Week 4 Starters

Week 4 Starters

I've taken a 3-0 record to ride my way to #1 in the division, and to share the lead in the league with my big brudder. This week I aim at making it 4 straight by bumping off my old man.

Respect

I've now taken 3 straight weeks as the top scorer in the league, and with that my big brudder has decided to post my face as the league logo and poke fun. I just cant wait to meet up head-to-head against him in week 7 ;)

Adds/Drops

NONE! I did attempt to get grossman and Maurice Drew-Jones, just to bolster my bench, but not only were they picked up off of waiver wires, they were later dropped and picked up by other members in the league. They slipped through my fingers TWICE...

Week 3 Starters

Here's the week 4 dream team:

1 QB (McNabb/Johnson)
McNabb's looking for some Monday Night Magic

2 RB (Westbrook/Dunn/Addai/Norwood)
Westy has a bum knee again, but last I heard he practices Saturday morning, which means that it shold be all systems go for Monday Night.

Dunn takes on an Arizona defense that allows alot of points. That, mixed with his crappy performance last week, he's looking for a big game this week. (He is, he called me up personally, apologized for the lack of yardage, and promised... true story!)

2 WR (Wayne/Houshmendzadah/"Touchdown" Reggie Brown/Henry/Moulds)
Housh is playing against a New England D that has allowed big yardage plays and an average of 227 passing yards per game. How convenient, I like playing WR's against a defense that likes to do that!

Reggie Wayne, in the wake of his brothers unfortunate death, will play Sunday against the Jets. I don't think I can sit him at this moment.

1 TE (LJ Smith/Mercedes Lewis)
LJ practiced Saturday morning as well. With an extra day off this week, he should be plenty ready for Monday Night.

1 K (Brown/Gostkowski)
Gostkowski sucks apparently, he better start to elevate the ball better. I passed up alot of guys on the wire for him.

Oh yeah, Seattle... would it kill you to give Brown ONE field goal this season? Last week, 6 kicks... all extra points. Thanks guys... thanks...

1 D (Ravens/Bills)
I honestly dont think I can sit the Ravens Defense this week against the San Diego Superchargers. The best defenses play solid no matter who the opponent is. Plus, Philip Rivers is still fresh meat, I'm looking for some turnovers in this game, not too many sacks because he'll play the dink and dunk method in the game, but he'll have more mistakes in this game than others.

1 FLEX (1 RB/WR/TE)
"Touchdown" Reggie Brown will take is rightful spot at #2 against the Green Bay Packers and their 31st ranked defense, giving him ownership of my FLEX spot yet again. 50 yards and 1 TD is all I ask for Reggie!!!

My Week 4 Opponent ("Pack Too" 1-2)

Pack Too sends the following team to the virtual gridiron:

- Mark Brunell
- Correll Buckhalter
- DeShaun Foster
- Marvin Harrison
- Torry Holt
- Keyshawn Johnson
- Chris Cooley
- Olindo Mare
- Falcons D.

Most of his regular team is actually on a Bye (Eli, Tiki, Steelers D.), and Vinatieri is hurt (lol... I find it funny when a kicker is hurt... MAN UP!) So I'm not realy playing against his full fledged team. But, it does give me a chance to go 4-0 in the division/league, and with the Eagles going against an awful defense, McNabb & Crew should post monster numbers and hopefully give me my 4th straight top-score title.

People who look awful on Hi-Def

John Clayton, ESPN Insider. This man looks like he's aged about 50 years by going from analog to HD. No where to lie, I almost threw up in my mouth last week...

Survivor Pool

So my strategy last week was to take the Miami Dolphins against the Titans as my survivor pick since I probably wouldnt ever want to take them again throughout the season. Apparently half of the people in the pool had the same strategy. It made me think of 2 things:
1 - A lot more people probably hate Culpepper than what I originally thought
2 - The general strategy in the pool is to take any team that is playing the Packers, Titans, and/or Raiders.

Fair enough, atleast I know what I'm up against now. In my spare time I assembled a week by week list of teams I want to take, and quite honestly I dont feel comfortable with the Eagles at any point past this week. Therefore, against the Green Bay Packers, I'm taking the Philadelphia Eagles. From what I've seen, a decent amount of the league has taken the Eagles already in the season, so this should be a relatively safe pick for me in the pool, but I suppose we'll see.

Check back tomorrow y'all

Thats about it for the moment people, I'll save my witty banter about Shaun Alexander and the Eagles Monday Night game for tomorrow when Im looking to fill the void in my blog (yes, I am actually scheduling crap to write about...)

It's Official: 3-0!

3-0!

Hello Lovelies! Here I am, standing once again in first place and with the top overall score! I have now become the center of attention in the league, the butt of all jokes, and the marked man. I am no longer the underdog, I am the top team. It also comes with a price though. Every transaction I have attempted to make has been cancelled out because another team has wanted the same player. Due to both my record and total points scored, I am at the bottom of the list as to who I can pick up in waiver's. This has included Desmond Clark, Rex Grossman, Maurice Morris, and Michael Robinson. Sometimes its not necessarily about getting a quality guy that YOU can start... its about getting the quality guy that your OPPONENT cannot start.

Stat-lines

Lil' Brudder - Heart of a Champion

D. McNabb - 22.9
W. Dunn - 4.6
B. Westbrook - 34.4
R. Brown - 10.6
T. Houshmandzadeh - 21.4
R. Wayne - 8.2
L. Smith - 7.9
J. Brown - 6
D. Ravens - 20
Total - 136


IRISH
D. Brees - 9.65
S. Alexander - 11.9
C. Taylor - 8.9
L. White - 0.4
A. Bryant - 3.6
D. Driver - 8
V. Davis - 0
N. Rackers - 2
D. Lions - 4
Total - 48.45

Post Game Analysis from an idiot

You read that right folks, 136-48.45 blowout. It wasnt about just the win this week though, I wanted to remain the headline in the league.

Westbrook was a stud, an absolute stud, for me this week. He's my first pick and 10th overall, and he racked up 36 large for me. Meanwhile IRISH had the 1st overall pick in the draft and took (c'mon.. try and guess...) correct! Neil Rackers! "Bob, tell them what they won!" Yes, Shaun Alexander.. with the 11.9 total points. Funny how this fantasy football thing works.

T.J. Housh finally came out of retirement and posted some big scores for me, which was important since I sat Chris Henry in his place. You hate to sit 19 points and not have it justified.

Reggie Brown was a big start for me too. I know it was only 10 points, but Stallworth was a last minute scratch making Reggie the #1 guy. The first play for the Birds Offense was a flea-flicker, and Reggie tripped over himself while catching the pass, missing out on a TD. He also missed a TD late in the game that was another 30 yards or so. So the numbers dont totally show what this guy is capable of. In a way, its bitter-sweet since I drafted this guy knowing he would play this way, but his numbers are much lower than anticipated due to being the #2 man. I guess he's posting numbers that you would want your FLEX WR to give you, and if thats the case, I guess cant complain.

And once again the Ravens D posts some very impressive numbers. Even with giving up 15 total points to the Browns, they had some fumble recoveries and sacks, giving me 20 points. Think about that... thats the equivalent to a 100 yard and 2 TD day for a FLEX position player. They take on the San Diego Superchargers next week, but once again, picking these guys up so late in the draft has been a great move. They may even be my dynasty keeper next year!

