I'd like to start a new topic that perhaps we can all benefit from.
This was my first experience in a high stakes fanatsy football league. I won't say I felt intimidated by the talent that the NFFC league attracted, but it would be impossible to deny that I realized after the draft that, "I wasn't in Kansas anymore" too.
I drafted 14 in Chicago 4 and I finished the regular season a respectable 7-6 with a weekly average point total of 124.1.
In my first year in the NFFC I learned:
1. It doesn't make a difference what draft pick you get. At 14 I took stud WRs and they performed ahead of many of the supposed RB studs picked ahead of me.
2. I learned that the 3rd round is way too early to take a QB, and I was insane to take a PK in round 6. If I'd taken a chance on any RB available at those picks I'm convinced I'd be in the playoff right now.
3. Free Agents - I didn't have a clue on how much to bid on a FA. I don't think I started to understand until I was down to about $300.00 of FA money left in week 3 or 4.
4. I learned that a high stakes FF league can make people say and do things that I hadn't considered before. And that if I wanted to continue to test my skill against the best then I'd better accept it. (I've accepted it)
I'd be interested in hearing what the rest of us learned this year.
I'd also be interested in what Greg and Tom Learned too.
John Briganti
What I learned
What I learned
Originally posted by John:
I'd like to start a new topic that perhaps we can all benefit from.
This was my first experience in a high stakes fanatsy football league. I won't say I felt intimidated by the talent that the NFFC league attracted, but it would be impossible to deny that I realized after the draft that, "I wasn't in Kansas anymore" too.
I drafted 14 in Chicago 4 and I finished the regular season a respectable 7-6 with a weekly average point total of 124.1.
In my first year in the NFFC I learned:
1. It doesn't make a difference what draft pick you get. At 14 I took stud WRs and they performed ahead of many of the supposed RB studs picked ahead of me.
2. I learned that the 3rd round is way too early to take a QB, and I was insane to take a PK in round 6. If I'd taken a chance on any RB available at those picks I'm convinced I'd be in the playoff right now.
3. Free Agents - I didn't have a clue on how much to bid on a FA. I don't think I started to understand until I was down to about $300.00 of FA money left in week 3 or 4.
4. I learned that a high stakes FF league can make people say and do things that I hadn't considered before. And that if I wanted to continue to test my skill against the best then I'd better accept it. (I've accepted it)
I'd be interested in hearing what the rest of us learned this year.
I'd also be interested in what Greg and Tom Learned too.
John Briganti Interesting post, John.
I've now played in 4 of these 'big money' events (various leagues within each, but 4 separate seasons counting this one) and I think what I've learned is that each league is wildly different. I remember the first big money baseball contest where there was a run on 1b in our league like nobody's business and we ended up starting John Olerud. Not good! Hardly what you want from a starting 1b !!
PK should never go that early - in any league IMHO, so that's a huge value there for next time.
QB that early CAN pay huge dividends, but you better be damn sure that your guy is going to be a 30-35+ TD machine to justify that level.
I think what I learned most this year was that thinking not just 1 week ahead but 2 or 3 or 4 weeks ahead pays HUGE dividends. Taking advantage of injured guys (Julius Jones) has already paid off as well as perhaps in the final week of the year getting Koren Robinson back from suspension if I need him to play.
Julius Jones cost me $2 and Koren Robinson cost me $2. Now forecasting is a very imperfect science and I'd be lying if I told you I thought Julius Jones would be this good, but it gives you that chance to have luck work.
Good topic!
Dave
I'd like to start a new topic that perhaps we can all benefit from.
This was my first experience in a high stakes fanatsy football league. I won't say I felt intimidated by the talent that the NFFC league attracted, but it would be impossible to deny that I realized after the draft that, "I wasn't in Kansas anymore" too.
I drafted 14 in Chicago 4 and I finished the regular season a respectable 7-6 with a weekly average point total of 124.1.
In my first year in the NFFC I learned:
1. It doesn't make a difference what draft pick you get. At 14 I took stud WRs and they performed ahead of many of the supposed RB studs picked ahead of me.
2. I learned that the 3rd round is way too early to take a QB, and I was insane to take a PK in round 6. If I'd taken a chance on any RB available at those picks I'm convinced I'd be in the playoff right now.
