The Coolest 2QB League Ever

Uncle Benny's Fantasy Football League, the greatest league in the USA! OK, so a lot of that is official titling, but Uncle Benny's is both my home league and the most unique league I have ever been associated with. Uncle Benny's (UB) is a 2QB auction keeper league, which I think bears significance as recently, many are beginning to discover 2QB leagues. UB is based on a performance scoring model and while a regular season fantasy playoff results in a bowl champion, the ultimate champion is decided at the end of the NFL Playoffs based on overall points. Due to certain aspects covered below, it will always be a ten team (or less) league, unless you tweak the rules.

Starting line-ups consist of 2QB/2RB/3WR/TE/Flex/K and a team defense, but unlike most fantasy leagues where team defenses are often the last to go, almost every NFL team goes down with a bidding war in the UB. Each franchise controls three NFL teams from which to select a DST, but with a twist: each of the three teams give you an additional 10 points for a real NFL win that week. And if that team makes the NFL playoffs, up to 30 points are to be had for each advancing round. The topper? The winning Super Bowl team adds a tidy 100 points to your total, often leaving the balance of league power in question until the final day of the season.

                   

But let's start from the beginning and truly everyone's favorite, Draft Day. More specifically in this case, Auction Day. I suggest if you play in an Uncle Benny's format, be there for an old school in-person auction and bring in an impartial auctioneer. Positions are auctioned in order beginning with each NFL team. Rookies are next, followed by the veterans: QB, RB, WR, TE and K. The natural breaks between positions work out well in a functional sense and allow everyone the ability to keep track of filling a roster. The order of players is based on general ranking consensus (just pick an arbitrary rank list.) Bidding caps vary by team based on the previous years' finish with 10th place receiving $75, descending $2 each place down to a low of $57 for a 1st place finish. During the inaugural auction, each teams receives $75. Minimum bidding is $0.25.

On to the keepers. Each team is allowed to keep up to 4 players from the previous season for $0.50 over his previous draft value. Two additional slots may be kept for "red shirt" players, those that have never played in more than 2 games of UB play. And one team may be kept from year to year. Keeper slots, red shirt slots, and team protection slots are all trade-able commodities and may be bought and sold for draft dollars.

Waivers are purely first come first served beginning at 8 AM Tuesday morning. While this isn't for everyone, it is a Wild West style showdown requiring the precise timing of one's clock and prioritizing targets. Didn't get the free agent you wanted? Don't sweat it as by late that evening, each team will have to submit a full bench of their players listed as preliminary starters for the week accompanied by a bench of up to ten back-ups. Of the ten reserve players, only five (5) may be protected, leaving any open spots as open game to be "stripped," in Uncle Benny speak. Strips and Wild West free agent pick-ups, while a bit woolly, provide constant excitement week to week that a waiver system simply cannot deliver. The stripping of another teams prized recruit RB because the bye weeks have him squeezed makes for superior game-play. Likewise, you will agonize some weeks knowing you have to put your prized QB prospect in limbo. These things will hurt feelings and fray friendships, but not without a price, as any such transaction will cost the owner $5 REAL DOLLARS. This money is the basis for the Benny Bowl Champion pot.

Currently, we do a 75/25 split for the Benny Bowl Champ and runner up. Also of note, the playoffs run in Weeks 15-17, with a 14 week regular season. The schedule and weeks could be tweaked, but it allows for a balanced home and away schedule, as a hefty 5.5 point advantage favors the home team weekly (7 home/7 away.) Eight of ten teams make the playoffs so no playoff bye weeks, but the home teams in each week the fantasy playoffs get a hefty 10.5 point advantage. Only in the Benny Bowl Championship does the advantage almost cease as the higher seeded team gets a 0.5 point bump to settle any ties. [Note: you could easily take the top 6 teams and award two first round byes.]

While winning the Benny Bowl is prestigious, the ultimate crown is decided by an overall points championship as some teams and players continue to contribute into the NFL postseason. Speaking of points, let's hit player scoring. The performance scoring system rewards players who hit significant yardage marks as well as players who score TDs, especially on big plays.

Quarterbacks get 6 points for all passing TDs. In addition, 1 point is added for the length of TD for every 10 yards. For example a 34 yard TD pass is good for 9 points [6 + 3]. If a QB runs for a TD, that figure doubles, so a 22 yard TD run by a QB is 16 points [(6+2) x 2]. Interceptions are always -3 and lost fumbles -2. In addition, once a QB attains the 250 yard mark, he gets 10 points and 1 additional point for every 10 yards over 250. As you can imagine, big days are rewarded. QBs may also earn 5 points if they hit 50 yards rushing with the same 1 point for every 10 yards over.

