Fantasy Football Tips

[RotBaron]

I'm a long time veteran, but I'm always looking for that little piece of info I can use that someone found in some hard to find place.

I use FFToolbox a lot, but rely also on ESPN, NFL, USAToday, sometimes CBS sportsline and many others to pull my info from.

I thought I'd start this thread to help myself and others out if they need any advice now on their drafts or later down the road on any decision making.

As always the leagues I play in are for stakes, so it keeps me and others interested the whole season. Also in case you're still looking for a stakes league PM me, two spots left for an online 9/1 8:30pmET draft on nfl.com

If you've got a great site to recommend, by all means don't be shy. Or if you've got your own tips and predictions for this year, shout it out.


So I'll start with one of my tips (opinion) for this year. Matt Ryan will be better this year and will be even better than the great numbers he's expected to have. He proved last year that he can do this by doing what is necessary for any QB to join that class must do; he excelled in his 5th year.

So excited, I can hardly wait. One of my league's drafts is this weekend...

Also for those of you who dislike fantasy football or worse, please start your own thread about how stupid, etc it is, just not here. TIA.

If you just want to talk nfl football that's ok too, as us ffball'ers can use that info in our own way.

 

Rot

[RotBaron]

I guess we don't have that many ffballers here, or maybe you're just lurkers. 

Reggie Bush went in the 2nd round of my recent draft.

Tip #2 from Rot, don't draft Reggie Bush in the 2nd round, way to much value around the 11th - 25-ish spots to do that.

[Masherbrum]

I have won my Dynasty League three years in a row and finished twice in the five years I have been in it.   It is a year round league (including the Draft), not a four month.   

Matt Ryan will always be handcuffed with Roddy White.   There is no one good on the other side, which hampers him.

[RotBaron]

I don't understand what you mean.

Handcuffed is a fantasy term that means that as an insurance policy you need to have both guys in case of injury, etc. to the better player.

Julio Jones is the WR on the other side, and will best RWhite's career statistics if he plays (healthy) for the same career length, i.e. Julio Jones is more talented.


Tip #3   Read your scoring settings very carefully and don't worry about what other ppl's strategies are. If you get the 9th pick in a league where QB's aren't very important yet 4QB's are off the board, what do you care. It's the top RB's (esp. PPR) that you need anyways. All things relative to scoring format.

[guncrasher]

I won the first fantasy football league I entered.  havent really followed sports in 30 years.  I didnt know any player's name but for sure I can read stats.  I got rid of most of my big name players after 1 week and went for players just by looking at the stats.  I didnt want any player that would give you lots of points one game and be a crappy player following week.  I always looked for players that were consistent every week.  as a result my bench used to beat the rest of the guys in our league.  once even beat my first players by over 40 points .

semp

[RotBaron]

Yep, that's a very good point. I'm sure I do it even when trying not to, but ffballers definitely get caught up on a guy's name. Both directions, either he's so good he has to have #### for numbers this or he' so bad...

Vernon Davis/Jermicheal Finley are an example of the above. They've been treated both ways over their somewhat short careers and remain enigmas.

[RotBaron]

Drafts are always fluid and sometimes it's like Christmas; you just don't ever know what you might get. It could be a pink bunny suit or it might be Red Ryder BB gun.

This year I drafted at 9th/10 and had a pretty good draft, in another at 10th/10 and had a great draft, and finally at 5th/10 and had a not so very good draft.

So for the ongoing tips part of the thread, I'll pose a question for this week:

In one league DST are very valuable if they don't allow much in total yards and total points. For the season I drafted 49ers, but this week a couple other games like the Browns DST vs. Dolphins and vice versa the Dolphins DST vs Browns look to be lower scoring/yds allowed games. Another option is the Colts DST vs. Raiders, or even the Chiefs DST vs. Jaguars...which one would you choose?

[megadud]

I play at nfl.com. I missed one of my drafts and ended up having a great draft. The others i was near the bottom and they were only ok.

My advice would be draft Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, or Cam Newton if you have a top 5 pick. Peyton,Brady,Brees and Rodgers are big points because of their system and weak run games. Cam always puts up big numbers even though his team loses.

RBs are tricky. AP is a lock if you have a high pick other than that its hit and miss. Could hope Alfred Morris or Doug Martin have another big year. But you can get value late in the draft with a Frank Gore, Darren McFadden, or David Wilson. Also being a Bengals fan Gio Bernard is gonna have a decent year. It is a pass happy league and i don't think it is worth a top 5 pick on an Arian Foster or Matt Forte unless said QBs are taken. Also MJG should have a good year.

