FF2011: Fantasy Football 2011 (non-GWJFFL) catch-all

If it's not specifically about one of the GWJFFL leagues, you're in the right place.

To talk about the GWJFFL, the official fantasy football league of GWJ, go here.

For discussion about the GWJFFL keeper league, go here instead.

Drafting this year is going to be INSANE with the shortened off-season, free agent signings, etc all going on. I'm going to be in football overload mode for a couple weeks.

Yeah I have a feeling this year will be be won with the later rounds and waiver wire pick-ups even more then usual. The media just doesn't have the time to tell us about that little known monster RB who the coaches really want to give the starting job to in week 3.

I actually think things may be more vanilla than normal.

Without minicamps and all, players lower on the roster have had less preparation and will likely find it harder to move up the depth chart. I don't know how many surprise players we're going to have when those guys didn't have spring practices and all to gain ground.

The one part that will be nuts is the rapid roster change due to late free agency. But outside of that, I think we'll see rosters more like what we expect - fewer rookies or 2nd year guys making last-minute surges up the depth chart before the season kickoff.

Yeah, I'm going with safer bets this year, less rookies.

Couple of keeper league questions. I am in a 12 team keeper league. We keep 4-6 players each year. If you only keep 4 you get to pick in the supplemental rounds (basically round 1 and 2. I know I'm keeping Peterson, Hillis, and R. Wayne. I also have Sidney Rice, Chad Ocho Cinco, and Steve Smith. There is a team in our league that is looking to trade Brady or Vick for a running back (or possibly a supplemental round pick). So my options are to try and get Brady (definitely going to try) but I pick 9th in the supplemental round so it's not very enticing. I do believe that of the people below me several will keep 5 or more (of course nothing is guaranteed). I believe two teams will only keep 4 that are below me. One other team may keep only 4 as they have several bubble players (Benson, Lance Moore, Santana Moss, Brandon Jacobs). There is another wild card as one team has 4 running backs and may decide to drop two of them. So I think that at worst my 9th pick will be a 5th pick but I think realistically it will be a 4th.

I am going to try to get brady for my first supplemental pick but I'm wondering if he would be worth my first two supplemental picks. If I try for Brady I go down to 4 keepers so would the best keeper be Rice, Ocho, or Smith? I think Ocho is going to do very well in New England but he is much older than Rice. I have no faith in Jackson as a viable QB but Whitehurst could be decent. Overall, I like Rice long term but think that Ocho Cinco will produce much better numbers this year. Smith can be had very late in drafts so isn't a consideration.

If I am not able to get a trade for Brady I think I would still only keep four so I'd have the same decision to make. Anyone have any other thoughts? Would you keep Rice or Ocho? Would you give up your first two picks for Brady?

If Chris Johnson were to fall to you at #2, would you take him knowing his situation? I'm going to get either AP, Chris Johnson, or Mojo at #2(8 RBs already off the board for keepers)

I would not. At #2 I want a sure thing. I'd hope for AP and if he wasn't there I'd go for Foster. Johnson could hold out all year and even if he doesn't he won't be ready right away. I like Fosters chances better (though I do feel that Tate will take some touches away from him).

My situation has changed and now I'm just looking at Rice vs Ocho vs Bush. I like Ocho's situation so much better than Rice. Tarvaris simply isn't able to make the quick decisions necessary in the NFL but Whitehurst has looked decent. Unfortunately, the Seahawks are being stubborn (much like the Vikings) and hoping that at some point he gets it. He won't. Until Jackson is benched I don't see Rice doing much. So do I keep Rice and hold onto him until next year or take Ocho and get solid production for a year or two from him?

The Seahawks have looked crap and Rice has possible injury issues. I'd go Ocho as the safer option as you want production now, not 4 years from now. If Rice bombs this year, he's worth less to snag and keep. The QB situation in Seattle might be worse than in Washington, if you can believe that.

Problem is, none of those players are a lock, so you're taking a flyer, but I'd bet on Brady before Jackson/Whitehurst.

Leroyog wrote:

If Chris Johnson were to fall to you at #2, would you take him knowing his situation? I'm going to get either AP, Chris Johnson, or Mojo at #2(8 RBs already off the board for keepers)

No.

However, if there's 8 other RBs off the board, then yes. MJD is attractive though.

Foster, Rice, McCoy are the big three already gone.

Leroyog wrote:

Foster, Rice, McCoy are the big three already gone.

AP would be a great choice, let's hope the #1 pick goes to with Johnson.

I already have Best(5th) and Thomas(15th) as keepers. So I'm hoping to get one of the big RB's and then either get 1 more solid RB or a good WR/QB combo on the way back. I know I'm going to need to draft Mark Ingram at some point.

