Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Trouble In New England. Who Will Benefit?
The New England Patriots have had a deadly 1-2 punch combo at the tight end position for the past few seasons. As this off-season progresses, the pair of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez is likely to be no more. Seeing how Gronk has had FIVE surgeries this past off season, four of which have been on his forearm and the other on his back. Gronk is unlikely to play the first few weeks of the season. Keep in mind that he is still 100 percent draft eligible and should not be overlooked, ever. Hernandez is a different story. The guy was arrested this morning and was charged with murder as well as five gun-related charges. I am no lawyer but that doesn't sound good for Hernandez. I still don't understand how a professional athlete with a fiancee and an 8 month-old baby could still be committing such ridiculous crimes, but that is besides the point. The question that is to be asked in terms of fantasy is who will benefit from these off-season events?
My professional and expert opinion is that Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and Shane Vereen will get more touches throughout the season. New England is very capable of giving anyone on their team great numbers as long as they have Tom Brady at quarterback. Julian Edelman has great speed and will be effective in the slot. Amendola has had trouble with injuries in the past but when healthy he is deadly on long routes. New England's backfield is tricky with a number of running backs getting touches. Steven Ridley was the main back for their run game but Vereen proved to be effective in the passing game. Vereen and Amendola could be considered sleepers.
Talk Trash At Your Own Risk
Talking trash or smack as Yahoo likes to call it is a risky business in fantasy. I only talk trash to someone I have a grudge against or someone who talks down to my guys. Never disrespect CJ Spiller when he was my sleeper. CJ is a stud. That brings me to my main point, what not to say when talking trash. Its important to know what not to say because you never know what is going to happen.
NEVER:
- ... Ever base your trash talk off of the projected points. Projections do not really mean much, so know the players you have and the other team has.
- ... Ever talk trash if you auto-drafted your team. If you do than you're just a bad bad person. On the other hand, if the team you're playing auto-drafted, talk trash as much as you possibly can.
- ... Ever be afraid of posting a league wide message of a beat down you put on a sorry opposing owner. Even if you had a huge week with one player or your whole team went off, express your emotions. Which brings me to my next point...
- ... Ever bottle up your emotions. Let go all of your joy, anger, misery, and satisfaction. Your guys can have you really all over the place so it is healthiest to just let it all out
- ... Ever watch with the other owner in person. Fantasy football is supposed to bring people together, not create violence. Which brings me to my next point...
- ... Ever be unprepared for a fight. Whether it be a physical, verbal or mental fight, always be on point. Your name and fantasy reputation is at stake.
Take these bullet points, write them down on a piece of paper and put it on your fridge. Maybe your bathroom mirror will work or even on the ceiling above your bed. Get this in your head and live by these bullet points. At no point while writing this blog was I joking or smiling, this is a serious reality you should live in.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
To Start Or To Sit, That Is The Question.
There is more to fantasy football than just drafting a team. Managing a team is a grind that lasts the whole season. There are responsibilities like waiver wire pickups, trades, smack talk and deciding which guys to start. Deciding which guys to start is a very important skill to have as a fantasy owner. There are a few questions an owner must ask before deciding to bench a starter or start a bench player:
- Make sure the guy is playing that week. Trust this advice, I have started someone off my bench because he had a good match up and he ended up getting hurt in practice.
- Decide which player has a truly better match up. If the team your player is going against has truly bad defense against the run, than start that player. No matter what, start that player. Any mediocre running back can have a good game against the bottom five run defenses in the league. The same goes for pretty much any position but for running backs most of all.
- Make sure your player is going to get the most touches on his team. Nothing is more aggravating than seeing your guy loses touches to some random guy.
- If the team your guy plays for has a horrible defense and your guy is a running back, sit that guy. His team will only try to pass in order to play catch up. But, if your guy is a wide receiver or quarterback, start that guy. Carson Palmer and Dwayne Bowe both crushed garbage time points when their teams were getting blown out.
- Never sit a guy because he projected less points than another guy. Projections do not amount to jack squat.
- Last but not least, go with your gut. Do NOT think too much about your guys. Whatever decision you make first, go with that choice.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
The Game Changes When You Have Your Guys
This post is from the Wikipedia fantasy football page. The excerpt below is from the Effect on Spectatorship, where the author of the article explains the effect owning a fantasy football team has on watching a football:
I thought this paragraph hit the right points of how an owner will root for specific things to happen. However, I thought the phrasing was not helpful for the reader to properly understand what an owner cheers for each game. I thought a specific example of a what an owner wants to happen in a game for their player would be more helpful. Here are the changes I made:
The owner of a fantasy team will suddenly be intrigued in seemingly random games. I am from New York and I am a Giants fan. Last year I had Percy Harvin and Doug Martin on my team. So when the Bucs and the Vikings played last year, I was very into the game. I wanted the Bucs to score quickly and get well ahead of the Vikings. This would give Doug Martin plenty of opportunity to rush for serious yards and possibly to score. At the same time, the Vikings would make an attempt to get back into the game. The fastest way to do that is by passing. Percy Harvin was their number one receiver. This is just one example of the effect having a fantasy team has on viewing any football game. The Bucs did score a lot of points in that game. Martin had a great game but the Vikings were unable to get Harvin the ball. Unfortunately, I had benched Martin that week, which brings me to my next point.
If you are truly a spiteful fantasy owner like myself, then you hope players you benched have a very poor performance. I never hope a player I trade or bench gets injured. But, if it's an injury that slows the player down or prevents him from playing in the game, it's not a bad thing to be happy about. I say this because there is a great disappointment if a benched player does very well. It could be the deciding factor between a win and a loss. This same way of cheering for a players demise goes for the opposing fantasy owners' players.
A fantasy owner might have the quarterback from one team and the running back from the opposing team on his roster, and end up hoping both teams score frequently. However, he will only cheer passing scores from the first team and running scores from the second. As another example, if a team is up by many touchdowns, the "owner" of a running back on the losing team may be upset since the losing team will prefer passing instead of rushing for the score. Finally, a fantasy owner may wish to see an opposing team tie or take the lead in the final minutes of a game, thus giving the ball back to his player with one last chance to drive and score.
I thought this paragraph hit the right points of how an owner will root for specific things to happen. However, I thought the phrasing was not helpful for the reader to properly understand what an owner cheers for each game. I thought a specific example of a what an owner wants to happen in a game for their player would be more helpful. Here are the changes I made:
The way a fantasy owner watches a game is greatly affected if a player on their team is playing. An owner will root for specific things to happen in order for their player(s) to score points. For example, someone who has a running back will root for a goal line situation or for the team the running back plays for to be up by a significant amount of points. If the running back's team is on the goal line, then a running play is more likely to be called. If the running back's team is up by a significant amount of points, his team will call more running plays in order to run out the clock. The more running plays called, the more points for that running back. Different scenarios will provide certain players an opportunity to score points for fantasy owners
The owner of a fantasy team will suddenly be intrigued in seemingly random games. I am from New York and I am a Giants fan. Last year I had Percy Harvin and Doug Martin on my team. So when the Bucs and the Vikings played last year, I was very into the game. I wanted the Bucs to score quickly and get well ahead of the Vikings. This would give Doug Martin plenty of opportunity to rush for serious yards and possibly to score. At the same time, the Vikings would make an attempt to get back into the game. The fastest way to do that is by passing. Percy Harvin was their number one receiver. This is just one example of the effect having a fantasy team has on viewing any football game. The Bucs did score a lot of points in that game. Martin had a great game but the Vikings were unable to get Harvin the ball. Unfortunately, I had benched Martin that week, which brings me to my next point.
If you are truly a spiteful fantasy owner like myself, then you hope players you benched have a very poor performance. I never hope a player I trade or bench gets injured. But, if it's an injury that slows the player down or prevents him from playing in the game, it's not a bad thing to be happy about. I say this because there is a great disappointment if a benched player does very well. It could be the deciding factor between a win and a loss. This same way of cheering for a players demise goes for the opposing fantasy owners' players.
New Guy in Town: A Rookie Worth Drafting
Drafting a rookie is risky. Last year was an immaculate collection of rookies. Trent Richardson was a fantasy threat when he wasn't injured. Trent was the main threat on a not talented offense in Cleveland. Packer's rookie back Eddie Lacy is a great option to draft, especially in later rounds.
The thing I love about Lacy is his size and aggressive running style. The thing that makes me salivate about Lacy's sneaky potential is the goal line touchdown possibilities. The Packer's have one of the best offenses in the league. Aaron Rodgers kills it every game and will no doubt have the offense on the goal line multiple times a week. Lacy is 230 pounds, giving him an advantage especially with the coaching staff giving him the nod in goal line situations.
Cedric Benson was the Packer's main running back last year and did very well despite the pass heavy offense headed by Rodgers. The Packer's tried to emphasize more running in their offense to add some variety. If Lacy earns a starting job he will get a solid number of carries. This is not a lock because Johnathan Franklin was also drafted by the Packers. I feel confident the Packers will give the carries to Lacy because of his size and performance in college. Since Lacy is a rookie, I would wait until the later rounds, maybe after the 6th or 7th round. He would be a great player to have on the bench and maybe even in the flex slot. I don't always draft rookies, but when I do, I prefer savages. Eddie Lacy is a savage. And yes I really just did a play on the Dos Equis commercial. Deal with it.
The thing I love about Lacy is his size and aggressive running style. The thing that makes me salivate about Lacy's sneaky potential is the goal line touchdown possibilities. The Packer's have one of the best offenses in the league. Aaron Rodgers kills it every game and will no doubt have the offense on the goal line multiple times a week. Lacy is 230 pounds, giving him an advantage especially with the coaching staff giving him the nod in goal line situations.
Cedric Benson was the Packer's main running back last year and did very well despite the pass heavy offense headed by Rodgers. The Packer's tried to emphasize more running in their offense to add some variety. If Lacy earns a starting job he will get a solid number of carries. This is not a lock because Johnathan Franklin was also drafted by the Packers. I feel confident the Packers will give the carries to Lacy because of his size and performance in college. Since Lacy is a rookie, I would wait until the later rounds, maybe after the 6th or 7th round. He would be a great player to have on the bench and maybe even in the flex slot. I don't always draft rookies, but when I do, I prefer savages. Eddie Lacy is a savage. And yes I really just did a play on the Dos Equis commercial. Deal with it.
Hate this Guy, Love that Guy
My posts have been all over the place recently, so I am going to slow down the pace a little bit. I am going to bash a player I don't particularly think has any significant value for this year. Then I am going to praise a guy that is not a huge name and at the same time is not a sleeper. Having these two types of players in mind is huge for the draft and the rest of your season. I am going to bash a player first. For one reason and one reason only, I love bashing guys I hate. I know that it is irrational for someone to hate a player because his fantasy value is misleading or sub-par.
The player that I am going to bash for this year is Joe Flacco. Look, I get it, he is the reigning Super Bowl MVP. The thing about that is it does not translate to fantasy at all. All that matters is the first 16 or 17 weeks, anything after that is not important when it comes to fantasy. Let me compare Flacco's 2012 season to another player. Josh Freeman had more points last year... let that sink in. Josh Freeman had more points than Joe Flacco during the regular season. Flacco is inconsistent from week to week and does not have a notable receiving core. An elite fantasy quarterback will put up points no matter who he is throwing too. Flacco just is not that guy. With the subtraction of Boldin, I just can't believe Flacco will do much.
An under the radar player that is a great draft pick that won't stand out on your roster is Dwayne Bowe. He has been the best wide out in Kansas City for some time. The upgrade of Alex Smith at quarter back will greatly benefit Bowe owners. Andy Reid is known to use his running backs and get great value out of them. This will open up the passing game for Bowe because he is by far the best and most targeted receiver. Plus even if Kansas City has a bad defense they will provide a surplus of garbage time fantasy points.
If there is any message I want to get across it is do NOT draft Flacco before the 5th round and try to get Bowe after the 5th. Roll the dice for under the radar studs like Bowe.
The player that I am going to bash for this year is Joe Flacco. Look, I get it, he is the reigning Super Bowl MVP. The thing about that is it does not translate to fantasy at all. All that matters is the first 16 or 17 weeks, anything after that is not important when it comes to fantasy. Let me compare Flacco's 2012 season to another player. Josh Freeman had more points last year... let that sink in. Josh Freeman had more points than Joe Flacco during the regular season. Flacco is inconsistent from week to week and does not have a notable receiving core. An elite fantasy quarterback will put up points no matter who he is throwing too. Flacco just is not that guy. With the subtraction of Boldin, I just can't believe Flacco will do much.
An under the radar player that is a great draft pick that won't stand out on your roster is Dwayne Bowe. He has been the best wide out in Kansas City for some time. The upgrade of Alex Smith at quarter back will greatly benefit Bowe owners. Andy Reid is known to use his running backs and get great value out of them. This will open up the passing game for Bowe because he is by far the best and most targeted receiver. Plus even if Kansas City has a bad defense they will provide a surplus of garbage time fantasy points.
If there is any message I want to get across it is do NOT draft Flacco before the 5th round and try to get Bowe after the 5th. Roll the dice for under the radar studs like Bowe.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Trading Guys: A Mess or A Thing of Beauty
Trading is a huge part of owning a fantasy team. During the fantasy season, 90 percent of my phone calls are fantasy related. In no way is that depressing. If I am calling you and you're in my league, there is a 97 percent chance fantasy will be brought up. I love talking trades, even if I know the person I am talking too won't make a trade. I made two trades for my championship winning team last year and looking at them on paper is just plain sexy.
My first trade was Alfred Morris for Rob Gronkowski. I am trading Morris in this situation and getting Gronk. A background story is needed because on paper this deal looks like assault with a deadly weapon. The team I traded with had Jimmy Graham as well and had Willis McGahee and Jaquizz Rodgers as his running backs. Those running backs were backed up by Danny Woodhead and Rashard Mendenhall. It's safe to say that this kids team was hurting for some running backs. I had just what he needed and he wanted just what I was willing to give away. Alfred Morris was my BACKUP running back, I already had Lynch and Martin going HAM. My flex position was weak at the time. This was before my Kaepernick waiver wire pickup. Basically this deal worked out because I had an expendable piece on my team that was extremely valuable to another team. Whenever you have something in demand for another team, it is wise to talk shop with that team. This happens mostly with injuries, I offered that trade when McGahee blew out his knee. Gronk got injured a few weeks after this trade was made but I was lucky enough to pick up Kap.
When approaching someone to make a trade NEVER make the first offer, just let the other owner (owner sounds better then manager or kid) what player you have that he/she needs. Im going with he from now on. If you're a girl, sorry but it's more realistic, it's nothing personal. When he asks what player I want, I ask what he is willing to give away. The owner will try to low ball you or downplay what he is willing to give up. This is when I play hard to get. It works on 16 year old girls and their feelings just as much as it does with 22 year old guys with their fantasy teams. ALWAYS squeeze as much as you can without insulting the other team's owner. An inevitable question the other owner might ask, is why I am willing to trade the player I am offering away. This is tricky, remember knowing the intelligence of the owner is important. If you offer Antonio Gates for Rodgers, the guy will be pissed that you think he's a scrub. Tell the other owner the truth, people can sense bullshit for the most part.
The key is not to highlight why you want his players or even to make a trade in the first place. Which brings me to the second trade that I made last year. I traded Dwayne Bowe for Marcel Reese. The owner I traded with desperately needed a WR and Dwayne was having a hot start to mediocre middle type of season so his numbers were decieving. One thing about a guy like Dwayne is the target pitch. I pitched that Dwayne gets targeted among the best WR's in the game and it didn't matter Matt Cassel was throwing to him. The other team's owner agreed and did not see the value in Marcel Reese because his rushing numbers were alright and McFadden seemed as if he were coming back from his ankle injury. The thing that attracted me to Marcel the most were his receiving abilities and the dump pass crazy offense the Raiders used. Having seen what Marcel was capable of in the open field with some blockers, his fantasy value was hard to miss. It's important to speak on what you want the owner to hear and to be silent on what you want him to miss.
My first trade was Alfred Morris for Rob Gronkowski. I am trading Morris in this situation and getting Gronk. A background story is needed because on paper this deal looks like assault with a deadly weapon. The team I traded with had Jimmy Graham as well and had Willis McGahee and Jaquizz Rodgers as his running backs. Those running backs were backed up by Danny Woodhead and Rashard Mendenhall. It's safe to say that this kids team was hurting for some running backs. I had just what he needed and he wanted just what I was willing to give away. Alfred Morris was my BACKUP running back, I already had Lynch and Martin going HAM. My flex position was weak at the time. This was before my Kaepernick waiver wire pickup. Basically this deal worked out because I had an expendable piece on my team that was extremely valuable to another team. Whenever you have something in demand for another team, it is wise to talk shop with that team. This happens mostly with injuries, I offered that trade when McGahee blew out his knee. Gronk got injured a few weeks after this trade was made but I was lucky enough to pick up Kap.
When approaching someone to make a trade NEVER make the first offer, just let the other owner (owner sounds better then manager or kid) what player you have that he/she needs. Im going with he from now on. If you're a girl, sorry but it's more realistic, it's nothing personal. When he asks what player I want, I ask what he is willing to give away. The owner will try to low ball you or downplay what he is willing to give up. This is when I play hard to get. It works on 16 year old girls and their feelings just as much as it does with 22 year old guys with their fantasy teams. ALWAYS squeeze as much as you can without insulting the other team's owner. An inevitable question the other owner might ask, is why I am willing to trade the player I am offering away. This is tricky, remember knowing the intelligence of the owner is important. If you offer Antonio Gates for Rodgers, the guy will be pissed that you think he's a scrub. Tell the other owner the truth, people can sense bullshit for the most part.
The key is not to highlight why you want his players or even to make a trade in the first place. Which brings me to the second trade that I made last year. I traded Dwayne Bowe for Marcel Reese. The owner I traded with desperately needed a WR and Dwayne was having a hot start to mediocre middle type of season so his numbers were decieving. One thing about a guy like Dwayne is the target pitch. I pitched that Dwayne gets targeted among the best WR's in the game and it didn't matter Matt Cassel was throwing to him. The other team's owner agreed and did not see the value in Marcel Reese because his rushing numbers were alright and McFadden seemed as if he were coming back from his ankle injury. The thing that attracted me to Marcel the most were his receiving abilities and the dump pass crazy offense the Raiders used. Having seen what Marcel was capable of in the open field with some blockers, his fantasy value was hard to miss. It's important to speak on what you want the owner to hear and to be silent on what you want him to miss.
Which Website is Better for Fantasy: Espn or Yahoo!?
The two real juggernauts for fantasy sports are ESPN and Yahoo!. I have only had a fantasy basketball team for ESPN and did not like the format and how the match ups were displayed. For my personal needs, I want clear visual stats and what players are in what positions. For example, Yahoo! (ok that's the last time I'm gonna use an exclamation mark, I feel like Elaine right now). As I was saying Yahoo (see what I did there) has a clear and organized way of displaying your team players and there stats for each week and the season. I have heard mainly negative things about ESPN's fantasy football setup.
I have asked maybe 8 people and 7 of them said it was MUCH worse than Yahoo. The complaints against ESPN is the layout of stats and how the head to head match ups are presented. This might come as a shock because if you had to choose which website for fantasy might be more user friendly and popular among participants, most unknowingly would choose ESPN. I asked several of my "colleagues" what website they would choose and all (five) of them chose Yahoo and it was not even a question, Yahoo was the easy winner. I only asked people I trust and know that they are fantasy experts. The ESPN site was said to be messy and unflattering. That's actually the word my friend used to describe ESPN's fantasy football. When this happens, you know that ESPN just is missing something. Whatever that something is, Yahoo definitely has. If you're new to the fantasy world, I strongly recommend Yahoo.
I have asked maybe 8 people and 7 of them said it was MUCH worse than Yahoo. The complaints against ESPN is the layout of stats and how the head to head match ups are presented. This might come as a shock because if you had to choose which website for fantasy might be more user friendly and popular among participants, most unknowingly would choose ESPN. I asked several of my "colleagues" what website they would choose and all (five) of them chose Yahoo and it was not even a question, Yahoo was the easy winner. I only asked people I trust and know that they are fantasy experts. The ESPN site was said to be messy and unflattering. That's actually the word my friend used to describe ESPN's fantasy football. When this happens, you know that ESPN just is missing something. Whatever that something is, Yahoo definitely has. If you're new to the fantasy world, I strongly recommend Yahoo.
Tight Ends are a Diamond in the Rough
A good guy is hard to come by, especially when it's time to draft a tight end. A great tight end is arguably the hardest reliable player to draft in fantasy football. There are four elite tight ends in football. Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, Jimmy Graham and Jason Witten are the four tight ends worth drafting in the first five rounds. Tony Gonzalez is an exception because he can be looked over as he was last year and produced the most points for a tight end last year (tied with Jimmy Graham). Hernandez and Gronk will have interesting years this year due to Gronks impressive four off-season surgeries. Hernandez will most likely have more targets if Gronk will not recover in time, but Gronk's upside is too much to ignore.
Especially since Adrian Peterson was overlooked and single handily carried teams in any fantasy league. Jason Witten might not score an attractive amount of touchdowns on a consistent basis like Gronk but Witten will have yards on yards week in and week out. I am a Romo hater so listen to these next few sentences knowing I completely hold a grudge against Romo and the Cowboys. Tony Romo sucks. He can turn it on at the end of the game after he already had turned the ball over 4 maybe even 5 times and the Cowboys are down by three touchdowns. The point I am trying to make is Romo loves him some Jason Witten. Romo targets Witten the most of any Dallas wideout each game and some of the most in the league. Jimmy Graham is an awesome draft pick post second round. Hes athletic and a beast in the open field. Brees is an elite quarterback and has many targets to a large array of players every week but chances are Graham will be a target and six points is very very likely.
Especially since Adrian Peterson was overlooked and single handily carried teams in any fantasy league. Jason Witten might not score an attractive amount of touchdowns on a consistent basis like Gronk but Witten will have yards on yards week in and week out. I am a Romo hater so listen to these next few sentences knowing I completely hold a grudge against Romo and the Cowboys. Tony Romo sucks. He can turn it on at the end of the game after he already had turned the ball over 4 maybe even 5 times and the Cowboys are down by three touchdowns. The point I am trying to make is Romo loves him some Jason Witten. Romo targets Witten the most of any Dallas wideout each game and some of the most in the league. Jimmy Graham is an awesome draft pick post second round. Hes athletic and a beast in the open field. Brees is an elite quarterback and has many targets to a large array of players every week but chances are Graham will be a target and six points is very very likely.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
My History With Guys and Draft Layout
To make my blog and my arguments valid, I believe I should tell the history of my fantasy life. I started to play fantasy football in August of 2011. My first draft was a horrible and embarrassing display of being an amateur. I picked the Jets defense 6th round and Ladanian Tomlinson the round before. I was unprepared for this live draft and had ZERO idea of what was a good pick and what type of player should be drafted each round. To make something clear, picking a defense before the 13th round is borderline psychotic and Ladanian Tomlinson was a washed up rag doll who played for the Jets. I mentioned he played for the Jets because 98 percent of Jets players suck for fantasy sports.There is no other way to put it. The year after was a better year, because I got all the way to the championship in one league and won the championship in the other. Last year was a good year for me, my success was a direct result of my pre-draft research. I followed an outline I had set up before the draft. It went something like this:
1st round- RB/QB
2nd round- RB
3rd round- TE
Lets talk about these three rounds. These three guys are the most important guys in your life, you will always remember them for the rest of the season. If its a mid to late first-round pick and most of the main RB's have been taken (Foster, Rice, McCoy last year and Peterson, Foster, Martin for this year) Pick an elite QB. Elite QB's are Brady, Rodgers, and Brees. I'm not saying they are the only elite QB's in the league or the only elite fantasy quarterbacks, they are three guys that week in and week out will give a solid performance. Rodgers struggled with points at times last season, but that was due to injury, a bigger emphasis on the running game which the Packers will (hopefully) not do again, and a spotty offensive line. The second round is a must for RB, there really is no excuse not to draft a RB, unless you have a magical sleeper that no one will pick in the later rounds. Banking on sleepers is dangerous, so tread carefully when dealing with guys that are unknown to the fantasy world.
