NFL chat 2018/19 season

[TheTon]

Yeah interesting game tonight, although I do fancy the Eagles quite strong

Thought Smallwood looked decent last week and with the loss of Ajayi he’ll need to be tonight. The Eagles pash rush will put a lot of pressure on Manning so expect Barkley to run a lot. Stop him at the line of scrimmage and Phillie will have too much in offence for NY to keep pace

Zach Ertz could play a key role for me. I expect him to see a fair amount of the ball moving Phillie up the field on little 10y slants.

[TheTon]

Good win for Phillie

Played out pretty much as I predicted, plenty of pressure and the Eagles defence rock solid. No interceptions and dominant in the passing game.

Smallwood’s stats a little poor, but as expected Zach Ertz a key figure, targeted more than Nelson Agolhor (nearly as much as Alshon Jeffrey who caught two TD’s)

Over reliance on Saquon Barkely from NY although he had a monster game for 229 scrimmage yards (130 rushing 99 receiving). Coverage was excellent on both OBJ and Sterling Shepard.

Little stat: Barkley only the second rookie in the super bowl era with 100+ scrimmage yards in his first 6 games - can you name the other?

[blahblah]

Hmm, the Chiefs at Pats is a 1.20am start here?

Is there somewhere to get extended highlights or the whole thing from?

[forestfan]

Always annoying how American prime time is in the middle of the night for us, so we miss out on a lot of the best games (can only justify a day off to stay up and watch NFL once a year!)

[blahblah]

I'm really tempted by this one, as Mahomes vs Bill B, and the 0-23 of young QB's is borderline compulsive viewing?

In theory the Pats will fade sometime, and some claim soon, and this looks like one of those significant (wrong word, watershed or touchstone are better?) matches.

[forestfan]

In theory the Pats will fade sometime

When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east

They’ve had their wobble this season, now they’ve got a couple of half decent receivers again and have been reassured their division is a piece of piss for the 300th straight year. Back to the familiar question of who they will face in the AFC Championship Game - this may well be a dress rehearsal for the conference title.

[blahblah]

Arguably the same thing?

I think there are some records that will go if the Chiefs win one re ages etc....

I've seen a few Bill B things on that Youtube thing, and apart from his military thang (from father) seems a really funny bloke.... But then I thought\think King Kenny was funny

[blahblah]

So the TW (or whatever called, lol) closes at the end of the month and a fair few rumours etc of those there "trade" things. So some will happen before Oct 30th?

The whole (wage budget) contract thing is more than a tad complicated and resembles one of those good ideas turned weird.

The Eagles have lost the Brit RB as his ACL has gone so have that much for the rest of the season was my starting point after the Bell link, but nope not that simple?

[TheTon]

The Eagles have lost the Brit RB as his ACL has gone so have that much for the rest of the season was my starting point after the Bell link, but nope not that simple?

Don’t think they can’t afford Bell, despite their QB being on a rookie deal. LeShaun McCoy has been linked all week with a return to Phillie (from Buffalo), but the price is rumoured to be a second AND third round pick, so I think it’s unlikely.

Not sure how long Sproles is out for either, maybe stick with Smallwood and the good passing options for now..

[SunderlandFan]

I'm trying to decide who to play out of Tyler Lockett (Seahawks) vs Raiders in London or Allen Robinson (Bears) vs Miami in Miami.

Anyone got any advice?

thanks

[blahblah]

The Eagles have lost the Brit RB as his ACL has gone so have that much for the rest of the season was my starting point after the Bell link, but nope not that simple?

Don’t think they can’t afford Bell, despite their QB being on a rookie deal. LeShaun McCoy has been linked all week with a return to Phillie (from Buffalo), but the price is rumoured to be a second AND third round pick, so I think it’s unlikely.

Not sure how long Sproles is out for either, maybe stick with Smallwood and the good passing options for now..

I started reading up on it re Bell's AWOL thing, and gave up quite quickly due to the complexity re what can and can't be written off etc ie it isn't just what they pay that year.......

[blahblah]

I'm trying to decide who to play out of Tyler Lockett (Seahawks) vs Raiders in London or Allen Robinson (Bears) vs Miami in Miami.

