Note to the Experts

For my first article I would like to focus on something that everyone in this league can relate to (especially since we moved to a 16 man league). It is about the waiver wire tips that the so called “expert” fantasy writers and fantasy sites suggest. I personally read a lot of different sites just to keep up with the daily happenings of the league so that I may capitalize when an opportunity presents itself….at least that is the theory behind the action. So I really fuel their fire (but that’s a whole different article).

As everyone knows the NFL is a brutal league and players get injured in this league more then others so a critical function as a GM is to stay on top of the status of the players that are on your roster, the other teams’ roster, and the waiver wire. Big Breakfast is a testament to that statement. His 2^nd and 3^rd highest scoring players (the 6^th and 14th highest scoring non-qb’s in the league) were plucked off the wire on the opening Sunday of 2010. Without those players he is treading water, with those players he is undefeated—once again that illustrates the importance of the waiver wire.

This brings me to the issue that made me want to write this article. I personally lost my starting TE to a season-ending injury. I was not the first GM to be affected by this (that goes to Chavez who lost his 10^th round pick in the preseason and I will not be the last). Cow lost his 3^rd round pick and as I type this it is being reported that Dallas Clark is done for the season meaning that 69ers lost his 3^rd round pick (who happens to be his highest scoring player and the 2^nd highest scoring player at his position). That is a tough loss for an already struggling team. Either way it is at these times that a savvy GM will read different writers and different sites in order to find a replacement. But in our league it is all for not.

For example when Ryan Grant was lost for the season they suggested to hurry up and pick up Brandon Jackson….guess what….he was drafted in our league in the 12^th round.

When Kolb was concussed in the first game they suggested to run to your computer and pick up Vick….guess what….he was drafted in our league in the 11^th round.

When Finley was carted off the field they suggested I get on my computer and pick up players like Hernandez (picked up on 9/20—20 days before Finley was hurt) and Moeaki (picked up 9/16—25 days before Finley was hurt).

Now that Clark is out CBS Sportsline.com is suggesting we pick up Watson (he was picked up on 10/2—20 days ago).

The moral of my rant is that I wish that they would focus their “expert tips” on a league that is bigger then 12 man. When reading these tips I feel like they are talking to GM’s of leagues that are 8, 10, and 12 men and I get frustrated. I don’t know anyone else that is in a league of more then 12 man so I could not complain to them so I felt like this was the perfect forum for my rant. Thanks for reading.