Ahira's Hangar

This is a link to the league Im in http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com ... m?&stat1=P

Wow!! Just wow!!! You've got an incredible team cle! Looks like you were in a live draft. Did you even know your league was drafting? Know how I know it was a live draft? Two teams picked QBs in the first round-that doesn't happen automatically, especially not according to Yahoo!'s rankings. You could have participated but it really doesn't matter as you got the #1 draft pick and your autodraft did as well for you as it could. (autodraft doesn't care if someone, like Porter is injured) aside from 2 TEs and 2 Defenses---sometimes you don't need two at those positions I advise you to pick up RB Fred Taylor off waiver wire (players available) ASAP. Every position looks good-you might want to trade, eventually, for a stronger D, better backup QB, and third WR. LT and LJ (if Johnson stays healthy) are an awesome combo--but you should get rid of one TE (not Clark) and pick up Taylor. Edwards and Boldin are great receivers, Edwards could be in the top 3 this year, and Folk is one of the best kickers out there. You need a good backup WR as Boldin is injury prone.

Excellent news then.I went and picked a third team last night as well getting addicted now. Danlo when I created this team I entered the Public teams and then it gave me a choice of to do the draft myself or automatic-pick.I went for auto and then it set me up in a league where other players had same settings. Thanks very much on your advise to be honest I was using this league for trial practice so when it came to playing you guys I would know what I was doing and I just been lucky( esp getting the no.1 draft QB ). One question I see you can enter other leagues but you pay to enter you arent doing thoses ones are you cause they look expensive

I've never seen an autopick where 2 QBs, especially Palmer, go in the first round--something suspicious is up with that league if you all autopicked...
I never play the pay to enters-they form a pool and some money goes to a #1 cash award but most money is wasted on a bunch of "cool" features you really don't need.

Hi Danlo do I need to do anything before the live draft ie. have a list of players to choose from or is it all done on the day of the draft

In the Yahoo! Fanatics League when you draft live, a week from now, you will be presented a list of all players, as Yahoo! ranks them. You can go to the Football start page right now an see the rankings. If you click the position you'll see the individual rankings there. Many people either look at mock drafts or participate in them before drafting, here's one of the best . Folks also compile what is know as "cheat sheets" and these can be very important especially drafting in a 12 team league. What they basically do is compile a draft list for all 12 seedings.

Let me explain seedings-The draft is robotic: Yahoo! sets up a random generator to determine order you pick-if you're lucky enough (like what happened to you in your autodraft) to get the 1st seed, well of course you'll pick Tomlinson-after that you won't pick again until 23 players are taken, but since it rotates around the #1 and #12 pick you now have 2 picks in a row-so now you want to figure out on your "cheat sheet" who you want next. If a good QB, say Peyton Manning or Drew Brees, is available make that your 2nd pick, you now have the next pick so maybe you see that a top notch receiver like Terrell Owens or a good 2nd tier running back, say Marice Jones-Drew or Marion Barber, is available-take the one you want.

"Cheat sheets" are complex and you need to create 12 of them for each seed you may get. The simplest way to have all your "cheat sheets" at hand, if you're new, is to print out the current Mock Draft Central list, or any good mock draft the day before the draft and go off that. Just go look at a sample mock draft and you'll get the idea. Most people draft 2 running backs and a QB, or a RB, QB and wide receiver with there first 3 picks. Tight Ends are picked around the middle of the draft and then Defenses, most people leave their kicker till around the end. I'll get some of my recommended position picks up soon.

Yahoo!s Top Twenty Running Backs
LaDainian Tomlinson
Adrian Peterson
Steven Jackson
Brian Westbrook
Joseph Addai
Marion Barber
Frank Gore
Clinton Portis
Marshawn Lynch
Larry Johnson
Ryan Grant
Maurice Jones-Drew
Laurence Maroney
Brandon Jacobs
Willis McGahee
Ronnie Brown
Jamal Lewis
Michael Turner
Willie Parker
Darren McFadden

