ASK THE EXPERTS appears weekly from training camp through the Super Bowl with answers to a new question being posted Thursday morning. How the guest experts responded when we asked them: Which new coaching hire intrigues you the most?
SCOTT SACHS
I was surprised that Pete Carroll was hired as Raiders head coach. Getting a consulting or advisory gig for 2025, like Mike Vrabel did with the Browns in 2024, I think would have been interesting enough. However, when you have Tom Brady as part of the ownership, and longtime contentious rival, Jim Harbaugh, in the same division, the light bulb came on in my head. Brady and Carroll are culture evangelists, and Las Vegas needs that desperately -- along with a new quarterback, too!
With 2 perfect seasons and multiple league championships to his credit, Scott Sachs runs Perfect Season Fantasy Football, featuring LIVE Talk & Text Advice. He is a 3-time winner of the Fantasy Index Experts Auction League, as well as a previous winner of the Fantasy Index Experts Poll.
JASON WOOD
Every hire fascinates me, in its own way. But if I'm choosing one it has to be Ben Johnson to the Bears given the potential fantasy implications. Johnson passed up multiple opportunities in the last two cycles but finally jumped to Chicago, which is clearly an indication he thinks Caleb Williams can be an elite quarterback. The Bears also have $100 million in cap room and a good young nucleus. But as we know, many great coordinators struggle in their roles as a head coach, so we have to watch if the Ben Johnson hype cycle creates too much inflation in the Bears players, which may make them worth avoiding. Remember how everyone viewed C.J. Stroud as a can't miss fantasy option this year and he was one of the position's biggest busts given the cost. The other reason Johnson's hire is the most interesting is because of what it may mean for the Lions, who were a bonafide fantasy cornucopia thanks in part to his play-calling.
Wood is Senior Editor at Footballguys.com and has been with the company since its start in 2000. For more than 20 years, Footballguys has provided rankings, projections, and analysis to help fantasy managers dominate their leagues.
IAN ALLAN
I am optimistic that Liam Coen will juice up Jacksonville’s offense. I really like what he did with Tampa Bay. The Bucs had ranked last in rushing two years in a row, and he helped moved them up to 4th. At the same time, he's also been really good with quarterbacks. He got 41 touchdown passes out of Baker Mayfield last year, and Coen turned Will Levis into an NFL prospect at Kentucky.
Allan co-founded Fantasy Football Index in 1987. Since that time, he’s written and edited most of the content published in the magazines, newsletters and at www.fantasyindex.com. Allan is a member of the FSGA Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame and the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame.
DAVID DOREY
Moving Ben Johnson to the Bears brings all new optimism that their offense should take another step up, maybe two, from a largely disappointing 2024 season. The first draft pick of Caleb Williams still holds promise in Johnson's system that brought Jared Goff to his career best and a No. 1 seed this last season. DJ Moore was already a stud who played well and Rome Odunze is another that should see his career reach a new level. D'Andre Swift turned in a career-best season last year (barely) and still has a few years of prime usage. Johnson also is very familiar with the rest of his division. There's elevated fantasy promise here.
Dorey co-founded The Huddle.com in 1997. He's ranked every player and projected every game for the last 26 years and is the author of Fantasy Football: The Next Level. David has appeared on numerous radio, television, newspaper and magazines over the last two decades.
KEN HOLIZNA
I am not blown away excited about any of the new coaching hires. I wish that Coach Caroll would have gone to a team that can compete in the next couple of years. The Raiders are closer to a tear-down, rebuild team than a contender. With Coach Caroll turning 74 at the start of the season. I think his talents will be wasted. He has been a good motivator and a coach that players want to win for. If the Raiders can get some good young talent he can help inspire, teach, and get the most out of young players, but for how long at his age? I don’t see this as a good fit which is a shame for a very good coach in his twilight. I can’t wait to watch him chew his gum on the sideline. In Dallas it really doesn’t matter who the Coach is as long as Jerry Jones is calling all the shots. I am a bit intrigued with the Bears hiring Ben Johnson. He is a good offensive mind with a team that is a good running back away from having all the weapons he needs, in a draft year that is loaded with running backs. I hope Coach Johnson can unlock Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze's top end potential. As a lifelong Steeler fan does anyone want Coach Tomlin, PLEASE!!!!!
Holizna is a 29-year fantasy football enthusiast and founder of Faith-Family-Fantasy Football in 2019, a family-friendly, faith-based, G-rated fantasy football platform. Rankings contributor to the 2023 Fantasy Index magazine. Find him on Twitter @holihandicapper
SAM HENDRICKS
I am intrigued by Pete Carroll going to Las Vegas. I like his style and really think a good QB will do wonders for the Raiders. Carroll can get the most from that position. Throw in minority owner GOAT Tom Brady and there is reason to be excited. Do I think the team can make a big turn around? Probably not. But their work in progress is going to be fun to watch.
Hendricks is the author of Fantasy Football Guidebook, Fantasy Football Tips and Fantasy Football Basics, all available at ExtraPointPress.com, at all major bookstores, and at Amazon and BN.com. He is a 30-year fantasy football veteran who participated in the National Fantasy Football Championship (NFFC) and finished 7th and 16th overall in the 2008 and 2009 Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC). He won the Fantasy Index Open in 2013 and 2018.
ANDY RICHARDSON
Though it hasn't officially happened, it sounds like the Saints are going with Eagles OC Kellen Moore as their head coach. This intrigues me less because of Moore himself, who's had success as an offensive coordinator but also been fairly up and down from stop to stop, but because of the Saints, who have seemingly been rudderless on offense since Sean Payton left (and were arguably drifting even in his final burnout year or two there). With Dennis Allen kind of running things, they lacked an offensive identity. Playing in a division without a real powerhouse (the last three champs, Tampa Bay, have collectively gone 27-24), there's opportunity for the team and the offense -- none of the other three defenses are particularly tough. I'm hopeful that a new head coach will put something interesting together. I don't know if Moore can do it, but at least maybe it will be a step forward from the Ghost of Sean Payton and the annual Taysom Hill gadgetry. They'll probably prove me wrong, but I think anything would be an improvement.
Richardson has been a contributing writer and editor to the Fantasy Football Index magazine and www.fantasyindex.com since 2002. His responsibilities include team defense and IDP projections and various site features, and he has run the magazine's annual experts draft and auction leagues since their inception. He writes a weekly gambling newsletter, Index Bets, during the NFL season and also previews all the games on Saturdays and writes a wrap-up column on Mondays.