Fantasy Football Analysis 2021

Draft Analyzer and Predictor

2022-09-04T08:58:00.000-05:00

Draft Analyzer is a completely free program that assists in drafting your fantasy football team by suggesting picks and predicting the picks of your opponents to give you an edge. This program can also be used to simulate random mock drafts. Draft Analyzer uses average draft position (ADP) data from either standard or point per reception (PPR) leagues of various team sizes. Last Updated: 04, September 2022.

Different prediction types include: Best available by ADP, Optimal One Pick Pick, and Optimal Two Pick Predictions.
Click here for more about draft analyzer's features and predictors

How to Use
1. Enter in the number of teams, roster settings and scoring type in the league settings table.
2. Begin drafting players. Type in the player name and click the "Draft Player" button.
3. If you want to make a prediction for the current pick, select your prediction type and click the show prediction button. Predicted picks are in italics.
4. If simulating a mock draft use the "Mock Pick" button to randomly simulate the next pick.
5. When your draft is complete select your team number and click the "Rate Team" button to export your draft to the Rate My Team Program.

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Rate Your Fantasy Team

2021-08-27T13:53:00.000-05:00

Recently expanded to include Top 64 QB's, 164 RB's, 220 WR's, and 119 TE's. No Defense or Kickers.
Last Updated: 27, August 2021.
Select scoring settings, enter your players name below, select if he is a starter or not and press "Add Player" to display in depth custom stat projections and rankings based on your scoring settings for your fantasy football team.

This program ranks your team by comparing your team to the best and worst possible teams using your settings. For the best results (it doesn't matter in the end but more interesting as you go) enter your players in the order they were drafted. AND MAKE SURE YOU SET THE # OF TEAMS correctly. Read more »

ESPN Playoff Match Ups and Sleepers Week 13-15

2015-12-02T17:48:00.000-06:00

In most standard fantasy leagues the playoffs start within the next 2 weeks, and when you're facing the best teams in your league every point counts. To help you out I have selected a few sleepers that I think could play out well late in the season, and in the coming weeks there are match ups that can be taken advantage of, as well as some that could hurt some key players.

Week 13

The Buccaneers are facing the Falcons at home and with the way Jamies Winston has been playing, I like this matchup for him. Winston, also one of my sleepers, is only owned in 36% of leagues. The Falcons have the best rushing defense in the NFL, which leads me to think Doug Martin is not going to be your man. Coleman, the Falcons backup running back, is a good start as long as Freeman remains out, and he is owned in 64% of leagues.

The Cardinals have the 6th ranked rushing defense in the NFL, setting up an unfavorable matchup for Todd Gurley. I am not telling you to sit Gurley, however if you have Thomas Rawls or Shady McCoy you might consider a more favorable matchup. Speaking of, McCoy seems to finally be healthy and since week 8’s bye he has scored 19, 20, and 24 points.

Week 14

Week 15 brings the worries of players sitting out to rest for the playoffs, so this is a good week to pick up a few extra players, mainly if you have players on teams that are going to clench a playoff spot, i.e. the Patriots and the Panthers. If someone in your playoff picture has Tom Brady or Cam Newton, than it may be a good idea to pick up a QB like Winston, or similar, to block them.

For the second week in a row Tampa Bay has been my favorite match up, so much so that as of now I plan on starting Winston this week over Rodgers. Winston is facing the Saints who just recently fired their defensive coordinator, as they are currently the 31st ranked passing defense in the NFL. The Saints defense allowed 6 TD's in week 8 to Eli Manning, 4 TD's in week 9 to Marcus Mariota, and 4 TD's to Kirk Cousins in week 10, leading me to believe that Jamies Winston is going to have much success exploiting this vulnerable Saints secondary. I would also expect Doug Martin to establish the run game early, and share in the spoils of this lopsided matchup.

Looking at the Patriots I know I have to choose them for a win over the Texans, however expect them to have some success in slowing down the Pats offense. The Patriots are running out of offensive weapons as Edelman is still out, Deon Lewis is out, and Amendola is now injured. I would look for options outside the Patriots offense, and again I really like Winston and he remains a good option for people who own Brady or Newton.

Week 15

For week 15 I have 2 favorable match ups

If Carson Palmer is playing in this game, I like him and Larry Fitzgerald to put up some serious points. It’s a road game for the Cardinal but against an Eagles defense that gave up 45 points to the Buccaneers and Lions. Weeks 11 and 12 brought back to back games where Jamies Winston and Matthew Stafford both passed for 5 TD's respectively. If the Cardinals still haven't clinched a playoff spot, Palmer and Fitzgerald could have big games against a struggling Eagles defense.

