest value on Trey McBride right now.” He nearly selected McBride over Tee Higgins despite already owning Brock Bowers, underscoring how far the tight end’s price has dropped relative to his talent and expected role. The takeaway: scoop McBride whenever the room lets him fall.

Best Ball Guy called Brock Bowers "the best tight end in football, potentially ever" and drafted him ahead of ADP, arguing that Bowers could see "as many targets as an A.J. Brown" this season. That projected elite volume paired with positional scarcity makes Bowers an automatic anchor pick for him in Best Ball Mania drafts.

Best Ball Guy noticed that 45 % of his Justin Jefferson rosters also include Josh Jacobs even though he only has 7 % total Jacobs exposure. He said he will “not take Jacobs again” on Jefferson builds because the Packers and Vikings do not face each other in Weeks 15-16, eliminating any playoff-round correlation upside and leaving only a minor Week 17 NFC North mini-stack. The combination therefore soaks up portfolio share without offering the game-stack leverage he wants in Best Ball Mania.

Best Ball Guy endorsed Russell Wilson as a third-quarterback value in Eliminator builds thanks to his Week 14 bye. The tout expects Wilson to remain the Giants’ starter through at least the first 14 games, reasoning that even if the staff pivots to Jaxson Dart after the bye, drafters will have already banked a full regular season of usable scores. Coaching uncertainty could even suppress Wilson’s ADP, turning him into a cheap floor-plus-upside option for advancing through early knockout weeks.

Best Ball Guy flagged Sean Tucker as an ideal round-18 swing when you already have exposure to Rashad White. White is entering the season with a groin issue, and the tout noted Tucker “looked pretty explosive” in limited work last year. If White’s injury hampers him, Tucker would be first in line for early-down carries in Tampa Bay’s backfield, giving him rare late-round spike-week potential.

Best Ball Guy likes Ollie Gordon more than Jalen Wright as the beneficiary of Alexander Mattison’s season-ending injury. He expects Minnesota to run a two-back committee but argued Gordon carries the higher ceiling because he “doesn’t have to overcome Jalen Wright’s 2023 tape.” Gordon is the bigger body and, in the tout’s view, the favorite for goal-line work—a key scoring angle in Eliminator formats. While Wright could still siphon touches, Gordon’s cleaner runway to early-season volume and touchdown equity makes him the late-round running back to stash.

Best Ball Guy said Colston Loveland is still “so cheap” that drafters should make him a priority in the 9th- or 10th-round pocket of BBM and Eliminator drafts. He called that stretch of the board a “dry range” where wide receivers disappear and the running-back names (he mentioned ETN and assorted depth backs) feel flat. Sliding Loveland in there lets managers avoid overpaying at quarterback, lock up an every-week tight-end ceiling, and still chase late upside elsewhere. The tout added he is “pretty firmly Loveland over Warren,” not because Loveland is the better athlete but because Loveland’s offense projects more red-zone trips and weekly routes, giving him a smoother path to spike weeks.

Asked whom to keep in a super-flex league, Best Ball Guy ultimately advised holding Jordan Addison in the 11th round over Terry McLaurin in the 6th. He admitted that starting the year with a suspended player is rough but stressed that the eight-round discount is too much value to pass up, especially when early waiver wire pickups can cover the missed games.

Best Ball Guy grabbed Zach Charbonnet as his fourth running back, noting that Kenneth Walker has been dealing with a foot injury "for quite a while." The lingering issue increases Charbonnet’s odds of seeing early-season carries or even spot starts, making him a high-leverage stash at current ADP in large-field best-ball tournaments.

While drafting him, Best Ball Guy insisted Jaylen Warren "is going to be out there quite a bit." He acknowledged Warren logged only eight preseason snaps with zero targets but argued that Pittsburgh clearly plans to feature him well beyond those limited reps. BBG views the current price as a steal for an RB who should siphon real-game touches from Najee Harris and provide weekly spike-week potential in best-ball formats.