Running backs receive 6 points per rushing TD + 1 point per 10 yards on big plays. Those numbers are doubled for any receiving TDs or passing TDs. 10 points is awarded at 100 yards rushing and 5 points at 50 receiving yards.

Wide Receivers are the inverse, receiving 10 points at 100 receiving yards and 5 points at 50 yards rushing. Over those marks, every ten yard equals 1 additional point. WRs get the same bonus points for long receiving TDs and the double points for rushing TDs. If an offensive player scores a special teams TD, either by punt or kickoff return, he is awarded 10 points for the TD + yardage so a 90+ yard KO return is good for 19 points (think about that when you sleep on DeSean Jackson in your next draft!)

Tight End scoring gives the position a boost with receiving TDs worth a whopping 10 points each and yardage requirements at 50 yards to get 5 points (1 point per 10 yards thereafter.) While a rushing TD by a Tight End would be 20 points plus, these have been rare. I cannot honestly recall one but I'm sure it's happened.

Team defenses and special teams can be played separately with defensive and return TDs counting 10 points each + yardage bonuses (1pt/10yds.) Sacks are good for 2 points each while interceptions and fumble recoveries are 3 points. A shutout adds 10 points to the D total. And of course the 10 points per team win is huge. The wins and losses really matter.

I hope we didn't get bogged down there because while complicated on the surface, everything quickly makes sense, and the charge that you get when you see one of your players running for a big score is unmatched. Waiting out a game to make sure your RB gets enough carries to total 100 yards becomes a great reason to stay interested in a blow out.

Teams face off in head to head match-ups each week with the winning team being awarded an additional 50 points towards the points title. The 50 win points are also added for each fantasy playoff win including the Benny Bowl. After week 17, franchises continue to set as complete a line-up as possible for each round of the playoffs. When combined with the team win points, the overall championship is almost always up for grabs entering the NFL playoffs where anything can happen.

After playing in many leagues, I just don't think anything is close to as much fun. With the exponential rewards, you are constantly looking for the next explosive talent. Strategies run deep as ultimately, every play matters.

The Case Against Larry Fitzgerald

Larry Fitzgerald. The name synonymous with hard work and professionalism. With heart and consistency. He’s the guy who won’t bail on his team when the going gets tough. The anti-TO. The name we respect on the field and always trust on our fantasy teams.

Larry Fitzgerald is one of my favorite players and as a dynasty PPR manager of Fitz over the past three seasons, I have examined his work closely. In 2012, the results were pedestrian at best as Fitz had his worst statistical season and failed to gain 1000 yards for only the third time in his nine year career. However, in 2013, many in the fantasy community have us believing that Carson Palmer’s arrival in the desert will return Mr. Fitzgerald to his former perch high above Fantasy Football Valley.

And while I do believe the depths of 2011 will not be revisited this season, hoping to draft Fitz onto your dynasty team as a #1 Wide Receiver with a mid-third round ADP is more than optimistic.

Here are the facts on Larry Fitzgerald in 2013. He’s 30. Maybe you read he was still 29 or even 28, but he’ll be 30 on August 31, 2013, before the season begins. Wide Receivers historically begin to decline after age 30 so the prime of his career is officially in the past. One may point to cases of anomalies like Andre Johnson and Steve Smith but these players are uncommon exceptions and have indeed shown the effects of aging on football statistics.

Fitzgerald’s percentage of Cardinals passing offense (number of receptions) has declined from 32% in 2010, to 26% in 2011, to 21% in 2012. That’s a trend.

He is still the #1 weapon in the Cards’ attack, but every opponent knows it. He’ll play against three good to great defenses over 6 divisional games and every team the Cards play will be ready to give Fitz a lot of attention. The NFC West was the perfect division for Arizona’s superior aerial attack 5 years ago but certainly not today.

Improving young weapons like Michael Floyd, Andre Roberts and Rob Housler will take on more of the load; they almost have to, as defenses continue to focus on Fitzgerald. Arizona will once again search for a ground game, this time pinning hopes to oft injured Rashard Mendenhall. Carson Palmer last helped Chad Ocho Johnson and TJ Housh (“Championship”) to Top 10 seasons in 2007, but hasn’t had a top 10 receiver since, with Ocho grabbing one more top 15 finish in 2009. I could see Larry Fitz finishing near the 230 PPR points (72/1047/9) Ocho collected that year.

