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FANTASY

FANTASY FOOTBALL TIER VALUE DRAFT STRATEGY

TIER VALUE DRAFT SYSTEM

  • some Fantasy Football Analysts suggest you use ADP as your guide to determining Draft Value. Do yourself a favour and stop taking their advice!
  • there are another school of Fantasy Football Analysts that believe you should use their Top 200 ranking system. Then select your players based on the highest ranked player available and fill your roster positions. If your goal is to finish in the middle of the pack? Then by all means do that.
  • if you actually want to win then you need to be getting more VALUE with your draft picks than your opponents are. That’s it. It’s that simple! So how do you achieve that? Which position do you draft when? Are there specific Players you need to target?
  • the TIER VALUE DRAFT SYSTEM is extremely effective, and even more importantly easy. The real beauty of it is that it’s totally reactive. Essentially your opponents selections are setting you up to win your draft. The only choices you make are based upon positional preference. The system begins before the draft. You need to organize the players by their position (QB, RB, WR, TE) into Tiers. Tier 1 being the most valuable, Tier 2 the second most, Tier 3 the third, and so on. Some Positions will have more Tiers than others. Generally I include the very best Players at their position in Tier 1. Tier 2 includes Players that could score as many Fantasy points as the Tier 1 players but aren’t as certain. Tier 3 players have a high ceiling as well but come with some risk. Tier 4 and below are usually safe backups, Rookies, and total Wild Cards I might draft late. How many players are in each Tier is up to you. This season I have seen Fantasy Football Analysts have as few as 4 Top Tier Running Backs, or as many as 6. It doesn’t matter what they think. It only matters what you believe. Depending on where you pick in the first Round. That Top Tier of RBs could be important. In the TIER VALUE DRAFT SYSTEM you don’t want to be the first or even second person to draft a Tier 2 player when there are Tier 1 players available at another position. Lets say you have decided that there are 5 Tier 1 RBs in the draft. If you draft 6 then your first pick shouldn’t be an RB. Your choice should be the Player you believe will provide you with the greatest advantage at another position. Tight End is an attractive choice at this point. The Tier 1 Tight Ends scored an average of 8 points per game more than Tier 2 Tight Ends in 2020. That’s a greater advantage than QBs or WRs. Plus there are only 3 or 4 Tier 1 Tight Ends. So you would have a significant advantage over most of your league. In Round 2 you could probably still draft a Tier 2 RB. The same perceived VALUE at a lower price.
  • your goal is to fill your positions by paying less than your opponents, and to maximize your average points per game. In traditional PPR formats with 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, and 1 FLEX. You should rank the importance of the positions in this order.
    RB – TE (Tier 1 only) – WR – QB – TE ( Tier 2+)
  • so whenever possible you should aim to draft one of the last players available from each tier to fill out your roster. For example if there are only a few Tier 2 Running Backs left in your draft when your selection arrives. Grab one then. That way you have paid less for your Tier 2 RB than everyone who picked a Tier 2 RB ahead of you. The only time you pay more is when a higher Tier position you require to fill your roster is still available.

EXAMPLE OF TIER VALUE DRAFT SYSTEM

  • these are my current Quarterback Tiers for 2021.

Tier 1
Patrick Mahomes 2020 #5
Kyler Murray 2020 #2
Josh Allen 2020 #1
Dak Prescott 2020 Injury
Lamar Jackson 2020 #9
*Aaron Rodgers 2020 #3

  • Obviously if you are able to draft one of the Tier 1 QBs for a decent value you should. Just remember that perception isn’t necessarily reality. Most people would assume that Patrick Mahomes was the Top QB last season but actually finished 5th overall in Fantasy points. Utilizing my Tier Value Draft System last Season. I drafted Kyler Murray in the 4th Round and finished with a higher scoring Fantasy Football QB than Patrick Mahomes who went in the 2nd Round of my draft. Any of the QBs in Tier 1 could finish as the best Quarterback in Fantasy Football this Season. Don’t pick favourites, pick VALUE!
  • It still isn’t a guarantee that Aaron Rodgers will play this Season. If you aren’t sure by the time of your Draft then avoid him.

Tier 2 (-4 points per game average)
Tom Brady 2020 #7
Russell Wilson 2020 #6
Ryan Tannehill 2020 #8
Justin Herbert 2020 #8
Joe Burrow 2020 Injury
*Deshaun Watson 2020 #4

  • If I miss out on a Tier 1 QB I make it a priority to draft a Tier 2. You should expect them to perform at a slightly lower rate than the Tier 1 Quarterbacks. Any of these QBs could potentially outperform a Tier 1 QB though, so these are great Value targets in a Draft. In most Fantasy Football drafts I usually land a Tier 2 QB as my starter. The reason for this is because the obvious Top QBs tend to go too early for my liking. Usually you are still able to draft a Tier 2 Quarterback at least 3 Rounds after the last Tier 1 Quarterback gets drafted. That means you have at least 4 Rounds of picks to make up an average of 4 points per game on the Teams that drafted a Tier 1. That could have happened in the second Round if your opponent drafted a QB in the first, and you landed a Top 10 Fantasy Running Back.
  • DeShaun Watson could end up sitting out in Houston, or he could get traded to a contender. Of course he has criminal charges to deal with as well. Best case scenario he ends up in Denver and is a total steal as a Tier 2 QB. Worst case scenario he doesn’t play at all.

