Fantasy Freak: Preseason Mode
Written by playerpress.com, Thursday August 20 2009
First of all, let's get one thing straight: If you are in a fantasy league for money and you have already held your draft...you are idiots. I guarantee that there will be at least one first or second rounder who will get hurt somehow and have (at the very least) the dreaded 'Q' by his name until game time Week 1.
It has already happened to Steve Smith of the Panthers. It looks like he will be fine, but I bet he caused about 4000 heart attacks across the country when he walked off the field with his arm tucked and kicked his helmet 60 yards. Sure, players can get hurt at any time, but why not wait to see if they survive the first wave of practice so they can get loose before you do your ritual.
So that's lesson one.
Don't be the guy who drafts nine players from his favorite team. If you're in a league with friends you know exactly who I'm talking about. If it's a soulless Cowboys fan his first three picks will be Barber, Romo and Witten. He might even throw in an extra bit of stupidity by taking Felix Jones in round 4. Fantasy football would be a lot more enjoyable if you didn't have a favorite team, but that's a little too much to ask. We all have our teams.
In a related bit of advice; know the bye weeks. If your first 10 picks all have week 5 and 6 byes, well, you just lost two matchups automatically without the injury wildcard even making an appearance. This has its limits, however. Let's say you get Adrian Peterson and in the second round there is an absolute stud who fell to you by some sort of divine miracle. Take him even if he and Peterson share the same bye week. You have plenty of time to compensate for this later on in the draft. Similarly, do not take someone markedly worse based on bye weeks. If two players are similar, however, take the one with the different off week.
The rule for drafting only players from your favorite team can have a similar effect as avoiding players from teams you hate. Don't do this. I hate the Cowboys more than pretty much anything in the world, but if Marion Barber slips to me in the second round I am taking him and laughing about it. I love anyone who can win me [x ($ + bragging rights over my dumbass friends)].
Beware of rookies. Every year there are a couple rookies who will be really good and can be the final piece to your championship puzzle. Last year many people won because of Matt Ryan, Chris Johnson, Steve Slaton and Matt Forte. However, it was not their ability alone that made them remarkable, it was where they were drafted. If you took Matt Ryan as your QB in the 5th round he didn't win you many games. You could have gotten another QB n the 5th round that would have put up similar numbers. But if you waited until round 7-9 and got him, well then you stockpiled other talent before you pulled that trigger. I took Chris Johnson in the 7th round last year and rode the speedy little dude's back to an easy title.
But you cannot overlook rookies either. If there is a rook in a great situation and it looks like he has the job (Knowshon Moreno) make him a target at a certain point in the draft. If he is still there, snag him. I think Moreno is the hot shot RB this year. The Broncos are going to be horrible, but he will get his stats. Which brings us to...
Do not avoid skill players from terrible teams. Fantasy has nothing to do with reality. If you avoid taking Calvin Johnson because the Lions are a bag of crap and take Hines Ward instead because his team is good, then you just monumentally effed up. It sounds obvious, but I see it over and over.
This next one is more of a courtesy to your fellow drafters, but don't sit there and talk about how you love your team after five rounds and that you're going to kick everyone's ass. If you don't like your team after five rounds something has gone terrible wrong. It is rounds 8-15 that will determine playoffs from "playoffs?"
And lastly, don't be the guy who 'forgets' his wallet and can't help chip in for the pizza and beer then eats and drinks anyway. We hate that guy and will conspire against you as a league if you take on that role.
Use your head. Strategize. Kickers for life.
Tags:
Leave a comment
Not So Fast! To publish your comment, you have to login
Not Registered? Register now as it only take 20 seconds!
Click here to browse
0 comments