Whos Next?

Pack Too, my old man's team. He's another division rival and stands at 1-2 in the league, so this is a must win for him early in the season.

Thanks for stopping by

Thats about it for the moment. Be sure to check back soon as I decide to ramble about why I wouldnt have taken Shaun Alexander, even with the 10th overall pick, had he fallen to me in the draft. And also why the Monday Night game (Packers vs. Iggles) will pain me to no end.

UPDATE: Lil Brudder has the lead...

I find it so odd that I couldn't peel my peepers away from the tube this evening as the birds were taking on the San Francisco 49ers, then again, maybe it shouldnt. After all, it was only a week ago that the Eagles collapsed and gave up a 17 point lead, so why shouldnt I be nervous as Alex Smith continually looks and connects down field with one receiver after another? I mean, as I start to think about what I want to write in my Sunday night blog, it starts to become apparent... the very thing that the Eagles vowed they wouldnt do ever again they were doing... only one week later.

Things turned out 'OK' as the Eagles did pull off the win, but they gave up alot of points late in the game. Alex Smith continually escaped one sack after another, I think he was covered in butter back there, but the Eagles were only able to generate some pressure without ending the play. The Eagles Secondary is just plain beat up. Lito Sheppard is already down and out for atleast a few more weeks. Dexter Wynn is hobbling on a fake leg, and then Dawkins got hurt late in the game.

Bottom line is that its not just like the Eagles shut down after 1 half, its that they havent stayed healthy, especially in the secondary, for an entire game for the last 2 weeks. I think its a truly scary thing, teams know that they can generate some momentum, and they know that even more than ever since the great collapse last week. This team may end up being like the Colts of a few years back. Scoring too often and too early, not eating up enough clock, and not having enough Defense to shut down the opposition in key moments. Lito, hurry back, we need ya back there.

Whats the score here, eh?

Current Situation (8:30 PM) - Early 1st quarter of the Denver/New England game... Corey Dillon just gained a first down, moving the ball to the 12 yard line - Fantasy Impact, none for me...

IRISH: 38.8
Lil Brudder - Heart of a Champion: 131.4

Analysis
Yes, you read that correctly, Im leading by 91 points. Is it possible that I could score this many points each week? I mean, the Eagles have the top rated offense in the league, and I have their QB, RB, TE, and #2 WR. Lets say that I have the equivalent of the Colts from 2 years ago (minus the TD scoring record of course), how good would teams have been if they had Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James, Dallas Clark, and Reggie Wayne? I cant imagine the points that would have been posted... or maybe I can... I very well may be on the verge of witnessing, first hand, a new way to assemble a high performance team.

Anyway, The eagles racked up yardage, so that boasted great numbers for McNabb and Westbrook, with LJ having low yardage but a TD, and Brown with a high yardage game but no TD's (althought he should have!). Ravens Defense had yet another monster game, they could very well be the steal of the draft!

Any mistakes?

- My post this morning took a shot at Chris Simms. It was in good fun, but they just announced that he had a blood transfusion and had his spleen removed. Still no word why, but its a shame that at one moment the kid is out there leading his team on the field, and the next moment he's in the hospital and could very well be out for a few weeks. I hope the kid is OK.
- I sat Chris Henry... yes... the Bengals Chris Henry who had 70 yards and 2 TD's. But it was kind of fluky, Chad Johnson had one ball thrown his way, and TJ Housh actually started. He also happened to catch 2 TD's late in the game, so it did play to my favor, but you always hate to bench points.
- IRISH sat Rex Grossman (14 points) and Marc Bulger (18.45 points) to play Drew Brees tomorrow night. I'd be surprised if Brees posts more points than them, but we'll see...

Around The League (Fantasy and NFL)

- We award 5 bucks for the top score of the week... and so far it looks like that could be me AGAIN!
- Eli Manning, when he's bad, he's bad. But when he's good, he's good. Heaven forbid he becomes consistently good, or the Giants will win the NFC (B)East every year until he retires. Tale of 2 games in both halves of last weeks game against the Eagles and also this week against Seattle.
- My dad's team has a monster game with 115 points! How he end up to be so strong? See my previous point... scary how many points Eli puts up with only 2 solid quarters.
- My brothers team eeked out a win this week, at 4:00 PM he was down by 50!
- Kevin Jones showed up, and its only Week 3! 125 total yards and a TD... way to play there Kevin, youre on your way to being the next Reggie Sanders (I know Barry Sanders is the great Lions RB... thats a joke.. a poor humor joke)
- McNair with 3 TD's! Way to go there Browns Dee, you guys rock...
- Braylon Edwards with 116 yards AND 1 TD, all against the Ravens Dee, now THATS how you make a name for yourself.
- Hey Kerry Collins, still happy you came out of retirement? Whats that, you never were? Oh...
- The Vikes gave the Bears a real scare today. They may be a strong team.. that Brad Childress is a helluva coach folks...
- Hey Carolina, youre season was just saved this afternoon, I hope you appreciate that kicker of yours
- Lavernaus Coles only had 78 yards today, I hope he continues to go silent, or Im going to look like a real ass for dropping him before the NFL even started.
- Shaun Alexander, 59 all purpose yards with 2 TD's. Nice game, but not 1st overall pick nice. Madden Curse and Superbowl hangover curse, meet Steve Hutchinson curse...

Bring on Monday Night Football!

Lets christen the opening of the new and improves post-katrina superdome with a whoopin on the Saints! And who better to lead it than Warrick Dunn!

And Im a week 3 survivor

I feel sick, in hindsight, for having picked the Miami Dolphins. The gas they caused me, as they barely squeeked by and beat the Jeff Fischer Mulletless Tennessee Titans. Nonetheless, I made it through week 3 AND manages to use up a crappy team in the process. Daunte Culpepper, you suck!

Week 3 Starters

Week 3 Starters

With a 2-0 start in the season and 10 bucks in my pocket (2 straight weeks as the top scorer), i begin week three with hopes of continuing my dominance.

Respect

Last week I stated that my team earned little respect with a Week 1 win. Last week I was involved in a shootout, but came out on top. Now Im the butt of jokes in the league with people telling me I need to get a life ;)... (all in good fun of course). It was a good win in Week 2, Im certainly hoping to keep it moving here in week 3, especially my 2-0 division counterpart.

Adds/Drops

My only change to the team ended up being the dorp of Troy Brown (NE WR) for Chris Henry (CIN WR), since he was posting solid numbers in place of TJ Housh. So, I finally hit the waiver wire and picked him up... and now he's on the bench since Housh finally decided to start... oh well ;)

I attempted to pick up Rex Grossman (like many of you out there), and his TE Desmond Clark... but sure enough everyone else in the league attempted to do the same. When youre 2-0 and have the most points in the league, you dont get first dibs on players, so I didnt get my hands on them. But thats ok, I wanted clark incase LJ couldnt start this week, but hes OK. And I still have Brad Johnson for McNabb's week 9 bye. Besides, I dont think it really matters here, Im considering Week 9 a wash...

