Every year I say to myself, no I’m not doing it this year. I’m just going to watch the games and not root for an opposing player to score a touchdown because I drafted in him in a league he has no clue of. I’m not going to hope the Eagles get shutout by San Francisco because I have their defense on my team. Then after I say that to myself I say, “oh wow Julio Jones is still on the clock I should grab him before someone else does.”
I haven’t enjoyed a week one or week 16 for my entire life. When I was six years old, my uncle let me join him and his buddies in a fantasy football league on Yahoo.com. I’m not sure I could have been happier, considering I was six and thought fantasy football was a game where you imagined you were Donovan McNabb, and threw touchdowns to Brian Westbrook disguised as my uncle.
After some rule clarifications I forced my mom into driving me to the nearest store that sold magazines, and bought a “2006 Fantasy Football Sports Illustrated Edition” and started reading. I had the sixth pick in the draft and went running back with Brian Westbrook, because he played for the Eagles. I wound up placing in sixth that year as well ironically.
Now it’s 2014, we have IPhones and Brian Westbrook works for Comcast SportsNet. This year its not a debate over LaDainian Tomlinson or Shaun Alexander, it’s a debate over Adrian Peterson or LeSean McCoy. Does the animal in purple beat the elusive man in green? Does McCoy’s ability to run free beat Peterson’s ability to run with a linebacker trying to bring him down?
One of my favorite things to do when comparing fantasy players is looking at stats without knowing whose stats are whose. So while we prepare for drafts and ruining watching football, today we’ll look at stats without names.
PLAYER A RUSHING
Games Attempts Yards Touchdowns Fumbles
14 279 1,266 10 3
PLAYER B RUSHING
Games Attempts Yards Touchdowns Fumbles
16 314 1,607 9 1
PLAYER A RECEIVING
Receptions Yards Touchdowns
29 171 1
PLAYER B RECEIVING
Receptions Yards Touchdowns
52 539 2
Basing a pick on last year’s stats can backfire but player B wins the stat chart rather easily. More games, more attempts, more yards, only one less touchdown, and a much more solid year receiving. Player A was Adrian Peterson, player b was LeSean McCoy. It’s not time to draft McCoy yet though, as there’s still factors for both players.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Would Emmitt Smith have been Emmitt Smith without the Cowboys line? If a running back doesn’t have a hole to run through he won’t run. Its that simple. The Vikings and Eagles have used the fourth pick in the draft on a tackle in the past few years with Matt Kalil going fourth in 2012, and Lane Johnson going fourth in 2013 respectively.
The Eagles have a much better offensive line than the Vikings. The only problem with the Eagles line is that Lane Johnson will miss the first four games as he’s suspended for illegal use of PEDs. For right now, Allen Barbre will be replacing Johnson at right tackle. Barbre, a 30 year old whose started seven games in his career, including week 10 of last year against the Green Bay Packers is one of the more reliable backups in the league.
The Vikings have some uncertainties on their line. Can David Yankey, a fifth round draft pick from Stanford step in and start this year? How will Matt Kalil recover from knee surgery? For the most part this offensive line will also be solid this year, just with a more serious question than the Eagles.
If I get the opportunity to draft with the first pick in my upcoming Fantasy League, I’m going against NFL experts and drafting McCoy. He’s the safer pick because with Peterson being very fragile and having a fragile left tackle now as well, AP might have some rough games.
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