Fantasy Football 2011 – So what have we learned this year?
Sunday, 9. October 2011
Fantasy Football is several weeks into the season and what have we learned this year?
#1 – RB’s may not be as valued as before. Passing attacks have been huge this year and they don’t appear to have an end in site. Players like Wes Welker are racking up huge stats, while first round picks are doing very little this year. It’s time to start opening up our thinking to new possibilities. We don’t have to draft a RB in the first round just because that’s what we have done every year (or that’s what everyone does)
#2 – QB position (although important to have) has become deluted recently. There are lots of QBs out there that are going to put up comparable numbers. In Fantasy it’s all about gaining and advantage over your competitors. So next draft day, we’d recommend holding off on a QB a little longer than usual as there really is a lot of decent talent in the league at this position. Cam Newton was not even drafted in many leagues and look at the value he is returning.
#3 – It’s all about the team as a whole. This is a philosophy that has served us well over the years. When drafting or picking up any player it’s important to factor in the team/system they are playing in. You can use this as a psuedo tie breaker for making decisions (or give it some extra value). So when comparing a 3rd string WR on a high scoring team to a starter on a dud team, don’t be afraid to take the 3rd string guy. The system can make the player! An example of that this year is Indy with there high powered offense was a great score to have any player. But when P. Manning went down, the system broke and all their players suffered. A. Collie who put up some huge numbers last year as a third string WR is now hardly even getting a catch now. Also Dallas Clark, one of the league best TE, is now putting up mediocre numbers at best. So keep an eye out for talent hidden in a good system.
#4 – Be patient. Some of the best talent in any league is just waiting it’s chance to see the field either by injury or just by learning the system. It’s easy to start giving up on players too early based on performance of a game or two, but hang in there and give guys their fair time to develop into something or not.