Just had my first draft of the FFL season, and I'm pretty psyched about it. Best I've felt about a draft in a long time. Some people moved on from RB early which let me pick up some studs, and when they came back I got decent starters at my other positions. Would appreciate some thoughts!

12 team PPR league that starts: 1QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1RB/WR, 1TE, 1K, 1DEF, 7 bench (16 total roster spots)

QB:
Josh Freeman
Jay Cutler

RB:
Lesean McCoy
Frank Gore
Matt Forte
Jason Snelling
Ricky Williams

WR:
Brandon Marshall
Steve Johnson
Brandon Lloyd
Braylon Edwards
Jerome Simpson

TE:
Jimmy Graham
Greg Olson
Jared Cook

Def:
Chicago

K:
empty for now, will have to fill before wk 1

Seriously, I'm just giddy about my RB considering that I still got serviceable WR's and TE's. And my QB's should be solid starters, at least. Still undecided on who to drop to pick up my kicker, but willing to let it slide until final rosters come out. Excited for this season!!!

Whoa. That's a nice haul of rbs. McCoy and Forte should kill in ppr.

So in my non-GWJ league I ended up with this starting roster.

QB - Tom Brady
WR - Roddy White
WR - Reggie Wayne
WR - Wes Welker
RB - Adrian Peterson
RB - Shonn Greene
TE - Dallas Clark
WR/TE/RB - Santonio Holmes
K - Matt Bryant
DEF - New England

I think it's gonna be a good season for me this year.

Legion...need your thoughts. Keeper league with two keepers (different positions) and one rookie.

Traded Philip Rivers and M Turner plus a seventh round pick for Chris Johnson, Roddy White and Blount as my rookie for his 9th rounder. Thoughts??

(on the sad side note, had to cut Fitzgerald, V Jackson, Gates, Pitt DL and Spiller (rookie) and I'll never see them as late as I draft in round 3...)

Gumbie...did you get the others in the league drunk before they drafted...nice haul there...

Pigpen wrote:

Legion...need your thoughts. Keeper league with two keepers (different positions) and one rookie.

Traded Philip Rivers and M Turner plus a seventh round pick for Chris Johnson, Roddy White and Blount as my rookie for his 9th rounder. Thoughts??

(on the sad side note, had to cut Fitzgerald, V Jackson, Gates, Pitt DL and Spiller (rookie) and I'll never see them as late as I draft in round 3...)

I don't see how you didn't completely own the other person in that trade. From my (PPR) draft last week:

Chris Johnson Round 1, Pick 7
Roddy White Round 1, Pick 8
LeGarrette Blount Round 3, Pick 10

for

Michael Turner Round 1, Pick 10
Philip Rivers Round 2, Pick 11
Anonymous Round 7, Pick ?

Roddy White probably went ahead of where he was supposed to, but so did Turner. How is that NOT a complete steal for you?

Edit: wait, I think I'm having a lot of trouble reading your description of the trade. Are you saying you gave up Rivers, Turner, Blount, and a 7th round pick for Johnson, White, and a 9th rounder? Because that sounds a lot closer to even.

Pigpen wrote:

Gumbie...did you get the others in the league drunk before they drafted...nice haul there...

Yeah, I'm trying to find a way in which that is NOT ridiculous, and I can't see it. Amazing draft.

Had two drafts this weekend...

First one was a 10 man league, Best and Thomas were my keepers

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pit QB P [Breaking News] Draft
RB Chris Johnson, Ten RB [Recent News] Draft
RB Jahvid Best, Det RB P [Recent News] Draft
WR Dwayne Bowe, KC WR [Breaking News] Draft
WR Wes Welker, NE WR Q [Breaking News] Draft
TE Jason Witten, Dal TE Draft
OP Chad Ochocinco, NE WR [Breaking News] Draft
OP Marshawn Lynch, Sea RB P [Breaking News] Draft
D/ST Patriots D/ST D/ST Draft
K Garrett Hartley, NO K Draft
Bench Tim Hightower, Wsh RB [Recent News] Draft
Bench Lee Evans, Bal WR Q [Breaking News] Draft
Bench Ronnie Brown, Phi RB [Recent News] Draft
Bench Jordan Shipley, Cin WR Draft
Bench Tony Gonzalez, Atl TE Draft
Bench Pierre Thomas, NO RB P Draft
Bench Roy Helu, Wsh RB Draft

And...

