League Survey II

Pictured: The reason it took me so long to publish the results

A sincere thank you to everyone for taking time to fill this out.  I realize that this is hyper-nerdy of me to organize and collect survey responses like this (though not as nerdy as the charter!) but feel like it will be helpful in the long run.  For a refresher on the last survey we did in February of 2010, click here.

 
1. How would you rate your current level of enjoyment in participating in the VUFSA?

The Data:
 
I don't enjoy it (0.0% 0)
Minimal Enjoyment (10.0% 1)
Moderate Enjoyment (20.0% 2)
Mostly Enjoy it (50.0% 5)
Greatly Enjoy it (20% 2)

The Takeaway:

Mostly good news on the first question!  70% of people really enjoy the league as is and 90% are at least moderate.  It stinks that someone checks in at "minimal" but it's responses like that that the survey was intended to flesh out.  Honesty is truly appreciated.  Mostly basic math on this one.  Moving on.

2. How would you rate your activity level in the league today?

The Data:

10 - I check the site multiple times a day (10.0% 1)
9
8  - (40.0% 4)
7  - (20.0% 2)
6
5 - I check the site a couple times per week (20.0% 2)
4
3  - (10.0% 1)
2
1
0 - I go weeks without logging in sometimes 

The Takeaway:

League average interest level is 6.9, which to me means that on average people check in once a day.  Neither outlier (10 or 3) really sways the average as they balance each other out.  This is good to know, but better to juxtapose with the following question. 
 
3. How would you perceive the other owners average activity level?
 
The Data:

10 - They check the site multiple times a day
9
8  - (10.0% 1)
7
6  - (20.0% 2)
5 - They check the site a couple times per week (40.0% 4)
4  - (20.0% 2)
3  - (10.0% 1)
2
1
0 - They go weeks without logging in sometimes

The Takeaway:

League average perceived interest is 5.1, which means checking a couple times a week.  

This was the most interesting question to me.  On average, each owner considers themselves quite a bit more involved than each of their league mates.  

Only two responses had their own activity level below their perception of everyone else.


What causes such a disconnect?  From the responses below, it seems to be a communication thing.  If we don't hear from someone or don't get a lot of detail, we assume they're not paying attention.  I could be wrong, please weigh in in the comments.

4. My biggest pet peeve about this league is...(list as many as you want)

The Responses (some responders had more than one comment)
 
"The little amount of trade activity that take place. I think the number of keepers, specifically in football, minimize trade activity."

"I appreciate the idea of doing the fantasy basketball to keep something going between football and baseball, but it doesn't interest me much at all. Things were much easier when it was a week to week thing and I could set my lineup at the beginning of the week and not worry about it after then until the following week."

"Lack of live drafts and coordinating everyone's schedules"

"People refusing to budge on players."

"I find the league to be incredibly loss-averse at this time, focusing on risk rather than reward. We can't have everyone making insane trades every week, but we are out of balance in this regard.  It's possible keeper rules punish people too hard for bad trades, but  it's equally possible that we're a league full of wusses."

"Lack of interaction, people not responding to trades."

"Trade offers do not get responded to about half the time"

"Nah, no real problems. Smaller rosters might be nice."


"There is not a lot of feedback coming from many owners. Not a lot of constructive responses to trades or notes about league goings-on."

"No motivation or pride to finish high in the standings." 

The Takeaway:

Eight people responded to this question and six of those mentioned trades as a pet peeve.  That's over half the league.

W/R/T basketball, it's worth noting that it is possible to set a lineup once a week, it's a matter of doing each day individually.  The overall point on basketball is well taken though, and probably shared amongst other owners.

Outside of that, the comments speak for themselves. No need for me to narrate.


5. Which of the following would increase your interest/enjoyment in the league? (Choose all that apply)

The Data:

Draft Order Lottery (22.0% 2)
Cross-Sport incentives (44.4% 4)
Bigger or Smaller Rosters (11.1% 1)
More Keepers or Fewer Keepers (22.2% 2)
League Expansion or Contraction  (11.1% 1)
Other (33.3% 3):

"I very much like the way it is now, honestly. Dues not too high, not taken too crazy seriously by anyone, nice way to stay somewhat connected with everyone. I'm sure we all would enjoy being more involved, but I'm sure everyone's doing exactly what they have time for. On the above, I'd be strongly against a draft order lottery or fewer keepers, I like the franchise feel of the leagues now." 

"Destination Drafts"

 "I enjoy the league as is, for the most part."

The Takeaway: 

No majority on anything but some interest in a couple things.  I would like to propose a few rule changes to a vote, inspired by the results of this question.  Please comment if you have any specific ideas to bring to a vote.  Feel free to suggest anonymously if you prefer.

6. Please choose the statement that best describes your feelings on league fees (currently $25).

The Data:

I would pay more to increase prize money (30.0% 3)
I think the fees are appropriate (70.0% 7)
I would like to pay less and decrease prize money
I would like no fees and no prize money   

The Takeaway:

All who voted to increase said $50 would be the proper amount.  We won't vote on increasing money based on this response, but I would like to propose a redistribution of the prize money.  Again, comments welcome.

7. How much longer do you see the VUFSA continuing with the current core of owners?

The Data:

0-2 years (20.0% 2)
2-5 years (30.0% 3)
 5-10 years (10.0% 1)
Indefinitely (40.0% 4)

The Takeaway:

No real takeaway here, this question is partially meant to compare to the follow question (compare league perception to personal preference.)  Looks like most people expect the current core for the foreseeable future.  I think the next question is more relevant, let's get to it.

8. How much longer do you see yourself participating in the VUFSA?     

The Data:
  
1 year more (2014 is likely my last year) (10.0% 1)
2-3 years more (2015 or 2016) (10.0% 1)
4-5 years more (2017-2018) 
Until a major life event
Forever/Until further notice (60.0% 6)
Until I am kicked out (20.0% 2)

The Takeaway: 

Start with the positive.  We have 8 owners who are committed with no end in sight.  That is fantastic, and probably exceeds the expectations we had when we started 10 years ago.  Very cool to see.

The negative is that we may see a resignation or two as early as this spring.  It'll be crummy when we have to say goodbye to someone, but it's understandable for someone to be ready to bow out.  Speaking for myself- I don't want to lose anyone from our current group.  That said, if you feel like your VUFSA time has run out, you have been an awesome part of the league and you will be missed.

In that vein, I am currently putting together a short list of replacement owners for when and if we need someone.  Feel free to email me with anybody you think would be a good addition so we can be prepared when the time comes.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's all there is. I think the following are the things to remember:

-Everyone in the league craves more communication.  As the responses trickled in, I made a personal effort to try to communicate better via text/email/trade comments and the results have been refreshing.  I think if everyone made a similar effort, each owner would be appreciative and reciprocate.

-We have a lot of guys who like playing and want to continue.  But at the same time, need to be on the lookout for people to join the league in the future.

-Your league mates check the league more often than you think.  The aforementioned lack of communication makes the league seem more like a ghost town than it really is.  Update your smack talk, people.

-The league is well structured for the most part, but it would be worth exploring some rule changes to bring some more interest .


Would love to hear any other feedback below.  Thanks again to everyone for taking time. 

League History Vol I

Vinny Castilla- the first ever player added in VUFSA History. Added March 20th, 2005.  Bill Mueller was the player dropped.

Found out recently that Yahoo has archived transactions from all 8 prior VUFSA seasons.  Took a quick look and found it pretty fascinating to see old trades and try to figure out context; was 2006's "Moises Alou and Bronson Arroyo for Kenny Rogers and Jermaine Dye" a good deal, bad deal or no deal at all?

For shits and giggles, here's a look at how each franchise's best player found their way onto their respective team.

*This is pretty rough research, so if you remember differently, please let me know.

Franchise- Player (Preseason Rank)

1. Wolf- Ryan Zimmerman (#31)

Acquired by trade: July 7th, 2011. 

Wolf receives: Ryan Zimmerman, 14th Round Pick
Wolf sends: Alex Rodriguez, 5th Round Pick.

By the end 2011, Alex Rodriguez was a shell of his former self.  A keeper coming into that season, A-Rod finished with just 16 HRs and 62 RBI.  For the reasonable cost of a 5th round pick, Drew upgraded his 3B keeper to the 27 year old Zimmerman.  Zimmerman has not approached the production of his breakout 2009 (110r/33hr/106rbi/2sb/.364oba) but finished as the #44 overall player in 2012, posting a line of 93r/25hr/95rbi/5sb/.346oba.

2. Stem- Buster Posey (#29) 

Acquired in 2010 draft: Round 18

This is kind of cheating, because the highest Yahoo ranked player for Stem is Adrian Beltre (#17).  Beltre was picked up last September in a trade for a draft pick, which is not particularly interesting.

