Players to Target and Avoid in Your Fantasy Draft

Lets get down to business. If you want to win your fantasy football draft its a few things to consider.

#1- What order of positions should you draft.

Do you go RB,RB,WR,QB
RB,QB,WR,RB
QB,RB,WR,RB

Well that all depends on how the draft goes. If all the elite RBs are off the board than you may want to go with a top of the line QB. Its better to have the absolute best QB as opposed to the 7th or 8th best RB for instance. Depending on how the scoring system works in your league you may place a higher value on WRs for PPR (points per reception) leagues.

#2- What players should you target and which players should you avoid. Here’s a little criteria I use to determine if I should target or avoid a certain player. Read more

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Fantasy Value of Jonathan Stewart Rising

Carolina Panther running back Jonathan Stewart made his first full appearance of the preseason on Saturday night against the Washington Redskins. Stewart has been resting for the majority of preseason as other rookie running backs have been climbing up fantasy rankings. In a few of my earlier posts I’ve been touting Stewart as the rookie of the year and the key to the Panthers success this season. The rookie from Oregon did not disappoint as he rushed for 100 yards and a TD on 10 carries. One of those carries happened to be a 50 yard score.

The Panthers were clicking on all cylinders, their defense, special teams, and offense were all on point against the Skins. Their defense recorded several early sacks and fumble recoveries to set the tone of the game as the Panthers dominated the Redskins 47-3.  Read more

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Bears defense ready to roll with Brown and Vasher back healthy in ‘08

The return of Mike Brown and Nathan Vasher has the Bears defense poised for a strong season.

How will their return impact the Bears defense in 2008-2009?

The real key here is the health of these two. If they can remain healthy, they will possess one of the best secondaries in the NFL this season. In 2005, when Vasher and Brown were both active, they had the NFL’s top ranked defense. When it comes to making plays on defense, I can’t name two veteran DBs more capable of scoring on the defensive side of the ball. As defensive backs neither really has a weakness other than perhaps being injury prone. On the field, these two cause havok to QBs and WRs alike. Two veteran players that still have something to prove and have a great chance at success this season.

The Bears also have a strong defensive line led by probowl DT Tommie Harris and consummate playmaker DE Adewale Ogunleye. They combined for 17 sacks last season and could be in line for even more this year with the return of an improved secondary. DBs Danieal Manning, Charles Tillman, and Rickey Manning Jr. are good options as well if the Bears want to have different coverage packages to confuse opposing offenses. In addition to a strong secondary and defensive line, Chicago has one of the better linebacking cores in the league led by all pro LBs Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher. Even though the Bears ranked 28th in total defense last season, they are poised for a strong comeback with their forgotten heroes Nathan Vasher and Mike Brown returning to the field.

What is the fantasy outlook for this defense with the return of Brown and Vasher?

One thing to really count on from Chicago will be more turnovers and more opportunities for defensive scores. If your league rewards points for defensive production and special teams then this unit could really be a sleeper for you in the later rounds. I have this defense ranked high considering their lackluster outing in 2007. In 2008, expect more interceptions, more fumble recoveries, and more sacks as well as less yards per game for opposing offenses. When it comes to fantasy football, previous years stats really only go so far. If Vasher and Brown can stay healthy and active then this unit will look more like its 2005 form. Not to mention the fact that they have the most prolific return man in cleats, Devin Hester. The Bears DST will be a treat for savvy fantasy owners who grab this unit in the later rounds. 

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My Fantasy Draft Results

*** Updated August 26, 2008 ***

Just finished drafting for my annual fantasy ($$) league in what was a competitive draft. I had a lot of confidence going into the draft and ended up with the 7th pick, not bad. Even though I prefer to draft closer to the end positions with back to back picks. It was a 12 team league and my roster is as follows:

Starters:

QB- Donovan McNabb
RB- Marion Barber
RB- Jonathan Stewart
WR- Braylon Edwards
WR- Steve Smith (Panthers)
Flex- Calvin Johnson
TE- Todd Heap (picked up from free agent list 8/24/08)
K- Kris Brown (Hou)
D- Green Bay Read more

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Getting ready for my Fantasy Draft: GAME ON!

As the clock ticks, every second that goes by brings me closer to my annual fantasy football draft. It is a league of champions, where close to 90% of the league has won a championship or league title at least once. It is going to be a very competitive league and the top 3 players will be rewarded very well. I plan to unleash an in depth look into my value picks, must haves, and players to avoid. However, due to the fact that many of the players in my fantasy league often visit this blog I have decided to wait before I “spill the beans.” The draft is on August 21st, so be sure to check back in the days following for my no holds barred, take no prisoners fantasy breakdown. Read more

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