Tier 3 (QBs with upside)
Matt Ryan
Matthew Stafford
Daniel Jones
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Jameis Winston

  • Tier 3 has a number of Quarterbacks that could breakout in 2021. If you are a gambler, and lets be honest. If you love Fantasy Football you probably are. Then Tier 3 QBs are very tempting draft targets. They can be drafted relatively late in drafts after you have stocked up on quality RBs, WRs, and a Top Tier TE. I used to have a system I called the Dallas Clark Draft. Dallas Clark was the Travis Kelce equivalent back in the day. If I didn’t have a Top 5 pick in the draft. My first Round target was always Dallas Clark. Then I would draft best player available RB or WR until all of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 QBs were gone. Then I would target whichever Tier 3 QB was in the most favourable position. My team had an advantage at TE against my league, plus it was practically injury proof at RB and WR. In this group the NFC East QBs are the most interesting to me. It’s a weak division, and both QBs have great new targets to throw to.

Tier 4 (wildcards and safe floors)
Trevor Lawrence
Justin Fields
Zach Wilson
Derek Carr
Ben Roethlisberger
Baker Mayfield
Tua Tagovailoa

  • If you have drafted a Tier 4 QB as your starter you might be in trouble. That doesn’t mean you should avoid them entirely though. I am a strong believer in drafting a backup QB. A lot of Fantasy Football analysts would disagree with me but they’re wrong. First of all there’s always a serious QB injury early in the season. Having a backup QB like Roethlisberger or Carr provides piece of mind. Even if your QB goes unscathed. Limiting what’s available off the waiver wire is strategic as well. You also won’t have to scramble during your Starter’s bye week. I have also spot started my Backup against really weak defenses to good effect. If you are really lucky your backup becomes your starter. That happened on quite a few winning teams in Lamar Jackson’s MVP season.

RECENT QUARTERBACK MOCK DRAFT POSITION AVERAGE FROM FANTASY FOOTBALL CALCULATOR WEBSITE

QB1 – Patrick Mahomes 22nd pick
QB2 – Josh Allen 37th pick
QB3 – Kyler Murray 44th pick
QB4 – Lamar Jackson 51rst pick
QB5 – Dak Prescott 58th pick
QB6 – Justin Herbert 63rd pick
QB7 – Aaron Rodgers 66th pick
QB8 – Russell Wilson 70th pick
QB9 – Tom Brady 79th pick
QB10 – Matthew Stafford 88th pick
QB11 – Jalen Hurts 97th pick
QB12 – Ryan Tannehill 100th pick
QB13 – Joe Burrow 107th pick
QB14 – Matt Ryan 124th pick
QB15 – Trevor Lawrence 128th pick
QB16 – Deshaun Watson 130th pick
QB17 – Baker Mayfield 140th pick
QB20 – Ben Roethlisberger 169th pick
QB21 – Justin Fields 179th pick
QB22 – Ryan Fitzpatrick 191rst pick
QB23 – Derek Carr 192nd pick
QB25 – Tua Tagovailoa 198th pick
QB26 – Jameis Winston 207th pick

  • personally I play in 12 team leagues with 15 or 16 Round drafts. So even in a 16 Round draft a number of the QBs I listed in my Tiers wouldn’t get drafted.
  • now examining the Tier 1 QBs from my list. The most expensive Quarterback this season is once again Patrick Mahomes. In a 12 Team league he is going at the end of the second Round. The best buys in Tier 1 are Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson going in the fifth Round. I am ignoring Aaron Rodgers for now because of his uncertain situation. How much better would Patrick Mahomes need to be to justify picking him 3 Rounds earlier? Chances are he won’t perform significantly better enough. Using the Tier Value Draft System there’s a good chance that any Team that drafted in Round five had a chance at a Tier 1 QB. IT PAYS TO WAIT!
  • Always be aware of which teams picking ahead of you have filled roster positions. If the teams picking ahead of you have already drafted a QB then you should be good to land the next QB on your list.
  • looking at the Tier 2 Quarterbacks, Herbert went in the early 6th Round. That’s a heavy price to pay for a Tier 2 QB. The fact that 2 of my Tier 1 QBs went just one Round earlier increases how valuable those picks were. Both Ryan Tannehill and Joe Burrow fell to the 8th Round. I would say that’s a competitive price for a Tier 2 QB. You gain 3 Rounds of VALUE against the cheapest Tier 1 QBs, and an enormous 6 Rounds of VALUE against the Team that selected Patrick Mahomes in the second Round! Try to imagine how much better Patrick Mahomes would have to be than Tannehill or Burrow to justify the cost? 12 points per game maybe? Is that a realistic ask?
  • once again considering that Tannehill and Burrow went near the beginning and end of that Round. Any of the Teams involved in those drafts had a fair shot of waiting until the rest of the Tier got picked to select them. IT PAYS TO WAIT!

MAKE YOUR TIER LISTS
SCRATCH OFF EACH PLAYER AS THEY GET SELECTED
WHEN THERE ARE ONLY A FEW LEFT PICK ONE!
WHEN A TIER EMPTIES – PICK YOUR FAVOURITE PLAYER FROM ANOTHER POSITION YOU REQUIRE AT A HIGHER TIER!
WIN YOUR DRAFT

Corbert de Ronde
Fantasy Football Expert
Pro Sports Podcasters

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FANTASY

2019 FANTASY FOOTBALL STEALS

Every Season there are a few Players that get overlooked for any number of reasons. These are the Players that could prove to be the reason you make the playoffs. After completing a number of drafts it has become obvious to me who they are.

