The Ashes

Mine too. Online draft for the first time, we usually do a live one. I'm not thrilled, but it should be okay, I guess. Too many guys too far apart to get all together this year, that's all.As far as fantasy sports go, football has to be the one made to specifically complement the idea. It all comes from the games all being played on weekends (or close enough) to have set days for "picking up off the waiver (players no team-owner has yet)" and setting your line-up. It's just a great system.Also, with the NFL's salary-cap system (each team only has so much money it can spend on players), football remains one of the most balanced sports in all of large Western atheletics.I didn't know a thing about football 'till I joined a fantasy league about 7 or 8 years ago. Those things really get you lookin' at the games and players.Stile
-Miami Dolphins fan ever since I was 9 and decided I liked the look of their sweaters. The grey-based ones. Any of the teal-green or bright-orange based ones are ridiculous.
And I'm pretty sure all other teams may as well just go home... I have it on very good confidence that the NFL has already awarded the 2009 superbowl to Miami. Just 'cause it's so obvious and all. In fact, I think they did this last year, even. On Miami's BYE week.

Dan Marino! For the win!You'd think you could start making the same joke with Brett Favre by now... but no...I heard rumours that the Vikings had all but given up hope of pulling him out of retirement (again...) except for one last "why not?" phone call from an agent.

I agree. To me, I just see him as a guy who wants to keep playing. I just think the whole situation is funny to laugh about Draft... draft... MJD or Adrian Fumbleson?... When to take that first WR? So many questions and I don't even get to know draft position until 30min. before the draft...Draft night is awesome-sauce.
(Ours actually just got moved to Wednesday... too many guys with time conflicts).

The biggest thing to consider is how your league scores points.Do you get PPR (Points Per Reception?) that really increases the value of WRs. Also, our league has a bunch of bonuses for WRs... like +3 for a 100 yard game, and +1 for any 40 yard (or longer) reception... that sort of thing. Such things make WRs more valuable in my league. But you'll have to be the judge of the scoring system in your own league.The second thing to remember is that you're half drafting for "best players" and also drafting for "best value." Like... maybe most of the RBs will be gone by the time you get your first pick. Which means not many more are going to be gone by the time it gets around to you again. And, (after the top 3 or 4) most of the top 10-15 QBs really aren't all that different... so you may even want to consider taking the top 2 WRs (Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson) and settle for medium QB/RB (which you may likely be getting anyway, and aren't too different from the options available to you if you took them earlier).Drafting for value is most easily shown by looking at Kickers. Look at the top placed kicker from last season, and look at the next top 20. They hardly differ by any significant amount of points across the whole season. What does this tell us? Do not, ever, pick a kicker until it's last or at least second-last round. Even if you get last-choice of kickers... it doesn't really matter, they all get pretty much the same level of points. Use those higher draft picks on something useful... take a chance on an iffy WR, fill a missing void... whatever's more valuable at the moment.Try to apply the "drafting for value" idea for all your picks throughout the whole draft. Look at the value of the players that are left. If you can get a top WR, or a middle-of-the pack RB. And there's lots of middle-of-the pack RBs still available... wait on the RB, nab that WR.Are you a "TD Heavy" league? (6 points for QB TD?) Or normal? (4 points for QB TD?) My league is TD Heavy... which bumps QBs up a bit in their value. But generally, QBs don't need to start being taken 'till 3rd or even 4th round. Of course, if "everyone" starts taking one anyway... you don't want to be left in the cold.So much to consider... so much to decide "on the fly." Drafts are really fun Check out this site: Fantasy Football ToolboxFor free information on drafting strategies, sleepers, duds and more information then's likely needed In the end, it's gambling. All the predictions in the world aren't going to say exactly what any player's going to do as opposed to any other. Especially when injuries occur. The fun's in trying to guess at that guy who's going to be awesome that no one else sees coming!

Thanks for the updates. I've been out-of-the-loop on my football following this year. I'm voting New England.
I don't think they're as all-powerful as you seem to suggest here, but Manning just isn't very mentally stable against Brady... so he'll lose, again I care Although I'm a Miami fan... I've found the NFC to be more fun to watch than the AFC for the last few years. AFC seems to lean on the quarterback too much where NFC seems to build more balanced teams.
I think Seattle will win, and then take the Super Bowl. 'Cause they're better than the other guys.

Just wanted to get some written prophecies in.I've been right with all of my picks this playoff series and just wanted to see how I do if I actually make my picks before the games Actually, I thought KC and Cincinnati were both going to win. But I was just off by a round on when SD and Indy were going to lose... Shitty man, great coach. I like Manning over Brady as well. He makes better commercials
I don't think New England has the team to do it all this year. I think it was more Indy making them look good than it was them actually working together. Aren't they down a bunch of guys right now, or something?
I just think New England is all over Manning's head. And, well, a thinking quarterback isn't very good without his head...
So... my guess is that NE will take Denver. Yeah, certainly isn't one-sided
I was thinking Russell's kinda young still... but he did get some playoff experience last year.
I'm a bit of a sucker for a good defence, too.We'll see, we'll see.

Heh... not that I know of. But Manning sure is funny in all the extra stuff he does For sure, when one game is making the decision... we'll just have to see who comes out to play.

Nice call 1.61803!The results always seems so obvious after the game that I cannot fathom what I was thinking when I voted the other way before the game...Silly "linear time," got me again!I haven't watched a single playoff game yet. Not sure if I'll even get to watch the super bowl... we'll see.
It occurs to me, though, that a real fan doesn't even need to watch the games... I just sort of "feel the game" in real time as it's going on... no matter where I am.Right. So now we're down to Seattle and Denver.Peyton Manning... looking to score his 2nd Super Bowl Championship and tie his younger brother who already has 2 rings.Seattle... just the better team.So, yeah, I still think Seattle's going to win