The reigning NL MVP is a much better story.  Ranked as the #5 prospect in baseball by Fangraphs heading into 2010, Posey did not debut with the Giants until May 29th.  Stem was patient with his final round selection, and held on to him after a devastating season-ending injury in 2011.  Posey's fantastic 78r/24hr/103rbi/1sb/.408oba line made him the #31 ranked performer in 2012, the clear #1 catcher in fantasy baseball.

3. Viano- Justin Verlander (#13) 

Acquired in 2009 draft: Round 8

OF COURSE you will remember that Andy Viano drafted Justin Verlander in the 1st round in 2008.  I feel silly even reminding you.  What you may have forgotten is that Verlander won just 11 games with a 4.84 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and an ordinary 163 Ks in 201 innings that year.  As a result, he fell hard in the following season's draft.

We were all so very dumb.  You could argue that from 2009-Present, there has been no better pitcher in fantasy baseball.  Verlander's high point is unquestionably 2011- when he put up  a 24w/250k/2.40era/0.92whip season, good for the AL Cy Young, AL MVP and the #2 overall ranking in fantasy baseball that year.

 4. Whitlock- Prince Fielder (#12)

Acquired in 2007 Draft: Round 4

Baseball America's #11 prospect in 2006, Fielder had a solid rookie season with 28 HR.  Mind you, that 28 HR in 2006 was nothing special.  Ryan Howard led the league with 58.  *Bill Hall* had 35.

Everyone passed on Fielder at least thrice the next year, but Brent took the young fatass and was rewarded with a 109r/50hr/119rbi/2sb/.395oba season, and Prince has not left Team Whitlock since.

Honorable Mention: Matt Cain (#34) acquired via trade September 28th 2010.

Whitlock receives: Matt Cain, Dan Haren, Max Scherzer
Whitlock sends: Clayton Kershaw

Brent is one of three owners to win a Baseball title, and this trade in the waning days of the 2010 season gave him three keeper pitchers which anchored his 2011 Championship squad.

5. Gieryna- Albert Pujols (#9)

Acquired via trade July 27th, 2008

Gieryna Receives: Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina
Gieryna Sends: Brian McCann, Cole Hamels, Matt Cain

Pujols was the best hitter in baseball from the day the VUFSA was founded through at least 2010.  Despite that, he was traded THREE times from 2005 until 2008.  This trade however, represents the final movement for Pujols (as of this writing).

Eli won consecutive titles in 2009 and 2010, led by Albert both years.  The first baseman played nearly every day, and in 2009 put up a historic 124r/45hr/135rbi/16sb/.443oba season, a standard by which all fantasy players should be measured.

Honorable Mention: Justin Upton (#21) Acquired 2009 Draft: 6th Round

I can't remember Justin Upton playing for another VUFSA team.  I feel like Eli drafted him when he was in the minors and just kept him permanently.  Turns out he's only had him for 4 seasons.  Upton peaked as Baseball America's #2 overall prospect in 2007, but did not reach the majors until 2008.   The younger Upton has had shown to be one of the best players in fantasy with a monster105r/31hr/88rbi/21sb/.369oba line in 2011.

 6. Radcliffe - Matt Kemp (#5)

Acquired via Trade July 13th, 2009

Radcliffe receives: Matt Kemp
Radliffe sends: Chipper Jones, 7th Round Pick

The hardest thing about this exercise is the perspective needed when it comes to 'name' players.  Was Chipper Jones a great player in 2009?  Not really, but he played in 143 games and hit 18 HRs with a .388 OBA.  Was Matt Kemp an elite player in 2009? Pretty much, with 97r/26hr/101rbi/34sb/.352oba.

2010 was a step back for Kemp, stealing only 19 bases with dips in Runs, RBI and a paltry .310 OBA.  Undeterred, Radcliffe held on to Kemp and was rewarded with the #1 overall player in 2011- a phenomenal 115r/39hr/126rbi/40sb/.399oba.  Injuries have sapped Kemp of his speed, and kept him off the field for a good part both last season and the current one.

Chipper Jones never had a particularly usable season after that but that 7th rounder turned into...............Carlos Marmol. Who is terrible.  I really wish that was a more interesting player.  This could have been a really cool note. Shit.

7. Brendel- Robinson Cano (#4)

Acquired in 2010 Draft: 2nd Round

Robinson Cano has been so good for so long, it's hard to imagine that he was open to anyone just three years ago.  In 2008, he was a first round pick, but in 2009 he was one of the last players selected and then traded before the end of April for Alexei Ramirez. 

Cano has been a model of consistency since- finishing as the #1 second baseman in fantasy for the last three seasons.  Cano has averaged over 100r/30hr/100rbi to go with a stellar OBA the entire time.

Honorable Mention: Joey Votto (#7) Acquired in 2009 Draft: Round 6 

Baron drafted Votto in two straight drafts, the 17th round of 2008 and then got him to stick after 2009.  That's solid dedication to get what I assume is Baron's favorite player since some guy like Jose Rijo or Norm Charlton.

8. Schillinger- Ryan Braun (#3)

Acquired via Trade: May 31st, 2008

Schillinger Receives: Ryan Braun, Carlos Lee
Schillinger Sends: Alex Rodriguez, Daisuke Matsuzaka, 5th Round Pick

A well thought of prospect in 2007, Ryan Braun burst into the majors and started bashing.  He won NL Rookie of the Year, posting 34 HRs and 15 SBs, getting on base at a .370 clip.  Despite a great start and a bright future, Braun was traded twice early in 2008.  In the season's second month, he fetched Brandon Webb (straight up) and was then sent away in part for a near-prime Alex Rodriguez.

Schilllinger won his second title in 2008, thanks in large part to great seasons from Braun and Carlos Lee, the other player acquired.   Since then, Braun has been part of two other VUFSA champs, highlighted by last year's 108r/41hr/112rbi/30sb/.391oba spectacle.

9. Tomke- Miguel Cabrera (#2)

Acquired via Trade July 11th, 2007

Tomke Receives: Miguel Cabrera, Tim Lincecum
Tomke Sends: Derrek Lee, Ichiro Suzuki

Miguel Cabrera was an offensive genius from the moment he came into the league in 2003. A surprise to me, Dave acquired Cabrera the year BEFORE he was traded to the Tigers, though he was already a premier offensive player. Cabrera has been remarkably consistent, playing both corner IF spots, while racking up insane numbers and playing in no fewer than 150 games since heading to Detroit.  Last year's Triple Crown was magical, as the #3 player in fantasy finished with 109r/44hr/139rbi/4sb/.393oba.  That season coincided with Tomke's best VUFSA Baseball finish.

Before you start thinking that this was a mega-blockbuster deal, let me point out that Tim Lincecum was traded straight up for Delmon Young within a week.  (Lincecum was a rookie at the time, and not even kept heading into the next season).  Derrek Lee was two seasons removed from his monster 2005 season (120R and 46HR) and coming off of an injury plagued 2006.  Ichiro was still a fantasy superstar, but obviously did not carry the franchise potential that Cabrera returned.

10. Welty- Mike Trout (#1)

Acquired as Free Agent: April 27th, 2012

Player dropped: Cameron Maybin

There was a time that the Yahoo game made new call-ups to the majors subject to the waiver wire.  That was not the case last year, as Trout was just sitting available as a free agent when the news of his call up came.  Trout had sputtered in a 40 game premiere in 2011, but his addition to the Angels roster still commanded some attention.

He got off to a crap start, going 0-4 on April 28th.  Through nine games, he had one steal and was hitting .242 (.297 on base).  It clicked, however, on May 9th, going 3 for 5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI.  The following 5 months were breathtaking.  Trout finished the #1 player in fantasy (despite only 139 games) with a dumbfounding line of 129r/30hr/83rbi/49sb/.399oba.  He's only 22 years old and sits as the #6 player so far in 2013.  Like a schnook.



I sincerely hope this was at least a mildly enjoyable read.  I would love to put more stuff up like this as time comes available.  It's bad form, but if you would like to see more blog activity please leave a comment or somehow drop a note with what you'd like to see.  I'd love to be able to draw in more voices, even through email Q & A sessions that we've had mild success with in the past.  The start of football marks the 10th year of VUFSA competition- it would be fun to look back and see how the league took shape.

Preseason Poll

Just in time for the official beginning of Week 1 (sorry, the Wednesday night opener doesn't really count), I present to you the 2012 VUFSA Preseason Football Poll. As a quick note before I get started, I received votes from half of the 10 league owners, so if results seem a bit skewed, this is probably why. As for how things break down, there are many opinions as to how things will finish this year. There is not a consensus top team (although one squad did get three of five first-place votes). Champ got both a first-place vote and a last-place vote. Drew got a first-place vote and a 7th-place vote. And no one voted the defending champ #1. (I'm not bitter. I wouldn't have voted me #1 either). In order to be fair (since some owners only got four votes instead of five), I totaled up the points and then divided by the number of votes to get the average. Teams are ranked by lowest to highest average. On with the show.

