Month: July 2018

Categories
FANTASY Uncategorized

The New look of Fantasy Football – Sports Fanatics Play Fantasy SF-44

How times have changed

If you have been playing Fantasy Football for the last decade then you have probably noticed a few changes.  Some of these changes can have a dramatic effect on how your Fantasy Football team performs from week to week.   Despite these changes, many Fantasy Football analysts refuse to adjust their strategies.  Well I can admit that I was resistant to change as well, and held steadfast for a couple of Seasons.  It took missing the Playoffs in my Keeper League for the first time in years to make me adjust my strategy.  The end result speaks for itself, I’m league Champion!  So what changes am I referring to?  In this article I’ll cover the three most important changes that you should be aware of.

Concussion Protocol

If you aren’t aware of how the NFL Concussion Protocol can effect the overall performance of your Fantasy Football team?   You need to pay close attention to this portion of the article.  For many years both the NFL and Players have misrepresented how often Players get concussed.  What was once considered a mild concussion that would have a Player miss a snap or two, can now cause them to miss the rest of a game.  I’ve already had this occur to key Players on my Fantasy teams in the first quarter of games.  Imagine what your chances of victory would be if your top Running Back was knocked out in the first quarter.  I remember when Players were considered tough if they got knocked out in the first half, and returned to play in the second half.  Nowadays those same Players would be considered foolhardy.  In reality those Players can no longer exist because the NFL Concussion Protocol has already removed them from the game, and quite likely the next game as well.  Something you should be aware of is that the more concussions a Player has had, the more likely that they will be susceptible to another.  Treat the brain like any other part of the human body that can sustain injury.  Some Fantasy Football Managers refuse to draft anyone that’s had an ACL injury.  I’m not one those but I do take injuries into consideration.  If two equally skilled Players are available to draft, and one of them has a history of injuries or concussions then I’ll draft the other Player.  The reality is that injuries are a part of the game.  Most injuries are manageable.  Players will play through minor injuries, and modern medicine has made recovery from major injuries relatively quick.  Concussion Protocol on the other hand is now governed by it’s own set of rules.  It’s because of this that you should be well aware.

Rookie Impact

Rookies have always had a place in Fantasy Football.  The temptation to draft a Rookie was always there, but more often than not didn’t pan out.  Every year the NFL media hype machine would latch on to a couple Rookies and have you believing that they were the second coming.  Very rarely did any of these Players reach their potential in their first Season.  Well like I said in the beginning, times have changed.   Rookies have become far more NFL ready over the last few years.  Especially positions that require more individual skill then scheme recognition.  Fantasy Football Managers shouldn’t be afraid to draft highly skilled Running Backs, or Quarterbacks.  Don’t make the mistake of underestimating the effect a top level rookie linebacker will immediately have on a Defense.  The coaching and Player development at the College level is at an all time high.  The only position that I remain wary of is Wide Receiver.  There are some complex timing routes in the NFL that can take more than a season to master.

Who’s Number 1?

I remember the days when NFL teams had a definitive number 1 Running Back, Wide Receiver, and Tight End.  Draft position was proportional to a Player’s ranking on their team’s depth chart.  Some Managers still approach their draft preparation with that archaic system in mind.  If that was you last Season then you probably missed out on Players like Adam Thielen, or Davante Adams.  If I asked 10 Fantasy Football Managers who they felt would finish with more fantasy points this Season between Diggs and Thielen, Thomas and Sanders, Ingram and Kamara, or Nelson and Cooper.  I bet no two Managers would give the same answers.  What this means to you is that Players that are second on their team’s depth chart could easily out perform top tier Players on other teams.  It’s also worth noting that having two Wide Receivers or Running Backs from the same team on your roster can make total sense.

 

Get with the times

There are a number of other things that have changed but I haven’t drafted yet so you will have to wait to find out.  If you take the three factors I’ve mentioned in this article into consideration this season you should be fine.  Good luck this Season, unless you are in a league against me of course. 😉

Categories
GOLF

Choosing the Right Golf Ball – Top 6 Comparison test

The Right Ball

   For about a year now I’ve been trying to figure out which ball is right for me. As a High Handicapper cost is always a concern because it’s a rare occasion when I finish a Round of Golf with the Ball I began with. On average I go through a sleeve of balls each Round I play. I try to keep the majority of Rounds I play to under $50. If the balls I’m playing are $5 each that can seriously add to the cost of a Round. The second thing I take into consideration is how easy I find a Ball to be controllable around the Greens. I don’t necessarily need the ball with the most Spin. I just need a Ball to stop where I intend it to. I don’t need the smoothest rolling Ball off the Putter. I just need a Ball that I can feel come off the Putter face, and be able to control the distance it rolls. Lastly I would like a Ball that’s long enough off the Tee, and doesn’t roll out too much on full shots 160 yards and in. Ideally I’d like to find a Ball that meets all of those criteria for less than $30/dozen.

