Berry said the on-demand nature of ESPN+ will be an advantage, especially in the preseasonESPN IMAGES
Matthew Berry's daily fantasy football show is moving this year from ESPN2 to ESPN+. The first episode of Berry’s “The Fantasy Show” was posted yesterday and has a similar look and feel on ESPN+ as it did last year. Berry says one advantage this year is that the show can run longer than the 21-minute format it had to keep on linear TV. “With ESPN+, there are no limits on time,” Berry said. “This year, if there’s a particularly big news day we can do a deep dive on that story.” Berry added the on-demand nature of ESPN+ will be an advantage, especially in the preseason when it will devote shows to each position. “It will be helpful if your draft is tomorrow; and it will remain helpful if your draft is in three weeks,” Berry said. Speaking of drafts, THE DAILY asked Berry some questions about this year’s fantasy football season.
Q: Who is the consensus top pick?
Berry: It’s either Rams RB Todd Gurley or Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell. I have Le’Veon Bell by a hair. I don’t think you can go wrong with either guy.
Q: Who will be the biggest bust in this draft?
Berry: I hate that word. Every player can be a sleeper or a bust. It just depends on what it costs you in draft capital to acquire that player for your team. Usually at the elite level, a bust is somebody that has an injury. Last year, it was Cardinals RB David Johnson, who had a fluke, freak accident with his wrist.
Q: Okay, let me re-ask that question. Who is overvalued?
Berry: There you go! Dolphins RB Kenyan Drake makes me nervous this year. I’m not convinced that Miami wants to make him their workhorse back. They brought in Frank Gore, and they have a rookie running back that I like called Kalen Ballage.
Q: Who’s undervalued?
Berry: A lot of the rookie running backs are in potentially very interesting situations. I’ll say Redskins RB Derrius Guice. I also think Packers WR Randall Cobb, if healthy, is undervalued, especially with the loss of Jordy Nelson. He still has the best quarterback in football. Somebody else who’s undervalued is Raiders WR Amari Cooper. He is going outside the top 20 at wide receiver. I know he had a tough year last year.
Q: What’s your draft day strategy?
Berry: You want running backs or wide receivers. If you have a choice, I prefer running backs because wide receivers are much deeper this year. And at the elite level, which is what you’re talking about in the first round or two, the difference between the No. 1 running back and the No. 3 running back is significantly bigger than the difference between the No. 1 wide receiver and the No. 3 wide receiver. I want to wait on quarterbacks. The position is deeper than it ever has been before.
Q: Do you have any general draft rules that you follow?
Berry: My only rule is "best player available." Let the draft come to you. I always want to be the last player in my league to draft a quarterback. But if I’m sitting there in the fifth round and Aaron Rodgers is still there? I’m drafting Aaron Rodgers!