Josh Gordon

Everyone knows who Josh Gordon is. When he is playing at his top level he is one of the most talented Wide Receivers in the league. Of course there is the extensive list of off field issues which have led to multiple suspensions.

The league agreed to reinstate him in early August. This was late enough in the off season to limit the amount of chatter about his fantasy impact on the New England Patriots. Josh Gordon is the best WR1 Tom Brady has had the pleasure to throw to since Randy Moss. It took a few games for the Brady to Gordon connection to start working. Once they got their timing down though Josh Gordon became a serious weapon. With Gronk gone Brady needs a reliable endzone target and Gordon will be it. It wouldn’t surprise me if he finishes as a high WR2 in fantasy but he isn’t being drafted as such.

A.J. Green

Here is another Player slipping till later in drafts that could potentially take the right fantasy football team to the championship. A.J. Green has dealt with injuries the last couple of Seasons. He will begin this Season on the sidelines with an ankle injury. He is likely to miss the first 4 games of the Season. He is being drafted in some leagues like even when he returns he will perform like a Flex starter. When A.J. Green is on the field he is a WR1 in Fantasy Football. He is still one of the most difficult Players to defend in the NFL. If you find yourself in the Playoffs and are fortunate enough to be able to start A.J. Green in your Flex spot. Trust me when I tell you that your opponent will feel like things don’t look fair.

Aaron Jones

Will Aaron Jones gets the increased workload that everyone hopes he will get in the new Green Bay Packers Offense? If he does he could finish as a Top 5 Fantasy Football Running Back. With Ty Montgomery gone his number of touches should increase. What everyone in the Fantasy Football community seems to be afraid of is whether new coach Matt LaFleur will make him the featured back, or have him split carries with Jamaal Williams. Even if they do split carries, where Aaron Jones is going in drafts still makes him a high upside RB2 that you can get quite late. In two of the most competitive leagues I’m in I was able to draft him as my RB3. If he gives me RB2 production that’s a steal. If he becomes the featured RB and finishes the Season with RB1 numbers that’s a League winner!

Cooper Kupp

Classic case of Fantasy Football Managers being seriously afraid of Players coming back from injury. The days of torn ACLs ending careers is far gone. Modern medicine has made recovery times shorter, and allowed Players to return with the same ability they had before the injury.

Before Cooper Kupp tore his ACL he was averaging 5 catches for 70 yards and almost a touchdown per game. In PPR that’s 18pts/game. I’ll take that as my 7th Round pick where I got him in a draft last night. Brandin Cooks, and Robert Woods are going much earlier in drafts but don’t provide better upside. When I drafted Cooper Kupp last night I already had Julio Jones, and Tyler Lockett as my Starters. I picked up Dante Pettis, and Mike Williams later as backups. If Cooper picks up where he left off I’m laughing. If he doesn’t it won’t hurt me.

It’s about Value

I’ve said it again and again. Every Player is draftable for the right price. When a total bargain is staring you in the face don’t pass it up. It doesn’t matter what the so called “experts” say. When you find yourself in the League final send them a screenshot with a roster full of Players they told you to avoid.

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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. 😉

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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.

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FANTASY Uncategorized

Free Agent Fantasy Fallout – Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-40

My how things have changed

Quite a few Players have found themselves in new surroundings.  Some will become Fantasy Football relevant, while others… Well I’ll let you decide.

(Cobe Life has recently switched to a new Subscription service.  I strongly advise current Subscribers to resubmit their follow request)

Arizona Cardinals –  

Sam Bradford:  I see the addition of Sam Bradford as a good one.  Still this is first and foremost David Johnson’s team.  I wouldn’t draft Sam Bradford.

Baltimore Ravens – 

Michael Crabtree: he should establish himself as the true #1 Wide Receiver.  I would definitely draft him.

John Brown: should see an increase in targets, but still remain the third option in Baltimore. I wouldn’t draft him.

Buffalo Bills –

A.J. McCarron: totally unproven as a starter.  Minimal weapons available to him in Buffalo.  I wouldn’t draft him. Worth keeping an eye on if Buffalo picks up some targets in the draft.

Chris Ivory: just acquired to be McCoy’s backup.  Do not draft him.

Carolina Panthers – 

Torrey Smith: should be a more featured part of the offense in Carolina.  If Cam connects with him in the offseason I’d draft him.

Chicago Bears – 

Allen Robinson: could have a breakout Season as the new #1 Receiver in Chicago.  Underutilized in 2017 could have him fall in drafts.  I’d draft him if he falls to me after the 50th pick.

Taylor Gabriel: speedster that can keep defences honest.  Potential big play ability, but I see him as more of a decoy. I won’t be drafting him.

Trey Burton: sure to become Mitchell Trubisky’s safety net.  Potentially great in PPR formats.  I will take a late Round flyer on him.

Cleveland Browns – 

Tyrod Taylor: Cleveland is where many Quarterbacks have gone to die.  Not Tyrod Taylor though.  I think Tyrod can have his best Fantasy Season yet.  He could become a sneaky good Top 10 QB this Season.  I’m drafting him as a capable backup QB with upside.

Carlos Hyde: veteran leadership with 3 down ability.  Duke Johnson is still there so he won’t be asked to carry the load by himself.  Still Hyde will get plenty of opportunity to shine in Cleveland.  I expect him to have a decent Season but see him as a mid Round pick.

Jarvis Landry: if you play in a PPR league then you know what Landry is capable of.  His targets could actually increase in Cleveland. Draft him in PPR before someone else does.