I have tried many different balls over the last three years. The majority of them were simple 2 piece balls because of the price. It wasn’t until Nike decided to get out of the Golf equipment game that I got my first real taste of what was possible with a 3 piece ball. Stores that carried Nike Golf equipment quickly put the RZN series balls on clearance. I was able to buy four dozen Nike RZN Reds at $20/dozen. It didn’t take long before I noticed two discernable differences. My putting improved from an average of 2.4 putts per hole down to 2. That’s an average of 7 less putts per Round! Was a 3 piece ball that much easier to Putt? Actually it isn’t. The Ball felt good off the Putter but that wasn’t the reason I was sinking more Putts. The real reason was that for the first time I was able to generate enough Spin on short approach shots to hold the Greens, and leave myself a lot more Putts from within 10 feet. Now before everyone reading this rushes out to buy five boxes of 3 piece balls. Let me first say that there are some very good 2 piece balls on the market. Three of the final six balls I tested were 2 piece balls in fact. Again price plays a very important role in my selection process and most 3 piece balls just cost too much. In the end there was a clear winner, with two others that I may end up playing because of the difference in price.  Before I give my opinions of the final six balls I tested, you should probably know a little bit about me.  My Driver swing speed is just a little north of 90mph.  I hit my 7 Iron around 140 yards with a full swing.  My current handicap is 30, and the lowest it’s been is 27.  All in all I tested 15 different balls, plus a few others that are no longer available.  I specifically chose these six to demonstrate what works, and what doesn’t work for me.  One of the balls not covered in this test that I would recommend was the Srixon Soft Feel.  It is in my opinion the best Budget ball by far.  I found them for as low as $1.33/ball.

3 Golf Balls that didn’t suit me

Q Star
– putts slow, medium feel
– A lot of Spin off the Wedges
– short Driver distance
– low durability
Going into this comparison test I had high hopes for the Srixon Q-Star. Although it is a 2 piece ball, it also has an additional coating they call Spin skin on the outer shell that’s designed to increase Spin.  Essentially Srixon’s goal was to create a 2 piece ball for a 2 piece price that performs like a 3 piece ball.  Around the Greens the Spin I was able to create with my Wedges was excellent. Even better than two of the 3 piece balls that I tested. Unfortunately the performance across the other categories was poor. Putting was a challenge because it requires more force than I’m used to to get the ball rolling. I just kept coming up short which anyone will tell you is the worst way to miss a putt. Approach shots held the Greens from about 130 yards and in which isn’t bad, but far from optimal for me. What made matters worse was Driving distance on average was the shortest of all the balls tested. Only on the shortest Par 4s would I be within 130 yards after my Tee shot.

Aeroburner Soft
– putts fast, light feel
– very little spin on half swings
– long Driver distance
The Aeroburner Soft isn’t the newest ball on the market but I’ve seen them for sale in many different locations so I figured I would give them a try.  First of all everything I’ve tested from Taylormade with the Aeroburner moniker has been long on distance. The Aeroburner Soft Golf Ball is no exception. Off the Tee it was the absolute longest of all the balls I tested. It actually had decent stopping power on full swing approach shots as well. Unfortunately once you get near, or on the Green the trouble begins. This Ball practically explodes off the Wedge, or Putter face which made it extremely difficult to control for me. Any strokes gained off the Tee were quickly lost when I reached the Green. A full Round with this Ball would probably test my nerves severely.

DT Trusoft
– putts fast, medium feel
– very little spin off half swings
– medium Driver distance
You don’t see too many Golf Ball Comparisons that don’t include the Titleist Pro V1. Well at $5/ball they definitely weren’t making the cut. Instead I gave their DT Trusoft a try. The Trusoft wasn’t terribly bad at anything, but it wasn’t especially good either. I was able to get decent distance with the Driver, generate decent Spin on full shots, hit long runners with the Wedges, and control my Putts relatively well. So why didn’t it make my Top 3?  The answer to that is Price. Although it’s only a 2 piece ball, it’s the same price as one of the 3 piece balls tested, and even more expensive than another. It proved to be significantly more durable than two of the balls I tested but when you rarely finish a full Round with one ball, durability is of little concern.

