Fantasy Football 12/13 Begins Soon
For the first time I will be in three serious leagues and so keep it right here for all fantasy football discussions; particular focus will be on free agent pick-ups.
Most of the leagues I play are the basic ESPN leagues where you go head to head each week. I play with the basic layout of a: QB, RB, RB, RB/WR, WR, WR, TE, D/ST and a K.
It will be this layout I will be discussing things. Sorry if you play a separate way, I can only really focus on one. Before we look into the players who can win you championships, I would like to suggest a few things to think.
Know who you like and Do not like!
Making predictions is not necessarily something you have to do at a very specific level. Just be honest with yourself and see who you think could or will have a good season. Your first few rounds of drafting are too important not to know who you want.An example might be the fact that I like Michael Vick this year. In fact I think drafting a QB in the first round is a great idea after seeing what Brees, Rodgers and Brady did last season.
With the NFL leaning more towards a passing orientated, wide receivers have never been more important. Calvin Johnson can testify to that. Gronkowski highlights how important tight ends can be. Your strategy in a draft can only be created once you see what and who you like.
Creating a draft Strategy can stop bad decisions
Two years ago I went into the draft with a list of players I liked. I had no strategy and my team ended up being a little inconsistent.
So how do you set out a strategy? The best way to do is to go back to what I said above. Make an educated prediction. Look down the list of teams you think will be successful and see how they play. It sounds simple but it is so successful.
Last Step: Drafting goes WRONG!
Last season my draft went horribly wrong. I wanted to go QB and WR heavy but it did not work out well. I had to change my immediately after having Ray Rice in the first round. Rice of course was a good choice.With the addition of Fred Jackson I ended up with Tony Romo and Sidney Rice. I panicked. I wasted middle round picks with Romo and nor did I think Sidney Rice would stay healthy. I did not improvise well.
I got lucky with Jackson and luckily managed to trade Romo and Rice for Rivers and Ingram; however of course Rivers and Ingram struggled. It all came from the draft. Be prepared and be prepared to change. No one strategy is wrong in my opinion, just be sure to stick to one.
Good luck this season people. Follow me on Twitter @atpnflandlife and keep checking this part of my blog as I will be looking at the best of every position including the bench. This season the bench is going to be so important in my eyes.
Feel free to ask questions or leave comments either below or on twitter and I'll gladly answer them in the next article. So pumped for the new season!!
ITS THE PLAY-OFFS BABY!!
It is the post season finally. The time when the quality of your team finally comes through rather than a good match up or a lucky play. Here are a few players to think about for week 14 and 15.
With the post-season in fantasy football, you must always remember that it is over two weeks. This first week is a great time to pick somebody up who could potentially play next week.
Week 14 provides some great match ups offensively. The Giants and Cowboys will meet in a huge game. Expect an explosion of points. I even think Seattle will go off against St. Louis. A big week for points.
It is always hard to pick players up for the play-offs. First of all, you want to feel confident for who your putting in. Taking a big risk in the first week of the match-up could backfire. It is also worth looking at who is in-form. Sounds simple but there is no point picking a player like Greg Little just because he has had a bunch of targets.
Here are a few people that could add a little more to your team.
QB: Matt Moore (MIA)
He has two nice match ups against Philadelphia and Buffalo. He has been able to ignite this team and use Marshall, Bush, Fasano and Bess (who would have thought that would be so difficult). I think the Eagles wont try 100% due to the fact that the season is over and all the injuries. The Bills are also a nice match up. He would be great on your bench even just for week 15.
RB: Mark Ingram (NO)
Ingram was a guy I traded for early on. I was sad to see him hurt, but it was good to notice that in the three headed running game of the Saints, Ingram has been doing well. The Heisman winner has a nice match up this week, although not so much the following week. Saying that though, when you play the Saints you put all your attention on Drew Brees. Ingram should slot into your flex play nicely.
RB: Ryan Grant (GB)
Now Grant has been poor all season. Starks has been a little better, nothing special. Starks has proven he can run the ball in the post season but his ankle of constantly hurting him. I would be very surprised to see the Packers risk Starks with such a nice match up against the Raiders. Especially as I can see the Packers going up very early and just handing the ball to Grant. The following week he has another nice match up against KC. If he impresses this week then there is no reason not to think he cannot do it again. However, be careful that Brandon Saine does not steal too many carries away.
WR: Michael Crabtree (SF)
In the past three games he has 17 catches, 270 yards and a touchdown. Crabtree now leads the team in terms of receiving yards and joint leader on receptions. Smith and Crabtree has finally created some rapport. A match up against the Cardinals is nice and I would even keep him in against the Steelers. Mainly because he showed he can be used against Baltimore.