1. Erik Kramer (Ed--2.0 average)
After a one-year aberration in last place, Ed appears to have righted the ship and headed back to his rightful place at the top of the league. Edwin got three of the five first-place votes. A pre-draft trade saw him acquire Tom Brady and Jeremy Maclin, and he was able to hold on to Darren McFadden, Chris Johnson and DeMarco Murray. So he is pretty much set at quarterback and running back. Marques Colston headlines the wide receiving corps. Maclin is there along with Nate Washington and Pierre Garcon. This means the wideouts could be quite good, but they could also be disappointing. As those guys go will probably be as Ed goes. But without question, Ed's team will be much better than last year, and I know that makes him quite happy.
2. Ron Swanson (Stem--2.5 average)
The defending champs (yes, I will beat that dead horse into the ground on this blog before the year is over) did not get a single first-place vote, but also did not get a vote for worse than third. This team features the highest-rated quarterback (Aaron Rodgers) and wide receiver (Calvin Johnson) in fantasy football. Those two will be solid-to-spectacular week in and week out. Beyond that, there are a lot of questions. Adrian Peterson is recovering from an injury and Michael Turner is old. Eric Decker could turn out to be Peyton Manning's favorite target, and if New England scores a lot of points (specifically Brandon Lloyd and Stevan Ridley), I will be a happy guy. This team could be very good, and it could be bad.
3. ChamPeons (Champ--3.6 average)
One owner voted Champ's team last, and I honestly am not sure why. If not for that vote, Champ most likely would have been #2 in this poll, as his other four votes were 1, 2, 3 and 3. Mr. Whitlock returned a solid core of Drew Brees, LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall and Steve Smith. He added to this with the selections of Brandon Pettigrew and Donald Brown. Champ gets to root for the Bears to score a ton of points (not that he wouldn't do that anyway). His starters are stellar, but the bench is a little iffy. An injury to any of these guys (except Brees as he has Tony Romo waiting in the wings) could be disastrous.
4. AustinCollieMeLassie (Eli--3.8 average)
Owner's were split on the Gun's team. He received as high as a second-place vote, and he also got one as low as sixth. Hakeem Nicks, Larry Fitzgerald and Dez Bryant give Eli the best starting group of wide receivers in the league. Cam Newton will do what Cam Newton does (score lots of touchdowns and throw interceptions). Running back is where Eli has some questions. Will Marshawn Lynch have a repeat performance of last year (or will he get suspended for smoking dope)? Will the Lions have a running game? Can Reggie Bush have a successful year as a feature-ish back? Eli did load up on second-string guys like Jonathan Stewart and Kendall Hunter, so if some of the top guys fall off, he could be in an excellent position.
5. Political Propaganda (Drew--4.25 average)
Drew's is another team owners are split on. He picked up a first-place vote, but he also got one for seventh-place. Drew loves AFC North running backs, as Ray Rice, Trent Richardson and Isaac Redman are on the roster. Rice will be fantastic. Richardson will be eventually (though I don't know about this year). Redman will get carries until Rashard Mendenhall is completely healthy. Drew turned Tom Brady into Peyton Manning and Richardson. If Peyton is like his former self, this will be a great trade. If not, it could be a long year for Drew. Wes Welker and Victor Cruz highlight the wide receivers. Like so many other teams in this league, his squad could go one way or the other.
6. Who is Ron Mexico? (Dave--5.8 average)
Tomke's five votes were 2, 5, 6, 7 and 9. I am inclined to think that Dave is more likely to finish in the top half of the league as opposed to the bottom half, but what do I know. Matt Stafford is poised to move into the upper-upper echelon of fantasy quarterbacks. Roddy White is going to benefit from Matt Ryan having a breakout year, and I love the pick of Doug Martin. Frank Gore and Maurice Jones-Drew could be very good. They also could regress because of age/holdouts. Jimmy Graham is the top tight end in the league. Can Andre Johnson return to pre-injury form? The answer to that question will go a long way in determining what kind of season Dave has.
7. Mutiny Over Bounties (Baron--6.0 average) 
Baron's team features the top-ranked fantasy player in Arian Foster. He should be good for at least 15 points every week. If Mike Wallace shows no ill effects from missing most of camp, Baron will enjoy getting double points for every touchdown he scores since he owns Ben Roethlisberger as well. Cedric Benson and Darren Sproles are his other running backs. Rob Gronkowski is right behind Graham on the list of top tight ends (and he dates porn stars, so he's got that going for him, which is nice). Percy Harvin is very good, but can Christian Ponder get him the ball? Will Julio Jones continue to excel in Atlanta? Does God still hate Stevie Johnson?
8. Shellden Conch (Welty--6.8 average)
Welty has Michael Vick, Fred Jackson and Jermichael Finley and a lot of questions. Will Mendenhall recover from ACL surgery? Can Antonio Brown have a repeat of last season? How much does Steven Jackson have left? Will the Bengals utilize BenJarvus Green-Ellis like New England did? Can anyone get Darrius Hayward-Bey the football? If the answers are all positive, Welty will finish better than this slot. If not, this is probably right around where he will finish.
9. Let My Monkeys Go (Viano--7.0 average)
Viano has cornered the market on AFC West running backs. Jamaal Charles, Ryan Mathews and Willis McGahee are all on his roster. All have the potential to be spectacular. Matt Ryan was a great pick at quarterback and is poised for a fantastic year. AJ Green leads the wide receivers. Vincent Jackson gets out of San Diego. Can he have as much success on the opposite coast? In writing this out, I am inclined to think Viano will finish better than I voted him. This team could surprise.
10. YoMama Care (JR--7.75 average)
As the New York squads and Green Bay wide receivers go, so will JR go. Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson will both reach the end zone a lot. JR needs Shonn Greene, Ahmad Bradshaw and Eli Manning to be awesome. Can they do it? Sure. Will they? Who knows? If Miles Austin can stay healthy and Deymarius Thomas becomes a favorite target of Peyton, JR will finish much higher than this in the standings.
 

VUFSA 2012 Football Round One Mock Draft

Well hello there friends. Remember when this blog was active during the last football season? We neglected to write about basketball or baseball, but with football season starting up and me being bored out of my mind, I decided to get things going again by putting on my best Mel Kiper mask and projecting how the first round of the VUFSA 2012 Football Draft will go. A note before I begin: I have zero knowledge of how the rest of you choose to draft (it is at this point I should mention that Ed really wanted Vianos pick to read "whoever Yahoo autodraft has highest ranked). Instead, I am going about this as if I were each of you and how I would draft based on your keepers and such. This is not a way of telling you how you should draft, and I don't claim to be any good at this. Also, I used the Yahoo! composite top 200, so for the most part I identified a position that would be drafted and took the highest remaining player without taking much else into consideration. I'm quite certain I will get the first pick right (as it has been discussed already), but I may not get a single one beyond that (even my own) correct. Please use the comments to mock as necessary. On with the show.

1. Drew -- Trent Richardson RB Cleveland
Between being at the top of the class of rookie running backs and playing for his beloved Cleveland Browns, this is a pretty easy selection for Drew. After his trade with Ed sees Tom Brady and Jeremy Maclin head out of town and Peyton Manning arrive, Drew looks to build his corps of running backs, and he can do so with both of his first round selections.
2. Welty -- Doug Martin RB Tampa Bay
My first draft of this had Welty taking Steven Jackson, then I remembered he had him at one point and traded him away (or something like that), so I figured he would go in a different direction this time. Welty kept two running backs, but with Rashard Mendenhall out until the end of September at least, this seams like a great place to take a running back. Martin isn't as highly regarded as Richardson, but he could be falling into a better situation. The NFC South defenses don't exactly strike fear into the hearts of runners.
3. Viano -- Matt Ryan QB Atlanta
With three running backs and two wide receivers in the fold, Viano will most likely be thinking quarterback here. Ryan has had a fantastic preseason and is the highest-ranked returning quarterback on the board. Viano could go with one of the five rookies who start in Week One, but this seems like the safest pick to make at this spot.
4. Tomke -- Steven Jackson RB St. Louis 
Maurice Jones-Drew is Tomke's lone running back on the roster, and with him currently in a holdout, running back should be addressed here. There are any number of ways Dave could go with this (and my first inclination was to give him a Lion), but Jackson seems like a good bet here. He could go with Gore or Sproles also, but Jackson is my guess here.
5. JR -- Marques Colston WR New Orleans
JR kept two Green Bay wideouts (never a bad choice) and two running backs who play at the Meadowlands, so he could go either way with this pick. I feel like he chooses to go with wide receiver here, and Colston is the best one on the board. Drew Brees has plenty of options, and Colston is one who will be targeted early and often in the Superdome.
6. Baron -- Darren Sproles RB New Orleans
Baron makes it back-to-back Saints to come off the board. He could go with a quarterback here (he kept three wide receivers, a tight end and Arian Foster), but I have a sense that he will wait a round or two and select one of the rookie quarterbacks and instead look to running back here. Frank Gore is still available, and I thought he might go in that direction, but Baron has had Gore before, and I'm not sure he wants to go down that road again.
7. Drew -- Frank Gore RB San Francisco
With his second pick of the first round, Drew could look to add to his wide receivers, but I feel like he will go with another running back here as well. Cedric Benson in Green Bay is an intriguing proposition, but Gore is more established and should have a bounce back type of year.
8. Eli -- Cedric Benson RB Green Bay
Eli is set at wide receiver for the first round or two, so he will most likely address his running back situation here. Many of the starters are off the board by now, so this allows Eli the chance to take a flyer on a guy like Benson. He looked good in the preseason and could give Green Bay the running game that the Packers have been missing the last few years.
9. Ed -- Miles Austin WR Dallas
I'm not sure Ed is sold on the awesomeness of Jeremy Maclin, and with Tom Brady, DeMarco Murray, Chris Johnson and Darren McFadden in the fold, this is a good chance to upgrade at wide receiver. Justin Blackmon is a possibility here, but I think he goes with a known quantity over the rookie. If Austin can stay healthy, he and Dez Bryant can form as good on a 1-2 receiving combination as exists in the NFL.
10. Stem -- Eric Decker WR Denver
If one of the running backs listed above is still on the board, I may very well go in that direction instead. But assuming all those guys are gone, I like Decker here. Peyton loves him some white wide receivers (see Collie, Austin), and Decker fits the mold well. He should benefit as much as anyone from the switch of Tebow to Manning.