Anyone got any advice?

thanks

Seahawks, but that is purely based on the Dolphins being somewhere between genuine challengers to the Pats and absolute shite that they have been considered in the last few weeks; while the Bears (despite me landing that huge win in the Pred Comp) may not be as good as some think ie SB Contenders (plus the humidity etc in Florida)

Raisers are pants and the Seahawks have a preseason to play for? But then their old RB could smash them apart?

[Rick Spangle]

Tricky choice in my fantasy team this week - Kamara's my obvious #1 but he's on bye - so I'm left with what would have looked at the start of the season with an unappetising collection of Chris Carson plus Latavius Murray, TJ Yeldon, and Tevin Coleman - who are all this week no 1 RBs on their teams due to the main men (Cook, Fournette and Freeman) out with injury! Yeldon's getting the hook, but I'm sure it's going to be the wrong choice.

[blahblah]

I'm cheering on the Raiders having swerved the Seahawks in the Pred Comp

Fantasy NFL would be a whack of a challenge

[forestfan]

Yeah never done actual fantasy NFL, seems like all the options involve investing time in a pre-season draft, are there any games in the TFF/FPL mould? I know single-week fantasy games have become popular across the Atlantic, unless they’ve been banned due to being basically just betting under another name

There’s too many players to keep up with anyway, I can just about get to naming all 32 starting QBs and maybe another few players from the better teams, then the season ends and you forget it all again until September!

[blahblah]

Yep draft in football is bad enough and I am seriously pants at them. Also they take far too much management than the basic FPL\TFF style?

It does seem like a way around the weird US Betting Laws....

If there is a non-draft version then I could game for giving it a go before next season.

[forestfan]

I wonder if Gruden at the Raiders is going to be proof of the “never go back” rule? Trading their defensive star has backfired (and seemingly turned Chicago from no-hopers to contenders, though I still doubt their offense is post-season worthy) and Derek Carr’s career has stalled since his MVP-contender campaign ended in injury a couple of years ago, he’s got a big contract and playing like a mid-level starter at best.

On the subject of big contracts, Brock Osweiler is starting for Miami today in place of the injured Tannehill.... he’s certainly had a rollercoaster few years

[blahblah]

re the Bears: imagine if Believeland* had had a kicker (well have as the current one looks decidedly dodgy from my football\golf background). I see them as a season or so behind the Bears.....

It seems like a very transitional season with some former giants (ho ho) clinging on; a few new Franchises coming good and with others obviously not; while some seemingly being a bit Katie (firework) and fizzling out.

On the latter bit: were\are the Giants in a position to get the most from Barkley? Picking him was a bit like Queen Kev's roof on no house let alone foundations style ie a RB is the icing on the cake on the Offence, assuming some sort of Passing Game is intended and if not why pay OBJ? Or more simply: why spunk a load of budget on a WR, with no QB able to throw let alone pass; and then draft a RB, when there is no stable of them? (By stable: I can see the logic of having 2, 3, 4.., RB's, especially if a couple can catch and a "limited" QB.)

I guess this is the thing about a well run Franchise? ie not going all in (and I'm not a poker expert either) on a long gone QB?

Has any Franchise done what Believelend have done in years past?


*A seriously good Docuthing on the ability of Cleveland to find ways of losing for many decades while being the only place with 3 or more Franchises across US sports to not win anything: but made great wedges

[TheTon]

Shocking performance from Oakland this is

[blahblah]

Shocking performance from Oakland this is

Maybe, but as above re Steelers vs Dolphins choice?

That typed I went back to the Jets as I successfully confused myself with Prediction options and over thinking.

I'll take the +ve points from the Panthers last week and be glad I can't go there again this season.

[forestfan]

Shocking performance from Oakland this is

Yoda?

[TheTon]

Shocking performance from Oakland this is

Yoda?

[TheTon]

Shocking performance from Oakland this is

Yoda?

Feel sorry for Peterman I do

[forestfan]

Tampa Bay almost ran a miraculous rugby play to win their game, as Atlanta pressed their well worn self-destruct button... a bit more coaching from Clive Woodward or Eddie Jones needed though.