The Packers play in Oakland and I like both QB's in a very college-esque matchup between two passing offenses and two terrible passing defenses, 25^th and 30^threspectively, and both teams possibly fighting for a playoff spot making either quarterback a solid choice. Though the matchups aren’t bad, I would avoid receivers from this game as the Packers wide outs are too inconsistent and it is impossible to predict whether Crabtree or Cooper will get the work load, considering injuries.

Sleepers

1. Jamies Winston, 37% owned. Winston has good match ups in the last half of the season.

2. Colby Fleener, 32.8% owned. I will like Fleener more when Luck returns from injury because he is a good red zone threat.

3. Reuben Randle, 39.6% owned. Randal is more of a risky pick up, but with how much the Giants pass Randle is poised to have a big game at any time.

4. Doug Baldwin, 33.8% owned. Since Seattle has been passing a lot more lately, I like Baldwin as a good sleeper flex play.

5. Kamar Aiken, 52.7% owned. The Ravens, having been cursed with offensive injuries this season, are without Steve Smith, Joe Flacco and two running backs. With newly signed QB Matt Schaub, Aiken should see a lot more passes thrown his way as the ground game for Baltimore struggles.

By: JB La Cross

*Some stats supplied by ESPN

Week 11 BUY and SELL

2015-11-19T18:44:00.002-06:00

Quarter Backs

BUY Tom Brady- In week 2 Tom Brady put up over 400 yards passing and 3 TDs against the Bills in Buffalo. At home facing a Bills Defense that ranks 18^thagainst the pass I expect another good game from Tom Brady. Losing Julian Edelman shouldn’t hurt Brady’s fantasy numbers due to his ability to spread the wealth and get everyone involved in the passing game. Expect Amendola, Gronk, and maybe LaFell to have a good game with Edelman not in the line-up. Brady has 24 passing TDs, 2 rushing TDs, and only 3 ints so far this season. Monday Night at home I am starting him in DFS and season long leagues.

SELL Aaron Rodgers- While Rodgers put up over 20 points in week 10 it was a game that raises concern for not just Rodgers but the entire Packers offense. The Packers inability to run the ball hurt Rodgers as he had to throw 61 times. Greenbay’s O-Line also played poor allowing their QB to be sacked three times. Rodgers had a very bad first 3 quarters only putting up 148 yards and 0 TDs for 5.92pt. Somehow he turned it around and had an amazing 4^th quarter with 185 yards and 2TDs for 18.4pt saving anyone who started him. The Packers play on Sunday should have fantasy owners nervous about all Packers players going forward. In DFS stay away from Rodgers, there are much cheaper and more reliable options. In season leagues he isn’t someone you can afford to sit unless you are deep at QB.

Running Backs

BUY Lamar Miller- Lamar Miller is averaging 22.93pt/g over the last 3 games, as well as 6rec/g over the last 3. Playing a mediocre Cowboys defense expect Miller to have similar numbers to his week 10 game against the Eagles. The only downside to Miller is he doesn’t normally get majority of his points from running. In week 10 he had 16 carries for 43yds and 6rec for 50yds and a TD for 21pt. In the last 5 games Lamar Miller has 5rush TDs and 2rec TDs. In PPR leagues he’s very appealing. He’s a good cheap RB in DFS, and in season long if he is on your team he should be in your lineup. .

SELL Marshawn Lynch- When Marshawn Lynch hasn’t been hurt, he has been underperforming. He is only averaging 1 reception a game and has only rushed for over 100yds once. Lynch hasn’t looked like beast mode all year and don’t expect that to change now. If you’re playing in a PPR league like Draft Kings he should not be in your lineup. In season leagues he’s a flex play at best, unless your other RBs are on byes.

Wide Receivers

BUY Danny Amendola- With the loss of Edelman, Amendola is the Pats number 1 WR and someone who is worth picking up in season leagues. Brady’s #1 WR is only owned in 22.2% of leagues and in week 10, the first game without Edelman, he had 10rec 79 yds for 17pt. Pick up Amendola while you still can, after this week he may be gone. Having any player in your lineup that catches 10 passes in a game from Tom Brady is an advantage. In DFS I would start him in the flex or as a budget WR. He’s also a good flex play this week in season leagues.

