Welcome to ‘He said, she said’ — a fantasy football column from Herald sports editor Bruce Castleberry and sports multimedia producer Alexi Iafrato. Each week we will talk lineup strategy, top waiver wire picks and much more. This week’s column is all about the draft. Read below for our banter.
Are you ready for some fake football?
I think most of us are ready for any kind of football.
The 2020 season was messed up on so many levels. Put an asterisk next to it (a bummer for those who may have won a “championship” under such circumstances).
So what do you have to do to win in 2021? We have thoughts:
BC: Play the way you want to. The Herald league membership has been lobbying for PPR for a few years now. I have resisted. I think it’s a gimmick that overvalues marginal players who finish games with 5 catches for 31 yards. That’s not an impact player, but it’s 8 points. If a RB goes 15 carries for 79 yards, that’s a horse. A horse with less points than player A. Nope. I play in a half-point PPR league, and just don’t like it.
Read the rules. How the scoring is set up is a major concern. Most so-called “standard” leagues give QBs 4 points for a TD throw. Why? The QB is the most important position in football. Pat Mahomes is better than Daniel Jones. Don’t water down Pat Mahomes. The BH league awards 6 points for a TD pass, as God intended.
Have negative points. Variables make the game interesting. A fumble or an INT is -2 points. Turnovers are bad in real football and should be bad in pretend football.
AI: I have never been happier to stop fantasizing about football. We’re back, baby.
(I am not going to touch the PPR conversation. You know my stance. Half-PPR is the best option. Straight down the middle. Rewards just enough. Full or non-PPR is two extremes. Half is the lesser of two evils)
But moving away from the league rules — it’s not everyday we get to call ourselves GMs, so we are here to help you call the right plays from draft day to the playoffs.
So let’s talk – football.
My top tips to help you make the most of your time on the clock:
1. Make sure you stack up on skill positions before you reach for the big-name QB
2. Overload on RB depth before filling empty position slot needs
3. Do not sleep on the importance of bench depth
So let me elaborate on these three strategies:
No. 1 — This seems like it would be an obvious move, but not always. My thought is don’t waste your first few rounds of draft capital on a position that will still have plenty of available, viable options left in later rounds. I mean the point-potential gap between QB-to-QB is significantly smaller than the gap between RBs and WRs. However, there are exceptions to the rule — like two quarterback leagues, non-PPR, etc.… so what’s your take on this?
BC: Completely agree on waiting for a QB, even in our league. Listen, even if you’re picking last in the first round and are tempted to make that or the snake 2nd-rounder a QB — and, the only one you’d even consider is Mahomes — resist. Because if you take him and a position player, it’s a long wait until you pick again, and unless you totally luck out, the RB/WR pool at pick 30 is going to be meager.
AI: No. 2 — The chances of finding a quality RB in later rounds is slim, not to mention they don’t frequent the waiver wire like other positions do. Having two studs slated in your starting lineup won’t cut it. I feel you need at least two more quality guys that could step up throughout the season as needed, specifically in case of injury, bye weeks or just as a solid flex option. And if you’re talking non-PPR (*cough cough* our Herald league) — this strategy is an automatic. What would be your strategy here?
*Non-PPR leagues are rare, but they exist. Our Herald fantasy league is one of those examples and it makes draft day a little different. If you are in one, make sure your emphasis is on stacking up on running backs even more than you normally would. Going heavy on the RB game here is the strongest move you can make — WRs lose value without PPR. That’s where the point of emphasis is.
BC: Actual quote from actual columnist: “I am not going to touch the PPR conversation.”
You deserve a rare experience, Lexi. Happy to contribute. PPR is the DH of football: Artificial. Incomplete. Never.
But I agree on loading RBs and a way I do that is to make sure and grab a handcuff. Got Dalvin Cook? Get Alexander Mattison in a late round. But don’t handcuff all your RBs, because of bye weeks. As the season unfolds, guys will get hurt, will get benched, or get discovered. Those discovered guys can save you late.
AI: No. 3 — BDM. Bench depth matters. Your starting roster will get you through the regular season, but skill position depth is what will help you advance to the next level. Your flexibility on swapping in benchwarmers into starting roles is crucial to your team’s overall success. Think of injuries, bye weeks or other factors that will require some changes to your starting roster week-to-week while you’re drafting. Is this an area you put emphasis on or are you a waiver wire frequent flyer?
BC: Churn that roster. People who are constantly combing the free agent pool tend to have better teams. I draft plug-and-play guys who will be in the lineup every week, have a handful of key backups, then the bottom few slots are Flavor of the Week.
Another thought on depth: It was the great Dave Renbarger from my Dallas Morning News days who surveyed his roster and pointed out “Having 8 mediocre receivers is no better than having 6 mediocre receivers.” Don’t wait on guys. I admit to having drafted guys who had big training camps then became the No. 4 wideout who ends the year with 26 catches for 220 yards and 1 TD. That’s only 1 more TD than we will score this year. Pass. Would rather have a 3rd QB to play defense and keep away from a competitor.
A key Golden draft day Rule for me is: Your last two picks should be a D/ST and a K. Always. It’s easier to stream these every week based on favorable matchups than it is to count on consistent numbers. To some extent they’re always the same at year-end. A bit of a crapshoot. However, when you do draft these, consider some things … for a K, I like guys who play indoors. I don’t care how good a K is, if the snow is blowing sideways in January, I’d rather my K be in Arizona than Green Bay.
For D/ST … the 2020 Dallas Cowboys had a game where they allowed only 7 points. So even a terrible D can have a decent day. There will be scrap-heap free-agent D/STs available. Side note: If you’re in a league where your opponent(s) have more than one D/ST or K on their roster, you’re a disgrace if you don’t finish ahead of those people.
One question for you: Who is the steal that is gonna make you look smarter than everyone else?
Don’t say Jameis.
Even though it might be Jameis.
AI: I am not going to say Jameis, do not worry there. My smart steal is my secret. Come on now — we’re in competition. Valiant effort though — I admire the hustle.
Everyone stay tuned for the results of our Herald league draft — and our Week 1 start and sit edition of ‘He said, she said.’
"strategy" - Google News
August 28, 2021 at 03:47PM
https://ift.tt/3ym8WUx
He said, she said: Fantasy Football draft strategy, tips and more - Boston Herald
"strategy" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Ys7QbK
https://ift.tt/2zRd1Yo
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "He said, she said: Fantasy Football draft strategy, tips and more - Boston Herald"
Post a Comment