So there it is. That's how I think the First Round will turn out. I'm sure I will be totally wrong, but it was a fun little exercise and it's good to have something new on the blog. Enjoy the draft.

First Round Playoffs in Review

Gentlemen--before I get to the recap, I just want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Be sure to enjoy your holiday.
The first round of the VUFSA playoffs saw two incredibly close contests, which makes sense considering it featured the top four squads squaring off against each other. The total margin of victory in the two "championship" semifinals was 3.50. And in the hard luck world of fantasy football, Drew scored enough points to have beaten both contestants in the other semifinal, but sadly for him, he did not score enough points to beat Champ. In the "consolation" round, Baron outlasted Viano, while Tomke blew out JR and has to be left wondering what might have been.
Championship Bracket Phil Powell Rules 129.75-Die Mike Williams 129.00
A Monday night surge from Vernon Davis and Navarro Bowman gave PPR the 2-1 series win and sent my team to the final for the first time since 2008. DMW finished with seven players scoring double figures, compared to only five for PPR. Reggie Bush outscored Aaron Rodgers (23.50-23.25), but DMW also put up three scores of 0.50 or worse, including one from the Tampa wide receiver that necessitated the name change. DMW had five scores of 5.50 or worse, while PPR had five scores between 6.00 and 7.50. This was where a lot of the difference was made up. The tide also seemed to turn when the 49ers went ahead 13-3. Vernon Davis, who finished with 12.00, was knocked out of bounds at the one. If Frank Gore had gotten the carry on 1st and goal, DMW would still be Dexter McClusterfunk. Thankfully for PPR, Jim Harbaugh called Davis' number again and that score put PPR over the top. Calvin Johnson (26.50) was the top point-getter in this match-up. Aaron Hernandez stole a touchdown from Wes Welker (much to Drew's chagrin I'm sure), and Marshawn Lynch found the end zone again for the 10th week in a row. Bush, Lynch and Steven Jackson outscored Roy Helu, Adrian Peterson and Michael Turner 55.00-25.50. I think if you had told Eli that before the week started (and added that Cam Newton would only be 1.00 behind Rodgers, he would have to be feeling pretty good about how things would turn out).
PPR (10-5): Any discussion of this team begins and ends with Calvin Johnson. Megatron had tapered off the last few weeks after a scorching start to the season, but he came back in a big way on Sunday. He finished with nine catches for 214 yards and two touchdowns. He had three catches for 60-ish yards in the final 98-yard drive that most likely put the Lions into the playoffs for the first time since 2000. It was quite rare this season for a wide receiver to be the top-scorer in a match-up, and that's exactly what Johnson did this week. Rodgers (23.25) finished with 267 total yards and two scores. It was a relatively meh day for him, and you know you've had an MVP-type season when 23.25 is ordinary. Turner (13.00) was the only PPR running back to reach the end zone. Nate Washington (12.50) caught seven passes for 62 yards and a score, while Davis (12.00) finished with six grabs for 72 yards and a touchdown (and he finally was worth the 3rd round pick I traded to get him). Adrian Peterson returned to the lineup but only managed 6.00 (60 yards). Helu (6.50) was kept out of the end zone for the first time in three weeks, but he did finish with 67 yards of offense. MVP: Johnson. It has been so rare this year for anyone in this line up to put up more points than Rodgers, so Megatron's fantastic day lands him in this spot. LVP: Terrell Suggs. I normally hesitate to put defenders here, but Suggs has been good for at least 5.00 every week, and he only managed 1.00 against San Diego.
DMW (9-6): It's rough when you score 129.00 and feel like you left points out there still. In spite of the fact that most of his guys had really good days, there are a few changes that would have put Eli over the top. Surprisingly, even though Newton finished with two scores and 204 total yards (22.25), starting Tim Tebow (not that it was ever a serious consideration) would have put DMW over the top. Bush rushed for 203 yards and a score (but also had a costly fumble) to finish with 23.50. Lynch (17.00) has been awesome the last two months of the season, and he was again against the Bears, finding the end zone twice. Steven Jackson (14.50) had 143 total yards of offense. Again though, if Eli had started CJ Spiller (28.50) over these three, or Donald Brown (22.50) over the last two, he'd be in the championship match. Aaron Hernandez caught nine passes for 129 yards and a score (17.50). The problem for Eli came with his wide receivers. Dez Bryant, Larry Fitzgerald, Hakeem Nicks and Mike Williams combined for just one touchdown and 20.00. Williams (0.00) was targeted only one time and did not record a catch and will forever draw Eli's wrath. Matt Bryant (11.00) kicked two field goals and made five extra points. Andre Carter (0.00) did not register a tackle, and Von Miller only had one (0.50). I don't want to seem like I'm piling on (and not that he could have known any of this for he put his best lineup out there), but DMW's optimal lineup would have scored 159.25. I feel very, very fortunate to be moving on to the title game. MVP: Bush. He is having a resurgent season and may very well be trending into keeper territory. He has been one of the biggest surprises (I think anyway) of this fantasy season. LVP: Williams. See Eli's name change for further explanation.
ChamPeons 139.00-Pantry Cereals 136.25
Before the week started, Drew lamented that he had to go up against Brees while facing the Minnesota secondary. He could not have been more right. Brees put up 43.50 against the hapless Viking defense. LeSean McCoy also had a huge day for Champ. The two combined for 69.50, which might have been more than a few teams put up at one time or another this season. Drew had six guys reach 10.00+ (compared to four for Champ), but his top two (Tom Brady and Lance Moore) combined for 48.25. Wes Welker, Dwayne Bowe and Jason Witten combined for 13.00, while Champ got 12.50 from Steve Smith by himself. PC carried a 5.25 lead into the Monday night game, but David Akers quickly made two first half field goals to erase the margin and give CP the win. PC had the better balance in this match-up, but CP had the better performances, and that was enough to squeak out the victory and give Champ a shot at his second football title.
CP (11-4): Brees tossed for 412 yards and five touchdowns (43.50). He could have scored more too, because he lost a fumble. This was one of the best quarterbacking performances of the season, and it could not have come at a better time for Champ. McCoy dominated the Jets with 102 yards rushing and three scores (26.00). When Philly's offense sputtered this year, McCoy was always picking up the slack and often looked like he was the only one who cared about being on the field. Smith caught five passes for 82 yards and a score. The newly acquired Beanie Wells had 62 total yards and a score (11.50). Brandon Marshall caught three passes for 84 yards and a score with a fumble lost (9.00), and Marques Colston had eight grabs for 91 yards (8.00). That was basically the extent of Champ's offense. Brees and McCoy accounted for 50 percent of his point total this week. MVP: Brees. A tremendous performance was needed from Brees, and he delivered in spectacular fashion. LVP: LeGarrette Blount. He finished with 21 yards rushing (2.00), and while his output was equal to that of Owen Daniels, Blount ends up here because more is expected of running backs than tight ends.
PC (8-7): Brady (29.75) tried his best to keep pace with Brees, but he only managed 320 yards and three touchdowns. More importantly though, none of those touchdowns went to Wes Welker (4.00). Welker was tackled at the one on one catch, and the touchdown on the next play went to Aaron Hernandez instead. Lance Moore (18.50) did his best to lessen the impact of Brees' spectacular numbers as he had 91 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Cedric Benson had 87 total yards and a score (13.50). Torrey Smith's (12.00) last-minute touchdown catch gave PC a chance to get the win. Ray Rice had 112 total yards but was kept out of the end zone and was mostly ineffective after the Ravens got down by more than two scores (11.50). Sebastian Janikowski had two long field goals and three extra points (10.00), but his 65-yarder to win the game was blocked. The struggles of Welker, Witten and Bowe have already been mentioned. Jason Pierre-Paul had 16 tackles and a sack (9.75). Again, I hate to say what might have been (for it cannot be anticipated that things would have turned out the way they did), but if Drew had started Brent Celek (15.50) instead of Witten or Toby Gerhart (17.00) instead of Ryan Grant, he would have gotten the win. MVP: Brady. It was a really good day for Tom Terrific, Drew just needed it to be a little bit better. LVP: Welker. Four catches for 41 yards is not enough (4.00). I know Denver's defense is good, but Drew needed more from him.
Consolation Bracket Waiting for Goodell 102.50-Let My Monkeys Go 95.25
Baron won his fourth straight-game on the strength of Arian Foster's (18.00) big day. Ben Roethlisberger finished with a score of 0.25, and that wasn't even the worst score in this match-up. Pierre Garcon, who just two weeks ago was having a season-best day, finished with -0.50 (more on that later). Viano got 22.00 from Ryan Mathews and 21.00 from Carson Palmer, which were both higher than Baron's best effort, but WFG had five scores of 10.00 or more, while LMMG only managed three. It is rare to see a team win a VUFSA contest without strong quarterback play, but Baron managed to do just that thanks to Foster, Darren Sproles, Julio Jones, Frank Gore and a combined 23.25 from his IDPs. Viano needed some of Malcolm Floyd's touchdowns to go to Vincent Jackson instead.
WFG (9-6): Foster (18.00) did what he's done for the last two years. This time, he had 167 total yards and a touchdown. Gore (12.00) had 65 yards and a touchdown, Sproles finished 112 total yards and a score (14.50). Julio Jones caught five passes for 85 yards and a touchdown (12.50). Quintin Mikell had 10 tackles and forced two fumbles (10.50). Rob Gronkowski (4.00) saw all of his touchdown passes go to Aaron Hernandez this week, he finished with four catches for 53 yards. Roethlisberger (0.25) threw for 330 yards but had four turnovers. MVP: Foster. He has been Baron's most solid performer all season long. LVP: Big Ben. I know he's injured, but he was the best 49er out on the field.
LMMG (6-9): Carson Palmer threw for 362 yards and a touchdown (21.00) in one of his best games as a Raider. Mathews had 109 total yards and two touchdowns (22.00). Pierre Thomas (13.50) had 85 total yards and a score. A.J. Green caught six passes for 115 yards (8.00). That was essentially it. Willis McGahee did rush for 70 yards (7.00) but was kept out of the end zone. Greg Olsen caught two passes for 15 yards (1.00), and he won't even qualify as the LVP. MVP: Mathews. He has been up and down for most of his first two seasons, but he has really come on the last few weeks and finally is starting to look like a solid keeper. LVP: Garcon. Two weeks after scoring two touchdowns, the Haitian receiver caught two passes for 24 yards and had a fumble to finish in the negatives (-0.50).
Who is Ron Mexico 137.50-Jamie Looks Hot 96.50
This was the team Tomke was hoping to have all year. The most impressive part is that he put up these numbers without getting a huge day from any of his running backs. Instead, it was Matthew Stafford and Roddy White who carried the load. The duo combined for 58.25. Tomke also got double-digit performances from Maurice Jones-Drew, Jason Babin and Miles Austin. JR got a great performance from Matt Ryan (26.75) and good performances from Ahmad Bradshaw and Michael Bush (28.00 combined). He also had Greg Jennings still in his lineup, and Jennings probably won't be back until the playoffs.
WIRM (8-7): I am going to be really interested to see which five Dave ends up keeping before next year. Stafford has stayed healthy all year and has looked pretty good (except at Soldier Field). He has White, Austin and Andre Johnson as wide receivers, as well as MJD, Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham. He has to be wondering what went wrong for his team this year. Stafford threw for 391 yards and four touchdowns (35.25). White caught 10 passes for 135 yards and two scores (23.00). This had the added advantage of keeping JR from benefiting at all from most of Ryan's passes. MJD rushed for 112 yards (11.50). Austin caught five passes for 53 yards and a score (10.50). Plaxico Burress, Graham and BenJarvus Green-Ellis all had touchdowns. MVP: Stafford. This was the best game (I think) of his young career. LVP: Antonio Gates. He caught just two passes for 31 yards (2.00). He was rendered mostly ineffective by Mathews and Malcolm Floyd.
JLH (8-7): It was Ryan and his two running backs and a whole lot of nothing for JR. Ryan threw three touchdown passes (although two were negated because they went to White). Bradshaw had 79 total yards and a score (14.50). Bush continued to excel in place of Darren McFadden with 139 total yards (13.50). Santonio Holmes (7.50) was the only other JLH player to score a touchdown. Brandon Pettigrew and Dustin Keller combined for 9.00. Shonn Greene ran for 73 yards (8.00). JR's two Green Bay wide receivers combined for just 2.00 (which kind of makes sense since Jennings didn't play). MVP: Ryan. He threw for 224 and those three scores. He has really been solid the last few weeks. LVP: Jordy Nelson. Aaron Rodgers' struggles mean the wide receivers will struggle as well. Nelson caught two passes for 29 yards and did not come close to scoring a touchdown (2.00).
Next Week: The 2011 VUFSA football season comes to a close. Champ looks for his second title, while I am hoping to avoid finishing second for the third time in football and get my first title (in any sport). Drew and Eli will square off in the third place game. Baron takes on Tomke for fifth, and Viano and JR meet in the seventh place game.

