How Many Leagues Is Too Many?
So tell me, how many leagues are you in? Some fantasy players wear the number of leagues in which they compete like a badge of honor? I can hear them now: “You’re only in 5 leagues? You’re a lightweight. The last time I was in only 5 leagues, I drafted Y.A. Tittle.” If you’re one of these people, I applaud you. Because I tried it last year, and let me tell you, by the end of the season, I was a shell of a man.
For the longest time, I juggled just three leagues. There is the league that I run, which is an NFC-only league with an auction, a league with a talent pool so shallow that guys like Brad Hoover set off bidding wars. I also am in 10-team and 12-team draft leagues. And I’ve never felt the craving for more, sort of like how I feel after I eat Arby’s.
But last year, something happened. I learned how to use a computer. (I know, it’s sad that a 35-year-old man took this long to step into the 21st-century. I churn my own butter too. Get over it.) And I discovered something mystical and alluring, much like the call of the siren that beacons sailors to their watery graves. I discovered online leagues.
I tried one out, just on a whim, and I found that I loved the idea of drafting against people from across the country. I loved talking smack with people from Montana when they drafted J.J. Arrington. Let’s face it, I just love drafts. That’s the best part of any fantasy season. And by doing it at my computer, I wasn’t gaining 15 pounds eating four hours worth of hot wings and pizza. Fantasy football and clear arteries: I could have it all.
And then the season began. You know running eight teams at once isn’t as easy as it sounds. My in-box, previously reserved for loving e-mails from my better half, was suddenly filled with injury reports and trade offers from teams with subtle names like Keith’s Skull-Crushers. And following eight different teams each Sunday was a little like trying to determine the gross national product of Bolivia with an abacus. The ticker would roll on the bottom of the screen and I would start to go into convulsions and babble incoherently about the field goal range of Nate Kaeding.
I will say that I somehow managed to make the playoffs in 6 out of 8 leagues (inculding one on Fox Sports in which I was locked out on draft day and the computer, in its infinite wisdom, drafted J.P. Losman as my quarterback). I was greatly aided by the fact that I had a pretty good hunch about Tony Romo and had him in the majority of the leagues. (I also had Vernon Davis in a majority of the leagues. That didn’t help so much.) I didn’t win any, but I put that down to bad luck more than anything else, or at least that’s what I told myself to stop from crying myself to sleep.
And so, dear friends, I vow not to go down that road again. Three leagues is enough for this hombre. Well, maybe four. Five tops. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go call my fantasy football anonymous sponsor.
Aug 25 2008
Overall Fantasy Impact: Average
Offensive Outlook: The offense in Seattle was potent last year but unbalanced.
The Hawks hope they’ve solved that problem by cuttting ties with former star Shaun Alexander and adding the younger legs of Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett to join Maurice Morris to form a solid rushing attack behind an offensive line that looks solid again.
Last year, the passing attack sizzled, but lack of depth at receiver could cause some problems in ‘08. Continue Reading »
Aug 21 2008
Overall Fantasy Impact: Below Average
Offensive Outlook: After finishing last in the league in points and yards, you knew that the 49ers were in for big changes on the offensive end.
In addition to brand new starting receivers, the biggest change comes with the arrival of Mike Martz as offensive coordinator.
It should be interesting, because the Niners’ biggest offensive assets are a power runner (Frank Gore) and an athletic tight end (Vernon Davis), positions that were usually overlooked in Martz’s stints in St. Louis and Detroit.
Either Martz will adjust, or the 49ers will spend the year trying to fit square pegs into round holes. Continue Reading »
Aug 19 2008
Overall Fantasy Impact: Average
Gone is Mike Martz and his pass-at-all costs offense. The Lions plan to try a more traditional approach this time so defenses can’t completely disregard the run as they did in the Martz era.
To that end, the Lions drafted small-school star Kevin Smith to compete for the running back job. If he can come through, that should mean more openings for Jon Kitna and his talented receiving crew.
QUARTERBACKS: This may be the last year for Kitna as the Lions undisputed starter, since local favorite Drew Stanton is waiting in the wings.