Denver Broncos –

Case Keenum: the Broncos could have picked up any of the available QBs in free agency and upgraded at the position.  Case Keenum goes from one great situation to another one.  To me though Denver is still a Defence first team.  Keenum won’t be asked to put up huge numbers.  I won’t be drafting him.

Detroit Lions –

LeGarrette Blount: the move to Detroit isn’t an advantageous one.  The Running game hasn’t been anything to brag about since Barry Sanders retired.  Blount should end up being their short yardage back, and that’s about it.  I won’t draft him.

Green Bay – 

Jimmy Graham: I love Jimmy Graham’s ability.  I don’t like the move to Green Bay though.  Most QBs look for their Tight Ends or Running Backs when they are forced to scramble.  Aaron Rodgers actually prefers to look downfield for his Wide Receivers.  Jimmy Graham will still be a Top Tight End, but I wouldn’t draft him before Gronkowski, Kelce, Ertz, or Kyle Rudolph.

Jacksonville Jaguars –

Donte Moncrief: if Moncrief can adjust to the Jacksonville system quickly enough.  He should see an increased workload, and produce solid numbers.  Still there are many Wide Receivers in better situations.  I won’t be drafting him.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins: Seferian-Jenkins could be the surprise pick of your draft next Season.  Exactly the kind of target Blake Bortles needs to get back to the playoffs.  While other fantasy Managers burn early Round picks on Gronkowski, Ertz, and Graham.  You can wait and grab Seferian-Jenkins a couple Rounds later.  You can thank me after.

Kansas City Chiefs –

Sammy Watkins: everyone expects Watkins to be a Top tier talent year after year.  While the move to Kansas City has improved his situation.  He still shouldn’t be seen as a WR1.  I do see him as a solid WR2, and I’ll draft him as such.

Miami Dolphins – 

Danny Amendola: don’t expect him to repeat the Season he had last year.  Honestly I don’t expect him to play a full Season.  Somebody will draft him but it won’t be me.

Albert Wilson: looks like the Dolphins intend to copy their division rivals, and create a quick strike offence.  I just don’t see it happening right away.  As such I won’t be drafting any of them.

Minnesota Vikings – 

Kirk Cousins: the big offseason acquisition goes to Minnesota.  By all accounts his situation has improved with the move.  Cousins will have a better group of Wide Receivers to throw to.  An improvement at Running Back.  Plus the Vikings Defence should have him playing with a lead quite often.  I would be surprised if he didn’t finish the Season as a Top 5 QB.  I’ll definitely draft him.

New York Giants – 

Jonathon Stewart: Stewart is still a decent short yardage Running Back.  I see him as more of a complimentary Back to whomever the Giants draft this year.  I wouldn’t waste a draft pick on him.

New York Jets –

Teddy Bridgewater: Teddy will battle Josh for the starting job.  Until we know who will start I wouldn’t advise drafting either.

Isaiah Crowell: it seems like every year the Jets bring in another RB to replace Bilal Powell.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they end up in a timeshare.  I wouldn’t draft either of them.

Oakland Raiders – 

Doug Martin: with the addition of Doug Martin the Raiders could wear down defences by splitting carries with Beast mode.  I expect that will be the case.  Both backs should have Fantasy value as RB2s.  That’s where I will draft them.

Jordy Nelson: would you trade Aaron Rodgers for Derek Carr?  I wouldn’t.  If Jordy had a choice he probably wouldn’t either.  Nelson is no longer a WR1 in my books. I’d still draft him as a low end WR2 with upside though.

San Francisco 49ers –

Jerick McKinnon: for the first time in his career McKinnon should begin the Season as his team’s #1 Running Back.  He deserves the position, and touches that go along with it.  San Francisco is on the rise, and so is McKinnon.  I see him as a low end RB1. I would definitely draft him.

Seattle Seahawks –

Jaron Brown: overlooked in Arizona, Jaron Brown will have the opportunity to shine in Seattle.  A great route runner with impressive physical ability.  Brown should be a great replacement for Richardson.  I expect decent WR2 numbers.

Ed Dickson: I don’t see Dickson as a replacement for the departure of Jimmy Graham.  I believe that Seattle will use him as more of a blocking Tight End.  I wouldn’t even remotely consider drafting him.

Tennessee Titans – 

Dion Lewis: it’s hard not to expect an increase in touches as a Running Back leaving New England.  Lewis has the kind of game that makes PPR managers smile.  I know I am.  He has high end RB2, maybe even borderline RB1 potential. I will definitely draft him.

Washington Redskins –

Alex Smith: Alex won’t have the all star cast he got used to in Kansas City.  Still Alex is a veteran that knows how to win.  He will probably put up decent QB numbers in Washington.  Definitely worth drafting as a backup.

Paul Richardson: Paul had a handful of highlight reel plays in Seattle.  The move to Washington could provide him with the opportunity to become their #1 Wide Receiver.  If he wins the job it would be a mistake not to draft him.  Keep a close eye on him during the offseason.

can’t say I didn’t tell you

If your favourite team isn’t in my Recap.  It’s because they haven’t made a significant Fantasy relevant acquisition yet this offseason.  Now for those of you that like to draft a Defence before the last 3 Rounds of a draft.  Don’t be afraid to spend that mid Round pick on the L. A. Rams, or Jacksonville Jaguars.  Good luck in 2018.

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Quarterback Carousel – Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-38

Should I stay or Should I go?

