HOW TO DRAFT A CONTENDER...

HOLLYWOODJAMES · Post by **HOLLYWOODJAMES** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 4:45 pm

With so many "experts" out there voicing their opinions, at times, it's hard to decipher the information...especially when the "experts" contradict one another. One says so and so will be a bust...another says the same player is a sleeper. The key is realizing that there are no EXPERTS. All of us draft based upon pure speculation! In this game there is nothing 100% certain. Theories and strategies are all over the map, so the answer to drafting a contender is simple:

DO THE HOMEWORK.

The internet gives us ALL the information we need to make educated decisions so that we can draft the best team possible (at least in our own mind anyway.)

I've seen some of the teams drafted here on the boards (some good...some not so good)

Last year when I played, I'll admit, I didn't do the homework I should have. My teams were destroyed by injuries and I didn't have a strong bench and the end result was - I DIDN'T WIN SQUAT!

This year however, I feel much better about my team and sincerely feel I have a chance to win the whole thing (Online Championship)

I wish GOOD LUCK to all who have completed their draft(s) and to those who have yet to draft...I can't stress the point enough - DO THE HOMEWORK!

TradeStar28 · Post by **TradeStar28** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 5:59 pm

I like the confidence! Good luck James!!!

As they say in this business...."The only thing better than nice set of boobies is a couple of huge TD's !!!"

David U. Kennedy · Post by **David U. Kennedy** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 1:20 am

Originally posted by HOLLYWOODJAMES:
With so many "experts" out there voicing their opinions, at times, it's hard to decipher the information...especially when the "experts" contradict one another. One says so and so will be a bust...another says the same player is a sleeper. The key is realizing that there are no EXPERTS. All of us draft based upon pure speculation! In this game there is nothing 100% certain. Theories and strategies are all over the map, so the answer to drafting a contender is simple:

DO THE HOMEWORK.

The internet gives us ALL the information we need to make educated decisions so that we can draft the best team possible (at least in our own mind anyway.)

I've seen some of the teams drafted here on the boards (some good...some not so good)

Last year when I played, I'll admit, I didn't do the homework I should have. My teams were destroyed by injuries and I didn't have a strong bench and the end result was - I DIDN'T WIN SQUAT!

This year however, I feel much better about my team and sincerely feel I have a chance to win the whole thing (Online Championship)

I wish GOOD LUCK to all who have completed their draft(s) and to those who have yet to draft...I can't stress the point enough - DO THE HOMEWORK! To back this up what was your strategy? Who did you target the most and who did you avoid? Just curious. I have two teams in the online championship and feel good about both my teams. Ones a little stronger though. Be interesting to compare notes.

HOLLYWOODJAMES · Post by **HOLLYWOODJAMES** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:48 am

My strategy this year was to have ALL starters on my bench. It's more difficult in the 14-team league just because in the later rounds there are probably not going to be any left, which is why doing the homework becomes even more important. Plus, at that point, it's all speculation with the players still available.

I did manage to fill my bench with 8 out of 10 starters.

Keep in mind I classify the WR2 position a starter.

Last year I had Desean Jackson, and I think we can all admit he's NOT the greatest PPR league receiver. He's good for (1) 90-yard touchdown...after he does that the defense shuts him down for the rest of the game. It'll get you 16 points with one play, but being the greedy bastard that I am - I want more.

In the eighth round this year I got Maclin. He's a good receiver and he gets more targets than Jackson. He has the potential to get (7) receptions, 100 yards, and a TD - 23 points - in a game where points win the whole thing...I'd much rather have Maclin than Jackson.

Doing the homework will help by knowing ALL the players of EVERY team, and of course, study the depth-chart.

I believe you absolutely...without question...have to draft your team planning that your main starters will get knocked out at some point. You have to have a contingency plan for injuries simply because offensive coordinators will make adjustments when they lose their "playmakers."

I had Gore last year, so when he injured his hip, I had to use Tomlinson as my main back - I didn't plan for injuries and I didn't have a good enough replacement when I lost Gore. Tomlinson was okay in the flex position, but not as a starter. I wouldn't want to pick up Dixon and put him in place of Gore simply because his skill set is different than Gore's and he won't get you the same results. So I disagree with picking up backups. Having a starter on your bench to replace your other starter provides a greater POTENTIAL of not losing much.

In other words, if Gore goes down to injury, I'd rather put Pierre Thomas in his place instead of Anthony Dixon. Thomas is a starter you probably could have gotten in round 8-9-10.

rkulaski · Post by **rkulaski** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 5:09 pm

James,

Good advice but easier said than done. Just wanted to comment here that I like your footer... I had to think for a second on that one!