WR: Malcolm Floyd (SD)
I know, I know you want consistency and I just said you should look for confidence. Your confidence comes from Rivers. The Chargers will always throw the ball and throw it deep. They like to spread it around and Floyd is clearly the deep threat; especially with defences having to focus on V-Jax and Antonio Gates. Match ups against the Bills is mouth watering. Although week 15 he will face the Ravens, remember that defences have to focus on V-Jax, Gates and even the RB in the backfield.
TE: Anthony Fasano (MIA)
I am a big fan of this player. He is so underrated on the field and has been able to show case his talents a little bit this season. You might sit there and think that Bess is the underneath possession receiver for Moore; I would agree. However, defences are going to key on Bess as he continues to shine. This leaves Fasano to have a nice few weeks. He is getting the targets and match ups against the Eagles and Bills are soft. Eagles are 12th agains TEs while the Bills are ranked 23rd.
Other tight ends: If you are stuck at this position then you can also look to Jake Ballard (NYG), Ed Dickson (BAL) and Dustin Keller(NYJ). You are taking a gamble though. Logan Paulsen will fill in for Fred Davis and could be a sneaky pick up. Grossman cannot throw the ball to Gaffney the whole time.
D/ST: Seattle Seahawks
I am just liking this defence more and more. After having four interceptions last Thursday, they are oozing confidence. They also have two spectacular match ups against St. Louis and Chicago. Both teams are missing numerous players, including their starting quarterbacks. No question, pick them up and start them. Its a chance to add an extra 10 points to your score, big deal.
K: Shaun Suisham (PIT), Dan Carpenter (MIA) and Stephen Hauschka (SEA)
These three kickers all have value. Hauschka has the most value to me because he has a QB who struggles to make key plays but their offence has a nice enough match-up to get in the kicker zone soon. I think on Suisham because the Steelers should score a ton of points on Thursday and against 49ers week later. Carpenter is really an addition because the Fins are offensively impressive and Carpenter always scores at least 2 field goals. Either one should get you 6+ points.
I hope this can help you all. Good luck in the play-offs. Message me below if you have any fantasy issues to discuss.
Week 13 Fantasy Sleepers
As I sat horrified by what Suh did on Thursday, I was also very surprised by what happened over Thanksgiving. Mostly because the Raiders had a nice win.
Suh's two game ban is nothing in my opinion. He openly stamped on an offensive lineman let alone pushed his head to the ground more than once. This is not his first offence. He should have been banned more games.
I thought Steve Johnson was funny for the Bills. It was funny because in the end I would rather have Burress than Johnson. Plaxico has a Super Bowl win and he did not cost his team the match. Johnson got what he deserved and next time will think about mocking someone. Funnily enough, I would not have fined him because he drops were bad enough.
The Jags finally lost their Head Coach. They also have a new owner. I hope they hire Jon Gruden, love that guy. Anyways, lets hope the Jaguars get some decent receivers and give Gabbert a real opportunity to start; although I have lost a lot of faith in his ability.
Its a shame Matt Leinart broke his collar bone. T.J. Yates comes in to do a job that I feel like I could do. I do not want to sound arrogant but come on. Great defence, awesome running game, Arian Foster, Owen Daniels, Joel Dressen, Andre Johnson. Yep, I think I could play-action and find one of those for ten yards no matter what defence I played (except the Ravens, Ray Lewis scares me).
On to this week's fantasy pick ups. A surprise bunch in my opinion. I get to talk about my favourite player (Chaz Schillens) and I missed not writing this last week. Here we go.
QB: Vince Young- PHI
The rematch with Pete Carroll does not mean anything. However, any quarterback that can run the ball, throws the ball 10 times to DeSean Jackson and uses Brent Celek is worth a start. Against a dreadful Seattle secondary, he could pass 20 points again. After all he did on a bad day last Sunday.
RB: Maurice Morris- DET
Now, I picked him up myself. He is only worth it if Kevin Smith does not play so keep that in mind. Morris had opportunities before this and did very little. However, with the amount of receiving yards he got and Keiland Williams getting less and less touches, Morris HAS to be used. The Lions have to use him. He will get goal line carries and at least 10 points combined with his rushing and recieving capabilities.
RB: Roy Helu Jr.- WAS
I am not ever fond on backing any of Shanahan's running backs due to his "no" reason usuage of them. However, he must be looking towards next year now and this rookie has all the skills the Redskins' Head Coach is looking for. A match up against the Jets is not the greatest but I do not see them throwing the ball often with Revis and Cromartie looking after Gaffney and F. Davis. Worth a go I think.