Week 3 Starters

Here's the week 3 dream team:

1 QB (McNabb/Johnson)
Leading the No. 1 Offense in the National Football League, Week 3 is looking McNabbalicious...

2 RB (Westbrook/Dunn/Addai/Norwood)
Westbrook missed a few practices, but he's scheduled to play. When hes on the field, he's dyn-o-mite!

Dunn takes his NFL leading rushing attack on the road against the New Orleans Saints who's defense looked like swiss cheese against the Green Bay Packers last week. Yeah... He's on the active roster for this week...

2 WR (Wayne/Houshmendzadah/"Touchdown" Reggie Brown/Henry/Moulds)
Housh IS playing this week, so he IS on my active roster as a WR. Despite a tough Jax Defense, I cant sit Reggie Wayne, and that makes 2 WR's. Thats my story and Im stickin' to it.

1 TE (LJ Smith/Mercedes Lewis)
Everyone in the league is saying "Wow, LJ Smith was a great pickup!", Im saying I know... thats why I took him ;)

1 K (Brown/Gostkowski)
Josh Brown isnt putting up the monster points I was hoping for (30 points a game... thats a joke), but I still like him more that G-ski. Why am I writing about this.. hes a kicker.

1 D (Ravens/Bills)
Bills D has been great, but they still sit second to the Ravens (who were a STEAL in my draft by the way). Ravens are taking on the Browns, thats a must start right there folks...

1 FLEX (1 RB/WR/TE)
Incase you havent noticed by this point, my FLEX always alternates between Addai and "Touchdown" Reggie Brown. As much as I love Addai, and I think he may be a great start as the season gets older, he also takes on Jacksonville this week. Defenses of a much smaller caliber have shut him down, so I think hes too high risk right now. Besides, "Touchdown" Reggie Brown has 2 TD's in 2 Weeks (thats an average of 1 per week folks ;), and with the Birds taking on San Francisco this week, I think he's the smart start this week.

My Week 3 Opponent ("IRISH" 2-0)

At the moment, their showing the following starters:

- Drew Brees
- Shaun Alexander
- Chester Taylor
- Lendale White
- Antonio Bryant
- Donald Driver
- Vernon Davis
- Neil Rackers
- Lions D.

I like his team from the standpoint that it has 2 solid players who were both sleepers, Chester Taylor and Antonio Bryant. He did a nice job on picking these guys up in the draft, and they went generally unnoticed (goes to show that I'm all high and mighty on my LJ Smith pick and that maybe I should just shut up ;).

Drew Brees takes on a stingy Atlanta Defense, I cant see him picking them apart like he did to the Packers last week (+1). Shaun Alexander is a must start each and every week, and he was the top pick in the draft, thats saying something. This guy could be a game breaker, and against the Giants this week, he could certainly hurt me (-1). Chester Taylor is a solid back, as I said above, but he is NOT a game breaker. 100 yards and maybe a TD is a good game for this guy, but a matchup with the Bears Defense, I dont see this guy getting that much (+1). Lendale White is on the field, but he hasnt done anything in the league yet, I dont consider him to have much fantasy impact (+1). Antonio Bryant takes on a beatup Eagles secondary, he'll score atleast once today (-1). Donald Driver is up against the Lions D, who have looked decent. Maybe he gets a score and 100 yards... maybe (0). Vernon Davis had a nice 8 point game in week 1, he did NOTHING in Week 2. If the Eagles can contain Shockey, they can contain this guy (+1). Neil Rackers... hes a kicker, I dont write about kickers. The Lions D may be pretty good, but to be honest, as I write this blog, theyve already surrendered 17 points and havent sacked, intercepted, recovered a fumbles, or even sneezed on that Defense. They look so bad right now, Im giving the a +2 for me... (+2).

My biased matchup gives me a plus 4! I tend to agree with that though, I think he has a decent team, but I think I caught him on the right week. Tough matchups for him this week, easier one's for me.

People who look awful on Hi-Def

Chris Simms... oh dear god! I'm happy he's a professional QB, because otherwise... I dont think he would cut it in this world.

Survivor Pool

Its Week 3 and I'm still alive in the Survivor Pool... Im also in severe danger. Its 2:00 PM EST and the Dolphins are losing to the Tennessee Titans. The Titans suck, and thats why I picked the Miami Dolphins as my Week 3 pick. Could the Dolphins really be this bad!? I mean, Saban has to be a better coach that this! Im hoping so anyway, as I was hoping I can survive to week 4 and use up the Dolphins as my team since I cant really see me picking them any other week. Hey Culpepper... YOU SUCK!

2-0!

2-0!

Week 2 ended with another stunning display of power as I officially won week 2 AND received the high score of the week for the second week in a row (it's only 5 bucks... but it just boosts my ego ;)

Stat-lines

Lil' Brudder - Heart of a Champion

D. McNabb - 33.15
J. Addai - 14.9
W. Dunn - 13.9
B. Westbrook - 18.9
R. Brown - 8.3
R. Wayne - 14.05
L. Smith - 11.1
J. Brown -3
D. Ravens - 28
Total - 145.3

Ben & Laura
P. Manning - 41.75
F. Gore - 18.35
D. McAllister - 19.1
C. Williams - 3.7
C. Chambers - 11.8
D. Mason - 4.6
H. Miller - 1.1
M. Stover - 14
D. Eagles - 20
Total - 134.4

Post Game Analysis from an idiot

I predicted that the game breaker all along would be how Jacksonville contains Heath Miller (duh..), but what I mean by that is whether or not Miller would have to stay back and block, and sure enough that was the case in the game last nite, as Heath Miller was limited to 11 yards in the Steelers 9-0 loss to the Jaguars.

However, there was more to the loss than just Heath Miller staying back. One, Jacksonville kept everything in front of them. Two, Jacksonville didnt let any type of ground game get started. Three, Rothlisberger, even in his dink-and-dunk offense, wasnt the sharpest.

Ultimately, I remember the Steelers taking one shot down field, and overall no big plays were made all night.

Whos Next?

I take on a 2-0 team named IRISH, they posted 91 points this week, which I think is a solid... middle of the pack... turnout. He's also in my division, so I need this to maintain a lead. I'll spare any more details so I have something to post about later on this week ;)

UPDATE: A bittersweet lead in week 2

If youve read even one other post on this blog thus-far, you would realize at this point that I am a solid Eagles fan. If you watched even one highlight reel today, you would realize that the Eagles blew a 17 point lead and lost to the division rival Giants.

First and foremost, I apologize to my family, friends, enemies, neighbors, woodland creatures, rodents, bugs, and germs for my very fowl language during the last hour of the game. I dropped the F-Bomb so many times, it lost its effect... I think i was making words up to find something more vulgar.

Seriously though, its been a bittersweet day considering I wanted to have a 2-0 record for my precious Eagles, and it was so close, but instead Ive spent the past 5 hours pouring over what-if's. What if Burress' fumble didnt happen, or if it did happen but Michael Lewis was able to fall on it. What is Brian Westbrook didnt fumble. What if Sheldon Brown didnt bite on the short hitch fake and had good coverage on the last play of the game. What if the Eagles posted more points in the first half, considering how effective they were moving the ball... but not getting any points for it all.

Then again, it could be worse. For one, I could watch boxing, and cheer for the guy who delivers a knockout blow. Moreover, the sight of blood only makes me scream louder. But seeing a grown man humbled, and in sheer pain, and in tears, only hurts... and Im sure Im not the only guy like this. Why am I talking about this? Javon Kearse, in the middle of a career game, twisted his knee and was carted off in tears. Last I heard, it seems to be a torn ligament, will require surgery, and granted that its not career threatening, he'll start rehab in a few weeks. The game was a tough loss for Eagles fans, but atleast we havent been practicing for the past 8 weeks or so, studying film and gameplans, working out until our bones bent and muscles burned. Atleast we go on with our lives as planned tomorrow and look forward to week 3.

A few years ago, McNabb had a career day against the Cardinals, throwing for 4 TD's... I was at the game and it was a sight to behold. Little did I know, as I entered the game a few minutes late, it was a performance on a broken ankle (I missed the hit). I'll never forget it, we were listening to sports radio on the way home from philly, when the announcer stated 'rough news for Eagles fans, apparently Donovan McNabb suffered a broken ankle and will be out 6 weeks'. It still gives me chills for how devastated I was about it. That one hurt really bad.

Same season, 8 weeks later, the Eagles were in the NFC Championship game against the St Louis Rams, and just as the Eagles were forging a comeback, McNabb throws an interception sealing the win for the Rams. We knocked on the door, but didnt get in. I went in my car and cried on the way home.

(Before I continue, let me state that Im not a 'freak'. I dont live life for the Eagles, I've just been a fan my entire life. Theyre exciting to watch, for all their ups and downs, and I just think that football is a great sport to watch, regardless of the game thats on. I'm just like you, working 40+ hours a week, getting as little sleep as possible at night so you can do all the other things that you want to do. Watching the Eagles is my getaway, just like going to the movies, reading a book, even watching reality TV... its what I look forward to for 3 hours a week. Ultimately, I 'root' for the Eagles with all my heart because it may make every loss bitter, but it also makes every win sweeter.)

So, why am I stating all of these other low periods of Eagles life? Well, it could be much worse... it really can. The silver lining on the cloud here is three fold. One, its only week 2. The season is a marathon, not a sprint, and the Eagles have 14 more weeks to make up for this loss. Two, its a learning experience for the team early in the season. Im sure if theyre up by 17 in the fourth quarter anymore this season, they wont get as conservative. Three, theres another week of football! It wasnt a shocking loss in the playoffs, nor was it an injury for a team leading skill position player. I give Eli Manning alot of credit (and none to Plaxico Burress who threw the game winning TD ball into the crowd and taunted them at the end of the game... this guys a jerk, im convinced) for staying composed, even after an awful first 3 quarters. He's the real deal and a game winner.

Whats the score here, eh?

Current Situation (10:40 PM) - Mid 3rd quarter of the Washington/Dallas game, Brunell just chucked a lame duck to Roy Williams... who plays on the wrong team... on the 1 yard line - Fantasy Impact, none for me...

Ben & Laura: 133
Lil Brudder - Heart of a Champion: 145.3

Analysis
Hoo boy, its a real shootout! Peyton Manning netted them a whopping 42 points, 20 points from Gore, McAllister, and Eagles D, 14 (ugh!) from their kicker, and 10 from Chambers. The rest is lackluster, a few points here and there from the other players.

For me, McNabb got me 33, Addai posted 15, Dunn netted 14, Westbrook posted 19, Reginald Wayne got 14, LJ Smith 11, and the Ravens smothering D with 28. (By the way, if you add those up, I know they dont add up to the scored posted above... Im just posting the big numbers, a guy who posts 2 points doesnt deserve recognition on the most awesome fantasy football blog youll ever read ;)

Ben and Laura still have Heath Miller to go tomorrow nite, I have a narrow 12.3 lead, and all my guys have played. in my last post, I predicted that Jacksonville's D would require Heath Miller to stay behind the line and block, limiting his catches... we can only hope for that now...

Any mistakes?

Almost!
- "Touchdown" Reggie Brown comes through again! Catching another TD pass is all I needed from him as he makes for a decent #2 WR, especially until T.J. Housh decides to stop being a baby and plays with his bum heel.
- I was considering starting Eric Moulds instead of either Addai or Reggie Brown, with only 5.9 points, good move on my part.
- Cadillac Williams did NOTHING again this week, if Ben and Laura started DeAngelo Williams (16 points) in his place, this is a tie game right now with Heath Miller left to play... big difference
- Gostkowski posted 6 points, Josh Brown (my starter) posted 3... I hope those 3 points dont bite me in the rearend. Atleast I know that besides that, I made my best picks.
- OK, OK... looks like one mistake. I dropped Laverneaus Coles after drafting him as my original 16th pick. Now he's been posting solid 15 point games. Ouch...

Around The League (Fantasy and NFL)

- We award 5 bucks for the top score of the week... and so far it looks like that could be me AGAIN!
- I post 145 points, and Im looking over my shoulder tomorrow nite... unbelievable. Atleast I have solace knowing that Im not in Ben and Laura's shoes thinking 'I post 133 points and Im playing the one person in the league who has more than that'
- My big brudder (hence the reason that my league name is lil brudder) guaranteed victory this week (lol), and currently has a 7 point lead with 1 quarter left in the Dallas/'skins game. Hes not playing anyone now, but Julius Jones is going against him. About 20 minutes ago he fumbled the ball... those 2 lost points could very well be the difference between a win and a loss...
- My dad, who I somewhat advised during the draft, started Eli Manning this week (who I told him to draft). In the beginning of the day, I felt bad about that... since then he posted 30 points and sealed a victory for my pop... here's to you dad! (::cheers::)
- Kevin Jones watch - 44 Rushing Yards, 38 Receiving Yards, 2 fumbles, total points 5.2. Kevin Jones SUCKS!
- Tomlinson - 26.2 points... one man recking crew right there...
- Shaun Alexander finally shows up for an NFL game with 99 total yards and a TD
- Larry Johnson - 167 total yards, 1 fumble, no TD's, all for 15.3 points. Not posting the numbers he had last year, but even when KC loses, hes a solid start.
- Is the Dallas D really this good, or are the Skins really this bad? Without Portis, the Skins look awful... I guess this is the price you pay when you choose Brunell as your starging QB...
- Hey Roy Williams... I hope you enjoy all the criticism for that guarantee of a win against one of the best defenses in the league. One, the Lions still suck... I dont care who your coach is... youre still the same crappy team that hasnt had a winning team in 8 years. Secondly, way to pump up the opposing team, as if you needed to give them any reason to try and beat you. By the way, great job with those 71 yards, after thinking you should have scored 42 points last week in your 6-9 loss to the Seahawks, I suppose by your math you think you should have had about 450 yards, huh?
- Way 2 go to my old roomie Marc! 120 total points this week... and he also sat 70... teams lookin good! See you on the virtual gridiron in a few weeks
- My brother is now up by 5 points (yes... Ive been typing for this long now...), and Dallas just got the ball with 4 minutes left. With a heavy dosage now going to Julius Jones to run out the clock, we may be looking at upset city here...

