Fantasy football experts offer insight

by | Aug 28, 2010 | Fantasy Football

With the regular season a mere two weeks away fantasy football drafts are in full swing. We here at Zoneblitz are kicking off a marathon weekend ourselves with four between the two of us.

So, in our unending effort to gain an edge, to find that last minute sleeper that will bring us fantasy glory and obnoxious winnings, we sought out some advice from some of the experts of the industry.

We separately asked several folks questions on a multitude of fantasy topics. A couple responded right away. We’ll add to this document if and when anyone else responds, as well.

Here’s who they are:

Anthony Maggio is a veteran fantasy sports writer who has worked for Fanball and FFchamps.com. He currently covers the Minnesota Twins for www.foxsportsnorth.com. Follow him on Twitter @fsnorthmaggio

Michael Lambourne graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Finance and Psychology with a focus on behavioral economics, game theory, and entrepreneurship. Fantasy football was the perfect opportunity to combine his love for sports, especially football, with game theory and investment analysis. He has developed a passion for creating a detailed strategy to consistantly beat fantasy football. He has a website, fantasyfootballriches.com, and he’s written an e-book: The Expert Guide to Profitable Fantasy Football.

Zach Sundelius is a writer and editor at RotoWire.com.

And here’s what they had to say: (more…)

49ers first round linemen pegged as starters

by | Aug 9, 2010 | Fantasy Football, NFL Random Thoughts

One of the teams I am most intrigued to get a look at this season is the San Francisco 49ers. With Kurt Warner’s retirement bringing uncertainty at quarterback for Arizona, the door is open for San Francisco to make a playoff run.

The 9ers sported a solid defense last season and Alex Smith provided some hope at quarterback that he not only might not be a complete stiff but also might actually be something resembling decent.

Couple that with a full training camp for last year’s holdout rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree and another year of experience for tight end Vernon Davis, who finally looked like a talented receiver himself last year, and there were already plenty of reasons for optimism.

What I liked best were this season’s first round draft choices, tackle Anthony Davis and guard Mike Iupati. I am a proponent of building offenses from the fat guys out and these two have the potential to really bring it for the red and gold.

I would expect some struggles early as those two figure it out on the job. But it looks based on a Fox Sports report like they’re both pegged for the starting lineups from the start of the preseason. Give them half a season to figure it out and guys like Frank Gore, Crabtree and Davis could be guys you want to have on your fantasy rosters for the second half of the season.

Mike Singletary might be on his way toward bringing this team back to its days of glory. I don’t expect a Super Bowl run this year, but I would be hugely surprised if San Francisco is not dramatically improved this season.

Fantasy options abound in AFC East

by | Apr 14, 2010 | Fantasy Football, NFL Random Thoughts

Two big trades have improved the status of several fantasy football players in the AFC East heading into the NFL draft next weekend.

Last week the New York Jets traded a fifth round pick to Pittsburgh for Santonio Holmes. Holmes will miss the first four games via suspension and he’s maddeningly inconsistent at times. But he A) provides Mark Sanchez another weapon at wide receiver, B) takes coverage away from Braylon Edwards and Dustin Keller and C) provides yet another option on offense to take pressure off of the run game.

The Jets are my mid off-season pick to win the AFC Championship and they are building an offense to match the suffocating defense that developed last season.

From a fantasy standpoint Sanchez is still a wildcard at quarterback and that uncertainty could still drop Edwards, Holmes, Jerricho Cotchery and Keller in drafts. But I already liked Shonn Greene a lot and the Holmes addition only makes him more appealing as a top-notch running back option.

The price the Miami Dolphins paid for Brandon Marshall was considerably higher – second round picks in 2010 and 2011. But as long as the Dolphins can keep Marshall from getting in trouble on South Beach, his acquisition might be even bigger. The Dolphins were trotting guys like Davone Bess, Greg Camarillo and Brian Hartline out as number one wideouts. Those guys might have roles on good teams but clearly none are number one options.

Marshall is a top five or six wideout in the NFL, however, if not higher. And his addition not only takes the focus away from those guys but provides up-and-coming quarterback Chad Henne with a true ace.

I really, really liked what I saw from Henne in his first chance to play. I think with a number one wideout he becomes a borderline top 10 quarterback – and I definitely would take a chance on Henne before I would pick up Kyle Orton, Marshall’s field general in Denver last season.

Yet with Orton, Marshall still managed 101 catches and 10 touchdowns. I think he’ll approach that many catches, exceed 10 touchdowns and probably surpass his 1,120 yards as well.

Add the new found firepower of the Jets and Dolphins to the long-standing power that is New England and the AFC has made itself one of the first places to look for fantasy football firepower.