Week 13 in Review

The next-to-last week of the regular season is over, and now the playoff scenarios are much clearer. Two playoff spots have been clinched (Champ and myself), while four others (Drew, Eli, Baron and JR) have a chance to claim the final two spots (although given that the first tiebreaker is total points scored, it looks like it will be awfully tough for Baron or JR to jump up even with a win--they both need wins, and they both need to score many, many points). Week 13 saw Philip Rivers have his best game of the year (and finish one or two completions short of giving Ed his second win of the season). Baron's team exploded for 152.00 (as previously mentioned, he could use another week like that in Week 14), and Eli tallied 141.75. Champ won by 1.5, while Baron won by 52. Drew won his third-straight to seemingly clinch a playoff berth. Welty remained winless since he changed his team's name. On with the show.
ChamPeons 105.75-Bobby Engram 104.25
If Rivers and Chris Johnson had faced Drew Brees and LeSean McCoy in some sort of hybrid two-on-two fantasy game, it would have been Edwin who won by 1.5 (56.00-54.50). Ed almost brought the Thunder, but Norv Turner decided to take pity on the Jaguars and sat Rivers for most of the fourth quarter. Chris Johnson's resurgence continued as he outscored McCoy 27.50-24.00. David Akers made four field goals and outscored Beanie Wells 14.00-12.50. Beyond that, there were not many noteworthy performances on either side. Champ won in spite of having four players score 1.00 or fewer. Ed had a chance to spring what would probably have been the upset of the year, and his team just couldn't quite do it. Playoff Implications: With the win, Champ clinched a playoff spot and due to a 34.00-point lead in total points scored, has the inside track to the top-seed in the playoffs.
C (9-4): Brees (30.50) tossed three touchdowns and had 342 yards passing against the Lions. McCoy (24.00) had 133 total yards of offense and scored both of Philadelphia's touchdowns. To be honest, he was the only guy on the Eagles who look like he cared at all about winning. Akers made four field goals, and Victor Cruz caught seven passes for 119 yards (8.50). It was not all good news for Champ though. Matt Forte was lost to a sprained MCL after scoring 1.00 (and will miss at least the first week of the VUFSA playoffs if not the rest of the year). Fred Davis has been suspended for the rest of the season due to a violation of some sort (it escapes me which kind an I'm too lazy to look it up). LeGarrette Blount only had 19 yards rushing (1.00), Patrick Willis hurt himself and did not score, and Brian Urlacher only managed two tackles for 1.00 (although that number is sure to be much higher against Tim Tebow this week). MVP: Brees. It could be McCoy for actually still caring, but Brees torched the Lions and just slightly edges out McCoy. LVP: Blount. Forte gets a pass for the injury, but this was probably Blount's most disappointing performance of the season. He has been a solid fantasy option all year, but it has to be a little concerning that he could only manage 1.00 against Carolina.
BE (1-12): Since I go out of my way to rip on Rivers when he's bad, I should give him his due this week. He was outstanding (294 yards passing, three touchdowns and zero turnovers) against the Jaguars. Again, Norv Turner probably cost Ed his second win of the year. I'm not completely sure on the numbers, but he might have gotten enough if he completed one more pass for six yards. If I'm wrong, correct me in the comments. Chris Johnson had 153 yards rushing and two scores (27.50), reminding everyone why he was slated to be one of the top fantasy backs this season. Wells (12.50) finished with 73 total yards and a score. Daniel Thomas rushed for 73 yards (7.00). Much like Champ, this was basically the extend of Ed's offense. MVP: Johnson. I know Rivers was awesome (and I should be nice to him for at least one week), but not only did CJ2K put together back-to-back solid weeks, but he also gives Ed some optimism headed into the 2012 campaign. LVP: Early Doucet. Doucet caught two passes for zero yards. It's a credit to him that he still managed to score 1.50, but that's just sad.
Pantry Cereals 110.50-Phil Powell Rules 91.00
For the second time this season, Aaron Rodgers out-Bradied Tom Brady in a match-up between the two quarterbacks, but this time, the rest of Drew's roster did enough get the victory and move Drew's winning streak to three in a row. Ray Rice > Roy Helu by a matter of 10.00 (27.00-17.00). Drew had four players score at least 10.50, while the Fightin' Phil Powells got a combined 55.00 from Rodgers and Helu with the next best total being 6.00 from Calvin Johnson. It was both feast and famine for PPR. Toby Gerhart put up 15.00 for Drew while Adrian Peterson missed his second-straight game. Playoff Implications: The win all but clinched a playoff spot for Drew. It would take a loss in which he only scored about 30 points (or a 200-point effort from either Baron or JR) to keep Drew out of the playoffs. In spite of the loss, PPR clinched a playoff spot. A first round win wouldn't asking for too much, would it?
PC (8-5): If you had told me before the week started that Brady and Wes Welker could combine for fewer points that Rodgers scored by himself, I would have felt very good about things. This is exactly what happened, but my optimism would have been unfounded. Mostly because of Ray Rice. Brady threw for 289 yards and two scores (24.25) and Welker caught 10 passes for 110 yards but stayed out of the end zone (10.50). John Harbaugh realized the error of his ways from earlier in the season (and caused Terrell Suggs to rejoice I'm sure) and just kept giving the ball to Rice. The former Rutgers star carried a career-high 29 times for 204 yards and a touchdown (27.00). Gerhart didn't score a touchdown, but he did finish with 133 total yards of offense (15.00). Lance Moore (8.00) only caught two passes, but one of them went for a touchdown. MVP: Rice. Over the last few years, it is a rare occurrence when Brady is outscored by someone on his own team. Rice did that this week, and receives this honor because of it. LVP: Torrey Smith. Baltimore's focus on running the ball was great for Rice, but it did mess up the Ravens' passing game. Smith managed just one catch for 32 yards (1.50).
PPR (9-4): Rodgers and Helu were awesome. Everyone else....not so much. Rodgers (38.00) finished with 401 total yards and four touchdowns. He would have passed the 40-point mark if he had not thrown an interception. In his second start of the season, Helu made Mike Shanahan look like a genius (or perhaps an idiot for not starting him all year) by putting up 142 total yards and a score (17.00). It was a bunch of dreck other than that. No other player in the lineup found the end zone, and Megatron's 6.00 was the next highest point total. I suppose there's something to be said for everyone else being awful at the same time. MVP: Rodgers. This does not require any additional explanation. Just give him the MVP now. LVP: Brandon Lloyd. James Starks and his 0.00 get a pass because of injury, but Lloyd only managed one catch for 32 yards (1.50). I know Sam Bradford didn't play, but that's still not good enough from a top-flight receiver.
Let My Monkeys Go 120.75-Who is Ron Mexico 96.00
Viano gets back to within one game of .500 by having six players score at least 11.00. Tomke could only manage three above 10.50. Dave also had three guys put up 0.00, which generally doesn't bode well. Pierre Garcon awoke from his season-long slumber to catch a couple of touchdown passes (he must like Dan Orlovsky--Dr. Lovsky!!!--a whole lot more than he likes Curtis Painter). Willis McGahee and Ryan Mathews combined for 33.00, while Carson Palmer had a decent showing (19.00) in what was otherwise a dreadful day for the Raiders. MJD had a big day on Monday night (he leads the AFC in rushing you know) to make this respectable. Matthew Stafford was okay and Roddy White found the end zone again. Not much for Dave other than that in what has been a very frustrating year for him, I'm sure. Playoff Implications: In spite of Viano's chance to get to 7-7 this week, both players were eliminated from playoff contention.