SELL DeAndre Hopkins- Hopkins could still put up decent numbers but with how little the Texans score and not knowing who the QB will be he’s just too risky of a play. To make things even worse they are playing the Jets who have the 9^th pass defense in the NFL. In DFS Hopkins cost too much, $8800 on Draft Kings, and I don’t see his upside this week against a good Jets pass defense. And even in season leagues I’m looking to my bench for someone with more upside.

Tight Ends

BUY Delanie Walker- Walker has been great lately he is averaging 15.8pt/g over last 5. Walker is the Titans team leader in receiving yards, targets, and catch rate. He has great upside playing Jacksonville who is 21^st against the TE, Walker could be in for yet another big game. He’s a good TE for DFS, and if he’s on you season league team start him unless you own Gronkowski or Olsen.

SELL Tyler Eifert- Eifert is playing a good Cardinals defense this week on the road, and after a rough loss to the Texans I don’t see Eifert having a very productive game. Eifert had 3 drops against the Texans and ended with 26yds for 5pt, which is very poor coming off a 3 TD for 28pt game. In DFS would start either Walker, Olsen, or Gronk. In season long only start Eifert if you don’t own any of the 3 previously listed TEs.

By: JB La Cross

Top 50+ Fantasy Football Team Names

2015-08-27T13:32:00.000-05:00

Nobody wants to be the guy with the team name "Team lastname". You'll be known as uncreative. That will make it look like you don't care about your league! So change your name from the default for the sake of us all.

If you can't think of your own fantasy football name then take a look at the list below, you could find the name you've been searching for. Or spark an idea of your own. Some are funny, some are serious, its just a mix of solid team names (there used to be 50 but I expanded the list most recently prior to the 2015-2016 season). Got your own ideas? Leave them in a comment.
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More 2015 Fantasy Football Sleepers

2015-08-23T09:44:00.000-05:00

I am using the ADP and draft rankings from NFL.Com to compile this list of players that I believe are absolute steals at their positions. These are players that I think will outperform their respective rankings and ADP from NFL.Com.

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Miami

Tannehill has an ADP of 63 and is ranked as the #8 quarterback in fantasy this year. I really think he will be a top five QB this year. He has a lot of weapons to get the ball to, the offensive line is improved from last year, and the running game may be even better than last year. He is also more of a runner than people realize. Tannehill was very quietly the ninth highest scoring quarterback last year. He has no excuses to not perform at a top five level this year. I will jump all over him in the sixth round of a ten team league’s draft.

Allen Robinson, WR, Jacksonville

Last year, Allen Robinson was a second round pick by the Jaguars to help Blake Bortles with his transition into the league. Robinson has an ADP of 138 in the NFL.Com leagues and ranked as the #48 wide receiver. Robinson should be going way before the thirteenth round in a standard ten team. He is better in a PPR because of the limited scoring opportunities he’ll have in that Jaguars offense, but he should still be going much earlier. He was peppered with targets from a young Bortles and he should be healthy this year after missing some time last year. In 10 games last year he was targeted 81 times and hauled in 48 for 548 yards and only two touchdowns. I expect him to be a top 20 receiver in PPR formats this year.

Jordan Matthews, WR, Philadelphia

Matthews has been promoted to the top target in a high powered offense that has produced a top WR in the last few years with Kelly as head coach. The offense makes anyone starting, an automatic lock to produce fantasy points. Matthews is a very talented receiver. Last year he was the second option in the passing game and still had 105 targets that turned into 67 catches, 872 yards, and 8 touchdowns. This year, he should be in the top 10 at WR in all formats. There is no reason he won’t produce at least at the level of Jeremy Maclin last year. With an ADP of 43 and a position rank of 16, he may be the biggest steal of the year.

Chris Ivory, RB, New York Jets

Chris Ivory is the top runningback on a team that will have to run the ball to stay in games. It’s very hard to find runningbacks after round three, so it doesn’t make any sense that Ivory has an ADP of 94. It will be very easy for Ivory to outperform the 22 runningbacks ranked ahead of him. He finished as the 19^th highest scoring RB last year in standard, but the passing game should be slightly improved this year and Chan Gailey should make the offense more potent as a whole. Ivory is a very consistent player that probably won’t get many 20 point games, but also won’t have many two pint games either. I expect Ivory to be in the top 15 at least.

