Ahira's Hangar

I'm now in 4, count 'em 4 Fantasy Football leagues for '07: The Watchers on ESPN (Utter Destruction), the New Orleans 8 team spinoff league: Saints and Sinners (Chargers Rule), NM Sandgorgons and Utter Destruction II on Yahoo public. The above two will draft in August--my two public leagues have already drafted. One team's so-so the other team's pretty darn good--considering I got a 4th seed with Sandgorgons (McNabb, Rivers, Gore, Jones-Drew, Owens, Walker, Davis, Gould and NE). I usually get 6, got the 6th, as well with Utter Destruction II (Palmer, Cutler, R. Johnson, McCallister, Walker, Jackson, Gates, Rackers and Philly).

UD2 is my experimental team I use to test the waters and make the worst mistakes in--I've already done that trading Heap and Reggie Bush for Gates and Scobee--and I've already dropped Scobee. Two teams in that league are way above the rest and we'll all have to beat the snot out of each other to have a hope of making it to the playoffs.

Well, I shouldn't say that as my experimental team won 1st place last year while the Sandgorgons went from 3rd ('04) to 2nd ('05) and fell to 10th place last year...with players like LT, LJ and Peyton out there getting the #1 or 2 seed is incredibly important, But you can, with even a 4 seed, get quality backs like Jackson and Gore and create a viable team. Trade saavy helps--and drafting in late August helps, as well. Just one word of advice right now-if you get Bush-DONT trade him...

Team 1# review: Detroit Lions
Lions present a quandry in quality FF picks...not because they're bad--there is just too much talent competing against each other. Who's fault is it? The draft and the Broncos. The Broncos picked up Travis Henry and let Tatum Bell go to the Lions, while Henry should thrive in Denver, Bell has to share time with Kevin Jones. If Jones stays healthy and driven both should have decent numbers, but might cancel out each other's potential. I don't know why Fantasy owner's are taking Kitna who's TDs almost equal his INTs--maybe because Williams, Furrey and rookie Calvin Johnson are such great targets. Again health is an issue with Williams, if everyone plays Johnson's potential steals good numbers from Furrey's 1000+ yds and 6 TDs last year, making IMHO Williams and Johnson your best bets.

danlo, I will admit whatever you just wrote is all Greek to me. But, if you continue posting through the 2007 season, perhaps I'll understand what it all means as you bring home yet another 1st place finish.

McNabb, Gore, Jones-Drew, Owens, Walker, Kennison, Davis, Gould and NE

These are my starting players on NMSandgorgons, broken down it would look like this:
Donovan McNabb, quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles
Frank Gore, runningback, San Francisco 49ers
Maurice Jones Drew, runningback, Jacksonville Jaguars
Terell Owens, wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys
Javon Walker, wide receiver, Denver Broncos
Eddie Kennison, wide receiver, Kansas City Chiefs
Vernon Davis, tight end, San Francisco 49ers
Robbie Gould, kicker, Chicago Bears
New England's defense

maybe that will make a little more sense to you...

they're all solid picks except for Kennison because of an iffy situation at QB for Kansas City (but I believe Damon Huard will be QB [quarterback] and he clicks very well with Kennison)

The problem with Fantasy Football is that, at least for the first two years, you follow so many players around it makes you team allegiance rather skitzophrenic. You may know who your team is but others might think you're crazy-and you basically are.

I drove Tam nuts watching games the first year I played, she'd always go, "Just who in the hell are you rooting for?" and I'd have to say, "Both, in a way. I like the Chiefs and I have Tony Gonzales on my team, but Larry Johnson's (LJ) playing against me so I don't want them to do that well. And not only that they're playing against my Defense..."

I think you'd be the first female Watcher, in the past we've had some relatives and friends, but this is a total Watcher league this year. I may be wrong but I think Tom's daughter played with us one year and became a Watcher in doing so.

Has the thread for the Watch Fantasy Football for this year been started? Or is there another site where all of the interaction happens where I can lurk and observe?

Yes, the thread is Fantasy Football, in Sports, at the Watch.

