Best Ball Whenever is a weekly fantasy football podcast diving deep into best ball strategy, player evaluation, roster construction, tournament theory, and the evolving edge in fantasy football. Every Wednesday, host Neil Orfield sits down with some of the sharpest minds in the space — from film grinders and high-stakes players to data scientists, projection experts, and everything in between. Expect actionable insights, spirited debates, and conversations built for serious fantasy football players looking to win. Live every Wednesday on YouTube. Available everywhere you get your podcasts.
John Daigle of Establish the Run joins Best Ball Whenever to discuss the sleeper picks, undervalued players, and draft strategies he's using to gain an edge in best ball drafts. We begin by ranking some of Daigle's favorite RB2s, including Jonathon Brooks, Blake Corum, Rico Dowdle, RJ Harvey, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt, before shifting to the rookie wide receivers he believes deserve far more attention. Daigle explains why Germie Bernard, Antonio Williams, De'Zhaun Stribling, and Zachariah Branch stand out as intriguing late-round targets, and why he expects Stribling's ADP to rise quickly following the latest news surrounding Ricky Pearsall. The conversation also explores why Daigle prefers drafting from the back half of the first round, how he would ideally start a draft with players like Saquon Barkley, Ashton Jeanty, Emeka Egbuka, Jaylen Waddle, and Jalen Hurts, and why he currently prefers Jacory Croskey-Merritt over teammate Rachaad White in best ball formats. If you're looking for actionable sleeper picks, late-round upside, and thoughtful draft strategy from one of fantasy football's most respected analysts, this episode is packed with ideas to help you stay ahead of the market. Subscribe for new episodes of Best Ball Whenever every Wednesday.
Fantasy football veteran and longtime content creator Davis Mattek joins Best Ball Whenever to discuss one of the biggest topics of draft season: the questions we're still waiting for training camp to answer. We begin with Davis' approach to late-round tight ends, including why he's targeting Pat Freiermuth, Gunnar Helm, and Terrance Ferguson, and why he believes that trio could outproduce more expensive options like Kyle Pitts and Dallas Goedert. The conversation then shifts to the players whose preseason usage we're most eager to see. We break down Jacory Croskey-Merritt's opportunity in Washington, Parker Washington's role in Jacksonville, Patrick Mahomes' supporting cast, and several of the camp battles that could reshape fantasy football drafts. Additional topics include the Jaguars' crowded receiver room featuring Travis Hunter, Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington, the Commanders' backfield battle between Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White, the Browns' rookie class, Jordan Mason's outlook, and why Davis isn't convinced Malik Nabers will begin the season on the PUP list. If you're looking for actionable best ball strategy, under-the-radar targets, and the training camp storylines that matter most, this episode is packed with insights to help you stay ahead of the market. Subscribe for new episodes of Best Ball Whenever every Wednesday.
Jakob Sanderson joins Best Ball Whenever to discuss some of the biggest values, fades, and roster construction strategies in this year's best ball drafts. Jakob explains why he believes the Washington Commanders backfield is significantly undervalued, breaking down the outlooks for Rachaad White, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and Kaytron Allen. He also shares the players he's fading in the first three rounds, including Josh Allen, CeeDee Lamb, Trey McBride, and Javonte Williams, along with why he's aggressively targeting Jaylen Waddle, Josh Downs, and Bo Nix at their current ADPs. We also build out a Hero RB roster from the 1.01, discussing how Jakob would attack the middle and late rounds with players like Jonathon Brooks, Jonah Coleman, Dylan Sampson, Braelon Allen, and Jaydon Blue. Additional topics include Keaton Mitchell's outlook after Ben Gretch's recent analysis, how player values evolve throughout draft season, and the importance of staying flexible as ADPs shift. If you're looking for actionable best ball strategy, undervalued players, and thoughtful fantasy football analysis, this episode is packed with insights from one of the sharpest emerging voices in the industry. Subscribe for new episodes of Best Ball Whenever every Wednesday.
Ryan Heath, Lead Data Writer at Fantasy Points, joins Best Ball Whenever to discuss one of the most intriguing pieces of best ball research from this offseason and how it's changing the way he drafts. Ryan explains his study of running backs and why players who generate a moderate share of their fantasy production through the receiving game have historically underperformed their average draft position. We discuss how that research impacts his outlook on Breece Hall, Travis Etienne, Kyren Williams, Javonte Williams, Josh Jacobs, and several other backs in current Underdog drafts. The conversation also covers Michael Pittman as one of Ryan's favorite values, why he's much higher on Brock Bowers this season after fading him in best ball last year, and why Colston Loveland and Sam LaPorta stand out among his preferred early-round tight end targets. Additional topics include Puka Nacua, David Montgomery, Jonathon Brooks, Rachaad White, and Terrance Ferguson. If you're looking for evidence-based best ball strategy, actionable player takes, and thoughtful fantasy football analysis, this episode is packed with insights from one of the leading data minds at Fantasy Points. Subscribe for new episodes of Best Ball Whenever every Wednesday.
Scott Barrett, CEO of Fantasy Points, joins Best Ball Whenever for a wide-ranging conversation on player values, quarterback strategy, and some of the biggest edges in current best ball drafts. Scott explains why he believes the market is far too low on Parker Washington, why Josh Allen remains worth the premium cost in tournaments, and how Allen's ability to separate from the quarterback field during the fantasy playoffs can provide a unique structural advantage. We also discuss the risks and rewards of drafting Brandon Aiyuk despite uncertainty surrounding his availability, whether drafters should prioritize quarterback stacks or simply take the best player available, and why Scott believes Adonai Mitchell should be drafted ahead of Omar Cooper. Additional topics include George Kittle, Isaiah Likely, Jalen Nailor, and how Scott is approaching upside, correlation, and ceiling outcomes throughout best ball drafts this season. If you're looking for actionable best ball strategy, strong player convictions, and thoughtful fantasy football analysis, this episode is packed with insights from one of the sharpest minds in the industry. Subscribe for new episodes of Best Ball Whenever every Wednesday.