Bruce Arians as a first time head coach will not have the luxury of a young athletic Andrew Luck to mask a poor offensive line in Arizona. Palmer will have difficulty delivering the downfield throws required to make the Arians O successful and if he takes too many hits in attempting to do so, just see 2012 for the QB quagmire sure to follow.

After posting absolutely the worst advanced stats among all wide receivers last season, Larry Fitzgerald will absolutely rebound in 2013, but he will not lead you to a fantasy championship as your WR1. As such, I cannot advise to draft him at his current WR9 ADP. I’d prefer Randall Cobb or Victor Cruz at the usual mid-third round asking price. In those two you have much younger players who fill integral roles on better offenses. I may even roll the dice on Hakeem Nicks there, but I’d likely go in a different direction altogether and draft a young stud QB like Cam Newton or Andrew Luck or take Gronkowski if he was there. I believe a higher upside, later round player like Cecil Shorts (WR30) or Mike Williams (WR42) is going to deliver 90% of Fitzgerald. If you want a older vet, Steve Smith just came off 73/1174/4 and has an even later ADP of WR45. Based on regression models, Smith and Fitz could easily deliver the same stats over the next three years. Over all of those options, I would most value Eric Decker (WR22) in the mid-5th of a 12 team league.

If you have Fitz on your team this year, you still have options. The current ADP data suggest you can get significant trade value for Fitzgerald. My current advice is to package him for a possible upgrade to one of the “Big 5” dynasty WRs or consider a straight up deal if the Cruz or Cobb owner will bite. It may be later, but one day soon you will thank me.

Matt makes a sandwich

Leonard Hankerson vs. Vincent Brown

Two intriguing receivers available in most rookie drafts towards the end of round 1 and the beginning of round 2 are the Redskins' Leonard Hankerson out of The U and the Chargers' Vincent Brown from San Diego State.

First let's take a look at Hankerson. While not the most amazing athlete, I really like the little things Hankerson does and to me, he catches the ball with his hands better than anyone in the 2010 draft class outside of AJ Green. Let's take a look:



The second intriguing aspect of Hankerson's hands is that they were built and not made. After catching a paltry 17 catches in his first two years in college, Hankerson upped that total 45 grabs his Junior year before exploding for 73 catches with over 1100 yeards and 13 TDs as a Senior. Much of this improvement is credited to his work with former Miami Dolphin, Mark "Super" Duper, who simply says "You can't be a great receiver if you can't catch the football." Here is part 1 but the entire 6 part series may be found on YouTube.



And in this corner, I give you Vincent Brown. Many are eying the former SDSU Aztec at the top of Round 2 in upcoming rookie drafts, but others are concerned about playing within a wide open system against lesser competition in the Mountain West. Finding a lot of tape on Brown is a little more difficult but I found two packages worth your time against two of the top programs in the conference, Utah and TCU.





Brown's hands don't wow me upon first review, but I think he compares rather favorably with a player like Greg Little. He does a good job of using his body to shield off defenders. Brown just flat drops a ball about 1 minute in on the Utah reel with a few defenders around him but I see raw athletic ability that may translate to the NFL. He obviously carried SDSU in several games this year, finishing 2012 with 69/1350/10, right on pace with Hankerson's numbers. While a bit undersized, I see Brown as a Derrick Mason type and with Rivers at QB, that makes for a nice option in PPR leagues in the early 2nd of a rookie draft or an ideal late round sleeper in dynasty start-ups.

Who will have the better career? Both will have opportunities to contribute early and while I like Hankerson's skill set, Brown's ideal QB situation gives him the edge. Agree? Disagree? Let me here from you on this one.

PPR Championship Gumbo

When it comes to making good gumbo, or any great recipe for that matter, the key is always balance. This same great balance is often found in championship pro sports teams – see the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Bruins recent successes - and believe it or not, this concept even applies to your fantasy team.

The media often references billionaire owners like Dan Snyder building “fantasy teams” that don’t win, but guess what, look who won your league last year. Did he have the best team on paper? Probably not. Simply acquiring the most talent is important but that’s not all there is, man.

If you are reading this, you are probably not a novice. You have a decent understanding of the players on the scene, their average ADP, and the general perception of these players by fantasy experts and the talking heads on ESPN and NFLN.