Team review #2: Arizona Cardinals
I'm automatically prejudiced in reviewing the Cardinals-as my pick of Edggerin James (and trade for Gates---don't trade Reggie Bush for anyone, guys!) was the beginning of my downfall last year. The 'experts' say that AZ has beefed up the O-line and that James will do much better this year, but I won't take him (unless he drops to a 3rd RB option, which is highly unlikely). Like Joseph Addai on the Colts I can't understand why so many rate him so high. The 'experts' are also really crapping on Lienhart even though I feel that Larry Fitzgerald and Anquion Boldin (baring injury, of course) and the O-line will make him better. Advice: take Fitz in the 2nd and Boldin in the 4th.

Team review #3: Green Bay Packers
Simple: Donald Driver is golden, Farve's, eh, ok as a backup and I really don't expect that much out of Vernon Monrency or rookie Brandon Jackson. Jackson may be a pleasant surprise--I'd say definately take him in a keeper league. Don't get me started on Bubba Franks

Team review #4: New York Giants
So the main story is how to replace the void left by Tiki Barber. Many expect Brandon Jacobs to keep scoring and Rueben Droughns to hit the hard spots, I don't know if I like either yet. Eli Manning, maybe, like Philip Rivers, is a prefect #2 QB. Still, young WRs have to contribute this year as Plaxico Burress will be double teamed with Amani Toomer getting long in the tooth. Take Burress as a 2nd, if neccessary, Manning as backup and Jeremy Shockey must be your TE pick if you miss on Gates, Gonzales or Davis.

Team review: #5 Dallas Cowboys
Lots and lots of talent, alot real, some potential. By potential I mean like new coach Champ Bailey ( ) using Marion Barber and Tony Romo effectively. I'm still not sold on Romo, but he's much better than Drew...ah...whathisname? Julius Jones, Terrell Owens, Tony Glenn and Partrick Crayton...all very solid. Romo does spread it around alot so everyone should be happy. Because of usage Barber has better Fantasy advantage over Jones...if they have to evenly share the ball they'll both put up decent numbers. Barber is a great, great #3, make Julius your 2nd RB if you get the last seed and there's nothing there (better than Carnel Williams...) TO should be your #1 and Glenn #3.

Team Review: #6 Philadelphia Eagles
Your sleeper (and possibly keeper) is Hank Baskett. Not a huge believer in Reggie Brown but if he does the same as last year and Baskett steps up-that may fill Donte's void. L. J. Smith is a very solid TE pick. Have fun with Brian Westbrook, barring injury, and, by all means make Donovan McNabb your starter if P. Manning and Palmer are gone.

Team review #7: Atlanta Falcons
You can't bury 'em just yet. Even though, with folks like Vick and Dunn gone or hurting (or gone and hurting ), they sorta look like Harrington's old Lions, except for the offensive line they really do! Like the Lions they have talented but injury prone Joe Horn, and Michael Jenkins put up some good numbers last year. With the run happy O-line RB Jerious Norwood should shine. Sound good, maybe too good?--If they win 7 games I'll be seriously shocked.

danlo, I'm attempting to follow the draft thread, but without accessing the site itself I'm very confuzzeled. Can you break down what is going on for me?

I didn't know what to tell you about the draft cause I get ultra nervous during it. A java applet picks your team's seed (I got the 5th pick), dAN got #1 sdo he took the best player out there, Ladainian Tomlinson RB Chargers--you look at what he did last year (something like 31 touchdowns which are worth 6 pts apiece add his rushings yards) and his fantasy pts are tallied. Then the experts rank the players for this coming year. Based on that you draft your team. Running backs have the best value-then QBs and wide receivers. So you wait till it's your turn and then you get 90 seconds to choose who fits best on your team at that point. If you look at my public league team above-I picked
1. Frank Gore
2. Marice Jones-Drew
3. Terrell Owens
4. Donovan McNabb
5. Javon Walker

Let's see, what are all my teams?
Utter Destruction-public (my draft sacrificial lamb, or experiment team)
NMSandgorgons-public Winners (since I won my public league last year)
NM Lightning-Saints an Sinners (Kins and I play in jelerak's league)
NM Sandgorgons-The Watchers

Watchers schedule for next week is:
NM Sandgorgons vs Pork Chop Express (Kins)
Gunslingers vs Leviathan (jelerak)
Eagles Super Bowl (cybrweez) vs Revelstone Lordsfire (Damelon)
Boston McLovin (Lord Mhoram) vs Lead Foot (dAN)
Brinn Wins! vs THUNDERCRUNCH (aTOMiC)

dAN's team with LT and his #1 picks has a big advantage over the rest of us--the rest of us are all pretty well balanced-based on strenght of players.