Hurts and Shough get fantasy bumps after NFL draft
Matthew Berry, Lawrence Jackson and Drew Dinsick discuss quarterbacks that elevated after the NFL draft and quarterbacks that have dipped post-draft.
Video Transcript
It is a Love-Hate day, Lawrence.
Yes.
Yes, sir.
So this is the, this is the NFL post, NFL Draft post edition of Love-Hate.
Right.
And just very quickly and easily obviously, what, what this is is this is players whose value has either gone up, the loves, or players whose value has gone down, the hates, after the NFL draft.
So this isn't necessarily saying like, "Hey, I love this person."
Like, you know, we're gonna talk about Cam Ward here in a second.
Yes.
There's no question Cam Ward's fantasy value has gone up with all the moves that the Titans have made in the off season and the NFL draft, starting with Carnell Tate.
But, like I'm not saying he's a love love, right?
Yeah.
He's still a, you know, he's still like, you know, a, low-end QB2 in a super flex or two quarterback league.
So I just wanna kinda level set what Love-Hate is for the post NFL Draft edition.
All right.
Well, let's start off with your first quarterback, Matthew, Tyler Shuck, who got some- Yeah offensive help specifically at the eighth overall spot with Jordan Tyson out of Arizona State.
How do you see him helping Tyler Shuck go even further in 2026?
Yeah, I mean, I think people don't remember, unless you had him last year, you, you know, look, as, as people shucked around and found out, since week 10, nice graphics by the way, I, I wonder if that's, Emmy Award-winning Stupid Dev that did that graphic.
Well done.
I'm being told it is.
He's always the best.
but you see there, look, in fantasy points per game, he was eighth from week 10, averaging over 18 fantasy points per game.
He got over 20 yards, over 20 yards a game with his legs, and so I think second year in a Kellen Moore offense, coming into the off-season knowing he's the guy, they're building this offense around him.
And then you think about what they did.
You mentioned Jordan Tyson.
They also selected three different pass catchers in the first four rounds, including tight end Oscar Delp.
We like him.
They signed Travis Etienne.
They signed David Edwards to improve the offensive line in the off-season.
Again, second year in this system, and so given the success that we saw last year, second year, and all the additional weapons, Tyson has been You and I talked about it draft night.
Yeah.
Jordan Tyson has been comped to Jo- Jackson Smith and Jigba.
Right.
He's that kind of talent.
Right, right.
And, and in this Saints offense, Matthew, that's kinda how they'll use him.
They got Chris Olave as the deep threat.
Of course.
I think the most important thing too right here too, right, is that not only was Tyler Shuck starting to put up the fantasy numbers, guys, but they start to they were either winning the games or they were competitive in the games.
So I think that builds confidence to year two.
Drew, how do you see them and see how this thing's shaking out, especially in a division like the NFC South?
Yeah.
Well, I'm a betting man, and we look for soft angles, and when you see a team go all in around a quarterback, you know, who's on year two, that is signal.
That to me tells me they believe they have a chance to win now and build around Shuck.
This isn't like a we're not sure about him type of off-season.
The, the additions they made that you guys highlighted I think specifically say, "We believe Shuck will be good enough to win this year."
And then I can only just add, Kellen Moore, he impressed me last year.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I would put him in the top 10- Right, right offensive coordinators.
This is a team that's gonna threaten to score 30 every game.
Their win total, only seven and a half.
That to me looks about- Gonna be the- one and a half too low.
I think they, they, right now I would put them neck and neck with the Buccaneers to win the NFC South.
I think they clear that seven and a half, even if they don't have a healthy set of wide receivers for the full year.
And, yeah, the Saints are a buy right now.
All right.
We got ValiantVincent_13, "Drew looks like the public- facing persona of a guy who's secretly a Batman villain."
That's, that's a great call, ValiantVincent, although I will say, I think he's like more of like a henchman.
I don't think you're like the main villain.
Like, like with the- You're like, you're like the number three guy.
With the Tommy gun.
With the Tommy gun, like Yeah, exactly.
That's, that's exactly right.
You're like the number three henchman.
You die in a- Oh you die in the third act- Oh but you get like a solo death.
Like, they focus on you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
In, in 1989, Batman with Michael Keaton- Yes there is a henchman that has the top hat- Okay the, and he's r- Yes he's got the hair too just like Drew- Right and he walks around with the He's like the Joker's main henchman in that movie.
Right.
So he's a, so you're like the number three henchman for a villain in like an old Batman movie.
Not even like a current Christopher Nolan one.
Like, you're like All right.
I love it.