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There are a lot of Free Agent QBs available this off season, and a couple interesting backups that could find themselves as trade bait during the draft.  Last Season was one of the greatest years in NFL history for backup Quarterbacks.  They performed so well that there are teams like the Minnesota Vikings that don’t rightly know who their starter actually is.  Then you have situations where you can argue that a team has two starting Quarterbacks.  The Superbowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles come to mind.  Even though Superbowl MVP Nick Foles has a year left on his contract.  Can you really keep him as a backup who will ride the bench all Season, and significantly reduce his value?  Then you have teams with starting Quarterbacks that just don’t seem to want them.  The Buffalo Bills benched Tyrod Taylor, and all he did was get them to the playoffs for the first time in 17 years.  The New York Giants benched Eli Manning ending his consecutive games started run.  I guess two Superbowl rings only buys you a little patience.  What i find especially amusing are the number of teams that will probably let their current starter leave in Free Agency, and potentially just sign another.

Top Targets

Drew Brees – Drew Brees has been the face of the New Orleans Saints franchise for what feels like forever now.  His current contract has come to an end.  The New Orleans Saints can’t simply franchise tag him because a clause in his last contract prevents it.  So if the Saints want to keep him they’ll probably have to offer him a great two or three year deal.  Even if another team offers him a huge money deal.  I don’t expect Brees to take it.  He has already said that he wants to end his career as a Saint.  I’m sure that’s what he’ll do.

Prediction : Signs with Saints

Kirk Cousins – the Kirk Cousins Washington Redskins fiasco is finally over.  The Redskins have already signed Alex Smith.  So Kirk Cousins will have begun packing his bags.  Over the last few Seasons his numbers have been excellent.  Although there are some who believe that performance without results is misleading.  I prefer to look at what he was able to achieve with so little.  Most people would be hard pressed to tell you who his number 1 Wide Receiver was last Season.  Anyone know who the number 1 Tight End is in Washington?  Whoever it is, they’re probably injured.  Kirk Cousins made the most out of what was available to him.  At times it felt like the Washington Redskins were doing everything in their power to make him fail so they might sign him at a discount.  Well Kirk Cousins didn’t fail, and there will be a huge amount of interest from a few teams to sign him.  The three teams i see making the greatest push are the Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets.  Who he eventually signs with will be about whether he’s after the money, or a Superbowl Championship.

Prediction : Signs with Broncos

Case Keenum – The first of the three Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks on this list, and definitely the most successful.  Case Keenum proved that he can be a starting Quarterback in the NFL.  His poor performance in the NFC Championship game will give some people pause.  There will be a lot of speculation about what he’s worth in the current Quarterback market.  I’m certain that many General Managers will decide that it’s too much.  Guaranteed that he will be the highest paid of the three Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks in 2018, but who will pay him?  Well if the Broncos aren’t able to sign Cousins, I can see them make a play for Keenum.  They already have a great Defence, and that’s one of the reasons Keenum had success in Minnesota.  Truth be told though I think helhe end up elsewhere.

Prediction : Signs with the Browns

Sam Bradford – If only he could stay healthy.  Sam Bradford could be getting the kind of attention Kirk Cousins is right now.  When healthy he’s one of the most accurate passers in the NFL.  There are more than a few fans that thought he should be starting in last Season’s playoffs.  He has had such an injury riddled career that any team interested in Sam Bradford needs to also have a quality backup.  It’s this requirement that seriously limits the amount of teams that will be interested.  Among them i see Arizona, Jacksonville, and Buffalo as the most likely to make an offer.  I just don’t expect them to offer very much.  A one year contract, that’s heavily performance incentivized for high end backup money sounds about right.  That’s why I don’t think he will accept any of those offers.

Prediction : Signs with the Vikings

Teddy Bridgewater – The charismatic signal caller that showed great promise before going down with a Season ending injury.  He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings to become their Quarterback of the future.  Now at the end of his rookie contract with only a small sample size of how his recovery effected his abilities.  I expect that he will remain as the Minnesota Vikings Quarterback of the future.  Between him and Bradford they will have two good Quarterbacks that are fully versed in their system.

Prediction : Signs with the Vikings

Josh McCown – Is it just me or does it seem like a lot of NFL Quarterbacks are getting better with age?  Josh McCown had arguably his best Season in the NFL with one of the most talent poor teams.  Throwing to a group of unwanted castoffs from other teams.  Guys you would have no problem picking up off your Fantasy Football League waiver wire.  Josh McCown had almost 3000 yards with 18 Touchdowns against only 9 interceptions, and a 67% completion rate.  Imagine what he might have accomplished with a roster that included a couple star players!  At this point in his career he won’t cost whichever team signs him a lot of cap space.  Given his age I would expect a team that believes that they can win right now to make a play for him.  That list includes Arizona, Buffalo, and Denver.  I’ve already picked Denver to sign Cousins.

Prediction : Signs with the Cardinals

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Superbowl 52 analysis – Cobe Life Predictions

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The numbers don’t lie, or do they?

New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles

If you were to strictly judge these two teams based on their total potential. The Philadelphia Eagles would win Superbowl 52 rather easily. The Patriots only surpass them in two categories, and one of them is debatable. Obviously Tom Brady is the superior Quarterback so the Pats have the edge there.

Advantage – Patriots

Rob Gronkowski would be considered a better Tight End than Zach Ertz by most. Although the actual numbers aren’t much different. They both caught 8 touchdowns during the regular season. Although Gronk has more receiving yards, Ertz has more receptions. I would argue that they are actually even when you evaluate them on paper. Still to keep things from falling into too much of a grey area. I will give the edge to the Patriots at Tight End.

