Learning the Hard Way (1 Viewer)

[Rogi]

Okay, I'd like to think I make better moves than most of my opponents, but this year I went against the rule of handcuffing my stud RB. In a redraft league with 3RBs (start 2), I was planning on grabbing Taylor after my RB's bye weeks as a handcuff. But I took a risk and held onto a different third RB instead that I thought could be potential trade bait until tradeline. Well that didn't work out too well because now I'm without AD and Taylor.

Anyway, I've been burned for taking a risk that didn't payoff. So I instantly went from shark to guppy this season for trying to be a mastermind.

Another move that I swear I'll never repeat but always seem to is drafting a QB late.

Anybody have any "D'oh" moments this season that you will never repeat?

 

[Giants4Life]

I actually made someone make a "Doh move"

I traded Brandon Jackson, Tatum Bell and Mike Furray for Jones-Drew and Welker after Week 3.

I am in a PPR league. Needless to say that the trade worked out.

 

[Alex96]

Another move that I swear I'll never repeat but always seem to is drafting a QB late.

Me too. I stocked up on too many RB's early, hit my RB limit which kept me from drafting other sleeper options at RB that I liked in the draft.I drafted Rivers over Romo as my #1 thinking that Rivers will at least be consistent if nothing else. The best thing would have been to take Rivers and then Romo right after. But, I'm always so eager to get that next sleeper WR.I've been very happy with my moves during the season. I traded AD/Walker for Addai. At first it looked bad, as it was the week before his game against Chicago. I also just made a trade for Palmer. Hope that works out.

 

[Cenobite]

Another move that I swear I'll never repeat but always seem to is drafting a QB late.

Me too. I stocked up on too many RB's early, hit my RB limit which kept me from drafting other sleeper options at RB that I liked in the draft.I drafted Rivers over Romo as my #1 thinking that Rivers will at least be consistent if nothing else. The best thing would have been to take Rivers and then Romo right after. But, I'm always so eager to get that next sleeper WR.I've been very happy with my moves during the season. I traded AD/Walker for Addai. At first it looked bad, as it was the week before his game against Chicago. I also just made a trade for Palmer. Hope that works out.

Traded Owens for Harrison I started Harrison for 1 game and he promptly got hurt. Man, did/does that blow. On the other hand, I picked up Fare very late and landed Anderson as soon as Frye was traded. Traded Anderson for Jennings before the 3rd game of the year.

 

[Keys Myaths]

Results-based learning is an overrated thing to do.

Let's say you have two options. Option A is 70% likely to get you to the playoffs. Option B is 40% likely.

Now, let's say you've done everything you can, and come up with an estimate of the above numbers. Nothing in fantasy football is guaranteed.

So, based on your experience, gut feeling, and statistics--you go with Option A.

The 30% hits. You don't make the playoffs, and Option B would've done it for you.

Was making the decision to pick option A incorrect? No. You make that decision every time. Your decisions won't always work out because of blind luck sometimes--but when you make enough decisions like that, you'll end up well ahead of your opponents in the end.

Too many people beat themselves up over one or two decisions that didn't go their way, while they forget the 6-7 that did. Thus, they change their entire strategy. That's a horrible, horrible mistake to be making.

 

[Cenobite]

Results-based learning is an overrated thing to do.Let's say you have two options. Option A is 70% likely to get you to the playoffs. Option B is 40% likely.Now, let's say you've done everything you can, and come up with an estimate of the above numbers. Nothing in fantasy football is guaranteed.So, based on your experience, gut feeling, and statistics--you go with Option A.The 30% hits. You don't make the playoffs, and Option B would've done it for you.Was making the decision to pick option A incorrect? No. You make that decision every time. Your decisions won't always work out because of blind luck sometimes--but when you make enough decisions like that, you'll end up well ahead of your opponents in the end.Too many people beat themselves up over one or two decisions that didn't go their way, while they forget the 6-7 that did. Thus, they change their entire strategy. That's a horrible, horrible mistake to be making.

