Video summary
James Roday Rodriguez joined the Draft Nation event in Las Vegas to celebrate his passion for fantasy football and highlight the charitable work he has been involved in for six years. He explained that he partnered with the NFBC and Greg Ambrosius to organize high-stakes charity drafts specifically benefiting Connor's Cure, a division of the V Foundation dedicated to pediatric cancer research. The event brings together celebrities and experts who compete against each other, with all proceeds from donations going directly to the foundation. Rodriguez noted that while the atmosphere is fun and filled with passionate fans, the primary goal remains raising significant funds for medical research, a mission he has maintained consistently since the initiative began around 2014.
The conversation also touched upon Rodriguez's personal life and creative projects, including his recent work on the horror film *Rule of Three*, which is currently in post-production with hopes of festival distribution. A significant portion of the interview was dedicated to his enduring friendship with co-star Dulé Hill and their shared love for the Tennessee Titans. Rodriguez humorously recounted early days on the set of *Psych* when they were both die-hard fans, contrasting his lifelong loyalty to the team with Hill's more casual interest as a former 49ers fan. He recalled a specific bet between them regarding the Titans versus 49ers rivalry that resulted in him wearing a 49ers jersey after losing, joking that Hill's fair-weather fandom only added salt to the wound given Rodriguez's intense dedication to the blue and gold.
In the final segment, Rodriguez participated in a mock draft using a half-PPR format with a 12-man roster, where he selected Jahmyr Gibbs early on. The host presented him with a unique strategic challenge: instead of drafting standard players, he could select Brandon Aubrey, the kicker for the Dallas Cowboys, to gain a massive advantage at that position. This option was inspired by fellow fantasy expert Michael Fabiano, who often suggests taking top-tier kickers to secure stability in that category. Rodriguez accepted the offer, reasoning that while most managers avoid kickers unless they are handcuffed to an injured running back, securing a top-five kicker early provides a distinct competitive edge and ensures stability for the rest of the season.
Read the full video transcript
Folks, we are joined by James Roday,
famous actor, star of Psych, well-known
for that, also working on a couple of
other projects, and he's here in Las
Vegas for the Draft Nation event that we
have going on. What's been your
experience so far being here in Vegas?
>> It's been great, man. Vegas is always
fun. Stadium Swim is a large It's
There's a lot of pool space for men to
dip themselves
>> Ooh.
>> um together. And
no, it's it's fun that a bunch of people
that are passionate about this silly
game can come together and and celebrate
it.
>> I'm glad that you're a part of this
fantasy football league. So, you came
out here to draft, and it was for a good
cause as well. I'd love to hear that.
>> Yeah, so 6 years ago, I teamed up with
the NFBC and Greg Ambrosius to start
doing high-stakes drafts for charity,
specifically the V Foundation, um
and within the V Foundation, an
organization called Connor's Cure, where
every penny we raise goes to pediatric
cancer research.
So, we get celebrities and, you know,
fantasy football experts, and we kind of
we spread us out into multiple leagues
playing against the sharks,
and if we win, everything goes to the V
Foundation, and in order to play with
us, everyone has to make a donation to
the V Foundation, and
yeah, we're going into our
I think this is our sixth year, and
we've raised a decent little chunk of
change, so
>> That's wonderful. Yeah, Connor's Cure,
that was the
It was like the WWE back in uh 2014, I
think, is when when it started.
>> I tagged in The Miz. He's been with us
since the very beginning, cuz
Connor Cure's got a place in his in his
heart as well, so
>> Yeah, yeah, for sure. And then someone
that's tied with fantasy football and
WWE is Michael Fabiano.
>> Fabs is here.
>> I mean, what's the connection there? I
mean, he he just knows everybody at this
point.
>> Yeah, The Miz is actually the
connection. He's the one that introduced
the two of us.
>> Oh, awesome.
>> And and he was immediately like raised
his hand. He was like, how can I help?
So, he's been doing these for 4 or 5
years now as well.
>> Well, that's great. Well, hey, um what
other uh project I know we were talking
off camera, you were talking about uh
writing a horror movie. Are you able to
promote that or
>> Yeah, uh made a horror movie earlier
this year called Rule of Three.
Uh it's in post now.
We're pretty darn excited about it and
um
Yeah, we'll be taking the uh the usual
independent film route of, you know,
hopefully getting into a splashy
festival and
getting some buzz and selling it and
then uh sometime next year we can all go
enjoy it at a at a theater.
>> Well, definitely I would love to check
it out and I I mean, you're going to buy
a new moniker, I guess. Is Rodriguez
you're bringing that back?