Shane Vereen, RB, New York Giants

Vereen is more of a PPR sleeper than a standard sleeper, but he could produce well in both. Vereen is coming into a quick passing offense to be the passing downs back. He should get plenty of carries as well with Rashad Jennings’ injury history. There is talk of Vereen impressing in New York and possibly getting more touches than expected. Vereen has an ADP of 142 and is the 48^th ranked RB. I would be shocked if Vereen isn’t in the top 25 in PPR leagues. He should be on everyone’s flier list in the later rounds.

All of these players should be targeted in drafts because they have potential to outperform ADP and expectations. Next week I will have a top bust list out that will predict which players will underperform their ADPs.

By: Matthew Acord

2015 Fantasy Football Sleepers

2015-08-14T18:57:00.000-05:00

As the 2015 NFL season approaches and more importantly the fantasy seasons of over 33 million people, many are looking for that diamond in the rough. Who will be that late round draft pick that will yield first round production and lead your roster to victory and ultimately glory? Well look no further gentlemen, the following will give you confidence going into your drafts and gain you respect amongst friends and enemies alike.

The first key to picking a sleeper is confidence. Without it you’ll end up like Jeff who has been suckling the teet of Matthew Berry’s top 300 since your league's inception. All rankings should be a guideline and something to fall back on should your draft take a turn for the worse, or should you consume one to many shots of 1800 tequila. To find top tier talent during the draft you must zig when others zag. Were the first 6 picks of the first round all running backs? Then take a top tier wideout and target some tier two backs with your second pick. Finding sleepers is an easy process when you have the equation, which is as follows. You're looking for players with great offensive lines and quarterbacks. Every year some no name wideout will start catching balls from Peyton Manning and end up becoming a weekly stud. According to last year the top three offensive lines were Dallas, Seattle and New England, all which had some additions and losses this offseason which may make for potential sleepers.

1. Joseph Randle, RB, Dallas Cowboys

Randle is a back with two years of experience with the Cowboys who has been working hard to earn their trust. He was slated to be the number two behind Darren McFadden until McFadden took his favorite position on the IR. Randle has chemistry with the Dallas offensive line already and looked good taking over for Demarco Murray last season when he needed a break. As of this writing Randle has a strained oblique and that may drop him a couple spots from his projected 4th round draft stock, but picking up a guy like this in the 4th is a steal and a pick with high upside, just ask Murray owners last year after he had 392 rushes. McFadden isn’t becoming a threat anytime soon and with Tony Romo and Dez Bryant commanding the respect of the defense Randle will have opportunities to flourish.

2. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

No, not that Lockette. This one can actually catch a 5 yard slant route without looking weaker than a mixed drink after midnight. Lockett was a stud the last two seasons for Kansas State in both the receiving and return game before being drafted with the 5^thpick in the 3^rd round by the Seahawks. While he may not have prototypical size, he is the most polished route runner in this year’s draft. Watch his highlights if you don't believe me, this kid has a knack for finding open space and with 4.4 40 speed he can turn open space into the end zone. Don't let his lack of size scare you, he is on a team whose top two receivers last year were Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse both hovering around six foot. Lockett isn’t even projected to be drafted in most fantasy leagues making him an excellent 15th or 16th round pick and someone with huge upside.

3. Duke Johnson, RB, Cleveland Browns

When thinking of the Browns you rarely think of fantasy studs. More than likely you think of the unimpressive careers of Jordan Cameron and the infuriating Josh Gordon. That is all about to change my friends. The Browns have one of the best O-lines in the league and number one in the AFC. Last season we saw impressive performances by Isaiah Crowell and Terrence West, which unfortunately came crashing down after Alex Mack was injured. Duke Johnson has a chance to get the majority of the Browns touches on a team who wants to take as much pressure off the Quarterback as possible. Johnson set all types of records at Miami and that university boasts an impressive group of stud running backs such as Frank Gore, Willis Mcgahee, Lamar MIller and Edgerrin James. Duke Johnson holds the all-time rushing record over all of them. Currently he is projected to be drafted somewhere around 7th or 8th round. I wouldn't be scared at all to take him at the top of the 7th.

4. Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders

Can a 4th overall pick in the NFL draft ever be considered sleeper material? Why yes they can. Coopers collegiate career speaks for itself, what I’m more interested in is Derek Carr and the Raiders offensive line. Last year the Raiders had the 2nd best offensive line based on sack percentage, with 4.4%, tied with the New England Patriots. With the lack of competition at the wideout position in Oakland, Cooper is far and away the number one with huge upside. The Raiders pass the ball a lot, they were number one in the league last year passing on 66% of all plays. Remember that's to guys like James Jones, Rod Streater and Kenbrell Thompkins. Imagine what a supreme talent like Cooper could do with balls coming his way that frequently. Cooper is currently projected to go around round 9 or 10 in most leagues and that is a travesty. Take this guy round 8 or 9 with confidence and watch as he tears a hole in your flex position.