Great analysis and insight. However, when you trade with another owner/friend who you want to beat, the feeling of him getting the better of the deal by a large margin really sux. When I lose $$$ in the stock market it is no big deal and your analysis prevails. When the player I traded for gets injured and the guy I gave away blows up, I have to hear about it. That makes me want to

 

[stevegamer]

Results-based learning is an overrated thing to do.Let's say you have two options. Option A is 70% likely to get you to the playoffs. Option B is 40% likely.Now, let's say you've done everything you can, and come up with an estimate of the above numbers. Nothing in fantasy football is guaranteed.So, based on your experience, gut feeling, and statistics--you go with Option A.The 30% hits. You don't make the playoffs, and Option B would've done it for you.Was making the decision to pick option A incorrect? No. You make that decision every time. Your decisions won't always work out because of blind luck sometimes--but when you make enough decisions like that, you'll end up well ahead of your opponents in the end.Too many people beat themselves up over one or two decisions that didn't go their way, while they forget the 6-7 that did. Thus, they change their entire strategy. That's a horrible, horrible mistake to be making.

While results-based learning is crucial, you need to take the right lesson from it. To "never" do something that has worked at times int he past is folly - you just need to better identify correctly the times to do it in the future.This year I did something I never did before, and went RB-RB, with another in round 4 as a flex. I'm in last place in my divsion. Does that prove RB-RB is flawed? No it shows that I badly misjudged a couple of WR - which has hurt, but more importantly a team that dumped into an unplanned autodraft got crazy lucky after taking LT 1st. However, I'm also #4 in scoring in the league, so maybe it does work after all.

 

[3nOut]

Okay, I'd like to think I make better moves than most of my opponents, but this year I went against the rule of handcuffing my stud RB. In a redraft league with 3RBs (start 2), I was planning on grabbing Taylor after my RB's bye weeks as a handcuff. But I took a risk and held onto a different third RB instead that I thought could be potential trade bait until tradeline. Well that didn't work out too well because now I'm without AD and Taylor.Anyway, I've been burned for taking a risk that didn't payoff. So I instantly went from shark to guppy this season for trying to be a mastermind.Another move that I swear I'll never repeat but always seem to is drafting a QB late.Anybody have any "D'oh" moments this season that you will never repeat?

So who is your 3rd RB? Thats where the problem may be. I've never been ahuge fan of handcuffing but the whole handcuffing idea depends on who you are handcuffing, who you are handcuffing with, and who the third option is. If you have LT, yes, its better to handcuff him with Turner than to have, say, Benson. But if you have Kevin Jones, I think I'd rather have Ryan Grant, for example, than Tatum Bell.

 

[PRAE]

I drafted Travis Henry in the 2nd.... Then in the 7th (maybe the 6th) I took Lamont Jordan instead of Selvin Young... Traded away Lamont Jordan just in time...but now I am stuck with Travis Henry...without really any other options!

 

[DMXATF23]

I cut Jennings for Roddy White.

-chris

 

[smcindoe]

Does anyone remember the scene from the Simpsons where Homer buys an object that's cursed, but it comes with a free frozen yogurt, but the yogurt is also cursed, but it comes with free sprinkles... that's basically been my wheeling and dealing in one keeper league.

I made a big trade to get the 1.1 pick so I could draft Tomlinson - "That's good!"

I had to give up a surefire uber-stud RB to make it happen - "That's bad."

The uber-stud was Steven Jackson - "That's good!"

And I could do that because I got Travis Henry in the deal as an RB2 - "That's bad."

But I drafted Adrian Peterson as an RB3 - "That's good!"

And then traded my other RB depth because I could ride Peterson the rest of the year - "That's bad."

But I got a surefire uber-stud WR in the deal - "That's good!"

It was Steve Smith - "That's bad."

But that was OK, because Smith was only my WR2 because I had an even bigger stud in the WR1 spot - "That's good!"

Chad Johnson - "That's bad."

Etc, etc.

 

[rgmnchr]

Okay, I'd like to think I make better moves than most of my opponents, but this year I went against the rule of handcuffing my stud RB. In a redraft league with 3RBs (start 2), I was planning on grabbing Taylor after my RB's bye weeks as a handcuff. But I took a risk and held onto a different third RB instead that I thought could be potential trade bait until tradeline. Well that didn't work out too well because now I'm without AD and Taylor.

Anyway, I've been burned for taking a risk that didn't payoff. So I instantly went from shark to guppy this season for trying to be a mastermind.

Another move that I swear I'll never repeat but always seem to is drafting a QB late.

Anybody have any "D'oh" moments this season that you will never repeat?

So who is your 3rd RB? Thats where the problem may be. I've never been ahuge fan of handcuffing but the whole handcuffing idea depends on who you are handcuffing, who you are handcuffing with, and who the third option is. If you have LT, yes, its better to handcuff him with Turner than to have, say, Benson. But if you have Kevin Jones, I think I'd rather have Ryan Grant, for example, than Tatum Bell.