8 man league

QB Drew Brees, NO QB [Breaking News] Draft
RB Jahvid Best, Det RB P [Recent News] Draft
RB Felix Jones, Dal RB [Breaking News] Draft
RB/WR Reggie Wayne, Ind WR [Recent News] Draft
WR Andre Johnson, Hou WR Draft
WR Calvin Johnson, Det WR [Breaking News] Draft
TE Vernon Davis, SF TE Draft
D/ST Patriots D/ST D/ST Draft
K Adam Vinatieri, Ind K Draft
Bench Cedric Benson, Cin RB [Breaking News] Draft
Bench Peyton Manning, Ind QB Q [Breaking News and Video] Draft
Bench Joseph Addai, Ind RB [Recent News] Draft
Bench A.J. Green, Cin WR [Recent News] Draft
Bench Sidney Rice, Sea WR P Draft
Bench Jerome Harrison, Det RB [Breaking News] Draft
Bench C.J. Spiller, Buf RB [Breaking News] Draft

Pigpen wrote:

Traded Philip Rivers and M Turner plus a seventh round pick for Chris Johnson, Roddy White and Blount as my rookie for his 9th rounder. Thoughts??

Like Jolly Bill, I'm confused by your wording. Is Blount an arrival or a departure?

In my non-GWJ league, non-ppr league here's what I ended up with:

Matthew Stafford QB
Sam Bradford QB

Matt Forte RB
Rashard Mendenhall RB
Cedric Benson RB
Roy Helu RB
Jason Snelling RB

Vincent Jackson WR
Brandon Marshall WR
Mike Thomas WR
Lance Moore WR
Danny Amendola WR

Tony Gonzalez TE
Jared Cook TE

Saints D/ST
Dan Carpenter K

I'm pretty happy overall. It's a 14 team league, so pickings get pretty slim for a non-ppr league, but that's how my friend wants it. I'd rather it go back to 12 teams and be a ppr league, but ... God, I hope Stafford stays healthy.

I was about to say it that is an awesome team, especially in a 14 team league, then I realized you said NON-ppr. I really don't have a lot of experience with non-ppr, but it's my understanding that several of the really nice players up there (Forte, all the WR's) are less valuable under non-ppr. Even so, that team looks extremely good for a 14 team league.

Johnson, Roddy AND Blount are all arrivals...so I'm was hoping you'd think I robbed the other guy...a veteran owner. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy...and wanted some reinforcement that I should be very happy...(and toss in since its a keeper league...white and johnson are both a heckuva lot younger than turner)

And to make it better...I shipped off Fitz AND Jackson for two 7th round picks (I pick the end of round 3 as my first pick...so there was NO chance either would be available for me to pick back up...so something for nothing...since I had to cut them...made me smile all last night!)

You robbed him, alright. That's crazy. Was he very drunk?

Edit: Was he in the same shape as you, offloading players he wouldn't get to keep anyway for at least some gain? That would explain it a bit.

Jolly Bill wrote:

I was about to say it that is an awesome team, especially in a 14 team league, then I realized you said NON-ppr. I really don't have a lot of experience with non-ppr, but it's my understanding that several of the really nice players up there (Forte, all the WR's) are less valuable under non-ppr. Even so, that team looks extremely good for a 14 team league.

Yeah, if it was a PPR players like Amendola and Lance Moore wouldn't have been available where they were. I'll take them though because being in a 14 league team you're down to 4th string WRs on the Raiders there at the end. (I mean, seriously, when has Chaz Schilens stayed on the field?)

I'd be giddy if we were in a ppr league, but as it stands I'm just happy with the turnout. There was a run on QBs early (which always happens in this league), so I just kept picking starting RBs. Hope it pays off.

I'd like some keeper advice.

Non-PPR 12 team league with 4 keepers.

We start
1 QB
1 RB
1 RB/WR
1 WR
1 WR/TE
1 TE
1 DEF
1 K

I have a really good deep roster at RB and WR. The players I'm pretty sure I'll keep are in bold.
Chris Johnson
Arian Foster
Frank Gore
Dez Bryant
Marques Colston
Greg Jennings
Dwayne Bowe
Mike Williams (Tampa)

I'm really torn between keeping Jennings, Bowe, or Williams. I think that Jennings and Bowe may have down years, so I'm leaning towards Williams. What are your thoughts?

I'm more interested in why you think Dez Bryant is a better keeper than those guys.

GB just has too many weapons for me to think Greg Jennings will get the lion's share. I also feel like his age is going to start kicking in sooner or later. Colston is in a similar boat to Jennings, and I think has the lowest upside of the group.

Bowe is probably my #3 guy but I don't know that I trust Cassel and their schedule should be much harder than last year.

I would love to take Gore, but the league doesn't really accommodate 3 RB.