Evil Genius

1) What will happen with Cleveland's backfield? Will they resign Hillis? Will Hardesty emerge as the starter? Even if he does, does it matter to Fantasy teams? Does any of these answers fluctuate based on whether the Browns draft Griffith or no? 2) Does Mike Bush stay in Oakland? If he goes somewhere, is he a solid RB#2 or better? 3) What happens in Green Bay? - does any RB there emerge as relevant? the lead candidate still being Starks, but he had his chance and still didn't do much... Does someone else come along, or does Saine or Green have sleeper value? 4) Does Ridley become the main man in New England, and even if he does, would he be startable? 5) Who drafts Richardson, and does he get into a startable situation? 6) Does Laurent Robinson stay in Dallas? - does he have any value there as an WR #2, even with Austin healthy? 7) Does Cruz stay at his current level or does he bust in 2012? Manningham has not looked very inspiring...thoughts? 8) Do Gresham and Cook make the leap to must-start TE? Does Tony G or Owen Daniels still have any value in 2012? 9) What shakes out for the Lions backfield - does Smith stay? Who's the starter? Does Best have an aneurysm with his next head shot? 10) If AP is not ready to go at the start of the season, what is Gerhart's value?

Coming off two straight championships in one of my Dynasty Leagues, I was feeling a little reckless. With so many values unknown... yet guys are still watching football and paying attention with the SuperBowl yet to come. Its a crazy time to trade, but based on nothing but guts and stupidity, I just dealt: Gates for Titus Young and Jared Cook Austin and Hardesty for Mike Bush, Kevin Smith and Kahlil Bell (where I have LeShoure, Best and DMC) I think I did not do great in either of these deals ! But hey, do you guys ever trade this time of year out of pure addiction and opportunism? When you think of the nonsense in those two trades alone, it would appear I am a gluten for risk.

Recent news from Rotoworld has speculation that Mike Bush gets the Franchise tag. http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4156/michael-bush Whereas Dave Richards from CBS recently spouted that the odds of Bush leaving town for a starting gig elsewhere was "75%" This has largish implications for both he and Run DMC in Dynasty and Keeper formats. What is your feeling, or what have you read elsewhere?

Certainly the decision to Franchise Bush is a huge one...and who is to say how Bush feels about it, other than to say he wants money like anyone else... A few years back, the same thing happened with Ladell Betts, filling in for Portis, and did very well helping his team as the Starter as an audition for a starting gig, coming into Free Agency as I recall. Betts stayed with the Skins and faded into obscurity when Portis came back, forsaking his one real chance to be the man. More close to home, I have DMC but not Bush in Dynasty play, and the Bush owner is now dangling him for me. He is asking too much, I figure, based on the speculation that Bush gets traded to be the starter elsewhere...whereas I only want him to back up DMC. I am offering Austin for Bush and Kevin Smith (I have Best and LeShoure also). He says NOT enough. The speculation is driving me nuts.

Though I didn't watch much of the Reggie Bush show, it appeared to the casual eye that Moore did alright. 12 games as the starter. 2300 yards, 15 TDs and 7 Ints. Further, Miami did okay down the stretch with Moore at the helm. After starting 0-4, Moore comes in after the bye and goes 6-6. Not terrible. Yet, in another current Dynasty-ranking thread here on FF today, Moore is not even ranked. What does the future hold for the QB position for the Dolphins, and does Moore have any value, going forward? Or do they draft a QB? or bring Henne back?

Personally, I find it nice to have some action and interesting threads and I don't care which board. Got nothing constructive to say? then go away. You had your chance to be amusing.

It depends on what you want, and your own personal philosophy. If it were me, I would do the trade AND go for the win. Why not have some fun and 'go for broke' yourself? I have offered a split exactly once in my Fantasy 'career' and it was because I was 90% certain I was going to lose (which I did). Though he took the split, I truthfully think it kinda sucked. Without looking at all the starters and the match-ups, let's accept that it looks favorable to you, as you say. It's not likely that Bell will be the difference, all by himself; there is too much luck in FF. However, lets look at the options: i) If you do the deal and win, you look like a brave or foolhardy genius with serious guts. And you get Foster for 2012. ii) If you do the deal and lose, you still get $250, with fantastic Keepers going forward. iii) If you do the deal and split, you come off wary and soft, for a mere gain of $125. iv) If you balk and win, you will secretly still pine for Foster when it's over. It's human nature. v) If you balk at the deal and lose, you'll kick yourself for not at least having made the deal as consolation for your 2nd place finish. ...and as things stand, I don't see you balking and still offering the split. Look at these options and tell me you aren't going to pull the trigger.