LMMG (6-7): We finally had a Pierre Garcon sighting. He caught nine passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns (23.50). Garcon has scored 97.00 through 12 games, so nearly 1/4 of his point total came in Week 13. Sadly, this is a little too late for Viano. Vincent Jackson and A.J. Green each had touchdown catches (25.50). Mathews had 112 yards rushing and a score (18.50), and McGahee added 111 rushing yards and a score (14.00). MVP: Garcon. This was an absolutely stud-like effort, undoubtedly causing Viano to wonder where this type of production has been all year. LVP: Anquan Boldin. Just like Torrey Smith earlier, this is another instance of a Baltimore receiver suffering from Ray Rice getting so many carries. Boldin managed just two catches for 32 yards (2.00).
WIRM (6-7): Not that it matters, but Tomke would have scored three more points if Jason Garrett weren't an idiot. Dan Bailey (8.00) would have made another field goal if Garrett hadn't called a time out right as he was kicking it. MJD (22.00) had 188 total yards and a touchdown. At least someone cared about looking good on Monday night. Stafford threw for 408 yards but only managed one touchdown (18.75). White caught four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown (10.50). Miles Austin did not play, and Andre Johnson (6.00) got hurt during the game. Jimmy Graham continued to be awesome with eight catches for 89 yards (8.00), but he was seemingly the only New Orleans wide out who didn't find the end zone against the Lions. MVP: MJD. He has been a shining beacon in what has otherwise been a disastrous season in Jacksonville. LVP: Plaxico Burress. A week after being mocked by Stevie Johnson, Burress had only three catches for 33 yards (2.50).
Dexter McClusterfunk 141.75-Shellden Conch 94.50
Eli also moved within striking distance of clinching a playoff spot. Much like Drew, it will take a really poor performance from him or a super-duper effort from Baron or JR to keep him out. Given the way Eli's squad performed in Week 13, this seems highly unlikely. Eli had five guys score at least 14.00, including Cam Newton's 37.50. I am officially ready to give Newton Waiver Wire Pick-up of the Year. (I reserve the right to reconsider that if DeMarco Murray absolutely owns people in the playoffs. Just saying). No one has been happier that Kim Kardashian is back on the market than Reggie Bush. He had another solid game. Three guys scored at least twice as much as what Yahoo! predicted they would. Welty got solid days from his Steelers, as Antonio Brown and Rashard Mendenhall combined for 28.00. The Laurent Robinson Express came to a screeching halt, and Jermichael Finley spells funny letters after he scores touchdowns. Playoff Implications: As previously mentioned, Eli is as close to locking up a playoff spot as a person can be who has not yet actually clinched. If he chooses to celebrate this way, the Gun can have the champagne on ice. (Be sure to drink responsibly). Welty has lost three-straight and has guaranteed himself the #2 pick in the 2012 Draft (the anticipation is building already).
DMF (8-5): Newton finished with 285 total yards and four touchdowns. He threw a touchdown pass and ran in three scores (setting a record for touchdown runs by a quarterback). He also caught a pass, but sadly did not score on that play. Marshawn Lynch (26.00) rushed for 148 yards and two scores. He has scored a touchdown in eight straight weeks, which I believe is also a record (but I could be making that up). Hakeem Nicks caught two touchdowns (19.50), and Dez Bryant added another (14.00). The aforementioned Mr. Bush finished with 100 yards rushing and a score. What's even more frightening, is the fact that Eli's team scored almost 142 points and got a combined 9.00 from Steven Jackson, DeSean Jackson and Larry Fitzgerald. The possibilities of this team are absolutely frightening. This could possibly be the year he gets a championship. MVP: Newton. I don't know if he can be the Rookie of the Year on a team that only wins four games, but there's no question he has been the best rookie in fantasy football this year. LVP: S. Jackson. He finished with 30 total yards (1.50) which is understandable against San Francisco, but still disappointing.
SC (4-9): Three 0.00 from starters didn't help Welty's cause. Mendenhall rushed for 60 yards and two scores (18.00). Brown scored a return touchdown and caught two passes for 67 yards (10.00). Andy Dalton only threw for 135 yards and a touchdown (10.75). Finley caught six passes for 87 yards and a score (13.50) and then spelled YOTTO after his touchdown. I have no idea what this means, and I kind of hope I never do. MVP: Mendenhall. The rushing total wasn't very high, but it didn't need to be in a 35-7 win over Cincinnati. LVP: Ryan Torain and Jerome Simpson. Both players were active during Week 13, but neither did anything to register a fantasy point one way or the other.
Waiting for Goodell 152.00-Jamie Looks Hot 100.00
Sweet Jesus, Baron. Bobby Brendel put up the third-largest point total of the season, surpassed only by Tomke's 161.50 in Week 2 and Champ's 155.00 in Week 7. Seven of his nine offensive starters scored at least 10.50. Percy Harvin returned from injury and led the way with 24.00. Rob Gronkowski stole some of Cam Newton's glory, as he also set an NFL record for touchdowns (23.00). Arian Foster had 20.50 in another ho hum afternoon. Shonn Greene (IOWA!!!) had a huge day (28.50) against the Jets, but the rest of JR's offense was sparse. Matt Ryan, Greg Jennings and Santonio Holmes all went over 10.00, but the trio only combined for 34.50. Four players combined for 63 percent of JR's point total. (Don't be impressed with my quick math skills, JR made it easy by scoring 100 on the nose). Playoff Implications: Both teams are still alive to reach the postseason, but as mentioned at least twice before, it will take stellar efforts by both squads and some help as well for either to make the playoffs. Baron has a 25-point lead on JR in total points scored, so he would be first in line (assuming the difference remains the same between the two) for the final spot if Drew or Eli (or both) falter.
WFG (7-6): Baron's team got 10 non-quarterback touchdowns. That is tough to beat. Harvin had 175 total yards and two touchdowns. Gronkowski set a record for touchdowns scored in a season by a tight end. He had three against the Colts (including one rushing). Foster had 152 total yards and a score. Mike Wallace (14.50) caught two scoring passes. Stevie Johnson and Darren Sproles (23.00 combined) each caught touchdown passes. Notice I haven't mentioned his quarterback yet? Ben Roethlisberger threw for 176 yards and two scores (18.75). There's not a lot left to say about his team's effort in Week 13. MVP: Harvin. It usually doesn't mean good things when a wide receiver scores more points than the quarterback. In this case, it was a very, very good thing for Mr. Brendel. LVP: Julio Jones. Only 5.50, Julio? Are you kidding me? If I were Baron, I would cut him out of sheer principle.
JLH (7-6): Greene had 114 total yards and three touchdowns, and I'm sure Champ was very pleased. (He loves his Hawkeyes you know). Jennings and Holmes (23.50 combined) each caught a touchdown pass. Matt Ryan (11.00) was not particularly good (two interceptions) and had Rivers-esque numbers. There isn't much else (good) of note. On the bright side, though, I think that even if JR had used his optimal lineup, he still would have lost. Baron just had one of those days. MVP: Greene. Without extra points, he would have only lost to the Redskins 19-18 if he had been playing by himself. LVP: Brandon Pettigrew and Dustin Keller. JR's tight ends combined to catch five passes for 25 yards (2.50). That's not good enough to get it done in a game like this.
Next Week: The last week of the regular season features an incredibly odd scenario in which the Week 14 match-ups could end up being rematches in the first week of the playoffs. Drew will try to lock up a playoff spot against Champ, while Eli takes on the Fighting Phil Powells. In other action, Baron and JR try to keep their playoff hopes alive against Viano and Welty, respectively. Ed takes on Tomke in an effort to pick up his second win of the year and head into 2012 with some momentum.

