Why do we play fantasy football? It is maddening. You can't watch football the same again. Ever. You don't see a 50 yard touchdown run, you see 11 points. You don't see field goals, you look at how far the kick was and add a point for every 10 yards. You don't get mad because your defense gives up a touchdown- you get mad because now you don't get the bonus points.
And don't even get me started on the hindsight. You look at the box score and see your future Hall of Fame QB score 14 points, while the ragtag journeyman has 15, and you think to yourself 'if only I had started that bum'. I mean, really? Do you think real football coaches think those types of things?
Well, this is a chronicle of my season. It's been fun at times, it's been depressing at times. I've projected on to my team, which has never said die throughout the ups and downs. I don't know what will happen from here- I'm watching the Eagles play the Giants, with my last two players of the week needing to score over 20 points (and hoping that the Cardinals defense gets lit up) to advance to round 2. I've been injury-riddled beyond belief. But I managed to sneak into the postseason, and I'd like to stick around for a while.
I am in a league that my dad is in with a bunch of guys he used to work with. I inherited a team from a guy who played last year. It's a keeper league, and my 2 keepers were Michael Turner, RB and Donovan McNabb, QB. You could definitely do worse heading into a season.
This is my draft, and some comments about my picks.
1- Randy Moss, WR- A superstar who was very strong for my team. Even when I had to trade him for depth, I was able to get some other big point producers. A
2- Laurence Maroney, RB- Probably a reach, although due to injuries for his real team and my team, he was able to step in late season and pick up some points for me. Overall, he didn't really live up to his draft position though. C-
3- Ryan Grant, RB- Didn't see much from Grant, traded him for some guys that didn't do much for me. D
4- Ted Ginn Jr., WR- Nothing. Definitely reached for this one. F
5- Ben Roethlisberger, QB- Other than that week when he had a concussion, a staple in my line-up. Had an excellent season, and I'm definitely thinking about him as a keeper. A
6- Terrell Owens, WR- I joked at the beginning of the season that my WR corps was the best in the league- in 2005. Well, for Owens, that was definitely true. I dropped him maybe a little later than I could have, as he really didn't do anything for me. D-
7- Chad Ochocinco, WR- Solid. He had some spectacular outings, but mostly he was just consistent for me. Which is really all you can ask for out of a 2nd WR. B
8- Ronnie Brown, RB- I probably reflect better on Brown than he actually did because of that huge week 5 touchdown he scored for me (more on that later). Nonetheless, he did very solid for me before going down with a season ending injury. B+
9- Colts D- Probably a reach. Didn't do too much for me, other than not suck. C
10- Titans D- Wow, this unit definitely didn't live up to their press. I dropped them as soon as I could after New England lit them up for 59 points. D-
11- Owen Daniels, TE- Another player that I reflect on more fondly than he probably deserves, due to some clutch performances during my win streak. Nonetheless, he was very good at times, and his season ending injury spelled the downfall of my production at the TE position. B
12- Kerry Collins, QB- Surprisingly he was able to be productive in the couple games I put him in while McNabb was out. Fortunately, I didn't have to play him when he put up -4 points against New England. D+
13- Chris Cooley, TE- Another casualty of being on my roster. He had some nice numbers, and I'll remember him mostly for being on the bench and outscoring Daniels early in the season. C
14- Michael Crabtree, WR- Never set foot on the field for the Snow Flurries. F.
15- Adam Vinateri, K- Had some decent games before getting hurt. He's a kicker, so I don't really know what to say. C
16- Michael Jenkins, WR- I'm not sure I ever put him. F
17- Justin Fargas, RB- Definitely never put him in. F
Now, obviously no one ever goes through a whole fantasy football season with just their draft roster- you have trades, waiver pickups, and free agents. Fortunately for you, I went through and figured out all of my transactions- for your viewing pleasure! Also, I added some comments. Because you should know what I'm thinking. I guess that's why you're reading this blog, right?
Sept 16- Added Nick Folk, K- Decent, until he started missing field goals like they were going out of style.
Sept 22- Dropped Crabtree and Fargas- Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Sept 23- Added Steve Smith, WR- Definitely my top pickup of the season, and I really really wish Eli Manning wouldn't have gotten hurt early in the season- Smith could have been even more of a point producer for me.
Oct 13- Dad loaned me Nate Kaeding, K- Kaeding helped me win a game the week I had him, and I picked him up for the playoffs because I couldn't trust Nick Folk.
Oct 20- Dropped Owens and Titans D- Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Oct 20- Traded Grant for Jets D, Santana Moss, WR- Actually wish I wouldn't have made this trade, for a couple reasons. First of all, RBs started to drop like flies for me, and I could have used a decent starting RB to fill in the gap. Second of all, Grant scored 21 points during the playoff game. Right now I'm trailing by about 20 points. Finally, the Jets D and Santana Moss really didn't do much for me in terms of production.
Oct 21- Added Broncos D- A couple big weeks. Glad I added these guys.