Getting back to the 49'rs.... I think it very plausible that they could beat Detroit, Atlanta or the Giants/Dallas winner, at home, should they get the bye and/or play at Candlestick in the first round...(not sure who gets the bye if they and the Saints both finish 13-3). If they make it past their first game, bye or not, eventually the Saints or the Pack will prove too good, and outscore the Smith-driven O, who will put up 17 or 20 points MAX.

I do not like Cam in the First round. My gut tells me he has a regression in his sophomore year. In saying this, I really appreciate his amazing skills and the late round value...but I think first round is nuts when Stafford, Rivers, Brady will all still be sitting on the Board until the late 2nd, 3rd or even 4th. Like last year, some guys overvalue the current hot seasons and they think repetition is easy when it's practically impossible. Last year, around this time, some were arguing Vick #1 overall. So I take issue and say 'you're facked' and they say "WAIT and see, a$$clown!" So I waited and I saw. Same with Cam. First round ? Caveat Emptor.

Like anything worth doing in this world, it's dedication to the task and commitment to detail that makes something worthwhile. When you really commit to something that you are passionate about, be it coaching, volunteering, an art project or fantasy football, people recognize and appreciate that commitment. Maybe they think you are crazy or freakish or amazing...but one way or another, they recognize that commitment. And that, folks, is cool. When I play Fantasy (and where I Commish), the guys in my Leagues know I am going to bring my A-game. Furthermore, I make it more than Fantasy when I get extra prizes, host Football-themed parties and co-ordinate designated drivers for the SuperBowl.

Mike, no offense dude - but I cancel Christmas if you don't move this one over to A Little Help as well. At least mine was clever. Come on, man.

12 Owners. $125 Million Dollar Buy-In. Four of the Owners are Grand Viziers from the United Arab Emirates, one a Pasha from the old Ottoman Empire. Another is Trump's granddaughter. One Billion Dollar Prize, and a literal boatload of Cristal Champagne to the Winner... ...only trick is, you must start a Cleveland Brown in the Final to be eligible to win it. I got into this League based soley on a deal I did with the Devil, four years ago. Three more years and I am done. I mean done. An eternity of damnation - but hell, it's been a ride. So, do I start Hardesty, or Little, as my Flex?

His name is LeShoure. I will speculate wildly that if you draft both late, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

There is no evidence for you to speculate so wildly. All we know for sure is he's done for the year and he was already cleared for football activities.

Join a league with real people in your hometown. Start it yourself. Use the opportunity to create and sustain friendships and social contacts. Redistribute all league monies to your friends and leaguemates, instead of half of it to CBS. I love CBS, in terms of ease of use and aesthetic quality but !! if you are playing anything other than a Commissioner League, and paying more than $129 at the absolute max, they are ripping you off.

Might I be the first to say that I would have won if: i) the Packers had been the Packers - I started the D/ST, Jones and Finley and got relatively squat ii) CJ Spiller had been CJ Spiller

Dynasty: Rodgers, Romo (flex), CJ, MJD, White, Mega, Austin (flex), Gates, Hanson, Falcons Keeper: Brees, Cam (flex), Foster, Rice, MJD (Flex), Dez, Robinson, Finley, Tynes, Packers ReDraft: Rivers, CJ, K. Smith, Mega, Robinson, Tony G.(flex), Graham, Bailey, Patriots Yes, my Keeper team is pretty stupid good, but you know, these things can go any which way.

Week 15 semi's, three leagues. Dynasty: Rodgers (me), Brady, Brees, Ryan Keeper: Brees (me), Flacco, Ryan, Brady ReDraft: Rivers (me), Brady, Dalton, Brady, Eli

I think Jay needs rather a kick in the ass.