Best Ball Guy said T.J. Hockenson is worth reaching for before the position dries up in Underdog rooms. With Jordan Addison currently “out,” Hockenson is penciled in as Kirk Cousins’ clear No. 2 option to open the year. BBG added that the Vikings’ early schedule—including Chicago—sets up favorably for pass-catching tight ends, so locking him in now secures bankable volume at a fragile position.

Best Ball Guy warned drafters to stay away from Matthew Stafford after the quarterback required an epidural yet remains in street clothes. He emphasized that epidurals usually provide immediate relief; the continued discomfort along with off-site ‘holistic van’ treatments suggests a chronic issue that could sap arm strength or lead to missed time. Without the realistic path back to his 2021 4,500-yard, 40-TD ceiling, Stafford no longer justifies a best-ball roster spot, especially when the Rams could pivot to Jimmy Garoppolo or another veteran mid-season.

Best Ball Guy advised scooping Puka Nacua at his sliding ADP even with Matthew Stafford’s back flaring up. He believes a potential pivot to Jimmy Garoppolo (or another veteran like Kirk Cousins) would keep Sean McVay’s timing-based scheme intact, yielding similar shallow-to-intermediate targets that fueled Nacua’s record rookie year. The host noted Nacua’s early-season schedule (Rams, Buccaneers, Jaguars) is a plus for Eliminator formats and argued that Stafford’s uncertain health is already fully baked into the current discount.

Best Ball Guy said Jahmyr Gibbs is positioned for a Christian McCaffrey-level season after Ben Johnson’s departure. He argued that a less creative offensive staff will funnel even more touches to the most explosive player on the roster. Gibbs already owns elite efficiency metrics and enters his third season, the point when backs historically post their first 2,000-scrimmage-yard campaigns. With Detroit still projected to be a top-10 scoring offense, Best Ball Guy expects a volume bump in both carries and high-value receptions, calling Gibbs “the best running back in the NFL” outside of Saquon Barkley.

Best Ball Guy said he likes Kendre Miller as a final-round swing in the Underdog Sprint. He expects the Saints to be "really bad" by December, envisioning a scenario where veteran Alvin Kamara shuts it down with a minor injury on a 2-12 team. That would leave Miller to handle feature-back duties during the fantasy playoff weeks, specifically versus Carolina and Tennessee—matchups that already correlate with other pieces on his roster. The host emphasized that Miller offers the kind of outsized late-season upside that wins best-ball tournaments even if he gives you zeros early.

Best Ball Guy drafted Xavier Legette and framed him as a classic post-hype buy. Leggett still carries first-round draft capital, and the host believes that matters even after a disappointing opening campaign. He compared the situation to last year’s Quentin Johnston miss, vowing not to repeat the error of fading a cheap first-round WR. With Carolina expected to be "improved this season" and Legette priced in the same range Johnston was in 2024 drafts, he sees an asymmetrical payoff—if the offense takes even a small step forward, Leggett’s talent and year-two leap narrative could pay off handsomely in best-ball playoff weeks.

Best Ball Guy views Addison’s three-game suspension as a gift, calling it "nothing" and hoping it pushes the wideout’s ADP from the 6th to the 7th round. He has been pivoting to Chris Olave in the 6th but would "snap-accept" a discounted Addison every time, stating that seventh-round Addison would be "absolutely amazing." His advice is to let the market overreact to the short suspension and pounce on the price drop.

Best Ball Guy labelled Tahj Brooks "such a smash" in the late rounds. Camp reports have Brooks operating as the clear No. 2 and potentially a 1B to Chase Brown, putting him one heartbeat away from a sizable workload. The tout likes loading up on rookie running backs with cheap contingent value, arguing Brooks’ current silence in best-ball rooms makes him a perfect leverage play when drafters chase early running backs.