Oct 21- Added Torry Holt, WR- Again, if there was any way I could go back in time and take my WR corps, I would be the king of the league. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to pick up the 2005 Torry Holt. I picked up the 2009 Torry Holt. More on that later.
Oct 21- Dropped Collins- I got what I needed out of him before the Titans yanked him.
Oct 28- Added Tony Scheffler, TE and Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB- Why?
Oct 28- Dropped Ginn- Finally.
Oct 28- Added Mark Clayton, WR- At this point, I must have been just reaching. Maybe Vince Papale wasn't available?
Oct 28- Dropped Jenkins- Added precisely nothing to my team.
Nov 3- Dropped Vinateri- Out for the season at this point.
Nov 3- Dropped Fitzpatrick, Clayton- Thanks for playing guys. NOT.
Nov 4- Added Trent Edwards, QB, Jermichael Finley, TE, and John Carlson, TE- Yes, at this point I was hurting for a 3rd QB and any TE.
Nov 10- Dropped Daniels- With a tear...so devastating to my team.
Nov 11- Dropped Scheffler- Another 'why did I add this guy?' guy.
Nov 11- Added Brandon Pettigrew, TE- The search for the perfect replacement TE continues. You know it's bad when you're looking to the Detroit Lions for salvation.
Nov 11- Added Ladell Betts, RB- Could have been a great pick up, if he hadn't gotten hurt. With a season ending injury. I'm sensing a pattern here.
Nov 11- Dropped Holt- I think I played him once...and vowed to never do so ever again.
Nov 13- Added Roy Williams, WR- You know it's bad when you're looking to former Detroit Lions for salvation.
Dec 1- Dropped Pettigrew, Betts, and Cooley- All 3- season ending injuries. Maybe I should rename my team to the North Michigan Season-ending Injuries.
Dec 1- Traded Moss for Miles Austin, WR, Calvin Johnson, WR, Greg Olsen, TE, and Justin Forsett, RB- I had to take this trade after all my RBs died. I was offered this trade a couple weeks prior, except insert Jamaal Charles for Justin Forsett. In my pride, I turned it down- and I wish I wouldn't have. Charles has had a pretty good stretch as the man in KC, while Forsett is locked in a time-share with a running back that he is clearly better than. Regardless, I still wish I could have kept Moss.
Dec 8- Added Nate Kaeding, K- Hopefully some of that Kaeding magic will rub off on my playoff run.
Well, you've managed to make it through the transactions- this is how my team got to where it is now. Next time, I'll walk through the first half of my season.
And don't even get me started on the hindsight. You look at the box score and see your future Hall of Fame QB score 14 points, while the ragtag journeyman has 15, and you think to yourself 'if only I had started that bum'. I mean, really? Do you think real football coaches think those types of things?
Well, this is a chronicle of my season. It's been fun at times, it's been depressing at times. I've projected on to my team, which has never said die throughout the ups and downs. I don't know what will happen from here- I'm watching the Eagles play the Giants, with my last two players of the week needing to score over 20 points (and hoping that the Cardinals defense gets lit up) to advance to round 2. I've been injury-riddled beyond belief. But I managed to sneak into the postseason, and I'd like to stick around for a while.
I am in a league that my dad is in with a bunch of guys he used to work with. I inherited a team from a guy who played last year. It's a keeper league, and my 2 keepers were Michael Turner, RB and Donovan McNabb, QB. You could definitely do worse heading into a season.
This is my draft, and some comments about my picks.
1- Randy Moss, WR- A superstar who was very strong for my team. Even when I had to trade him for depth, I was able to get some other big point producers. A
2- Laurence Maroney, RB- Probably a reach, although due to injuries for his real team and my team, he was able to step in late season and pick up some points for me. Overall, he didn't really live up to his draft position though. C-
3- Ryan Grant, RB- Didn't see much from Grant, traded him for some guys that didn't do much for me. D
4- Ted Ginn Jr., WR- Nothing. Definitely reached for this one. F
5- Ben Roethlisberger, QB- Other than that week when he had a concussion, a staple in my line-up. Had an excellent season, and I'm definitely thinking about him as a keeper. A
6- Terrell Owens, WR- I joked at the beginning of the season that my WR corps was the best in the league- in 2005. Well, for Owens, that was definitely true. I dropped him maybe a little later than I could have, as he really didn't do anything for me. D-
7- Chad Ochocinco, WR- Solid. He had some spectacular outings, but mostly he was just consistent for me. Which is really all you can ask for out of a 2nd WR. B
8- Ronnie Brown, RB- I probably reflect better on Brown than he actually did because of that huge week 5 touchdown he scored for me (more on that later). Nonetheless, he did very solid for me before going down with a season ending injury. B+
9- Colts D- Probably a reach. Didn't do too much for me, other than not suck. C
10- Titans D- Wow, this unit definitely didn't live up to their press. I dropped them as soon as I could after New England lit them up for 59 points. D-
11- Owen Daniels, TE- Another player that I reflect on more fondly than he probably deserves, due to some clutch performances during my win streak. Nonetheless, he was very good at times, and his season ending injury spelled the downfall of my production at the TE position. B
12- Kerry Collins, QB- Surprisingly he was able to be productive in the couple games I put him in while McNabb was out. Fortunately, I didn't have to play him when he put up -4 points against New England. D+
13- Chris Cooley, TE- Another casualty of being on my roster. He had some nice numbers, and I'll remember him mostly for being on the bench and outscoring Daniels early in the season. C
14- Michael Crabtree, WR- Never set foot on the field for the Snow Flurries. F.