>> Rodriguez my my birth name. It's been
with me for my whole life. Uh but yeah,
uh during COVID I think is is when I
sort of reclaimed and uh
Yeah, it was just a time for I think a
lot of people we were
holed up and it's a good time to reflect
and look inwards and talk to my dad a
lot and it just felt like it was
it was time to to bring it back.
>> Yeah, moving on to new ventures.
Obviously, you had a lot of success with
Psych and uh you're still really good
friends with Dulé Hill, I assume. Um do
you guys we're here at a NFL event uh
whether it be on the set of Psych or
with Dulé NFL, is that like a topic that
you guys talk about, connect with?
>> Dulé is like a [ __ ] fair-weather
49ers fan.
Um so I give him I give him a lot of
crap cuz he doesn't even really watch
the games. Uh
but yeah, early in the early Psych years
uh there was a lot of Titans versus
49ers fanfare going.
Sadly, the one time we made a bet uh I
lost and had to wear a 49ers jersey.
>> Mhm.
>> And the fact that he's, you know, a
fair-weather fan at best is just salt in
the wound, you know? Cuz I'm die-hard,
you know? I bleed blue and have my whole
life.
>> So so Titans are your team?
>> Titans are my team. The Oilers were my
team before that.
>> Well, hey, I want to hear your hottest
NFL take that you have. I know that you
just did the draft, so it could be about
a player that you think is going to take
off that a lot of people are sleeping
on. Maybe it's about the Titans, Cam
Ward, maybe takes a step up. What's your
hottest take?
>> My hopeful hot take is that Cam Ward
uh
takes a big step this season and uh
we're competitive in the AFC South.
>> Hey, love it. Short and sweet. Well,
hey, one more thing that I got for you
and we've been doing this with everybody
that's been sitting down for an
interview with us is uh we are doing a
mock draft and we are doing uh half PPR
12-man team.
>> Okay.
>> And we're having everybody choose an
individual person in uh each round. All
right? So, we're drafting from the 101,
which you
>> did.
>> Just did, so you're familiar with that.
However, you took Jahmyr Gibbs.
>> I did take Jahmyr Gibbs.
>> Austin Ekeler was here uh earlier and he
actually took Christian McCaffrey. So,
that was a little bit of a curveball.
>> Well, I think I think we all know where
Austin lives in the fantasy football uh
tiers of players. If he's If he's
rocking Christian with the 1 1 overall.
But, you know what? It's tough for those
guys cuz they're part of a brotherhood.
>> Yeah, they were they were in the same
draft class, so it's yeah.
>> Yeah, I get it. I get it. You're not
going to win a league that way, but but
it's fraternity.
>> Hey, well, maybe you can uh
help out with this uh roster right here.
So, this is the team that we have so
far. So, we've got our quarterback, we
got the tight ends.
>> You know, we got the Purdy-McCaffrey
stack.
>> Yeah, so the way that the uh the draft
went is actually right here. So, we went
hero RB, I guess is the the uh strategy
right there.
>> Which is how you end up with JK Dobbins,
yeah.
>> Exactly, yeah. So, JK Dobbins right
there, then Ramondre back-to-back.
Uh you know, De'Von Achane is being
reached nowadays.
>> turning some heads. He's turning some
heads.
>> But, we got the stack with Brock Purdy.
And so now at the 1012.
>> 1012 spot.
>> Yeah, so you can go through the players
and all the positions.
>> So yeah, we're basically looking for uh
players that might not have
>> opportunity now
>> but over the course of the season
because of injury or because they play
really well um they might end up being a
thing on your bench.
>> There's Zach Charbonnet and he might be
coming back from an injury. Chris
Rodriguez is kind of like in a time
share.
>> I'm worried about Charbonnet.
>> Mhm.
>> Um
I know this is going to be
controversial.
>> Please, we love controversy.
>> But
how would you feel about taking
Brandon Aubrey and giving yourself
a really really really heavy advantage
at one position?
>> This guy is born from the Michael
Fabiano tree.
>> Yeah.
>> Like he is he actually came on here and
was like, "You can get a top five tight
end a top 15 wide receiver, a top 20
running back at the kicker position if
you take Brandon Aubrey or Ka'imi
Fairbairn or whoever."
>> I'm looking at the options here and
you're basically it's it's take a guy
that you're not going to use
uh unless somebody gets hurt. It's
handcuff somebody. It's take a depth
piece or it's take a guy who could win
you a league from the kicker spot.
>> I love it. I love the stability at
kicker. So yeah, if you want to go ahead
and take him. Do you see him? Right
here.
Hit draft. Lock it in.
>> Congratulations, you have a kicker.
>> Oh, thank you. Yeah, the best roster
yet. Hey James, best of luck in the
future. Thank you so much for coming.
>> Dude, my pleasure, guys.