My Auction-osophy

Well, I know it's been awhile since my last post but I've been pretty busy with work and other projects. Time to do some catching up.
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IFFL 2009 Final Update

Ended up losing to the Green Bay Dynasty in the playoffs due to Peyton Manning going completely bonkers against the Jaguars. A real disappointing ending to what was one of my best regular seasons ever. The Dynasty went on to destroy the Bruney Broncos in the Championship. Congrats again John.

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FEXDA II Expert Dynasty League
I recently finished a 16 team dynasty auction league in which other contributors included guys from some pretty prominent fantasy websites. FantasyFootball.com, FantasyGuru, The Huddle, and others were all involved in a month long auction. It was a lot of fun and very excruciating all at the same time. The total cap amount was $400 in which to draft 42 players. 6 of these players had to be rookies. No more, no less. Here's my team and what I paid for each player:

QB	Chad Henne	Mia	$31.00	I like his chances to be a top 15 QB with Brandon Marshall arriving via Denver.
QB	Vince Young	Tenn	$12.00	Should be a solid backup. Might have his best year yet statistically. Possible suspension for assault is irritating.
QB	Kerry Collins	Tenn	$1.00	Grabbed him before VY's incident. Now am glad I did. Protects against a suspension. Good handcuff either way.
RB	Ray Rice	Bal	$80.00	In a PPR league he should be well worth the price tag.
RB	Matt Forte	Chi	$42.00	Had a sophomore slump in 2009. Hoping for a bounce back.
RB	Reggie Bush	NO	$17.00	Not a bad price for a multi-dimensional RB#3.
RB	Javon Ringer	Tenn	$4.00	If CJ holds out or gets injured, I could have a huge bargain.
RB	Willis McGahee	Bal	$4.00	A $4 handcuff for my $80 franchise player. Viable as an emergency start too.
RB	Mike Bell	Phil	$2.00	Could be a sleeper if LeSean McCoy stumbles in Philly..
RB	Leonard Weaver	Phil	$1.00	Not a sexy pick but was surprisingly productive in the Philly offense last year.
WR	Michael Crabtree	SF	$55.00	Yeah I probably overpaid but I targeted him as THE WR I had to have.
WR	Kenny Britt	Tenn	$27.00	Again, paid a steep price for a 2nd year WR. Should be worth it in the long run.
WR	Brandon LaFell*	Car	$7.00	He has a great chance at winning starting job this year. He and Clausen may hook up for years.
WR	Mohamed Massaquoi	Cle	$6.00	Another 2nd year WR who has a decent chance at being THE guy.
WR	Johnny Knox	Chi	$11.00	Overpaid for him, but love him in a Mike Martz offense.
WR	Earl Bennett	Chi	$2.00	Between him or Knox I should have a strong Chic WR.
WR	Brad Smith	NYJ	$1.00	Purely a depth pick. Won't see enough action behind other Jet WRs to merit a start. Possible trade bait.
WR	Deon Butler	Sea	$1.00	Could be Seattle's slot receiver. If not this year then next.
TE	Jermaine Gresham*	Cin	$7.00	Good price for him I thought. Cincinnati's first real pass catching TE in years.
TE	Ben Watson	Cle	$1.00	Won't be a fantasy stud, but like him as a spot starter if Gresham is slow to develop.
TE	Daniel Fells	Stl	$1.00	Second year TE showed promise as a rookie. Possibly Sam Bradford's go-to guy?
PK	Connor Barth	TB	$1.00	His three 50 yard FG day vs. Miami last year stood out for me. Can't beat the price.
PK	Josh Scobee	Jac	$1.00	Needed another kicker. Got one. End of story here.
DE	Will Smith	NO	$5.00	One of my favorite former Buckeyes. Paid a little too much for him, but I'm pleased.
DE	Matt Shaunessy	Oak	$1.00	Won a starting spot in his rookie year. Improvement in 2010 a good probability.
DE	Carlos Dunlap*	Cin	$4.00	Won't be a starter this year, but could be valuable down the road.
DE	Alex Carrington*	Buff	$2.00	Another developmental rookie that I hope becomes a starter eventually.
LB	James Laurinitis	STL	$22.00	Wanted him badly and overpaid for him, but he will be my IDP anchor for awhile.
LB	Rolando McClain*	Oak	$20.00	Will be a starting LB for me (and the Raiders) hopefully for many MANY years.
LB	Demarcus Ware	Dal	$6.00	Not a horrible price for a Pro Bowl sack machine LB.
LB	A.J. Hawk	GB	$3.00	Another of my favorite Buckeyes. Not bad as my 4th LB. Needs to step up a bit.
LB	Tamba Hali	KC	$1.00	Converted DE had 8.5 sacks last year. Hoping for more this year.
LB	Gerald Hayes	Ariz	$1.00	Should benefit from the departure of Karlos Dansby. Statistically speaking that is.
CB	Vontae Davis	Mia	$2.00	2nd year CB has big play potential. Could be a longtime starter for me.
CB	Mike Jenkins	Dal	$1.00	Had a solid sophomore season in 09. Looking for him to improve.
CB	Champ Bailey	Den	$1.00	He's a bit long in the tooth, but the price was right.
S	Ed Reed	Bal	$1.00	Perennial Pro-Bowler still has gas left in the tank despite injuries last year. I hope.
S	Michael Griffin	Tenn	$1.00	Young safety that can make big plays.
S	Antrell Rolle	NYG	$1.00	Should have a decent year for the Giants.
S	Taylor Mays*	SF	$8.00	Has something to prove after being snubbed by Pete Carroll and the Seahawks.