3. Free Agents - I didn't have a clue on how much to bid on a FA. I don't think I started to understand until I was down to about $300.00 of FA money left in week 3 or 4.
4. I learned that a high stakes FF league can make people say and do things that I hadn't considered before. And that if I wanted to continue to test my skill against the best then I'd better accept it. (I've accepted it)
I'd be interested in hearing what the rest of us learned this year.
I'd also be interested in what Greg and Tom Learned too.
John Briganti Interesting post, John.
I've now played in 4 of these 'big money' events (various leagues within each, but 4 separate seasons counting this one) and I think what I've learned is that each league is wildly different. I remember the first big money baseball contest where there was a run on 1b in our league like nobody's business and we ended up starting John Olerud. Not good! Hardly what you want from a starting 1b !!
PK should never go that early - in any league IMHO, so that's a huge value there for next time.
QB that early CAN pay huge dividends, but you better be damn sure that your guy is going to be a 30-35+ TD machine to justify that level.
I think what I learned most this year was that thinking not just 1 week ahead but 2 or 3 or 4 weeks ahead pays HUGE dividends. Taking advantage of injured guys (Julius Jones) has already paid off as well as perhaps in the final week of the year getting Koren Robinson back from suspension if I need him to play.
Julius Jones cost me $2 and Koren Robinson cost me $2. Now forecasting is a very imperfect science and I'd be lying if I told you I thought Julius Jones would be this good, but it gives you that chance to have luck work.
Good topic!
Dave
The Wonderful thing about Dyv's is I'm the only one!
What I learned
I learned that though Adam does a great job at footballinjuries.com, he still can't predict them 
I also learned that the waiver wire is a MUST!!! N. Goings for $3!!! yeah baby!!!
I also learned that the waiver wire is a MUST!!! N. Goings for $3!!! yeah baby!!!
-
ultimatefs
- Posts: 2393
- Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2004 6:00 pm
What I learned
Originally posted by kal8898:
I learned that though Adam does a great job at footballinjuries.com, he still can't predict them
I also learned that the waiver wire is a MUST!!! N. Goings for $3!!! yeah baby!!! I'd love to see the free agent pickups on the 32 playoff teams and compare them to the other 192.
I'd bet the top 32 did a much better job in picking the better FA's to go along with their solid drafts.
I learned that though Adam does a great job at footballinjuries.com, he still can't predict them
I also learned that the waiver wire is a MUST!!! N. Goings for $3!!! yeah baby!!! I'd love to see the free agent pickups on the 32 playoff teams and compare them to the other 192.
I'd bet the top 32 did a much better job in picking the better FA's to go along with their solid drafts.
Jules is a Dirt bag and makes my luck.
-
Greg Ambrosius
- Posts: 36423
- Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 6:00 pm
What I learned
I learned that all those sleepless nights, all those ulcers I felt in July and August, all those "this is your ass if it doesn't fly" speeches I received, all the time away from my little kids these past 12 months, everything involved with this idea WAS WORTH IT.
The hardest part about putting these high-stakes contests together is finding the right people who are as passionate about this hobby as you are and creating a format that is fair for everyone. I never envisioned that the NFFC would run as well as it did and have SO many competitive races for league titles. But the group of people we have right now is first-class all the way and I'd love to keep adding to this base of great players each year.
From the contest standpoint, I think everyone learned how valuable FAAB can be. There's no way that anyone can be an expert at making the right bids because this is new to a lot of people. But your FAAB bids may be just as important as your draft picks. And Dyv is right, planning for a few weeks down the road is crucial.
I also learned that 14-team leagues is right for the NFFC. I wasn't sold on that before, but I am now (maybe I'm wrong, but for now I like it). I also think 18-man rosters work as it makes it tough for teams to juggle roster spots with the byes and injuries taking place. Julius Jones unfortunately was available on the free agent wires more than he showed have, but the 18-man roster left some teams shorthanded with the byes. Was that good or bad for the NFFC? You guys tell me, but 20-man rosters would have depleted the free agent market too much.
All of us here at KP learned a lot this past year. And it was a fun learning experience.