Bring on Monday Night Football!

Id like to see the Jags take a game from the Steelers, and Id like to see them corral Heath Miller in the process. Either way, atleast we have another great game to look forward to tomorrow nite... I love football =]

And Im a week 2 survivor

I sure wont be filling in for Hammerin' Hank on ESPN, but I picked the Ravens over the Raiders for Week 2 in the survivor pool, and Im still standing. Tomorrow I'll find out who picked wrong, and how many people are left... still thinking about who to pick in week 3... it very well may be whoevers playing the Packers.

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Thats about it for the nite everyone. Thanks for reading, check back tomorrow to see if I can actually pull out a high scoring week 2 win! Same blog time... same blog URL (HA!)

Week 2 Last Minute Changes

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Good Morning NFL Week 2! Good morning people screwing my team again!

A quick change on my team, im so angry i could spit (reference to the great movie "the life aquatic")...

T.J. "Bum Heel" Housh is out!

Houshmendzadah couldnt practice on Friday, hes listed as questionable today. It would be nice if he atleast called and asked me if he could sit this week...

Westbrook has something funky going on with his knee

Thats all we know, something funky is going on, Reid wont say what, and Westy is listed as probable. I know its a probable status, which means he most likely will play, but even then... how many touches does he get? Should I still start him? Will he be effective?

My updated team

Im keeping Westy... kinda have to... and Housh is out again. That gives me my same team as last week, with "Touchdown" Reggie Brown as my #2 WR, with Addai still as my FLEX, as shown in figure 2.1.

Fugure 2.1
-Donovan McNabb
-Brian Westbrook
-Warrick Dunn
-Reggie Wayne
-"Touchdown" Reggie Brown
-LJ Smith
-Josh Brown
-Ravens D
-Joseph Addai (FLEX)

Thats all she wrote folks, all I can do now is hope hat Housh's nub of a heel gets better this week, and that Westbrook is effective and gets around 20 touches. Catch you on the flip side (Cheap reference to "The Boondock Saints")...

Week2 Starters

And so here we are, very close to the beginning of week 2! For starters, my Iggles have their home opener this weekend against the Giants, and it shold most certainly be a nail biter. Giants looked good in week one, they lost the game on their own doing. They dropped a few interceptions, and were close to sneaking a win off of a very good colts team. Coughlin will have them foaming at the mouths to get them to a .500 record.

No Respect

I'll start with the good, I posted the most points for week 1, so i won 5 bucks.

Now the bad, apparently my team still gets no respect. People still look at the team and think the eagles have a long way to go, hey... works for me... i like being the sleeper (and it shows by having all #2 receivers)... ooh, that brings me to my next section!

Adds/Drops

Surprisingly, I dropped Ron Dayne and he's still on the waiver wire! I picked him up last week, just incase Kubiak tried to make a runner out of him, but i dont even think he entered the game. That was a sign to me that he wont have much impact in our fantasy league (and I know im not any nostradomus, but the texans just signed samkon gado, so im sure that only hurts dayne's fantasy value). I also dropped David Givens. He may have been picked as a sleeper, but (call me crazy) Collins doesnt look like the most solid QB out there... and I dont have too much trust for Vince Young either.

Well, if you drop people, you have to pick others up, right? Lets see, I picked up Jerious Norwood in place of Dayne. Im thinking hes good backup value for Dunn, and you never know how Atlanta will end up using him, overall i thought he had some good upside, and I certainly like him more than Dayne. In place of Givens, I picked up Troy "Tom Bradys new favorite target" Brown. I did some research and he will most certainly get some looks from Terrific Tom, so im just looking for another sleeper here. besides, even if he consistenly posts some catches, he'l be good to warm my bench.

Week 2 Starters

As of 11:00 PM Thursday evening, here's my team outlook...

1 QB (McNabb/Johnson)
You know what... why do i even have this section, do I really have to tell you that Im starting McNabb over Brad Johnson? No... so Ill fill this space with a funny story. Apparently Brad Johnson convinced his wife, while she was still doped up on drugs from giving birth, to name their first born Maximus. Thats right, Brad's eldest is Maximus Johnson... I love it...

2 RB (Westbrook/Dunn/Addai/Norwood)
Surprise surprise... its week 2 and Westbrook is already mentioned in the injury list. No bother, hes listed as probable... it may affect how many carries he gets towards the end of the game (if the Iggles have the lead that is), but hopefully he can play through the pain and get healthy in the process.

I certainly cannot pull Dunn at this point either. 132 yards last week... yeah baby! And people laughed when I drafted him 15th overall!

2 WR (Wayne/Houshmendzadah/"Touchdown" Reggie Brown/Troy Brown/Moulds)
No change in my strategy here from last week, other than the fact that this time Housh isn't hurt. I like the matchup for him against the Browns, and Wayne should certainly shine against the Texans.

1 TE (LJ Smith/Mercedes Lewis)
Mercedes Lewis is still hurt, Im not moving LJ...

Besides, did anyone see that sick catch LJ made last week... with the ball pulling away from him he dove, stretched out, grabbed the ball, and tossed it back to himself to secure it before hitting the ground. As I said... sick catch...

1 K (Brown/Gostkowski)
Seattle barely squeeked by last week.. but it was all off of Josh Browns magical tootsies! I'll honor him by starting him 2 weeks in a row.

1 D (Ravens/Bills)
Both of my D's looked solid last week, but the Ravens are already being touted as the best in the league. That, with the fact that their facing off against the hapless Raiders, and the Bills are already banged up... I wont mess with a good thing...

1 FLEX (1 RB/WR/TE)
Here I am in week 2, and Im sitting "Touchdown" Reggie Brown! I have to though, he had little impact last week. Speaking of little impact, Im starting Addai as my flex. Why? Well, for one, hes a Running Back... and he may slowly transition to a Number 1 Running back as the weeks go on. For two, he has a nice matchup against the Texans, and everything Ive read shows a better matchup for him than for Brown.

My Week 2 Opponent ("Ben & Laura" 1-0)

At the moment, their showing the following starters:

- Peyton Manning
- Frank Gore
- Cadillac Williams
- Chris Chambers
- Derrick Mason
- Heath Miller
- Matt Stover
- Deuce McAllister
- Eagles D

Week one, I take on Palmer, Week 2, I take on Peyton Manning... talk about no rest for the wicked! My saving grace is that I have Wayne, so that nulls any passes sent his way. (0) Frank Gore had a GREAT game last week... but that was against the Cards. St Louis' D looks impressive (well, atleast they did in week 1), so Im feeling upbeat about that matchup. (+1) Cadillac goes against a Falcons D that also looked really good in week 1, which could end up hurting him. (+1) Chambers takes on Buffalo, a solid D, not the Steelers, but still a top flight D. The best WR's play at their best level each week, regardless of the team on the other side of the field, but I have to wonder how well Culpepper can play. If he can chuck the ball in this game, Chambers is a threat. (-1) Mason goes against the Raiders, he only had 4 catches for 50 yards last week, but that certainly doesnt mean he cant post solid numbers this week. (-1) Heath Miller's points were a rip-off last week... and with that rip-off, it gave the Ben & Laura the edge they needed to pull off a win in week 1. How does this affect week 2? It doesnt, I just needed to gripe about it ;) Anywho, the Jag's will bring alot of pressure to the Steelers, leaving Heath Miller in the backfield for help, and limited his catches and yardage. (+1) Matt Stover goes against the Raiders, but hes a kicker, so who cares. McAllister is their FLEX, I like how their using a RB as their FLEX here, good idea on their part. What doesnt bode well for them is how well Reggie Bush looked last week. McAllister may be a solid back, but he's splitting carries. (0) Finally, they have the birds D starting.. a solid defense... but theyre going against a solid offense. They get a few sacks, but I dont think theyll force a lot of turnovers, sacks, etc. In other words, theyre not facing the texans. (+1)

By my biased decisions, I have a +2 differential, giving me the edge, so screw you sportsline (who, by the way, gives an edge to Ben & Laura 95-93)! I guess I agree with this for one reason, I like my matchups better. Eagles offense could/should post numbers against any defense. Dunn looked solid last week, Housh takes on the Browns, Wayne matches any numbers that Peyton throws his way, effectively cancelling out 50% of his production, and I like my D getting more points than the Eagles. Oh yeah, and I just saw on TV that Cadillac is having back spasm's... game day is 3 days away... but that certainly doesnt sound good.

Survivor Pool

Last Week I entered a survivor pool, which I was reluctant since last year I also participated in one and lost in the first week... I should have just burned my money. Anyway, last week I took the Patriots, and thanks to their stunner of a win (which, if you need a reminder, was by a SAFETY), it gave me life into week 2.

Week 1 is easily the hardest because you dont truly know a teams true colors until gameday, and Im sure the 10 people (out of 70) who chose the Panthers last week would agree with that statement.

Anywho, Im big on the Ravens at the moment, and Im equally as down on the hapless Oakland Raiders. Therefore, my week 2 pick is the Ravens. If they lose this game, then there is no predictability whatsoever in the National Football League.

Monday Night Mania!

Wild Monday Night

Hello folks! Just a quick blog on Monday night. No change in my fantasy score since all my players are done. My only threat now is to not get the highest score of the week, and I say that because another team has L.T., and after only one quarter, hes already posted 17 points. So, at this pace, he'll finish with 68 points... but Im thinking even THAT is a little far fetched.

Random Observations

- Washington loses their season opener to a sloppy Minnesota team. That gives my philadelphia eagles a 1 game lead over everyone in the NFC (B)East. What you have to wonder now is this.
- Dallas: Is this the Drew Bledsoe we'll see all season? If so, bring on Romo for the FUTURE, because that wont win you any super bowls now.
- Giants: Sloppy game by killing drives with penalties. Defense looked so-so... althought it was against the Colts juggernaut of an offense. Tiki looked sharp, but if he ever gets hurt, Eli's shoulders sure wil get heavier.
- Redskins: Defense played well, but gave up the big drives late in the game. Offense sputtered against a suspect Minnesota defense. They didnt have Portis at 100%, but man is this team mortal without him.
- Its midway through the second quarter in the Raiders/Chargers game, I think Randy Moss is already regretting his move to the raiders (what the hell was he thinking.. honestly)
- Hey San Diego, my name is Eric James. Im 5' 8", 180lbs. Pay me ^1/10 of Philip Rivers salary and I can still win you games! Seriously, the first 20 plays for the Chargers, 19 runs, 1 pass.
- Hey New Orleans, you better hope Regie Bush is just as good as L.T., because I have a feeling he made Drew Brees look just as good as Rivers looks right about now
- Hew Oakland... Kerry Collins, overhyped. Jeff George, arthritic. Aaron Brooks, flopping as we speak. Now I heard that Randy Moss is your captain. Do yourself a favor and take the George Costanza method, do the opposite of anything you think makes sense, because you are making awful...awful decisions.
- Deion Branch to Seattle for a First Round draft pick in the 2007 draft. That means that the Patriots get to pick a first tier guy and work him into their system, and Seattle will need (Im guessing here) 3-4 weeks to get Branch into true football form and build chemistry with your QB. Pretty high price to pay... but I suppose its a win NOW attitude that wins games.
- God Bless you America. 5 years later and we're moving strong. My thoughts and prayers go to all the 3,000 families and friends that were affected by the tragedies that took place in 2001, but make them all proud and live every moment of life to your fullest, treat yourselves, and others, with respect and dignity. We may be American, but we are ALL human...

UPDATE: A powerful display in week 1...

You would swear that I orchestrated a masterpiece, watching film all week, working up plays, giving players tips on how to get open downfield... nah, i let them do all the work and reap all the benny's.

Current Situation (10:10 PM) - Mid 3rd quarter of the Giants/Colts game, lil brudder eli just threw his 2nd td of the game - Fantasy Impact, none for me...

Spud-Gunners (aka my uncle and my 10 year old lil bastard of a cousin): 76.75
Lil Brudder - Heart of a Champion: 130.05

Analysis

As you know, my team is comprised mostly of eagles. Well, the birds lit it up today, hence the lead. D-Mac put up 28.15, westbrook posted 23.2, even (touchdown) reggie brown got me 8. I still have some players going now, namely Reginald Wayne and Joseph Addai (who havent done much, but i think theyll post solid numbers throughout the season..)

Spud-Gunners are done, no more to play, tony gonzales netted them 14.1, edge with 14.6, everyone else was a no-show.

Any mistakes?

Doesnt look that way.
- I dropped Ron Dayne and picked up Jerious Norwood during the week, looks like that could have been a good move.
- I also started the Ravens D over the Bills D, which posted 30 points to the Bills 16.
- I cant complain, atleast during this week, but it would be nice to have a true #1 receiver on my team. (touchdown) reggie brown caught a td reception, but he certainly didnt get looks as often as I had hoped
- It ws a last minute change, but i switched out TJ Housh, kept (Touchdown) Reggie Brown as my 2nd WR, and placed Addai as my FLEX.

Around The League

- We award 5 bucks for the top score of the week... and so far it looks like that could be me!
- Despite starting Jake Plummer (-0.06 pts) and Kevin "Eric's Nemesis" Jones (6.5), my brother pulled out a 90 - 85 win, with Gates playing tomorrow nite. But, its yet to see how strong his team is going to be. We all have off-weeks, but going into the season I pegged his team as number one.
- Chris Brown (who wanted out of Tennessee) - 6.8 points. Shaun Alexander(#1 pick overall) - 3.7 points... welcome to the wonderful world of fantasy football
- My dad's team is down 108 - 85, certainly didnt assemble his team, but i provided some counsil... sorry pop =\ (But, for the first time since the inception of the league, he DIDNT take Favre as his first pick in the draft... baby steps i support =])
- Owens HAD to get a TD catch today, huh? Oh well, a few more games like Dallas had today and Im sure he wont be as silent
- 0 points for the bucs!? Wow, and i was upset about not getting Cadillac Williams...
- Interesting way to prove to the world that youre going to break the 'super bowl curse' there Seattle
- It may be an amazing statistic, but i certainly am looking forward to not hearing about the 'manning vs manning' prime time game anymore. i dont know, just starting to get on my nerves... then again ive been watching this game for 2 hours, so maybe its just me...
- Jamal Lewis has a TD and 78 yards rushing, McNair has 181 yards and a TD, ooh baby, more than they had all last season! ;P Get your mileage out of Jamal Lewis now people, even use his as trade bait, because those numbers will drop when McNair gets hurt.