Tynes or Bailey, if available, would each likely be a great play this weekend.

A nemesis of mine in my 12-Team Keeper League wins his Week 13 match-up, with all scoring finishing Sunday night . He just squeezes it out to win by 0.2 points (over a basement team) to go 8-5 and ensure himself a playoff spot - our playoffs start in Week 14, kicking off this Thursday. Then, late last night, well after the Monday nighter, a Stat adjustment loads in on CBS, giving the basement squad an additional full point from his D/ST, and swinging the result from a W to a L - the nemesis is now 7-6. So, 48 hours after his supposed narrow victory, he is now tied with 3 other teams - whereupon he loses all the tie-breaks and finishes as the #8 seed, two positions out of the playoffs. For him, a crushing and demoralizing defeat, from glory to gut-wrenching, waking up to find out he's DONE. Using this colossal deflation as the spring board for your memory: What's the worst defeat you've ever suffered (or witnessed) in FF - this year or historically...?

I seem to have no shortage of stories (since I started this damned thread). This year is my Dynasty League I am 12-1 to finish the 'regular' Fantasy season. Best record I have had in 10 years of Fantasy participation. In week 4, I endured my only loss. It was on the very last carry, of the very last meaningful play on the Monday nighter. Blount runs for 4 yards for 0.4 Fantasy points, whereupon the Bucs kneel down and seal the deal. I lose the match-up 182.25 to 182.35 That close to a 13-0 record. Talk about a game of inches....I was three feet from perfection. But I think losing a game focused my team for the rest of the way.

Getting beat in part by a player you previously dropped is ironic perhaps, and feels crappy perhaps because you want to kick yourself...but I would not characterize it as a 'bad beat'. A bad beat is where you: - are precariously, dangerously close to winning and yet, tragically fail...typically for inexplicable or laughable reasons - lead by a huge margin and still somehow lose due to some unexplainable, longshot, monstrous comeback by the Browns, Bucs or Lions - have incredibly favourable or stacked odds and still somehow lose on a TD bomb to Joe Nobody - lose by some miniscule amount due to bizarre circumstances - lose at the very last possible opportunity, often on a meaningless play or strange happenstance - lose to a hated nemesis or rival within notable circumstances - lose to a clueless, daft or tomfool leaguemate, annoying in-law, prepubescent or female relative who has no concept of football whatsoever

In three Leagues, Dynasty, Keeper and ReDraft: 3 Divisions, 6 Teams make the playoffs. Top two division winners get a bye, next division winner is the #3 seed. Remaining teams get in by record, division irrelevant. Tie breaker after record, in all instances, is Points For. With two-digit decimal scoring, it would be very unlikely to get a tie on Points for. In Fantasy, divisional record is a dumb way to split ties, so next tie breaker is HTH record.

I would disagree - it's worse to have a smallish lead on Monday and pray all night for something not to happen. It's much more fun to wait and cheer and hope for Gates to get that last catch...and if and when it does happen - elation. A notable win: A couple years ago I had traded Brees to get Favre in a ReDraft - call me crazy, I am cheesehead. First game after the trade, Favre is playing Denver in the Monday nighter. In the FF League, I am up against a huge Denver fan...so it's Fantasy, and reality, clashing on all levels - and of course, Favre is the last guy going in the Fantasy match-up. Slowly but surely, Favre closes the gap - he's having a decent game, but never quite catches me up. The Denver-Green bay game goes to overtime. Looking at Favre's stats, there is no way I figure I can win, especially as the Pack win the toss, and seem to be a sure thing to drive the field, kick a FG and end it. I am behind by about 10 points. Even if Favre throws a TD to end it, a balanced attack down the field will probably still have me losing by 3 or 4. I figure my consolation is that the Pack look good to at least win the damned game. Then, first play from scrimmage in OT, Favre throws a bomb down the left sideline to Jennings, to not only win the ballgame, but snags Favre about 80 more passing yards, a PaTD and puts him over the 300yd bonus. I win by a point and the Denver dude loses on both levels in one gigantic play.