Fourth & Forever: My 4-0 Fantasy Football Team

 Fourth & Forever: My 4-0 Fantasy Team



Toilet Bowl Trophy
Picture courtesy of WCFFL

For the 2013 NFL season, I have two fantasy teams. But today, I'm only going to talk about one. My Yahoo Wrecking Crew Fantasy Football league. The other one is hosted by ESPN, and it is a waste of time. Its free and not as competitive as my Yahoo league. Therefore I won't discuss it. The Wrecking Crew league is so amazing; not only is it competitive, but it is amongst friends. It does involve playing for money, however the most exciting thing for me are the trophies. There are three divisions with four teams each and each division winner receives a small, almost Heisman like stance trophy with their team name and division name. There is also a loser trophy, awarded to the team with the worst record. Their prize...a toilet bowl seat with wise cracks written on it from other teams. Who says grown man can't have fun? Then theirs, "Alyssa," the name of the big trophy. A football shaped, silver color trophy, attached to a wooden base, with the current champions name on the name plate. We chose, "Alyssa," in regards to Alyssa Milano. She's hot and her name fits well with the trophy. "Alyssa," is coming home with me this year.


My 2012 division trophy
picture courtesy of Johnny J.



My teams name is called," Black Sunday." No specific meaning behind the name, it just sounds intimidating. After four weeks, I am proud to say that I am in first place in the whole league and I'm undefeated. I'm not going to talk about the draft much, because its not current, but I will say I followed most general managers tactics. I drafted what was given to me. I didn't overthink it, I didn't panic, but I would say I came out with one of the deepest teams in the league. MOVING ON... I came to the draft with intentions on making picks people didn't see coming. I'm A Packers fan, and I drafted a Chicago Bears player in the second round! That player is running back Matt Forte, who is has not disappointed thus far. He has rewarded me with three touchdowns in four games. I root for him in hopes of the Bears losing. Yea a Packers fan rooting for my second round pick. I came to the draft thinking...I was going to draft with my mind and not my heart. As much as I wanted to draft Aaron Rodgers or Jordy Nelson, I knew the quarterback and receiver position was too deep to draft them early. I actually had a chance to pick A Rod, with the 10th pick, but chose LeSean McCoy instead. Four weeks later, he is leading the league in rushing yards.

After I went 3-0. I wanted to do a New York Yankee trade, and so I did. Before I discuss who I traded for and what I gave up for them, I contemplated if I wanted to go through with it. I hadn't lost a game, I had just blown somebody out by 60 points. I didn't need to make a trade, but like every GM brainstorming in the front office, I wanted to create a team that is guaranteed to go far. So I wanted to get a great player, who was struggling, in hopes that they will return to a top tier producer. That way it wouldn't cost me a lot in return. I' m not talking about quarterback Philip Rivers, but running back C.J. Spiller. He was picked in the first round, but hadn't been performing like a GM expects from a first rounder. The person who had him was 1-2 and I know they were looking for a big trade. And so I gave them one. I traded the Seattle defense and running back Le'Veon Bell, in return for C.J. Spiller. Yea I know Seattle has the best defense in the league, and I know Bell just scored two touchdowns, but I'm looking at the bigger picture...the playoff run. Defenses are expendable, because any defense can get you descent points weekly depending on match-ups. I picked up the Tennessee Titans defense, who had five sacks, five tackles for a loss, two picks, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown against the New York Jets. They got me more points then the Seahawks would have last week. Bell is coming off a serious injury, I'm not sure if he will be the answer for the 0-4 Pittsburgh Steelers. It's a gamble I hope will pay off.

I've also been doing my homework on the waiver wire. Picking up no name players who I think might make an impact in certain games. I look at their opponents weekly and I survey players; deciding on I believe fits in the lineup for the upcoming game or games. I picked up wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins, before the season started. He has been in and out of my lineups, although I had him in my lineup last week, when he blew up for 127 receiving yards and a touchdown, against the Atlanta Flacons. I figured with receiver Danny Amendola and tight end Ron Grownkowski out, he was going to have a big game in a primetime match-up. I seen him in a pre-season game and he just stood out. I knew he was someone I should grab. I also had pick up Le'Veon Bell, after someone dropped him. He was supposed to be out like six weeks with an injury, but came back sooner. Instead of giving him a chance I used him in the Spiller trade.  Since I traded away the Seattle defense, and then dropped the Titans defense, I needed to pick up a sleeper defense for this week. So I picked up the Cleveland Browns defense. They play the Buffalo Bills tonight, and I'm hoping they can duplicate the stellar defense they showed last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. Surrendering only six points at the, "Dawg Pound." The Browns defense is descent and ferocious. In four games they have 14 sacks, 19 tackles for a loss and have only given up 70 points. The Bills have a banged up backfield, so I'm betting on a good day at the pound. 

 

"Alyssa"
picture courtesy of the current champion and
co-founder of Pathologicalhate.clogspot.com
Felipe Melecio

 

These are the main reasons why I'm undefeated in the Wrecking Crew Fantasy Football League. It comes down to good drafting, and taking what the draft was giving me. Thinking with my mind and not my heart. Believing the person I drafted, was going to have a good year. Regardless if I liked the team or not; I'm too busy thinking about making my pockets fatter; and of course...Alyssa. Even though its too early to say if my trade was a success or not, but I felt like I could get rid of the Seahawks defense and get the same points from sleepers on the wire. By adding C.J. Spiller, I now have a four-headed running attack. LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte, DeMarco Murray. With two running back slots and two flex slots, say hello to my four-headed horseman. The waiver wire is my friend in need. I look at throwaways and sleepers and invite them for workouts. If everything checks out ok, the contract is signed and a number is given. Welcome to the future of WCFFL...Black Sunday.