Chi_Town_FEW · Post by **Chi_Town_FEW** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 5:46 pm

Nice in theory, but in my Classic today there was not a "starting RB" available after round seven. No team had more than 3 RBs. Over 40 WR gone too. These numbers are not giving anything a way, this is just how it goes. I call my friends at the break and tell them about how great it went in the first half. After the draft they ask how I did in the second half, I tell them I got a TE, K, and a def. Handcuff is not a dirty word, and also hard to do sometimes. Good luck.

HOLLYWOODJAMES · Post by **HOLLYWOODJAMES** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 2:02 am

Chi_town:

That is the challenge with the Classic, which is why doing the homework becomes even more important.

Especially in the Classic where (3) starting RB's is about all you're going to get, leaving you no choice but to protect yourself against injury by taking your starter's backup.

The best thing you can hope for is that another LaGarrett Blount emerges from the waiver wire THIS year and that you can pick him up.

I'm going to be watching the Miami Dolphins close simply because Reggie Bush isn't durable and Daniel Thomas doesn't seem to be ready yet. With teams cutting to get to the 53-man roster there are some possible players out there that Miami could get to fill that void.

Good luck this year!

Sandman62 · Post by **Sandman62** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 2:04 am

Originally posted by HollywoodJames:
I had Gore last year, so when he injured his hip, I had to use Tomlinson as my main back - I didn't plan for injuries and I didn't have a good enough replacement when I lost Gore. Tomlinson was okay in the flex position, but not as a starter. I wouldn't want to pick up Dixon and put him in place of Gore simply because his skill set is different than Gore's and he won't get you the same results. So I disagree with picking up backups. Having a starter on your bench to replace your other starter provides a greater POTENTIAL of not losing much.

In other words, if Gore goes down to injury, I'd rather put Pierre Thomas in his place instead of Anthony Dixon. Thomas is a starter you probably could have gotten in round 8-9-10. Or instead of Dixon, you could actually draft Gore's true backup, Kendall Hunter, like we did. We took him right after the break, in early round 11, right after we picked Lynch (starting RB, albeit low-end, in round 9

and Snelling). At that time, other available RBs were Gerhardt, Helu, Cadillac, TJones, Barber, Redman, etc. - IOW, a bunch of other owners' RB handcuffs.

Sometimes, having a "starter" who splits carries on his team may not work out any better than just having your own injury-prone stud's handcuff, depending on your bench depth. In your example, unless Ingram goes down, Pierre is still just a time-share back (much like LT was). And if Gore went down, Hunter might be in a time-share too; then again, he might get 3/4 of the load Gore got.

It can work out both ways though: if when your stud RB goes down, and you have other RB handcuffs instead of your own, that can work great if those other RB starters in front of them have already gone down. You might have a new starter on a better team. But if that doesn't happen, you might just be stuck waiting.

We don't blanket handcuff our stud RBs; we pick and choose based on injury history and the skill set of the handcuffs behind them (i.e. their likelihood to get a good load). In Gore's case, in the 14-team Classic anyway, we felt compelled to handcuff him with Hunter. Let's hope we never have to use the latter.

[ September 04, 2011, 08:09 AM: Message edited by: Sandman62 ]

HOLLYWOODJAMES · Post by **HOLLYWOODJAMES** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 2:57 am

Sandman:

Lynch is actually a decent pick considering Tavaris Jackson is struggling and until he improves, Seattle will HAVE to run the ball.

If Gore goes down, who would be your replacement? Gore's backup or Lynch.

What are your thoughts on who can get you more points...the back up or the low-end starter?

Personally, I go with the low-end starter because with the backup in for the stud, the offensive coordinator HAS to make changes to his game plan and will use the backup in a different manner.

Of the other available backs you listed, Thomas Jones, in my opinion, is the best of the bunch IF Charles goes down. There doesn't seem to be as big a drop off in ability.

If I had Gore go down leaving me his backup, Lynch, or T. Jones as replacements...it would be between Lynch or Jones because I think Jones' production would equal Lynch's, and then of course it boils down to the weekly matchup.

Good luck this year!

Sandman62 · Post by **Sandman62** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 3:07 am

I'm not saying we'd automatically start Hunter if Gore went down; of course we'd roll with Lynch for at least one game, until we've seen what Hunter can do and how they use him. But if Lynch or other RBs are on bye or hurt, we'd be darned thankful to have a RB who'll be starting that week (Hunter). And once we'd seen a game or two from Hunter, we'd re-evaluate between him and Lynch and other bench RBs each week.

We shall see. Good luck to you too.