fantasysportsguru

I’m not one of those guys who thinks of a new name for their team year after year. You know the people who do; those are the guys who have been calling their teams some variation of McLovin or with a Michael Vick reference. We get it: you’re attempting to use your extreme wit. The only problem is, it’s not working.

I’ve been naming my fantasy team the Rockaway Regulators for as long as I’ve done fantasy sports (and that’s a long time). Every league, every sport. I really should get it trademarked or something. It’s the perfect balance of recognizing your roots (I was born in Rockaway, NJ) and using a team name that doesn’t already exist (Raiders, Eagles) and is unique. Perfect combination, in my humble opinion.

Anyways, I’m slated to participate in three football leagues this fall, and all three have drafts during Labor Day weekend (which has become a tradition of sorts during the past 4-5 years). Here’s the preview for all three leagues:

1) Sunday Fartknocker League

I’ve been a part of this one for 4 years, and have experienced a large degree of success. My first campaign ended with the best regular season record, but came up empty in the playoffs. Seasons 2 and 3 culminated in titles, while Season 4 saw my team fall just three points shy of a three-peat. Getting back to the top of the mountain in this league won’t be easy, with 11 other extremely active managers who have made this easily the most competitive league I play in (9-5 records usually have been good enough to secure division titles, for example). I’ve got pick #7 in this draft. Bonus points and PPR are the norm here, so I’ve got to target superstars who have game-breaking ability as opposed to consistency.

2) The Captain’s Invitational 2008

This league has been running for at least 6 or 7 years, and after my debacle in Season 1 (my very rude introduction to fantasy football), I took a 3 year break before returning to place 3rd two seasons ago. Last year was a difficult season for the Regulators, as injuries hit the team hard and forced a mediocre finish. Unlike my other leagues, this is a 14-team league, so it presents the unique challenge of drafting smartly in the later rounds when the free agent pool becomes extremely shallow. I’ve got pick #7 here, which will severely hamper my strategy in the 2nd round. Pretty standard scoring for this league.

3) The Captain’s Dynasty Football League

An auction-keeper league that keeps me on my toes year round. You’re given a $100 salary cap, and have to fill your roster with 16 players without going over by the end of the draft. Otherwise, you’re free to maneuver as you please. The thing is, players move up in price value year after year based on their performance (100 pts = $1 increase), so obviously decisions have to be made on whether or not you keep certain players. Last year was the league’s first year, and seeing how I never get a top pick in a standard league that employs the snake draft, I bid high on Ladanian Tomlinson ($38) and never looked back en route to a regular season title and 2nd place finish. This year, my list of keepers includes LT ($41), Tony Romo ($6), Earnest Graham ($7), Selvin Young ($2), Plaxico Burress ($9), Owen Daniel ($2) and Jake Delhomme ($2). That leaves me $31 to spend on 9 players. That won’t be easy, but I do have the core of my team (QB/2 RB/WR) intact, so to a certain point, I can afford to be a little picky. And I’ve got to say, there is nothing like participating in a live auction draft. If you’ve never done one, I suggest you try it. It is a LOT of fun.

I’ll post some brief recaps of my drafts periodically during the weekend, although I can’t promise promptness during the holidays. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Trackback URI | Comments RSS