Future 1.01?

Trade poll, 10 articles/videos we loved, and top 5 player insights

August 24, 2025

Yooo!

A few people reached out last week saying the polls on “favorite section” and “# of sends per week” weren’t working. Seemed to be a bug after submission, but I could still see the vote totals in the backend. Here are the results:

“What's your favorite section of the newsletter?” results:

  • Trade polls - 8.4%

  • Top player insights - 36.1%

  • Weekly risers and fallers - 52.9%

  • Articles and videos we loved - 2.5%

“How many newsletters do you want to receive per week during the season?” results:

  • 1 per week - 5.0%

  • 2 per week - 14.8%

  • 3 per week - 18.0%

  • 4 per week - 8.2%

  • 5 per week - 14.8%

  • 6 per week - 1.5%

  • 7 per week - 37.7%

Thank you to everybody who voted. I’ll finalize a plan and share more updates before the season starts.

Here’s what else I got for you tonight:

  • Trade advice poll

  • 10 articles + videos we loved this week

  • Top 5 player insights

Giddy up.

Start learning AI in 2025

Keeping up with AI is hard – we get it!

That’s why over 1M professionals read Superhuman AI to stay ahead.

  • Get daily AI news, tools, and tutorials

  • Learn new AI skills you can use at work in 3 mins a day

  • Become 10X more productive

The results from last newsletter’s trade poll are in. I asked what you thought of this trade submitted by Lyle:

Team A (Rebuilder) receives:

  • Michael Penix Jr.

  • 2026 1st (early)

  • 2027 1st (mid/late)

  • 2027 1st (late)

  • Elijah Arroyo

Team B (Contender) receives:

  • Joe Burrow

  • Tyler Allgeier

  • 2026 2nd (mid/late)

Survey says… Team A wins with 79.80% of the votes.

Here are some additional comments left by the voters from each side:

Team A voters (Rebuilder):

  • “Team A is getting ample return for Joey B. Allgeier is a throw in that only has value if Bijan gets injured for an extended stretch. And a 2nd round pick makes dude feel ok about what he gave up to get Burrow. Rebuilding guy has to make the picks count still in those drafts for them to truly have value but Penix could be a good starting point for a rebuild. ”

Team B voters (Contender):

  • “Burrow is the best player by far imo. Has win now and future value. Assuming the Burrow recipient is a qb away from contending. He/She wins.”

Fair for both sides voters:

  • “B gets Burrow to improve their team but give up a lot of draft capital. A takes the gamble that the picks work out for them and Penix was good in limited time in 2024”

Our take:

  • I think all 3 of these comments are spot on.

  • Rebuilder gets a great return on picks but has the gamble of making them count.

  • Contender gets a massive upgrade from Penix to Burrow.

  • Both teams got better, but the contender paid the iron price to try and put their team over the top. When you’re one piece away, sometimes that’s what it takes. Not every trade has to be market value.

  • Best analogy I ever saw for this was on reddit a while back. The guy basically explained: “If you walk up to my front door and ask to buy my house for market value, I’m probably telling you to kick rocks. But if you say you’re willing to pay 1.5-2x market value, now we’re at least having the conversation.” Joe Burrow is the house.

Today’s contestant…

This trade comes in from your fellow sub, Matt. Everyone say, “HI MATT.”

Team A (middle of the pack) receives:

  • Tee Higgins

  • Jonnu Smith

Team B (Rebuilder) receives:

  • Drake London

Which side got the better deal?

(Vote to see live results)

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

10 articles + videos we loved this week:

Articles:

Podcasts/Videos:

QB - LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina)

  • Lanorris Sellers demonstrated significant impact for South Carolina in 2024, accounting for 60.5% of their total offensive yards (3,208 of 5,301) and 53.2% of offensive touchdowns (25 of 47), despite the team running the ball nearly 62% of the time. As their second-leading rusher with 674 yards, he proved to be a dual-threat quarterback capable of making significant contributions to the ground game.

  • While described as raw in his quarterback skills, Sellers showcased game-changing playmaking ability, particularly evident in the Clemson game where he repeatedly avoided sacks and created explosive plays that broke down the Tigers' defense. His ability to consistently deliver big throws downfield was a recurring theme throughout the 2024 season.

  • The article positions Sellers as the most valuable draft-eligible player in college football for 2025, suggesting that South Carolina's success hinges heavily on his health and performance. Without him, the team might struggle to even make a bowl game, having to rely on either graduate senior Luke Doty or redshirt freshman Air Noland as alternatives.

RB28 - Joe Mixon (HOU)

  • Joe Mixon's performance significantly declined in the latter part of 2024, dropping to RB27 from Week 12 through Week 18 while averaging just 10 fantasy points per game. This marked a substantial decrease from his earlier season average of 17.2 PPR fantasy points per game.

  • Mixon's efficiency metrics were concerning, with Fantasy Points Data showing his 4.5% explosive run rate falling below Tank Bigsby's 4.8%, and his 13% missed forced tackle per attempt rate coming in lower than Gus Edwards' 16%.

  • Currently dealing with a foot/ankle injury with no clear timeline for return, Mixon's ADP of 70.6 (RB26) is considered too high by the article's analysis, leading to his placement on the do-not-draft list.

WR25 - Jameson Williams (DET)

  • Jameson Williams is poised for a breakout year under new OC John Morton, who brings a more aggressive deep-passing approach from his time in Denver. This is a significant shift from the previous offensive system under Ben Johnson, which ranked bottom two in deep pass percentage.

  • The offensive coordinator change is particularly significant as Morton's previous teams ranked in the top three with Russell Wilson and top 13 with rookie Bo Nix in deep passing, suggesting a perfect match for Williams' skill set.

  • The author predicts a career-best season for Williams, citing the combination of increased deep ball opportunities and potentially more red zone involvement. This evolution in offensive strategy is expected to unlock Williams' full potential after showing signs of breaking out last season.

WR66 - Pat Bryant (DEN)

  • Pat Bryant is called a big winner after the Saints traded for Devaughn Vele, as Bryant now has a clearer path to the slot role in Denver's offense.

  • The hosts have been high on Bryant since rookie drafts, citing his strong production profile and the belief that Sean Payton has a vision for using him in the slot.

  • Bryant is considered underrated and a player the hosts want to be higher on than the market, with the potential to establish himself as a primary go-to option.

TE13 - Travis Kelce (KC)

  • Travis Kelce is showing concerning signs of decline entering his age-35 season, with 2024 marking his worst statistical campaign since becoming a starter. His production dropped significantly, posting career lows of 823 receiving yards and three touchdowns, while his yards per catch fell to 8.5 and his yards after catch per reception ranked just 40th among qualifying tight ends.

  • Despite being ranked as TE6 in PPR formats according to FantasyPros ECR, Kelce's draft position at 71st overall may be too costly given his declining production. The addition of receivers like Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Marquise Brown to the Chiefs' offense suggests Kelce's target share and production could continue to decrease in 2025.

  • Patrick Mahomes has been spreading the ball around more frequently, making Kelce's weekly ceiling more unpredictable than in previous seasons. While Rice's suspension might temporarily boost Kelce's target share, it may not be enough to overcome concerns about his age-related decline, increased defensive attention, and the Chiefs' evolving offensive strategy.

That’s all for today!

See ya pizza,

Joe

P.S. Don’t forget about these free dynasty resources you have access to: