TO: COACH.K@RICHLIBERALTRENDYCAUSE.ORG
CC: XOXOTomAndGiseleXOXO@gmail.com, GrahamCrackers@hotmail.com, TheREALLawFirm@gmail.com, HakeemTheDream88@verizon.net, RoddyWhiteGotNuttinOnME11@gmail.com, and (11) others...
SUBJECT: Performance Review
To the staff, players, and ownership of the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause,
The DDL has completed one quarter of its scheduled sixteen game season, and as such it is time to evaluate the performance of everyone involved in the organization. This review is for the sole purpose of improving the franchise as we go forward, and any and all feedback is welcome from both staff and personnel.
Sincerely,
The Board of Directors
Rich Liberal Trendy Cause
Quarterback
Tom Brady - 4 starts, 4 quality, 1 superstar, 4th in total points at position
The franchise has invested quite a bit in Tom Brady, and thus far he has performed adequately to the needs of the team. His Week Four performance was a stellar result, and a reminder to the DDL that Brady should not be underestimated. However, we expect him to finish in the top three at the position, and we hope that he trends more towards 20-25 points a week.
GRADE: A-
Running Back
BenJarvis Green-Ellis - 4 starts, 2 quality, 2 decent, 19th in total points at position
CJ Spiller - 2 starts, 1 superstar, 1 quality, 1 superstar on bench, 3rd in total points at position
Ryan Mathews - 2 starts, 2 DNP, 1 decent, 1 subpar
The running backs of the Cause have been spotty, but effective. CJ Spiller delivered a fantastic game while on the bench, and a fantastic one in the starting lineup, which validated his draft position. The Law Firm is steady in his scoring, but we cannot rely on him to score more than 10 points a week. Finally, given his injury status, it is too early to evaluate Ryan Mathews. We would like to see significant improvement from the running backs, but given the draft strategy of waiting at the position, we are content with the results.
GRADE: C+
Wide Receiver
Hakeem Nicks - 2 starts, 2 DNP, 1 superstar, 1 bad
Julio Jones - 3 starts, 1 great, 2 bad
Antonio Brown - 2 starts, 1 good on bench, 2 good in lineup
"Inconsistent" doesn't even begin to describe the work thus far put in by the Cause's wide receiver corps. Antonio Brown has been the best of the bunch - every time he plays, he at least give us a decent outing. Nicks has been battling an injury all season, and he did put up a fantastic week 2 score. But Julio Jones has been downright disappointing - games of 3 and 1.5 points, including a Monday Night Football disaster where he needed just one more yard to seal a victory, simply will not do. Worst of all, the bench fill ins have not plugged any holes when they have started, although Lance Moore has been intriguing. Quite simply, the wide receivers need to do better.
GRADE: C-
Tight End
Jimmy Graham - 4 starts, 2 quality, 2 decent, 3rd in total points at position
Graham has been very steady all season. We hoped he would be leading the league at tight end through four games, but although this hasn't happened, his consistent performance and his upside give us every confidence that he will continue to meet or exceed our expectations.
GRADE: B+
KICKER AND DEFENSE
The front office has elected to make use of the waiver wire to plug in both of these positions as necessary, and thus far the results have been mixed, but not awful. With the recent acquisition of the Cardinals D/ST, we have every confidence that this unit will get to where it needs to be.
GRADE: C+
Front Office
The Cause sits 4th overall with a 3-1 record, and would make the playoffs if the season ended today. The front office has aggressively pursued trades to improve the team, and while early indications suggest Julio Jones' acquisition has not panned out, we hope to see improvement from him as the season goes on. However, the start of WR Randall Cobb in Week 3 over Antonio Brown was questionable at best, and it contributed to our only loss of the season. Hopefully, starting rosters will be optimized more carefully as the season rolls on.
GRADE: B
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Ref-rees Back
I'm Bringin' Ref-rees back! (Yeah!)
Them other ref-er-ees call fiction fact (Yeah!)
I think it sucks when they call ticky tack (Yeah!)
So call Ed Hochuli and get him back (Yeah!)
(TAKE IT TO THE BRIDGE!)
That call was laaaaame (uh huh)
One ref called touchdown but the other caaaaaved (uh huh)
The Seahawks cheated but they won the gaaaame (uh huh)
It's just that real refs don't call games this way (uh huh)
(TAKE IT TO THE CHORUS)
Come on, ref(Let's bring the refs back)
Make the right call (Let's bring the refs back)
INT? (Let's bring the refs back)
You've gotta be kiddin' me (Let's bring the refs back)
So you call simultaneous catch (Let's bring the refs back)
C'mon, that ball was trapped. (Let's bring the refs back)
That call was wild (Let's bring the refs back)
Goodell's a child. (Let's bring the refs back)
and
Bring the refs back (Let's bring the refs back)
Bring the refs back (Let's bring the refs back)
Bring the refs back (Let's bring the refs back)
Bring the refs back (Let's bring the refs back)
Bring the refs back (Let's bring the refs back)
Bring the refs back (Let's bring the refs back)
Week Four Victory!
The Rich Liberal Trendy Cause have defeated the Global Maple Syrup Reserve, 84.7-70.8. In honor of our triumph, I give you ....Inception Cat!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Week Four!
"Coach?"
"Yes, Antonio Brown?"
Brown walked into Coach K's office, a sheepish look on his face. "Coach, I just don't think I'm ready for this game. I think I'm gonna take a week off, you know? Get my head right, be ready for the rest of the week," explained Brown.
Coach K looked at him quizzically. "Like, a week off? No injury, no cramps, just... a break?"
Brown nodded vigorously. "Yes, that's it exactly! What do you think?", he asked.
Coach K nodded resignedly, "Fine, fine, whatever keeps you healthy."
"Aw man, thanks so much, Coach! You won't regret it!" Brown quickly vacated the room, leaving behind a bemused Coach K.
A few minutes later, CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson hobbled down the hallway. Spiller spoke up, "Hey coach, we're both going to play. I think. Not sure which though. Hope it isn't a problem." Jackson quickly nodded in acquiescence. "Yeah, we'll be better later, but we'll try to play this week! I think!" They quickly ran off before the now-concerned coach could voice an objection.
"Man," thought Coach K, "everyone is so flaky this week." The coach went back to drawing up a starting roster for Week Four.
While he worked, the team doctor tiptoed his way into the office. "A word, Coach?"
The coach once again looked up, irritation written all over his face. "What is it now, Doc?"
"It's Nicks, Coach. Hakeem Nicks. He's been great all week in practice, and he's shown a lot of improvement all week. But..."
"Spit it out, Doc, it's one of those days already."
"Well, I really want to give him one more week to rest. I'm ruling him out for Sunday."
Coach K stared at the ceiling for a couple seconds. "Of course you are." With a quick slice of his pen across his roster notes, Coach K looked back to his desk. He did not look up again, and the doctor took the hint and made good his escape.
"Yes, Antonio Brown?"
Brown walked into Coach K's office, a sheepish look on his face. "Coach, I just don't think I'm ready for this game. I think I'm gonna take a week off, you know? Get my head right, be ready for the rest of the week," explained Brown.
Coach K looked at him quizzically. "Like, a week off? No injury, no cramps, just... a break?"
Brown nodded vigorously. "Yes, that's it exactly! What do you think?", he asked.
Coach K nodded resignedly, "Fine, fine, whatever keeps you healthy."
"Aw man, thanks so much, Coach! You won't regret it!" Brown quickly vacated the room, leaving behind a bemused Coach K.
A few minutes later, CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson hobbled down the hallway. Spiller spoke up, "Hey coach, we're both going to play. I think. Not sure which though. Hope it isn't a problem." Jackson quickly nodded in acquiescence. "Yeah, we'll be better later, but we'll try to play this week! I think!" They quickly ran off before the now-concerned coach could voice an objection.
"Man," thought Coach K, "everyone is so flaky this week." The coach went back to drawing up a starting roster for Week Four.
While he worked, the team doctor tiptoed his way into the office. "A word, Coach?"
The coach once again looked up, irritation written all over his face. "What is it now, Doc?"
"It's Nicks, Coach. Hakeem Nicks. He's been great all week in practice, and he's shown a lot of improvement all week. But..."
"Spit it out, Doc, it's one of those days already."
"Well, I really want to give him one more week to rest. I'm ruling him out for Sunday."
Coach K stared at the ceiling for a couple seconds. "Of course you are." With a quick slice of his pen across his roster notes, Coach K looked back to his desk. He did not look up again, and the doctor took the hint and made good his escape.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Week Three Victory!
I promise more updates are coming; I've been away in Paducah, Kentucky, for a work conference. In the interim, The Cause have bounced back in a major way, defeating the Montclair Mounties, 85.3-76.8. To celebrate our 2-1 record, here's Mike Francesca of WFAN New York falling asleep on the air!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Week Two Press Conference
Press conference for Coach Kevin of the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause, following the team's epic Monday night collapse, which resulted in a Week Two loss to the Draft and Draught Dream Team! by one yard, 107.4-107.3.
Coach K approaches the podium. The reporters break out in a cacophony of questions, but Coach K cuts them off.
"I'll take questions at the end, but I want to address this loss personally first. I'd like to begin by saying for the record that our boys played a heck of a ballgame this weekend. It was a back and forth game; it was an exciting game; it was a game that kept everyone enthralled until, almost literally, the final snap of the weekend. It's a team game, but I'd particularly like to single out CJ Spiller, who stepped up in a big way for us in his first start of the season, and Hakeem Nicks, who now leads the DDL in total receiving yards. Jimmy [Graham] found the end zone again; he had a solid day, and Tom Brady worked his way out of a bad first half and put up serviceable numbers. I'm sure he'll be just fine going forward.
Now, to the trade. First, I'd like to wish Shonn [Greene] and Torrey [Smith] the best. I understand Shonn got a bit banged up this weekend; I hope he's okay. Julio Jones had a rough first outing, but I'm confident he'll be fine for the rest of the season. He's an elite talent, and he won't have many 4 catch/ 15 yard outings.
Next, Randall Cobb. I take full responsibility for this loss. I took a risk, and I knew it at the time, by throwing Cobb into our starting lineup. Fact is, he's simply not ready yet for that role, and that's not his fault - it's mine. Part of the reason we made a move for Julio was to give Cobb time to get some experience and work his way into the starting lineup. Antonio Brown, too, is going to get more work in the near future.
I think The Cause are still a force in the DDL, and I gotta tell you, I'll take 107 points any week of the season. Losing on the final play, by one yard, is dramatic and, frankly, a tough way to lose, but the boys will win far more often than not if they play that way every week." Coach K pauses. "Okay, any questions?"
Several reporters begin clamoring for attention.
"Coach, what are your thoughts on that last play? If Julio gets 6 yards or fewer, the Broncos get the ball back, and Prater gets a chance to kick a game winning extra point for both them and the Cause. If he gets 8, you just win outright."
Coach K: "Yeah, that hurt, I can't lie. What's there to say? I have to believe Julio will learn from this and just break a tackle for a change. He's new to the team, but he knows our motto. Earn. Your. Spot."
"Coach, what about Matt Prater? Your kicking game has been lackluster at best."
CK: "This has been the Achilles heel of the franchise for awhile, and we'll be exploring new options at kicker next week - Prater simply isn't getting the opportunities to kick field goals. Three points isn't enough."
"Coach, will Julio be starting next week?"
CK: "He's penciled in at WR2. Antonio Brown, if he starts finding the end zone, may get some playing time down the line, but Julio is a special talent."
"Coach, would you make that trade again, knowing that Greene's 2.3 points would've been enough to win the game?"
CK: "The Cause are a stronger team today than yesterday. I don't look at one week to decide if a trade was good. Ryan Mathews will be back in the lineup next week, and again, I have every confidence in Julio Jones."
"Coach, how do you feel about losing because Adam "Pacman" Jones returned a punt for a touchdown for the DDDT defense?"
CK: "Losing a fantasy game because of Pacman? I have no comment for that, other than that boy, does it hurt... Honestly I didn't even know he was in the league anymore."
Coach K cuts off the rest of the questions from the pack of reporters. "Listen, guys, it's just one game. We still have the best damn team in the DDL. Never forget that our goal is not to win the first game or the second game of the year - we're gonna win the last one. Next week we have the Mounties, and we're moving on and preparing for that. Thank you."
Coach K leaves the podium and strides confidently away, back down the corridor to the locker room. He pauses, though, at the locker room door. With a deep breath, he opens the door and steps inside, all business once again.
Coach K approaches the podium. The reporters break out in a cacophony of questions, but Coach K cuts them off.
"I'll take questions at the end, but I want to address this loss personally first. I'd like to begin by saying for the record that our boys played a heck of a ballgame this weekend. It was a back and forth game; it was an exciting game; it was a game that kept everyone enthralled until, almost literally, the final snap of the weekend. It's a team game, but I'd particularly like to single out CJ Spiller, who stepped up in a big way for us in his first start of the season, and Hakeem Nicks, who now leads the DDL in total receiving yards. Jimmy [Graham] found the end zone again; he had a solid day, and Tom Brady worked his way out of a bad first half and put up serviceable numbers. I'm sure he'll be just fine going forward.
Now, to the trade. First, I'd like to wish Shonn [Greene] and Torrey [Smith] the best. I understand Shonn got a bit banged up this weekend; I hope he's okay. Julio Jones had a rough first outing, but I'm confident he'll be fine for the rest of the season. He's an elite talent, and he won't have many 4 catch/ 15 yard outings.
Next, Randall Cobb. I take full responsibility for this loss. I took a risk, and I knew it at the time, by throwing Cobb into our starting lineup. Fact is, he's simply not ready yet for that role, and that's not his fault - it's mine. Part of the reason we made a move for Julio was to give Cobb time to get some experience and work his way into the starting lineup. Antonio Brown, too, is going to get more work in the near future.
I think The Cause are still a force in the DDL, and I gotta tell you, I'll take 107 points any week of the season. Losing on the final play, by one yard, is dramatic and, frankly, a tough way to lose, but the boys will win far more often than not if they play that way every week." Coach K pauses. "Okay, any questions?"
Several reporters begin clamoring for attention.
"Coach, what are your thoughts on that last play? If Julio gets 6 yards or fewer, the Broncos get the ball back, and Prater gets a chance to kick a game winning extra point for both them and the Cause. If he gets 8, you just win outright."
Coach K: "Yeah, that hurt, I can't lie. What's there to say? I have to believe Julio will learn from this and just break a tackle for a change. He's new to the team, but he knows our motto. Earn. Your. Spot."
"Coach, what about Matt Prater? Your kicking game has been lackluster at best."
CK: "This has been the Achilles heel of the franchise for awhile, and we'll be exploring new options at kicker next week - Prater simply isn't getting the opportunities to kick field goals. Three points isn't enough."
"Coach, will Julio be starting next week?"
CK: "He's penciled in at WR2. Antonio Brown, if he starts finding the end zone, may get some playing time down the line, but Julio is a special talent."
"Coach, would you make that trade again, knowing that Greene's 2.3 points would've been enough to win the game?"
CK: "The Cause are a stronger team today than yesterday. I don't look at one week to decide if a trade was good. Ryan Mathews will be back in the lineup next week, and again, I have every confidence in Julio Jones."
"Coach, how do you feel about losing because Adam "Pacman" Jones returned a punt for a touchdown for the DDDT defense?"
CK: "Losing a fantasy game because of Pacman? I have no comment for that, other than that boy, does it hurt... Honestly I didn't even know he was in the league anymore."
Coach K cuts off the rest of the questions from the pack of reporters. "Listen, guys, it's just one game. We still have the best damn team in the DDL. Never forget that our goal is not to win the first game or the second game of the year - we're gonna win the last one. Next week we have the Mounties, and we're moving on and preparing for that. Thank you."
Coach K leaves the podium and strides confidently away, back down the corridor to the locker room. He pauses, though, at the locker room door. With a deep breath, he opens the door and steps inside, all business once again.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Subpar Quarterback Awareness Day
The Rich Liberal Trendy Cause are glad to announce they will be hosting a
"quarterback donation drive" to raise awareness and QB options for the
Draft and Draught Dream Team!
"It is a travesty to see a defending league champion spend a high draft pick on someone like Aaron Rodgers, only to have him score 10 fantasy points in a prime time game. Just a shame," said Kevin Doyle, owner of The Cause.
"If anyone has a quarterback lying around, feel free to bring him in. Even gently used QBs like Matt Cassel or a McCown brother will do, but we would also appreciate donations of former Green Bay backups like Matt Flynn. No quarterback will be turned away!"
Spokespeople for the event went on to strongly suggest that, though they said any quarterback would do, anyone planning to donate Brandon Weeden are strongly urged to consider bringing someone "a little more talented."
The event will be held Sunday.
"It is a travesty to see a defending league champion spend a high draft pick on someone like Aaron Rodgers, only to have him score 10 fantasy points in a prime time game. Just a shame," said Kevin Doyle, owner of The Cause.
"If anyone has a quarterback lying around, feel free to bring him in. Even gently used QBs like Matt Cassel or a McCown brother will do, but we would also appreciate donations of former Green Bay backups like Matt Flynn. No quarterback will be turned away!"
Spokespeople for the event went on to strongly suggest that, though they said any quarterback would do, anyone planning to donate Brandon Weeden are strongly urged to consider bringing someone "a little more talented."
The event will be held Sunday.
Julio!
Sep 15 6:55 AM
Trade Accepted
ANDY traded Julio Jones, Atl to Libs
ANDY traded Fred Jackson*, Buf to Libs
Libs traded Shonn Greene, NYJ to ANDY
Libs traded Torrey Smith, Bal to ANDY
A Quick Poll From the DDL Main Page
Every few days, the DDL League Page (hosted by yours truly) posts a poll of the league managers. I liked this one, so here it is. Feel free to respond in the comments!
Who's stock has fallen the most in the past week?
League Manager's Poll
Stock WatchWho's stock has fallen the most in the past week?
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Week Two Preview
Rich Liberal Trendy Cause (1-0, T-1st) Starting Lineup
Tom Brady, QB
CJ Spiller, RB1
"The Law Firm" BenJarvis Green-Ellis, RB2
Hakeem "The Dream" Nicks, WR1
Randall Cobb, WR2
Shonn Greene, Flex RB
Jimmy Graham, TE
Patriots D/ST
Matt Prater, K
Draft and Draught Dream Team! (1-0, T-1st) Starting Lineup
Aaron Rodgers, QB
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB
DeMarco Murray, RB
Trent Richardson, RB
Jordy Nelson, WR
Robert Meachem, WR
Vernon Davis, TE
Bengals D/ST
Stephen Gostkowski, K
Well, well, well. If it isn't my eternal real-life football foe, Brian, and his misfit Cowboys-loving "fantasy team." Ok, I'm still bitter about Giants/Cowboys last weekend. Furthermore, Brian is the defending league champion, so The Cause are not lacking in motivational billboard material for this game.
Tom Brady is a match-up nightmare against almost any team in the DDL. However, this is not one of those games; Aaron Rodgers is still the top dog for fantasy quarterbacks. If Brady outscores Rodgers, I will be VERY happy.
At running back, suddenly the Cause have found a team strength - The Law Firm, CJ Spiller, and yes, even Shonn Greene, had marvelous Week One performances, and they all share that rarest of running back qualities: opportunity. I don't want to be too optimistic after just one week of play, but my draft strategy was to throw darts at the running back dart board, and it appears so far that the Cause have hit three bull's-eyes. The DDDT, meanwhile, have some great upside at running back, with MJD and DeMarco Murray in particular looking solid, but Trent Richardson remains somewhat shaky.
I'm taking a bit of a risk at wide receiver by starting Green Bay's Randall Cobb over Antonio Brown, but there are a couple of good reasons to do so. First, he looked spectacular last week, converting all nine of his targets. Second, Green Bay starter Greg Jennings is hurt and may not play at all, which means Cobb should get more work in the prolific Green Bay passing offense. This, of course, means a bump for the DDDT's WR1, Jordy Nelson, as well. But Brian's WR2, Robert Meachem, is a longshot play at best, so I think the edge at wide receiver goes to my team.
Jimmy Graham is a clear favorite at tight end over anyone not named The Gronk. And Vernon Davis is not named The Gronk.
At D/ST, the DDDT take a gamble by starting the Bengals, who looked atrocious last week against the Ravens. However, they are playing against the inept Cleveland offense, so they have a lot of potential. I chose to swap out the Eagles for the Patriots, simply because the Eagles offense looked so incompetent that their defense may be asked to do a lot more against better competition.
Overall, I'm very confident heading into Week Two. A win here would send a clear message to the league that The Cause are a force to be reckoned with as the season moves on.
(note: I am following the European football convention of using the plural form of the verb "to be" when it refers to the singular name of a team, i.e. "The Cause are..." rather than "The Cause is...". This, I feel, better captures the concept of the whole being a collection of individuals ,which is fitting in a fantasy league format. If you don't like it, then don't read about English football, because you won't like that, either.)
Tom Brady, QB
CJ Spiller, RB1
"The Law Firm" BenJarvis Green-Ellis, RB2
Hakeem "The Dream" Nicks, WR1
Randall Cobb, WR2
Shonn Greene, Flex RB
Jimmy Graham, TE
Patriots D/ST
Matt Prater, K
Draft and Draught Dream Team! (1-0, T-1st) Starting Lineup
Aaron Rodgers, QB
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB
DeMarco Murray, RB
Trent Richardson, RB
Jordy Nelson, WR
Robert Meachem, WR
Vernon Davis, TE
Bengals D/ST
Stephen Gostkowski, K
Well, well, well. If it isn't my eternal real-life football foe, Brian, and his misfit Cowboys-loving "fantasy team." Ok, I'm still bitter about Giants/Cowboys last weekend. Furthermore, Brian is the defending league champion, so The Cause are not lacking in motivational billboard material for this game.
Tom Brady is a match-up nightmare against almost any team in the DDL. However, this is not one of those games; Aaron Rodgers is still the top dog for fantasy quarterbacks. If Brady outscores Rodgers, I will be VERY happy.
At running back, suddenly the Cause have found a team strength - The Law Firm, CJ Spiller, and yes, even Shonn Greene, had marvelous Week One performances, and they all share that rarest of running back qualities: opportunity. I don't want to be too optimistic after just one week of play, but my draft strategy was to throw darts at the running back dart board, and it appears so far that the Cause have hit three bull's-eyes. The DDDT, meanwhile, have some great upside at running back, with MJD and DeMarco Murray in particular looking solid, but Trent Richardson remains somewhat shaky.
I'm taking a bit of a risk at wide receiver by starting Green Bay's Randall Cobb over Antonio Brown, but there are a couple of good reasons to do so. First, he looked spectacular last week, converting all nine of his targets. Second, Green Bay starter Greg Jennings is hurt and may not play at all, which means Cobb should get more work in the prolific Green Bay passing offense. This, of course, means a bump for the DDDT's WR1, Jordy Nelson, as well. But Brian's WR2, Robert Meachem, is a longshot play at best, so I think the edge at wide receiver goes to my team.
Jimmy Graham is a clear favorite at tight end over anyone not named The Gronk. And Vernon Davis is not named The Gronk.
At D/ST, the DDDT take a gamble by starting the Bengals, who looked atrocious last week against the Ravens. However, they are playing against the inept Cleveland offense, so they have a lot of potential. I chose to swap out the Eagles for the Patriots, simply because the Eagles offense looked so incompetent that their defense may be asked to do a lot more against better competition.
Overall, I'm very confident heading into Week Two. A win here would send a clear message to the league that The Cause are a force to be reckoned with as the season moves on.
(note: I am following the European football convention of using the plural form of the verb "to be" when it refers to the singular name of a team, i.e. "The Cause are..." rather than "The Cause is...". This, I feel, better captures the concept of the whole being a collection of individuals ,which is fitting in a fantasy league format. If you don't like it, then don't read about English football, because you won't like that, either.)
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Postgame Coach Pep Talk
From deep within the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause Stadium:
"Okay, men, helluva win this week, helluva win! First and foremost, someone give me the game ball. Come up here, Law Firm! This is for you - way to step up on Monday Night Football!
All around, good work men! This win is a big first step towards our goal of reaching the playoffs and taking a shot at that DDL title, but we've got a long way to go. I don't want anyone in this room to feel content. If you are content with your performance, you can get out now.
And I'm not just looking at you, D-Will. <glares at DeAngelo Williams>. If you had a tough week, you know it and I'm damn sure you'll be back ready to go Week Two and for the rest of the season. But you veterans, you're the leaders of this team. Tom (Brady), you were totally solid, made no mistakes. All right, all right, decent week. But we didn't trade for you to get "solid" performances. You need to fight to improve! Every single week, your goal is to do better than the week before! Everyone does that, and come Week Sixteen, we'll be playing for the championship.
Ok, personnel moves. First off, congrats, CJ (Spiller), you're gonna be starting next week. RB1, so bring your A game and make us proud! D-Will, you're riding pine until you show me you've got the heart to carry the rock and find the end zone. Everyone else, look sharp - we've got waiver changes pending so you'll know your status by Thursday morning. Remember, though, on this team there's one rule: Earn. Your. Spot. Make it impossible for me to take that starting job from your hands.
Again, great start to the season, everyone. Keep it up and I guarantee we'll be playing meaningful December fantasy football games. Everyone in here, on three, 'for the Cause." One, two, THREE!"
"FOR THE CAUSE!"
"Ok, get outta here. Oh, Kendall Wright, meet me in my office. Bring your playbook."
"Okay, men, helluva win this week, helluva win! First and foremost, someone give me the game ball. Come up here, Law Firm! This is for you - way to step up on Monday Night Football!
All around, good work men! This win is a big first step towards our goal of reaching the playoffs and taking a shot at that DDL title, but we've got a long way to go. I don't want anyone in this room to feel content. If you are content with your performance, you can get out now.
And I'm not just looking at you, D-Will. <glares at DeAngelo Williams>. If you had a tough week, you know it and I'm damn sure you'll be back ready to go Week Two and for the rest of the season. But you veterans, you're the leaders of this team. Tom (Brady), you were totally solid, made no mistakes. All right, all right, decent week. But we didn't trade for you to get "solid" performances. You need to fight to improve! Every single week, your goal is to do better than the week before! Everyone does that, and come Week Sixteen, we'll be playing for the championship.
Ok, personnel moves. First off, congrats, CJ (Spiller), you're gonna be starting next week. RB1, so bring your A game and make us proud! D-Will, you're riding pine until you show me you've got the heart to carry the rock and find the end zone. Everyone else, look sharp - we've got waiver changes pending so you'll know your status by Thursday morning. Remember, though, on this team there's one rule: Earn. Your. Spot. Make it impossible for me to take that starting job from your hands.
Again, great start to the season, everyone. Keep it up and I guarantee we'll be playing meaningful December fantasy football games. Everyone in here, on three, 'for the Cause." One, two, THREE!"
"FOR THE CAUSE!"
"Ok, get outta here. Oh, Kendall Wright, meet me in my office. Bring your playbook."
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Week One Victory!
The Rich Liberal Trendy Cause have defeated the Fourth Ward Bandits, 90.9-82.8. To celebrate our victory, I have decided that every time The Cause secure a win, I will share with you one of my favorite Youtube videos. Enjoy!
Monday, September 10, 2012
Sunday Report
Week One is (almost) in the books, with all but two NFL games completed. This means that it's time to take stock of went went well, what went poorly, and what went weirdly for the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause, as well as how the week's game against the Fourth Ward Bandits is proceeding.
The Good
Early Success For Our Draft Strategy - Tom Brady was the picture of consistency, with 236 yards and 2 TDs, good for 17.5 points. Jimmy Graham was stellar at tight end, with 85 yards and a TD. As these were the players I targeted most strongly in the draft, I'm quite pleased with the early results.
Shonn Greene Proves That Opportunity Is Key - Shonn Greene did not look particularly great today, despite taking part in a 48-28 drubbing of the Bills. But, once the final whistle sounded, he had 27 carries for 94 yards and a TD, good for 15.4 fantasy points. Hey, if you can't win by skill, win by volume!
Bench Shows Early Promise - The jewel of the team in Week One didn't even make The Cause's starting lineup - CJ Spiller started Sunday in the wrong side of a 65/35 carry split with Fred Jackson, but ended the day with 169 rushing yards and a touchdown, with FJax limping off halfway through the game. How long Jackson is out remains to be seen, but the coaches can't help but notice that kind of production, particularly since he showed similar levels of skill towards the end of last season. Also, Lance Moore put up 120 yards and a TD for the Saints, and Randall Cobb caught 9 balls for 77 yards for the Packers, and he also returned a punt for a touchdown. I'll be keeping an eye on all three, and Spiller in particular may find himself starting as early as next week.
The Bad
OMG DeANGELO WILLIAMS - D-Will was due for an expanded role because of an injury to committee mate Jonathan Stewart. He has had top-5 fantasy running back value in the past. He isn't that old, and he just signed a big contract. So why. The hell. Did he run the ball. 6 times. For -1 yards. ARGH!
Hakeem Nicks Underperforms - Wide receivers can be spotty in their scoring, and Nicks came into the week a bit banged up. His 38 yard game doesn't worry me in the slightest, especially since the entire Giants offense seemed a bit sluggish. They will be fine going forward.
The Moment Where I Hated Fantasy Football
I had forgotten how cruel this game was. The Cause were cruising to an easy victory late Sunday night, when Peyton Manning threw a screen pass to the Bandits' Demaryius Thomas, for a 70 yard touchdown. Bang! Suddenly the Bandits have a chance. You gotta love (hate) this game!
Looking Ahead To Monday
The Rich Liberal Trendy Cause lead the Fourth Ward Bandits, 75.3-60.5, with two Monday night games to go. The Cause still have The Law Firm at running back to play, while the Bandits will field Antonio Gates and the Ravens D/ST. The projections have us winning 89-78, but I'm going to be sweating out that late night game featuring the Gates of Hell - one long touchdown and we're smoked. Tune in tomorrow for a recap!
The Good
Early Success For Our Draft Strategy - Tom Brady was the picture of consistency, with 236 yards and 2 TDs, good for 17.5 points. Jimmy Graham was stellar at tight end, with 85 yards and a TD. As these were the players I targeted most strongly in the draft, I'm quite pleased with the early results.
Shonn Greene Proves That Opportunity Is Key - Shonn Greene did not look particularly great today, despite taking part in a 48-28 drubbing of the Bills. But, once the final whistle sounded, he had 27 carries for 94 yards and a TD, good for 15.4 fantasy points. Hey, if you can't win by skill, win by volume!
Bench Shows Early Promise - The jewel of the team in Week One didn't even make The Cause's starting lineup - CJ Spiller started Sunday in the wrong side of a 65/35 carry split with Fred Jackson, but ended the day with 169 rushing yards and a touchdown, with FJax limping off halfway through the game. How long Jackson is out remains to be seen, but the coaches can't help but notice that kind of production, particularly since he showed similar levels of skill towards the end of last season. Also, Lance Moore put up 120 yards and a TD for the Saints, and Randall Cobb caught 9 balls for 77 yards for the Packers, and he also returned a punt for a touchdown. I'll be keeping an eye on all three, and Spiller in particular may find himself starting as early as next week.
The Bad
OMG DeANGELO WILLIAMS - D-Will was due for an expanded role because of an injury to committee mate Jonathan Stewart. He has had top-5 fantasy running back value in the past. He isn't that old, and he just signed a big contract. So why. The hell. Did he run the ball. 6 times. For -1 yards. ARGH!
Hakeem Nicks Underperforms - Wide receivers can be spotty in their scoring, and Nicks came into the week a bit banged up. His 38 yard game doesn't worry me in the slightest, especially since the entire Giants offense seemed a bit sluggish. They will be fine going forward.
The Moment Where I Hated Fantasy Football
I had forgotten how cruel this game was. The Cause were cruising to an easy victory late Sunday night, when Peyton Manning threw a screen pass to the Bandits' Demaryius Thomas, for a 70 yard touchdown. Bang! Suddenly the Bandits have a chance. You gotta love (hate) this game!
Looking Ahead To Monday
The Rich Liberal Trendy Cause lead the Fourth Ward Bandits, 75.3-60.5, with two Monday night games to go. The Cause still have The Law Firm at running back to play, while the Bandits will field Antonio Gates and the Ravens D/ST. The projections have us winning 89-78, but I'm going to be sweating out that late night game featuring the Gates of Hell - one long touchdown and we're smoked. Tune in tomorrow for a recap!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Smack Talk: Cowboys vs Giants
(All messages via text)
Brian, owner of the Draft and Draught Dream Team! and avid Cowboys fan: Go Cowboys!
Kevin, owner of the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause, and diehard Giants fan: Oh right, i forgot there was a game tonight! I thought this was just a banner raising party, my bad.
Brian : Nope a banner burning party :)
Kevin: wait, but the cowboys dont have any banners to burn, thats sad. Oh wait we can lend you one, we have so many
Brian : You might want to go check Out dallas stadium we have a few banners hanging in there. I realize you might have missed them while being in awe of our fabulous stadium
Kevin : Isnt that the stadium we won the opening game in, and then eli signed the wall of the locker room? Yeah i know that stadium
Brian : Yeah the stadium we don't have to share with the jets
Kevin : lol i dont think there's room for the egos of the cowboys AND the jets in one stadium. Btw how's dez? Did he hit anyone else's mothers or just his own?
Brian: So we have a flair for the dramatic big deal. At least we aren't gonna be starting the season 0_1
Kevin : hahaha fair enough. Good luck tonight brah, should be a good one! I missed football
Brian : It will be good to see hoe the giants use david wilson. Im glad football is back too without a hold Out or anything. Just a bunch of injured running backs.
The Cowboys went on to defeat the Giants 24-17. No banners were burned during the course of the event. The Jets did not show up during the game. Neither Eli Manning nor Tony Romo signed the locker room walls. Dez Bryant did not punch any mothers, his or otherwise. David Wilson had 2 carries for 4 yards, with one lost fumble. The Giants remain the defending Super Bowl champions, despite the loss.
Brian, owner of the Draft and Draught Dream Team! and avid Cowboys fan: Go Cowboys!
Kevin, owner of the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause, and diehard Giants fan: Oh right, i forgot there was a game tonight! I thought this was just a banner raising party, my bad.
Brian : Nope a banner burning party :)
Kevin: wait, but the cowboys dont have any banners to burn, thats sad. Oh wait we can lend you one, we have so many
Brian : You might want to go check Out dallas stadium we have a few banners hanging in there. I realize you might have missed them while being in awe of our fabulous stadium
Kevin : Isnt that the stadium we won the opening game in, and then eli signed the wall of the locker room? Yeah i know that stadium
Brian : Yeah the stadium we don't have to share with the jets
Kevin : lol i dont think there's room for the egos of the cowboys AND the jets in one stadium. Btw how's dez? Did he hit anyone else's mothers or just his own?
Brian: So we have a flair for the dramatic big deal. At least we aren't gonna be starting the season 0_1
Kevin : hahaha fair enough. Good luck tonight brah, should be a good one! I missed football
Brian : It will be good to see hoe the giants use david wilson. Im glad football is back too without a hold Out or anything. Just a bunch of injured running backs.
The Cowboys went on to defeat the Giants 24-17. No banners were burned during the course of the event. The Jets did not show up during the game. Neither Eli Manning nor Tony Romo signed the locker room walls. Dez Bryant did not punch any mothers, his or otherwise. David Wilson had 2 carries for 4 yards, with one lost fumble. The Giants remain the defending Super Bowl champions, despite the loss.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Week One Preview: The Cause vs The Bandits
Rich Liberal Trendy Cause (0-0, T-1st) Starting Lineup
Tom Brady, QB
DeAngelo Williams, RB1
"The Law Firm" BenJarvis Green-Ellis, RB2
Hakeem "The Dream" Nicks, WR1
Antonio Brown, WR2
Torrey Smith, Flex WR
Jimmy Graham, TE
Eagles D/ST
Matt Prater, K
Fourth Ward Bandits (0-0, T-1st) Starting Lineup
Eli Manning, QB
LeSean McCoy, RB1
Darren Sproles, RB2
Greg Jennings, WR1
Dwayne Bowe, WR2
Demaryius Thomas, Flex WR
Antonio Gates, TE
Ravens D/ST
Mason Crosby, K
Week One, baby! Right out of the starting gate, the Cause will meet their archrivals, the Fourth Ward Bandits. These two franchises have had many memorable clashes through the years; as this is the only regular season meeting between the two, you can bet that all involved will bring their "A" games to the field!
The first thing that stands out when I compare my squad with the Bandits is the relatively wide gap in running back quality. This is partially due to the places we drafted - I did not have access to the likes of McCoy - and partially due to a difference in draft strategy. By spending my first two draft picks on a quarterback and a tight end, I effectively announced my intention to win those match-ups, week after week. In this case, Antonio Gates and Eli Manning are very, very good, so it will be more difficult than usual to significantly outpace their point totals. However, I believe Graham and Brady are good enough to do just that. Will the gains there make up for the deficit at running back? We shall find out.
As far as lineup considerations are concerned, I am not entirely sold on starting Torrey Smith at my flex spot. Last season, he finished 23rd overall among wide receivers and was a bit of a boom or bust play. I expect that he will do better this year, as his and his quarterback Joe Flacco's deep ball conversion percentages dropped well below their traditional rates last season. If they return to their career averages, Smith should be a mid-tier WR2, rather than a flex. Meanwhile, I have Shonn Greene on my bench. He would probably start at RB2 for me if not for DeAngelo Williams seeing an increased workload in Week One (D-Will's committee partner, Jonathan Stewart, looks to be out or at least limited due to an injury). If D-Will does get the majority of the work, he is a far better option than Greene, but the argument for Greene over Smith is a bit less clear. Rule of thumb for the flex spot is to choose a starting running back over a wide receiver, but Greene, as I may have mentioned, might be terrible at football. At this point, I am leaning towards Smith, but that may change by Sunday. Rest assured, no matter what I choose to do, the opposite choice will be the correct one. Welcome to fantasy football!
At the moment, the ESPN.com projections give an edge to the Cause, 126.0-110.8. If the projections are accurate (a stretch of an "if," but still), the Cause will come out of Week One 1-0, with the highest point total in the league; however, I will settle for a "W" of any kind, high scoring or not. Given the slightly more stringent playoff system in place this year, it will be crucial to start off strong.
Tom Brady, QB
DeAngelo Williams, RB1
"The Law Firm" BenJarvis Green-Ellis, RB2
Hakeem "The Dream" Nicks, WR1
Antonio Brown, WR2
Torrey Smith, Flex WR
Jimmy Graham, TE
Eagles D/ST
Matt Prater, K
Fourth Ward Bandits (0-0, T-1st) Starting Lineup
Eli Manning, QB
LeSean McCoy, RB1
Darren Sproles, RB2
Greg Jennings, WR1
Dwayne Bowe, WR2
Demaryius Thomas, Flex WR
Antonio Gates, TE
Ravens D/ST
Mason Crosby, K
Week One, baby! Right out of the starting gate, the Cause will meet their archrivals, the Fourth Ward Bandits. These two franchises have had many memorable clashes through the years; as this is the only regular season meeting between the two, you can bet that all involved will bring their "A" games to the field!
The first thing that stands out when I compare my squad with the Bandits is the relatively wide gap in running back quality. This is partially due to the places we drafted - I did not have access to the likes of McCoy - and partially due to a difference in draft strategy. By spending my first two draft picks on a quarterback and a tight end, I effectively announced my intention to win those match-ups, week after week. In this case, Antonio Gates and Eli Manning are very, very good, so it will be more difficult than usual to significantly outpace their point totals. However, I believe Graham and Brady are good enough to do just that. Will the gains there make up for the deficit at running back? We shall find out.
As far as lineup considerations are concerned, I am not entirely sold on starting Torrey Smith at my flex spot. Last season, he finished 23rd overall among wide receivers and was a bit of a boom or bust play. I expect that he will do better this year, as his and his quarterback Joe Flacco's deep ball conversion percentages dropped well below their traditional rates last season. If they return to their career averages, Smith should be a mid-tier WR2, rather than a flex. Meanwhile, I have Shonn Greene on my bench. He would probably start at RB2 for me if not for DeAngelo Williams seeing an increased workload in Week One (D-Will's committee partner, Jonathan Stewart, looks to be out or at least limited due to an injury). If D-Will does get the majority of the work, he is a far better option than Greene, but the argument for Greene over Smith is a bit less clear. Rule of thumb for the flex spot is to choose a starting running back over a wide receiver, but Greene, as I may have mentioned, might be terrible at football. At this point, I am leaning towards Smith, but that may change by Sunday. Rest assured, no matter what I choose to do, the opposite choice will be the correct one. Welcome to fantasy football!
At the moment, the ESPN.com projections give an edge to the Cause, 126.0-110.8. If the projections are accurate (a stretch of an "if," but still), the Cause will come out of Week One 1-0, with the highest point total in the league; however, I will settle for a "W" of any kind, high scoring or not. Given the slightly more stringent playoff system in place this year, it will be crucial to start off strong.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Meet The DDL Franchises! Part II
Andy Murray's Whoopin' Stick - Owned by Sam
Best Player - Matt Forte
Strengths - Running Back Starters, Wide Receiver, Quarterback
Weaknesses - Running Back Depth, Tight End, Fragile Quarterback
The Whoopin' Stick feature one of my personal favorite draft selections, Matt Forte. For a 10th overall selection, Forte displays superior reliability and relative health compared to other running backs available. Also, the wide receiver corps of Julio Jones, Dez Bryant, and Percy Harvin could be sneaky good this season, so long as Dez stops committing acts of violence against his immediate family members. Matthew Stafford at quarterback is a phenomenal talent, but he is so injury prone that Grantland.com's Bill Simmons refers to him as Matthew Stafford If He Stays Healthy. He must be considered a risk for that reason.
Montclair Bees - Owned by Eric
Best Player - Drew Brees
Strengths - Quarterback, Wide Receiver Depth, Quarterback Depth
Weaknesses - Running Back Depth (If everyone has the same weakness, is it still a weakness? Interesting question.), Tight End
After a major trade that sent Calvin "Megatron" Johnson on his way, The Bees now have a significant strength at quarterback. Although Megatron is the best wide receiver around, the acquisition of Brandon Lloyd, as well as the presence of Steve Smith(The Old but Good One) and Eric Decker, should mitigate his loss. The Bees upgraded from risky QB Michael Vick to proven fantasy star Drew Brees. Jamaal Charles at RB1 is a calculated gamble; however, it must be mentioned that, like everyone else's running backs, he is an injury risk, and there simply isn't enough depth to replace his loss. This is more a factor of the NFL's running back situation than any fault in our team owners' strategies, but it will be affect at least a few DDL franchises at some point this year. One other point about the Bees: Philip Rivers is a superior backup quarterback, and I would not be surprised if his trade value rises, should anyone else's quarterback get injured.
cute and cuddly kittens - Owned by Nora
Best Player - Arian "The Vegan" Foster
Strengths - Wide Receiver Starters and Depth, Running Back #1
Weaknesses - Running Back #2 and Depth, Tight End
The kittens will depend on Foster heavily to mitigate a lack of any kind of support at running back. They will also make up for that with a fantastic set of wide receivers. AJ Green, Victor Cruz, Steve Johnson and DeSean Jackson are all very good weapons, and I think Green, in particular, is in for a great season. However, the running back situation behind Foster could be the doom of this franchise. Willis McGahee finished 21st overall among running backs last year, and only then with a big boost from Tim Tebow's presence; I don't believe he has much left. Behind that, Roy Helu, James Starks, and Montario Hardesty all share a lack of both talent and opportunity, which is a bad combo in fantasy football. Cam Newton at quarterback will be an interesting player this year - will he maintain his ridiculously high fantasy value? Or will he regress, and if so, how far? He will likely determine the fate of this team.
Montclair Mounties - Owned by Colron
Best Player - Calvin "Megatron" Johnson
Strengths - A Risk/Reward Strategy featuring Run-DMC and Michael Vick, Tight End
Weaknesses - A Risk/Reward Strategy featuring Run-DMC and Michael Vick
Colron has been mighty busy in the preseason, making not one, but two blockbuster deals right out of the gate. The result is the most boom-or-bust team in the league. I simply cannot tell you with any conviction that Darren McFadden and Michael Vick will be worth the investment. It comes down to health with these two players, as well as the repeatability of Megatron's value from last season. If Run-DMC and Vick get 14 real starts apiece, and Megatron returns value at least relatively close to last season's monstrous numbers, this team will be tough to beat. But that's a lot of big "ifs". If nothing else, this will be an entertaining franchise. P.S. The Gronk is freaking awesome and I love him. So he's got that going for him. Which is nice.
Bloomfield Bumsrush! - Owned by Patrick
Best Player - Chris Johnson
Strength - Proven Talent Across The Board
Weakness - Question Marks Surrounding Most Of That Talent
Hey look, it's the 2009 NFL All-Pro Team! Peyton Manning, Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, Andre Johnson, Brandon Marshall, and Vincent Jackson! Patrick collected a lot of the players I wasn't sure about going into this season, so that makes me unsure of what to make of this team. Peyton could be amazing, CJ2K could lead the league in rushing, as could Peterson. I actually love Brandon Marshall this season, as he returns to his glory days of catching fades from Jay Cutler. But all of those players have holes to their games too, be they injury (Peyton, ADP, Andre), or commitment (CJ2K, Marshall) or the uncertainty of talent moving to a new team (Vincent Jackson). I have no idea how well this team will fare. How's that for hard hitting analysis?
Best Player - Matt Forte
Strengths - Running Back Starters, Wide Receiver, Quarterback
Weaknesses - Running Back Depth, Tight End, Fragile Quarterback
The Whoopin' Stick feature one of my personal favorite draft selections, Matt Forte. For a 10th overall selection, Forte displays superior reliability and relative health compared to other running backs available. Also, the wide receiver corps of Julio Jones, Dez Bryant, and Percy Harvin could be sneaky good this season, so long as Dez stops committing acts of violence against his immediate family members. Matthew Stafford at quarterback is a phenomenal talent, but he is so injury prone that Grantland.com's Bill Simmons refers to him as Matthew Stafford If He Stays Healthy. He must be considered a risk for that reason.
Montclair Bees - Owned by Eric
Best Player - Drew Brees
Strengths - Quarterback, Wide Receiver Depth, Quarterback Depth
Weaknesses - Running Back Depth (If everyone has the same weakness, is it still a weakness? Interesting question.), Tight End
After a major trade that sent Calvin "Megatron" Johnson on his way, The Bees now have a significant strength at quarterback. Although Megatron is the best wide receiver around, the acquisition of Brandon Lloyd, as well as the presence of Steve Smith(The Old but Good One) and Eric Decker, should mitigate his loss. The Bees upgraded from risky QB Michael Vick to proven fantasy star Drew Brees. Jamaal Charles at RB1 is a calculated gamble; however, it must be mentioned that, like everyone else's running backs, he is an injury risk, and there simply isn't enough depth to replace his loss. This is more a factor of the NFL's running back situation than any fault in our team owners' strategies, but it will be affect at least a few DDL franchises at some point this year. One other point about the Bees: Philip Rivers is a superior backup quarterback, and I would not be surprised if his trade value rises, should anyone else's quarterback get injured.
cute and cuddly kittens - Owned by Nora
Best Player - Arian "The Vegan" Foster
Strengths - Wide Receiver Starters and Depth, Running Back #1
Weaknesses - Running Back #2 and Depth, Tight End
The kittens will depend on Foster heavily to mitigate a lack of any kind of support at running back. They will also make up for that with a fantastic set of wide receivers. AJ Green, Victor Cruz, Steve Johnson and DeSean Jackson are all very good weapons, and I think Green, in particular, is in for a great season. However, the running back situation behind Foster could be the doom of this franchise. Willis McGahee finished 21st overall among running backs last year, and only then with a big boost from Tim Tebow's presence; I don't believe he has much left. Behind that, Roy Helu, James Starks, and Montario Hardesty all share a lack of both talent and opportunity, which is a bad combo in fantasy football. Cam Newton at quarterback will be an interesting player this year - will he maintain his ridiculously high fantasy value? Or will he regress, and if so, how far? He will likely determine the fate of this team.
Montclair Mounties - Owned by Colron
Best Player - Calvin "Megatron" Johnson
Strengths - A Risk/Reward Strategy featuring Run-DMC and Michael Vick, Tight End
Weaknesses - A Risk/Reward Strategy featuring Run-DMC and Michael Vick
Colron has been mighty busy in the preseason, making not one, but two blockbuster deals right out of the gate. The result is the most boom-or-bust team in the league. I simply cannot tell you with any conviction that Darren McFadden and Michael Vick will be worth the investment. It comes down to health with these two players, as well as the repeatability of Megatron's value from last season. If Run-DMC and Vick get 14 real starts apiece, and Megatron returns value at least relatively close to last season's monstrous numbers, this team will be tough to beat. But that's a lot of big "ifs". If nothing else, this will be an entertaining franchise. P.S. The Gronk is freaking awesome and I love him. So he's got that going for him. Which is nice.
Bloomfield Bumsrush! - Owned by Patrick
Best Player - Chris Johnson
Strength - Proven Talent Across The Board
Weakness - Question Marks Surrounding Most Of That Talent
Hey look, it's the 2009 NFL All-Pro Team! Peyton Manning, Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, Andre Johnson, Brandon Marshall, and Vincent Jackson! Patrick collected a lot of the players I wasn't sure about going into this season, so that makes me unsure of what to make of this team. Peyton could be amazing, CJ2K could lead the league in rushing, as could Peterson. I actually love Brandon Marshall this season, as he returns to his glory days of catching fades from Jay Cutler. But all of those players have holes to their games too, be they injury (Peyton, ADP, Andre), or commitment (CJ2K, Marshall) or the uncertainty of talent moving to a new team (Vincent Jackson). I have no idea how well this team will fare. How's that for hard hitting analysis?
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Meet The DDL Franchises! Pt. I
Thus far, I have focused on the strengths and weakness of my franchise, the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause. However, nine other owners have assembled teams in the DDL, and it is against those nine teams that the Cause will strive to be victorious. Here they are:
Fourth Ward Bandits - Owned by Kerry
Best Player - LeSean McCoy, RB
Strengths - Running Back Starters, Wide Receiver #1, Above Average at QB and TE
Weakness- Running Back Depth
The Bandits drafted McCoy 1st overall, and snagged RB Darren Sproles at the 2/3 turn of the draft. Sproles finished 7th overall among running backs last season, making him a superior RB2. Greg Jennings starts at wide receiver, and he will challenge the top 5 WR list this year. And finally, with Eli at quarterback and Antonio Gates at tight end, the Bandits will only rarely find themselves at a disadvantage at those positions. Unfortunately, running back gets mighty thin after Sproles, so bye weeks and injuries could make it difficult to fill the RB2 slot each and every week with a competent starter.
Global Maple Syrup Reserve - Owned by Amanda
Best Player - Ray Rice, RB
Strengths - Running Back Starters and Depth, Wide Receiver Starters
Weaknesses - Wide Receiver Depth, Quarterback
The Reserve found great value at 5th overall in Ray Rice, who will be in the running to be the best player in fantasy this year. Their other running backs (Stephen Jackson, Doug Martin, Pierre Thomas, Evan Royster) fill a lot of different roles, from steady veterans to high-upside rookies. At wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald is always good, and Miles Austin has top-10 upside. However, the rest of the WR corps is lacking. The biggest weakness of the team will probably be at quarterback, where Tony Romo and Matt Ryan will struggle to keep up with production from the likes of Rodgers and Brady.
Sahara Snow Pleopards - Owned by Shamar
Best Player - Toss up between Marshawn Lynch and Roddy White
Strengths - Running Back Depth and Wide Receivers
Weaknesses - Quarterback, Tight End, RB1 if Lynch doesn't repeat last season.
The Snow Pleopards have a fantastic trio of wide receivers in White, Wes Welker, and Marques Colston. Moreover, they have several starter-quality running backs, and so will be able to absorb injuries and byes relatively easily at that position. They do lack top-tier quality at running back, though - Marshawn Lynch was probably a reach in the first round, and he must have a phenomenal season to prove worthy of that investment. Also, Tony Gonzalez and Matt Schaub come with question marks at tight end and quarterback.
Draft and Draught Dream Team! - Owned by Brian
Best Player - Aaron Rodgers
Strengths - Quarterback, Running Back(if MJD proves to be viable)
Weaknesses - WR2, Running Back(if MJD does not prove to be viable)
The league's defending champion took the MJD gamble, and his other starting running back, DeMarco Murray, is a bit of a gamble as well with his injury history. The Dream Team! will rely heavily on Aaron Rodgers to keep the week-to-week score high enough to absorb a lack of depth at other positions. However, he is the best quarterback in the game, so he should handle that just fine. I also worry a bit about any team featuring the New York Jets prominently, and Santonio Holmes currently resides in the starting lineup of the DDDT.
(Part II to come)
Fourth Ward Bandits - Owned by Kerry
Best Player - LeSean McCoy, RB
Strengths - Running Back Starters, Wide Receiver #1, Above Average at QB and TE
Weakness- Running Back Depth
The Bandits drafted McCoy 1st overall, and snagged RB Darren Sproles at the 2/3 turn of the draft. Sproles finished 7th overall among running backs last season, making him a superior RB2. Greg Jennings starts at wide receiver, and he will challenge the top 5 WR list this year. And finally, with Eli at quarterback and Antonio Gates at tight end, the Bandits will only rarely find themselves at a disadvantage at those positions. Unfortunately, running back gets mighty thin after Sproles, so bye weeks and injuries could make it difficult to fill the RB2 slot each and every week with a competent starter.
Global Maple Syrup Reserve - Owned by Amanda
Best Player - Ray Rice, RB
Strengths - Running Back Starters and Depth, Wide Receiver Starters
Weaknesses - Wide Receiver Depth, Quarterback
The Reserve found great value at 5th overall in Ray Rice, who will be in the running to be the best player in fantasy this year. Their other running backs (Stephen Jackson, Doug Martin, Pierre Thomas, Evan Royster) fill a lot of different roles, from steady veterans to high-upside rookies. At wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald is always good, and Miles Austin has top-10 upside. However, the rest of the WR corps is lacking. The biggest weakness of the team will probably be at quarterback, where Tony Romo and Matt Ryan will struggle to keep up with production from the likes of Rodgers and Brady.
Sahara Snow Pleopards - Owned by Shamar
Best Player - Toss up between Marshawn Lynch and Roddy White
Strengths - Running Back Depth and Wide Receivers
Weaknesses - Quarterback, Tight End, RB1 if Lynch doesn't repeat last season.
The Snow Pleopards have a fantastic trio of wide receivers in White, Wes Welker, and Marques Colston. Moreover, they have several starter-quality running backs, and so will be able to absorb injuries and byes relatively easily at that position. They do lack top-tier quality at running back, though - Marshawn Lynch was probably a reach in the first round, and he must have a phenomenal season to prove worthy of that investment. Also, Tony Gonzalez and Matt Schaub come with question marks at tight end and quarterback.
Draft and Draught Dream Team! - Owned by Brian
Best Player - Aaron Rodgers
Strengths - Quarterback, Running Back(if MJD proves to be viable)
Weaknesses - WR2, Running Back(if MJD does not prove to be viable)
The league's defending champion took the MJD gamble, and his other starting running back, DeMarco Murray, is a bit of a gamble as well with his injury history. The Dream Team! will rely heavily on Aaron Rodgers to keep the week-to-week score high enough to absorb a lack of depth at other positions. However, he is the best quarterback in the game, so he should handle that just fine. I also worry a bit about any team featuring the New York Jets prominently, and Santonio Holmes currently resides in the starting lineup of the DDDT.
(Part II to come)
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Waiver Wire Wednesday! Plus - The Bench of the Cause
Nothing says, "I'm not confident that I'll be able to continue coming up with interesting post topics!" quite like a running weekly gimmick. With that said, I give you Waiver Wire Wednesday, where I will discuss how I attempt to pan for fantasy gold in the neverending river of fantasy talent known as the Draft and Draught waiver wire!
But first, allow me to introduce you to the players most likely to get axed in favor of emerging stars as the season moves along:
Shonn Greene, RB: Somehow, no matter what I do, I seem to get saddled with Greene. He has great opportunity value, as he is the clear-cut number 1 option on a run-first team. Moreover, there is some upside in Tim Tebow's presence on the roster. Rushing quarterbacks tend to increase a running back's value, and Tebow made Willis McGahee a very productive fantasy back last year. Now for the bad news: Shonn Greene might not be very good at football, and the Jets may not be, either. If those things are true, it might not matter how much opportunity Greene gets. That being said, he makes a viable flex option and a decent bye week fill in, if nothing else.
CJ Spiller, RB: Spiller found himself stuck behind Fred Jackson on the Buffalo depth chart for the first half of last season. When FJax got hurt, though, Spiller showed a lot of promise as an every-down back. Once again, though, he is on the wrong end of a time-share, and will likely only have real value if Jackson's injury keeps him from being fully productive.
Mark Ingram, RB: Ingram is probably the goal line back for the Saints. Moreover, the Saints did spend a high draft pick on him, once upon a time, and they will want to get value out of that pick. Unfortunately, the backfield is a bit cluttered in New Orleans, and it's entirely possible Ingram isn't very good. He is more of a lottery ticket than anything else - I'm betting that there's a chance he finds his collegiate form at some point.
DeAngelo Williams, RB: D-Will was a superstar not terribly long ago, and though he is getting older, the Panthers did give him a new contract. He will split time with Jonathan Stewart this season (as per always...), but Stewart went down in the preseason with a slight ankle injury. I'm not convinced that Williams is entirely cooked, and with Stewart out, Williams may have an opportunity to re-establish himself as a quality fantasy starter. Maybe.
Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR: Apart from being named after a Roman senator, Heyward-Bey has finally found himself with a decent opportunity to be a solid fantasy starter. His quarterback, Carson Palmer, was pretty good during the second half of last year, and the other Oakland wide receiver, Denarius Moore (Oakland apparently has a Roman senator thing), will help spread the defense and remove coverage from DHB. Heyward-Bey was inconsistent last season, but he finished strong. I like him as a solid sleeper for this year.
Lance Moore, WR: Fun fact - For the past two seasons, Moore has led all Saints wide receivers in touchdowns. What more could I want from a bench wide receiver?
Randall Cobb, WR: Cobb is a wide receiver on one of the most prolific passing offenses in NFL history. So what if he's way down their depth chart? One injury to a starter, and Randall Cobb will have some serious value. He was my last positional pick in my draft (I grabbed my defense and kicker in the final two rounds), so I like his chances as a simple roll of the dice.
This brings us to Waiver Wire Wednesday! As our draft happened just days ago, I did not plan on dropping anyone this week. I did, however, open up a roster slot by moving Ryan Mathews into one of my two Injured Reserve slots. With that slot, I set my waiver priority on Rashad Jennings, the backup running back for Jacksonville, in the hopes that Maurice Jones-Drew never signs a contract this season. Alas, I did not get my first choice, so I settled on wide receiver Kendall Wright, a "lightning-quick playmaker who is deadly with the ball in his hands." Hey, ESPN.com said it, so it must be true! We shall see.
But first, allow me to introduce you to the players most likely to get axed in favor of emerging stars as the season moves along:
Shonn Greene, RB: Somehow, no matter what I do, I seem to get saddled with Greene. He has great opportunity value, as he is the clear-cut number 1 option on a run-first team. Moreover, there is some upside in Tim Tebow's presence on the roster. Rushing quarterbacks tend to increase a running back's value, and Tebow made Willis McGahee a very productive fantasy back last year. Now for the bad news: Shonn Greene might not be very good at football, and the Jets may not be, either. If those things are true, it might not matter how much opportunity Greene gets. That being said, he makes a viable flex option and a decent bye week fill in, if nothing else.
CJ Spiller, RB: Spiller found himself stuck behind Fred Jackson on the Buffalo depth chart for the first half of last season. When FJax got hurt, though, Spiller showed a lot of promise as an every-down back. Once again, though, he is on the wrong end of a time-share, and will likely only have real value if Jackson's injury keeps him from being fully productive.
Mark Ingram, RB: Ingram is probably the goal line back for the Saints. Moreover, the Saints did spend a high draft pick on him, once upon a time, and they will want to get value out of that pick. Unfortunately, the backfield is a bit cluttered in New Orleans, and it's entirely possible Ingram isn't very good. He is more of a lottery ticket than anything else - I'm betting that there's a chance he finds his collegiate form at some point.
DeAngelo Williams, RB: D-Will was a superstar not terribly long ago, and though he is getting older, the Panthers did give him a new contract. He will split time with Jonathan Stewart this season (as per always...), but Stewart went down in the preseason with a slight ankle injury. I'm not convinced that Williams is entirely cooked, and with Stewart out, Williams may have an opportunity to re-establish himself as a quality fantasy starter. Maybe.
Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR: Apart from being named after a Roman senator, Heyward-Bey has finally found himself with a decent opportunity to be a solid fantasy starter. His quarterback, Carson Palmer, was pretty good during the second half of last year, and the other Oakland wide receiver, Denarius Moore (Oakland apparently has a Roman senator thing), will help spread the defense and remove coverage from DHB. Heyward-Bey was inconsistent last season, but he finished strong. I like him as a solid sleeper for this year.
Lance Moore, WR: Fun fact - For the past two seasons, Moore has led all Saints wide receivers in touchdowns. What more could I want from a bench wide receiver?
Randall Cobb, WR: Cobb is a wide receiver on one of the most prolific passing offenses in NFL history. So what if he's way down their depth chart? One injury to a starter, and Randall Cobb will have some serious value. He was my last positional pick in my draft (I grabbed my defense and kicker in the final two rounds), so I like his chances as a simple roll of the dice.
This brings us to Waiver Wire Wednesday! As our draft happened just days ago, I did not plan on dropping anyone this week. I did, however, open up a roster slot by moving Ryan Mathews into one of my two Injured Reserve slots. With that slot, I set my waiver priority on Rashad Jennings, the backup running back for Jacksonville, in the hopes that Maurice Jones-Drew never signs a contract this season. Alas, I did not get my first choice, so I settled on wide receiver Kendall Wright, a "lightning-quick playmaker who is deadly with the ball in his hands." Hey, ESPN.com said it, so it must be true! We shall see.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Draft and Draught Films Presents: 2008
On the frozen tundras of Every Field, 32 NFL franchises competed to amass as many yards and touchdowns as they possibly could. Their motives remained unclear, but what was clear was that, for the franchises of the Draft and Draught League(DDL), these statistics would propel one lucky squad into fantasy football history.
Fresh off of a respectable but disappointing runner-up finish, The Laserwolves became the Secaucus Mighty Phragmites and looked to return to glory. They turned to superstar quarterback Tom Brady to lead them, as well as the talented running back, Steven Jackson. Little did they know that disaster was about to befall the proud franchise.
Just eleven minutes into the season, Tom Brady's leg was shattered by a vicious illegal blow from Bernard "The Assassin" Pollard. With him could have gone the hopes and dreams of the city of Secaucus, but like the determined swamp grass for which they were named, the Mighty Phragmites plugged the hole and soldiered on.
They were pushed onward by rookie running back sensation Matt Forte, who had a singular talent for scrounging a double digit weekly score even when the odds seemed stacked against him. A midseason trade for wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald also helped the Phragmites, and by season's end they were 7-6, and 3rd overall in total points scored.
The Phragmites won their opening round playoff game, and faced the number one seed Jolly Green Giants in a hotly contested semifinal. However, it was not to be for the fearless Phragmites of Secaucus, as poor play from fill in quarterback Jay Cutler and recent acquisition Fitzgerald led to their demise. The quest for a title would have to wait, but the franchise learned that, no matter the odds, they would never quit, and they would always do their best.
The Jolly Green Giants fell to the Brooklyn Maelstrom in the final, and Brooklyn became the second franchise to lift the Draft and Draught Championship Cup.
Fresh off of a respectable but disappointing runner-up finish, The Laserwolves became the Secaucus Mighty Phragmites and looked to return to glory. They turned to superstar quarterback Tom Brady to lead them, as well as the talented running back, Steven Jackson. Little did they know that disaster was about to befall the proud franchise.
Just eleven minutes into the season, Tom Brady's leg was shattered by a vicious illegal blow from Bernard "The Assassin" Pollard. With him could have gone the hopes and dreams of the city of Secaucus, but like the determined swamp grass for which they were named, the Mighty Phragmites plugged the hole and soldiered on.
They were pushed onward by rookie running back sensation Matt Forte, who had a singular talent for scrounging a double digit weekly score even when the odds seemed stacked against him. A midseason trade for wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald also helped the Phragmites, and by season's end they were 7-6, and 3rd overall in total points scored.
The Phragmites won their opening round playoff game, and faced the number one seed Jolly Green Giants in a hotly contested semifinal. However, it was not to be for the fearless Phragmites of Secaucus, as poor play from fill in quarterback Jay Cutler and recent acquisition Fitzgerald led to their demise. The quest for a title would have to wait, but the franchise learned that, no matter the odds, they would never quit, and they would always do their best.
The Jolly Green Giants fell to the Brooklyn Maelstrom in the final, and Brooklyn became the second franchise to lift the Draft and Draught Championship Cup.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Playing For The Cause
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce the 2012 starting roster for the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause!
First, at quarterback, hailing from New England...Tom Brady! Fresh off an incredibly disappointing Super Bowl defeat at the hands of the New York Giants ...again..., Brady is the absolute most valuable player on the Cause. He will have a new weapon on offense, deep threat wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, and he will have had a full off-season to help tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski to improve on already-otherworldly numbers. I expect Brady to make a run at 400 fantasy points this season, and I would be surprised to see him finish outside the top-3 at the position.
Next, at Running Back #1, from San Diego, Ryan Mathews! Mathews begins the season on the injury report after breaking his collarbone early in the season, but the good news is that this is a fully recoverable injury and he should be back by Week 2, and possibly even for the opener. The better news is that, for several stretches last season, he was one of the best running backs in the business, and even despite missing a couple games he finished 9th in points at the position. Mathews is an injury risk, but one I am willing to take. Unlike many running backs this year, Mathews is the clear-cut starter on his team and has talent to match.
At Running Back #2, starting for Cincinatti this year, The Law Firm, BenJarvis Green-Ellis! Apart from having a simply wonderful nickname, The Law Firm carved out fantasy value as a part-time player for New England last year, and now he finds himself as the starter for Cincy. Interesting stat on The Law Firm - he has never fumbled the ball in his career. I don't expect him to be the best player in the league, but he will be a solid, reliable RB2.
Next, the Wide Receivers, from New York, Hakeem Nicks, and from Pittsburgh, Antonio Brown! My wide receiver pairing has loads of talent and they both possess top-10 level upside. Nicks is a bit fragile, but he tends to play through injuries and he has enough of a relationship with Eli Manning that he doesn't need practice reps to build his timing. Antonio Brown was a revelation last year in Pittsburgh - I believe he is going to be the best wide out on the team, despite Mike Wallace's presence on the roster. He has speed to burn, he has soft hands, and he runs great routes - in short, he has everything a good quarterback could want. And his signal caller, Big Ben, is a good quarterback.
At the Flex position, from Baltimore, wide receiver Torrey Smith! Torrey Smith is fast. Like, really fast. As Anquan Boldin gets older, he will shoulder more and more of the responsibility at wide receiver in Baltimore. Also, his quarterback, Joe Flacco, had an uncharacteristically atrocious conversion percentage last season on deep passes, Smith's specialty. If Flacco's numbers improve to be more in line with his career stats, Torrey Smith will challenge for a top 15 wide receiver spot this season. I like his upside.
At Tight End, hailing from New Orleans, Jimmy Graham! Another integral piece of the puzzle, Graham was the 2nd best tight end last season, behind only the Gronk. I believe that, given the plethora of options available in New England and the loss of a couple wide receivers in New Orleans, Gronkowski's value will regress a bit, while Graham's might actually increase. Even if he doesn't improve on last year, Graham will give us a huge positional advantage at tight end over almost every other franchise.
And for the Defense/ Special Teams, the Philadelphia Eagles! I hate the Birds from Philly, but they have a ball-hawking, turn-over oriented scheme, which is exactly what I want out of a fantasy defense. I expect to be rather fast and loose with my defense over the season, and I plan to look for favorable waiver wire match-ups, should the Eagles prove to be less than stellar.
And finally, at Kicker, From Denver, Matt Prater! Kickers are kickers - it's been shown time and again that predicting the best one is like trying to turn lead into gold, and even if you do peg the right man, the difference between number 1 overall and waiver wire replacement level is almost negligible. That said, I like that Prater is kicking at altitude all season, and I like that Peyton Manning runs his offense. That team should score points in bunches.
First, at quarterback, hailing from New England...Tom Brady! Fresh off an incredibly disappointing Super Bowl defeat at the hands of the New York Giants ...again..., Brady is the absolute most valuable player on the Cause. He will have a new weapon on offense, deep threat wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, and he will have had a full off-season to help tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski to improve on already-otherworldly numbers. I expect Brady to make a run at 400 fantasy points this season, and I would be surprised to see him finish outside the top-3 at the position.
Next, at Running Back #1, from San Diego, Ryan Mathews! Mathews begins the season on the injury report after breaking his collarbone early in the season, but the good news is that this is a fully recoverable injury and he should be back by Week 2, and possibly even for the opener. The better news is that, for several stretches last season, he was one of the best running backs in the business, and even despite missing a couple games he finished 9th in points at the position. Mathews is an injury risk, but one I am willing to take. Unlike many running backs this year, Mathews is the clear-cut starter on his team and has talent to match.
At Running Back #2, starting for Cincinatti this year, The Law Firm, BenJarvis Green-Ellis! Apart from having a simply wonderful nickname, The Law Firm carved out fantasy value as a part-time player for New England last year, and now he finds himself as the starter for Cincy. Interesting stat on The Law Firm - he has never fumbled the ball in his career. I don't expect him to be the best player in the league, but he will be a solid, reliable RB2.
Next, the Wide Receivers, from New York, Hakeem Nicks, and from Pittsburgh, Antonio Brown! My wide receiver pairing has loads of talent and they both possess top-10 level upside. Nicks is a bit fragile, but he tends to play through injuries and he has enough of a relationship with Eli Manning that he doesn't need practice reps to build his timing. Antonio Brown was a revelation last year in Pittsburgh - I believe he is going to be the best wide out on the team, despite Mike Wallace's presence on the roster. He has speed to burn, he has soft hands, and he runs great routes - in short, he has everything a good quarterback could want. And his signal caller, Big Ben, is a good quarterback.
At the Flex position, from Baltimore, wide receiver Torrey Smith! Torrey Smith is fast. Like, really fast. As Anquan Boldin gets older, he will shoulder more and more of the responsibility at wide receiver in Baltimore. Also, his quarterback, Joe Flacco, had an uncharacteristically atrocious conversion percentage last season on deep passes, Smith's specialty. If Flacco's numbers improve to be more in line with his career stats, Torrey Smith will challenge for a top 15 wide receiver spot this season. I like his upside.
At Tight End, hailing from New Orleans, Jimmy Graham! Another integral piece of the puzzle, Graham was the 2nd best tight end last season, behind only the Gronk. I believe that, given the plethora of options available in New England and the loss of a couple wide receivers in New Orleans, Gronkowski's value will regress a bit, while Graham's might actually increase. Even if he doesn't improve on last year, Graham will give us a huge positional advantage at tight end over almost every other franchise.
And for the Defense/ Special Teams, the Philadelphia Eagles! I hate the Birds from Philly, but they have a ball-hawking, turn-over oriented scheme, which is exactly what I want out of a fantasy defense. I expect to be rather fast and loose with my defense over the season, and I plan to look for favorable waiver wire match-ups, should the Eagles prove to be less than stellar.
And finally, at Kicker, From Denver, Matt Prater! Kickers are kickers - it's been shown time and again that predicting the best one is like trying to turn lead into gold, and even if you do peg the right man, the difference between number 1 overall and waiver wire replacement level is almost negligible. That said, I like that Prater is kicking at altitude all season, and I like that Peyton Manning runs his offense. That team should score points in bunches.
Draft Day 2012
Ah, Draft Day! In my opinion, the best day of the year. A day of cheap jokes and playful trash talk. A day of unbridled optimism and enthusiasm. A day of parity for all ten franchises in the Draft and Draught League. Before we get to my strategy and results, I present to you:
Highlights of the 2012 Draft and Draught Draft
(directed at a Cowboys fan) "Did you know that Eli Manning has more Super Bowl rings than Tony Romo has playoff wins?"
(after Marshawn Lynch went 8th overall) "First player off the board with pending legal issues!"
(after Chris Johnson went 7th overall) "First player off the board who quit on his team last year!"
(after Jamaal Charles went 12th overall) "First player off the board who is returning from a season ending injury!" Actually, this joke was probably mentioned for the next 30 running backs, which made it less funny once we all had crippled players starting for us.
(after Michael Vick went 39th overall) "First player who is legitimately evil is off the board!" Can't fault the value there, though. It's the classic karmic risk/fantasy football reward dilemma pick. Ben Roethlisberger prompted a similar vein of conversation in the 10th round.
Matt Ryan in the 4th round prompted the always classic, "Nice pick, that's great value in the 7th round! ...oh wait what round is it? Four? Oh."
Other things we learned:
That Arian Foster is a vegan. Technically, I knew this already, but we certainly heard a lot about it from the two vegans present. He went 2nd overall, by the way. To our vegan owner. What a shocker.
That there are not one, not two, not three, but four players named after Roman senators in the top 200 ESPN rankings. They are, in order of appearance on the list, Demaryius Thomas (#63), Denarius Moore (#82), Darrius Heyward-Bey (#112) and Titus Young (#113). Marcus Easley (#289) just missed the cut. This fact is presented to you by my team's front office staff, Vice President of Football Operations Mary. No, really, I have a front office and a vice president.
That twenty players listed on ESPN.com's fantasy page have the last name "Johnson."
That no one in my league trusts Maurice Jones-Drew, an elite running back who currently is holding out for a new contract and isn't playing with his team yet. He dropped from 4th overall in consensus rankings a month ago to the 23rd pick in our draft. Will he be good? We have no idea.
Rich Liberal Trendy Cause Draft Strategy and Results
Vice President of Football Operations Mary and I wanted to avoid risk as much as possible in the early rounds. I obviously hoped that one of the three sure-fire running backs on the board (LeSean McCoy, Ray Rice, and Arian Foster) would fall to me, but this was unlikely. I felt a few things were true at this point:
1) There are three elite quarterbacks(Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees) and then a significant drop off to the next tier(Matthew Stafford et al.)
2) There is one elite wide receiver(Calvin "Megatron" Johnson) and then the next 20 or so have very similar value. Wide receiver is "deep" this year, because you can wait until later to find roughly equivalent value.
3) There are no identifiably elite running backs after the top 3. It isn't that none of them will be really good, but rather it's that I can't tell you which of them will be good with any certainty.
4) There are two elite tight ends(Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski), then a very good one(Antonio Gates) and then everyone else is about the same - good, but not stellar.
With these thoughts in mind, I decided that I was going to wait a bit to grab my first wide receiver, wait quite awhile to grab my first running back, and make sure I had one each of the elite quarterbacks and tight ends. My thought was that, in the first couple rounds of a draft, I wanted to find ways to gain an edge over my opponents, and leave the guessing at wide receiver and running back to the other teams.
Here is my draft:
1.06 - Drew Brees, QB
2.05 - Rob Gronkowski "The Gronk", TE
3.06 - Hakeem Nicks, WR
4.05 - Ryan Mathews, RB
5.06 - "The Law Firm" BenJarvis Green-Ellis, RB
6.05 - Antonio Brown, WR
7.06 - Shonn Greene, RB
8.05 - Torrey Smith, WR
9.06 - CJ Spiller, RB
10.05 - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR and former Roman Senator
11.06 - DeAngelo Williams, RB
12.05 - Mark Ingram, RB
13.06 - Lance Moore, WR
14.05 - Randall Cobb, WR
15.06 - Eagles D/ST
16.05 - Matt Prater, K
Brees was the quarterback left after Rodgers and Brady went in the top five. I like Jimmy Graham just a touch more than Gronkowski, but picked The Gronk instead because I try to avoid having quarterbacks and receivers/tight ends from the same team. Soon after the draft, however, I made a rather big-name trade: I sent Brees and The Gronk to the Montclair Mounties for Tom Brady and Jimmy Graham, my preferred QB/TE combo. He seemed happy to have Gronk, and I'm certainly happy to have both.
So my team currently stands as:
QB: Tom Brady
RB1: Ryan Mathews
RB2: The Law Firm
WR1: Hakeem Nicks
WR2: Antonio Brown
Flex: Shonn Greene
TE: Jimmy Graham
D/ST: Eagles
K: Matt Prater.
Bench - WRs Torrey Smith, Darrius "The Senator" Heyward-Bey, Lance Moore, Randall Cobb,
RBs CJ Spiller, DeAngelo Williams, Mark Ingram
I'll introduce the players on The Cause in-depth in a later post, but upon initial review, there are a couple of things I really like about my squad. We succeeded in outstripping pretty much everyone other than the Mounties at quarterback and tight end, and I think mine are slightly better than theirs. My wide receivers are very talented, and I think that my bench wide outs are incredibly strong as well. The running backs are actually not terrible, considering how late I waited to acquire them. Every pick after round 1 at running back was pretty much akin to throwing a dart at a dart board, and I like the darts I chose. That said, running back is the weakest position on my team, and I will spend the rest of the preseason and early weeks at least examining ways to improve there.
Overall, I think the draft went very, very well for the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause. We shall see in the coming weeks, but for now I will participate in America's real favorite pastime - staring at my team page and switching people in and out of flex for the next two weeks. I can't wait for Week One!
Highlights of the 2012 Draft and Draught Draft
(directed at a Cowboys fan) "Did you know that Eli Manning has more Super Bowl rings than Tony Romo has playoff wins?"
(after Marshawn Lynch went 8th overall) "First player off the board with pending legal issues!"
(after Chris Johnson went 7th overall) "First player off the board who quit on his team last year!"
(after Jamaal Charles went 12th overall) "First player off the board who is returning from a season ending injury!" Actually, this joke was probably mentioned for the next 30 running backs, which made it less funny once we all had crippled players starting for us.
(after Michael Vick went 39th overall) "First player who is legitimately evil is off the board!" Can't fault the value there, though. It's the classic karmic risk/fantasy football reward dilemma pick. Ben Roethlisberger prompted a similar vein of conversation in the 10th round.
Matt Ryan in the 4th round prompted the always classic, "Nice pick, that's great value in the 7th round! ...oh wait what round is it? Four? Oh."
Other things we learned:
That Arian Foster is a vegan. Technically, I knew this already, but we certainly heard a lot about it from the two vegans present. He went 2nd overall, by the way. To our vegan owner. What a shocker.
That there are not one, not two, not three, but four players named after Roman senators in the top 200 ESPN rankings. They are, in order of appearance on the list, Demaryius Thomas (#63), Denarius Moore (#82), Darrius Heyward-Bey (#112) and Titus Young (#113). Marcus Easley (#289) just missed the cut. This fact is presented to you by my team's front office staff, Vice President of Football Operations Mary. No, really, I have a front office and a vice president.
That twenty players listed on ESPN.com's fantasy page have the last name "Johnson."
That no one in my league trusts Maurice Jones-Drew, an elite running back who currently is holding out for a new contract and isn't playing with his team yet. He dropped from 4th overall in consensus rankings a month ago to the 23rd pick in our draft. Will he be good? We have no idea.
Rich Liberal Trendy Cause Draft Strategy and Results
Vice President of Football Operations Mary and I wanted to avoid risk as much as possible in the early rounds. I obviously hoped that one of the three sure-fire running backs on the board (LeSean McCoy, Ray Rice, and Arian Foster) would fall to me, but this was unlikely. I felt a few things were true at this point:
1) There are three elite quarterbacks(Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees) and then a significant drop off to the next tier(Matthew Stafford et al.)
2) There is one elite wide receiver(Calvin "Megatron" Johnson) and then the next 20 or so have very similar value. Wide receiver is "deep" this year, because you can wait until later to find roughly equivalent value.
3) There are no identifiably elite running backs after the top 3. It isn't that none of them will be really good, but rather it's that I can't tell you which of them will be good with any certainty.
4) There are two elite tight ends(Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski), then a very good one(Antonio Gates) and then everyone else is about the same - good, but not stellar.
With these thoughts in mind, I decided that I was going to wait a bit to grab my first wide receiver, wait quite awhile to grab my first running back, and make sure I had one each of the elite quarterbacks and tight ends. My thought was that, in the first couple rounds of a draft, I wanted to find ways to gain an edge over my opponents, and leave the guessing at wide receiver and running back to the other teams.
Here is my draft:
1.06 - Drew Brees, QB
2.05 - Rob Gronkowski "The Gronk", TE
3.06 - Hakeem Nicks, WR
4.05 - Ryan Mathews, RB
5.06 - "The Law Firm" BenJarvis Green-Ellis, RB
6.05 - Antonio Brown, WR
7.06 - Shonn Greene, RB
8.05 - Torrey Smith, WR
9.06 - CJ Spiller, RB
10.05 - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR and former Roman Senator
11.06 - DeAngelo Williams, RB
12.05 - Mark Ingram, RB
13.06 - Lance Moore, WR
14.05 - Randall Cobb, WR
15.06 - Eagles D/ST
16.05 - Matt Prater, K
Brees was the quarterback left after Rodgers and Brady went in the top five. I like Jimmy Graham just a touch more than Gronkowski, but picked The Gronk instead because I try to avoid having quarterbacks and receivers/tight ends from the same team. Soon after the draft, however, I made a rather big-name trade: I sent Brees and The Gronk to the Montclair Mounties for Tom Brady and Jimmy Graham, my preferred QB/TE combo. He seemed happy to have Gronk, and I'm certainly happy to have both.
So my team currently stands as:
QB: Tom Brady
RB1: Ryan Mathews
RB2: The Law Firm
WR1: Hakeem Nicks
WR2: Antonio Brown
Flex: Shonn Greene
TE: Jimmy Graham
D/ST: Eagles
K: Matt Prater.
Bench - WRs Torrey Smith, Darrius "The Senator" Heyward-Bey, Lance Moore, Randall Cobb,
RBs CJ Spiller, DeAngelo Williams, Mark Ingram
I'll introduce the players on The Cause in-depth in a later post, but upon initial review, there are a couple of things I really like about my squad. We succeeded in outstripping pretty much everyone other than the Mounties at quarterback and tight end, and I think mine are slightly better than theirs. My wide receivers are very talented, and I think that my bench wide outs are incredibly strong as well. The running backs are actually not terrible, considering how late I waited to acquire them. Every pick after round 1 at running back was pretty much akin to throwing a dart at a dart board, and I like the darts I chose. That said, running back is the weakest position on my team, and I will spend the rest of the preseason and early weeks at least examining ways to improve there.
Overall, I think the draft went very, very well for the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause. We shall see in the coming weeks, but for now I will participate in America's real favorite pastime - staring at my team page and switching people in and out of flex for the next two weeks. I can't wait for Week One!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Quarterback Controversy
The following is intended for mature audiences only. It contains depictions of graphic quarterback incompetence(Q.I.), atrocious bad luck(B.L.) and instances of Season Ending Injury(S.E.I). Viewer discretion is advised.
These are the stories of the quarterbacks drafted by the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause franchise. They are uncut and unedited.
2007 - Vince Young, Drafted 3rd Round
Vince Young was fresh off a Pro Bowl caliber rookie season in 2006. He was the ideal package of speed and finesse, and he had a knack for winning the big game, as evidenced by his collegiate victory over Michigan as the quarterback of the Texas Longhorns. He was known as an average passer, but where he really shined was as a rushing QB - in 2006 he rushed for 552 yards and 7 touchdowns, which equates to 97.2 fantasy points before even throwing a pass. He had the potential to be a fantasy football juggernaut.
So what happened? Vince Young proceeded to have one of the most atrocious seasons as a starting quarterback in recent memory. His TD/Int ratio, which was a mediocre 12/13 the season before but manageable given his rushing prowess, plummeted to 9/17. His rushing stats dropped as well, and he rarely found the end zone in any capacity. Also, he simply could not hold onto the football, fumbling 10 times.
Final stats: 2546 passing yards, 9 passing TDs, 17 interceptions, 395 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 10 fumbles.
2008 - Tom Brady, Drafted 2nd Round
In 2007, Tom Brady produced arguably the greatest season in NFL history. He set the record for touchdown passes, notching a remarkable 50 scores. He set the record for most TDs to one target, Randy Moss. He threw for an incredible 4802 yards, which was good for 4th all time at the time.
Though I was leery of spending a high draft pick on a quarterback after the Vince Young Debacle, I looked at Tom Brady's remarkable skill and incredible durability; he had never missed a game in his career.
Until 8 minutes into Week One of the 2008 season, when Bernard Pollard fell on his leg and tore every ligament in it. He completed 7 passes in those 8 minutes, and missed the remainder of the 2008 season.
2009 - Donovan McNabb, Drafted 8th Round
Trust the Eagles to produce the one draft-day quarterback I can't really complain about. Fresh off being burned not once, but twice over the past couple seasons by high draft picks used on quarterbacks, I decided to wait and grab a serviceable late round QB. McNabb missed 2 games, turned in his lowest rushing total in 5 years, and set a personal best in fumbles, with 10. All that said, he didn't lose many of those fumbles, he limited his interceptions to 10, and he was generally very average.
This makes him the best quarterback I've ever drafted as a starter.
2010 - Tony Romo, Drafted 6th Round
Okay, I've got the handle on the QB position by now. Don't spend a high pick, and it won't hurt you. I'll go up a little bit, to the 6th round. Tony Romo, why not? I expect such big things from you that I selected your best wideout, Miles Austin, in the 2nd as well. Just make sure to block for Tony now, Cowboys, even when playing my beloved New York Giants. Wait, Michael Boley, what are you doing? No! THAT'S MY STARTING FANTASY QUARTERBACK!!!
6th game of the season, broken clavicle, out for season. Damn it all.
2011 - Michael Vick, Drafted 1st Round, 10th Overall
If you would like to know how this turned out, I refer you to ESPN.com's fantasy football expert, Matthew Berry. Hell, he had Vick ranked 1st overall.
Who's next? No one knows. All that is certain is that, come September, some poor soul will be the signal caller for the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause. If you are a fan of an NFL franchise, pray that it is not your quarterback.
These are the stories of the quarterbacks drafted by the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause franchise. They are uncut and unedited.
2007 - Vince Young, Drafted 3rd Round
Vince Young was fresh off a Pro Bowl caliber rookie season in 2006. He was the ideal package of speed and finesse, and he had a knack for winning the big game, as evidenced by his collegiate victory over Michigan as the quarterback of the Texas Longhorns. He was known as an average passer, but where he really shined was as a rushing QB - in 2006 he rushed for 552 yards and 7 touchdowns, which equates to 97.2 fantasy points before even throwing a pass. He had the potential to be a fantasy football juggernaut.
So what happened? Vince Young proceeded to have one of the most atrocious seasons as a starting quarterback in recent memory. His TD/Int ratio, which was a mediocre 12/13 the season before but manageable given his rushing prowess, plummeted to 9/17. His rushing stats dropped as well, and he rarely found the end zone in any capacity. Also, he simply could not hold onto the football, fumbling 10 times.
Final stats: 2546 passing yards, 9 passing TDs, 17 interceptions, 395 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 10 fumbles.
2008 - Tom Brady, Drafted 2nd Round
In 2007, Tom Brady produced arguably the greatest season in NFL history. He set the record for touchdown passes, notching a remarkable 50 scores. He set the record for most TDs to one target, Randy Moss. He threw for an incredible 4802 yards, which was good for 4th all time at the time.
Though I was leery of spending a high draft pick on a quarterback after the Vince Young Debacle, I looked at Tom Brady's remarkable skill and incredible durability; he had never missed a game in his career.
Until 8 minutes into Week One of the 2008 season, when Bernard Pollard fell on his leg and tore every ligament in it. He completed 7 passes in those 8 minutes, and missed the remainder of the 2008 season.
2009 - Donovan McNabb, Drafted 8th Round
Trust the Eagles to produce the one draft-day quarterback I can't really complain about. Fresh off being burned not once, but twice over the past couple seasons by high draft picks used on quarterbacks, I decided to wait and grab a serviceable late round QB. McNabb missed 2 games, turned in his lowest rushing total in 5 years, and set a personal best in fumbles, with 10. All that said, he didn't lose many of those fumbles, he limited his interceptions to 10, and he was generally very average.
This makes him the best quarterback I've ever drafted as a starter.
2010 - Tony Romo, Drafted 6th Round
Okay, I've got the handle on the QB position by now. Don't spend a high pick, and it won't hurt you. I'll go up a little bit, to the 6th round. Tony Romo, why not? I expect such big things from you that I selected your best wideout, Miles Austin, in the 2nd as well. Just make sure to block for Tony now, Cowboys, even when playing my beloved New York Giants. Wait, Michael Boley, what are you doing? No! THAT'S MY STARTING FANTASY QUARTERBACK!!!
6th game of the season, broken clavicle, out for season. Damn it all.
2011 - Michael Vick, Drafted 1st Round, 10th Overall
If you would like to know how this turned out, I refer you to ESPN.com's fantasy football expert, Matthew Berry. Hell, he had Vick ranked 1st overall.
Who's next? No one knows. All that is certain is that, come September, some poor soul will be the signal caller for the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause. If you are a fan of an NFL franchise, pray that it is not your quarterback.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Draft and Draught Films Presents: 2007
One of the great joys of professional sports is their strong connection with history. Fans of all ages talk passionately about the 1985 Chicago Bears, the 1927 New York Yankees, the ridiculous 100 point game by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962, and the masterpiece that is Pedro Martinez' 1997 season. I believe that it is comforting for people to relate to something as dependable and steady as football or baseball; decade after decade, while music and fashion and politics evolve wildly, the distance from the mound to home plate is still 60' 6".
There is something special, as well, in the ability to compare eras so easily and fluidly. Is it accurate to say that Avatar was the greatest movie of all time, because it was the highest grossing movie ever? Such an argument is easily thwarted, and it is hard to quantify theatrical quality. However, I am perfectly capable of pointing out the best teams in football ever, because we can compare statistics, win/loss, and any number of quantifiable metrics that relate to team dominance in any given year.
With that being said, I want to present the history of the Draft and Draught league, which begins way back in 2007. Like baseball in the 1800s, the game was very different in the past. For one thing, ESPN did not archive our league page, and so our team names, win/loss totals, and even rosters exist now only in our memories. I will try to give as good an account of the season as I can, but I am only as credible in this case as anecdote allows.
2007 was the inaugural season for our league, and it featured a nearly-full complement of rookie owners. Unfortunately, ESPN.com required that leagues have 10 teams, and we only had 8. Geniuses that we were, we invented a goofy, prehistoric "auto-draft" that created two "ringer" teams - teams that would be league controlled but designed to be below average. What would happen if one of the ringer teams won the championship? We tried not to think about it. We knew one very important thing, however - we should draft our teams in person, and we should bring lots of beer to this draft. Hence the name of the league.
The most important thing at the beginning of any fantasy season has nothing to do with strategy: it was time to come up with a team name. For 2007 my franchise was known as The Laserwolves. What does a Laserwolf sound like? I'm glad you asked! I punctuated every message board post with our war cry: "Owwwooooooooooo.........BANG"! It turns out, I don't know how to write out the sound of a laser.
The second most important thing is, of course, draft strategy. I was fortunate enough to draw the number one overall pick, and 2007 was a year where only one player was 1st overall caliber. "With the first pick of the inaugural draft of Draft and Draught, the Laserwolves select LaDainian Tomlinson, Running Back, San Diego!"
After that, I wanted to nail down a superstar at the rest of the skill positions. With my picks at the end of the second round and beginning of the 3rd(we do a snake draft, which means I picked twice in a row, 20th and 21st overall), I chose Indianapolis WR Marvin "My Favorite Martian" Harrison(copyright 2007 Chris Berman), and superstar rushing quarterback Vince Young. If you are a veteran of fantasy football, you are grimacing slightly right now. If you are not, let's just say they weren't QUITE the 20th and 21st best players by 2007's end. Or even close. Whoops.
With my 4th round pick I selected my ace in the hole - San Diego's tight end, Antonio Gates. The Gates of Hell, as I called him, was far and away the best tight end in football for several years, and even today he is a highly rated star. With a stud at four positions, I spent the rest of the draft drafting best available wide receivers and running backs.
The highlight of the season for me was what I consider to be the Greatest Fantasy Trade of All Time. My buddy Sam had a wide receiver problem - he simply could not find a receiver who could reliable produce fantasy points. I had a similar issue at running back - Tomlinson was great, but the rest of my team was not as solid. So I offered a young, up and coming receiver named Javon Walker for Sam's rookie running back, a guy named Adrian Peterson. At the time, I felt the trade favored me slightly, but helped his team as well since he could afford to trade depth at running back to fill a need at wide receiver. One week after our trade, in the next game played, Javon Walker broke his shoulder. Out for the year. At the same time, Adrian Peterson set the single game rushing record, obliterating the San Diego defense for 296 yards and 3 touchdowns. He's been the best running back in the world ever since. I love this trade.
My team finished 10-3 and I made the playoffs. I won my first round game and faced Queen Sarah's Fairy Realm Funtime in the championship game. My team went cold, however, and hers had a banner day, and I lost. Little did I know that this would be the closest I have ever been to winning the title.
There is something special, as well, in the ability to compare eras so easily and fluidly. Is it accurate to say that Avatar was the greatest movie of all time, because it was the highest grossing movie ever? Such an argument is easily thwarted, and it is hard to quantify theatrical quality. However, I am perfectly capable of pointing out the best teams in football ever, because we can compare statistics, win/loss, and any number of quantifiable metrics that relate to team dominance in any given year.
With that being said, I want to present the history of the Draft and Draught league, which begins way back in 2007. Like baseball in the 1800s, the game was very different in the past. For one thing, ESPN did not archive our league page, and so our team names, win/loss totals, and even rosters exist now only in our memories. I will try to give as good an account of the season as I can, but I am only as credible in this case as anecdote allows.
2007 was the inaugural season for our league, and it featured a nearly-full complement of rookie owners. Unfortunately, ESPN.com required that leagues have 10 teams, and we only had 8. Geniuses that we were, we invented a goofy, prehistoric "auto-draft" that created two "ringer" teams - teams that would be league controlled but designed to be below average. What would happen if one of the ringer teams won the championship? We tried not to think about it. We knew one very important thing, however - we should draft our teams in person, and we should bring lots of beer to this draft. Hence the name of the league.
The most important thing at the beginning of any fantasy season has nothing to do with strategy: it was time to come up with a team name. For 2007 my franchise was known as The Laserwolves. What does a Laserwolf sound like? I'm glad you asked! I punctuated every message board post with our war cry: "Owwwooooooooooo.........BANG"! It turns out, I don't know how to write out the sound of a laser.
The second most important thing is, of course, draft strategy. I was fortunate enough to draw the number one overall pick, and 2007 was a year where only one player was 1st overall caliber. "With the first pick of the inaugural draft of Draft and Draught, the Laserwolves select LaDainian Tomlinson, Running Back, San Diego!"
After that, I wanted to nail down a superstar at the rest of the skill positions. With my picks at the end of the second round and beginning of the 3rd(we do a snake draft, which means I picked twice in a row, 20th and 21st overall), I chose Indianapolis WR Marvin "My Favorite Martian" Harrison(copyright 2007 Chris Berman), and superstar rushing quarterback Vince Young. If you are a veteran of fantasy football, you are grimacing slightly right now. If you are not, let's just say they weren't QUITE the 20th and 21st best players by 2007's end. Or even close. Whoops.
With my 4th round pick I selected my ace in the hole - San Diego's tight end, Antonio Gates. The Gates of Hell, as I called him, was far and away the best tight end in football for several years, and even today he is a highly rated star. With a stud at four positions, I spent the rest of the draft drafting best available wide receivers and running backs.
The highlight of the season for me was what I consider to be the Greatest Fantasy Trade of All Time. My buddy Sam had a wide receiver problem - he simply could not find a receiver who could reliable produce fantasy points. I had a similar issue at running back - Tomlinson was great, but the rest of my team was not as solid. So I offered a young, up and coming receiver named Javon Walker for Sam's rookie running back, a guy named Adrian Peterson. At the time, I felt the trade favored me slightly, but helped his team as well since he could afford to trade depth at running back to fill a need at wide receiver. One week after our trade, in the next game played, Javon Walker broke his shoulder. Out for the year. At the same time, Adrian Peterson set the single game rushing record, obliterating the San Diego defense for 296 yards and 3 touchdowns. He's been the best running back in the world ever since. I love this trade.
My team finished 10-3 and I made the playoffs. I won my first round game and faced Queen Sarah's Fairy Realm Funtime in the championship game. My team went cold, however, and hers had a banner day, and I lost. Little did I know that this would be the closest I have ever been to winning the title.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
A Brief Interlude Regarding the Rules
This will be a quick primer to bring everyone up to speed on what the heck I mean when I say I'm "playing fantasy football." If you have prior experience playing the game, then feel free to skip this one.
So, what exactly is fantasy football? There are a lot of variations and optional rules that different leagues follow, but the core mechanic is the same for all leagues. Over the course of an NFL season, individual players generate individual statistics. The players on offense produce two key ones: yards from scrimmage and touchdowns. Most leagues focus exclusively on these two stats(with a few notable exceptions, which I will get to), and our league follows suit, but any league can expand their stats to include things such as total touches(how many times does a player handle the ball?), total receptions(how many times does a player catch the ball?), and any other stat that is tracked by the league.
Each team owner puts together a list of players from the NFL, and we compare which group of players get the most yards and touchdowns. Each week, we create "starting lineups" from our lists and only points scored by starters count. This way, each team is equal numbers of players from the various positions in football. Our league's starting lineup is set up as:
QB
RB
RB
WR
WR
WR/RB "Flex"(you can choose either a running back or a wide receiver for this slot)
TE
D/ST(Defense/Special Teams)
Kicker
Defenses are selected as full teams, since individual defensive players can have misleading stats, and the strength of a defense is largely based on its overall success rather than the success of an individual player. For example, Nnamdi Asomugha was widely considered to be the best cornerback in football for several years, but he was so good that he never got any interceptions or tackles, simply because no one ever threw the ball anywhere near him. Meanwhile, Asante Samuel racked up a ton of interceptions, but partly this was because he had a tendency to gamble, and found himself out of position and giving up a big play on several occasions.
To compare across different positions, we convert our stats into a single, simple metric called "fantasy points." Anyone who runs the ball or catches a pass gets 1 point per 10 yards gained. Anyone who runs or receives for a touchdown gets 6 points, just like in real football. Quarterbacks end up with higher stats just because of the nature of the position, so they score a little less - 1 point per 25 yards thrown, and 4 points for a touchdown. Players lose 2 points for the team for turnovers. Defenses get a point per sack, 2 points per takeaway, and either gain or lose a certain number of points, depending on how many real-life points are scored against them. Kickers get 1 point for a PAT(Point After Touchdown) but lose 2 if they miss a PAT. They gain 3 for a field goal of 0-39 yards in length, but lose 2 for a miss in that range. They score 4 points for a 40-49 yard field goal, but lose 1 for a miss. They also score 4 for a 50+ yard FG, but there is no penalty for a miss at that long range.
All of the starters' point totals are added up, and then compared to whichever team you play against that week - it is a head-to-head scoring system, so each team generates wins and losses by playing against a single opponent each week.
To pick the team, we do a "snake draft" - we randomly assign an order of picks from 1 to 10, and then reverse the order each round. At the end of the draft, which is 16 rounds, each team will have enough players for a starting lineup, plus 7 players on the "bench" that they can put into their starting lineup if they ever feel that it is more likely for them to score points than their current starters.
To improve our teams over the course of the season, we can turn to the "waiver wire" - the list of all undrafted players. If a person on my team got injured, for example, I could exchange him for a waiver player. We can also trade with the other teams, giving up value at one position to improve at another.
In the end, it's all about value - we want to accumulate the players we think will score the absolute most fantasy points, while minimizing risk of poor performances. 13 weeks into the season, the top 6 teams in order of win/loss enter the playoffs, and we continue with a single elimination tournament through weeks 14-16(there is a bye week for the best two teams). After 16 weeks, the last team standing is our winner!
So, what exactly is fantasy football? There are a lot of variations and optional rules that different leagues follow, but the core mechanic is the same for all leagues. Over the course of an NFL season, individual players generate individual statistics. The players on offense produce two key ones: yards from scrimmage and touchdowns. Most leagues focus exclusively on these two stats(with a few notable exceptions, which I will get to), and our league follows suit, but any league can expand their stats to include things such as total touches(how many times does a player handle the ball?), total receptions(how many times does a player catch the ball?), and any other stat that is tracked by the league.
Each team owner puts together a list of players from the NFL, and we compare which group of players get the most yards and touchdowns. Each week, we create "starting lineups" from our lists and only points scored by starters count. This way, each team is equal numbers of players from the various positions in football. Our league's starting lineup is set up as:
QB
RB
RB
WR
WR
WR/RB "Flex"(you can choose either a running back or a wide receiver for this slot)
TE
D/ST(Defense/Special Teams)
Kicker
Defenses are selected as full teams, since individual defensive players can have misleading stats, and the strength of a defense is largely based on its overall success rather than the success of an individual player. For example, Nnamdi Asomugha was widely considered to be the best cornerback in football for several years, but he was so good that he never got any interceptions or tackles, simply because no one ever threw the ball anywhere near him. Meanwhile, Asante Samuel racked up a ton of interceptions, but partly this was because he had a tendency to gamble, and found himself out of position and giving up a big play on several occasions.
To compare across different positions, we convert our stats into a single, simple metric called "fantasy points." Anyone who runs the ball or catches a pass gets 1 point per 10 yards gained. Anyone who runs or receives for a touchdown gets 6 points, just like in real football. Quarterbacks end up with higher stats just because of the nature of the position, so they score a little less - 1 point per 25 yards thrown, and 4 points for a touchdown. Players lose 2 points for the team for turnovers. Defenses get a point per sack, 2 points per takeaway, and either gain or lose a certain number of points, depending on how many real-life points are scored against them. Kickers get 1 point for a PAT(Point After Touchdown) but lose 2 if they miss a PAT. They gain 3 for a field goal of 0-39 yards in length, but lose 2 for a miss in that range. They score 4 points for a 40-49 yard field goal, but lose 1 for a miss. They also score 4 for a 50+ yard FG, but there is no penalty for a miss at that long range.
All of the starters' point totals are added up, and then compared to whichever team you play against that week - it is a head-to-head scoring system, so each team generates wins and losses by playing against a single opponent each week.
To pick the team, we do a "snake draft" - we randomly assign an order of picks from 1 to 10, and then reverse the order each round. At the end of the draft, which is 16 rounds, each team will have enough players for a starting lineup, plus 7 players on the "bench" that they can put into their starting lineup if they ever feel that it is more likely for them to score points than their current starters.
To improve our teams over the course of the season, we can turn to the "waiver wire" - the list of all undrafted players. If a person on my team got injured, for example, I could exchange him for a waiver player. We can also trade with the other teams, giving up value at one position to improve at another.
In the end, it's all about value - we want to accumulate the players we think will score the absolute most fantasy points, while minimizing risk of poor performances. 13 weeks into the season, the top 6 teams in order of win/loss enter the playoffs, and we continue with a single elimination tournament through weeks 14-16(there is a bye week for the best two teams). After 16 weeks, the last team standing is our winner!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Welcome to Final Fantasy: Football!
Before I go any further, I would like to address a rather interesting and clever suggestion by ESPN.com's Nate Ravitz. Nate, on the Fantasy Focus: Football podcast, pointed out that in order to carve out a reputation as a brilliant predictor of fantasy ability, aspiring fantasy football writers should make an outlandish, unlikely prediction, in the off chance that it may pan out. He suggests, for example, to predict that Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert will have a shockingly good fantasy season, despite most evidence pointing to the contrary.
I believe that in the 2012 NFL season, Blaine Gabbert will have a shockingly good fantasy year.
Sweet! Either this will not happen(most likely scenario by far, by the way), and it makes no difference because precisely zero people will care, or it WILL happen(incredibly unlikely, but still possible), in which case I can add it to my list of accomplishments as a fantasy football analyst. Genius, Mr. Ravitz. Go Jaguars!
Now, on to the blog. Let me first say that I am not a fantasy "expert" by any rational definition. I don't win 50% of my leagues. I don't participate in a 16 team, dynasty, AFC only, two quarterback, TE flex-eligible, individual defensive player, expert only league. I haven't devised a cunning metric that accurately predicts the best fantasy kicker 78% of the time. In fact, I like to draft Robbie Gould as my kicker because, several years ago, one person in my league decided he had a Jewish grandmother, and it's fun to say "Robbie, get your sweatuh, you'll catch a cold!" in a delightful North Jersey accent as your kicker knocks in a 40 yarder.
I do, however, pour an immense amount of energy, effort, and love into the world of fantasy football. I participate in a single, simple league of close friends and colleagues. We are at times brilliant, at times mind numbingly dumb. We trash talk, we console. We set waiver priorities and stay up until 4 am to see who we get, but sometimes we forget that we have to do that before Tuesday. In short, we are the prototypical Fantasy Football League that millions of Americans can relate to. I fully believe that this league is as exciting as nearly any major sports league, up to and including Major League Baseball. OK, only if you're a Mets fan. Which I am, so my point stands.
Many websites devote their energy into the business of winning fantasy football leagues. This will not be one of them (unless, of course, I actually do win my league. In which case, feel free to emulate my greatness). What this will be, however, is a full accounting of my experience in our league, complete with my personal draft strategy, my roster decision making, everything funny that happens at our draft, any trades I want to make, any trades I DO make, and anything else that is tangentially related to the core topic: what is it that makes fantasy football so much fun?
My league is called Draft and Draught.
My 2012 team is called the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause. It has a lovely logo depicting an anti-fracking symbol over the outline of the state of New Jersey.
For the record, I am against fracking. I identify as a liberal. I am not, by any account, rich. And I find the way rich liberals prioritize their important causes to be amusing. I will not be talking about politics again, but as it is my team's name, I felt I should address it. If you are a rich liberal and are offended, I apologize.
I pick 6th out of 10 teams. I'm crossing my fingers that (Player's Name Withheld) or, oh please sports gods, (Player's Name Withheld) falls to me. After that, it all depends on the most magical day of the year, Draft Day. Wish me luck!
I believe that in the 2012 NFL season, Blaine Gabbert will have a shockingly good fantasy year.
Sweet! Either this will not happen(most likely scenario by far, by the way), and it makes no difference because precisely zero people will care, or it WILL happen(incredibly unlikely, but still possible), in which case I can add it to my list of accomplishments as a fantasy football analyst. Genius, Mr. Ravitz. Go Jaguars!
Now, on to the blog. Let me first say that I am not a fantasy "expert" by any rational definition. I don't win 50% of my leagues. I don't participate in a 16 team, dynasty, AFC only, two quarterback, TE flex-eligible, individual defensive player, expert only league. I haven't devised a cunning metric that accurately predicts the best fantasy kicker 78% of the time. In fact, I like to draft Robbie Gould as my kicker because, several years ago, one person in my league decided he had a Jewish grandmother, and it's fun to say "Robbie, get your sweatuh, you'll catch a cold!" in a delightful North Jersey accent as your kicker knocks in a 40 yarder.
I do, however, pour an immense amount of energy, effort, and love into the world of fantasy football. I participate in a single, simple league of close friends and colleagues. We are at times brilliant, at times mind numbingly dumb. We trash talk, we console. We set waiver priorities and stay up until 4 am to see who we get, but sometimes we forget that we have to do that before Tuesday. In short, we are the prototypical Fantasy Football League that millions of Americans can relate to. I fully believe that this league is as exciting as nearly any major sports league, up to and including Major League Baseball. OK, only if you're a Mets fan. Which I am, so my point stands.
Many websites devote their energy into the business of winning fantasy football leagues. This will not be one of them (unless, of course, I actually do win my league. In which case, feel free to emulate my greatness). What this will be, however, is a full accounting of my experience in our league, complete with my personal draft strategy, my roster decision making, everything funny that happens at our draft, any trades I want to make, any trades I DO make, and anything else that is tangentially related to the core topic: what is it that makes fantasy football so much fun?
My league is called Draft and Draught.
My 2012 team is called the Rich Liberal Trendy Cause. It has a lovely logo depicting an anti-fracking symbol over the outline of the state of New Jersey.
For the record, I am against fracking. I identify as a liberal. I am not, by any account, rich. And I find the way rich liberals prioritize their important causes to be amusing. I will not be talking about politics again, but as it is my team's name, I felt I should address it. If you are a rich liberal and are offended, I apologize.
I pick 6th out of 10 teams. I'm crossing my fingers that (Player's Name Withheld) or, oh please sports gods, (Player's Name Withheld) falls to me. After that, it all depends on the most magical day of the year, Draft Day. Wish me luck!
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