Kitna topped 4,000 yards for the second straight year, but his 18 TD passes were tied for 15th in the league. Like the rest of the Lions, he came out of the gate fast (8 TDs in his first four games) before the bad times began. If his young receivers stay healthy and he gets support from the running game, that TD total could go up, making him a decent mid-round sleeper.
Stanton will likely get his chance this year only if Kitna gets hurt or the team gets off to an awful start. Continue Reading »
Aug 15 2008
Overall Fantasy Impact: Average
Offensive Impact: What happened to the Greatest Show on Turf? The Rams managed to finish just 24th in offense and 27th in points last year, a far cry from the days of Warner, Faulk, and Co.?But don’t panic just yet. Injuries played havoc with them last year, and any team with Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson, and Torry Holt can’t be dismissed. Expect results this year from the Rams somewhere between the lofty Mike Martz days and the low point they hit last season.
QUARTERBACKS: Bulger couldn’t stay healthy last season, and even when he did, his numbers sagged. He had twice as many games without a TD pass as he did with multiple scores. He also lacks the receiving weapons he once had, but playing indoors against shaky NFC West defenses always helps. He’s not a slam-dunk starter anymore, but he’s still valuable in favorable match-ups and worth a look in the middle rounds.
Trent Green is back with the Rams as a back-up, but at age 38, you can’t expect too much.
RUNNING BACKS: Jackson managed just 6 total TDs last year, which absolutely crippled the teams that drafted him in the first round last year. He still rambled for 1,002 yards despite missing four games, which shows he was productive when he played. His messy holdout isn’t helping matters now, but his talent is too great to allow him to get by the first round. If things break right, he could be back at the top of the heap in fantasy production this year. Continue Reading »
Aug 11 2008
Overall Fantasy Impact: Average
Offensive Outlook: It’s the oldest story in the book, but in Arizona there’s a bit of a twist.
Instead of the grizzled veteran trying to hold off a talented youngster for the quarterback job, third-year man Matt Leinart is the guy under siege from 37-year-old Kurt Warner.
Whoever wins the job will be in charge of a potent passing attack that should remain one of the league’s best as long as star receivers Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald stay healthy and a suspect offensive line holds up.
QUARTERBACKS: Leinart had one decent game out of five and was already losing playing time to Warner before being felled by a broken collarbone last year. All reports say that the former Heisman winner has rededicated himself to being a great quarterback, but he better not falter early.
With Warner looming, Leinart is an extremely risky pick as a fantasy starter. But if he keeps the job, the numbers should be top-notch. Continue Reading »
Aug 06 2008
Overall Fantasy Impact: Below Average
Offensive Outlook: Tampa Bay might have been a playoff team last year, but for fantasy football purposes, they were nothing to write home about. They were 18th in the league in points and yards.
Things don’t look much better this year. Although the offensive line is coming together nicely, there are very few explosive skill position players on hand.
2008 should be more of the same from the Bucs.
QUARTERBACKS: All of the Brett Favre drama aside, Jeff Garcia does a nice job for what Tampa asks of him. He doesn’t turn it over and he’s efficent. That’s all well and fine, but it doesn’t do you any good as a fantasy owner. With just 13 TD passes in 13 games in ‘07 and 7 games under 200 yards, Garcia, at age 38, has outlived his fantasy relevance. He’s strictly back-up material.
Should Favre join the Bucs, things would get interesting. It’s doubtful that he would put up QB1 numbers in a new offense, but he would be worth a spot on fantasy rosters for spot starting duty with upside.
There are approximately 74 quarterbacks on the Tampa roster vying to be Garcia’s back-up, but none are worthy of a look-see in this pedestrian offense. Continue Reading »
Aug 04 2008
Overall Fantasy Impact: Above Average
Offensive Outlook: After a terrible start, the Saints offense got rolling again last year and ended 4th in yards, although they finished tied for 12th in points.
Those red-zone problems should be alleviated by the addition of Jeremy Shockey at tight end and the return of Deuce McAllister at running back.
