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What have we learned from weeks 1 and 2? (1 Viewer)

Don't care who is the best, its just nice to see defense in the National Football League again. Hou, Minn, Denver, Sea, Carolina, others... Especially this early in Sept when defenses are usually behind offenses and the weather is still nice.

Houston & Denver both got to play at home their first 2 games, Denver beat stronger teams IMO. Hopefully they both can keep it up on the road.

 
Drafting for 2-3 down workload depth at RB continues to be a good strategy. WR's that will perform can be had later with some homework. You're shooting at fish in the ocean at RB, and need to spend tickets on the position and hedge against higher end picks turn into busts (e.g., Gurley, AP, Charles, Martin, etc.) and undervalued RB's with nice workloads turn the corner or outproduce ADP (e.g., Forte, Gordon, Demarco Murray, Blount, CJ Anderson, etc.).

 
The point being, when top teams play, games are more decided by where the game is being played than anything else. Denver 3-0 against NE at home the past 5 years and 0-4 on the road playing in NE. Again, not rocket science here.

 
Getting back to the point of the thread, there are normally more fantasy start worthy WR floating around (either on your bench or on the waiver wire) then there are start worthy RBs. It's been like that for years.

What I have don over the years is draft more RBs and fewer WR and see how things shake out. WRs are cheaper and easier to acquire than RBs. I also tend to horde FAAB dollars and then have more ability to bid on and obtain RBs later in the season when hardly any teams have money left to spend.

 
The point being, when top teams play, games are more decided by where the game is being played than anything else. Denver 3-0 against NE at home the past 5 years and 0-4 on the road playing in NE. Again, not rocket science here.
But that was not the point.  You twisted the topic -- which was a simple question about who has the best defense -- into something that you could argue.  This, only after your selective statistics (along with a ridiculously small sample size) couldn't support your claim.  Then you went to the mat for your cause (Pats?), instead of just being objective.  

 
But that was not the point.  You twisted the topic -- which was a simple question about who has the best defense -- into something that you could argue.  This, only after your selective statistics (along with a ridiculously small sample size) couldn't support your claim.  Then you went to the mat for your cause (Pats?), instead of just being objective.  
YOU asked what defense would you want for ONE game. This is what exactly what you posted:

What D would you take in one game for it all.  Right now, who would it be?

And LOL about things being a small sample size. I said that in my first response and then added last year's numbers to make the sample size bigger. When you brought up the JUST ONE GAME element, I asked where the game was being played. All valid points.

Whoever the home team is among DEN, CAR, PIT, NE, GB, SEA is most likely going to win that game. Not slighting other teams, but of those 6 the home team would have a huge advantage.

 
Belichick is great, but this is a stretch.  In 2008 the NFL changed the rules to allow deferring to the 2nd half - before that you pretty much had to receive the ball.  Its not like coaches around the league for years overlooked the benefits of getting the ball first after the half.  We did this in college intra mural flag football in the 80s, maybe Bill saw us doing it and took the idea to the pros :thumbup:
Queue Ed McMahon:  I did not know that!

 
Philly defense could be a strong unit and good streaming option, but they first need to prove it against better competition beyond Cleveland and Chicago.
9/27 Narrative "This Eagles team is ok but let's see them embarrass a good team and not the Steelers at home."

 
Zero RB strategy is a bust

Value based drafting still works

Houston we don't have a problem

 
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So any strategy can work if you pick the right players. 
That is the secret to FF. The second secret is to avoid the injury bug. Do both and success is... still at the whim of H2H matchups ;)

 they wished more leagues would go auction, I am in full agreement.
It really is the only way to go. It is much easier to pick the players you want. Serpentine drafts are essentially like being forced to pay certain prices in an auction ("you're up. you must pay $70 for a player. which player would you like it to be?"). It's very rigid and just generally awful when compared to auction.

 
Granted, it's only been two weeks.

Defensive Rankings:

SEA 1st in Points Allowed (9.5), 1st in Yards Allowed (248.5)
HOU 3rd in Points Allowed (13), 3rd in Yards Allowed (274.5)
DEN 12th in Points Allowed (20), 6th in Yards Allowed (293)

SEA had ranked #1 in fewest points allowed the past 4 seasons.
Per-drive stats are better than per-game stats. Last year, DEN faced 195 drives and SEA faced only 166. DEN gave up 1.43 pts/dr and 24.47 yds/dr, 1st in both. SEA gave up 1.50 pts/dr and 28.45 yds/dr, which ranked 4th & 6th.

 
Whoever the home team is among DEN, CAR, PIT, NE, GB, SEA is most likely going to win that game. Not slighting other teams, but of those 6 the home team would have a huge advantage.
Do you think NE will win at home Thursday against Houston while being vulnerable at QB?

 
Do you think NE will win at home Thursday against Houston while being vulnerable at QB?
Houston should win if the Pats are down to a rookie third string QB.

However, if it the game pitted a complete NE team playing against a complete HOU team @ NE, IMO NE would win.

 
Denver is the best defense.

Is it really even that close?
Seattle is close, but Denver currently has the best defense.  Seattle has played Tannehill and Keenum so far; the Broncos have played Cam and Luck.  

Seattle will probably have the edge again this year in yards allowed, which is helped by playing in a division where only one of the other three quarterbacks is good, while the Broncos don't get any QB patsies in their division, but they also allowed fewer yards last year and look where that got them (a handful of 4th quarter blown leads, getting smoked by the Carolina offense in the first half of the playoff game).  Seattle's D is still great, don't get me wrong, but they aren't god tier anymore like they were two years ago. 

