Mathology flagged rookie wide-out Troy Franklin as his favorite ninth-receiver dart when he is already loading up on Kansas City pieces. The logic is simple: Best Ball playoff weeks often hinge on correlated shootouts, and the Broncos-Chiefs Week-17 matchup checks that box. Franklin currently costs nothing in the final rounds, yet early coach speak out of Denver has praised his vertical route running and willingness to play special teams—both signals that he will be active on game day. Mathology likes parking that long-term upside on Chiefs-heavy builds because one busted coverage from Russell Wilson (or whoever is under center) could give Franklin the 60-yard TD that lets those stacks lap the field in the gauntlet.

Mathology grabbed Rico Dowdle as his RB5, describing it as 'a little bet against Chuba' Hubbard in Carolina. He noted the Panthers have one of the softer rushing strength-of-schedule metrics in 2024 and believes they will be able to lean on the ground game more than in recent seasons. If the staff decides Hubbard is just a guy, Dowdle could emerge for usable spike weeks in the late season. Because the profile costs almost nothing in the double-elite-QB build they’re drafting, Mathology likes the asymmetric upside of a back who could stumble into 12-15 carries whenever game scripts tilt run-heavy against weaker fronts.

Leaning on contacts inside the organization, Mathology warned that New England plans to win with defense and ball control, predicting 'maybe two touchdowns a game.' He expects heavy two-tight-end usage and an extended camp battle at wide receiver, so he is only drafting the absolute cheapest options—mentioning Mack Hollins by name—rather than forcing early picks on Kendrick Bourne or rookies. Because the Patriots know they 'won’t be able to run the ball for shit,' the passing game volume could be decent, but the lack of explosive plays means limited fantasy ceilings. His advice: sprinkle late-round fliers for correlation, otherwise fade the entire offense in Best Ball contests that reward big weeks.

Asked about Jacksonville exposure, Mathology said he is 'mostly just doing the passing attack' and is avoiding the Jaguars running backs entirely. His reasoning: the offensive line still grades poorly in his model, and the team projects for league-average or worse scoring, so he prefers to isolate either the air game or ground game but not stack the whole roster. Until training-camp news clarifies roles, he will let others chase the Etienne–Bigsby split while he takes cheap shares of Trevor Lawrence pass catchers like Christian Kirk when they fall. In builds that need late WR help, Kirk fits, but Mathology is 'clicking zeros' at RB unless serious value appears.

Mathology said Isaiah Likely is the clear TE2 to grab whenever you already have Lamar Jackson because there is 'really not a ton left on the Ravens to stack.' With Zay Flowers going early and the backfield offering little receiving juice, Likely becomes the cheapest way to finish a Baltimore double-stack while still capturing Lamar’s red-zone upside. Mathology likes how Likely’s basketball-background catch radius lets Jackson simply throw a fade and trust the 6-4 tight end to win above the rim, calling him a potential touchdown merchant if Mark Andrews’ role is scaled back. In Underdog rooms where drafters routinely stop at one tight end, scooping Likely in the late-teens gives what he called "a smash" correlation play that can separate during Best Ball Mania playoff weeks.

Mathology called Christian Kirk the perfect glue wide receiver for double-elite-QB teams, emphasizing that Kirk will "play a ton out of the gate" and has been productive everywhere he’s been – from Arizona to Jacksonville. He likes pairing Kirk with higher-variance rookies because the veteran’s stable target profile and inside/outside flexibility prevent early-season goose eggs. While others fret about Jacksonville’s crowded room, Mathology pointed to Kirk’s top-20 yards-per-route-run mark last year and the Jaguars’ pass-rate-over-expectation that climbed to 61 % in neutral script once fully healthy. The underlying metrics, plus Kirk’s modest ADP, make him a high-floor, multiple-spike-week bet in Best Ball drafts.