So, how the BLEEP do I make gumbo with it!?!? Well, my friend, I am going try to share a recipe that I stole from a few others. I borrowed a little of this and a little of that from a 12 team dynasty league where I was (and still am) getting killed (1 playoff appearance in 4 years) and turned it into a championship recipe in a ridiculously competitive 24 team league – The FPL Championship (@FPLChampionship.)

Our natural impulse when we are losing in a league is to tune out and focus our energy towards more productive areas. I advise to only have a handful of teams as an inordinately high number of leagues will make it easier to tune out and thus, become a BAD LEAGUEMATE. Don’t be that guy. It’s never a good idea to tune out in a dynasty league since emerging late season stars can often be had on the cheap, but also stay focused on what the winning teams are doing to keep winning.
So what did I learn by getting my butt kicked? Well, there were two teams in this league that intrigued me. They weren’t the most talented teams in the league, but they were consistently in the top half. However, what they had was balance with reliable players at key spots.

Team A has Peyton Manning, Adrian Peterson, and Jason Witten - great cornerstones. With this core of players, the owner has made the playoffs 3 out of 4 years of the league’s existence (albeit in a weak division) surrounding these core players with the likes of Marques Colston as a #1 WR, Brandon Jacobs and Mario Manningham. The lesson I took away: the Big 3 keeps this team competitive. These three players provide weekly advantages at their spots and while this hasn’t been a contender, I think it highlights the importance of certain positions.

Team B (The 2008 and 2009 Champ) features a Schaub/Cutler QB combo but a monster WR corps of Larry Fitzgerald, Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe and Wes Welker. This is an incredible PPR study team. He didn’t make the playoffs in 2010 but won in 2009 and 2008 with a solid contribution from Ryan Grant and solid quarterbacking. Dallas Clark was his 08-09 TE – another weekly advantage player. Big scoring aspect here as this league lets you start 1 RB/4 WR (2/3 and 3/2 are the other legal configurations) so he can usually get all his talent in the line-up.

Now, a rundown of my (poorly performing) team: Chris Johnson, Darren McFadden (traded Addai to acquire – my best move,) Jonathan Stewart (acquired with draft pick that turned into Lesean McCoy – my worst move?,) Philip Rivers (to replace an ineffective Palmer & Flacco,) Desean Jackson, Steve Smith (CAR,) Austin Collie, Michael Crabtree, and Dustin Keller. Last year, I traded Mike Wallace, Tampa Mike Williams and Flacco for Rivers/Crabtree. I am listing a few more of my players, mainly because I really felt (and often still feel) that this is a deep team that I will eventually be able to roll out with no match-up plays - just a pure talented match-up proof line-up. However, this hasn’t happened yet. What’s wrong with this apparently talented group?

I have some ideas. First of all, the lack of a match-up advantage TE is killing me. I gave up too early on Vernon Davis and it haunts me still. If you don’t have this position squared away, you will battle your own poltergeist in a 12 team PPR. I know people say wait after so and so is off the board but in my opinion, this is the most underrated position that is vital to winning weekly in a PPR. This can’t be overstated. If you think a TE in that second group is poised to break out, it’s a fair risk to go a round or two early - go against the flow when the run finally starts (if you yourself don’t set off a run.) Lesson #1: A weekly TE match-up advantage (with high target numbers) is a key to winning in PPR.

Secondly, Chris Johnson, while extremely talented and productive just doesn’t seem to win games for me. I don’t quite understand it but this phenomenon certainly points to the possibility Team A’s success may be more attributable to Peyton and Witten than Adrian Peterson. You will never find a QB and rarely a TE on waivers that will match their production, but there is a fair chance of scooping up a productive back. That’s exactly how Team B snagged Ryan Grant and he was good enough. Lesson #2: Maybe a top 5 RB isn’t as important as I thought.

Third, my receiving corps, while it has some nice parts, is not a strong enough unit overall. I’ve seen it written that PPR levels the playing field making elite options less important. This could not be further from the truth. PPR actually elevates the importance of elite receivers. You MUST have a top 10 WR. There are not a lot of high volume targets in the league. Collie makes for great #2 PPR WR but Desean Jackson is an ill fitting #1 in this format (no pts for return TDs – ouch!) but he also makes for decent #2. [Interesting side note: Jackson is dominant in my bonus TD non-PPR league that gives return TD points - #1 in 2010.] Lesson #3: acquire a top 5 (high target) WR and don’t be afraid to keep building WR depth in the middle rounds.

