The NFL is using Giants WRs Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz, Steelers WR Antonio Brown and Packers RB Eddie Lacy and WR Randall Cobb in its new campaign touting fantasy football. The campaign -- called “Friends Don’t Small Talk, Friends Talk Fantasy” -- will run on the league’s TV partners. Spots already have started to appear on NFL Network. NFL Media developed the ads in collaboration with Grey Group, N.Y. Snickers and Ram Trucks sponsor fantasy on NFL.com; Geico sponsors the “Fantasy Live” show on NFL Network. In one 15-second commercial, Lacy and Cobb are riding stationary bikes next to each other, when Cobb, looking at his phone, says, “My sister traded you for Cam Newton.” Lacy responds incredulously, “Cam Newton?” and they awkwardly continue to exercise next to each other, as a voiceover says, “Without NFL.com fantasy football, what would friends talk about?” Another 15-second commercial features Brown at an airport, sitting next to a fan who says, “Antonio! We crushed it last week, buddy.” Brown responds, “We?,” leading to the voiceover. Once the voiceover ends, the fan awkwardly asks Brown, “You excited for the flight? You going to pop in a movie or just zone out?"