Thats about it for now, starting to ramble a little more now... maybe its exhaustion, maybe its the beer... maybe its the adrenaline after a solid week 1 win, whatever it is, thanks for reading ;)

Update: And the season has begun!

And as you all know, the NFL season has begun. Last nite, it began with an early defensive struggle. 2 coaches, in a deadlocked chess match, not allowing any offensive productivity. It was total war... and my lil bastard of a ten year old cousin has willie parker who ended up scoring 12 points.

12 points... not bad i suppose. I guess you always aim for 100 yards and a TD with a RB (atleast thats my benchmark), he got the 100 yards (120 to be exact if im not mistaken), but no TD's... so it coulda been worse. Come to think of it, it could have been. Ronnie Brown only had 25 yards last nite, but scored 2 TD's, netting him 19 points... and THATS what you look for in your starting RB's folks!

So, who else shined in our league last nite? Well, Im sure anyone who started Heath Miller last nite was jumping for joy... and those who didnt start him were jumping off of the town bridge. But the Steelers D racked up some mighty points late in the game... thats right... not just points.. but MIGHTY points.

Random Observations

- Culpepper did a nice job taking hits last nite, playing hard, and staying focused on the game plan. It was their game to lose (The number one cliche in america when you mess up really bad). Culpepper also looked awful at certain points in the game... let me repeat since I mean what I type here... he looked AWFUL. It looks like their trying to make him more of a pocket passer. I think he had pretty good protection for the most part last nite, but every deep ball he threw last nite missed the mark sorely. Steelers gave up the cushion up front and allowed the swing passes, and if it wasnt for Wes Welker (Who, by the way, I predict will be the #1 reciever picked up off the waiver wires this weekend in ALL Fantasy Leagues) who had the speed and ability to make guys miss, the Dolphins put up very few points in last nights game. Culpepper showed NO ability to make the Steelers respect their vertical game... and Ronnie Browns 25 yards rushing certainly didnt help matters.

- How happy are you if you started Ronnie Brown last nite? 2 TD's even on an awful rushing night.. the stuff that makes Fantasy Football worthwhile

- How mad are you if you went up against Ronnie Brown last nite?

- Steelers D had some big plays, and they should have had a few more, after last nite's showing, having their D this season shouldnt disappoint.

- What a catch by Santonio Holmes... great hands

- What a stupid rule about the coach's challenge, what do you have to do, throw the flag and kick the ref in the ass? Oh well... learning experience for all of us I suppose...

Where I stand

Spud-Gunners: 12
Lil Brudder - Heart of a Champion: 0

The only player who had a fantasy impact in my game last nite was Fast Willie Parker, and as I explained above, Im down by 12 since apparently Parker is greased lightning out there. My reconning will come at 1:00 on Sunday when I have 4 of my players active for the Birds (E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!) I guess a 12 point defecit from one of his RB's isnt that bad afterall...

And so my Week 1 Starters are set

With only a few days away until the NFL Season starts (YES!), I have chosen my crew to dominate my league. For starters, I made a few minor changes to my team. Namely, I picked up Ron Dayne and dropped Lendale White. Why? Well, I dunno, just thought it was stupid to hold onto Lendale, the Titans suck (lol, like the Texans dont).

So, how do I feel about my team a week after the draft? Well, its tough knowing my WR's are all #2's, but we'll see early if I need to make a big trade. My team hinges on 2 points, if they both hold up well, I shuold be in for a good season.
1.) Combo's. If McNabb throws TD's, good... if they go to Smith/Brown/Westbrook... great. Thats how points get racked up.

2.) Consistency. I dont expect 300 yd/3 TD/0 INT games from McNabb every week, I do expect 200+ yardage, and more TD's and INT's. I dont expect Dunn to get more than 1 TD a game, I do expect close to 100 yardage outputs. I expect Wayne and Housh to get atleast 1 TD each. Bottom line, I think all of my starters can show up each week, the scary part is how often will one not show up... and more importantly, can my team pick that player up.

1 QB (McNabb/Johnson)
No brainer here, D Mac will lead me, and the birds, to the promised land, and it all starts with week one.

2 RB (Westbrook/Dunn/Addai/Dayne)
No brainer here as well as I stick with my top 2 picks overall, Westbrook and Dunn. Westbrook was cleared to play this morning... now stay healthy out there! Dunn, well, Duckett's gone, we'll have to see what Jerious Norwood does (and I continue to question my number 2 pick overall...).

2 WR (Wayne/Houshmendzadah/"Touchdown" Reggie Brown/Givens/Moulds)
Well, my top 2 choices here are Wayne and Housh. Manning
should be solid... and so should Palmer. Im not looking for huge numbers from these guys... nor am I looking for huge numbers from anyone on my team. I just want consistency.. so in this case I guess ill consistently suck!

1 TE (LJ Smith/Mercedes Lewis)
Well, Mercedes Lewis is hurt, I drafted LJ in Round 5, and my QB loves to pass to Smith... I think this ones also a no brainer

1 K (Brown/Gostkowski)
I dont think I can justify starting Gostkowski in week 1, even though he may be the next most famous foot in all of new england. besides... seattle starts at the cruddy detroit lions, just gimme 6+ points off of your toes josh, and I wont curse you like i did to kevin jones all of last season ;)

1 D (Ravens/Bills)
Ravens go up against the bucs, Bills take on Terrific Tom and his NE Pats. Call me crazy, but Ill take the ravens here. Its not like I have a gutwrenching choice here.. besides... its my starting D for crying out loud!

1 FLEX (1 RB/1 WR/1 TE)
Well, I guess my most solid option is "Touchdown" Reggie Brown, so I'll start him. I guess Im not "feeling it" with my other options being Givens, Dayne, Addai, and Moulds. Then again, I guess Im not feeling it at all that I dont feel confident at all, atleast at the moment, about plugging any of these guys in for my bye weeks.

My Week 1 Opponent ("Spud-Gunners" - aka my uncle joe and my lil bastard of a 10 yr old cousin)

At the moment, their showing the following starters:

• Carson Palmer


• Edge. James


• Fast" Willie Parker


• Javon Walker


• Lee Evans


• Antwaan Randel El


• Tony Gonzalez


• David "Midnight Green" Akers


• Jags D/ST

At the moment, sportline.com also shows me getting blown out of the water, but im slightly suspicious of what their showing. Edge and Paker better than Westbrook and Dunn? I dunno about better... MAYBE even, but AZ hasnt shown much of an O-Line and I dunno what Fast Willie can do as a number 1 guy... especially without big beardless ben behind center. Will Randel El/Evans/Walker produce? If so, better than Housh/Brown/Wayne?