Miami fumble on the goal-line in overtime

[Rick Spangle]

Yeah never done actual fantasy NFL, seems like all the options involve investing time in a pre-season draft, are there any games in the TFF/FPL mould? I know single-week fantasy games have become popular across the Atlantic, unless they’ve been banned due to being basically just betting under another name

There’s too many players to keep up with anyway, I can just about get to naming all 32 starting QBs and maybe another few players from the better teams, then the season ends and you forget it all again until September!

Yep draft in football is bad enough and I am seriously pants at them. Also they take far too much management than the basic FPL\TFF style?

It does seem like a way around the weird US Betting Laws....

If there is a non-draft version then I could game for giving it a go before next season.

As far as I know, there aren't any non-draft season-long NFL fantasy games, but both major sites (NFL and ESPN) have an auto-draft option if you're really not confident in selecting your own guys. Once you've got your squad (normally 15 players), it's just selecting which 9 will play for you each week, so very similar to FPL soccer. In one way, it's even less to worry about as there is no price ceiling to have to stay under.

[blahblah]

9? Even I know that isn't many

How does the scoring work? It must be more than actual points and Interceptions etc?

[Rick Spangle]

It varies from site to site (and league to league within the sites, all leagues can be edited by league chairmen in any way which the league wants), but the general rules of thumb are:

Draft 15 players, and each week select 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 FLEX (any RB,WR or TE), 1 K and 1 Team defence.
Points - 4, sometimes 6, for throwing a TD
1 pt per 25 yards passing
-2pts for an INT
6 pts for scoring a rushing or receiving TD
1pt per 10 yards rushing or receiving
-2pts for a fumble
3pts for kicking a field goal, 1 pt for a PAT
Defence - very variable depending on which league you're in, but there are always points for sacks, INTs and defensive TDs, sometimes points for (or against) depending on amounts of points and yards conceded)

So as an example for this week, Kirk Cousins threw for 233 yards (9 points, 1 pt per 25 yards rounded down), threw one TD (4 points), rushed for 14 yards (1 point, 1 pt per 10 yards rounded down), ran for 1TD (6 points), bizarrely actually had a reception! (that's why I'm using him as an example, though as it was only for -1 yard, it didn't get him any points), but threw one INT (-2 pts) and lost a fumble (another -2 pts), for a grand total of 9+4+1+6+0-2-2 = 16.

Each week, between games, players who have gone undrafted are available to be transferred in - once again though, only one owner can select a particular player

That's the real basics - try it, it's horribly addictive!

[blahblah]

Are any K's positive for the season?

I sense that the Yanks with their stat obsession are well onto this, but then Draft Leagues are as per the participants?


Post season sounds like a bot of a pisser?

[Rick Spangle]

The fantasy season is normally played over the first 13 (or 14) weeks of the NFL season, with fantasy playoffs taking the next 3 (or 2) weeks - so it's all usually over before the last week of the regular season when teams can sometimes be resting their stars. Bit unfair if Todd Gurley has carried you all the way to your fantasy superbowl and then gets rested in week 17 as the Rams will almost certainly have locked up a postseason slot by then.

Regarding kickers, in most leagues kickers just don't get points for misses, no negative scores - funnily enough, I think they should be penalised so introduced a 1 point penalty per missed kick under 40 yards - my kicker is Mason Crosby, who thus collected -4 points from his missed PAT and 3 botched FGs last week - and I lost my matchup by 2 points

You're right, it can sometimes get a bit statty, especially I feel if you get involved in too many leagues, the tendency is to watch out for your players and not watch the real game (watching RedZone on Sky rather than the main game coverage for example), but again both sites have chat facilities and message boards to get conversations going. Incidentally, if you want to have a proper look, you can start drafting on the NFL site at any time, don't have to wait till the start of next season - just click here http://fantasy.nfl.com/registration/leagueDirectory

[forestfan]

Who do you draft against then, if you don’t have a private group of people - just random other players?

I like RedZone anyway, when the main Sky game looks done and dusted or is a bit dull I tend to switch over to that, and often stick with it after that if I’m not going to stay up and watch the whole second live game! There’s so many OT/final possession games this season it’s must watch TV around the time the early games finish.