This was my first ever dynasty AUCTION draft. All other auctions I have ever participated in were one year only drafts. But my philosophy in auction drafts has always been the same: Be aggressive to get who you want, even if it means overpaying. Might sound reckless to some ... ok, maybe it is. But in my mind an auction league is an opportunity to fill a roster with players I like or want ... and their acquisition is totally in my own power. And on this roster I have many players I like and wanted going forward. For me that's what's really important. I'd rather lose with players I hand picked than lose with guys I was forced to settle for. I prefer winning with guys I targeted and got, rather than win with guys I had little faith in but took because they were the best available.

 My first priority going into the auction was to nab a top five RB no matter what the cost. And since all the top backs came out fast and furious this was done fairly quickly. Ray Rice for $80.00 (20% of my total cap) was my first player acquired. I was pleased to be able to get him.

This being a dynasty league, one thing I told myself and was able to hold to .. I was NOT going to pay more than $1.00 for any player leaning towards the downside of his career. And to me that means a player with nine years or more in the NFL. I managed to almost avoid drafting these player altogether, but only paid $1.00 each for Kerry Collins, Champ Bailey, and Ed Reed. Abjective reached there.

Then I targeted six other specific players and said I would break the bank if necessary to get them. A goal I missed by one player unfortunately as Beanie Wells went way higher than I wanted to pay without completely destroying my chances at the other five. Those five were Chad Henne, Michael Crabtree, Kenny Britt, James Lauranitis, and Rolando McClain. I felt with these players plus Rice, I would have a solid nucleus to build my team around. I paid some major bucks for them.

Throughout the draft I targeted mainly young players. Guys with only a season or two under their belt. My WRs are probably the best example. I totally bypassed any of the top WRs like Reggie Wayne or Larry Fitzgerald and bid on guys like Crabtree, Britt, and Knox. Hoping that if they don't bloom this year, they'll hit their stride in year three of their careers. Crabtree, Britt, and Massaquoi should all be their team's #1 wideout this year ... and hopefully for many years to come. Out of the seven WRs I drafted I have one rookie, four second year guys, one third year player, and one fifth year WR. Now that's drafting youth!

Did I draft a team that can win it all this year? Well, probably not ...to be honest. But give it another year or two and I could have a very strong contender. And a lot of players I will look forward to watching.

Week 14 Rumblings

It's finally playoff time!! Good luck to all of you out there in fantasyland ... except to those who are playing ME! HOOOOO HOOO HOOO!!!!!
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Stock Watch For 2010

It's never too early to look ahead to the following season. And there are more than a few players whose 2010 seasons are up in the air. Could their fantasy stock rise? Could it fall? Is it a complete mystery? Here is a look at a select few who should have their production either significantly increase, decrease, or whose future is totally up in the air.

RISERS

WR Michael Crabtree (SF) To come in as late in the season as he did due to his holdout and be as much a part of the 49er's offense as he has is pretty telling. 32 catches for 406 yards in just seven games projects to about 70 catches and nearly 1000 yards. Next year, with a full off-season program under his belt and Alex Smith fully entrenched as the starter, I could see Crabtree as a strong #3 WR in fantasy lineups.

RB Justin Forsett (Sea) Forsett made the most of his opportunity when Julius Jones sat due to injury and is still getting a few touches, even catching a TD last week as the third down change of pace back. Next year there is a strong possibility of him beating Jones out of the starting RB job.

QB Chad Henne (Mia) Last week Henne had a breakout game against the Patriots, throwing for over 300 yards and 2 TDs. It seems like he's developed quite the rapport with WRs Davone Bess and rookie Brian Hartline. Next year, with Ronnie Brown a huge injury risk and Ricky Williams fountain youth running dry ... the team may have to lean more on it's passing game.... which could see Henne posting decent numbers.

RB Chris Jennings (Clev) Unless Jamal Lewis "pulls a Favre" and retires, then unretires ... Jennings could find himself in the starting lineup over RBs Harrison and James Davis for the Brwons. Unless the Browns take C.J. Spiller in the draft that is.