Weeks 11 and 12 in Review

As you probably noticed, there was not a recap for Week 11. I was traveling with my family down to North Carolina to visit my sister for Thanksgiving, and I did not get a chance to see any of the games (except for the 10 minutes of Green Bay-Tampa Bay that was on in the Atlanta airport). I also was unsure of how I could justify to everyone my sitting on the computer for a couple of hours while we were on vacation. Speaking of that, I hope you (and your respective families) had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. Anyway, he's a very brief recap of what happened in Week 11:

• Tomke got back to his winning ways with a victory over Baron. Tony Romo put up 28.75 for Dave, while Baron got 19.00 from Josh Freeman while Ben Roethlisberger was on bye.
• JR defeated a Drew Brees-less Champ squad. Mark Sanchez only managed 8.00 for Champ. Mr. Radcliffe got a combined 54.00 from Matt Ryan, Jordy Nelson and Michael Bush.
• My team upended Viano (who was adjusting to life without Matt Schaub. Vincent Jackson put up 18.00 for Andy, but that was offset by -2.00 from Willis McGahee. Nate Washington scored 21.50 for me, but Adrian Peterson and James Starks were both injured. I cursed the Fantasy Sports Gods, who seem to have no consideration at all for my feelings.
• Eli beat Ed by 60.75, and sadly, this was not the biggest blowout of the week. Jay Cutler scored 25.50 for Ed, and the rest of his team combined for 28.00. Eli had six guys put up at least 10.00.
• Drew more than doubled-up Welty. Ray Rice scored a billion points (actually 26.50) for Drew, and four others put up at least 11.50. Jerome Simpson (yay Coastal Carolina) led Welty's effort with 14.00.

