2014 WEEK ONE
As the title of the Blog indicates my name is Elton Elliott
and this is the beginning of my blog about Fantasy Football. I’ve been playing fantasy football for well over a decade and in that time I
have learned how to play the game. As I
began to win championships frequently friends urged me to write about fantasy
football and share my innovative tips on how to win.
And since I’m a novelist and anthologist (check out my books
on Amazon and Baen Books) I certainly am familiar enough around a
keyboard. And after racking up a near
fifty percent championship record in fourteen leagues in 2013 (I made the
championship game in ten of twelve match-up leagues, and I won five; I finished
one out of two in non-match-up leagues) I decided to take them up on their
offer and start blogging about Fantasy Football. I’ll try to keep it between around a thousand
words each week, although there will be special features that will likely kick
it over, on occasion.
This year I’m in nineteen match-up leagues and one statistic
league, with five teams each on ESPN, FOX, NFL, and YAHOO. Together, let’s see how I do.
Each week I’ll feature one major story, and a selection of
other information including tips of the week and helpful hints on how to win, what
to do, and what to avoid (sometimes the same thing), who to grab and toss,
match-up of the week, game of the week, and player of the week, all from the
Fantasy perspective. Which brings us to –
MY FANTASY FOOTBALL MOTTO:
A true Fantasy Footballer has only one favorite team, his team. He has no favorite players, unless they’re on
his team. If he has more than one team,
with players who compete against each other, then he must root for the greatest
good that leads to the best record by teams that can win championships. Wins and losses and the actual outcome of the
football are secondary to the fantasy stats and the fantasy results. Fantasy Football is a derivative event like
betting on the Dow Jones Industrial average, or the Russell 2000 or Wilshire
5000.
As the season progresses I’ll take you through the draft
process, sharing some of my tips. Then
take you through the management week-by-week.
You need both a solid draft and great management to win a championship. Let this blog be your guide….
The story of Week One is Andre Ellington
I have drafted him in obviously too many leagues, one
quarter. He has injury issues and is a
game time decision. I have him in two
ESPN Leagues, one I’ve moved him down in favor of Pierre Thomas (flex), and in
the other I have him still starting at rb, but I picked up his handcuff,
Jonathan Dwyer (who I also picked up as insurance in one other ESPN league). I have him in one Fox League, where he has
been booted out down in favor of Marques Coulston; I’m also considering picking
up Dwyer in at least one other Fox League.
I have him in one NFL league where I am keeping him as a starting Rb, but
have put Matt Prater on waivers to pick up Mr. Dwyer. In Yahoo I have him in one league but it is
my original league where I have won four out of the last six years; I moved him
down in a flex position and moved Cordarelle Patterson up. A lot of work for one guy.
TIP OF THE WEEK/HELPFUL HINTS
Avoid players with concussion issues, witness the problems
with Was Welker and now potentially James Lacy.
If you pick up Gronk then either draft Tim Wright, or be prepared to
pick him up on waivers. Ditto with the
handcuff to Andre Ellington, Jonathan Dwyer (see above).
GRAB ‘EM
Jonathan Dwyer, (see above).
TOSS ‘EM
Josh Gordon (obviously); hope his new gig as a car salesman
isn’t permanent.
MATCH-UP OF THE WEEK
A test for the cornerbacks in Houston’s defense versus Pierre
Garcon, DeSean Jackson, et al. If the
offensive line of the Politically Incorrectly nicknamed team (I. e. Washington)
can hold off the formidable one-two punch of J. J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney ,
and give R G III some time, watch out. I
have Houston’s D in one league and Jackson in several, so we’ll see.
GAME OF THE WEEK: New Orleans at Atlanta.
Could be a Fantasy lover’s bonanza. Besides top three quarterback Drew Brees, New
Orleans features great Fantasy players like the consensus number one tight end,
Jimmy Graham, a potent backfield committee led by Pierre Thomas (who helped me
to one championship several years ago), Mark Ingram, Khiry Robinson, the hot
rookie wide receiver Brandin Cooks (who, along with Thomas will be expected to replicate
the role performed so superbly last year by Darren Sproles; now with
Philadelphia), and old reliable Marques Coulston. After some time perfecting his schemes, Coordinator
Rob Ryan’s defense should be vastly improved this year.
Atlanta is a team in transition. I think Matt Ryan will miss Tony Gonzalez as
a latch ditch outlet. The offensive line
is sieve, frequently rated one of the bottom three in the league. It’s hard to throw if you on your back as
Ryan frequently was last year, which is why I avoided him, as I did receivers Roddy
White (ineffective due to injury) and Julio Jones (great when he played, but out
most of the year due to injury). Harry
Douglas is also available as a wideout (if you’re desperate, as many White
owners were last year). Stephen Jackson
is also injury prone, although I have him in one league, as I do his primary
handcuff, rookie DeVonta Freeman.
Advantage New Orleans:
Brees, Graham above average; New Orleans’ defense makes the difference;
shuts down Atlanta’s offense.
START: Brees, Graham,
Thomas, NO Def
CONSIDER: Cook, Ingram
SIT: All others
SURPRISE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nick Foles
Philadelphia’s quarterback looks to light up a very suspect Jacksonville
Defense. The only downside is that the
Jags offense is so inept that the score might be out of reach early and Chip Kelly
might show some mercy. Of course he
never did that at Oregon, or last year in his rookie season with the Eagles. And we Fantast players love him for it. We hope he’s as heartless this coming week,
and season, for that matter.
MEDIA NOTES
The Weekly Fantasy Shows
I like ESPN’s two-hour Sunday morning show (8-10 AM, Pacific
Time, ESPN Two). I’m a big fan of
Matthew Berry. What I like most about
him is – I get kickers and he doesn’t. I
will share several tips for selecting kickers (a position that has won numerous
championships for me) in the course of this season. More about them in future columns. I love Dr. Stefania Bell’s medical reporting;
and I like the remotes with the reporters.
ESPN is a big, powerful machine, and this show uses that to great
advantage.
I tried to listen to Yahoo’s radio podcast one time, and
discovered that I’m not their target audience. The hosts engaged in a low-brow atmosphere
(cursing, excessive joking, and talking over each other) which I find
irritating.
Next Week: A look at
the draft and what, if anything, Week One taught us.
