It's Crunch Time: Breathe, Don't Overthink and Breathe

Here we go folks, it all comes down to these next few weeks. I'm here more for your mental well being. We're all recovering fantasy football addicts and the first step is admitting that we have a problem. So in these tense times where the playoffs are upon us, focus on wellness first, breathe, recognize that it's not life and then tweak your lineup for domination. If you've managed things well enough to make it to the playoffs, now is not the time to overthink things. Stick with they guys that have gotten you there. No one team in the NFL has nothing to play for at this point. And that, is good for us fantasy shlubs. So whether you have Manning (Peyton....I know, if you had Eli you're likely not in the playoffs, sorry) Rodgers, Brady or a top tier running back, play them, regardless of matchup, regardless of how they've performed over the last couple of weeks. This is where the big dogs step up and the starts shine. Unless you're hurting because of injury somewhere, now is not the time to get cute with sleepers. Keep your eyes on the prize and first and foremost, watch your blood pressure, take a breathe and feel the liberty in realizing you have no control over how your team actually performs once that lineup is set and Sunday rolls around. Good luck!

Playoffs Are Upon Us

I've treated you with kid gloves up until this point. There are no more moral victories, there are only the I scored more points than my opponent victories. You must put your best team on the virtual gridiron and know that every point counts. At this juncture, you're playing the other best teams in your league and there is no room for error. Already know all this? Fine, so you're looking to find out how you know that your best is being played and how you can fight your way to the championship game. If you're anything like me you struggle each week with whether you should go with your gut or the weekly pundits. My advice is that you jump on the bandwagon, the buzzword that has swirled around NFL front offices and do the analytics. Don't make it a guessing game. Go through week by week and measure your picks versus the pundits in regards to your starts versus sits. The good thing is that parody is more evident than ever and everyone is battling for something late into the season. So perform your own analytics, rest assured that your big names, if healthy, should be at their best in this all-important time in the season and don't get cute! This is no time to go dumpster diving for sleepers. And try to enjoy your Thanksgiving without checking your score minute-by-minute.

Why do we love fantasy football?

Football was great before the virtual gridiron was ever dreamed up. No other sport has ever quite matched the ultimate anthropomorphic chess match that is professional football. But the simple truth is that fantasy has sent the NFL's popularity through the stratosphere and garnered the league more fans than ever. What is it exactly about it that is so compelling? What is it exactly that makes it so popular?

Of course it needs to be mentioned, that people have a tendency to flock to anything you can gamble or put some money on. But that's not it. I feel like in much the same way you take players from all different teams to build the best team possible, it's the communal aspect. People are naturally communal and competitive and with football being so pervasive, it makes fantasy football the ideal game to embrace both of these things. It's a powerful combination. Who more than your friends and family do you want to put your competitive prowess on display? It's great to be able to put yourself in the general manager seat, but it just wouldn't mean as much if it didn't combine the chance to have an ongoing activity and connection with friends and family. So there it is. Playing general manager and money are wonderful motivators, but what ultimately gives fantasy football its immense popularity, is the powerful combination of communal and competitive.

Other Things That Should Count for Fantasy Football Points

There are a number of settings that a commissioner can manipulate to impact the scoring in a league, but are there really enough? Especially for those teams dwelling in the bottom ranks with little to no hope of making the playoffs, we should get a little more creative and start adding points for:

1. Entertaining touchdown dances - Here are the Top 10 of All Time according to NFL.com

2. Pre-game, in-game and post-game interview cliches - I know, quite revolutionary extending the scoring this far but imagine how many points you could get for a, "We just want to play our game," or "We have to be better," or "There's no I in team," and of course my favorite, "We want to give 110%."

3. Grass divots - I find it particularly hilarious when a player gets tackled and emerges with a good amount of turf stuck in their helmet. This is definitely point worthy and even measurable.

4. Hair length - Long hair, whether it be dreadlocks or heavy metal hair, is all the rage. It's a thing, let's get some points up for it.

