What’s going on everyone?
Some of you may or may not know this, but I’ve left the confines of my own blog FantasyLion.com and joined the awesome staff over at Pyromaniac.com, so you can catch all of my future articles and videos there.
I also wanted to let you know that I’m looking for writers/contributers for a new site that we’re launching called the Fantasy Football Pharmacy (www.ffpharmacy.com). If you are interested on contributing to the site or looking for an additional way to promote your website/blog, let me know. If you’ve always wanted to write about football, but never had an outlet, this is for you!
We are launching on Wednesday and are pumped about it!
Anonymous asked: Where do I go to sign up for one of your leagues?
If you’re interested in playing in a league with me, email me at john@fantasylion.com and I’ll send you all the info!
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Points Per Reception: The Cadillac of Fantasy Football
by John Gustafson
In 1996, when I was in the sixth grade, I was bit by the fantasy bug. It all started on a Sunday morning after a Saturday night sleepover. That morning after some pancakes my friend Clint and I headed into the living room to catch some NFL action on the tube. This was a pretty normal activity as Clint was a big Dolphins fan, and me, of course a Niners fan. About 30 minutes later, Clint’s dad came into the room going apeshit because Dan Marino had already thrown 2 TD passes and his team had 12 points. Wait a second? Why was Clint’s dad so excited? Unlike Clint, he wasn’t a Dolphins fan, he was a 49ers fan. And 12 points? We all know TDs are worth 14 points. What the hell was going on here? Well once Clint and his dad calmed down, they introduced me to the greatest hobby known to all man-kind; fantasy football.
by John Gustafson and Dave Perrin
A few days ago I engaged in a discussion about Chester Taylor being over-hyped. This was alarming to me because I love Chester Taylor as a 4th RB and have been targeting him around the 8th round.
I have also been avoiding Forte. I loved him last year, but after 2009’s disappointing performance, I wasn’t going to go out of my way to pick him. With the help of special contributor Dave Perrin, I’d like to re-create that discussion. Dave’s arguments helped open my eyes to a possible fantasy gem that I may have been overlooking.
Anonymous asked: who do u think will have a better fantasy football year Ryan Grant, Cedric Benson or Beanie Wells?
I’m not wild about any of them and won’t pick them this year because none of them catch the ball and I only play in points per reception leagues.
However, out of those 3, I’d rather have Beanie Wells. He seems to have the most upside.
The Cards upgraded their line and lost Warner so they’ll rely on their passing game more and Beanie has an easy schedule.
Beanie and Benson have an injury history which is two other reasons I’m not falling in love with either.
Benson should have a lot of running lanes as the Bengals look committed to being more effective in the passing game. However, I won’t be taking him because of the above mentioned reasons.
Ryan Grant was a top 10 back last year but that was only because there was a lot of transition at the RB position last year.
You saw guys getting hurt and new stars emerge, but Grant achieved his normal steady production and was a top 10er by default.
I don’t think that’s the case this year and I think a 2nd or 3rd round pick is too much to pay for him. He isn’t special and I like guys with a higher ceiling than Grant’s for an early pick like that.
Again, I’m partial because I only play in PPR leagues. In the 2nd and 3rd rounds, the RBs I’m targeting are Jamaal Charles, Ryan Mathews, Matt Forte, Knowshon Moreno, LeSean McCoy and Jonathan Stewart.
Great question!
My Pick: This late in the draft, I like to employ what I like to call the “rent-a-RB” approach. I’ll typically target backup RBs that play behind RBs that have missed time the last 2-3 years and try and steal a few starts on a few to week basis. My RBs are not the strongest part of my team, but if I can steal a few starts here and there at the RB position, then my team as a whole gets stronger. Additionally, should one of these volatile starters miss extended time, then the “handcuff” backs will be fantasy gold. In part time work last year, Snelling averaged over 4 yards a carry, had over 750 total yards, and 5 TDs. He also chipped in with 30 catches which is something that Falcons starter does not do, catch the ball! The Falcons have an easier schedule, so I’d expect Turner to have a bounce back year, but if he misses any time, I’ll be able to plug Snelling in as a RB2 or flex player. I’ll take that kind of potential this late in the draft.
I want to thank the folks at BleacherReport.com once again for featuring one of my articles on a team homepage. This time it was my Malcolm Floyd sleeper article. I really appreciate their help in getting the word out about my site and help in saving the world from bad fantasy football advice!
In the newest edition of the Fantasy Football Hustle Podcast, I go over a new dynasty league I’m starting. I also cover which RBs I would take in the first round and which ones I’d avoid like the plague. Who will this year’s Chris Johnson be? Check out and find out who I think may be this year’s 1st round diamond in the rough. Be sure to check out Episode 3 this Thursday night at 11pm on Blog Talk Radio. www.blogtalkradio.com/FantasyLion
I was recently asked if Ricky Williams is being overlooked this year. And my answer is yes.
In my World Championships of Fantasy Football Draft that I just finished, I held of on a RB2 and picked Ricky up in the 7th round.
Ricky does it all and Ronnie Brown is a half a year player.I also like the value where you can get Ricky (6th-8th round).
Consider that last year in a points per reception (PPR) format Williams was averaging 15 points a game even with Brown there. That is nothing to balk at as some featured backs struggle to maintain that average.
Ricky actually averaged more points a game during that time than Ryan Grant and Pierre Thomas who are two RB2s that typically cost a 3rd or 4th round pick.
After Brown went down, Ricky was the 7th best RB. Although Ricky is older, there is a lot of upside to be had and it won’t cost you much to find out if he can do it again.
I’m going to target Ricky as my 3rd RB this year, but have no problem if I have to roll with him as my 2nd.
Here’s a fantasy football sneaky sleeper I really like, Chargers WR Malcolm Floyd.
With 2 DUI convictions in 2 years, Vincent Jackson will likely be suspended at some point this summer. VJack will probably be hit with a 4-gamer making Floyd a guy I’d begin to target around the 11th round as my 5th or 6th WR.
In those 4 weeks, Floyd will face the 2nd easiest schedule with matchups vs KC, Jac, Sea, and Ari. Those teams gave up an average of 35 points a games to WRs.
I’ve always like Floyd but behind Gates, VJack, and the backs, he doesn’t get a lot of looks. But in week 17 last year as SDs #1 WR, Floyd put up 9 catches for 140 yards, a cool 23 points in PPR. Also, at 6’5, he’s a huge red zone target.
He likely won’t have much value after that, but I’d start him as my flex for those first 4 weeks.
Now this is just crazy! I couldn’t believe when I saw the Braylon article up on the Jets page. An hour after uploading my article on Antonio Bryant, it makes the Bengals homepage! I feel so blessed. I am very lucky to have 2 articles featured in 1 day! Thank God!
In one of the more humbling moments of my career, the blog I wrote yesterday made it to the featured article on the Jets homepage at BleacherReport.com. It’s crazy this day and age and the power of the internet. I just love talking about fantasy football and helping people win and get better at. This is so fun for me and to receive any kind of recognition for it is mind-blowing. The article has almost 900 views. That is nuts. If you would have told me that almost 1,000 people would be interested in what I have to say about football, I’d call you crazy. That dog Braylon better not let me down! Who am I kidding? He won’t. Once a dog, always a dog, so DON’T DRAFT HIM!