15- Adam Vinateri, K- Had some decent games before getting hurt. He's a kicker, so I don't really know what to say. C
16- Michael Jenkins, WR- I'm not sure I ever put him. F
17- Justin Fargas, RB- Definitely never put him in. F
Now, obviously no one ever goes through a whole fantasy football season with just their draft roster- you have trades, waiver pickups, and free agents. Fortunately for you, I went through and figured out all of my transactions- for your viewing pleasure! Also, I added some comments. Because you should know what I'm thinking. I guess that's why you're reading this blog, right?
Sept 16- Added Nick Folk, K- Decent, until he started missing field goals like they were going out of style.
Sept 22- Dropped Crabtree and Fargas- Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Sept 23- Added Steve Smith, WR- Definitely my top pickup of the season, and I really really wish Eli Manning wouldn't have gotten hurt early in the season- Smith could have been even more of a point producer for me.
Oct 13- Dad loaned me Nate Kaeding, K- Kaeding helped me win a game the week I had him, and I picked him up for the playoffs because I couldn't trust Nick Folk.
Oct 20- Dropped Owens and Titans D- Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Oct 20- Traded Grant for Jets D, Santana Moss, WR- Actually wish I wouldn't have made this trade, for a couple reasons. First of all, RBs started to drop like flies for me, and I could have used a decent starting RB to fill in the gap. Second of all, Grant scored 21 points during the playoff game. Right now I'm trailing by about 20 points. Finally, the Jets D and Santana Moss really didn't do much for me in terms of production.
Oct 21- Added Broncos D- A couple big weeks. Glad I added these guys.
Oct 21- Added Torry Holt, WR- Again, if there was any way I could go back in time and take my WR corps, I would be the king of the league. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to pick up the 2005 Torry Holt. I picked up the 2009 Torry Holt. More on that later.
Oct 21- Dropped Collins- I got what I needed out of him before the Titans yanked him.
Oct 28- Added Tony Scheffler, TE and Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB- Why?
Oct 28- Dropped Ginn- Finally.
Oct 28- Added Mark Clayton, WR- At this point, I must have been just reaching. Maybe Vince Papale wasn't available?
Oct 28- Dropped Jenkins- Added precisely nothing to my team.
Nov 3- Dropped Vinateri- Out for the season at this point.
Nov 3- Dropped Fitzpatrick, Clayton- Thanks for playing guys. NOT.
Nov 4- Added Trent Edwards, QB, Jermichael Finley, TE, and John Carlson, TE- Yes, at this point I was hurting for a 3rd QB and any TE.
Nov 10- Dropped Daniels- With a tear...so devastating to my team.
Nov 11- Dropped Scheffler- Another 'why did I add this guy?' guy.
Nov 11- Added Brandon Pettigrew, TE- The search for the perfect replacement TE continues. You know it's bad when you're looking to the Detroit Lions for salvation.
Nov 11- Added Ladell Betts, RB- Could have been a great pick up, if he hadn't gotten hurt. With a season ending injury. I'm sensing a pattern here.
Nov 11- Dropped Holt- I think I played him once...and vowed to never do so ever again.
Nov 13- Added Roy Williams, WR- You know it's bad when you're looking to former Detroit Lions for salvation.
Dec 1- Dropped Pettigrew, Betts, and Cooley- All 3- season ending injuries. Maybe I should rename my team to the North Michigan Season-ending Injuries.
Dec 1- Traded Moss for Miles Austin, WR, Calvin Johnson, WR, Greg Olsen, TE, and Justin Forsett, RB- I had to take this trade after all my RBs died. I was offered this trade a couple weeks prior, except insert Jamaal Charles for Justin Forsett. In my pride, I turned it down- and I wish I wouldn't have. Charles has had a pretty good stretch as the man in KC, while Forsett is locked in a time-share with a running back that he is clearly better than. Regardless, I still wish I could have kept Moss.
Dec 8- Added Nate Kaeding, K- Hopefully some of that Kaeding magic will rub off on my playoff run.
Well, you've managed to make it through the transactions- this is how my team got to where it is now. Next time, I'll walk through the first half of my season.
1 comment:
Jason,
This comment might be a little late, considering I'm in the playoffs in my fantasy leagues, but I totally agree with fantasy football changing your perspective on the games. Ups, downs, regret. Suddenly, finding youself screaming for the Seahawks defense on a bye week. It often offfers a conselation prze when your real teams both have lost by 4 on Sunday afternoon. My husband Phil is a Raiders/Lions fan. Lots of heartache there. Anyway, I hope you end up on top of you league. Show those old fogies that youth comes a fresh outlook, and a little luck.
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