5. Make a suggestion - I'm inviting you, the reader, to suggest what #5 should be. Is this me with a lack of inspiration, being lazy or looking for participation? You decide!

Pundits vs. Your Gut

"My gut is telling me no. But my gut is also very hungry." -Gob Bluth

If you're like me, you experience great consternation with your lineup decisions, week in, week out. Fantasy players are now bombarded with information, it is a huge industry and there are countless proclaimed experts offering advice. First and foremost, never pay for information. There are some services out there that charge a subscription fee and some just a one-time fee, but there is far to much credible, free information out there. It's great that we have so much information at our fingertips, but it can often become noise that only serves to convolute and compound our decisions. I'm not saying that the pundits aren't well intentioned, but they don't have crystal balls. They may study the tape, know the trends and the statistical likelihood, but when it is all said and done, it's football. I can't tell you how many times I over thought my decisions and then let an expert eventually sway my decision . . . and then live to regret it. There is something to be said for that initial feeling about a player and what direction it's pointing you in. Take the experts for what they are, guys and gals paid to keep guys and gals like you and me continuously visiting the sites and tuning in. Let them inform your decision, but don't sideline what your gut is telling you, even if you are just feeling gassy. 

Google Map Project 2

So you're not playoff bound . . .

It's not looking so good. You're at the bottom of your league and statistically you would probably have to run the table to make it to the playoffs. It's fantasy, unless you have some type of dynasty league, you likely aren't playing for a draft position. Is it simply pride? Maybe. Perhaps you just want to play the role of a spoiler. Both of those things are legitimate reasons to not simply give up and let your team dwindle into fantasy obscurity. You also owe it to your fellow league participants. There's nothing worse than someone giving up and allowing bye week or injured players to start and give an easy win to a team that does have playoff implications. Yes, that would fall under obligation. But this doesn't mean that it has to be all business. You can make it fun. Perhaps you could try:

• Starting players from your favorite team so that you have a double rooting interest
• Build a team based around a theme: the legal trouble team or an entire team with guys whose names begin with "J"
• Experiment with sleepers

You get the point. Continue playing, but play fast and loose. Take the opportunity to enjoy NFL Sundays and not sweat your fantasy score. Life is good, it's football season. And as a Jaguars fan I can say, there is always next season. 

Good Food, Cheap Spirits and Great Service Help Ease a Loss

Hey Jacksonville, whether you are basking in fantasy glory or it's making you miserable at the season's mid point, you should at least be enjoying yourself with good food, some responsible drinking and fun atmosphere. Check out Lola's Burrito Joint on King Street!


 

Dealing with Fantasy Disappointments

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

It's hard to stomach a first round pick that doesn't seem to be panning out. Yes, it's mainly due to injury, not so much poor performance, but that consolation doesn't help you win games. If you drafted in one of the top three slots, there's a good chance that you landed Jamaal Charles. Injury has plagued him already and his backup, Kniles Davis, has actually scored more points this season. Let's discuss LeSean McCoy. He is also behind his backup, Darren Sproles in points. There is likely nobody that you would have believed if they told you before the season started, that through 7 weeks, Ahmad Bradshaw and Chris Ivory would be well ahead of Charles and McCoy. It's not just the running backs either. Golden Tate has scored more points than Calvin Johnson. Martellus Bennet and Delanie Walker are both ahead of Jimmy Graham. Hopefully you drafted for depth, stocking up on RBs and WRs instead of grabbing a seemingly sexy defense early. It also shows that handcuffs are more than a police tool or sex toy. Take heart, there is a reason why these are all first-round worthy picks and there's about a half of a season left for things to turn around.