The hardest part about putting these high-stakes contests together is finding the right people who are as passionate about this hobby as you are and creating a format that is fair for everyone. I never envisioned that the NFFC would run as well as it did and have SO many competitive races for league titles. But the group of people we have right now is first-class all the way and I'd love to keep adding to this base of great players each year.
From the contest standpoint, I think everyone learned how valuable FAAB can be. There's no way that anyone can be an expert at making the right bids because this is new to a lot of people. But your FAAB bids may be just as important as your draft picks. And Dyv is right, planning for a few weeks down the road is crucial.
I also learned that 14-team leagues is right for the NFFC. I wasn't sold on that before, but I am now (maybe I'm wrong, but for now I like it). I also think 18-man rosters work as it makes it tough for teams to juggle roster spots with the byes and injuries taking place. Julius Jones unfortunately was available on the free agent wires more than he showed have, but the 18-man roster left some teams shorthanded with the byes. Was that good or bad for the NFFC? You guys tell me, but 20-man rosters would have depleted the free agent market too much.
All of us here at KP learned a lot this past year. And it was a fun learning experience.
Founder, National Fantasy Football Championship & National Fantasy Baseball Championship
Twitter: @GregAmbrosius
Twitter: @GregAmbrosius
What I learned
Actually, I've learned a couple of important lessons in draft strategy and roster management that will be crucial to me making a legitimate run at the Championship next year.
For Players. By Players.
What I learned
I like the 18-man rosters. 20-man would be insane and there wouldn't be anyone left to pick up, 28 more guys not available is a lot to not have to choose from.
-
TamuScarecrow
- Posts: 2509
- Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:00 pm
What I learned
I learned to go with gut feeling over the so-called fantasy, radio, and tv experts. Next year I will not watch any fantasy shows or pay much attention to any fantasy books, KP and GEKKO excluded of course. I made a great move in picking up Brees in Week 2 only to turn around and dump him in Week 4 and keep Warner because the so-called experts were calling for Rivers whom I picked up later and dumped. I made a great move in Week 6 in picking up Goings only to fall prey to the Roy Williams injury slump and Horn's bye week to dump him in Week 9 for Shaun McDonald. Two weeks later he was putting 30 on me. At the local level I could have gotten him back but not with this group of players. Roster patience is a virtue I definitely learned this year.
I also learned this is the most fun hobby I have because of the great associations I have developed with the Krause folks and fellow players. This is definitely something I will be a part of and look forward to each year for a long time. And for those of you who get down here to Myrtle Beach, give me a holler. Maybe I can get some of my money back on the golf course.
I also learned this is the most fun hobby I have because of the great associations I have developed with the Krause folks and fellow players. This is definitely something I will be a part of and look forward to each year for a long time. And for those of you who get down here to Myrtle Beach, give me a holler. Maybe I can get some of my money back on the golf course.
2005 NY/CHI League Champ
2006 CHI#2 3rd Place
2006 Auction Reg Season Champ
2007 TAM#2 2nd Place
2007 Auction Reg Season Champ
2009 LV#5 League Champ
2010 Auction Reg Season Champ
2011 LV#3 2nd Place
2012 LV Classic League Champ
2006 CHI#2 3rd Place
2006 Auction Reg Season Champ
2007 TAM#2 2nd Place
2007 Auction Reg Season Champ
2009 LV#5 League Champ
2010 Auction Reg Season Champ
2011 LV#3 2nd Place
2012 LV Classic League Champ
-
Tom Kessenich
- Posts: 30172
- Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 6:00 pm
What I learned
Originally posted by TamuScarecrow:
I learned to go with gut feeling over the so-called fantasy, radio, and tv experts. Next year I will not watch any fantasy shows or pay much attention to any fantasy books, KP and GEKKO excluded of course. At the risk of rendering myself irrelevent the best advice I give to fantasy owners every year is to trust your gut. Always. Use the information, analysis, opinions etc. at your disposal as a way to prepare yourself for your draft and your in-season moves (Waiver Wire, Trades, Lineups), but at the end of the day it's your team, not mine or Greg's or RotoWire's or RotoWorld's, John Hansen's or Joe Bryant's or whoever. It's yours. So if you feel strongly about someone that differs from what the "experts" say don't hesitate to go with your gut. You could be wrong or right, but in my opinion what makes this game fun is making the decisions that ultimately decide your team's fate.
