I love March Madness as much as anyone, it's my 3rd favorite holiday after Christmas and Thanksgiving... but there is no bigger waste of productivity in the workplace than the 2 weeks leading up to the start of the NFL season, otherwise known as Fantasy Football Draft Preparation.
I am in 2 fantasy football leagues...year six for my 10-team league and year four for my 12-team league. In my 10-team league, I won the championship the first 2 years (largely in part due to Duante Culpepper) and have made it to the final game in one of the other 3 years. I have the best historical record in the league.
In my 12-team league, I'm a bust. A joke. A doormat. I've made the playoffs only once-as the #1 seed and lost in the first round (to the #8 seed, so yes that tells you how many make the playoffs in that league). I present this as my background to explain the strategy that I employ which is the identical one used to select my teams in both leagues.
For the record is there anyone reading this, that doesn't participate in fantasy football (that isn't paid to write...believe me, I'd give it up for a sports writing job)? The printer at my company spit out no less than three reams of paper of material over the last month. ESPN, CBSSportsline, RotoWorld, FFToolbox, and any joker that called himself an "expert" and threw up a rankings on some random website got printed out by me or a co-worker. What is the result of all of this time, effort, tree-killing, and research?
I end up picking the guys I like and avoiding the guys I don't like. I go with my gut.
Do you know why Jay Cutler is my QB in my 10 team league? Because at the time I should have taken Ben Roethlisberger according to all the fantasy gurus, I took Calvin Johnson-even though I already had 2 top notch WRs (Colston and Welker). Why did I do this? Because even being a RedSKIN alum, I would have thrown up knowing that I needed a hated Steeler to come through for me in a real game to win a fake one. My Calvin Johnson "fantasy man-crush" notwithstanding, I feel much better about my team even though it's likely weaker than someone who is less stubborn and more unbiased.
One guy at our draft kept announcing to the room that he was taking all the guys that "no one believes in anymore" as he drafted Derek Anderson, Larry Johnson, Ronnie Brown, and Torry Holt. Why? Because they were on some list. You know what, he's right-I don't believe in any of those guys and wouldn't touch them with a 10-foot pole. I think he'll be picking up his team like shattered glass by the Bengals bye week.
What's my point? Do a little research. Know that LenDale White is still getting bigger in the waistline and that there's this guy Chris Johnson allegedly setting the world on fire in Tennessee, know that Kevin Curtis for the Eagles has a Chris Perry like sports hernia, but more important when it comes down to a decision: just take who you want and avoid who you don't. You'll have more fun, and hell you might just win like I have using this strategy. You might lose too. Diversify and you may do both. Ironically, I like my 12-team league team much better than my 10-team league this year...but we'll see. Critique away...
My starters in my 10-team league:
QB- Jay Cutler (backup-Garrard)
RB- Brian Westbrook, Ryan Grant (backups- Chris Johnson, Jonathan Stewart, Steve Slaton)
WR-Colston, Welker, Calvin Johnson (backups-D. Stallworth, Devin Hester)
TE-Dallas Clark
K-Shayne Graham
DEF- Arizona or Tampa Bay
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My starters in my 12-team league:
QB-Carson Palmer (backup-Jason Campbell)
RB-Adrian Peterson, L. Maroney (backups-Deuce McAlister, Kevin Smith, Felix Jones, Brandon Jackson)
WR-Braylon Edwards, Santana Moss, Anthony Gonzales (backups- A. Toomer, DeSean Jackson)
TE-Jason Witten (backup-Ben Watson)
K-Shayne Graham
DEF- Tennessee
