What have we learned - 14 weeks later? (1 Viewer)

[veto87]

I have had won 2 of the last 4 years in a tough 16 team league but recently have done a few things. I try more to spread the points across positions so that the potential for bad games in minimized.

1) IN PPR get # WR and TE who will be targeted often, the points from this may make up for your lack of a stud RB or QB. Also proven commodities are better than predicting the breakouts but will cost you more or be taken higher in the draft, leave the guesswork to your sleepers.

2)Target RBs who can catch as well, when they play from behind and abandon the run, they will still be an outlet for the QB as a receiving option. ( SJAX, Reggie Bush, Kevin Jones), who cares how they get their yardage (know your scoring system )

3) If you can target a QB who can run ( Vick, Vince Young, McNabb) , then this may make up for a lack of passing yardage or passing TDs and they also become an option running it in at the red zone.

4) Don't be afraid to sit on a couple of Rookie RBs on your bench, they will often start in the 2nd half of the season due to injuries/team record and make great trade bait to strengthen your team.

5) Watch the Def teams 2 weeks in advance and play the matchups ( unless you have a stud),

6) Don't worry about your kicker, just don't ignore it either!

 

[veto87]

I have had won 2 of the last 4 years in a tough 16 team league but recently have done a few things. I try more to spread the points across positions so that the potential for bad games in minimized.1) IN PPR get # WR and TE who will be targeted often, the points from this may make up for your lack of a stud RB or QB. Also proven commodities are better than predicting the breakouts but will cost you more or be taken higher in the draft, leave the guesswork to your sleepers.2)Target RBs who can catch as well, when they play from behind and abandon the run, they will still be an outlet for the QB as a receiving option. ( SJAX, Reggie Bush, Kevin Jones), who cares how they get their yardage (know your scoring system )3) If you can target a QB who can run ( Vick, Vince Young, McNabb) , then this may make up for a lack of passing yardage or passing TDs and they also become an option running it in at the red zone.4) Don't be afraid to sit on a couple of Rookie RBs on your bench, they will often start in the 2nd half of the season due to injuries/team record and make great trade bait to strengthen your team.5) Watch the Def teams 2 weeks in advance and play the matchups ( unless you have a stud), 6) Don't worry about your kicker, just don't ignore it either!

Also , this may be obvious but being on the east coast I usually check on new news for west coast teams after 10 PM EST, you will often find some news that will enable you to pick up someone ( ie sub for injury) while everyone else in your league ( or at least the bottom half of the teams) is getting ready for bed !

 

[lions327]

Not that this is breaking news but something to keep in mind, the O-line is much more important to the success of RB than the RB's talent (generally). Talented RB's like SA, Jordan, Caddy, James had bad lines or changes to their lines that many ignored/minimized and it effected/killed their fantasy years. While players like Chester Taylor have had good years while not being as talented. It's always difficult to anticipate breakout lines like SD this year but I'll pay particular attention to teams that draft/make significant FA signings to solidify their line. I targeted Chester for this reason and it worked out rather well.

 

[PhillyFunk]

1. It's a game...2. There is luck involved....3. It's a game....4. When all else fails......

 

[veto87]

For me two items jump off the page.1) Backup RBs are leading the way. Looking back at preseason rankings I'm not sure anyone called out MBIII (J.Jones), MJD(Taylor), or Henry Brown) would be leading their teams in TDs2) RBBC Work in the NFL and make FF very difficult to predict - Look MJD/Taylor, Deuce/Bush, Barber/Jacobs, Barber/J.Jones, Addai/Rhodes, Dillon/Maroney. All of these RBBCs are difficult to figure out which RB is going to have a good week, assuming that you have both.3) Stud TE did not work this year - Yeah Gates is playing well and Winslow was a SOD, but neither are playing lights out (although Gates is heating up).4) Stud WR did not work this year - In my league (no ppr) Ocho Cinco is number 1, mainly due to his monster games. Smith was injured, but nobody is having the "2005 S.Smith year".5) LT is a fantasy god, but he will not be my #1 RB next year - one reason, he will not repeat this performance. Think Alexander 2005 or Manning 2004. Sure there are exceptions but I think that anyone who takes LT expecting 25+ TDs is living a dream in 2007.6) Looking back at the preseason top 10 RBs for my scoring system, the DD spit out: 1) LJ 2) LT 3) SA - injured 4) Barber - victim of GL theft 5) Jackson 6) Portis - injured 7) R.Brown - injured 8) R.Johnson 9) James - No OLine 10) Jordan - injuredSometimes it's just interested to look back and see what we thought 4 months ago.

So Too Much RBBC makes picking a solid RB tough, Having a stud TE doesn't work and having a stud WR doesn't work?What's the moral of the story here? Focus on QB, Kickers and D?

RBBC makes it really difficult, sometimes you just have to draft from a team who has one but it really changes your focus at next year's draft to either A) avoid RBBC RBs to save the headaches or B) Focus on your other positions knowing that you may have a potential weakness at RB , also drafting unproven rookies in favourable situations can insulate against this weakness.

 

[videoguy505]

Also , this may be obvious but being on the east coast I usually check on new news for west coast teams after 10 PM EST, you will often find some news that will enable you to pick up someone ( ie sub for injury) while everyone else in your league ( or at least the bottom half of the teams) is getting ready for bed !

Here being on the West Coast is an advantage--waivers run in my main league on Wednesday AM, usually around 2:30AM EST. Which means I can log in at 11:30 PM local time and see who cleared waivers and make free agent pickups first. No one else in my league has ever caught on after 4 years... all my transactions are timestamped at 11:31 and no one's ever thought to do the same. Slight advantage, but an advantage nonetheless.

 

[bentley]

I'm not sure if this is the thread, but the thing that really turned it around for me this year was not being afraid to admit draft mistakes and moving on free agents early. More than half of my lineup in the first week of the playoffs were free agent acquisitions including Colston (who I dumped Antonio Bryant for) and Romo (who I dumped Alex Smith for).

 

[videoguy505]

My league has 14-man rosters, start 8, bench 6. 5 guys on my playoff roster were on my draft day roster. HAVE to make lots of moves during the season. 3 RBs and 2 WRs I kept, dropped QBs, TEs, Ks, and DSTs as the weeks went on.

 

[GRIDIRON ASSASSIN]

Avoid first round rookie WRs like the plague.