So that does it for Week 11. Now on to Week 12. With just two weeks left in the regular season, nothing has yet been settled except that Ed has guaranteed himself the number one pick in the 2012 Draft. There is a three-way tie for the final two playoff spots (Drew, Eli and JR--with JR on the outside looking in right now due to his team having scored the least amount of points thus far). Two other teams (Tomke and Baron) are just one game out of the last playoff spot. Things are a little more clear at the top, as Champ is a game clear of the three-way tie in second, and I have a game lead on him. After weeks of (mostly) blowouts, this week featured a couple of match-ups decided by fewer than six points (both on the strengths of Monday Night Thunder). There were also two games that had spreads of more than 48 points.
Who is Ron Mexico 127.00-Jamie Looks Hot 124.00
JR had a 15.50-point lead going into Monday night's tilt, but Jimmy Graham had a big night with five catches for 84 yards and two scores (18.50) to rally Dave for the win. These two guys reached their respective point totals in much the same way. Tomke had seven guys score at least 10 points, with Graham's 18.50 leading the way. JR has six guys score at least nine points, with Matt Ryan's 29.75 the highest for Radcliffe. The difference between these two: Tomke got double-digits from each of his offensive starters except for two. JR, on the other hand, had four of his offensive guys tally less than 10. JR is 1-2 in his last three contests, while Dave has won two in a row. Playoff Implications: Due to the first tiebreaker being total points scored, JR (who's scored the sixth-most points in the league so far) falls to outside the playoff picture with this loss. Radcliffe is still tied for 3rd, so a win in Week 13 puts him right back in the playoffs. Tomke is one game back of a playoff slot, and he finishes with Viano and Ed, so an 8-6 record is very possible.
WIRM (6-6): Tomke survived just one touchdown and three interceptions from Matthew Stafford (15.00). Kevin Smith and Andre Johnson (look who's back from injury) combined for 7.50. Dave got seven non-QB touchdowns, including two each from Graham and BenJarvus Green-Ellis (16.00). Maurice Jones Drew did not score, but did finish with 166 yards of total offense (14.00). Roddy White (17.00) caught 10 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. Even Antonio Gates (11.00) and Plaxico Burress (10.00) caught touchdowns. MVP: Graham. It isn't often that a team's top point-getter is a tight end. It's even less often when that happens and the team wins. Graham has become probably the top tight end in the NFL at the current time. LVP: Andre Johnson. I know Matt Leinart and TJ Yates are not very good and that this was his first game back from injury, he needs to do more than two catches for 22 yards (2.00).
JLH (7-5): Matt Ryan threw for 263 yards and three scores and 0 turnovers (29.75). Reggie Wayne (14.50) caught five passes for 122 yards and a score. Greg Jennings and Santonio Holmes combined for 22.00 and two touchdowns. Michael Bush continued to be a wrecking machine with 93 total yards and a score (15.50). If JR had started either Dustin Keller (17.00) in place of Brandon Pettigrew (3.50) or DeAngelo Williams (18.00) in place Jonathan Stewart (9.00), he would have won. MVP: Ryan. One of his best (if not his best) games of the season, and he accounted for almost 1/4 of JR's points. LVP: Jordy Nelson. A week after catching two TD passes, Nelson was kept out of the end zone and only had four catches for 26 yards (3.00).
Waiting for Goodell 84.75-Shellden Conch 77.75
A seven-point night from Darren Sproles on Monday night was enough to push Baron to the .500 mark. It wasn't as big a "Thundering" as in Tomke's case, but it was still a "Thundering" nonetheless. Welty had two players score more than Baron's best player (the myth of Laurent Robinson continues), but Baron had five guys score at least 10.00, while Welty only had two. Each guy had one player put up 0.00 (Mario Manningham for Baron and Ryan Torain for Welty). Each had a disappointing effort from a star running back (Frank Gore's 3.50 for Baron and Rashard Mendenhall's 6.50 for Welty). Playoff Implications: Baron is only a game out of the playoffs, but thanks to his low point total for the season, he will need Dave, Eli and Drew (or a combination of them) to drop their last two games. Welty has been eliminated from playoff contention but can finish as high as sixth if things shake out his way.
WFG (6-6): Five guys basically led Baron to victory. Ben Roethlisberger, Percy Harvin, Arian Foster, Rob Gronkowski and Stevie Johnson combined for 62.75. Harvin (15.00) caught eight passes for 95 yards and a score. Foster had 89 total yards and a touchdown (13.50). Gronkowski (10.00) had 59 receiving yards and a score. He is rapidly becoming one of the best tight ends in the game. And he dates porn stars, so that's cool too I guess. Johnson caught eight passes for 75 yards and a score (13.00). If I worked at Yahoo, I would have given him an extra half-point for the super-cool touchdown celebration. I'm in favor of anyone who mocks Plaxico Burress. MVP: Harvin. One of his best games of the season could not have come at a better time. LVP: Baron. Manningham didn't end up playing, and because he's carrying two kickers, he didn't have a chance to pick up someone to replace Manningham. I put that on Baron.
SC (4-8): The Legend of Laurent Robinson continued as he caught seven passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns (19.00). Andy Dalton had 293 total yards and a touchdown (15.25). Welty swapped Jacksons with Eli, trading Steven for Fred. Ryan Torain (0.00) lost his starting job to Roy Helu. Robinson was the only non-QB to find the end zone. If he had replaced any of his receivers (except Robinson) with Johnny Knox (15.00), he would have won. MVP: Robinson. This probably sounds ridiculous, but there's a chance that he has worked his way into keeper status. LVP: Torain. What started out as a promising year has turned into a disappointing one as the rookie Helu got most of the carries and Torain wasn't even an afterthought.
Phil Powell Rules 119.50-Bobby Engram 96.00
The Fighting Phil Powells remained in sole possession of first place thanks mostly to the aforementioned Roy Helu. With Adrian Peterson, James Starks and Peyton Hillis all on the bench, Helu's big day (21.00) kept this team afloat. Aaron Rodgers was finally ordinary (in that he didn't surpass his projected point total) and Calvin Johnson caught a meaningless touchdown in the final seconds. Ed got a combined 42.00 from Beanie Wells and Chris Johnson (both of whom he offered to me in exchange for AP). Philip Rivers wasn't awful but continued to disappoint. Playoff Implications: PPR has not officially clinched a playoff spot but does remain in the top spot and can clinch a spot with a win this week (or losses by Eli and JR--I know Drew also fits in here, but since I'm playing him I get the win if he loses). Ed has won the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes, but his team has been much better the past few weeks.
PPR (9-3): You know you have been spoiled when you get 23.50 (307 yards passing and two scores) from Rodgers and consider it a disappointment. Helu showed why he should be the starting back in Washington with 162 total yards and a touchdown (21.50). Megatron and Brandon Lloyd (21.50 combined) each caught touchdown passes. Terrell Suggs (13.50) registered three sacks and forced a fumble. MVP: Helu. With AP, Hillis and Starks all benched, his performance was the difference in this match-up. LVP: Nate Washington. A week (or two I can't remember exactly) after catching two touchdowns, he was limited to one catch for 12 yards (1.00).
BE (1-11): No turnovers for Rivers (a first) but only 188 yards passing and one touchdown (13.75). Beanie Wells (f--- Ohio) had perhaps the best game of his career with 228 yards and a touchdown (25.50). Chris Johnson did not reach the end zone (16.50), but he did finish with 193 yards of total offense. Gresham had 68 receiving yards and a score (11.50). If Ed had gotten some more production from his receivers (Mike Thomas, Devin Hester and Nate Burleson combined for 5.50), he might have won. MVP: Wells. He would have put up even more if had not fumbled. That's about the only complaint with his performance. That, and the fact that he went to the most god-forsaken institution this side of ORU. LVP: Hester. This would have worked out if he had returned a kick for a score, but he didn't, and when he doesn't, he tends to be a liability on the roster (0.00).
Pantry Cereals 151.25-Dexter McClusterfunk 102.50
When Drew's team is bad, it's pretty bad (see Ed's only victory of the year), and when it's good, it's really, really good. Drew had four players score at least 19.00 and six score at least 11.00. After struggling the last few weeks, the Tom Brady-Wes Welker connection got going again (54.00 combined). To tell you what kind of day it was for Drew, Sebastian Janikowski (19.00) scored more points than all but one of Eli's players. For Eli, Cam Newton did what Cam Newton does (20.00), and Marshawn Lynch continued his reign of terror against the NFC West (18.50). Newly acquired Steven Jackson didn't do much (7.50). Playoff Implications: The win puts PC back in the playoffs, and with a 100-point advantage over Eli, he is slotted solidly into the third seed. If he holds on and makes the playoffs, he will have earned it, as his final two games have him facing the top two teams in the league. Eli is in as the fourth seed (due to a 40-point lead over JR), and his road is a little easier as he faces Welty before finishing with the Fighting Phil Powells.
PC (7-5): Brady even ran a little bit this week, finishing with 389 total yards and three scores (33.00). It certainly helps when two of those touchdown passes go to Wes Welker (21.00), who finished with eight catches for 115 yards. Cedric Benson had 130 total yards and a score (19.00). Janikowski went all Rob Bironas on the Bears and kicked six field goals. Lance Moore caught two touchdowns (16.00). Even Toby Gerhart got in on the act with 63 total yards and a score (11.00). MVP: Brady. I'm already cursing the Fates that I have to face Drew when Brady and Welker are going up against the hapless Colts. LVP: Torrey Smith. The rookie sensation only had two grabs for 23 yards (2.00), for Drew's worst offensive performance of Week 12.
DMC (7-5): Eli only had two guys put up double-figure totals. That does not bode well when your opponent has six such performances. Newton had 261 yards but only one touchdown. Lynch finished with 131 total yards and scored a touchdown for the seventh straight game. Reggie Bush had 96 total yards (8.50), and Hakeem Nicks caught seven passes for 87 yards (7.50). MVP: Lynch. Even after his highlight run against the Saints in the playoffs last year, he was an afterthought entering this year. He has been very, very solid. LVP: Dez Bryant. He managed just three catches for 35 yards (2.50) and took a back seat to the Laurent Robinson Experience.
ChamPeons 142.25-Let My Monkeys Go 81.00
This was the biggest "Thundering" of the week. Champ entered the final game trailing by 5.00. His three guys on Monday night (Drew Brees, Victor Cruz and Marques Colston) combined for 71.00. Drew Brees went off for another big night (43.00). Cruz scored 23.50, while Colston (4.50) was not much of a factor. Three other guys (DeMarco Murray, Brandon Marshall and LeSean McCoy) scored at least 12.00, but it begins and ends with Brees and Cruz. Viano had another Houston quarterback go down to injury (Matt Leinart this time). Ryan Mathews and Willis McGahee combined for 24.50. Sadly, except for 10.00 from Billy Cundiff (yay PFL), that was about it for Viano. Playoff Implications: The win keeps Mr. Whitlock in sole possession of second place. He's scored the most points in the league, so a win over Edwin this week won't officially clinch him a spot unless things break the exact right way, but he should unofficially clinch one with the victory. Viano has lost three in a row to fall to eighth. He's only two games back, but he needs to win his last two games and get a lot of help.
C (8-4): Brees finished with 371 total yards and five touchdowns. There's not much else you can say about that. What a performance. Cruz caught nine passes for 157 yards and two scores. Marshall had 103 receiving yards and a touchdown (13.50), while McCoy scored a touchdown and Murray 128 yards of total offense (12.00 apiece). MVP: Brees. This does not require any additional explanation. LVP: Owen Daniels. He turned in the lowest point total on Champ's offense, putting up 3.00.
LMMG (5-7): Leinart (9.50) left before the first half was over. Mathews paced LMMG with 142 total yards (13.50). McGahee had 117 rushing yards (11.00). Viano got one touchdown, and that was from Leinart before he was broken. A.J. Green (6.50) caught three passes for 110 yards. MVP: Mathews. He gets this spot by process of elimination. LVP: Vincent Jackson. His up-and-down season continues. This week was down, as he only managed two catches for 25 yards (2.00).
Next Week: At least one playoff spot can be clinched in Week 13. The top match-up is Pantry Cereals against Phil Powell Rules. Also, Baron faces JR. The winner will remain in the playoff hunt, while the loser will have work to do in Week 14. Tomke faces Viano in what is another de facto elimination game, while Champ takes on Edwin and Eli looks to bounce back against Welty (who is 0-2 since he changed his name, just saying).