But, good call, ValiantVincent.
The regulars are on fire today, as always.
we love it.
Where are we going next, Lawrence?
Yeah.
Next on your love list, Jalen Hurts.
That's right.
Right?
lot of questions about, A.J.
Brown, where we think we know the answer to the outcome of that, but you know, they get Mekhi Lemon at 20th overall.
They get Eli Stowers, the next round after that.
where do we see this offense going, and could they potentially look better without A.J.
Brown?
Yeah.
I, this can be one of those weird things, but I do think this is gonna be one of those, you know, addition by subtraction situations.
It's not that A.J.
Brown isn't super talented, because of course he is, right?
Right.
He's one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, no questions asked.
But there's clearly something going on.
There's clearly a relationship that has been fractured, it feels like beyond repair, between Hurts and, and A.J.
Brown, between A.J.
Brown and the organization.
He has made it l- he's let it known to multiple reporters he wants out, whether he's sitting on the bench reading a book or whatever.
And so just there's this tension.
Have you ever been Lawrence, I know you have, 'cause you go out to parties all the time.
Drew, you ever been at a- I, I have like at a party or something like at, where there's just, there's some awkward person, and just it's kind of tense, and then the minute that person like leaves and there's just like a huge like, "Oh- Oh, yeah.
Yeah I thought he'd never leave," kinda thing.
And just like, and now just everyone can be relaxed and have fun just 'cause this, this person just wasn't fitting the vibe of the party.
Yep.
That's what I feel like this is.
And so I think letting DeVonta Smith become the number one here, adding Dontayvion Wicks- Yeah adding Hollywood Brown.
Yeah.
You mentioned the draft, you mentioned the draft picks of, Mekhi Lemon and Eli Stowers as well.
And then you think about Sean Mannion.Who's their fourth offensive coordinator in four years Yeah, yeah And what they've done the first three years that have gotten all these guys fired, you know, or in some cases they've moved on, but like they've just run the ball.
Yeah.
They've been very run heavy.
Right.
And so, like if you're Sean Mannion and you're coming into this thing like, "Hey, should I do the s- things that got the first, the last three guys out of here, or should I try to do something different?"
So I just think they'll open up the offense a little bit more, and that with no A.J.
Brown sort of quote demanding targets or like- Yeah pouting on the sideline when he doesn't get it, I think they can distribute the balls more.
and yeah, I think Jalen Hurts, a fully healthy Jalen Hurts, he's my QB5 this year.
Wow.
I think he's going to be another fantasy superstar season again, once again.
Yeah, man.
And, and with those offensive additions, Drew, do you feel like, you know, the Eagles- are still the class of this NFC East, or could the Commanders make a comeback like they did- Phew, man Jayden Daniels' rookie year.
We saw what the Cowboys did in the draft.
Yes.
How will this offense, you know, keep them rolling?
Yeah.
There's no easy wins in the NFC all of a sudden.
Like, the Cardinals are kind of the only team that you would qualify as a pushover.
The entire NFC East looks very strong all of a sudden now that all the holes have been plugged.
I liked your analogy of addition by subtraction, with A.J.
Brown.
The addition by subtraction that warrants more, careful consideration is the o- offensive coordinator getting replaced.
His play calling was so predictable- Yeah and, and telegraphed practically.
it was clear that he was never on the same page with Jalen Hurts in terms of what he was asking him to do, when he was asking him to try to test the middle of the field.
A n- a fresh voice will almost certainly help him.
Every time he's been tested in his career, and this is a transitioning kind of year for him, every time he's been put to the test, he's answered, you know, I thi- I think with authority, and this year feels like one of those years.
For sure.
All right, man, let's get to others receiving votes here.
Um- Yeah this list, led by Cam Ward.
Yeah.
I mean, listen, w- we sort of talked about it at the top of the show, but they drafted Carnell Tate fourth overall.
You know, last year they did not have a player with more than 600 receiving yards, and so now they don't have to rely on the ghost of Calvin Ridley or, you know, a couple of, sort of, you know, late round rookies.
They've got Carnell Tate.
They add Wan'Dale Robinson in the off season.
Brian Daboll is calling the plays, right?
Somebody that developed Josh Allen and Jaxson Dart.
So I think things are looking up for Cam Ward.
How about Geno Smith?
Not saying he's amazing, but he's now on the mid-tier QB2 radar after the Jets draft Kenyon Sadie and Omar Cooper, and the Jets offensive line certainly much better than what the Raiders had last season.
Ty Simpson, certainly fantasy value much higher after the draft, at least in terms of dynasty leagues, when you think about going to Sean McVay and that Rams, and he's gonna, you know, ultimately get to learn behind Matthew Stafford.