We are given these "expert" tags because we're fortunate enough to work in this industry but while I like to think I know a thing or two about the NFL and fantasy football by no means am I perfect and by no means do I have all the answers or make the right decisions (I have a Reuben Droughns story in my main league this year that is best told over some beers -- a LARGE number of beers ). But the fun part for me is analyzing everything at my disposal and then testing myself against everyone in my league.
So when in doubt trust your gut above everything else. It's the best advice I can give and it's the best way to truly enjoy this game in my opinion.
I learned to go with gut feeling over the so-called fantasy, radio, and tv experts. Next year I will not watch any fantasy shows or pay much attention to any fantasy books, KP and GEKKO excluded of course. At the risk of rendering myself irrelevent
the best advice I give to fantasy owners every year is to trust your gut. Always. Use the information, analysis, opinions etc. at your disposal as a way to prepare yourself for your draft and your in-season moves (Waiver Wire, Trades, Lineups), but at the end of the day it's your team, not mine or Greg's or RotoWire's or RotoWorld's, John Hansen's or Joe Bryant's or whoever. It's yours. So if you feel strongly about someone that differs from what the "experts" say don't hesitate to go with your gut. You could be wrong or right, but in my opinion what makes this game fun is making the decisions that ultimately decide your team's fate.We are given these "expert" tags because we're fortunate enough to work in this industry but while I like to think I know a thing or two about the NFL and fantasy football by no means am I perfect and by no means do I have all the answers or make the right decisions (I have a Reuben Droughns story in my main league this year that is best told over some beers -- a LARGE number of beers
). But the fun part for me is analyzing everything at my disposal and then testing myself against everyone in my league. So when in doubt trust your gut above everything else. It's the best advice I can give and it's the best way to truly enjoy this game in my opinion.
Tom Kessenich
Manager of High Stakes Fantasy Games, SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @TomKessenich
Manager of High Stakes Fantasy Games, SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @TomKessenich
What I learned
Originally posted by TamuScarecrow:
I learned to go with gut feeling over the so-called fantasy, radio, and tv experts. Next year I will not watch any fantasy shows or pay much attention to any fantasy books, KP and GEKKO excluded of course. I made a great move in picking up Brees in Week 2 only to turn around and dump him in Week 4 and keep Warner because the so-called experts were calling for Rivers whom I picked up later and dumped. I made a great move in Week 6 in picking up Goings only to fall prey to the Roy Williams injury slump and Horn's bye week to dump him in Week 9 for Shaun McDonald. Two weeks later he was putting 30 on me. At the local level I could have gotten him back but not with this group of players. Roster patience is a virtue I definitely learned this year.
I also learned this is the most fun hobby I have because of the great associations I have developed with the Krause folks and fellow players. This is definitely something I will be a part of and look forward to each year for a long time. And for those of you who get down here to Myrtle Beach, give me a holler. Maybe I can get some of my money back on the golf course. Scarecrow, PLEASE say I am reading this post wrong and that you DIDN'T drop Joe Horn!
I learned to go with gut feeling over the so-called fantasy, radio, and tv experts. Next year I will not watch any fantasy shows or pay much attention to any fantasy books, KP and GEKKO excluded of course. I made a great move in picking up Brees in Week 2 only to turn around and dump him in Week 4 and keep Warner because the so-called experts were calling for Rivers whom I picked up later and dumped. I made a great move in Week 6 in picking up Goings only to fall prey to the Roy Williams injury slump and Horn's bye week to dump him in Week 9 for Shaun McDonald. Two weeks later he was putting 30 on me. At the local level I could have gotten him back but not with this group of players. Roster patience is a virtue I definitely learned this year.
I also learned this is the most fun hobby I have because of the great associations I have developed with the Krause folks and fellow players. This is definitely something I will be a part of and look forward to each year for a long time. And for those of you who get down here to Myrtle Beach, give me a holler. Maybe I can get some of my money back on the golf course.
Scarecrow, PLEASE say I am reading this post wrong and that you DIDN'T drop Joe Horn!