Advantage – Patriots

Now here’s where things begin to get a little one sided. I’m going to begin at the line of attack and work outwards.
When comparing the two Offensive lines the average fan might assume that the group protecting Brady would be the stronger group. Well you would be wrong. One of the reasons why Nick Foles can step in and have immediate success is the strength of the Eagles offensive line. The Patriots have a very good offensive line as well, and are especially good at protecting their franchise Quarterback. They just aren’t as good at all aspects of the game.

Advantage – Eagles

When comparing the two Defensive lines it becomes far more obvious which team is better. Even the casual fan can see the dominance of the Eagles defensive line. They are numero uno against the run. In comparison the New England Patriots are ranked 31rst overall against the run. Sure they have shown an improvement in their last few games. The stats are a bit skewed though because they were playing from behind against teams that were content trying to run out the clock. When you really analyze the numbers though. There’s no team better than the Philadelphia Eagles at controlling the line of scrimmage.

Advantage – Eagles

When comparing the Linebacker units the official depth charts don’t really tell the full story. Injuries have reduced the overall strength of the Eagles group, and recent acquisition James Harrison has been utilized more than his third string ranking would suggest. If you look at which players are actually performing on the field. The unit that will be making more individual plays should be the New England Patriots. Sorry Steelers fans.

Advantage – Patriots

The Running Back comparison was a lot closer before the Eagles signed Jay Ajayi. Used correctly, and Ajayi could end up being the difference in this game. The Patriots are well aware of what LeGarrette Blount can do in short yardage or goal line situations. If it wasn’t for the amount of attention defences focus on Tom Brady. Their group of Running Backs wouldn’t have the space they require to get meaningful yards. There isn’t a top quality Running Back among them.

Advantage – Eagles

When comparing the cornerback units the first thing that stands out is the two former Bills Players that have made an immediate impact. Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby are a couple of ball hawks that can make plays. They both have capable corners opposite them. Based upon individual talent the edge would go to the Patriots. Although things aren’t so cut and dry when you analyze the schemes they usually employ. I’ll get to that later.

Advantage – Patriots

Testing those cornerbacks will be two of the more underrated Wide Receiver groups in football. Both of these teams place a premium on spreading the ball around, and utilize their Tight Ends, and Running Backs in the passing game more than most. As a result the actual reception, yards, and touchdown numbers for their Wide Receivers are relatively low. That’s not to say that they don’t play an important role though. Brandin Cooks might be the most talented Wide Receiver on the field on Sunday, but his fellow Patriots Wide Receivers leave a lot to be desired. The Eagles have a great group of Wide Receivers that would be a huge advantage in this category if Tom Brady didn’t make the Patriots WRs perform better than expected.

Advantage – Eagles

When comparing the Safety units it’s difficult to ignore scheme, but I will. If you are only looking at the statistics. Especially big play statistics both for, and against. The Eagles safeties led by Malcolm Jenkins is marginally better. I’m not saying that the New England Patriots are outclassed, because they aren’t. The stats are more a result of the complete Defence as a whole.

Advantage – Eagles

On paper vs on the field

So by my calculations the overall Advantage goes to the Eagles by a score of 5 to 4. That’s really that much of an advantage right? Especially when you could argue that Tom Brady should be worth an additional point. Thus making the two teams even. Well here’s why I believe that the Eagles should be seen as strong favourites to win Superbowl 52. The Eagles should control the line of scrimmage throughout the game. By doing so their superior Running Backs should be more productive than the Patriots group. This will force the Patriots to play a pass heavy offence. Having Tom Brady under center makes this an appealing option except when you factor in the Eagles Defensive scheme. The Eagles play a lot of Nickel defense allowing their Safeties to effectively become free Safeties. Brady makes a living off of reading defences, but when there are more zone defenders than receiving options it becomes a gamble. I expect the turnover advantage will be in the Philadelphia Eagles favour, and turnovers lead to Superbowl Championships.

I expect the Philadelphia Eagles to be leading at half-time like many of the Patriots opponents have. Unlike many of those opponents though, I expect the Philadelphia Eagles Offence to keep the pressure on so their Defence doesn’t have to try and win the game on their own.

Advantage – Philadelphia Eagles

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FANTASY FISHING GAMING GOLF

In case you didn’t know – Winter Sucks!!!

I’m Canadian so I know

For those of you that don’t really experience winter as the cold, dark, snow and ice filled hell that Canadians know it to be.  Well lucky you.  You really don’t have a winter Season.  What you experience is more of an extended fall, or if you are truly blessed, a cool summer.  The Winters that I’ve experienced in my lifetime range from mild (below zero with light snow) to severe (an entire city frozen in ice without power).  It’s during this abhorrent time that I go from an active sports enthusiast to an out of shape couch commando.  I’ve wondered what kind of shape I would be in if I could just keep doing the things I love (golfing, fishing, walking the city) year round.  Of course there are the many winter sports that so many find enjoyable.  Obviously something terrible has had to have happened to each of them at some point in their lives.  Why else would they subject themselves to such torturous endeavours. Strapping two thin planks to your feet and sliding down a snowy hill.  Fast enough to make the -10 degree temps feel like-20. If you prefer one wide plank that’s available.  Maybe you prefer strapping blades to your feet so you can slide across ice instead.  Desperately working on keeping your balance well enough to keep your ankles from breaking.  You could always head far enough up North to mount a tobaggan equipped with a high powered engine and really freeze your ass solid.  As appealing as some of those activities may sound to some of you.  They sure as shit aren’t for me.