We know he's gonna be the future starter given the fact they used the 13th overall pick.
And then Carson Beck, who I just I, I will tell you, I was in a dynasty draft, Drew, where we drafted rookies before the NFL draft.
Super deep.
30, 12 team league, 33 man roster, super flex.
Carson Beck did not get drafted.
Whoa.
Wow.
Because people are like, "Ah, he's gonna be a backup somewhere."
Wow.
But now he goes to Arizona where he's surrounded by a ton of talent, and he's got journeyman Jacoby Brissett in front of him.
I think there's a non-zero chance we see J- Carson Beck- For sure under center this year- Sure with Marvin Harrison, Trey McBride, and Michael Wilson, with Jeremiah Love in the backfield.
All of a sudden- Yeah Carson Beck just by circumstances, and you think about, you know, new offensive coordinator, new, new play caller in LaFleur, they're- It could be.
It, it, it, it- Carson Beck is sort of semi-interesting now it, it, it'll depend on how, you know, their season goes.
Yeah.
Drew, is there anybody out of those four guys who stuck out to you?
Well, surely the most interesting name on the list from a what is going to happen is Geno Smith.
The Jets had an amazing draft.
He now has weapons and protection.
It's a much, much better situation than he was in last year in, in Las Vegas.
If he ends up being a, you know, a capable quarterback, they're clearly going to draft a quarterback at the top of next year's draft, so- Yeah do they ultimately give him the hook if they are winning too much?
Like, that's kind of what my head is, you know, my, where my head is at with the Jets.
Because otherwise, that's a team now that's invested pretty heavily on the defense in terms of free agency, and it's invested heavily on the offense in terms of young capital.
So yeah, kinda, kinda curious if Geno Smith gets more than f- you know, a few s- a few starts.
Geno, for, for the Jets overall, again, 'cause you think about you're adding all these players to Garrett Wilson, to Breece Hall, to Mason Taylor, who's now like their sixth or seventh.
I'm interested to see what Adonai Mitchell now does in a full season as well.
Like, there's suddenly Like, I'm not saying that J- Jay had this line, he's right, which is I'm not saying they're good, but they're good adjacent.
Yeah.
And, um- Yeah like, they, they're within shouting distance- Yeah.
Yeah of good.
And if Geno Smith can just be competent, if Geno Smith can be like the 16th best quarterback in the NFL- Yes.
Yes you know, like a top 20-ish guy- Yeah if he can be Seattle Geno- Yeah.
Yeah the Jets are suddenly interesting.
That said, it would, it would Yeah.
Then we, we, we'd be starting Garrett Wilson every week- Yeah if Geno's that.
Oh.
It would be very Jets to accidentally win seven or eight games and miss the chance to draft a generational quarterback next year.
Right.
Yeah.
Because Geno's too good.
Yeah.
That, that, that's Jets football.
We was getting to the hate list, Matthew.
It's Thurby, by the way, at the Derby.
It is Thurby.
Get it?
Thursday.
Thurby.
It is Thurby.
Thurby.
It is Thurby.
Yeah.
We gotta get that in there.
Welcome to Thurby at the Derby.
And we was just going over your hate list for quarterbacks- That's right Matthew.
Malik Willis, and as you can see, the receiving room that he has here, which is a pretty big reason why he's on this list.
I mean, listen, I have Malik Washington in, in Dynasty.
I'm a Malik Washington truther.
I feel like I might be wrong on that one.
you know- Oh then you Right.
So then y- you sit here, look at Tutu Atwell, Jalen Tolbert, guys that, you know, kinda were just like sorta spot guys for the teams that they have.
They draft Caleb Douglas, widely considered a massive reach in the third round.
They get Chris Bell, who's coming off We like Chris Bell, but we- Yeah.
Yeah talked about this draft night, Lawrence.
He's coming off that torn ACL, might not be ready for the start of the season.
The only wide receiver in the Dolphins receiving room that caught more than 20 passes last year- Oof is Malik Washington.
Oh, jeez.
And again, I think Malik Washington, he's, he's really fast and I think he's, he's a nice prospect, but he's not a, at least right now, he's not a number one wide receiver in the NFL.
And so you think about that room.
And so look, Malik Willis still might be usable for fantasy just because he's gonna run so much.
Yeah.
But certainly you are hoping that the Dolphins put more around their big free agency acquisition in Malik Willis, and they just didn't, so that's why unfortunately he makes the hate list.
His value is lower than what it was pre-NFL draft