So far we have drafted an elite RB/QB, an RB who would be available in the second round and still be crucial to your team a la Marshawn Lynch or Frank Gore. The third round pick should be for an elite tight end. A Gronkowski pick in the third round would be HUGE for your team. Gronk is a must have guy. The tight end position is overlooked, especially in early rounds. So its best to get the best from an already thin position. Aaron Hernandez and Jimmy Graham are also hot picks for the third round.
Since the WR position is so deep that in the NFL, the way the rules and offenses have trended, a new stud can flourish out of a team any given week. Which can be a gift such as Danario Alexander last year or a curse like Greg Little who was a wild card from week to week. For the next three rounds (4,5,6) I would put all my eggs in the WR basket. Look for guys who are the number one target for QBs to throw too and ones that have a solid QB throwing to them. Greg Jennings on Minnesota is not going to be as effective as lets say James Jones or Jordy Nelson on Green Bay. So Jennings has Christian Ponder throwing to him and Nelson and Jones have Aaron Rodgers throwing to them. If you don't know that Christian Ponder is a Kia of NFL quarterbacks while Rodgers is a Cadillac, then you need to get your head out of your ass before you keep reading.
My championship draft order was skewed a little because of the scoring settings in the 12 team roster. The flex position was TE/QB/WR/RB so I picked my wide receivers from rounds 3 to 5. I had the 8th pick in the first round, so I went with the elite QB route:
1. (8)Tom Brady (NE - QB)
2. (17) Marshawn Lynch (Sea - RB)
3. (32) Roddy White (Atl - WR)
4. (41)Percy Harvin (Sea - WR)
5.(56)Doug Martin (TB - RB)
6.(65)Dwayne Bowe (KC - WR)
7.(80)Donald Brown (Ind - RB)
8.(89)Tony Gonzalez (Atl - TE)
9.(104)Isaac Redman (Pit - RB)
10.(113)Baltimore (Bal - DEF)
11.(128)Santana Moss (Was - WR)
12.(137)Martellus Bennett (Chi - TE)
13.(152)Dan Bailey (Dal - K)
14.(161)Eric Weddle (SD - S)
15.(176)Danny Amendola (NE - WR)
16.(185)Russell Wilson (Sea - QB)
Note the second pick as a solid and reliable RB in Lynch. Hes solid and reliable because of his roll in the Seahawks offense and because hes a beast. Doug Martin was a great fifth round pick, no one was entirely sure what he could do as the number one option in Tampa Bay but he killed it. I was lucky to have picked Tony Gonzalez in the 8th round that wont happen again but he had a great year and Atlanta is a hot bed of WR talent, which makes Matt Ryan has great pick as well. The two picks that are not in stand out rounds and come semi-under the radar are Dwayne Bowe and Danny Amendola. Both number one in terms of targets on their respective teams last year. Because their QBs were decent and not especially talented, they would look for WRs they trusted the most. In upcoming blogs, new value will be discussed after the many transactions that have occurred throughout this past off-season.
1st round- RB/QB
2nd round- RB
3rd round- TE
Lets talk about these three rounds. These three guys are the most important guys in your life, you will always remember them for the rest of the season. If its a mid to late first-round pick and most of the main RB's have been taken (Foster, Rice, McCoy last year and Peterson, Foster, Martin for this year) Pick an elite QB. Elite QB's are Brady, Rodgers, and Brees. I'm not saying they are the only elite QB's in the league or the only elite fantasy quarterbacks, they are three guys that week in and week out will give a solid performance. Rodgers struggled with points at times last season, but that was due to injury, a bigger emphasis on the running game which the Packers will (hopefully) not do again, and a spotty offensive line. The second round is a must for RB, there really is no excuse not to draft a RB, unless you have a magical sleeper that no one will pick in the later rounds. Banking on sleepers is dangerous, so tread carefully when dealing with guys that are unknown to the fantasy world.