Indoor Sport

So what’s an athletic guy to do?  I’ve considered joining the red and white GoodLife Fitness gym bag carrying crowd.  Unfortunately I can’t enjoy working out.  Especially when I know that playing a sport achieves similar results.  I have a collapsed arch in my left foot so simply joining an indoor soccer, or basketball team is out of the question.  I could take up swimming, but I’d trust the toxicity levels in Lake Ontario more than a public pool.  I’ve considered many potential activities, but not one fit the bill.  Winter has got me totally euchred.  I spend most of my days  in an area not much larger than a squash court.  I still Golf. Got a quick 18 holes in after Morning Drive yesterday.  Of course that’s 18 Rounds on my single hole putting mat in my living room.  There are times during the year that I look at my PS4 and think what a waste of money.  Well my opinion changes rather quickly as soon as the first snowfall hits.  Hardly a day passes without one of my PS4 controllers requiring a recharge.  I had the unfortunate situation where a label came off one of my blu-rays inside my PS4.  I played digital downloads for a couple days, but missed playing Tom Clancy’s The Division way too much.  So after about a week I broke down, and proceeded to take my PS4 apart to clear the drive.  It wasn’t nearly as difficult as I expected it to be.  Less than an hour later I was back to playing The Division.  Winter can do that.  It can motivate you to try things, or buy things you wouldn’t normally.  This is the weekend before the Superbowl so my favourite spectator sport isn’t available either.  I find myself watching movies galore.  Now I love film so that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  The problem is that I know I’m going to be spending so much time watching movies that I specifically select Trilogies or ongoing series.  I’ve watched the Bourne trilogy, the Millennium trilogy, the first six Star Wars films, the Hobbit trilogy, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, all of the Die Hard films, and I’m four films in to the Harry Potter series.  Can you see how this might be a problem.  Some of those movies I’ve seen so many times that I can quote every key line.  Not a single moment in any of those films surprises me anymore.  I find myself watching what’s going on in the background more.  Hoping to see something I might have missed the first 30 times I watched the movie.  Did you know that Michelle Monaghan was in the Bourne Supremacy?  I didn’t either until I noticed her as an FBI analyst at one of the terminals in the background.  That was the highlight of the film for me.

I’m in the dark here

Yes that was a Scent of a Woman quote, but it’s very relevant during Canadian winters.  If you leave for work before 8:00am, and return home after 5:00pm.  Then there’s a very good chance that you never experienced the light of day.  It was dark when you left, and dark when you returned.  I found myself yawning at 6:48pm last Thursday.  By accident last week my wife and I had dinner twice.  It got dark so early that we mistakenly had dinner at a little before 4:00pm.  By the time 8:00pm came we were hungry again, and realized that sleep might be impossible unless we ate again.

A sudden reprieve

Suddenly without any warning the temperature has been rising the last two days.  It actually got up to +8 degrees today.  Opportunity is knocking, and provided the temperature holds for one more day.  I am going to grab my clubs and make my way out to the Range to do what winter denies me.  Get outside, get some enjoyable exercise, and see the light of day.  If it doesn’t hold, and the winter weather forces me back indoors.  Well I only have to wait a couple more months before the sun begins to shine again.  Until then I have every Marvel movie to watch in chronological order.

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We are the Champions – Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-37

Consistency wins

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In both of my featured Fantasy Football leagues the highest average scoring team in the League won the Championship.  All is right in the Fantasy universe.  If you have played Fantasy Football for a few years you will know that that isn’t always the case.  It’s Fantasy Football, so absolutely anything can happen.  What makes the right thing happening so special this Season is that my Grid Warriors team was the highest scoring team in the Gridiron Pros Fantasy Football League.  Which means I have retaken the Championship in my longest running Keeper league.  😁 I managed a fourth place finish in the other feature league.  I lost the semi-final to the eventual Champion Texas Proud.  Trust me when I tell you that it didn’t come as a surprise.  I predicted them to win it all Mid Season.

Top 6 Final standings

Gridiron Pros

True Fanatics

Coming out on top as the eventual Champion this Season was especially special.  There were an unprecedented amount of Star Player injuries, underperforming, and overperforming teams, and amazing rookie seasons.  Who would have predicted that the Jacksonville Jaguars would make the playoffs, and the Dallas Cowboys or Denver Broncos wouldn’t.  Some of the top performing Quarterbacks at the end of the Season were backups at the beginning.  Finishing first this year means you stayed one step ahead of it all.