Rich Hribar joins Best Ball Whenever for a deep dive into best ball roster construction, quarterback stacking, and some of the most important player archetypes in current drafts. We discuss why Josh Allen and the Bills offense may function as a fantasy football cheat code, how Rich is approaching Round 5 running backs on Underdog, and which mid-round wide receivers stand out as strong bets at cost. The conversation also explores late-round back stacks — including several intriguing CJ Stroud combinations — and why finding affordable quarterback pairings can create unique roster builds in large-field tournaments. Rich shares his thoughts on Jayden Higgins and Rashid Shaheed as wide receiver targets, why Bhayshul Tuten and TreVeyon Henderson fit the historical profile of successful dead zone running backs, and why David Montgomery may still be worth betting on despite not fitting that mold perfectly. Additional topics include Brandon Aiyuk's outlook and why Rich believes he's overwhelmingly likely to play this season, Malik Willis as a potential Konami Code quarterback, and how to think about balancing ceiling, structure, and correlation throughout best ball drafts. If you're looking for actionable strategy, advanced roster construction ideas, and thoughtful fantasy football analysis, this episode is packed with insights from one of the sharpest minds in the industry. Subscribe for new episodes of Best Ball Whenever every Wednesday.
Pat Kerrane — Best Ball Mania III champion, Legendary Upside founder, and creator of the Sidekick draft assistant — joins Best Ball Whenever for a deep dive into some of the most controversial decisions in best ball drafts right now. Pat discusses several of his biggest fades in the early rounds, including Josh Allen, DJ Moore, Caleb Williams, Luther Burden, and Emeka Egbuka, while explaining how he approaches player risk, roster construction, and changing market dynamics throughout draft season. We also break down Tank Dell vs. Jaylin Noel on the Texans, the Legendary Upside team's aggressive stance on Deebo Samuel despite his current free agency, and why Pat will occasionally override the Sidekick's top recommendation to draft players like Travis Hunter or Bhayshul Tuten instead. Additional topics include Javonte Williams, Jaylen Waddle, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Khalil Shakir, Omar Cooper Jr., Makai Lemon, and a disagreement over the outlook for Keaton Mitchell. The conversation also explores how Pat and the Legendary Upside team adjust their rankings as ADP shifts over time, where the Sidekick provides the biggest edge, and why Pat surprisingly isn't the highest person on Drake Maye within the Legendary Upside team. If you want insight into how one of the sharpest minds in best ball approaches draft decisions, player fades, and evolving market dynamics, this episode is packed with actionable strategy. Subscribe for new episodes of Best Ball Whenever every Wednesday.
Derek Brown of FantasyPros joins Best Ball Whenever to break down one of the most important positions in fantasy football: running back. We start by ranking several of the most polarizing backs in the second round of best ball drafts, including Chase Brown, De'Von Achane, Omarion Hampton, Derrick Henry, and Kenneth Walker. From there, the conversation shifts to the later rounds, where Derek and Neil discuss some of their favorite running back backups and contingent-value plays. The two debate the outlook for Keaton Mitchell, identify several high-upside targets, and discuss why they're both particularly bullish on Jonathon Brooks despite his discounted ADP. Derek also explains why Kenneth Gainwell and Brooks stand out among the cheapest backup running backs available in current drafts. Beyond running backs, Derek shares why he's aggressively targeting Colston Loveland in Chicago and AJ Brown in New England. If you're looking for best ball edges, running back values, and actionable draft advice, this episode is packed with insights from one of fantasy football's most respected analysts. Subscribe for new episodes of Best Ball Whenever every Wednesday.
JJ Zachariason of LateRound.com and the Becoming a Best Ball Bro podcast joins Best Ball Whenever for a wide-ranging discussion on player values, rookie prospects, and the evolving best ball landscape. JJ shares his thoughts on the fantasy fallout of a potential Myles Garrett trade, why drafters shouldn't overthink Chase Brown, and the appeal of both the Packers and Bears passing games heading into the season. The conversation dives into several of JJ's favorite rookie receivers, including Jordan Tyson and Carnell Tate, along with the upside cases for Keaton Mitchell and Jonathon Brooks. JJ also explains his new Market Score metric, how he's using it in his evaluations, and highlights several late-round tight end targets for best ball drafts. If you're looking for actionable best ball insights, player evaluation, and thoughtful fantasy football analysis, this episode is packed with ideas to help you attack your drafts. Subscribe for new episodes of Best Ball Whenever every Wednesday.
On the debut episode of Best Ball Whenever, Neil Orfield is joined by Ben Gretch of Stealing Signals and formerly of Ship Chasing for a wide-ranging conversation on best ball strategy, player value, and some of the biggest questions shaping fantasy football drafts right now. Ben shares his thoughts on Bucky Irving after recent comments from Todd Bowles, where the market should value Josh Jacobs amid ongoing uncertainty, Trey McBride’s ceiling, Calvin Ridley as a potential draft value, and why Jonathon Brooks remains intriguing despite the risk. The conversation also dives into AJ Brown rumors, including the possibility of a move to New England, plus thoughts on Pat Bryant, roster construction, player archetypes, and the types of bets sharp fantasy players should be making this summer. If you enjoy thoughtful fantasy football analysis rooted in both film and data, this episode is for you. Subscribe for new live episodes every Wednesday.