Well that about wraps things up. Things to remember, don't trust anyone but yourself. You have to make your own picks based on your own research. Every year Matthew Berry predicts some sleeper that ends up being a bust, Toby Gerhart and Cordarrelle Patterson for example. If you’re going to make a ballsy pick do it with your own balls not someone else's. The above picks are just a starting point and you should continue to look for players who can thrive on a roster already surrounded with talent. With that in mind go boldly into your drafts in the upcoming weeks, and try to stay sober until the 12th round at least. Nobody wants to wake up the next morning and see they drafted Blair Walsh in the 9th.

2015 NFL Free Agency and Trade Tracker

2015-03-11T13:47:00.000-05:00

The biggest thing to keep track of during the 2015 NFL and Fantasy Football off-season is the roster swaps that happen via free agency and trades. In the past I have tried to keep a blog post updated that kept track of all free agency swaps but this year I thought I would source the job out to the internet community. View the full post for all 2015 NFL free agency, retirement, and trade information. Read more »

6 Rookie Sleepers Ready to Step Up

2014-08-25T17:47:00.000-05:00

That time of year is back my friends, it is finally time to draft your fantasy football team (or seven if you're like me). It is well known that one of the keys to winning your fantasy league is identifying rookie talent. Rookies tend to be risky picks but for this reason they can also be valuable picks. Since it is once again draft season, here are 6 rookies that I love heading into the season:
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Draft Analyzer Features

2014-06-02T17:04:00.000-05:00

Click here to check out Draft Analyzer

How to Use
1. Enter in the number of teams, roster settings and scoring type in the league settings table.
2. Begin drafting players. Type in the player name and click the "Draft Player" button.
3. If you want to make a prediction for the current pick, select your prediction type and click the show prediction button. Predicted picks are in italics.
4. If simulating a mock draft use the "Mock Pick" button to randomly simulate the next pick.
5. When your draft is complete select your team number and click the "Rate Team" button to export your draft to the Rate My Team Program.

Prediction Type Information
Best available by ADP: This simulates picks for the current team by always taking the best available player according to ADP. The current team's roster needs are not taken into about using this method

Optimal One Pick Prediction: This prediction type predicts the best available player for your team by taking into account your roster needs and roster maximums to modify the ADP data. For example, if you only have one starting quarterback slot and you have already drafted a quarterback this predictor will not suggest that you draft a back-up QB until the later rounds of the draft once the value increases over other positions. While if you are in a two quarterback league all quarterbacks are significantly boosted until you fill your two starting quarterback slots because the predictor recognizes the increased quarterback value with these league settings.

Optimal Two Pick Prediction: This method is the most computationally intensive as it simulates the current teams pick as if that team were to draft the top QB, RB, WR, TE, K, or DEF then it simulates all of the pick between the current teams current pick and the current teams next pick by drafting the Optimal One Pick Prediction for each team. Then it suggests the player that resulted in the highest combined value over the two picks. If few picks are between the current pick and the current teams next pick then this algorithm increases in accuracy. An example of when this algorithm would be exetremely useful is for the 9th pick in a 10 team league as the predictor would only have to predict two picks between the current and next pick. So continuing with this example if the 9th pick team had already drafted 1 running back and 1 receiver while the 10th pick team currently had 2 running backs. In this situation team 9's two pick predictor would boost the ADP ratings of the wide receivers as player 10 is likely to pick up a wide receiver. Thus it will suggest that you take a receiver first over an equally rated running back as that running back is more likely to be available for your next pick. The other useful feature of this predictor is that it will easily recognize tiers. If the value at a position is going to drop between your current pick and your next pick then this algorithm will boost the value of that position.

Mock Draft Selections
Use the "Mock Player" button to draft a player randomly. This essentially uses Optimal One Pick Predictions with a random scalar added the original ADP data.

Save Draft
Use the "Save Draft" button to format a URL Link that can be visited any time to pick up the draft where you left off. The button opens your new formatted URL link in a new tab. Simply copy and save this URL address for later.

Rate Team
Select the team number that you want to rate and click the "Rate Team" button. This will export the desired team to Analyze Fantasy Football's Rate my Team program using a similiar method as the Save Draft feature. This includes predictions if the "Show Prediction" button has been pressed, use the "Hide Predictions" button before pressing the "Rate My Team" button to remove all future predicted picks.