FALLERS

RB LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) It's looking like the future Hall Of Famer jumped the shark in late 2007. He's done well for owners in TD only leagues this year, but yardage wise he will not hit 1000 yards rushing in a season for the first time in his career unless he averages more than 140 yards over the last three games. Next year, it's questionable whether he'll even be with the Chargers and may have to take a lesser role with another team.

RB Reggie Bush (NO) What can you say about Bush other than HUGE disappoinment? He can't stay healthy for a full season and even when he IS playing, he's Captain Sporadic ... getting the occasional two TD game but disappearing in others. With Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas both doing admirable jobs carrying the load, why would the Saints use Bush as anything other than a thrid down back and PR next year?

WR Ted Ginn Jr. (Mia) He's a first round bust that lost his chance to be a major impact player in the Dolphin passing game this year by dropping easy passes and running poor routes. Unless your league starts a KR/PR in 2010, I'd shy away from the former Buckeye.

QB Jason Campbell (Wash) He's actually suprised as far as decent numbers have been concerned. But the Redskins weren't sold on him to start the season ... and the team hasn't gotten any better. He might be the starter going into next year, but if the team drafts a QB in the first round and the season goes to hell quickly ... it might be over for Campbell.

ON THE BUBBLE?

WR Anthony Gonzalez (Ind) With the emergence of Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie in the Indy passing game, where does that leave the former first round pick? Injuries have ruined his season and allowed others to pass him by on the depth chart. Could he be traded and be a key cog in someone elses offense in 2010?

WR Terrell Owens (Buff) Will the Bills want to bring him back next year? If so, will T.O. WANT to come back? And in either case, will he still be effective at his age? You've got to keep in mind there will be a new HC and new OC for the Bills next year.

QB Jamarcus Russell (Oak) Will his benching a few weeks ago wake him up? The Raiders now have a plethora of potential pass catchers in Zach Miller, Louis Murphy, Chaz Shiliens, and even Darrius Heyward-Bey ... but has Bruce Gradkowski grabbed the starting QB job in a chokehold? If so ... where does that leave Russell? And the biggest question .. can he ever be a starting NFL QB?

QB Brady Quinn (Clev) He's shown glimpses this year but a lot of questions hang over the Browns as a whole. Will Mangini still be coach? Who will the new GM be? And will the Dawgs target a Jake Locker or Colt McCoy in the draft?
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IFFL UPDATE

A 63-38 victory over the Buckeye Wrecking Crew ups my record to 11-2 and all but eliminates the BWC from playoff contention, although they can still get in by beating the Green Bay Dynasty by 52 points or more. Improbable, but not impossible.

Glory Division	W	L	PS
Miami Waves	11	2	868
Green Bay Dynasty	9	4	798
Buckeye Wrecking Crew	8	5	747
West Virginia Dolphins	7	6	762
Pennsylvania PimpDaddies	5	8	883

This final week of the regualr season is almost meaningless to me. But to my opponent The Running Vikings it's a must win to get into the playoffs. I have mixed feelings about wanting my team to finish  12-2. If I score big this week, it could be a bad omen for the playoff game the following weekend. And I've seen it before ... the best team in the league has a huge game right before the playoffs ... then falls flat on it's face in the first round. The Vikings .. ironically enough ... is loaded with Minnesota players including Bret Favre, Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian, and the Vikings DST. Add Steven Jackson and Vincent Jackson and you have the makings of a semi-dangerous lineup. My lineup for the week:

TMQB	Tony Romo (Dal TMQB)	vs. San Diego
RB	Chris Johnson (Tenn)	vs. Detroit
RB	Laurence Maroney (NE)	vs. Carolina
WR	DeSean Jackson (Phil)	@NY Giants
WR	Randy Moss (NE)	vs. Carolina
WR	Chad Ochocinco (Cin)	@ Minnesota
PK	Ryan Longwell (Minn)	vs. Cincinnati
DST	NY Jets	@ Tampa Bay

I won't be heartbroken if I lose, even though means my nine game winning streak comes to an end.

In the Fanatics 16 Man Brawl League, I have made the playoffs as the fifth seed and will be playing the fourth seeded Cape Fears. Off to a good start already as Rothlisberger did virtually nothing for him. Hoping for a big day from the Tom Brady to Randy Moss connection.

Twas The Night Before Kickoff: Week 13 Rumblings

Twas the night before kickoff
and in Santas's workshop

Old Santa was cursing
 at his tiny laptop.

When from the door,

there came such a rumble,
you would have thought that
Steve Slaton had fumbled

In burst Mr. Jingle,

Santa's Head Elf

who blustered like Jon Gruden,

 in spite of himself

"Santa come quick!"
"Rudolph's not well!"
"The veterinarian just told me,
it's a torn ACL!"

Just then Santa's visage
became like that of Bill Cowher
His cheeks got more rosy 
and his grimace quite sour.

