AI Summary
5 min read"Fool me five times, shame on me again." That line, from the Ringer Fantasy Football Show's live audience event, captures the essence of their annual "Burn Book" segment: a preemptive list of players who look good on paper but are most likely to betray their fantasy managers with disappointing performances. The throughline of the episode is the psychology of fantasy football heartbreak—the specific pain that comes from trusting a player who has all the surface-level credentials but carries hidden red flags that you choose to ignore. The hosts, DK and Craig, along with special guest Craig Horlbeck, spend the bulk of the show identifying the 2025 candidates most likely to ruin your season.
The Burn Book Methodology: Betrayal, Not Badness
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What you'll learn
- 1 (02:11) **Live Show Kickoff & Beach Ham Chaos** - The hosts thank the live audience, introduce the Verizon sponsorship, and immediately derail into a chaotic inside-joke about bringing a honey-baked ham to the beach.
- 2 (08:48) **The Burn Book Concept Explained** - The hosts define their annual "Burn Book" segment, a list of players who look safe on paper but are most likely to betray fantasy managers.
- 3 (10:55) **Burn Book Entry #1: The Seattle Seahawks Offense** - Craig argues the entire Seahawks offense is a trap, comparing their post-Super-Bowl coordinator loss to the 2024-25 Eagles.
- 4 (15:35) **Burn Book Entry #2: Kenneth Walker III** - DK puts Kenneth Walker in the book, despite him leaving the Seahawks for the Chiefs.
- 5 (17:46) **Burn Book Entry #3: Jalen Waddle (with Sean Payton)** - The hosts place Jalen Waddle in the book because his "least favorite fantasy player" is now paired with their "least favorite fantasy coach."
- 6 (21:14) **The Chargers as a Franchise Burn** - The hosts discuss the Chargers as a perennial heartbreak team, using the metaphor of a hangover that you forget about by Friday.
- 7 (27:10) **Burn Book Entry #4: Mike Evans (Injury Risk)** - DK argues Mike Evans is a classic Burn Book candidate because managers will ignore his obvious injury history for his name value.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Live from The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, the boys are whipping out the ol' burn book (and also some beach ham).
Reminders:
Craig's Millennial Bangers playlist is HERE!! (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1j8IPRJdQxoG2EO3Wmaszo)
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @ringerfantasyfootball. Heifetz also posts his cat a bunch on @dannyheifetz.
RANKINGS LAST UPDATED AUGUST 21: https://theringer.com/fantasy-football/2026-preseason
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Hosts: Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly, and Craig Horlbeck
Producers: Cameron Dinwiddie, Abou Kamara, Carlos Chiriboga, Nikhil Behal, and Austin Gayle
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