League Lessons: "Deep" Thoughts

Too Many Eggs, Only One Basket…

In my limited experience with fantasy football I have learned a few vital lessons I believe every leaguer must learn early on to become successful. For instance the way (and when) you draft is very important. Waiver pick up are crucial to a solid season. And don’t even get me started on matchups. The lessons I have learned and applied team have made the difference in a 5-11 season last year and a 6-1 start so far this year.

My biggest problem this year was my draft, but the biggest problem with the draft wasn’t even my fault. The draft was done three weeks in advance…of the PRESEASON. At that point, if you may recall, Sidney Rice was primed for his second big season, JerMichael Finley was healthy, Larry Fitzgerald was a first round pick, and Brett Favre was going to be the Super Bowl MVP. The preseason is an important part of the draft process. Being able to read game analysis and apply it to your draft model will set you up for a better draft.

I must admit, I made a huge mistake in my draft this year right from my first round pick. I had the 4^th overall pick and was ready to assemble a monster team. But I stumbled out of the gate, and I was in for a tragic night. Number one Adrian Peterson, two, Maurice Jones-Drew (this is looking good…), three, Chris Johson (damn it); then came the worst placed pick of all time. With the fourth pick of the 2010 Blakeney League Draft, BamaMan selects, Drew Brees from the New Orleans Saints. It was a mistake that would haunt me for weeks. I still had Frank Gore, Michael Turner and Rashard Mendenhall ahead of me and I went for a quarterback, effectively ruining my chance of being elite and the running back position. And the irony of it all was Frank Gore didn’t even get selected until the 20^th pick, one pick away from my second pick of the night, which ended up being Steven Jackson. I’m just saying, if you want a great team and not just the best player you’ll draft running backs and wide receivers with your first 6-7 rounds with an elite TE thrown in at the end. You’ll still land a guy like Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco or Ben Roethlisberger in the late rounds.  Not only will you have the top point-getters, you’ll have to ammo to make some killer trades.

Remember how I just said, “the preseason is an important part of the draft process,” two minutes ago, well it’s true. I was watching the Dallas Cowboys play a preseason game against another team from Texas. While watching I couldn’t help but focus on the amazing play of one player and I couldn’t figure out how I had never heard of him. I went to NFL.com to see if he was a free agent in my league and I picked him up. From that point on Arian Foster has been my lead back in every game that he’s been active.

I’ve admitted my draft was pretty bad. My original squad had guys like Sidney Rice (yet to play a snap), Donald Brown (total 81 rush yards and 1 TD), and the Bengals’ defense. It was a day I don’t want to remember, but I have made up for it through the art of the trade. I have taken to the school of thought that sometimes I can beat myself with my choices. Just last week I was trying to decide if I should start Robert Meachem or Mike William (Seattle). I asked guys on the discussion boards, talked to friends, looked at their respective matchups and even ran the numbers. At the last second I switched my lineup because I couldn’t decide. That Sunday Meachem went for 33 total yards while Mike Williams sat on my bench scoring 14.7 points on 87 yards and a touchdown. It was at that moment I said to myself, “I don’t want to have to choose.”

This week I sent out a few trades and finally had one go through sending Williams, Dez Bryant, and Reggie Bush to my boy Brennen. In return I was given Desean Jackson, star receiver of the Philadelphia Eagles. Even though he’s on a bye and I most likely conceded a win to my friend Jon this week I like this decision. It’s a real “loose the battle to win the war” kind of thing. Now my lineup will be essentially the same every week because I don’t have to contemplate anything. Roddy White, Calvin Johnson and Desean Jackson would start every week no matter what team they’re on. It just so happens they are all on my team.

I hope you can take note of these lessons and use them quicker than I did. It’s not fun being the worst draft guy, or even worse, last place in your league. Good luck the heading towards the playoffs.