The concern here is that there might be too much talent to go around. McAllister, Shockey, Marques Colston, and Reggie Bush all have to share one football, and it’s unrealistic that they can all put up huge numbers at the same time.
Nonetheless, it’s a nice problem for the Saints to have.
QUARTERBACKS: Drew Brees actually improved upon his numbers from 2006 when the Saints were the NFL’s top story. That’s amazing considering he had just one TD pass after the first four games. At year’s end he was again among the league’s best with 4,423 yards (2nd) and 28 TDs (tied for 6th). With all the weapons at his disposal and considering he’s still in his prime, the possibility is there for Brees to ascend to even loftier fantasy heights. He should be considered as early as Round 3. Continue Reading »
Aug 02 2008
Overall Fantsy Impact: Above Average
Offensive Outlook: No team in the NFL has better potential to turn it around offensively this year than Carolina.
After an awful showing in ‘07, the Panthers drafted Jonathan Stewart in the first round to boost their running game, then added receivers D.J. Hackett and Mushin Muhammad to take pressure off Steve Smith.
But the biggest addition will be the return to health of Jake Delhomme, who missed the season’s final 13 games last year. With Delhomme behind center, the Panthers might just go from punchless to powerful.
QUARTERBACKS: The really devastating part of Delhomme’s shoulder injury last year was that it came after he had gotten off to a blistering start with 8 TD passes in the first three games. He’s been good for an average of about 3,500 yards and 24 TDs since becoming the Panther starter, which are solid fantasy numbers. With so many weapons at his disposal and some weak NFC South defenses (save Tampa Bay) to face, the possibility is there for Delhomme to have a career year and vault into the Top 5 Fantasy QBs. Continue Reading »
Aug 01 2008
You’ve dusted off your brown, brimmed hat and hung a bull whip from your belt. The clues for your quest can’t be found on ancient tablets or the burnt impressions on a Nazi soldier’s palm- but you forge ahead, undaunted. You aren’t searching for the lost ark or a crystal skull- but something even more elusive.
The fantasy breakthrough player.
A player who may not have the big name- or the spectacular season on his record- but one who offers tremendous upside. The type of potential that could lead to the coveted championship trophy you’ve been dreaming of. A player whose stars are in perfect alignment for a big year.
Whether you’re an Indiana Jones fan or not- you probably picked up on my not so subtle point. Finding a breakthrough player can be a lot like looking for lost treasure. The signs can be confusing- and X never, ever, marks the spot.
Still- hunting for just this type of player is what the later rounds of a fantasy draft are for- and they are out there season after season without fail.
Derek Anderson of the Cleveland Browns is a great example from 2007- however, few people could have seen his potential at draft time considering how deeply he was buried in the depth chart. To draft a breakthrough player you need some signs.
While some owners are grabbing the tried and true player- a safe pick that might not deliver huge points, but has a dependable consistency- you may be looking for the steal of the draft. So without further adieu- let’s take a look at a few players who might fill the bill. (NOTE: Rookies don’t make this list)
Patrick Crayton- WR- Cowboys. Crayton is flying below the radar in 2008 drafts- and maybe with good reason. The Cowboys have been very public in their search for a second wide receiver- proof that they are not sold on Crayton’s ability. A big drop against the Giants in the playoffs had everyone forgetting Romo’s fumbled snap the year before. And he plays opposite one of the league’s best WR, best TE, and a powerful running game. So is Crayton really worthy of a fantasy draft pick? Consider that 2007 was Crayton’s best year in a four year career. He’s not very young at age (29) but fairly young in NFL experience. His ’07 is proof he is moving in the right direction- and that Romo has some confidence in him. And his seven TD’s while playing third fiddle is worth noticing. Dallas has a powerful offense- but had no real luck in getting a big name number two. With Terry Glenn having been released- everything seems to be in place for Crayton to improve on decent ’07 numbers- and possibly capitalize in a big way on the attention defenses will be giving to the bigger stars on the team. Consider him for a late round grab. Continue Reading »
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