When Things Go Your Way

This one is for the high-pedigree fantasy football player. You've won a lot of championships. But this season just doesn't seems to be going your way. It's a reminder that anything can happen and that you can't simply rest on your laurels. Like a pro, you need to forget that wall of virtual trophies that lines your browser. This is a new season and whether you're in a legacy league or not, there is no need to make assumptions that your past finishes are going to catapult you to a good finish. You may have to lower your standards and surf the waiver wire and make some trades with that team that was the joke of your league many seasons running. Don't let winning condition you to such a big ego that their is an assumption that you don't have to do those things that you felt looked desperate on those teams you dominated previously. Adversely, don't be so desperate that you get away from what has helped you win in the past. The Larry Fitzgerald's of the world aren't producing, but they will . . . the talent is there and Palmer is back, so be patient. And maybe, if you're patient and approach your league with a good balance of that and making some moves, you won't have to forgo the spoils of being champion this season. Keep the faith. You're a winner.

The Lessons Learned from Being a Jaguars Fan

I need some fantasy football therapy myself. After having what I thought to be a monster draft, my players are underperforming and I seem to catch other teams when they have their biggest weeks. The Jaguars are once again 0 -5. As a fan base, we've become accustomed to losing and now have an attitude that we just hope that they compete well. That doesn't help much in regards to your fantasy season, but it's still fairly early. As Jaguar fans, we have some hope in our rookie QB, Blake Bortles. He extends plays, he sees the field, he makes the offense a different animal. We have hope! It sounds flimsy, but it's something. Don't give up yet, there is still a lot of virtual football to be played and you can still salvage your season. Keep the hope alive!

20140914 Blake BortlesCC BY-SA 2.0

Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA - Blake Bortles

Sometimes You Need to Turn it Off

I know, it's an addiction. You gear up all week for Sunday. You've read up, adjusted your lineup and are ready to go . . . and are completely psyched. It's 1:00 and the games kick off and you are sure that a win is in the bag. And then it starts happening. Your QB throws and interception. Your WR drops an easy TD pass. The gates of hell are opening and your opponent's players are having a record day. I have one bit of very important advice: close the laptop, stop checking the app and refuse to look at your score right now. Remember, your first love is football, not fantasy football. So just set it all to the side and enjoy the games, you'll have plenty of time to kick yourself during the week. And who knows, maybe the late games will wield some big surprises. Don't let it get you down, it's a long season. Good luck.



This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Top Tier RB Blues

Hey there champ. It's been a crazy season so far. The NFL seems to be in a state of chaos and your team is suffering for it. Remember my friend, it's still early. I know if you drafted early, you likely got a running back and are feeling anxious about it. Hopefully you drafted a good handcuff. If not, take solace in your waiver wire, but let's get back to your frustration. There was pretty much a consensus top five for the 2014 fantasy draft and they were all running backs. You did your homework, you prepared and probably watched videos like the one below. Let's review the top 5 and see what exactly has transpired so far. But relax and take a seat on the couch.

Eddie Lacy - There was quite a bit of preseason hype around they young Green Bay running back. Things haven't been working out so well and his three week point total just barely cracks double digits. But be patient. He's a talented back and the Green Bay offense on a whole has not been clicking, but they have a knack for getting better as the season goes on.

Matt Forte - Week two was quite the setback for Forte's stats as Chicago had to play from behind for a lot of the game. Great team win, but did not translate into much for Forte owners. Remain strong, Forte is part of a great offense that seems to be getting better. He'll continue to have more weeks like week 1.

Adrian Peterson - Yikes. No silver lining here, but you can overcome! Get creative with a trade and take some chances on the waiver wire. Embrace this as a challenge and just think, when you are bringing home the championship, you'll be able to do so despite your first round, likely top 3 pick, being gone for the season. Nobody foresaw that one coming...well, maybe some did.

Jamaal Charles - Injury woes. Such high hopes here after the fantasy rich season he had in 2013. He didn't do much when he was healthy in week 1, but he appears to be on the mend and you know what he's capable of. Hopefully you grabbed Knile Davis and have no plans of getting rid of him even after Charles gets back to full health.

LeSean McCoy - You definitely have the least to complain about with the first two weeks both resulting in double digit point performances. Week 3 was a different story, yielding a mere 22 yards on 19 attempts. Also, Darren Sproles has been on a tear and appears to be eating into some of McCoy's work. But, have faith, he's the heart and soul of Philadelphia's offense and will put up big numbers.