[Danimal]

Hey Guys.  It's time to start getting ready for our fantasy football drafts and the new season, which means it's time to kick off this thread again.  If you're new to this thread, welcome.  I've done one like this for several years now, and it's meant to be a place where you can ask for or give advice on anything fantasy football related- who do you keep in your keeper league, how soon is too soon to pick a defense, who should you start this week in your flex spot, whatever.

 

This thread is for all levels of FF enthusiasts- beginners to perennial Super Bowl champs, and it's always been full of very helpful, very knowledgeable people, so jump in and let's talk some football!

[AvengedBacklog]

One of my favorite threads! Glad to see it back.

[DestroVega]

Anyone with keeper questions, fire' em off.

I get to keep Zac Stacey in the 8th and Julius Thomas in the 15th in the league I'm defending champ. Nice start.

[MyWorstNightmare]

I've done Yahoo for 6 years now.  I'm going to branch out a bit and join an ESPN league.  Anyone use both and like one over the other?

[ludus]

I used to play the yahoo fantasy league many years ago, but I haven't bothered with fantasy football in a long time. I might jump into it this year with some friends though. 

[AdmiralGialHackbar]

forte, marshall and jeffrey are must starts every week!!!!

 

BEAR DOWN!!!!

[Danimal]

I'm curious- are any of you guys the commissioner of the league you're in?  I'm in a league mostly made up of guys I work with, and we've done the league for about 15 years now.  I took over running it a few years ago when the previous commissioner was getting burnt out doing it, and I'm already starting to understand why he got tired of it.  It's a pain in the ass trying to lock down a draft date when half the guys in the league don't respond to e-mails (some of us work different shifts, and between that and summer vacations, it's not always as easy as just finding guys at work)  We're doing it August 30th, the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, so I hope that the guys I haven't heard from can make it that day.

 

Oh, and then there's the guy who never has his league dues money on draft day.  Every single guy in the league pays that day, no problem at all, except this one guy, who makes me chase him for his money all year, every year.  Last year he finally paid just before the playoffs began.  I would love to kick him out of the league, but for some reason, he's very well liked by the rest of the guys (even though he's pulled the same crap with them in fantasy baseball and basketball) and whenever I've talked about booting him, you'd think I just suggested we burn down an orphanage from the reaction.  I don't get it.

 

  Anyone else have to deal with headaches like this?

[Jess Stryker]

Oh, and then there's the guy who never has his league dues money on draft day.  Every single guy in the league pays that day, no problem at all, except this one guy, who makes me chase him for his money all year, every year.  Last year he finally paid just before the playoffs began.  I would love to kick him out of the league, but for some reason, he's very well liked by the rest of the guys (even though he's pulled the same crap with them in fantasy baseball and basketball) and whenever I've talked about booting him, you'd think I just suggested we burn down an orphanage from the reaction.  I don't get it.

 

  Anyone else have to deal with headaches like this?

 

Seeing how you also play other sports as well with the same guy, it sounds like to me that perhaps that he uses possible winnings to pay for his entry fee. For example, if he's 13-4 in baseball this year (presuming you guys do H2H), he's probably expecting to make the playoffs. Depending how you divide winnings, I could see that thought process. I've been in a league for the past 5 years now (it's ran for 15-20 years total) and I know some of the longer standing members have done that as well.

 

If he did have that intention, as long as he used his baseball winnings towards his football fee, or paid upon playoff elimination, I don't think it'd be a huge problem. Of course, you could always say one year that anyone who doesn't have their fees on draft day doesn't play. Or perhaps give them a month afterwards (so right when baseball ends) and if anybody hasn't paid by that point, either kick them out for next year or they forfeit any potential winnings.

[Danimal]

I only do fantasy football myself, but some of the other guys in our league have played baseball and basketball, and I've heard stories about how he never has his money in those leagues when he's supposed to either.  It's just the way he is.  He's borrowed money from people and made them have to chase him to get paid back, too.  Most of the other guys just laugh it off, like "That's just Jim being Jim".  It's like they think it's cute or something.  Last year, after he finally paid, another guy in the league told me this guy owed him $75 that he had never paid from some pool or fantasy league several years before.  Anyway, Jim ended up finishing 4th in our playoffs last year, which pays $80.  Before I paid him, I went to the guy who never got his $75 and told him I was about to go to Jim's work area and pay him his $80 for finishing 4th.  I said "Why don't you go over a minute or two before me and ask him about that $75 again, and still be there when I come by with his winnings."  It was sweet seeing him have to give up his winnings.

[Ironman8]

Well played Danimal.

[pitfallharry219]

How many of you would take Demaryius Thomas before Megatron this year?

[Danimal]

Can't really go wrong with either one, but I'd take Megatron over anyone else at WR.

[DestroVega]

How many of you would take Demaryius Thomas before Megatron this year?

lol no one.

But I actually understand your thinking. I still couldn't do it.

[parrothead87]

I think the Megatron/Thomas debate is closer than most think

 

Thomas had a bigger year last year in terms of points in leagues. I do not think they do the record setting numbers this year but Decker is now also gone from Denver making Thomas a bigger threat, but also leading to more doubles.

 

Still don't think I could do it, but its definitely close

[paz9x]

I've done Yahoo for 6 years now.  I'm going to branch out a bit and join an ESPN league.  Anyone use both and like one over the other?

I had a couple leagues on espn last year, everything else on yahoo. I loved espn up until the draft was over. I dont like their interface, I dont like how they show points. its easier to navigate yahoo, manage team/players.

I was really bummed and have moved those leagues over to yahoo.

A buddy uses nfl for some leagues, Ive looked at that setup and thought it was very nice, the player news seemed pretty good.