The fourth issue was my QB, but I think I have this fixed with Rivers. I bombed using a third round start-up pick on Carson Palmer. However, when I knew the end was near, I traded him when he still had a little value. See the aforementioned Peyton Manning as Lesson #4 comes into focus: a top 5 QB is vital to consistently winning – PPR or otherwise.

So I have been taught my lessons. Let’s see what I learned.

I was invited this past year (2010) to participate in the inaugural season of the Fantasy Premier League Championship. I was really excited to participate in a new PPR dynasty keeper league as I immediately identified the scoring similarities and wanted to test my skills and theories against a few fantasy experts!

I was ready to go all in on my new strategy. Fortunately, I drew a pick towards the end of round 1 and despite knowing the statistics favor teams picking early, I felt really good. I was hopefully going to get to use two lessons above right away and in fact, lessons 2 and 3 since the top 5 backs would already be gone. Sweet!

As my pick came up, my top target’s names stared back: Larry Fitzgerald. I knew people were down on him with the QB situation but he is Larry Freaking Fitzgerald! A once in a decade talent without the injury risks associated with Andre and Calvin Johnson; a player who epitomizes hard work. This is a #1 building block and as I have witnessed, a major cog on a winning team in 2008 and 2009. To be frank, my nerves were tested, but this was the right call.

With a quick second pick at the top of round 2, I went after Peyton Manning at 14 (spotting a trend yet?) Now the long wait but I have now acquired true #1 players at 2 critical positions. I had a chance at Welker in the third but you can’t wait forever on a young back so I grabbed Jonathan Stewart followed by Michael Crabtree in 4th – not my best picks but fair based on ADP and they are young making them more viable long term. Now another long wait until I can grab that high volume TE at the end of the 5th. As expected, Gates, Clark and Davis fly off the board but when I get back around, I have my choice of Witten or Jermichael Finley. I had targeted the vet since he was part of our winners list above and I had just gone upside twice before. If I choose wrong there or he is gone, my draft plan may not have worked at all. I come back to take Felix Jones and secure my young upside backfield. However, I have to play two backs weekly – a waiver wire RB will have to play a factor in my season (much like the Grant scenario above.)

I spent the next few rounds building depth and doing a little protection. I grabbed Austin Collie, a player who I was especially familiar with – in the 11th and nabbed my favorite rookie WR, Tampa Mike Williams along with his young QB Josh Freeman, even later. I like upside over reliability late since I will usually turn over the bottom quarter of most of my rosters through waivers.

“Wha happen?”

Well, I followed the blueprint but lady luck always will always be a factor. Felix Jones caught enough passes to consistently draw starts but Stewart was a risky underperformer. When Ryan Grant went down to injury early, the Brandon Jackson hype train went in hyperdrive, which resulted in me being outbid for his services and drawing a waiver consolation prize of? Peyton Hillis. Hillis instantly became a weekly starter and suddenly, while not jumping off the page, my team became a consistent point scorer week in and week out. Everyone had a role; most were weekly contributors with each having the potential to produce above average numbers in any given week. The WR depth proved vital too as byes and injuries forced me to juggle line-ups almost weekly, some weeks forcing me into using a waiver option. I even had to start Brian Hartline one week to stay with my 2 RB - 4 WR weekly line-up strategy.

But somehow some way, I won the whole damn thing – a 24 team super league. I rarely set the high score but the consistency I was able to attain meant everything. I could count on a weekly point total that through various combinations (and the same core,) I was able to hit almost every week. This trend continued through the fantasy playoffs. Balance trumped explosion. It helped reframe how I thought of this little game we play.

I applied my lessons and it appears my hypothesis was proven correct – this time. Sometimes, it really is about having the best team and not about having the best players. Oh yeah, the gumbo. It tasted delicious! So maybe I’m not the best cook or metaphorical writer. Sue me.

2011 Rookie ADPs

Here is a link to the current 2011 rookie ADP in My Fantasy League over 70 actual drafts.

Greg Little - The Mystery Guest

The consensus third ranked rooke wide receiver in 2011 is Greg Little, but he comes with a few questions. Cleveland's rookie WR missed all of 2010 due to an NCAA infraction. This is actually one of my favorite themes fitting the mold of Mike Williams out of Syracuse in 2010.

To me (and to Cleveland) this guy is everything Julio Jones is and then some. What's more, Little is going to be available in the middle if not the late first round of many rookie drafts. Take a look at his 2009 reel.