Fantasy FaceOff - Week 9
Andy Behrens and Matt Harmon compare the Bears' Justin Fields to similarly ranked quarterbacks.
Video transcript
MATT HARMON: All right, this is where we take, in our Fantasy Faceoff section, one of the week's hottest pickups, and we pit them against, you know, similarly ranked players, maybe more established guys in his position. And to do that, because we are a show of integrity, we're talking about Justin Fields here. We got to bring on a totally noncompromised, totally unbiased source like our guy Andy Behrens here to break down Justin Fields.
So Andy, let's get it started here with Justin Fields versus Tom Brady. Who do you like better? Justin Fields, the great Justin Fields, or the greatest quarterback to ever play the game?
ANDY BEHRENS: Yeah, nothing-- nothing but objective truth from me here, and it's certainly not like I'm streaming Justin Fields in, like, five different leagues. I am, in fact, going Justin Fields in this one. [SIGH] Again, the matchup, we talked about it earlier. Pretty friendly for Fields. In his last three games, the man has run for over 200 yards. He's on pace right now for 900 rushing yards on the season.
Brady, of course, has been really an up and down season. More down than up, I would say. He only has one multitouchdown s game on the year. He had a three touchdown game-- every other game, it's like one touchdown and some empty yardage. His receiving corps is great. No question there. No issues with that, but I just can't-- I don't know. I just can't-- I can't roll with him against the Rams. This feels like a low-scoring game, and, again, the matchup for Fields is so good here.
MATT HARMON: Yeah, as an actual unbiased source, I'm definitely going Justin Fields over Tom Brady. I got Tom Brady on a bunch of fantasy teams, and I wish I had Justin Fields to take his spot this week, so I'm with you on this one, Andy. And oh, man, let's talk about unbiased. Andy, who is a better fantasy quarterback this week? Justin Fields or Aaron Rodgers?
I know you just-- I mean, look, we know that the Packers assembled the greatest almost offense in NFL history when they really tried their best. They tried their best to get DJ Moore, Darren Waller, Jerry Jeudy, and Chase Claypool, and they came up 0 for 4 on that pursuit. So the Packers, they've got the guys they've got. The Bears did make a move for Chase Claypool though. They actually one up the Packers in that regard. Does Fields one up Aaron Rodgers as fantasy quarterback here?
ANDY BEHRENS: Yeah, Rodgers and the Packers have to be devastated after losing the Claypool sweepstakes. Really tough scene for them. I am going Fields here. This is really close for me, in part because the matchup for Rodgers is so good. Detroit's defense is the worst in the league. They're pretty much the worst in the league at everything, and yet I kind of expect the Packers to sort of re re-establish the run in this one.
There's not a lot of trust, obviously, between Rodgers and any of his receivers. He doesn't have a game this year with over 255 passing yards. Like, that is his high point. He doesn't have a game this year with more than two touchdown passes, so, like, that's a fine week. If he gives you 260, 265 and two passing touchdowns, that is the best game that he has played this s for fantasy purposes, and I kind of see that as his ceiling right now, given the limitations in that receiving corps, so again, I'm going to go Fields.
MATT HARMON: Yeah, I'm with you again on that one. All right, a guy that was probably in this segment at one point this year. I mean, who remembers what happened a few weeks ago, but Geno Smith has graduated apparently to being the other side here where we're talking about him as an established starter. Are we going Justin Fields are Geno Smith? And Andy, am I crazy to think this might be the closest call that we've had so far?
ANDY BEHRENS: This is, in fact, the closest call that we've had so far. I have them back to back in the ranks this week. The receivers are basically a push, right? We got-- we got Claypool and Mooney on one side, we got Metcalf and Lockett on the other, so--
MATT HARMON: Yeah.
ANDY BEHRENS: That's a tie.
MATT HARMON: For sure.
[LAUGHTER]
ANDY BEHRENS: This is really close for me, but the thing that tips it in is going to be the rushing upside for Justin Fields. Again, over 200 yards in the last three weeks, and a spot here in which I think he can again-- like, he's rushed for 80 yards in two of his last three games, and I think he can get there again against Miami. So this is going to be a sweep of a segment for me. I'm taking Fields once again.
MATT HARMON: Yeah, and it's very close, but I think I'm with you on Fields over Geno Smith as well. Shout out to you, Andy, for being so down the middle, unbiased, totally, totally objective observer here.
[LAUGHTER]