Stud RB is the key word here. Although I definately agree with your philosophy of grabbing andother 2nd or 3rd tier RB as a "handcuff" to my surefire starter.As a matter of fact I think I just like collecting RB's seeing as how I have 8 on my raster of 16 right now.

 

[Downontheupside]

I traded away chester Taylor to the guy who has Adrian Peterson a few weeks ago and now I have to play against him. Chester Taylor is CBS sportsline start of the week. I'd rather face Chester Taylor against the raiders D than Adrian Peterson, but if I lose this week because Chester Taylor has a good game, it's going to sting.

 

[Phil Elliott]

I took SJAX as #2 overall pick. Ended up with Edge and Cadillac as other RB's. Then took Turner in a late round just in case LT got injured. (Also have Harrison). Had a rough spell for a while with SJAX and Harrison both out. Coming back now and back on top of my division and looking strong for the next couple of games before heading into our playoffs. Next year, I might go two deep with the handcuffs of my #1 Rb and #1 WR

 

[LionsFan78]

One big mistake I can admit to this year is that I was too attached to my draft. I was pretty pleased with it in general, especially with some of the later "bargains". Now, many of them are pretty obsolete (Curry comes to mind). So, I really never freed up much space to start the season, and in turn missed out on some potentially great pickups, such as D. Anderson, Selvin, Crayton, to name a few.

 

[Jim Otto]

Another move that I swear I'll never repeat but always seem to is drafting a QB late.

The guy with the first pick in my main money league took McNabb in the 5th, and Romo in the 7th or 8th.

 

[Brewzers]

Another move that I swear I'll never repeat but always seem to is drafting a QB late.

The guy with the first pick in my main money league took McNabb in the 5th, and Romo in the 7th or 8th.

Thats right, if you pick late, you need to pick the right one......says the guy who got Big Ben in the 7th!

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

Results-based learning is an overrated thing to do.Let's say you have two options. Option A is 70% likely to get you to the playoffs. Option B is 40% likely.Now, let's say you've done everything you can, and come up with an estimate of the above numbers. Nothing in fantasy football is guaranteed.So, based on your experience, gut feeling, and statistics--you go with Option A.The 30% hits. You don't make the playoffs, and Option B would've done it for you.Was making the decision to pick option A incorrect? No. You make that decision every time. Your decisions won't always work out because of blind luck sometimes--but when you make enough decisions like that, you'll end up well ahead of your opponents in the end.Too many people beat themselves up over one or two decisions that didn't go their way, while they forget the 6-7 that did. Thus, they change their entire strategy. That's a horrible, horrible mistake to be making.

 

[ForWhoForWhat]

Traded away Portis away for Lamont

 

[Rogi]

Another move that I swear I'll never repeat but always seem to is drafting a QB late.

The guy with the first pick in my main money league took McNabb in the 5th, and Romo in the 7th or 8th.

Thats right, if you pick late, you need to pick the right one......says the guy who got Big Ben in the 7th!

Yeah, I'm usually the last guy to pick up a QB. I drafted Leinart over Big Ben. I think every season I'm dropping the QB's I drafted by week 2 or 3 .

 

[-OZ-]

...when you trade with another owner/friend who you want to beat, the feeling of him getting the better of the deal by a large margin really sux. When I lose $$$ in the stock market it is no big deal and your analysis prevails. When the player I traded for gets injured and the guy I gave away blows up, I have to hear about it. That makes me want to

Then you shouldn't make trades.Not the option you want, and probably an unrealistic one?Then deal with the situation.I've made some horrible horrible deals in a couple of my leagues, but I've also made many (more, I think) good moves. Would I give back all of my good moves to have my bad moves back? Although I admit the bad ones hurt emotionally more than the good ones feel good. It's just the way most of our psyches work. Just as an example, a couple years ago I decided having a sleeper RB was more important than a sleeper WR. So I trade away Javon Walker for TJ Duckett. Just this past off-season, I decided getting a proven stud RB is more important to making a run this year than having a stud rookie, so I dealt Peterson for Portis (+). Seemed like a bad move, but if Peterson doesn't return, Portis would help more. Except I just decided to deal a stud WR+ (Boldin + Turner) for a stud RB (Westbrook) with the idea that it will help me win this year. These moves may bite me in the long run, but right now, I like my odds of taking home the championship.