Couch Potato
Footballguy
Even Colts get in on the fantasy
Just like many fans, Cato June is serious when it comes to his fantasy football team
By Phillip B. Wilson
phillip.wilson@indystar.com
In the statistics-crunching world of fantasy football, fans agonize each week about who will get better numbers at running back for the Indianapolis Colts, Dominic Rhodes or Joseph Addai.
Actually, it's not just fans.
"We have a guy who asks me the same question about the game plan, whether or not he should put me in," Rhodes said.
That would be Colts outside linebacker Cato June?
"That's him," Rhodes said.
June has a fantasy team, "Juneimus The Great," in a free online league with friends. Just like millions of other team "owners," June drafts players and then decides who to play each week, based on who he thinks will produce the best numbers.
Patriot Tom Brady is his quarterback because June didn't pick until seventh. The Colts' Peyton Manning is one of the first players chosen in every league.
June's roster also includes the Colts' Reggie Wayne and Seattle's Nate Burleson at receiver, the Colts' Dallas Clark and Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez at tight end, Cincinnati kicker Shayne Graham and, at running back, former Colt Edgerrin James, Minnesota's Chester Taylor and Rhodes.
June is a typical fantasy owner. He wants to win. He's looking for an edge. His competitors shouldn't ask him for any inside tips.
"They know I'm not giving up no info," he said. "I'm serious."
June finished second last year. This is his fourth fantasy season.
"I've got a nice team," he said. "They come to perform each week."
While June doesn't play for money -- most fans do -- the NFL has no rule against players participating in fantasy sports, free or otherwise. League spokesman Greg Aiello said it's not an issue.
But make no mistake: Fantasy football is a big business. William Del Pilar, senior editor for KFFL.com, a fantasy site that offers daily updates from beat writers on each NFL team, estimates fantasy football has 15 million owners, with interest more than doubled in the past decade.
"It's helped grow football," Del Pilar said, "and it's revolutionized the industry."
That's because, he explains, fans will watch bad games and root for players to score and rack up yardage. And Del Pilar said NFL players are well aware of the growing phenomenon. "When we go to an event now, they know who we are," he said.
Colts coach Tony Dungy said fantasy owners approach him.
"You get a lot of, 'Hey, throw the ball to this guy' or 'Give the ball to that guy,' " Dungy said. "I've heard more of that in the last four or five years. Just people you've never met, walking down the street. 'Hey, is this guy going to play? Throw the ball to this guy. Why did you take this guy out?' "
Colts center Jeff Saturday has a neighbor who always preps for a draft by asking for advice.
"He'll ask me if I know about certain players," Saturday said. "He'll be asking, 'What do you know about this guy or that guy?' But you'd be surprised. They know what they're doing. They really do understand how to win."
Saturday confesses he has no clue about whom an owner should start, Rhodes or Addai.
"We don't even know," Addai said.
Rhodes advises June to play him each week.
For the record, Addai has more rushing yardage, 207 to 189, and he has caught 11 passes for 72 yards compared to Rhodes' five for 36. But in strictly scoring leagues, Rhodes has the edge, three touchdowns to two.
Wayne, whose 19.9-yard average per catch is among the NFL leaders, wasn't impressed that his buddy June drafted him.
"He probably got me in one of those later rounds," Wayne said. "Some of the scraps just fall in."
The receiver has no interest in discussing fantasy football. He says it jinxes him.
"Whenever they come up to me asking, 'Hey, I need you this week. What are you gonna do this week?' I never do good," Wayne said. "It's best to leave me alone. If you've got me on your team, just let it be."
Just like many fans, Cato June is serious when it comes to his fantasy football team
By Phillip B. Wilson
phillip.wilson@indystar.com
In the statistics-crunching world of fantasy football, fans agonize each week about who will get better numbers at running back for the Indianapolis Colts, Dominic Rhodes or Joseph Addai.
Actually, it's not just fans.
"We have a guy who asks me the same question about the game plan, whether or not he should put me in," Rhodes said.
That would be Colts outside linebacker Cato June?
"That's him," Rhodes said.
June has a fantasy team, "Juneimus The Great," in a free online league with friends. Just like millions of other team "owners," June drafts players and then decides who to play each week, based on who he thinks will produce the best numbers.
Patriot Tom Brady is his quarterback because June didn't pick until seventh. The Colts' Peyton Manning is one of the first players chosen in every league.
June's roster also includes the Colts' Reggie Wayne and Seattle's Nate Burleson at receiver, the Colts' Dallas Clark and Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez at tight end, Cincinnati kicker Shayne Graham and, at running back, former Colt Edgerrin James, Minnesota's Chester Taylor and Rhodes.
June is a typical fantasy owner. He wants to win. He's looking for an edge. His competitors shouldn't ask him for any inside tips.
"They know I'm not giving up no info," he said. "I'm serious."
June finished second last year. This is his fourth fantasy season.
"I've got a nice team," he said. "They come to perform each week."
While June doesn't play for money -- most fans do -- the NFL has no rule against players participating in fantasy sports, free or otherwise. League spokesman Greg Aiello said it's not an issue.
But make no mistake: Fantasy football is a big business. William Del Pilar, senior editor for KFFL.com, a fantasy site that offers daily updates from beat writers on each NFL team, estimates fantasy football has 15 million owners, with interest more than doubled in the past decade.
"It's helped grow football," Del Pilar said, "and it's revolutionized the industry."
That's because, he explains, fans will watch bad games and root for players to score and rack up yardage. And Del Pilar said NFL players are well aware of the growing phenomenon. "When we go to an event now, they know who we are," he said.
Colts coach Tony Dungy said fantasy owners approach him.
"You get a lot of, 'Hey, throw the ball to this guy' or 'Give the ball to that guy,' " Dungy said. "I've heard more of that in the last four or five years. Just people you've never met, walking down the street. 'Hey, is this guy going to play? Throw the ball to this guy. Why did you take this guy out?' "
Colts center Jeff Saturday has a neighbor who always preps for a draft by asking for advice.
"He'll ask me if I know about certain players," Saturday said. "He'll be asking, 'What do you know about this guy or that guy?' But you'd be surprised. They know what they're doing. They really do understand how to win."
Saturday confesses he has no clue about whom an owner should start, Rhodes or Addai.
"We don't even know," Addai said.
Rhodes advises June to play him each week.
For the record, Addai has more rushing yardage, 207 to 189, and he has caught 11 passes for 72 yards compared to Rhodes' five for 36. But in strictly scoring leagues, Rhodes has the edge, three touchdowns to two.
Wayne, whose 19.9-yard average per catch is among the NFL leaders, wasn't impressed that his buddy June drafted him.
"He probably got me in one of those later rounds," Wayne said. "Some of the scraps just fall in."
The receiver has no interest in discussing fantasy football. He says it jinxes him.
"Whenever they come up to me asking, 'Hey, I need you this week. What are you gonna do this week?' I never do good," Wayne said. "It's best to leave me alone. If you've got me on your team, just let it be."
, that guy would be Cato June because Graham just helped him get into his fantasy finals. 