Mathology admitted his proprietary WAG model now gives Christian McCaffrey an extra bump because the 49ers bell-cow just became a first-time father. He swears by the "new-dad smell" narrative, pointing out that Patrick Mahomes’ best statistical seasons arrived right after his own kid was born. The suggestion is that fatherhood tightens focus and adds motivation, which for McCaffrey means we should comfortably project another 20-plus touch workload with league-leading touchdown equity. Mathology is therefore drafting CMC at 1.01 without hesitation in both season-long and Best Ball formats, believing the parental bump outweighs any minor injury-prone concerns.

Mathology scooped Najee Harris nine picks past ADP and called it a smash because the former Steeler is now running behind what his model grades as the sixth-best offensive line in football. He expects the Chargers’ downhill concepts under Greg Roman to open "nice holes" and, more importantly, keep Harris on the field for every goal-line snap. Mathology projected 10–12 rushing touchdowns if Harris’ minor eye issue proves meaningless and added that the Chargers’ projected top-10 red-zone rate should give him multiple two-TD spike weeks. He sees Harris as the perfect RB4 in elite-QB builds: cheap, touchdown-centric and no longer saddled with Pittsburgh’s bottom-five line.

Mathology said that any time Patrick Mahomes slips into the mid-80s to low-90s overall range you simply click his name and move on. He noted that Mahomes’ cost has been drifting because drafters worry about stacking logistics and occasionally double-tap him with Travis Kelce earlier than necessary. By waiting, Mathology was able to grab Mahomes at pick 93 after already landing rookie Xavier Worthy and knowing Rashee Rice often slides as well. The discounted price unlocks a cheap Chiefs double-stack while still allowing you to build a two-elite-QB room (he paired Mahomes with Lamar Jackson) without sacrificing early-round receivers. Mathology views this as one of the best ADP arbitrage spots on the board in Best Ball Mania drafts and expects the market to correct once summer headline noise dies down.

Drafting from the 2-3 turn, Mathology took rookie Bucky Irving as his RB2 because Tampa Bay’s offensive line and schedule “look really good” in his personal metrics. He trusts the Buccaneers’ trench play enough to project efficient rushing weeks and likes the built-in correlation with Saquon Barkley for a potential Week 16 Eagles-Bucs shoot-out. Given Irving’s Round-2 price and Tampa’s top-tier OL grade in his model, Mathology is building several Philly-Tampa stacks and expects the rookie back to deliver multiple spike weeks that separate his Best Ball Mania teams.

Mathology advised almost a complete fade of New York outside of rookie Malik Nabers, calling the Giants "a dumpster fire" and comparing them to last year’s Patriots offense that cratered in fantasy. He anticipates bottom-five quarterback play, an unsettled backfield, and a porous offensive line that will erase any weekly spike-week potential. His portfolio contains virtually no Daniel Jones, Devin Singletary or second-tier receivers because, in his words, “I want to draft good teams that actually score points.” Nabers is his lone Giant exposure when the rookie slips past ADP for uniqueness purposes.

After seeing Los Angeles graded sixth in the latest offensive-line rankings, Mathology pivoted from being neutral on the Chargers to actively targeting them. He argues that a top-six unit paired with new OC Greg Roman’s downhill run concepts should create cleaner pockets and more explosive plays for Justin Herbert, who is routinely available in the late third. With the starting running back slipping into Round 4/5 and pass catchers priced modestly, Mathology feels drafters are not accounting for the line upgrade and a likely bounce-back from last year’s injury-marred campaign. He recommends building two-QB, single-stack Chargers teams (Herbert + at least one skill player) to capture the upside while cost remains palatable.

Mathology said Barkley is his clear 1.04 because the former Giant now runs behind Philadelphia’s top-five offensive line. He thinks the Eagles’ tougher schedule will lead to more red-zone snaps instead of long, grind-it-out drives, giving Barkley frequent goal-line looks. Barkley was tackled at the 1-yard line several times last season, and Mathology expects that variance to swing the other way, projecting a healthy touchdown bump to go with Barkley’s every-down role. The combination of a run-centric attack, interior line dominance and baked-in receiving volume makes Barkley a priority first-round pick in Best Ball Mania drafts.