Fantasy Focused

Phillip Lindsay burst onto the scene in Denver, becoming the first undrafted offensive rookie to ever make the Pro Bowl, good for the 13th ranked PPR back in fantasy. Meanwhile, third round pick out of Oregon, Royce Freeman carried the ball 130 times for 521 yards and 5 touchdowns with 14 catches for 72 yards. With a new head coach in town, Vic Fangio, will this be a true "Running Back By Committee", or will Lindsay or Freeman become the bellcow back? We discuss.

Melvin Gordon finished the 2018 season as the #8 running back in PPR formats in only 12 games played, while Austin Ekeler finished at #25. Can we expect more of the same from this backfield in 2019? We discuss.

With the 24th pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Raiders selected talented running back Josh Jacobs out of Alabama. They had also signed Isaiah Crowell to a a newl deal, but he was abruptly lost for the season with a torn achilles. In a corresponding move, the team also brought back veteran Doug Martin. Jalen Richard is still on the roster as well, and he actually finished as the #29 back in PPR formats. How high are you willing to take Jacobs in 2019? How about Richard in PPR formats? We discuss.

The Yankees continue to hit dingers at a record pace. Pete Alonso is absolutely raking for the Mets and has already broken Strawberry's Rookie record for homers in team history. Will the Dodgers lose in the World Series for the third straight season? We discuss all of that, on top of standings talk and an update on the Hooters Fantasy Baseball League!

On to the Windy City! NASCAR & the Back of the Pack crew take on Chicagoland speedway this weekend. Listen up as we cover the action from Sonoma, give gambling & fantasy picks, tackle NASCAR terms with Ryan, and talk eSports/gaming!

After a 4-12 season, there seems to be much more optimism surrounding the Jets in 2019. A big part of that optimism and excitement is the free agency signing of Le'Veon Bell. The Jets haven't had a force in their backfield like Bell since Curtis Martin. Is Lev Bell the answer to their offensive woes? With Darnold in his sophomore season and an improved offensive unit as a whole, we should see a much improved running game. Any love for Montgomery, Powell, McGuire, etc.?

The Bills put up only 17 points per game in 2018, good for 30th in the league. With a revamped offensive line, new OL coach and some key free agency acquisitions on the offensive side of the ball, how different will this team look in 2019? The Bills drafted Devin Singletary in the 3rd Round, signed Frank Gore AND T.J. Yeldon, and still has Shady McCoy on the roster as of June 25th. What do we make of this backfield?

We kick off the AFC West talking about the Kansas City Chiefs. It's still early, but Damien Williams is currently being drafted near the end of the second round. Is that too rich for your blood or are you confident in him as your RB2, potentially even RB1? Any love for Carlos Hyde later in drafts? The team also drafted Darwin Thompson out of Utah State in the 6th round and also has second year player Darrel Williams returning at the position.

To the surprise of many, Kenyan Drake finished the 2018 season as the #14 PPR back despite only receiving 120 carries and no more than 17 touches in any game. With Adam Gase out of the picture, can Drake get the touches he deserves under new head coach Brian Flores? Or will it be a true committee with Kalen Ballage? We discuss.

Historically, the Patriots' backfield has been one of the most frustrating groups to predict in terms of fantasy football and consistency. Will we see more of the same in 2019? After Sony Michel showed us what he is capable of with a full workload, he had another knee surgery this offseason AND the Patriots decided to draft Damien Harris out of Alabama in the 3rd round. Let's not forget about James White & Rex Burkhead either. With 4 returning starters and a healthy Isaiah Wynn, the Patriots should have one of the best offensive lines in the game as well. What do you make of this backfield?

The summer stretch is upon us in NASCAR! Following an off weekend for Cup, Ryan & Alex recap Xfinity and Truck action from Iowa, suspensions, penalties, new track configurations, and the changing landscape of the sport. Get a taste of our early Sonoma value picks and race outlook as NASCAR heads west for left and right turns in Sonoma.

Ryan Levy, Derek Tate & Matt Bucks sync up to discuss some of their early breakout candidates for the 2019 fantasy football season

Saquon was a fantasy monster in 2018 on a bad Giants team, especially in PPR as he hauled in 91 passes for an additional 721 yards receiving. Can we expect more of the same in 2019 or are you more comfortable taking someone else at 1 or 2 overall?

If you're sitting there on Draft Day with a Top 3 pick, do Zeke's off the field issues deter you from considering him over the likes of Saquon, McCaffrey and Kamara? We debate and discuss Ezekiel Elliott and the rest of the Cowboys backfield

After losing 2018 2nd round pick Derrius Guice to an injury in the preseason the Skins turned to Veteran Adrian Peterson. Skilled pass catcher Chris Thompson only played in 10 games but managed 41 catches for 268 yards and a touchdown. Samaje Perrine is still on the roster, and the team also drafted Bryce Love out of Standford this year. How does it all shake out in this now deep backfield?

Who is the back to own in Philly after the team traded for Jordan Howard and drafted Miles Sanders out of Penn State this offseason? With Josh Adams potentially on the outside looking in, is there anyone else you feel had value outside of the Top 2 here? We discuss.

Big announcement and our ideal starting XIs for this season

With a new head coach in town known for his fast-paced offense, an exciting Rookie Quarterback under Center and new weapons at Wide Receiver, will David Johnson return to top 5 fantasy running back territory?

Is Gurley still a first round fantasy football pick? Better yet, how early are you willing to draft Darrell Henderson in 2019? The Fantasy Focused crew discusses.

Chris Carson finished 2018 as the RB15 in Fantasy Football. The Seahawks finished 1st in the NFL in rushing yards with three RBs rushing for over 400 yards, Carson going over 1,000. With Davis out of the picture, do both Carson and Penny have stand alone value?