Results tagged “Fantasy” from Robert Littal Presents The Infamous BlackSportsOnline

Nine fantasy football leagues. Eight playoff appearances. Three championships. One second place. For the greatest fantasy football player in the universe Robert Littal.
My fantasy football seasons are over and a part of me is very sad today. Being the addict that I am I am already thinking about potential 2009 Fantasy Football draft sleepers (Pierre Thomas will have a monster 2009 trust me).

I must tell you the story of the one fantasy football league that I didn't make the playoffs in. I started off 0-5 and a laughingstock of the league, but when you are the greatest fantasy football player of all time you never ever give up. I rolled off a 7-2 run to end the regular season to end up 7-7. Only four teams made the playoffs and three slots were locked up. I would win all tiebreakers for the 7-7 teams because I had the most overall points between those teams. Everything broke in my favor. All the teams that needed to lose lost and it looked like I was on my way to become the team no one wanted to meet in the playoffs. The only thing that was stopping me was a 7-6 team that was down 25 points with only one player playing in the Monday Night tilt between Tampa Bay and Carolina. Unfortunately for me that player was Antonio Bryant. 200 yards and one amazing TD later I was on the outside looking in.

That is the gift and curse of Fantasy Football. I have so many stories I could tell you I could literally write a book. Be it my in genius trade of LT for Matt Forte or how I drafted Steve Slaton and Kurt Warner back to back in the 10th and 11th round respectively. I could on and on.

Can't wait to next year? Who will be the #1 Pick? AP or Forte? Where do you put Matt Ryan now?

I know I know I am such a loser. But I am Bona Fide.

1- THOU SHALL ALWAYS STUDY YOUR DRAFT SETTINGS, RULES, ROSTERS & SCORING SYSTEM.

I cannot emphasize this enough, if you don't know the rules of your league you are going to fail. None of the other commandments matter if you have no idea how your league is run. If your league starts 2 QBs then QBs become a premium. If your league gives 1 point for reception, then RBs who catch the ball out of the backfield have to bump up in your rankings. If your Commish only allows 50 roster moves a year, you have to be very careful who you pick up on the waiver wire or how many trades you make. These are just some of the scenarios you have to take into account. Every league is set up a little different, so knowing your league inside and out will help you come draft time and during the season.

2- THOU SHALL ALWAYS DRAFT AS LEAST 2 RUNNING BACKS WITHIN THE FIRST 3 ROUNDS OF THE DRAFT. (WELL NOT ALWAYS ANYMORE).

In Fantasy Football RBs are Gods. It is as simple as that. It is not necessarily that they are the top point producers (QBs and WRs routinely make it into the Top 10 Scorers); it is that there are very few good ones and even the good ones get injured. Most leagues start 2 RBs and sometimes a flex and to be honest in a 12 team league it is very difficult to find 24 quality RBs and damn near impossible to find 36. While it maybe tempting to use your first 2 picks on Tom Brady and Terrell Owens, it won't look that great when you're starting RBs are Selvin Young and Matt Forte.

*Amendment*

This has been my #2 rule for every year I have come out with the Fantasy Football Commandments, but it is time to make a small change to it. You still absolutely must pick at least one running back in the 1st two rounds of the draft, but if you are in the second round don't pass up an elite WR or QB to take a RB you are not 100% sure is going to be the primary ball carrier for their team. The way teams are using a time share system with their RBs it makes more sense to take that elite WR or QB in round two and take a risk on a time share RB in round 3.

3-THOU SHALL NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER DRAFT A QB IN THE 1ST ROUND UNLESS HIS NAME IS TOM BRADY OR PEYTON MANNING.

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are the exceptions to the rule all other QBs should be ignored (to be honest I still wouldn't be comfortable drafting a QB in Round 1 but that is just me) and let me tell you why. First while QBs are normally top point producers, in most leagues you can only start one, which diminishes their value. Secondly seasons like the one Brady just put up are anomalies. Thirdly you can get quality QBs from a fantasy perspective in the 4th, 5th or 6th round.

4- THOU SHALL NOT WORRY ABOUT WIDE RECEIVERS.

If Running Back is the hardest position to fill, Wide Receiver is the easiest. If you don't have a starting WR by round 4 don't worry because at that point their will still be quality WRs on the board. There will still be starting Wide Receivers as deep as the 10th round in most drafts, so don't panic if there is a run on receivers.

5- THOU SHALL ONLY BE CONSIDERED A REAL FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE IF IT STARTS INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE PLAYERS.

Fantasy Football is much more fun with IDP because one it includes both sides of the ball and two it involves more strategy from the owners. When drafting IDP the most important thing to remember is know your league's scoring system. If it rewards a lot of points for tackles go Linebacker heavy, if it rewards sacks more go Defensive Line heavy. You get the idea. Remember defense wins championships.