The 2 alternate Balls I’d play

Project A
– putts mid pace, maximum feel
– A lot of spin on full or half shots
– long Driver distance
Of the six balls I chose to test the Taylormade Project A was the clear winner overall. I’ve never played a ball that immediately made me feel like I was going to score better. I felt like I could sink every putt, smash it off the Tee, and stick it close to the Pin from anywhere. The only categories it didn’t outright win were Driving distance (Aeroburner Soft) and Price (Q Star). So why didn’t it snag the number 1 spot? Once again the mighty dollar holds me back. Of all the balls tested it was the most expensive. In fact the only time it falls within my budget is when it’s on sale. Believe me when I tell you that every time it goes on sale I’m buying a few dozen though.

Vice Tour
– putts fast, medium feel
– spins well off of the Wedges
– medium Driver distance
– low durability
Vice has been quickly establishing themselves as the tour quality Ball manufacturer, at a discount price. According to their Ball fitting online questionnaire, the Vice Tour is the Ball for me. There was a lot to like about the Vice Tour. Unfortunately it was difficult to stop on anything but full Iron shots into Greens, and like the Q-Star wasn’t very durable. The 2 piece DT Trusoft actually performed a touch better, but as long as you buy five dozen Vice Tour balls the price is hard to beat.

I don’t mind the look.

The Best Ball for me

Project S
– putts mid pace, medium feel
– medium Spin on full or half shots
– medium Driver distance

The Project S does everything great, just not as great as the Project A. It’s that simple. Switching from the Project A to the Project S was quite easy. All I had to do was account for a little extra roll out on Chips, and Approach shots, and be a little less aggressive on lag putts.  It was only 3 yards shorter in carry distance with the Driver as well.  In fact some of my closest Chips and Pitches to the Pin came with the Project S because I like a little bit of roll out. The Flop shot isn’t my preferred shot. If it’s yours I’d highly recommend the Taylormade Project A. When it comes right down to it the Project S wins because it’s on average $10/dozen less than the Project A. Simply put it’s the best ball for my budget. If you haven’t tried it yet, I suggest that you do.

Let me know which ball you play, and which of my final 6 balls tested is your favourite and you will have a chance to win a sleeve of balls.

Categories
FANTASY

2018 Fantasy Football Breakouts – Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-43

My Potential Breakouts

It’s July and the Fantasy Football Season is finally upon us. The usual off season shenanigans have led to a few suspensions. A few Players have announced that they are retiring. There’s always the talk about whether Tom Brady can keep up his high level of play for another year. Well I’m not interested in any of that. During the off season I’m only interested in figuring out one thing. Who are going to be the breakout players next season? Well I have selected eight players that should have the opportunity to put up some serious Fantasy Football numbers this year. I’ll begin with the Quarterback.

QUARTERBACK

Deshaun Watson
– If it wasn’t for the injury he sustained to his ACL in the first week of November last Season there’s no way he would be on this list. Deshaun Watson looked so good in the 7 games he played that I made a pretty big trade for him after week 5. He was on pace to eclipse 4000 yards and 40 touchdowns. I’ll take those numbers any day. Had he been healthy he could have finished the season with more fantasy points then Tom Brady. That’s all it will take for Deshaun Watson to have a breakout season. He just has to stay healthy. I’ll definitely be targeting him in drafts. There’s a good chance that a lot of Fantasy Football managers will be worried about picking a player coming back off a torn ACL. Well I’m not. Modern medicine has made the career ending ACL injury a thing of the past.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Josh Gordon
– I really struggled with whether I should include Josh Gordon in this list or not. In 2013 he put up amazing numbers. He had 87 receptions for 1646 yards with 9 of those being for touchdowns, and got selected to the Pro Bowl. So can a player who has demonstrated that kind of ability be considered as a potential 2018 breakout? The answer is yes. Josh Gordon finds himself in a rather unique situation after missing almost three Seasons due to suspensions for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy multiple times. He finally returned to the field for the first time since 2014 at the end of last season. Although we didn’t get to see much of him. It was enough for me to recognize that although he’s been away from the game for awhile, his skills haven’t diminished. With an improved situation in Cleveland, and a much better Quarterback throwing him the ball. This could be the official return of Josh Gordon as a truly dominant Wide Receiver to the NFL. I would draft him as a high end number 2 with upside, or a low end number 1 if I went RB – RB to start the draft.

