I just got back from hanging out at my friend Nick's. Towards the end of the night, we started discussing something that will be part of his next podcast- (here's a link of his podcast that he does with another friend and B-Bo Knows reader Chris Williams). The topic of conversation was fantasy football and some of its downfalls. This is a topic that I've been wanting to write about for a while, and no better time to do it than a week away from the NFL season starting. In no particular order, here are some pet peeves of mine concerning fantasy football:
(1) Caring more about your fantasy team than your actual favorite team. One problem with fantasy leagues that has developed over the years is people rooting more for their fantasy team than their team itself. It's not true for all fantasy owners, but there are many people who make less-than-convincing arguments that they want their fantasy football player (let's say Adrian Peterson) rush for 200 yards and 4 TDs, but in a 45-35 Bears victory. There's no possible way you can convince me that you rooting for a guy to do well against your team but rooting for the team to win isn't contradicting your fanhood. If you have Adrian Peterson, great. Start him against your favorite team, as you cannot bench a guy of his talent. But don't actively root for him to do well when in effect, it's actually doing harm to your real team.
(2) If I'm not in your league, I really don't care who is on your team. You'd think that me being a fantasy football nut that I'd be more interested in your team. Nope. Not one bit. If I'm not in the league in question, I care very little about your round-by-round analysis. Sure, there's some aspects that may be interesting to mention (like a tidbit on when a guy got drafted). But if I don't ask about your team, you don't really need to tell me everything about your team. Best of luck to your team is the most supportive thing I can say. I hope you win.
These last three are more about the leagues themselves vs. actual critiques of fantasy football.
(3) Any league that has less than 12 teams is not a real league. I know a few people that play in 8 team leagues and tell me all about their stacked teams. Guess what? Your team SHOULD be stacked. In a 15 round draft setup, a 12-team league drafts 180 players. In an 8-team league, it's only 120. That leaves an extra 60 guys on the free agent wire that would normally be owned in a regular (i.e. 12 team) league. I draw the line at 10-team leagues, but don't do those for money. All of my leagues are 12 teams, and I'd actually like to get into a 14 or 16 team league. That's where great fantasy owners separate themselves from average ones. Otherwise, every team is an all-star team and more of a crapshoot than it already is.
(4) Don't trade me a player before the season starts that you drafted many many rounds after the player you wanted. If I wanted the player that you offered me in a trade, I would have picked him in one of the 4-5 rounds before you picked him. Please don't try playing me for a fool. It also doesn't help when the garbage player that you offer to me is off your team about a week later.
(5) Please look at my roster before offering me a trade. I am not going to trade someone on my team if it's a thin position on my team. I am also not going to accept a trade when the player(s) I will be getting in return offer no value to my team. Please look at my roster when you are offering a trade and make sure the trade finds a way to benefit both trades.
There's probably others I can't think of right now, but these are the main ones. If this offended you as a fantasy owner, good.
To all of you fantasy football players, best of luck - I really do mean that. Just don't lose sight of your real team and don't play me for a fool if you're in a league with me.
When do you feel a kicker should be drafted? I drafted one early, within the first 7 rounds. (also chastised for doing so) but I figured a good kicker really helps, along with a good defense(with which I was the first to draft as well)When do you feel a kicker should be drafted? I drafted one early, within the first 7 rounds. (also chastised for doing so) but I figured a good kicker really helps, along with a good defense(with which I was the first to draft as well)
ReplyDeleteI don't critique any style of drafting, but it's not something I personally do. At the end of the year, the difference between the best kicker and like the 20th best kicker is roughly a few points per game, so I don't really care about the kicker position. I usually pick the kicker in the last round. Plus, the highest scoring kickers are so dependent on their offenses stalling that it usually ends up evening out over the course of a year.
ReplyDeleteI'd say defense is ok to pick several rounds before the kicker. Those two positions are my highest turnover positions (in the sense that I pick up/release them the most) on my fantasy rosters usually, since I'll play matchups a lot (particularly with defenses).