So far we have drafted an elite RB/QB, an RB who would be available in the second round and still be crucial to your team a la Marshawn Lynch or Frank Gore. The third round pick should be for an elite tight end. A Gronkowski pick in the third round would be HUGE for your team. Gronk is a must have guy. The tight end position is overlooked, especially in early rounds. So its best to get the best from an already thin position. Aaron Hernandez and Jimmy Graham are also hot picks for the third round.
Since the WR position is so deep that in the NFL, the way the rules and offenses have trended, a new stud can flourish out of a team any given week. Which can be a gift such as Danario Alexander last year or a curse like Greg Little who was a wild card from week to week. For the next three rounds (4,5,6) I would put all my eggs in the WR basket. Look for guys who are the number one target for QBs to throw too and ones that have a solid QB throwing to them. Greg Jennings on Minnesota is not going to be as effective as lets say James Jones or Jordy Nelson on Green Bay. So Jennings has Christian Ponder throwing to him and Nelson and Jones have Aaron Rodgers throwing to them. If you don't know that Christian Ponder is a Kia of NFL quarterbacks while Rodgers is a Cadillac, then you need to get your head out of your ass before you keep reading.
My championship draft order was skewed a little because of the scoring settings in the 12 team roster. The flex position was TE/QB/WR/RB so I picked my wide receivers from rounds 3 to 5. I had the 8th pick in the first round, so I went with the elite QB route:
1. (8)Tom Brady (NE - QB)
2. (17) Marshawn Lynch (Sea - RB)
3. (32) Roddy White (Atl - WR)
4. (41)Percy Harvin (Sea - WR)
5.(56)Doug Martin (TB - RB)
6.(65)Dwayne Bowe (KC - WR)
7.(80)Donald Brown (Ind - RB)
8.(89)Tony Gonzalez (Atl - TE)
9.(104)Isaac Redman (Pit - RB)
10.(113)Baltimore (Bal - DEF)
11.(128)Santana Moss (Was - WR)
12.(137)Martellus Bennett (Chi - TE)
13.(152)Dan Bailey (Dal - K)
14.(161)Eric Weddle (SD - S)
15.(176)Danny Amendola (NE - WR)
16.(185)Russell Wilson (Sea - QB)
Note the second pick as a solid and reliable RB in Lynch. Hes solid and reliable because of his roll in the Seahawks offense and because hes a beast. Doug Martin was a great fifth round pick, no one was entirely sure what he could do as the number one option in Tampa Bay but he killed it. I was lucky to have picked Tony Gonzalez in the 8th round that wont happen again but he had a great year and Atlanta is a hot bed of WR talent, which makes Matt Ryan has great pick as well. The two picks that are not in stand out rounds and come semi-under the radar are Dwayne Bowe and Danny Amendola. Both number one in terms of targets on their respective teams last year. Because their QBs were decent and not especially talented, they would look for WRs they trusted the most. In upcoming blogs, new value will be discussed after the many transactions that have occurred throughout this past off-season.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
All About The Draft
Have you ever had a guy fill you up with hope and then crush all of your dreams? Going into a fantasy football draft unprepared is the best way to leave you heartbroken at the end of the season and out of the playoffs. Picking the Right Guy for You will help you decide what type of guy out there is the right match for you and your future. Remember, its all about your guys.For a fantasy football draft there are a few things that you MUST know. First, know who is the right guy for you. Next, know what order you want your guys in. Lastly, later rounds are as important as the first three. Only amatuers go for big names without doing research first. A poorly drafted team is like eatling undercooked fish, it leaves you wanting to puke and curl up in a corner not wanting to move. Reading up on new transactions happening in the NFL is big, as well as checking up on injuries and new starters for teams. A draft order is huge. Knowing when you want your guys and what type of guys you want to draft and when. A well drafted guy is important, drafting a guy too early can be deadly to your team.
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