WRs are iffy too. Can Calven Johnson be a monster again? Do Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson have anything left? Vic Cruz and AJ Green will get you big numbers but not consistently.

Gronk is going late in drafts he is a steal for down the road.

Also a good D can get you the win in a close match. Don't wait till the end of the draft to snatch a defense. Get your starters first including D and Kickers. Last year i was winning a match by 18 i think it was and the dude had Janikowski left. He kicked for somethin crazy like 27 points and i lost. sucked.

[RotBaron]

I agree with most of the things you stated, I would not draft McFadden in any round except the last: too many injury riddled season letdowns.  However, it all depends on your scoring system. If your league only gives 1pt for 25yds passing and 4pts for a TD to QB's then drafting a QB any earlier than the 3rd round is a waste.

However, I don't play in any leagues like that. I play in 3 money leagues, and QB's in those leagues get 6pts for TD's and 1pt for 10yds passing in two of the leagues and 1pt for 15yds in the other. Considering those scoring systems, what you said applies, and in all 3 of those drafts I had at least one QB by the end of the 2nd round. One of the leagues with the 5th pick I chose Rodgers...


Good luck to everyone this year, I hope you win your league and lots of $.

Throughout the season I like to help ppl with their teams if they want it. I also think it's good to ask very specific questions. All to often on fantasy shows they are talking about matters that are relevant to standard scoring systems, and therefore not really all that relevant to the leagues I'm in.

If you're going to call into a fantasy show, word to the wise, tell the show host what your scoring system is before you say who do I start this week...

[thundabooge]

"TJ Whosyamama.....Put it on the board...CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!"

[BoilerDown]

Rank your players and stick to your rankings except for considering bye weeks.  If you're determined to get a certain player, you'll end up with a crappy team as a whole, more than likely, so don't do it.

[Spikes]

Drew Brees, NO QB
Jamaal Charles, KC RB  P
Darren McFadden, Oak RB  P [Breaking News]
DeMarco Murray, Dal RB
Pierre Garcon, Wsh WR  P [Breaking News]
DeSean Jackson, Phi WR
Rob Gronkowski, NE TE  D [Breaking News and Video]
Ravens D/ST D/ST
Matt Bryant, Atl K  P [Recent News]

Golden Tate, Sea WR
Lance Moore, NO WR
Joique Bell, Det RB [Recent News]
Philip Rivers, SD QB
Christine Michael, Sea RB
Brandon Pettigrew, Det TE [Recent News]
Danny Woodhead, SD RB  P [Recent News]

My team this year. Not how I wanted it to go at all, but not terrible. McFadden was a late pick for me...not going to rely on him all season.

[RotBaron]

Spikes:

How many in your league? Is it a standard scoring system or custom?

If McFadden can stay healthy, even for just a little while, we could see flashes of his former self, and when he's on he's great...

I like the draft of Tate with those other guys, you may very need him. One of the things I saw overlooked this year was DJackson's sos, easiest schedule for any starting WR, as much as I despise his antics, he may prove to be very valuable.

Another thing I see overlooked is all this talk about RBush. Yeah he was great the past two years, great on real grass, will we see the ole Reggie now that he's back on turf? If we do, JBell is a good replacement if there aren't better RB's on the waiver wire.

[thundabooge]

Drew Brees, NO QB
Jamaal Charles, KC RB  P
Darren McFadden, Oak RB  P [Breaking News]
DeMarco Murray, Dal RB
Pierre Garcon, Wsh WR  P [Breaking News]
DeSean Jackson, Phi WR
Rob Gronkowski, NE TE  D [Breaking News and Video]
Ravens D/ST D/ST
Matt Bryant, Atl K  P [Recent News]

Golden Tate, Sea WR
Lance Moore, NO WR
Joique Bell, Det RB [Recent News]
Philip Rivers, SD QB
Christine Michael, Sea RB
Brandon Pettigrew, Det TE [Recent News]
Danny Woodhead, SD RB  P [Recent News]

My team this year. Not how I wanted it to go at all, but not terrible. McFadden was a late pick for me...not going to rely on him all season.

Id put Lance Moore in ASAP!!!!  Drew Brees is gonna throw him 2 TD and 120yds receiving guaranteed.  For the record, I am a bit biased... Ill be in the dome on Saturday, Saints side  on the 22 yardline 12 rows from the field.  WHO DAT!!!!!!!!!

[ACE]

Heading to Knoxville to watch the Vols play this weekend if that counts