[CookieParty]

If anyone needs one more for a league, I'll join up. Just send me a PM.

[paz9x]

I have a league im filling some spots in, its on yahoo. Default roster with an extra flex spot and 7 idp spots. PPR and boosted defensive scoring.

If anyone is interested pm me.

[Danimal]

Anybody have their draft today?  How did you do?

 

I've got my draft a week from today.  I'm picking 7th in a 12 team league.  I was just looking at our draft board from last year, and 11 of the 12 teams went RB in round 1.  That was a big change; we usually have 2 or 3 guys who go QB, and at least 2 or 3 WR's.  I'm wondering if that will carry over and happen again this year.  There's only 5 RB's I'd be glad to get with my first pick, and since I'm at 7...  Curious to see how it goes.  I've been doing mocks, trying different strategies to see what my team looks like if, say, I go WR-WR with my first 2 picks, or if I take Brees or Rodgers if they're still there in round 2.  Mocks only help so much, though.  In one mock, I got Tom Brady in round 7.  I live in Massachusetts, surrounded by Patriots fans, so there's no way he'll last that long in my real draft.

[paz9x]

I have a draft next wednesday, next friday and 3 next saturday.

All my other leagues are on yahoo. its crazy how different the default rankings are from espn.

 

Ive found that my drafts in leagues with more hardcore guys are easier to figure and generally follow some logic with rankings and selection.

I have a couple leagues that are pretty casual and those are wild, people do wild shit, take guys they couldve waited 40 picks later to get, stuff like that.

 

Im considering adding another auction draft league, those drafts are awesome. If you havent checked those out I recommend doing so.

[DestroVega]

Drafted 12. Standard league

Demarco Murray
AJ Green
Doug Martin
Michael Floyd
Frank Gore
Kyle Rudolph
Jay Cutler
Michael Crabtree
Steve Ridley
Kelvin Benjamin
Marquis Lee
Travis Kelce
Justin Tucker
Knile Davis

[Danimal]

Looks pretty solid, but I'd be a little nervous with just one QB, no matter who he is.  Cutler is an interesting case to me.  I hear so many people saying they wouldn't take him in fantasy drafts, but it seems like the same people love Marshall, Jeffery, and Forte's potential as a receiver.  So, what, they're all going to light it up, but the guy throwing to them isn't going to pile up stats?

 

I just noticed you don't have a D/ST listed.  Does your league not use them?

[DestroVega]

Didn't draft a defense once the best 5 or so were gone. There are a few other teams with no backup QB, no D right now.

I'm gonna let the rest of camp / preseason play out and make some moves

As for the Cutler thing, people down on him makes no sense. Offense is loaded, and Trestman is currently being called the QB Whisperer. In reality though, there were 10 QBs off the board and the 1 person without one I knew was either going to take Kaepernick or Cutler, and I was perfectly fine with either. He took Kaep which left me Cutler.

[Danimal]

To run my real life team, I think I'd take Kaep, but for fantasy I'd rather have Cutler.

[paz9x]

the only drawback to cutler, especially where you can get him in drafts, is his durability.

[kube00]

Drafted yesterday. Drafted almost all my WRS with bye week 9. But its a PPR, got 2nd place last year. I wish I had an elite RB1

 

Keeper picks were Seattle's D, Morris, and Jeffery

 

1. (9) Brandon Marshall WR

2. (12) Drew Brees QB

3. (29) Roddy White WR (too early)

4. (32) Frank Gore RB

5. (49) Chris Johnson RB

6. (52) Jordan Cameron TE

7. (69) Mike Wallace WR

8. (72) DeAngelo Williams RB

9. (89) Alfred Morris RB

10. (92) Alshon Jeffery WR

11. (109) Seattle DEF

12. (112) Markus Wheaton WR

13. (129) Brian Hartline WR

14. (132) Mason Crosby K

15. (149) Kyle Rudolph TE

16. (152) Alex Smith QB

 

 

I would like to find another league to play in with some cash...

[winterice]

Just finish my draft. Standard league with 12 teams. Here's my team (by round; had the 4th pick):

 

Marshawn Lynch

Julio Jones

Randall Cobb

Ray Rice

Shane Vereen

Jason Witten

Jeremy Maclin

Anquan Boldin

Tony Romo

Jordan Reed

Darren McFadden

Dwayne Bowe

Andy Dalton

Nick Novak

 

Is anyone starting Randall Cobb for the season opener against Seattle? For the moment I have him on the bench with Anquan Boldin starting.

[Methoes]

You took Lynch at #4. WOW - That is a reach. Either you are a Homer or you don't know FF very well.

[AvengedBacklog]

yeah, thats a bit of a reach.  I took Lynch 4th in a draft last night but it was a keeper league so most of the studs were already gone...

[DestroVega]

I had Julius Thomas as a 13th round keeper, and Zach Stacey as an 8th, picked 12, 13 every round after keepers. Here's how it shook out.

1- Demarius Thomas
2- Dez Bryant
3- Shane Vereen
4- Michael Floyd
5- Marques Colston
6- Matt Stafford
7- Zach Ertz
8- Zach Stacey
9- Fred Jackson
10- Kelvin Benjamin
11- Carson Palmer
12- Justin Hunter
13- Julius Thomas
14- Davonta Freeman
15- Cleveland Browns D
16- Marquis Lee
17- Blair Walsh

[Panoramic15]

If anyone wants to join a 5$ Entry Fantasy Football League, send me a PM on here. I'm the Commish of an NFL.com league and I need players. We're looking for 10-14 people and a draft at 9:00 PM August 31. Money will be taken through Paypal with the winner receiving the entry fees. Let me know. Thanks guys.