I think I'll win this first week, I truly do (not being cocky, I guess I feel my team could be consistent). Whats important is to see how well my team does. I think the first week is the most telling. Whos team will show up each week, and whos team will pull off a win because their opponent sucks. I remember last years start, not only did I lose, my guys didnt show up. Besides Dominick Davis posting 100 yards and 0 TD's, and Chad Johnson posting 100yds and 1 TD, I had about nothing else going. Plummer? well, he didnt throw too many int's. Kevin Jones... if I ever meet him I think ill try and kick him in the ass. Bottom line is that you see your true colors early. Im hoping my true colors are a team who's no pushover, afterall, 1 win in the postseason and the league for the year is free!

Welcome to Futureboys 2006-2007

Hola! Welcome to Futureboys 2006-2007. Futureboys is my fantasy football league name, and you are lucky enough to have the chance to read about all of the boring statistics that I will be pouring over in the coming months.

So... on with the show!

We officially drafted on Saturday, August 26th at high noon. 12 members overall, we start 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 K, 1 D, 1 FLEX (RB/WR/TE). Our draft started with a surprise as the top 16 picks were all RB's (needless to say, those who drafted first were ticked off.. not that I feel bad for those who were 'stuck' with the likes of L.T., L.J., Shaun Alexander, etc...). All draftee's werent too 'streaky' however, as each managed their own strategies pretty darn well. Who did I draft? Well, let me start by stating that Im an Eagles fan, hehe...

QB - Donovan McNabb, Brad Johnson
RB - B. Westbrook, Warrick Dunn, Joseph Addai, LenDale White
WR - Reggie Wayne, TJ Houshmendzadah, Reggie Brown, David Givens, Eric Moulds
TE - LJ Smith, Mercedes Lewis
K - Josh Brown, Stephen Gostkowski
D - Ravens, Bills

As you can see, I took quite a bit of birds in my draft, why?
1 - Im an idiot
2 - When you read, on a daily basis, on how 'good' a team is looking, you cant help but feel that you have some sleepers in your hometown team
3 - The same strategy worked for me 2 years ago when I took just as many birds in my draft and posted monster numbers
4 - All the other B.S. reasons aside, I love having the QB & WR/TE/RB combo's. Case in point, McNabb throws to LJ Smith for a TD, I get points for both players. Any given sunday I can post solid numbers (or, of course, I can post a no show ;).

DRAFT ANALYSIS

My opening strategy is to get 2 solid RB's and a QB in my first 3 draft rounds. When all 9 other members (I drafted 10th overall) took RB's, my options were limited. So, when I looked at my available options, I took Westbrook first. A few picks later, looking at who was, and wasnt available, I thought Warrick Dunn was a solid pick for my number 2 RB. I KNOW youre probably laughing at this pick, I dont blame you! But think about this...

There are 32 teams total, right? Lets say that were all experts and that we each take the next best available RB's. So, if my first pick is 10th overall, couldnt you say that B. Westbrook is a top 10 RB? My next pick, being 14th overall... couldnt you say that Warrick Dunn is within the top 16 of 32 RB's? Im not rock solid in my RB situation, but heres who else was available (of the top of my brain):
-Kevin Jones
-Dominick Davis
-Joseph Addai
-Willis McGahee
-Willie Parker
-Chester Taylor
-Thomas Jones
-Frank Gore
-Mike/Tatum Bell
-Jamal Lewis
-Ahman Green
-Julius Jones

So, I couldnt justify that any of the above were necessarily 'better' that Warrick Dunn... plus, that sneaky lil bastard put up 150 yards in a game against me last year, if he had 1 yard less, I would have won the game (to add insult to injury, I missed playoffs by one win last year as well).

Moving on...

Here I am, 3rd round, many of the RB's taken already by the 20th pick, WR's start to go. Sticking with my draft strategy... and waiting for my next turn which doesnt come until 33rd overall... Peyton Manning and a few other QB's are already gone. My boy, D-Mac, is just sitting there, calling out to me. What am I supposed to do!? I KNOW hes a top tier guy, and I KNOW that he is available, and quite possibly wont be within the next 2 rounds I draft, I call his name.

There... I did it, I took 2 Eagles in 3 rounds... what else am I supposed to do!?

4th round rolls around, but at this point many of the top WR's are already picked over. Do I panic? Moreover, should I have changed my strategy knowing that WR's were going by the end of the 2nd round? Nah... I have a few sleepers up my sleeve. Matt Jones is the next go-to guy now that Jimmy Smith has entered retirement. "Touchdown" Reggie Brown is the birds latest and greatest number one guy. David Givens, while having missed the pre-season, comes highly touted as a top sleeper by none other than Eric Kusilias (ESPN Radio Guy). So, I pick my next solid guy available, Touchdown Reggie... uh... Wayne (what the heck rhymes with Wayne, gas pain perhaps?). A few picks roll by, and solidifying my latest dream team in the WR department, I take the longest name I can find on the board, T.J. Houshmendzadah.

So lets go back for a moment, 2 rounds ago, I decide not to panic. In hindsight, my starting WR's are #2 guys! Top flight #2's, but #2's nonetheless. At the moment Im a little disappointed, but I atleast feel better about my team now than when I did by Round 4 in last years draft (in which I drafted the likes of Kevin Jones in the second round).

Round 6 starts, and of course, the top TE's are gonzo. My sleeper, who Ive taken every year, who always falls low, and has always proven himself, is LJ Smith, of your philadelphia eagles. Did I take him? Is the Pope Catholic?

Rd 7 rolls around next, and some D's are already gone, but the Ravens D is sitting there, so I snatched em up. Rd 8... I grab my first kicker in Matt Stover.

Rd 9 starts, and now my sleeper's come into reality. Matt Jones AND "Touchdown" Reggie Brown AND David Givens are available! 3 picks left... 2... picks... 1 more, and!... and my lil bastard of a 10 year old cousin takes none other than Matt Jones. Refusing the urge to reign blows on his coniving little head, I run up and take Reginald Brown. Next round, give me Givens, I guess 2 outta 3 aint bad (atleast I think that while all 11 people in the room are laughing at me and my awful draft).

Still available in Rd 11 is Lendale White, looking to bolster my piss poor RB crew, I reach for the face spitter himself. Why not, I took the bears D in week 16 last year (shows how much expertise we have in our league, eh?), and even Kevin Jones is gone by this point.

Moving towards the end of the draft, and with people poking fun at me for how long I was apparently taking to draft (which I had no clue, I thought I was moving pretty fast!), I reach for the Bills D, what the hey, they were solid 2 years ago.

Mixed in the end was Addai, Mercedes Lewis, Moulds, and Gostkowski. Come to think of it, I think I took Addai a litle earlier than this, but you know what, who the heck cares? Bottom line is this, there are no standout teams, but its much easier to point out the weak as opposed to the strong. If Culpepper turns out to be his 2004 form, my brothers team is dyn-o-mite... even without him hes looking solid. I advised my dad on a few picks, and he could either be very good, or very bad (namely taking Eli as his 1st QB, and Deion Branch as a starting WR).

Of course, only a few days later, the birds sign donte' stallworth and bump touchdown reggie brown to number 2 on the totem pole... leaving me with all 3 of my starting receivers as number 2 guys, pretty smart strategy eh??? I know.. it wasnt.. but its the beginning of the season, so I sure am hopeful!