WR: Chaz Schillens- OAK
Dreams do come true. He is my favourite player and is always started when I play Madden. Palmer looked for him a fair bit and he did a good job of showing safe hands. Schillens is healthy now and due to other Raider's receivers being hurt; expect a nice performance with a score. After all, Miami secondary is not great but they can stop the run. Palmer will throw a lot and Schillens gets open.
WR: Doug Baldwin- SEA
I am not a Tavarris Jackson fan. Strangely enough I do not like Jackson or Lynch but I like the Seahawks and Sidney Rice. Anyways, Rice suffered another concussion, Mike Williams is hurt and the other Seattle receivers are poor. Baldwin has shown ability already and I think this will be a nice game for him to reach at 100 yards receiving.
TE: Brent Celek- PHI
Vince Young needs his tight end. Celek has done a great job re-inventing himself. Be worried that he may have to protect Young a bit, but I think he will have a nice day. Inaccurate QBs need a big target in the red zone. With Jackson, Avant and Cooper taking a lot of focus, Celek could sneak a touchdown. After all, that is what can make a nice TE pick up.
D/ST: San Diego
The Chargers defence have not shown me anything special recently. However, they are playing the Jags who have a poor QB and when I mean poor, I mean very poor. Possibly a new Head Coach, a new owner. Its on MNF, I just do not see anything that the Jags can do. If Rivers can put them up quickly and stop MJD from running the ball then you will see the number of points fly up. I think you will get at least 6 points due to the lack of scoring ability.
This week will be an interesting one. I am intrigued to see if Brad Smith can follow on from a nice game last week. The Colts have changed their QB yet again. Orlovsky gets a start which is a shame because Painter and Wayne had finally developed something. If the Colts think that it is their QB that is the issue then no one can help them. I wish Orlovsky luck.
Have a great fantasy football week.
Using my Own Team to help you
With "fantasy football" finally getting its own section I decided to open up the page with an article based upon my own team. This week I am struggling for wide receivers and a flex play mostly due to injuries and pick ups not doing their job.
Here is my current team of wide receivers (please do not laugh). I have Mike Wallace (yes he is on a bye), Darrius Heyward-Bey and Jacoby Ford. I have played around a lot with my section receiver and have always used a running back in my flex spot.
My flex spot sensations this season have been either Mark Ingram, Jonathan Stewart, Jackie Battle and most recently Chris Ogbonnaya. They all had potential and have all basically stunk, especially as Stewart and Battle had big games on my bench. I am in a 14 team league and players are very scarce to find. The computer drafted for me and so I have really had to do what I can. Here are my pick ups for this week and why.
Kendal Hunter (SF): With the 49ers guaranteed divisional champions they will want to prepare for the playoffs. Frank Gore is already hurt and so, with such a nice match up against the run (they play Arizona) I can really see Harbaugh giving Gore a break. Hunter has shown a lot of potential and is clearly the #2 to Gore.
Jonathan Stewart (CAR): If you have Stewart on your team you know how frustrating it is. He has shown great rushing ability yet still shares carries with Williams. Cam Newton does all of the red zone rushing so its hard to ever play him. However, the reason I like him this week is due to the fact that Newton has struggled to score on the ground in the red zone. It is a long shot and I am probably going to give my flex spot to Hunter but Stewart has tweaked my attention.
For my wide receiver spots, this is what I am planning to have after waivers and this is why.
Jacoby Ford (OAK): Now Ford is definitely a part of this offence that is passing more and more. Although Moore had a huge game and Ford left injured; I will be keeping an eye on his progress and I hope to play him.
Jabar Gaffney (WSH): Yes this is how bad it has become. With Grossman back in as QB for the Redskins at least Gaffney has a good rapport with Grossman. However, double coverage will easily cover him up. But, if the Redskins do have to throw the ball only Gaffney and Davis seem legitimate targets now that Hankerson has gotten hurt so one of them might catch a touchdown.
David Nelson (BUF): Another horrible receiver to have recently. He only seems to have looks in the red zone and so if he does not score a touchdown, he doesn't score. However, Donald Jones and Steve Johnson are getting all the attention and against a poor Miami secondary there are worse options. Fitzpatrick has been doing bad as well but a match up as nicely as this one, especially with Miami being great at stopping the run; Nelson could benefit.
Darrius Heyward-Bey (OAK): Who remembers when he looked so good as the Raiders #1 receiver?? He had so much promise and I was so happy that I picked him up. Now, he should be lucky to sit on your bench as it is believed that Louis Murphy has a better rapport with Palmer. I do not know what DHB did to Palmer but he is not liked at all.
If you are searching for a wide receiver. Players like Greg Little and Laurent Robinson are definitely worth a pick up. No guarantees though.
Hope that might have helped or at least humoured you for a bit. Good luck
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