Best Ball Guy said Jaylin Noel is being drafted far too late (around pick 190 on Underdog) because the market keeps pigeon-holing him as a pure slot receiver. He pushed back on that narrative, noting that NFL teams routinely rotate wideouts and that Noel has flashed "juice" in every camp report he has read. Even if Noel opens at roughly 40 % of the snaps, there are several clear outs to a full-time role: Christian Kirk or Nico Collins could miss time, Houston currently has no reliable run game, and the Texans are expected to stay pass-heavy under Bobby Slowik. Best Ball Guy also reminded listeners that Noel carried meaningful draft capital—"you eventually have to trust the capital and close your eyes"—making him a no-brainer stab in the 17th round of best-ball tournaments.

Early-summer steam pushed Kyle Williams up draft boards, but Best Ball Guy is now backing off. Camp reports say Williams is “not playing with the ones” and showing only “mixed results.” BBG is already 7.6 percent exposed at that elevated price and thinks managers should cool their buying until Williams demonstrates a real role with the starters.

Best Ball Guy said drafters are "not factoring in" that Rashee Rice already returned from a multi-ligament knee repair and is "shining at camp right where he left off." He is ignoring Rice’s mediocre 40-time and 5-yard average depth of target, explaining that the wideout looks fully healthy and any lingering concern is only "10 % in the back of my head." Because Rice might miss at most “two games” yet still projects to reclaim a large role in the Chiefs offense, Best Ball Guy is happy to keep clicking him at current ADP and believes the market’s injury fear is overblown.

Best Ball Guy noted that Saquon Barkley’s average draft position has drifted to the 1.05 in half-PPR Best Ball Mania drafts even though Barkley opened the off-season as the clear 1.02. He views the fall as pure market over-reaction—mainly Bijan Robinson buzz—rather than any change in Barkley’s projection. Because the second-round turn can get dicey after selecting Barkley, he plans to compensate with a "really heavy running back room," but feels the price is still an obvious value given Barkley’s three-down workload and past ceiling.

Best Ball Guy pushed back on drafters fading Tank Bigsby, saying people "refuse to think Bigsby is good" despite him flashing last year. Bigsby was a smash when he cost a 17th-round pick and, even after climbing to pick 136, BBG believes he won’t look bad if he secures the starting role. The message: keep drafting Bigsby in the 11th-12th round range because the upside still outweighs the new price.

Best Ball Guy views Will Shipley as the direct backup to Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia, making Shipley an attractive late-round stash. He highlighted the fantasy-playoff schedule—Week 15 at Las Vegas and Week 16 vs Washington—as soft run defenses where Shipley could smash if Barkley misses time. The plan is to grab Shipley in the double-digit rounds for his contingent upside.

Best Ball Guy argued that George Pickens is badly under-drafted and "should probably be a third-rounder" based on the buzz he’s generating in training camp. He is selecting Pickens over Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, and even Marvin Harrison in the same range, banking on camp reports that Pickens is dominating and will command true WR1 usage. The recommendation is to reach into the early rounds before the market corrects.

Best Ball Guy said the window to profit on Keenan Allen has closed. He had been scooping Allen in the 17th-18th rounds for closing-line value across Best Ball Mania, The Sprint, and The Eliminator, expecting an ADP jump after a signing. That move has now happened—Allen is already going around pick 133 (12th round) and BBG expects him to settle near pick 120. At that price he is passing, arguing the edge is gone and drafters are now paying full freight for an aging receiver on a new team.

Best Ball Guy flipped bullish on Anthony Richardson after hearing encouraging news on his shoulder surgery. With reports that he could now open the season as the starter, BBG says Richardson has become “one of the best picks on the board.” Anyone who buys the dual-threat quarterback at his still-depressed ADP is locking in elite rushing upside that was discounted during earlier injury concerns.

When asked about stacking with Malik Nabers, Best Ball Guy recommended selecting Jaxson Dart in round 18 and passing on Russell Wilson. Because Best Ball tournaments pay out in Week 17, he wants the signal-caller who will be starting then. BBG puts the odds at “90 percent” that the Giants hand the reins to Dart after their bye, giving drafters a late-season starter with rushing upside and spike-week potential instead of Wilson’s early-season floor.