"Not now Jingle!" he bellowed,
"Can't you see I'm quite tied up?"
"I'm trying to figure out
my fantasy lineups!"

"But Santa!" said Jingle,
you've been busy for WEEKS!"
"You've been in here so long
you're really starting to reek!"

"Have some cookies!" begged the elf
"Or you'll lose all that girth!"
"If you get any thinner,
you'll be Cris Collinsworth!"

"I'm in twelve leagues!" bellowed Santa
"And most of my teams stink!"
"But I know I can fix this,
I've just got to think!"

"I drafted Matt Forte six times,
and he's been a huge dud!"
"But of course most of the experts
thought he'd be a big stud!"

"Detroit's Calvin Johnson,
should have had a big year!"
"But instead he's been as useless
as a three legged reindeer!"

"Eddie Royal of the Broncos,
was to be my PPR giant!"
But like Cleveland's run defense,
he's been most unreliant!"

"I had Ronnie Brown,
and he started out buff!"
Oh why didn't I grab
Ricky Williams to handcuff?

"I traded Thomas Jones to the Easter Bunny,
for Kerry Collins and Westbrook!"
"One got a concussion,
the other ...the hook."

"MJD has shined brightly,
like a big Christmas tree!"
"But wow, did he screw me,
when he took that darn knee!!"

"Oh Santa." whined Jingle
"Must you be controversial?"
"We've got more problems out there,
than Peyton Manning has commercials!"

"Speaking of  Peyton Manning,"
said Saint Nick with a stutter,
"I should have drafted HIM,
instead of that bozo Jay Cutler!"

"And doggonit I knew it,
Miles Austin was a sleeper!"
"But I lost out on the waivers,
to the friggin Grim Reaper!"

"Mark Sanchez looked promising,
interceptions aside.."
"Just wish when I grabbed him,
he had learned how to SLIDE!!"

Jingle sighed in frustration,
then made a loud cackle,
he rushed and hit Santa,
with a horse collar tackle!

"Please Santa!" begged Jingle
"Just listen to me!"
"You'll make the playoffs!
I promise, you'll see!!"

"But we need you out there,

it's time for THE trip!"

"Like Ditka might say,

dude, get a grip!!"

Santa slowly got up,

then started to laugh ,

"You're right Jingle!" he said,

"Can't miss the first half!!"

"The sleigh's ready!" said Jingle.

"And I'll get your labtop."

"You can keep track of the scores,

and you won't have to stop!"

So Santa got dressed,

in his suit of bright red..

while visions of championships

danced in his head.

And as he departed the Pole,

he cried a mighty "HO HO HO!"

"Merry Christmas to all!"

"GO OCHOCINCO!!!!"

                                                                                                           By  Chris Carwile
                                                                                                            December 2009
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IFFL UPDATE

With a 63-38 victory over the Pennsylvania Pimpdaddies, combined with a Green Bay Dynasty loss, I have clinched a playoff spot and will have the opportunity to possibly repeat as IFFL Champion. Even though the Dynasty and Buckeye Wrecking Crew are both only two games behind me with two games remaining, they face each other in the final week of the regualr season, so there is no way they both can catch me.

Glory Division	W	L	PS
Miami Waves	10	2	805
Green Bay Dynasty	8	4	753
Buckeye Wrecking Crew	8	4	708
West Virginia Dolphins	7	5	718
Pennsylvania PimpDaddies	5	7	772

The remaining playoff spot is still up for grabs between the Green Bay Dynasty, Buckeye Wrecking Crew, and the West Virginia Dolphins. The Dolphins and Dynasty play each other this week while the Wrecking Crew faces my Miami Waves. While I won't spill any tears if I lose this game, I'm not going to lay down for the BWC, whose lineup will include Aaron Rodgers, Ryan Grant, Greg Jennings, Jeremy Maclin, and Steve Smith (NYG). My lineup this week:

TMQB	Cincinnati (Carson Palmer)	vs. Detroit
RB	Chris Johnson (Tenn)	@ Indianapolis
WR	Laurence Maroney (NE)	@ Miami
WR	Mike Sims-Walker (Jac)	vs. Houston
WR	Randy Moss (NE)	@ Miami
WR	Chad Ochocinco (Cin)	vs. Detroit
PK	Ryan Longwell (Minn)	@ Arizona
DST	Denver Broncos	@ Kansas City

With DeSean Jackson unlikely to play this week, I'm inserting a second RB. Maroney seems the best start, but I'm mulling LeSean McCoy as well and could make a last minute switch.



In two of my other leagues I'm having sucess as well. In the FFTwitter League (Yahoo!) I'm 9-3 and have clinched a playoff spot, while in the Fanatics 16 Man Brawl League I am 8-4 and on the cusp of making the playoffs. Need to win this week to get in though.