Will Fuller V
– You have already read how I feel about Deshaun Watson. Well I expect Will Fuller to be one of the major beneficiaries of that arm talent. Best of all there’s a very good chance that he will get overlooked by most people and fall in drafts. The main reason that might happen is because he isn’t the number 1 Wide Receiver on the Houston Texans. That honour belongs to what has to be considered one of the top 5 Wide Receivers in the league DeAndre Hopkins. Do I expect him to compete with DeAndre Hopkins for the top spot in Houston? Hell no! What I do expect to see him do is plenty of endzone celebrations. It took a few games for Will Fuller V and Deshaun Watson to get in sync last season but once they did they hooked up for 7 touchdowns in 4 games. SEVEN TOUCHDOWNS IN 4 GAMES! Sorry it just had to be said once more. That’s just ridiculous. Even if you count the first three games where their timing was off, that’s still an average of one touchdown per game. Across a full season that’s 16 touchdowns, or 96 fantasy points in standard leagues and 112 points in PPR before you calculate yardage. Sign me up for some of that. If I don’t draft Will Fuller V somewhere in the middle rounds of my draft I’ll hate myself a little. Trust me when I tell you that you had better be willing to do the same or suffer the consequences.

DeVante Parker
– Parker makes this list because for the first time in his career he should be the man in Miami. He has spent the last couple of seasons being overshadowed by one of my favourite PPR monsters Jarvis Landry. Although DeVante Parker is more of a true number 1 Wide Receiver, Landry was targeted so often in Miami that it didn’t leave much for anyone else to shine. Well Landry is in Cleveland now, and Miami appears to be ready to open up the offense a little more. The Player who should benefit the most is DeVante Parker. He could finish the season as a low end number 1, but you might be able to draft him as your number 2, or even number 3 he’s so under the radar.

Mike Williams
– I was a big Mike Williams fan in the 2017 draft, and when he got selected by the Chargers I figured he would have a good rookie season. Well a series of injuries prevented that from happening. I did see just enough to know that I was correct about his ability. Missing most of his rookie season could actually be a blessing in disguise. Wide Receiver is one of the most difficult positions to transition into the NFL with. They need to learn a whole new playbook. The catch windows are smaller. The Cornerbacks are smarter, faster, and bigger. They need to get in sync with a new quarterback. There are a lot of reasons why I generally don’t draft rookie Wide Receivers. Well Williams has had a full Season to study the playbook, and get a feel for the offense. I’m sure he’s spent a lot of time with Philip Rivers to get a sense of his timing. I just have a feeling that although Keenan Allen is Rivers’ number 1 target. It’s my belief that Williams will get a lot of targets in the endzone. Do yourself a favour and draft him.

JuJu Smith-Schuster
– This probably won’t come as much of a surprise to anyone. With a name like JuJu Smith-Schuster it’s hard to miss his highlight reel catches from last season. I’m not even sure the Pittsburgh Steelers knew what kind of a talent they had in JuJu until about midseason last year. That’s why I believe that although he had a great season last year, JuJu Smith-Schuster could have an even better one this year. His targets per game doubled in the second half of last season. Those kinds of target numbers should continue from Week 1 of this Season. I’m sure the Steelers have made some changes to their playbook to specifically target him more this season as well. It might require a bit of a reach in some drafts to get him but he might be worth it.

RUNNING BACKS

Dalvin Cook
– Dalvin Cook is another rookie who was on his way to having a great Fantasy Football Season when he got sidelined by injury. Like Deshaun Watson in suffered a torn ACL and only got to play in a few games. In those few games we got to see a Running Back that was strong through the line, elusive, and could catch out of the backfield. In the four games he played he went over 100 scrimmage yards twice while splitting time with Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray. Now McKinnon is gone, and although I do expect Latavius Murray to get some of the short yardage work. Dalvin Cook is sure to be the lead back in Minnesota. The addition of Kirk Cousins with his ability to throw the deep ball will only help create additional space at the line of scrimmage. I expect Dalvin Cook to have an exceptional season.

Derrick Henry
– I am a huge Derrick Henry fan. I have been since before he entered the league. He is an absolute monster of a Running Back. If you are a fan of Marshawn Lynch, then pay attention to Derrick Henry because he should be the next “beast mode” in the NFL. As a Tennessee Titan he was forced to take a back seat to DeMarco Murray. It’s only for that reason he hasn’t already established himself as a number I Running Back. This Season I expect the Tennessee Titans to finally utilize him as their lead back which will mean more touches, more opportunities, and more touchdowns. By midseason if he isn’t on your roster, you will be trying to figure out a way to trade for him. Don’t put yourself in that position. Just draft him when you have the chance.

Hopefully I’ve provided you with a little extra ammunition against the other Managers in your league.  Good luck this Season.