Cardinal fantasy prospects take hit with Warner retirement

by | Jan 29, 2010 | Fantasy Football

With Kurt Warner retiring Matt Leinart retakes the helm in Arizona, at least for now. If the Cardinals settle for roster status quo, that puts the fantasy football fates of superstars like Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin in the hands of a quarterback who has thrown for fewer than 4,000 yards and just 14 touchdowns since being drafted in 2006.

Zoneblitz.com expects the fantasy stats of nearly all Cardinals to take a hit, at least through the early portions of the 2010 season. Anthony Maggio, who is a freelance sports writer, a contributor to FantasyFootballChamps.com and the owner of the Punting Baxter blog, agrees that Warner’s retirement isn’t good news on the fantasy football scene.

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Charchian offers mid-season fantasy football advice

by | Oct 14, 2009 | Fantasy Football

In a couple weeks we’ll hit the midpoint of fantasy football seasons. Those of you whose teams are struggling, it’s too early to give up hope. And for those of you that have gotten out of the gates strong – don’t start resting just yet.

Paul Charchian, who is founder of LeagueSafe.com, president of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association and a renowned fantasy football expert, has returned to Zoneblitz.com to offer some advice on who to keep, who to shop, and how to turn that fast start into a fantasy championship.

Thanks again for the time, Charch.

Zoneblitz: Five weeks into the season who are the biggest fantasy football surprises for the good so far?

Charchian: Each year only one or two receivers rise from relative obscurity to make an impact. This year it’s Steve Smith’s turn. I’m not ready to call him a great receiver. But he’s in a great position for sustained fantasy impact. He’s earned the trust of Eli Manning and defenses are forced to play to stop the Giants’ running attack. His production is not a fluke.

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Crabtree signing, Edwards deal don’t immediately affect fantasy

by | Oct 11, 2009 | Fantasy Football

Early this week Michael Crabtree finally ended his moronic holdout in San Francisco. And the New York Jets, in an effort to provide their rookie quarterback with another weapon, acquired potential stud Braylon Edwards for spare parts and draft picks.

While these were higher-profile roster moves than you usually read about at this stage of the season, neither move will have a dramatic impact on fantasy football, at least in the short term.

Lets start with the Jets. In “real” football, Edwards will give Mark Sanchez another target. And Edwards will have a better team around him. A change of scenery could help him, so he’s got the potential to improve his situation as a fantasy player more than anyone else involved in the deal. But that’s only if he can A) keep himself from getting suspended for off the field actions and B) start catching the ball. If he continues leading the league in drops the fans in New York will tear this guy apart.

And Sanchez, while impressive as a rookie starter thus far, was and still is certainly only a backup and bye week plug-in at this point, even with Edwards.

For Jerricho Cotchery, the Edwards acquisition will likely take some coverage off of him. At the same time, as the better player, Edwards also will likely take some targets away from Cotchery. At best, this is a lateral situation for him.

Thomas Jones and Leon Washington may benefit from having more coverage dedicated to the pass game. But in splitting carries, neither are putting up particularly fantasy-worthy numbers as it is and I would expect that, for the most part, that will continue.

Now the Browns. I’ve heard a few people talk about Mohamed Massaquoi as a free agent target.

Sure, he’s now the number one wide receiver for the Browns. But he’s still a rookie playing for a bad team with a horrible offense and with inept quarterbacks. If it were me I’d leave Massaquoi for others. See if they drop someone worthwhile onto the free agent heap instead.

Really, there weren’t any Browns I would have targeted before and there still aren’t. That’s a bad, bad team, both in real football and fantasy football.

Michael Crabtree could be a bit of a different story – if you have a roster spot and a month to wait.

Crabtree isn’t going to make an immediate impact. The team is 3-1 and they don’t need him to step up immediately.

But Crabtree’s skillset is one of the few things the team is truly missing. And say it takes him four weeks to get enough of the offense down to be a truly impactful player. Look at the schedule San Francisco plays late in the season.

Weeks nine through 16 include games against Tennessee (31st against the pass), Green Bay (tied for 30th), Jacksonville (tied for 27th), Seattle, Arizona (tied for 27th), Philadelphia and Detroit (32nd). That’s six pretty good matchups. And a guy like Crabtree doesn’t need a lot of touches to add a lot of potential firepower to your lineup.

So, in the short term, if you have strong receivers I’d probably let someone else grab Crabtree and see if they toss something better on to the waiver wire.

But if you are running a team that looks to have playoff aspirations, you are looking for a wide receiver with some high upside and you have a roster spot available, he might be worth rolling the dice on.