Increase Text Size
If the text size is too small for you to read hold Ctrl and press + until the page is of the size desired. To make the text size smaller hold Ctrl and press -.

Have a question?
If you have a question about draft analyzer please leave a comment here and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Post 2013 Value Based Drafting Numbers

2014-03-27T13:01:00.000-05:00

Value based drafting can be an extremely useful metric when analyzing trends in previous fantasy football seasons for future use. For example, it could be used to gauge whether going RB heavy last year (as many suggested) really was a good strategy or if this line of thought was flawed.

This metric essentially compares each players point total to the point total of a baseline player for each position by subtracting the baseline players point total from each players point total. When using value based drafting the most important factor is the method used to pick the baseline player at each position. This article chooses its baseline players as explained in this article. Essentially the baseline player for each position is set to be the average number of players drafted at that position in the first 10 rounds of the fantasy football draft.

For example, if last year on average in a 10 team league 40 running backs were drafted in the first 10 rounds then the baseline would be set to 40. The baselines used for this example are based on 12 team leagues and on average: 17 QB's, 43 RB's, 40 WR's, 12 TE's, 6 DEF's, and 2 K's were drafted in the first 10 rounds of a 12 team draft thus the baselines were set at 17, 43, 40 and 12 respectively (DEF's and K's were neglected).

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4 Bust Predictions for 2013-14 NFL Fantasy

2013-07-31T17:43:00.001-05:00

For every Andrew Luck story in fantasy football, there is a Ryan Leaf. Or a Javon Walker. (Remember him as a Raider? Neither do we.)

The list goes on and on when it comes to highly touted players who don't perform to expectations -- despite preseason hype and immense potential. Whether it be a change in scenery, injuries -- or rookies having trouble adapting to the game -- there are already a few potential busts in the making for 2013.

Sometimes talent is not enough -- without the right supporting cast or environment. It is a continuing theme as we kick off the list:

Colin Kaepernick (QB - San Francisco 49ers): From backup quarterback to ESPN Magazine Body Issue coverboy, Kaepernick's rise to fame last season was nothing short of spectacular, considering he garnered a 98.3 quarterback rating en route to leading the Niners to the Super Bowl.

How to deal with player consistency

2013-06-22T10:04:00.000-05:00

In fantasy football it is often claimed that a player has a very stable or consistent output while other players are considered unstable or inconsistent. These statements refer to the players point output on a week to week basis. Some people will argue that you're better off with consistent players and thus discount the players with high week to week variation. I'm writing this article to argue that variance should have no effect on your decisions while drafting players and I will give a few arguments as to why high variant players can be to your advantage.

Statistically if both teams have a Gaussian distribution the variance has no effect on the probability of victory for either team. The probability of victory for either team would be...

(E[x] = Expected or mean value of x (essentially points per game), P[x] = Probability that x wins)

P[TeamA] = E[TeamA]/(E[TeamA] + E[TeamB])

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Over/Under: Arian Foster

2013-06-16T21:39:00.002-05:00

Welcome to another installment of “Over/Under” where I highlight a player and determine some projections based on past tendencies and then state whether I think they will go “over or under” those projections. The criteria will be different for each player based on position and situation.

Today we are going to talk about a player who has been a former number one overall pick in dynasty leagues and a lightning rod for debate this off-season, Houston Texans running back Arian Foster. We will put his betting line at 1,500 total yards and 12.5 total touchdowns.

I’ve been playing dynasty fantasy football for 15 years now and barring injury, I have never seen the dynasty community bail on a player faster than they have on Foster. I’ve mentioned it before; I often pick my topic based on Twitter conversations and trends. The Foster debate is never ending. You can pretty much pick a night and find someone arguing about Foster’s outlook and downward trend. They cite age, yards per carry, number of touches and more. If that doesn’t work, a very specific, obscure metric that eliminates 95% of the field will pop up to support whatever they’re trying to convince you of.

