“Truth will always be truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief or ignorance.” W. Clement Stone

1) “The government you elect is the government you deserve.” – Thomas Jefferson

The roster you draft is the roster you deserve. Particularly early on, draft the best players possible regardless of position. Let the other guy “reach” for a mediocre option while you continue to draft the best players. One caveat – draft healthy players. It’s tough enough to pick guys who can survive a 17-game season, don’t select guys who start the season injured (I’m looking in the mirror for drafting Christian McCaffrey).

2) Playoff MVP – Baker Mayfield

One of Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson will be the 2024 NFL MVP for the season, but Baker Mayfield had the best fantasy numbers over the three-game span from Week 15-17 (a.k.a. fantasy playoffs) averaging 32.8 FPts/G. Included in that set is a 38.2 point total in the championship game to get you the golden ring. The resurrection of Mayfield’s career is stunning. A good rookie season in Cleveland turned into failure, along with stops in Carolina and Los Angeles before turning his career around in Tampa Bay. He’ll finish the season ranked in the top-five at the position yet at your 2025 fantasy draft there will likely be six quarterbacks chosen before him (Jackson, Allen, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes and Jayden Daniels).

3) Good coaches and offensive lines make rookie quarterbacks fantasy-worthy.

And poor coaching and Swiss cheese offensive lines kill quarterbacks. Sean Payton and Kliff Kingsbury and the OLs in Denver and Washington have helped Bo Nix (20.9 FPts/G) and Daniels (24.9) succeed. Meanwhile, the revolving door coaching staff in Chicago and below average OL in New England sabotaged both Caleb Williams (18.3) and Drake Maye (19.0). When looking at 2025 rookie quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, watch where they land and evaluate these two factors before choosing them.

4) In 2024 three teams haven’t scored 31 points or more in a game – New England, Las Vegas and the 15-1 Kansas City Chiefs.

True. This could explain why there aren’t many fantasy-worthy options on these teams. The two-time defending champions have a low-end fantasy quarterback and the No.7 tight end. Their best fantasy option was Rashee Rice before he was hurt (21.6 FPts/G).

5) New York Giants GM Joe Schoen was not wrong in letting Saquon Barkley leave New York (it just hurts because he succeeded at a division rival).

Barkley could never have run for 2,000 yards in New York behind their offensive line. Meanwhile, rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. has been an adequate replacement. But the GM should be fired for giving Daniel Jones the four-year $160 million contract which forced the team to get rid of the likes of Barkley and Xavier McKinney.

Lies

“Exaggeration is a blood relation to falsehood and nearly as blamable.” – Hosea Ballou

1) J.J. McCarthy can easily replace Sam Darnold at quarterback for the Vikings in 2025.

False. People are underestimating how well Darnold has played in 2024. His 23.4 FPts/G ranks seventh among all quarterbacks, despite this being the first season he’s run this offense. He was a top-three selection in 2018, so we know he has the talent and in Minnesota he has the receivers to turn this “career” year into an annual event. If I’m the Vikings I have to re-sign Darnold despite having selected McCarthy in this first round. Either option should be successful with the “quarterback whisperer” Kevin O’Connell, but Darnold is ready to win now.

2) With the return of Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense, Tyreek Hill’s value as the Miami top pass catcher also returned.

His value returned, somewhat, but he wasn’t even the top producing pass catcher on the Dolphins roster. Hill managed to average 15.1 FPts/G (26-311-3) from Week 12-16, but tight end Jonnu Smith was better, averaging 18.1 FPts/G (37-354-3). Hill ranked 18th over the five-game span, not good enough for a top-five drafted wideout, who averaged 23.7 FPts/G in 2023 and 20.1 in 2022. Given Tua’ shaky health status, it’s going to be hard to trust Hill in 2025, unless the Dolphins bring in a very good backup quarterback.

3) The great production of rookie wide receivers in 2024, should push you to jump on 2025 rookie wideouts before anyone else.

I’m going to have to say no. This was a very special season for rookie pass catchers. It’s not every year they succeed like; Malik Nabers (18.2 FPts/G), Brian Thomas Jr. (16.4) and Ladd McConkey (15.0). In 2023, no rookie produced more than 13+ fantasy points a game. Only Jayden Reed (13.5) and Rashee Rice (13.4) and Jordan Addison (13.0) even reached 13 points with Zay Flowers just below that mark. Two years ago there were just two decent rookie wideouts in Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. I see three elite wideouts in 2025 and one of them might be concentrating more on defense. Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan and Luther Burden III, depending on where they land, could certainly be fantasy-worthy rookies, but beware of expecting too much in their first season.

4) Saquon Barkley should go for the single-season rushing record in Week 18.

No, no and also NO! The Eagles are trying to win a Super Bowl, not collect records. Can you imagine the chaos if he suffered a high-ankle sprain and couldn’t play in the first round of the playoffs? The city would riot. Going for the record would also require the starting OL to play. What if Lane Johnson were injured? The Eagles are 102-55-1 with Johnson in the lineup (.649 win percentage) and 14-23 without him (.378). If it was 20 yards… maybe, but 101 yards is not worth the gamble. All the TV talking heads are just trying to create controversy… as usual.

5) Ja’Marr Chase is the best receiver in football.

He might be, but it might also be because he has Joe Burrow throwing to him. What if Chase and Justin Jefferson switched teams? Who would have the better numbers? What if rookie Malik Nabers, who averaged 18.2 FPts/G catching passes from Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock played for the Bengals? Chase is averaging 87.4 ypg for his career (100.8 this season) while Jefferson is averaging 97.1 for his career and 92.4 this season. Meanwhile, Chase has 45 touchdowns receptions in 61 games while JJ has “only” 40 in 76 games with lesser quarterback play. I say the answer is still up for debate.