Jacobs Versus Barber

Posted On Tuesday, September 08, 2009 by JakeTrain |

brandon jacobs
As we approach the final days of draft season I'm moving a few guys up my board. The biggest factor in my late bump is touchdowns. Sure there are performance leagues and PPR leagues but in the end, touchdowns are fantasy gold. Taking a look at the '09 fantasy football landscape I see fewer and fewer TD machines. Read More

Much of today's decrease in individual TD numbers can be attributed towards the RBBC. We haven't seen this much evolution in the individual running game since Mike Alstott was carrying defenders into the end zone. The game has changed and fantasy owners need to adapt.

Steve Slaton and Chris Johnson have huge potential, but I've been pushing them down in almost every draft over the past two weeks. I'm scared. Yep, that's right. I am absolutely scared of investing a top 15 pick in either of these two guys because as much as I love their chances of churning out quality yards, I can't get excited about their chances of finding pay dirt consistently. Maybe I'm just looking for reasons to justify the fact I haven't been able to land one on any team thus far. Or maybe it's because waking up on Monday morning to find 150 total yards and 0 TDs makes my coffee taste a little bitter.

Have you ever eaten fish and had a small bone stab the roof of your mouth or tongue? It puts a damper on your whole meal and makes you scan your plate and remaining fish for more tiny harpoons. You might get the same feeling if you select a player with limited TD potential.

And so I'm torn walking the fine line between smart yardage plays and maulers almost certain to be injured as they are to score double digit TDs. I'm not talking about the choice between AP, MJD and Forte at the top of the draft. I'm talking about the second through fourth round guys that fill out the core of your fantasy squad.

I'm talking Brandon Jacobs and Marion Barber.

(Now before I go on I should tell you that I am surrounded by Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants fans. I have no stake in the rivalry but I've heard enough about each team's prospects of winning the Super Bowl over the past month it got me thinking...)

I liked Marion Barber going into 2008. Notice I said liked not loved. I didn't get him in any league and watched injuries derail his season. In the process I saw talent from other Cowboy running backs, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. And now, sitting here only days away from NFL 09 I'm seeing more 2008 Giants in the 2009 Cowboys. I'm also seeing more 2008 Cowboys in the 2009 Giants. Yeah, I had to scratch my head too! Here me out here.

The Giants of 08 mauled opponents using a three-headed running attack coined "Earth, Wind and Fire." It allowed Eli Manning to better manage the game and took some of the pressure of having guys like Plaxico Burress absent from the huddles on Sunday. Fast forward to Dallas today and I see a dynamic set of tailbacks ready to explode this season. If you loved Brandon Jacobs in 2008, trade him in for a Marion Barber in 2009.

marion barberA month ago I was hesitant about the work share allowing any one player to be a consistent talent in my fantasy backfield. I just don't see how the Cowboys will be able to resist pounding the rock when they see what taking the pressure off Tony Romo can do in the passing game. A month later, I'm thinking there will be enough carries to go around. I'm pushing Romo, Roy Williams and Jason Witten down too.

Over in New York, I see a team without a true #1 WR and a quarterback trying to be the face of the franchise. Big-time pressure without big-time talent. Derrick Ward is gone, lopping one of the head's off the monster that was a year ago. Now Jacobs, is always going to be labeled an injury risk. But they lost over 1000 yards rushing in Ward and have unproven talent in the passing game. The offense isn't going to move the ball as easily this year and that alone should translate into fewer TD opportunities.

Will similar injuries derail Jacobs and Bradshaw in 2009 the way they did Dallas' backfield after such a promising start in 2008? I don't know for sure but the odds are high enough to scare me away. I'm not buying Jacobs at his current value and would be looking to trade him while he still has value. The first hint of news suggesting he will miss action will send his fantasy stock down for the rest of the season even if he only misses a single game.

Wade Phillips might not transform into Tom Coughlin anytime soon but don't be shocked if these two offenses trade places in fantasy football production.

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Fantasy Football & A Movie: Fantasy Inspiration 101

Posted On Friday, September 04, 2009 by JakeTrain |

2009 fantasy footballWith Boise State on their way to an undefeated season the football season has officially started. That means the kids are back in school and the journey that is the fantasy football season is upon us. Some people may have their own ritualistic habits for opening day. Some may even have fantasy football rituals. Me? I just like getting into the “season” that is football. Read More


I’m offering up a fantasy football dish of inspiration and a couple things to ponder. As you get ready for those week 1 lineup decisions, you have to first make a commitment to your leaguemates. The black eye of fantasy sports in general is the abandoned team. Don’t be that person. Just don’t. If you don’t think you can handle playing fantasy football for the entire season, get a friend to share the team with or don’t play.

Now on with the show…

Steele: Rudy,are you ready for this, champ?
Rudy: I've been ready for this my whole life!
Steele: Then you take us out on the field.


Locked, stocked and loaded, have some pride when you set that week one lineup! I can almost feel it now. The first “Game Break” of the season. Keeping one eye on the game and the other on the words scrolling across the screen. Good food, great drinks. All the research and planning that went into building your 2009 fantasy football roster is now on display.

Preparing for a fantasy football season isn’t nearly the same as Rudy leading the Golden Domers out onto the field but you should get some joy seeing what your team can do nonetheless. It’s a long season but in week one everyone is in it, everyone has a chance to win it all, including your favorite NFL team.

Pete: Well, you know what my dad always said, Having dreams is what makes life tolerable.


This might just be essence as to why fantasy football was ever created. I mean way back when, someone decided it would be fun to create fictional teams made up of real life players. Something to do for fun, pass the time and perhaps make life just a little more tolerable. Fantasy football has evolved from pocket protectors because people kept dreaming of something even better.

Make sure you have fun this year and be mindful of those people that really don’t care about your fantasy football team. It’s not everyone’s fantasy. Don’t let your dreams of fantasy fame make someone else’ life intolerable.

Fortune: You're 5 foot nothin', 100 and nothin', and you have barely a speck of athletic ability. And you hung in there with the best college football players in the land for 2 years. And you're gonna walk outta here with a degree from the University of Notre Dame. In this life, you don't have to prove nothin' to nobody but yourself. And after what you've gone through, if you haven't done that by now, it ain't gonna never happen. Now go on back.


Perspective. It’s funny how we seem to lose our way or ever decided to take the path we are on in the first place. Fantasy football is perspective. No matter what is going on with your real life, no matter how old or young you are. No matter how bad your team was last year. You will always be able to assemble a fantasy football roster and set your lineups throughout the NFL.

Some people consider fantasy football more than a hobby. In the day of Twitter and Facebook, fantasy football is its own little social networking site. Use it as a way to keep in touch with your friends and family members. Or perhaps you need something to talk about with your co-workers at the water cooler. Fantasy football is a great way to connect with people you have known for years but haven’t talked to in months!

Rudy: [laughs] Yea, I have this wish to let my father watch one of his sons play football for the Irish and I was wondering if I could possibly dress for one game next season?
Ara Parseghian: Rudy the NCAA is really strict with this 60-player rule, and in some positions we only have one backup and you know that every year we are competing for the national championship. Is this wish just for your father?
Rudy: No its for everyone who told me that being a Notre Dame Football player would be impossible. My brothers, the guys I work with at the mill they can't come to practice and see that I am a part of this team.
2009 fantasy football


Not only does this shed light on just how far Notre Dame football has fallen, but it should also remind you that every roster spot counts. Don’t narrow your focus solely on your starters. Not managing your entire roster throughout the season can cost you a championship. Trim the fat and load up on the carbs that could energize your roster.

Do you really need to keep Todd Heap as your second TE? At best you might need him during your other TE’s bye week. In most leagues you can find an adequate replacement on the waiver wire that week. Instead of carrying Heap for the first few weeks why not consider a guy like RB James Davis? The Browns are going to lose a lot of football games and may want to get a look at their young back by midseason. Even if that doesn’t happen, Jamal Lewis isn’t getting younger? Always, always, always be sure to maximize your roster’s full fantasy potential for the rest of the season!

Rudy (1993)
Starring: Sean Astin, Jon Favreau, Ned Beatty, Scott Benjaminson, Charles S. Dutton, Christopher Reed, Lili Taylor
Directed by: David Anspaugh

Movie Review, Story and Interview With Rudy | Rudy International



The movie is great but the story is even greater. Sit back and think about the magic that happens each year on a football field. From the NFL down through Pop Warner, you can see inspiration everywhere. To a lot of people, football is a game full of overweight men hitting each other, offering little entertainment value or meriting significant interest. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion I suppose. However, when a Rudy Ruettiger comes along, you find out football is much more.

Fantasy football is a dream every fan can live out. As owner, general manager and coach all rolled into one simplified game people like you and I can live out our dreams of running an NFL team. The best part is there are no NCAA eligibility rules to prevent you from playing more than four years!

Other FFM Posts:
Getting An Edge On Draft Day
Will AFC Running Back Redeem Themselves
Gambling On NFC North QBs

BOXCAR Football updates are also available on RSS and Twitter!
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Dealing Fantasy Football Cards

Posted On Wednesday, September 02, 2009 by JakeTrain |

fantasy football
The buzz around the NFL and fantasy football is peaking and my mind is overflowing with information. NFL headlines are racing through my head and the proverbial snowball has morphed into an avalanche. I’m scrambling to evaluate my new fantasy football rosters, tracking the latest fantasy news and reviewing final roster cuts and winners of position battles. Then along comes that first trade offer. Read More

When you start talking about fantasy football trades prior to the season you get mixed opinions. Some believe you have to wait and see how everyone performs before making any meaningful trades while those who love tinkering with rosters are sending out trade offers ten minutes following the draft. Regardless of which side of the fence you reside on, trading is a part of the game.

Whatever strategy you choose, keep an open mind. One of the hardest and most difficult things for a fantasy football manager to do is let go of the draft or auction. Once you are done, it’s done. Like the deal in a card game, it’s simply a way to distribute the cards so you can play a game. An ace of spades isn’t worth more because it was the first card you were dealt!

Yet, people tend to think that a player chosen in round 6 is more valuable than a player chosen in round 8. Stop! Your roster is your roster. Too often people look back to how the player was obtained to determine present value. Would you trade a 1st round pick for a 6th round pick? No. But things change and those “picks” are now players who, like stocks, see their prices rise and fall daily.

By week 9, you are far enough removed from the draft that this issue isn’t much of a factor. Do yourself a favor and base early trade decisions on the current and potential value of players on your roster, not on how those players came to be on the roster. The fantasy football draft is a fun way to deal the cards. Don’t make it anything more.

BOXCAR Football updates are also available on RSS and Twitter!

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Fantasy Football Draft Nuggets

Posted On Tuesday, September 01, 2009 by JakeTrain |

Had the draft for my long standing redraft league. A 14-team with .5 PPR, 4 pt pass TDs and -2 INTs. Went fairly well, but three things stood out. Read More



I'm not a big fan of "roster posts" since you really have to be in the draft to get a feel for how things went down. Also, every league is different so the results are not cookie-cutter. After digesting the draft, however, there are a few fantasy nuggets I feel are worth sharing.

Holes

When you enter a 14+ team league you are going to have a hole unless your rosters are extremely thin. Get it in your head right off the bat so you are depressed by round 8. that is about the time you realize you are weak at one position or another. The best thing you can do at that point is continue to make the strength of your team better. this will create a roster more suitable for trade opportunities. Just as every tam should have a hole, most teams will have an area of surplus. get active and keep the lines of communication open following the draft. Then follow up those emails with trade talk.

Runs

I drafted 9 of 14 and was relieved to know only 10 and 15 picks would span my draft choices. I wasn't burned by a run, but the guys drafting at the top saw seven QBs taken before their second pick. Nothing they, or you, will be able to do about it. just be prepared if it happens.

Injuries
The Texans game was going on in the background. Matt Schaub injured? Of course he will be hurt this season...wait...you mean he was just injured? Like right now? This kind of thing can happen so if games are being played while you are drafting I strongly suggest trying to monitor the game while you draft.

Happy Drafting!


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