 
Drafting for 2-3 down workload depth at RB continues to be a good strategy. WR's that will perform can be had later with some homework. You're shooting at fish in the ocean at RB, and need to spend tickets on the position and hedge against higher end picks turn into busts (e.g., Gurley, AP, Charles, Martin, etc.) and undervalued RB's with nice workloads turn the corner or outproduce ADP (e.g., Forte, Gordon, Demarco Murray, Blount, CJ Anderson, etc.).
I think this is a good point, but on the other hand last year you coud pick up HIghtower for the stretch run and do just as well, canceling out your list of of undervalued RBs, from which - depending on your league's size and rules - you could have only drafted 1, maybe 2 guys, who still may well get hurt, as we are only 1/8 of the way through the fantasy season.

 
I've learned that the Rams paid Austin loads of money just for fun. Not because they will use him accordingly

 
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Denver is the best defense.

Is it really even that close?
Well in fantasy maybe, because they get INTs for touchdowns. But Seattle has given up 19 points so far, and 497 yards total. Yeah its against the Rams and Dolphins, but that is shutdown D, and Seattle has proven year after year to be a top 2-3 defense.

 
Seattle is close, but Denver currently has the best defense.  Seattle has played Tannehill and Keenum so far; the Broncos have played Cam and Luck.  

Seattle will probably have the edge again this year in yards allowed, which is helped by playing in a division where only one of the other three quarterbacks is good, while the Broncos don't get any QB patsies in their division, but they also allowed fewer yards last year and look where that got them (a handful of 4th quarter blown leads, getting smoked by the Carolina offense in the first half of the playoff game).  Seattle's D is still great, don't get me wrong, but they aren't god tier anymore like they were two years ago. 
Denver gets more credit because of the INTs especially the scoring INTs/fumbles, but Seattle is still firmly at god status when it comes to preventing the opposing team from scoring. They've owned that title since 2012, finishing #1 every year in preventative scoring defense. That is god status. 

 
It's amazing the impact that Bill Belichick has on the NFL and likely football in general.  10-20 years ago, you won the coin toss - you wanted the ball.  Now I feel like everyone plays for that second half kickoff.  BB was the first coach from my memory who without fail, did that.
All he did was take notes from my ~ 25 years of Madden play.

 
Not that I've learned it this year but it's certainly been reinforced....build your team around WRs because the RB position is too watered down, injury prone and very vulnerable to competition.  We've played two weeks and among RBs Woodhead - done, AP - ??, Martin - 3 weeks, Abdullah - possibly done, Foster - out, Stewart - out, Ivory - out, Rawls - injured / timeshare, Freeman - time share/losing job, Latavious Murray - quickly becoming a committee and I'm probably missing some....contrast that with the wr's and the injuries nor the loss of jobs doesn't come close.

 
Demarco Murray is this year's Doug Martin. Left for dead, but nope. Borderline RB1 ROS imo
He's delivering on his 4th round ADP, I'll give ya that. He may well deliver on your prediction, but anyone with a 4th round ADP wasn't "left for dead". He's been a great value pick at RB though. 

I hate to be "that guy", but were it not for a 67 yard run in week #2, his numbers were a little concerning, as he had 11 carries for 22 yards (2 YPC) and the 7 receptions were what really helped his FFB day. 

So far the receptions appear to be buoying his numbers.  The 2 receiving TDs in week one helped of course, but the lack of carries (12.5/game) , no rushing TDs and his very  pedestrian YPC (2.5 YPC for the season when excluding the one long run) concern me a little.  While I'm not normally one to say things like "were it not for his 67 yard run his day was terrible!" since he did have the 67 yard run, and 7 rec and his day was not terrible.  But when evaluating a RB, the body of work is usually more telling than the 1 long run through a wide open hole (more of an open field than a hole even). . And a RB getting less than 2.5 YPC for the year on the 24 carries that he couldn't have driven a semi through would seem to be a red flag. 

Add to this his mileage and injury risk, and sharing the backfield with Henry, who looks capable of big things.....yeah, Murray might be a better "sell high" right now.  

I dunno - I think the jury's still out on Murray, but you've certainly had nice return on your investment so far.  :hifive:

 
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Getting back to the point of the thread, there are normally more fantasy start worthy WR floating around (either on your bench or on the waiver wire) then there are start worthy RBs. It's been like that for years.

What I have don over the years is draft more RBs and fewer WR and see how things shake out. WRs are cheaper and easier to acquire than RBs. I also tend to horde FAAB dollars and then have more ability to bid on and obtain RBs later in the season when hardly any teams have money left to spend.
I've always done that too, and found that the FBG valuations on top tier WR's are always less than what my league is willing to pay.  So I end up with all WR2's, unless I can get the breakout year of someone for $15 (Antonio Brown and Allen Robinson in different years - score!). 

This year I decided to shell out a little more for WR and managed to land A.J. Green and Jordy Nelson to go along with a Le'Veon/DeAngelo combo.  So far I'm liking it... I go after dark horses at both RB and WR now.

My lottery tickets are now Spencer Ware, Kenneth Dixon, Tavon Austin, Tyrell Williams, Tajae Sharp, and Jay Ajaye.  Hopefully a few pay off.

 

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