The dreaded age of the performance cliff for running backs has historically been at age 30, Foster will celebrate his 27^th birthday just before week one of his

Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: Quarterbacks

2013-06-16T21:08:00.000-05:00

Highly Productive QBs Are Even More Prevalent

Many of you who are reading this are likely to have participated in fantasy football during the 2000s, and a number of you likely began owning teams in the ‘90s. If that includes you, then you undoubtedly are familiar with the draft strategy of selecting RBs with each of your first two draft picks. That practice was essentially unchallenged for numerous years by fantasy experts and owners alike. And it was extremely logical considering the mammoth emphasis that NFL franchises placed upon their rushing attacks. Some owners even employed three of their first four picks to quickly build a stable of backs, while the quarterbacks and wide receiver positions were designated with lower priorities during the draft process. But that philosophy began to evolve in recent years to correspond with alterations in the offensive approach by NFL teams. The degree to which passing attacks have exploded has been well chronicled, as has the fact that highly productive QBs have become increasingly prevalent. Signal callers are now entrusted with an ever increasing responsibility to generating sizable yardage and TDs. That in turn has entrenched them atop the fantasy point leader board in recent years. And that will occur again this season, as prolific QB play should be more prevalent than ever for fantasy owners. The influx of exceptional new talent at the position during the 2012 season – RG3, Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, and Colin Kaepernick – will merge with the collection of highly effective veterans to supply a massive number of enticing options during your drafts this summer.

2012 Fantasy Football: Quarterbacks That Provided The Worst Value

2013-01-27T13:53:00.001-06:00

Since the 2012 fantasy season ended, you’ve had time to reflect upon how your seasons unfolded. Yet, many of you have already started planning your next drafts. This column will help you evaluate which QBs provided the worst value for their owners during 2012. And it will also deliver the jump start that you need toward creating your 2013 draft plan, that will include a large number of legitimate options for your QB1.

First, let’s rewind to last August or early September, when your fantasy drafts occurred. Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Drew Brees were almost universally the initial three QBs selected. Then, Matthew Stafford and Cam Newton departed the draft boards before the end of Round 2. After that? There was an assemblage of signal callers that consisted of Michael Vick, Eli Manning, Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers, Tony Romoand Peyton Manning. Then an additional tier of Robert Griffin III, Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck, Jay Cutler and Matt Schaub.

Of these QBs, some performed extremely well, others produced satisfactorily, and others were complete disappointments. This article will provide an in-depth look at five whose overall production failed to match their average draft positions. That conclusion will be based upon the numbers that each signal caller generated, using a scoring system of six points per TD, one point per 20 passing yards, and one point per 10 rushing/receiving yards in a 12-team league. After conducting an overall assessment of their ADP from six primary fantasy sites, those results will be combined with their overall production to determine their value to fantasy owners.

Running Back Physical Analysis

2013-01-10T10:47:00.000-06:00

At the end of every February, hundreds of coaches, scouts, doctors, and staff members flock to Indianapolis. At the same time, die hard football fans start to show the effects of rookie fever and flock to their TVs to set their DVRs for the NFL Combine.

When you stop to think about it, it really is a strange phenomenon.

We watch these young men run, jump, and lift over and over again. They get measured like prize cattle and prodded by team doctors to see if they fit the bill. The only issue is that no one really knows exactly what to look for in these measurements. Some NFL teams are known to have a strong affinity for one measurement over the others (for example, Oakland and 40 yard dash times) and there are a ton of commonly held beliefs such as quarterbacks needing to be 6’2” or taller to succeed. What exactly does the combine mean to us, the dynasty fantasy footballer? Sure, faster and bigger is better. But the question that I’ve always had is exactly how fast is fast enough? Is it just a fast 40 or do I need to look at cone, shuttle, 10 yard splits and everything else too?

2013 Quarterback Sleepers

2013-01-04T23:05:00.001-06:00

The quarterback class is looking very deep for 2013. So deep that players who used to be starting fantasy quarterbacks are being pushed out of the top 12 by the promising young quarterbacks that lit up the league in 2012. Some of the players that are being pushed down out of the starter tier this year are some big names like Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and Michael Vick.

This is being written before free agency, the draft and training camp so things could change but as of January 4th, 2013 this is my quarterback sleepers list. I am going to assume that things are as they are today. Also note that when I say "sleeper" I mean undervalued players (according to the "experts"). That means that these quarterbacks don't necessarily have to be picked in the late rounds although, most of them still are.
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Post 2012 Value Based Drafting Numbers

2013-01-03T02:10:00.000-06:00

Note:Post 2013 Value Based Drafting Numbers found here

I was crunching some numbers this weekend for myself so I thought I'd post up some value based drafting numbers from the 2012 season to help you get ready for the 2013 season. These numbers were compiled with standard scoring settings.
Using value based drafting numbers is a way of judging a positions relative value to the rest of the field. I typically don't use it for specific players because injuries happen, situations change, players age, and ultimately it all depends on where they are being drafted by everyone else on whether or not you should draft someone but its a great metric for gauging positions.

