Ice is hot, Swift is fast, and other truths that will save your season | The Fantasy Rush
Jared is in first place in his work fantasy league, but that didn’t stop him from dropping his Week 6 contest to the last place team. Understandable. After all, Rosé All Golladay was fighting for its playoff life, and is managed by a Yahoo Sports Fantasy Expert (and Jared’s co-host) Liz Loza. In the sixth episode of The Fantasy Rush, Loza learns to trust a QB who has tilted her in the past, highlights an accurately monikered running back, and celebrates her birthday by welcoming a surprise guest to her Burbank studio (not really).
Video Transcript
- The Detroit Lions select D'Andre Swift, running back, Georgia.
- And you know this better than anyone, man. You worked hard. You have put your entire life, every step you walked, into this moment.
JARED QUAY: Sometimes you look at your opponent and think, "damn, I wish I was them." Well, that was me this week because I was matched up against Yahoo Fantasy expert, Liz Loza. And not only was it Liz's birthday, and not only did her husband rent out an entire skating rink just for her, but she also smoked me in our most important fantasy league.
Check it. When you work in sports, nothing's more important than your work fantasy league. Where is it? Yahooligans-- here we go. In Yahooligans, Campbellieve the Hype is the defending champion.
And we had a chance to eliminate Liz Loza's team from playoff contention. But she got the win and kept her season alive because that's what experts do. Still, if Rose' All Golladay wants to make the playoffs, Liz gonna have to go undefeated the rest of the way.
And to do that, well, she gonna need some things. She needs a better quarterback than Carson Wentz. And like everybody and they momma, she's needs some fresh legs at the flex spot. Liz Loza, the fantasy manager needs some advice. What she needs is my co-host, Liz Loza the fantasy expert.
LIZ LOZA: It has been a challenging year. And it's important therefore to celebrate where and when you can. So Rose' All Golladay may be 1 and 5 and tied for last. But we are still in the hunt.
JARED QUAY: That's all you can ask for.
LIZ LOZA: If we're gonna make the playoffs, we'll need to be perfect from here on out. And that's gonna start with a less than perfect solution. It's possible to win in fantasy without a good quarterback. But it's not easy, a lesson many of us learned in week 6.
Carson Wentz, Kirk Cousins, and Baker Mayfield combined to turn the ball over 6 times. So if you're thinking about making a change at quarterback, might I suggest reaching out to an old friend? Two weeks ago, Matt Ryan had 1 pick, no touchdowns, a 5-game losing streak, and no head coach.
JARED QUAY: That's not what you want.
LIZ LOZA: But what a difference a week makes. Am I right?
JARED QUAY: Oh, you're right.
LIZ LOZA: In week 6, Matty Ice threw for almost 400 yards and 4 touchdowns. And while the change at head coach was definitely a factor, an even bigger one was the re-emergence of Julio! The elite receiver finally started playing like one, hauling in 137 yards and his first 2 touchdowns of the year.
JARED QUAY: Where this Julio been?
LIZ LOZA: As long as Julio Jones is healthy and doing Julio Jones-like things, you may want to consider chillin' with Matty Ice. Through 5 weeks, Adrian Peterson had more rushing attempts this season than every other Detroit Lion combined. And while he led the team in carries once again in week 6, we may soon see a "Swift" change. Oh, see what I did there?
D'Andre Swift's breakout game against the Jags was surprising, but not unexpected. At 5' 8" and 212 pounds, there's an ease to the way he runs. He's powerful and explosive. But his steps have new nuance.
JARED QUAY: Like me cutting a little rug.
LIZ LOZA: He still shares the backfield with AP, who's always a threat to poach a carry or two at the goal line. But Swift is now consistently breaking off runs that put the Lions in a position to score. So he's worth the risk. Plus, they get Atlanta next week, who went into week 6 giving up the eighth most fantasy football points to opposing running backs, a trend Swift should continue in week 7.
The 2020 Tony award nominations were announced last week. And I may not be nominated, but it's the perfect excuse to give you a sneak preview of my one woman show, "The Real Housewife of Burbank," which the "LA Times" called refresh--
JARED QUAY: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. That is not how we're finishing this show.
LIZ LOZA: It's not?
JARED QUAY: Ain't nobody want to see your one-act play, Liz.
LIZ LOZA: They don't?
JARED QUAY: Nope. Because they'd rather join us at the most popping birthday party of the pandemic. Hit it, Greg!
LIZ LOZA: Oh, my goodness. For me? Jared, you didn't have to do this. This is so great.
JARED QUAY: Ah, it's nothing.
LIZ LOZA: It just-- it kind of sucks to party alone. You know?
JARED QUAY: Guess what. You don't have to.
LIZ LOZA: But how?
JARED QUAY: Ah, it's just green screen technology. Well, come give me a birthday squeeze.
LIZ LOZA: Oh, I mean, I'd love to. But I can't really move or I'll pull out my IFB. Plus, I'm not wearing pants.
JARED QUAY: Yeah, me too. I mean, I can't really turn around too good. This thing would pop out my ear so fast.
LIZ LOZA: Should we just shake hands?
JARED QUAY: Yeah, I mean, [STUTTERING]. Oh.
LIZ LOZA: This is lovely.