The AS Call-in Show dives into the Steelers’ looming schedule shift and the winter of decisions that could reshape fantasy value. Two weeks from the regular season, Noah Strabine and callers outline a plan for nimble content drop, with live streams now pared to a sustainable cadence as the team adjusts to later practices. The chatter centers on how Pittsburgh can maintain a high-output pass game without burning the hosts’ personal lives, while still delivering on-field intel for fantasy builders.

Calvin Austin III, George Pickens, and Darnell Washington anchor the WR chatter, with Calvin’s upside capped only by how Pittsburgh stacks the rest of the offense. Gabe Davis surfaces as a potential veteran add, not as a megadeal, to balance outside targets alongside DK Metcalf-adjacent talk and Terry McLaurin trade chatter. The show leans into athletic ceiling moments (Pickens) and creative concepts (Washington) while weighing cost, scheming fit, and how a signing would shift ROIs for Week 1 and beyond.

Dallas rides into 2024 with a heavy emphasis on interior protection and a high-floor passing attack. Tyler Smith, Tyler Booker, and Cooper Beebe form an all-elite interior trio if they click, giving Dak Prescott time to work quick and intermediate routes. Dallas has leaned into a strong baseline, with Dak’s reliability keeping the offense steady even amid roster churn.

On the edges, George Pickens and CD Lamb are positioned to upgrade the aerial attack, with Lamb offering a proven floor and Pickens bringing true X versatility and vertical explosiveness. The Cowboys project a robust ceiling if the run game finds its footing behind a mature line, and if the defense—anchored by Micah Parsons and supported by Osa Odighizuwa and Daron Bland—can generate consistent pressure and gaps.

Fantasy takeaway centers on Dak maintaining a high-floor passing game, the Pickens-Lamb pairing creating multiple 1-2 punch scenarios, and Pollard carrying the load with possible backfield depth from Javonte Williams or Miles Sanders as a potential ceiling-raising addition. Health on the offensive line and the defense’s ability to sustain pressure without sacrificing run-fit discipline will largely determine the Cowboys’ weekly fantasy viability.

Overall, Dallas looks like a top-12 unit with a gateway to a top-6 ceiling if the interior line coheres, the receivers maximize matchup plays, and Parsons stays as disruptive as ever. The path to a strong fantasy season hinges on cohesion up front, explosive wideouts, and a run game that yields consistent production behind a punishing defense.

Three fantasy studs rise as three My Guys for 2025: Jamison Williams anchors the Lions’ air attack with breakout upside despite a suspension risk; George Kittle lands as a rare early-tight-end value in a top-tier tier, offering sustained weekly ceiling; Chase Brown markets himself as a second-round RB bargain given Bengals’ run-game volatility. The Panthers’ rookie trio—Omari Hampton and Tedaroa McMillan—alongside Amari Ibuka form a late-round arsenal with path to immediate roles. Ibuka’s Tampa Bay fit and McMillan’s Carolina opportunity anchor late-draft intrigue, while Warren’s Colts inline-blocking path adds tight-end value late in drafts.

Jackson Smith-Njigba’s sophomore surge is at the center of this breakout wave, with last season’s 100 catches, 1,130 yards and six touchdowns highlighted as a blueprint for a bigger role in Seattle. His route discipline and occasional big play ceilings make him a compelling late-second-round target in full PPR leagues, and even in standard formats his steady targets could carve out weekly WR2 value. Ricky Pearsall and Drake London add depth to the wider-receiver landscape, while Brandon Aiyuk, George Pickens and Nico Collins illustrate why mid-round gambles can pay off when offenses tilt toward high-usage receivers. The conversation also weighs in the SF trio (Aiyuk/Juwan Jennings/Pickens) and the Panthers’ young targets, with McLaurin and London viewed through the lens of rising offenses and quarterback development. The throughline is clear: in a crowded fantasy WR market, identifying the clearest path to target volume and yards is how you separate solid flex plays from true week-to-week difference-makers.

London, Pearsall and London’s fellow breakout candidates are framed as potential season-changers in their respective offenses, while the SF group (Aiyuk/J Jennings) remains steady but dynamic enough to vault into weekly top-15 consideration if injuries or scheme shifts create clearer routes. Nico Collins is evaluated as a mid-round floor-raiser with upside in a Texans system that could funnel heavy targets to his wings, and Jalin Hyatt enters the mix as a late-round flyer with big-play upside in a revamped receiving corps. The episode also delves into the evolving role of a slot-friendly presence like Drake Maye’s receivers in Carolina and the importance of late-round darts in high-variance offenses to crack fantasy top-24 impact at the right moments.

Dak Prescott highlighted George Pickens as a football junkie whose full toolkit makes him a natural fit beside CeeDee Lamb in Dallas. Pickens’ game is built around downfield playmaking and elite 50-50 ball wins, backed by metrics showing high yards-per-reception and some of the league’s best deep-target efficiency. The takeaway for fantasy is clear: Pickens carries WR3 upside with spike weeks, especially in games that demand big plays or when defenses key on Lamb. Lamb remains the offense’s top target, but Pickens adds a vital second dimension that can elevate the entire passing attack.

Jake Ferguson’s workload looms as a practical floor play given the Cowboys’ passing volume and offensive line constraints, while Lamb anchors the week-to-week projections. Pickens’ presence is unlikely to siphon Lamb’s volume meaningfully, and his efficiency could lift Ferguson’s chances of steady targets as defenses stretch to account for the downfield threat. In short, Pickens offers swing-for-the-fences potential; Lamb remains a steady stud; Ferguson could emerge as a useful late-round tight end depending on team game plan.