Late-Round Perspectives: Andy Behrens Returns

JJ Zachariason (0:00)

Andy Behrens is a fantasy analyst whose work can be currently found on thedeepshot.com, The Athletic, and with the Harris Football Podcast. He previously worked for Yahoo Sports, among many other outlets. He's a Fantasy Sports Writers Association president, a novelist, and he loves Iowa sports. These are his late-round perspectives.

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Andy Behrens (1:18)

It's a good question. I watch a lot of Big 10 football during NFL season. And I love, you know, I'm sure a lot of people are this way.

If you cover the NFL for a living, like you still want to be a meathead fan about something, about some football team. And so, I mean, there's no finer, there's no finer school to be a meathead fan of than Iowa because they give you plenty to complain about and also plenty to kind of sort of squint and you'll feel okay about it.

JJ Zachariason (1:47)

I feel some kinship there with Pitt in the way that- Oh, sure. The way that Pitt has been historically, like just to like, especially, you know, at least we had like the ACC Championship a few years ago with Kenny Pickett and stuff. And we're able to like, I was in my adult life able to experience that, which I don't think will ever happen again. And then you get, you at least get like really interesting players that hit the NFL. And then as I was thinking about this, this is a shower thought for me today for the record, I was thinking about you in the shower.

Andy Behrens (2:16)

As one does.

JJ Zachariason (2:16)

As one does, yes, you think about your future podcast guests while you're showering. But I was also thinking about the Iowa players in the NFL right now. You guys are kind of running pretty cold right now. You get your tight, okay, let's go through this. I was thinking about it, okay. Sam Laporte is fine, like he's been fine. He hasn't been like spectacular, but he's been fine, right?

Andy Behrens (2:37)

I mean, he's been better than fine.

JJ Zachariason (2:39)

Okay, okay, he's been above average so far to start the year. Or like what we expected him to be. Let's say that, right?

Andy Behrens (2:47)

Right.

JJ Zachariason (2:48)

You have George Kittle on IR. You have TJ Hawkinson who... What? Like, I mean, he's... Like, I was low on Hawkinson entering the year. Never in a million years did I think that we'd be sitting here looking at these numbers from Hawkinson through two games.

Andy Behrens (3:05)

So far, the signature play of his season is blocking a bearer into oblivion while JJ McCarthy scored his only rushing touchdown. Yeah, it's an issue. I don't put all of that on Hawkinson.

JJ Zachariason (3:17)

I don't put on Hawkinson at all. No, I'm just trying to put down Iowa right now. And then this is the actual bad one, is Caleb Johnson.

Andy Behrens (3:27)

There's actually two that are kind of like, Torey Taylor, punter Torey Taylor, been a sneaky disappointment.

JJ Zachariason (3:33)

How could I forget? No, but like the Caleb Johnson thing last week, I mean, that's just like the most down bad I've seen any player really, any like moderately hyped rookie in a while that I've seen. I mean, that play was just really, really rough.

Andy Behrens (3:47)

He, I mean, he shouldn't be active this week. It would surprise me a little bit if he was active this week because between the gaffe on the kickoff, that probably cost you a game and the fumble the week before, I mean, if we can't trust you in limited duty as a runner and we can't trust you in the return game, which was always questionable because that wasn't Caleb's responsibility in college, then why are we playing you? I mean, you can't be a depth chart running back who can't play special teams, so he's probably not going to be active.