The Athletic Fantasy Football Podcast · The Athletic

Top-10 Positional Primer

·48 min·4 clips

Why Jake Ciely calls Deshaun Watson 'garbage lit on fire' and why Brandon Funston still ranks him as a top-7 quarterback.

This episode features hosts Chris Welsh, Jake Seeley, and Brandon Funston from The Athletic Fantasy Football Podcast. They provide an early-season positional primer, sharing and debating their top-10 rankings for quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers. Jake Seeley's quarterback top 10 includes Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Justin Fields, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, and Dak Prescott. Brandon Funston ranks Patrick Mahomes first, followed by Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Fields, Deshaun Watson, Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, and Tua Tagovailoa. Their primary disagreement centers on Deshaun Watson, whom Funston ranks seventh for his elite upside, while Seeley excludes him due to performance risk after his return last season. Seeley projects Watson for about 4,000 passing yards and 400 rushing yards but ranks him lower personally. Funston argues Watson's 2022 was an anomaly and expects a return to his Houston form, especially with the addition of receiver Elijah Moore. Seeley also mentions Anthony Richardson as a later-round upside pick over Watson for his top-five potential. The hosts discuss Daniel Jones, with Seeley noting his top-10 projection hinges on repeating 707 rushing yards, a product of clever Giants RPO design. Funston observes a strategy shift in drafts where the top six quarterbacks are going earlier, forcing him to wait for later options like Geno Smith or Richardson. At running back, both hosts have nearly identical top 10s: Christian McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler, Jonathan Taylor, Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Nick Chubb, Bijan Robinson, Tony Pollard, Derrick Henry, and Rhamondre Stevenson. Funston places Ekeler in a "1.5 tier" below McCaffrey, preferring a wide receiver like Cooper Kupp if Ekeler is a top-four pick. Seeley feels most comfortable with Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry for their consistent, high-volume roles. Seeley argues Bijan Robinson or a healthy Derrick Henry could challenge for the overall RB1 spot. Funston mentions no strong contenders just outside his top 10, while Seeley expresses a desire for J.K. Dobbins to crack the list if used more in the passing game under new coordinator Todd Monken. For wide receivers, Seeley ranks Cooper Kupp first, followed by Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, CeeDee Lamb, Stefon Diggs, A.J. Brown, Jaylen Waddle, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Funston's list starts with Justin Jefferson, then Cooper Kupp, Ja'Marr Chase, Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, and Jaylen Waddle, with Garrett Wilson as a close contender. Funston highlights Kupp and Adams as values, noting Kupp was the top fantasy wideout per game before injury and Adams' high target share remains stable with Jimmy Garoppolo. Seeley initially groups Kupp, Jefferson, Chase, Hill, and Adams in a top tier but expresses concern about Adams' quarterback situation. Both hosts debate Stefon Diggs' placement, acknowledging his top-tier production but noting potential volatility in Buffalo's offense and his relationship with the team. Seeley identifies Tee Higgins as a player who just misses his top 10 but deserves more respect, while Funston points to Garrett Wilson, whose touchdown upside could vault him into the elite group. The tone is conversational and debate-driven, with hosts frequently challenging each other's rankings with specific data and projections. The style is educational for fantasy players, blending statistical analysis with draft strategy insights. Fantasy football managers preparing for drafts will love this episode for its clear, early rankings and actionable debates. Listeners seeking in-depth narrative stories or news updates might skip it, as the focus is purely on ranking discussions.

As heard by us

A lively rank session that turns positional debate into draft-board decisions.

The episode returns to a familiar weekly rhythm, with Chris Welsh, Jake Seeley, and Brandon Funston arguing through positional top tens, correcting one another, and pushing back where the rankings feel off.

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Why you'd press play

You want a quick, opinionated read on where the top fantasy backs really sit.

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