Dawn of a new age

I hinted in my last Fantasy post that Fantasy Football has been dramatically changed.   For at least the last five Seasons the primary focus of Fantasy drafts have been about Running Backs.  Year after year it seemed like the number of quality Running Backs continuously diminished.  More teams adopted the Running Back by committee approach.  Utilizing two or three Running Backs each and every game.  Reducing the value of each back to fantasy irrelevance.  The NFL has slowly transitioned into a passing league.  Further limiting the value of Running Backs.  Their increased chance of injury coupled with the concussion protocol system means that most of the top Running Backs will miss at least a few games.  If you didn’t draft a quality RB early you were really hoping to get lucky with a backup, or fantasy relevant third down back.  Well next year things are going to be a lot different.  The recent crop of star rookie Running Backs, backups that excelled when given an opportunity, and teams that have switched to a Run heavy offence will dramatically change next Season’s draft.  Coming in to this Season there was only about 10 potential high value Running Backs.  In a 12 team League which I consider to be the most competitive that left very few to go around.  By the time you draft next summer things will be much different.  I can count on at least 20 high quality Running Backs being available in next Season’s draft, and that’s not including Rookies.  If Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, and Kareem Hunt haven’t convinced you how important a Rookie Running Back can be to your team then you probably shouldn’t be playing Fantasy Football next Season.  There’s at least another 10 after the first 20 that will be fantasy relevant, and could help you win a Championship.  Gone are the days of the First Round Running Back pick, or you’re in trouble drafts.  With that many quality Running Backs available you can afford to wait until the third Round before you draft your first RB.  It is my belief that the NFL currently has more star power now at every skill position than it’s had in over a decade.  The only skill position that’s at all lacking is Tight End, and it’s the least important in Fantasy.  My Grid Warriors team won this Season with a combination of Charles Clay, Hunter Henry, Eric Ebron, and Austin Hooper.  That’s how unimportant it is.  Due to the wealth of talent there’s only one draft strategy that’s viable in my opinion next Season.

Take the best Player available!

Position picking will be far less important next year than in years previous.  Where I used to be concerned about drafting a Top 10 Running Back in either Round 1 or 2, it won’t matter now.  If you drafted a stud Wide Receiver in Round 3, and when your fourth Round pick comes around there’s another great WR.  Don’t even think twice about it, draft him.  I used to stack my bench with Running Backs in case my first or second rounder went down with an injury.  Trust me when I tell you that I won’t be doing it next year.  There are so many quality backups that I’ll pick one up off the waiver wire when I need one.  Managers would stress over when to draft a Top tier QB.  Well let me be the first to tell you that next Season should have you stress free.  There were so many great QB performances this year that picking one early doesn’t make sense at all.  Next Season should actually be better.  I guarantee that a number of Backup Quarterbacks that were given a chance to strut their stuff will be full time starters on another squad nest Season.  It was already leaning that way the last couple of Seasons.  So much so that I was able to draft Matthew Stafford in the 10th Round this Season as my primary Starter, and used both Tyrod Taylor as a backup early in the Season, and Blake Bortles later in the Season.  Blake Bortles was in my lineup for the Semi-final and Championship games by the way.  Blake Bortles!  As next Season draws closer I’ll go into far more depth about each position, and why drafting the best available is your only option for success.

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Championship Week – Sports Fanatics play Fantasy SF-36

Then there were two

In both of my featured leagues, one of the teams in the finals was obviously going to make it there.  In the True Fanatics league Texas Proud continued their Season of dominance by knocking me out in the semi-final.  Their final test to cap off a truly great Season with a Championship comes against Raider in the North.  In the Gridiron Pros League my team the Grid Warriors easily made their way into the Championship game.  My opponent beat the Top seed Blitzkrieg in order to earn their spot against me.  For the third time this Season I will face my division rival Swaggy B, but this time it’s for the Championship.  I defeated him easily the first two times but this time won’t be as easy.  I’ll be without the best Fantasy Wide Receiver in the league Antonio Brown because of his injury.  To make matters worse another one of my Top Wide Receivers Davante Adams is in concussion protocol.  Beating Swaggy B won’t be as simple as rolling with the best players in Fantasy.  Matchups will be a key path to victory.

The Championship rosters

Texas Proud

QB – Drew Brees

QB – Philip Rivers

RB – Melvin Gordon

RB – Kareem Hunt

RB – Duke Johnson

WR – Keenan Allen

WR – DeAndre Hopkins

WR – Marqise Lee

WR – Rishard Matthews

WR – Robert Woods

WR – Mohamed Sanu

TE – Travis Kelce

TE – Eric Ebron

Raider in the North

QB – Case Keenum

QB – Andy Dalton

QB – Jameis Winston

RB – LeSean McCoy

RB – Jerick McKinnon

RB – Giovani Bernard

RB – Alfred Morris

WR – Tyreek Hill

WR – Michael Thomas

WR – Cooper Kupp

WR – Devin Funchess

TE – Rob Gronkowski

TE – Tyler Kroft

Grid Warriors

QB – Matthew Stafford

QB – Blake Bortles

RB – Leonard Fournette

RB – Jerick McKinnon

RB – Alvin Kamara

RB – Chris Ivory

WR – Antonio Brown

WR – Davante Adams

WR – Jarvis Landry

WR – Martavis Bryant

TE – Eric Ebron

Swaggy B

QB – Jameis Winston

QB – Jimmy Garoppolo

QB – Dak Prescott

RB – Kenyan Drake

RB – Kareem Hunt

RB – Isaiah Crowell

RB – Peyton Barber

RB – Alex Collins

WR – A.J. Green

WR – Adam Thielen

WR – Tyreek Hill

TE – Evan Engram

Although there are a few similar names amongst the four Championship rosters.  The four rosters have very different strengths and weaknesses.  Of course every team’s roster has gone through major changes over the course of the Season.  What every one of these roster does have in common is a Top 5 RB and a Top 5 WR.  It just goes to show you how important it is to have a balanced roster.

Looking ahead

As the 2017 fantasy Season comes to an end, I’m more excited than I’ve ever been about what’s to come next year. You are probably wondering why.  Things have happened across the league this year that has made draft strategies of the last five years obsolete.  I’ll go into detail in my next post.  For those of you in the Championship game in your leagues, Good Luck!