Are the 49ers Super Bowl Contenders?

  Are the 49ers Super Bowl Contenders?

Good news! The 49ers beat the St. Louis Rams yesterday 35-11. The bad news is the 49ers looked great against a weak team, but can't produce the same outcome against playoff teams. In a weak primetime game aired on the NFL Network, the 49ers dominated the line of scrimmage. Making life miserable for Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and running back Daryl Richardson. Bradford threw 41 times and only connected on 19 of them. He was sacked five times and just seamed uncomfortable in the pocket. Richardson rushed 12 times and only racked up 16 yards. This is the 49ers defense that we all seam to recognize. To bad it came against one of the most disappointing teams in the league. Seriously its the Jacksonville Jaguars and then its the Rams. After the 49ers didn't score a single point in the first quarter, they quickly found their toughness in the way they're accustomed to. Shoving the ball down the opponents throat, with Greg Romans pistol power running calls. The only problem is the 49ers could find themselves 1-3 after four games. Losing to the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts, the 49ers were 50 yards away from losing a shootout game in week one against the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, a shootout! That's not the 49ers way of winning games, its through tough defense and power running. At least it use to be.

The 49ers are a running team. If that quickly changes to a passing team, the game could be headed for a rough outcome. The 49ers ran the ball 42 times and threw only 23 times against the Rams. That's because they won the line of scrimmage battle. They looked good against the Rams, but then again the Rams defense are giving up 30.2 points in four games, which is ranked 28th in the league. The defense is horrible, giving up 175 yards to DeMarco Murray, the week before. I wasn't mad because Murray is on my fantasy team, but Murray ran for a lot of yards against them the year before. My point is the Rams defense sucks! A week later, Frank Gore ran for 153 yards on 20 carries. That's a whopping 7.7 yards a carry. That is dominating the line of scrimmage, followed up with play-action. In the two losses, the 49ers were dominated. They only ran the ball 23 times against the Colts and 20 times against the Seahawks. 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a mobile quarterback, who has the ability to throw the ball in the pocket, but he is more effective when he is on the move. When defenses shutdown the run, his best ability is taken away from him and he is now one-dimensional. The 49ers have to be successful running the ball for him to be his best.

Secondly, the 49ers need to be able to bring their high-powered defense every game. Against the Rams they shutdown everything the offense was bringing. They took out the run game and then took out Bradford's favorite targets on the field. Throwing for only 202 yards on 41 attempts. In the lost against the Colts, the 49ers gave up 184 yard on the ground. That was unheard of at Candlestick Park. With the Colts winning the yards being produced on the ground. The 49ers are throwing more than running, which is not found in their game plans. Kaepernick isn't Joe Montana or Steve Young. So winning with his arm isn't going to always work. He is a quarterback who has the frame of a receiver and the legs of a kick returner. The read-option and pistol formation are used to complement his qualities. To keep defenses guessing is what he does best. That's what separated him from former 49er quarterback Alex Smith. Smith is one-dimensional; a passer who looks to throw 10 yards in play-action and was very successful in taking care of the ball, simply because he never threw down-field. Kaepernick has the ability to do that, but he should be looking to run first.

The reason we haven't seen Kaepernick at his best is because of the play-calling. I rarely seen the read-option being used in the 49ers games this year. Coach Jim Harbaugh is concerned of getting his quarterback hurt. He should be, especially after Packers Clay Matthews tried to take his head off out of bounce in the first week. Playing Kaepernick as a pocket quarterback is hurting the team. Taking away a mans best asset leaves him with nothing. I say, let him play his style that we are used to seeing. Having defenses look confused and lost. Teach the quarterback to get down and slide if in trouble. Not to take hits like RG3, and not to throw hits like Jay Cutler. Its a long season and most teams go as the quarterback goes...unless you're the Minnesota Vikings. If the 49ers are not going to use him for what he can do, then what's the point of having him on the team. They might as well have kept Alex Smith, if they're scared of using a mobile quarterbacks skills. The 49ers do have injuries on the offensive side, but the injuries are in the passing game. Its irrelevant to what the team needs to do. Meaning Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham are expendable. They have a veteran receiver in Anquan Boldin and a talented tight-end in Vernon Davis. They can coach-up others to catch the ball and to run routes. Big names are overrated. But they are a team who runs the ball, they don't need their best receivers to be affective. Like Sandra Bullock said in the movie The Blind Side, "Run the damn ball."

When they look bad against playoff teams, the Super Bowl looks further away in the distance. The 49ers need to change that. They need to run the ball to be effective and they need to bring that tough defense every game and they have to do it against good teams. They will have plenty of chances to redeem themselves. With matchups against the Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. They have to establish the line of scrimmage early, because once they fall behind, they seem to get out of that running funk. Once that happen, its a whole different game plan, because the opposing team has them in unfamiliar territory. I don't see the 49ers making a repeat trip to the Super Bowl, I 'm not even sure they will make the playoffs, but I do know if they don't get back to their X and O's, its going to be a long season. Running the ball, while serving up the read-option and playing hard nose defense is 49ers football 101.