So, obviously, it helps to follow the sport and use your gut instincts. In order to pick the running back that generates the most fantasy points you have to figure how many yards you think they'll run for, how many passes they'll catch (especially for a PPR league such as the Fanatics) and how many touchdowns they'll score. You also have to watch out for "handcuffs" for instance; Brandon Jacobs may share a bunch of carries with Ward, and others and not score a bunch of TDs, at least not in the caliber of an LT, Westbrook or Peterson. Parker runs for a lot of yards but Pittsburgh has a habit of taking him out of goal line situations and putting in hard nosed TD vultures, for the past few years it was Harris and Davenport, this year it might be the rookie Mendenhall. Barber used to be a TD vulture, but now he's the main back, so his numbers will change. Parker, Maroney, Grant, Lynch and Jacobs didn't catch that many passes last year, but that can change quickly: last year was Lynch's 1st year and now he's got a great fullback to block for him so he could really open up in the backfield and Grant's offensive scheme may be altered by Rogers at QB for Green Bay instead of Favre. Frank Gore, under new offensive coordinator Mike Martz, may be catching more balls...

You also have to see how players come back from injuries-take Larry Johnson for example: he was injured for most of last season, he's trying to make a comeback but has a porous offensive line, but, on the other hand, Kansas City plays five of the league's weakest run defenses early in the season, so he may put up some great numbers. Rudi Johnson and Ronnie Brown were good consistent RBs in the past but both were out most of last year and no one really knows how they'll respond. Also watch Steven Jackson: he played well after recovering from an early season injury, but is threatening to hold out all season. But, that could change tomorrow. Even then, if he signs just before the regular season begins, he may not get into real playing condition until the third game.

Brian Westbrook is a great pick and in PPRs should be ranked #2 as he led all RBs in total yards from scrimmage last year, but he has been injury prone in the past and played through a lot of pain. Reggie Bush is sort of like Westbrook too...he was injured last year but could very well put up great numbers (however, New Orleans has great receivers and now, with Shockey at TE might get pass-happy). Then there are sleeper picks, Julius Jones may one of those on Seattle, so is his brother Thomas on the Jets and many people are already drafting TJ as a #3 or 4 RB, And no one knows how rookie Darren McFadden will produce on the Raiders: he may be this year's Adrian Peterson or he may be splitting carries with Justin Fargas. One last question mark is Michael Turner on Atlanta-Atlanta is a poor team in general, but they've shown they can run the ball in the past with Warrick Dunn. Now without Dunn and Matt Ryan developing as the possible starting QB it could be feast or famine for LT's former outstanding backup. DeAngelo Williams might come out of nowhere and Maurice Jones-Drew is a very exciting little running back, but if Fred Taylor stays healthy he'll steal a lot of his carries.

Danlo thanks for the indepth message much appreciated I will try the mock draft tomorrow at present this week ive been trying the test draft link on the yahoo league and its not opening I even went to help and updated my Adobe Flash Player it just gives me a screen and says connecting but never does. Do we need to be on at the same time or is it because Im trying to link from U.K that it wont work Do you have any problems linking

I tested the draft and it works fine---we all have to be on at the same time to draft--the times set for 6pm my time and 8pm EST (New York) what time is it for you in the UK?

Friday august 22nd at 1a.m BST

Our mad 12 team Fantasy Fanatics draft starts in 3 hours! as usual I'm flying by the seat of my pants--but I'm fairly receiver savvy, so I should be OK. I used Cleburne staying up past 1am as a motivational tool at the FF website for people to show up . Actually FF folks are usually very good about showing up to drafts on time so ours should only take around two hours (I think you get two minutes to make your pick-so autodrafters can really slow it down).

Important note! Now is the time to check last minute injury reports-I'm off to do just that.

Im still up I hope it works for me it, even bought Footballdiehards.com draft book magazine yesterday so I will have it at my side

Danlo just wondering are you guys over in Fantasy Fanatics doing a baseball league when it starts this year. As I intend to give the Baseball season a go this year (even though I know very little about it). Im going to create a team on Yahoo anyway. Do you guys use Yahoo or someother for the baseball.

I drafted Granderson last year and gave him up, like an idiot, when his injury occurred. Yes, I actually volunteered, like an idiot, to be the commish of the FF baseball league, so keep looking in that forum for details. Football, Basketball, Baseball what does it matter? It will be on Yahoo! who may have a lot to be desired for Basketball, yet their act is, somewhat, together for football but is pretty dam good for baseball. Even though baseball drives me mad...