Let's Get to the Data

The value based drafting numbers for a specific player are calculated by subtracting the point total of the baseline player from the players point total. I'm doing these numbers for 12 team ESPN standard leagues and I'm going to use the same rankings as Karabell does in this VBD article (go to it for more explanation about value based drafting). Thus I will use the 17th ranked QB as the baseline, 43rd ranked RB, 40th ranked WR, and the 12th ranked TE. (If the 6th defense and 2nd kicker are used then these are the usual positions drafted in the first 120 picks according to Karabell, I neglected the defense and kicker positions).

Fantasy Football Aftermath

2013-01-03T01:11:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the final edition of this season’s Dynasty Aftermath. This Tuesday staple has long been one of our signature pieces as we have a little fun after a tough week at the Dynasty League Football office. You’ll find this article will review the week’s happenings in a variety of ways. Fantasy seasons are over, but that just means we’re starting all over with a new year’s worth of content. Thanks for making the aftermath one of most viewed articles each and every week this year.

Let’s take our final weekly spin around the league and look at the best scoring lineups for this week and for the entire season

2012 Fantasy Football Sleepers

2012-04-01T05:00:00.004-05:00

Well, I haven't been posting much lately as you can tell mainly because I was busy with class and work and this website proved to be a larger project than I had planned but I was just doing some fantasy football research and decided I may as well post who I like for the next season. And just to point out a few trends for the year based on forums I bet that next year will be a very QB heavy first round in your draft so be ready for that. If you miss a big run of QB's don't be afraid to go RB or WR. I am also leaning towards a stud RB this year unless I can get my boy Aaron Rodgers. Anyway here's my sleeper list, its pre NFL draft so take it for what its worth..

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Players who gained value after free agency

2011-08-02T01:44:00.000-05:00

Free agency caused a lot of ups and downs for many players in the league. This article contains ten NFL players who's fantasy football value is on the rise since free agency. Keep an eye out for them in your fantasy football draft.

Ray Rice, Bal
The Raven's traded away their goal line running back, Willis McGahee. McGahee has been vulturing touchdowns from Rice for years. Willis leaving should greatly improve Rice's touchdown numbers. Then the Ravens signed All-Pro fullback Vonta Leach to a three-year deal, presumably removing Le'Ron McClain from the equation. Read more »

Fantasy Football Players to Watch

2011-07-31T13:36:00.002-05:00

A great tool that is a common feature if your draft is hosted online is the watch list. A watch list is just a way to keep your eyes on any free agents your thinking about, and all in the same spot. I use this feature commonly, usually I will fill the list with players who I think have a chance of breaking out. The list is mostly filled with running backs and receivers because it is uncommon for a player to break out at any other position although a few will make the list through the season. These are the type of players you should see as free agents after your fantasy football draft. They could be considered deep sleepers.

In this article I will provide you with my watch list on my first 10 team standard 16 slot rosters league, although the list is much deeper than necessary for a 10 team league. Really I'm not a big fan of 10 team leagues with standard rosters, but I usually do one a year and thought I would do one fantasy draft during the NFL lockout for a challenge. Below is my fantasy football watch list as of July 31st, 2011 and a comment for each player.
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Fantasy Football Bust: Carolina Running Backs

2011-07-29T17:00:00.002-05:00

Carolina is one of few teams in the NFL that possess multiple starting caliber running backs. Both Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams have the talent to be three down backs in the NFL. This off-season DeAngelo Williams was a free agent. The Panthers have plenty of holes on offense and it would make a lot of sense to let Williams sign with another team. They could use that cap room at any other position but running back. Instead of letting Williams leave they resign him with a 5 year 43 million dollar contract. In my opinion, not the best move for the Panthers. This was definitely not the best move for either Stewart or William's fantasy value.
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Up-To-Date Offseason Moves Tuesday-Friday

2011-07-27T14:41:00.013-05:00

Free agency after the lockout was fast and exciting. So far on day one teams were only able to sign there own free agents and begin negotiating with other teams and free agents. There were tons of deals negotiated that should be signed on Thursday. On day one the talk of the day was quarterbacks. A most the smaller moves were made but the big names have yet to be moved. In this article I'm going to overview all the team changes for relevant fantasy football players so far. These moves aren't considered official until Thursday. This post will be updated frequently throughout the next few days.

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