

Fantasy Is Weird, Brian Thomas Panic, and Ashton Jeanty Is the Next Trent Richardson: RSP Film & Theory with Adam Harstad & Matt Waldman
Sep 18, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Adam Harstad, an esteemed fantasy football writer and FSWA Fantasy Writer of the Year, explores the quirky nature of fantasy football alongside Matt Waldman. They delve into the randomness that affects player performances and analyze Brian Thomas, Jr.'s perceived shortcomings. Harstad defends rookie Ashton Jeanty as a promising talent, dispelling comparisons to Trent Richardson. They also examine the intricate dynamics between NFL GMs and coaches, highlighting how their decisions impact player roles.
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Randomness Dominates Short-Term Fantasy
- Fantasy football is heavily influenced by randomness, producing bizarre short-term results.
- Analysts must distinguish signal from noise to avoid overreacting to small samples.
2011 Playoff Miracle Example
- Adam recalled a 2011 league where a low-scoring team snuck into the playoffs and then exploded in the postseason.
- Darius Heyward-Bey had an unlikely three-week run that carried that team to the title.
Film Reveals What Stats Hide
- Film and matchup context can reveal obvious factors that pure box-score data misses.
- Relying only on stats risks overlooking simple, film-based matchup advantages.