07.17.08

The fantasy football hammer is coming down

Posted in Football at 8:38 pm by addisport

This is the time of year when I go from being Mr. Friendly to the not-so welcome loan shark. And at the same time, I’m being hounded to join some league or another, to complete the 16-field requirement for a friend’s ultimate fantasy football league in which every single transaction and thought has a fee to it.

Right now, I’m in two leagues and I’m waffling on a third. One is a free (something I demand I do every year) and the other two are paid for leagues, with the fees ranging from $25 to $100. I run the $25 league — yes, I am keeping it cheap for my friends and I with “journalism money” to work with.

Then there is my coworker’s league (ad rep I might add) and it’s $100 to enter, including a fee for every transaction and trade you can think of (maybe that too). Anyways, he’s hounding me to join up to complete his uber cool league and then we can make some real money … or lose a lot of this monopoly currency he thinks I have.

I’m not sure if I fully understand the reasoning behind charging people for every transaction — to put a greater emphasis on the draft?!?!? Isn’t fantasy all about making the managerial decisions you want at the time you want, so long as some idiot is willing to trade? I wouldn’t give that up like my birthright to the Rockefeller fortune.

This year is going to be juicier than others. Not only is there the general excitement of the newbies, rookies and free agents, but I’ve got an inkling that a certain number of returning stars and championship caliber teams have something to prove…. eh hum … New England.

Here’s a quick look at each division:

NFC East: Why is there no one giving the N.Y. Giants, defending Superbowl champions, this division? I’ll tell you why: Because the Cowboys look like they can kick their ass any day of the week and when they did lose last year they looked like they were uncharacteristically off. The hope is that the ‘Boys will figure it out and next time play accordingly. They still have more talent, and the Giants now have less. Everyone is else is hogwash.

AFC East: This is the most lopsided division in football. I should end this entry with just Patriots. Sorta reminds me of the scene in Fun with Dick and Jane, as Jim Carrey finds out he’s being indicted, he runs around and out of the house yelling, “INDICTED …. INDICTED…. INDIIIIIIICTED!!!” The Dolphins, Jets and Bills could just scream Patriots for two whole weeks of the year and no one would think them crazy.

NFC West: This is the weakest division of the NFL. It has been now for more than three years. Every time we think it’s getting better, it gets worse. The only thing more depressing than the revamped Arizona Cardinals and fledgling St. Louis Rams is (no surprise) the San Francisco 49ers, who continue to be the laughing stock of pro football in their can’t-pass, can’t-run offensive quagmire.

Luckily, things are turning around for each division team, in a sense that they will be more than competitive. This is also the one division that is more wide open than any other, although I see Seattle pulling ranks sooner rather than later. Keep your eyes on who is behind center for the red and gold. It could determine a lot.

AFC West: I wonder, every night before I go to sleep, can LaDanian Tomlinson do it by himself? Matter-of-fact, he might have to because the San Diego Chargers aren’t going to get any more help on offense and they aren’t going to be the running team they should be. But even then, I still think the bolts have an upper hand over the Chiefs and Raiders easily. The Broncos may be more competition than is expected, but the division is still the Chargers to lose. And it all falls on the knees of Mr. Tomlinson.

NFC North: Brett Favre … BRETT FAVRE… FAVRRREEEE!!!

AFC North: I thought the Baltimore Ravens could’ve beaten the New England Patriots last season if it weren’t for some very favorable calls for the Pats. On the other hand, that doesn’t mean they are a top to bottom better team than the Bengals or Steelers. The Bengals have bungled their 2005 success and Marvin Lewis may find himself on the hot seat (sorry, not the Budweiser one). This all while the Steelers continue to be the solid force and rock in the division. I shouldn’t disregard Cleveland either but they always find a way to screw things up, whether it be with a timely injury or an interestingly ridiculous draft choice. This one is in the tank for the Steelers though — hands down.

NFC South: Goodbye Michael Vick and hello Matt Ryan, alleged savior of the Atlanta Falcons and the salary cap … errr … the economy. With $30 million guaranteed, I almost feel like Ryan should be able to snap the ball to himself and toss the football 90 yards while dodging Julius Peppers and Mario Williams and serving ice cream cones to little kids in the stands. Sadly, he won’t make a dent in this division.

If anything, the NFC South is owned by Tampa Bay Buccanneers who will be fending off an erratic New Orleans team (they’re always up and down). Jon Gruden seems to always pull out the best football team from nothing. This year should be no different.

AFC South: Marvin Harrison will come back with a vengence. I see it in his eyes. When he like was half way accused of shooting a guy, I couldn’t help but think to myself, “that must be all that pent up rage after losing to the Patriots.” A fully healed Harrison is the equalizer in the entire AFC, but it also puts Peyton Manning and the boys right back in the division lead. Watch for David Garrard to be killer though as the Jags remain a threat. I’ll give Houston a couple of more years before I take them seriously.

Why is it that the Tennessee Titans don’t deserve any credit? One name: Vince Young. I don’t trust him. He hasn’t adjusted well and I’m still waiting for him to have some real faith in his teammates. Here’s hoping for him to learn to pass first, run second.

More NFL coverage coming, with specific profiles on Hot teams. That’s right, the Dolphins get no space on this blog. Holla.

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