Every week, NFL coaches and players spend hours and hours in interviews, generating hundreds of insightful quotes. Most of these quotes are just “coach talk,” where the coach skirts around key details of the question in an effort to not show his cards to future opponents. But sometimes, these interviews provide valuable information that can be used to adjust a player’s fantasy outlook.
These quotes can relate to injury outlook, player usage, overall offensive tendencies and philosophy, etc. The key is knowing which quotes are actionable and which are just fluff that can be ignored. If you’ve listened to Kyle Shanahan talk about Christian McCaffrey’s injury, you’re probably very familiar with the “fluff” end of the spectrum. Sifting through the quotes and thinking critically about each one is the best way to glean meaningful insights from these interviews.
The vast majority of these quotes will come from interviews reporters conduct with players and coaches throughout the week. The Coachspeak Index (CSI) does a phenomenal job of listening to these interviews and culling the key nuggets. In this article, we’ll look at the quotes (from CSI and other sources) and analyze their impact on fantasy. Some may be more serious than others, but the point is to get a sense of coaches and players based on information that may not appear on the scoresheet.
PPR FANTASY RANKINGS FOR WEEK 3
QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | Kickers
Fantasy Football Coachspeak Highlights: Arrow Pointing Up on Travis Kelce, De’Von Achane?
Don’t panic about Travis Kelce yet
Today marks the first game since September 2018 that Travis Kelce has not recorded at least three receptions. That ends a streak of 114 consecutive games, the longest of any player in NFL history. That dates back to Patrick Mahomes’ second career start. @KCTV5 #Kingdom of Chiefs pic.twitter.com/4orUZJzQDI
— Jared Koller (@JaredKCTV5) September 16, 2024
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes spoke about Travis Kelce’s lack of involvement in the offense after their win over the Bengals on Sunday. Mahomes mentioned how opposing defenses have done a good job of eliminating Kelce this season by regularly double-crossing him. Mahomes even said he was looking for Kelce on the play that Rashee Rice scored on, but Kelce was double-crossed, which opened the door for Rice to be found deep.
Key takeaways from fantasy: Even though Kelce has struggled early in the season, there’s no time to panic just yet. Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL and isn’t going to force Kelce to pass the ball if he’s heavily covered by multiple defenders. Kelce should have easier chances in the coming games, and Mahomes will look for his Hall of Fame tight end when the situation is more favorable.
WEEK 3 QUITTING TIPS
Full Waiver List | Top Players to Target | How to Spend FAAB
Jaxon Smith-Njigba on track for major breakthrough
#Seahawks Mike Macdonald, head coach, on Jaxon Smith-Njigba:
“He’s a great player. He’s got incredible hands. He’s got all the safety stuff. He’s an underrated deep threat… He’s a guy we’re going to rely on going forward, and he’s a great player.” pic.twitter.com/AXimdnV1FB
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) September 15, 2024
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald couldn’t help but rave about second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba after he had one of the best games of his career in Week 2. It’s great to hear that the Seahawks plan to lean on Smith-Njigba as the year goes on. Another interesting part of that quote is the part about JSN acting as a deep threat, as that was something he wasn’t asked to do as a rookie.
Key takeaways from fantasy: You don’t really need to quote Mike Macdonald to understand that Smith-Njigba is on track for his second NFL season. He’s seen spikes in his playing time and usage early this year and even played ahead of Tyler Lockett in two WR sets on Sunday. McDonald’s big piece was indeed the “underrated deep threat” comment. Last season, Smith-Njigba was primarily used on shallow routes, leading to a 6.1-yard aDOT that ranked 96th among WRs. JSN had a 10.6 aDOT on Sunday and led the team in passing yards. His role is expanding and his fantasy value is up.
WEEK 3 FANTASY ROSTER MANAGEMENT TIPS
Buy Low Sell High | Sleepers | Busts
Braelon Allen is a top-notch handcuffer
#Jets Coach Robert Saleh on Braelon Allen:
“He’s got a definite change of pace. I mean, he’s heavy, and a very, very dense, heavy runner… What’s really cool about him is he’s also good in the passing game. He’s fluid out of the backfield, he’s got really good hands, and he’s… pic.twitter.com/2r34Wb5Se1
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) September 16, 2024
After scoring two touchdowns on Sunday, Jets head coach Robert Saleh was full of praise for rookie running back Braelon Allen. If there’s one positive thing to say about a running back, Saleh said it about Allen during that press conference. Allen is only 20 years old and is already held in high regard by NFL coaching staffs, which isn’t something you see every day.
Key takeaways from fantasy: It became clear during training camp that Allen had won the RB2 job behind Breece Hall. The question was what his role would look like if Hall missed playing time. After Sunday’s game and Saleh’s press conference, it appears Allen would be one of those backups who assumes a cash cow role. New York is clearly comfortable with his rushing talent, and Saleh has done everything he can to complement his pass-catching ability. Allen is a top-tier backup who should be tucked away in deeper leagues.
Rookie Carson Steele to handle job in Kansas City
Reid on Carson Steele becoming star defensive back: ‘He’s going to have to improve in that role.’
-Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) September 16, 2024
With Isaiah Pacheco expected to miss 6-8 weeks with a fractured fibula, the Chiefs will be forced to look elsewhere to produce at running back. UDFA Carson Steele was already establishing himself as a short-yardage specialist, and it appears Andy Reid expects his role to expand in the coming weeks.
Key takeaways from fantasy: That backfield is turning into a mess while Pacheco is sidelined. Steele is the leading candidate to handle the rushing duties while Samaje Perine will be on the field for the passes. Former Chiefs Kareem Hunt, who is expected to visit the team this week, is also lurking in the shadows. And Clyde Edwards-Helaire could further muddy the waters when he returns from IR (eligible to return after Week 4). Steele could provide fantasy value if he dominates on the goal line, but it’s unlikely anyone will solidify the job to have a particularly valuable role.
De’Von Achane will be forced to touch
#Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel thinks De’Von Achane could make even more points:
“It’s hard not to give opportunities to players who really want the ball, they do something with it… All he did was give us more reasons to give him the ball.” pic.twitter.com/qwMzObRwX7
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) September 16, 2024
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel seems quite content to simply give the ball to players who “do something with it.” De’Von Achane certainly falls into that category and has been Miami’s best offensive weapon this season.
Key takeaways from fantasy: Achane set a career-high in touchdowns Thursday night with 29. That included 22 carries and seven receptions, which led to 165 yards from scrimmage. Achane remained very productive, particularly as a wide receiver, and as McDaniel said, “…gave us more reasons to give him the ball.” With Raheem Mostert likely to miss more time and the passing attack less reliable with Skylar Thompson under center, that workload could be tough.
