#1 pick in Fantasy Football 2012

[Warner2BruceTD]

Fantasy football is a battle of attrition. Unless you draft completely stupid, it comes down to injuries and luck.

/debbie downer, but it's true

sidenote-it's also advantageous to suck Week 1, because then you get that all important Week 2 top waiver claim, where you can scoop up that backup RB who is now a starter due to a big injury, or that RB who came out of nowhere that nobody drafted. It's like a free 2nd round draft pick.

[MrBill]

Fantasy football is a battle of attrition. Unless you draft completely stupid, it comes down to injuries and luck.

/debbie downer, but it's true

sidenote-it's also advantageous to suck Week 1, because then you get that all important Week 2 top waiver claim, where you can scoop up that backup RB who is now a starter due to a big injury, or that RB who came out of nowhere that nobody drafted. It's like a free 2nd round draft pick.

I think that is partially true but the odds favor the owner that has done their homework going into the draft and is able to work the waiver wire most effectively. Over the course of the season, that will almost guarantee you a spot in the playoffs. Over those last couple of weeks, it all comes down to who has the hottest players on their roster. A lot like NASCAR, if you are still in the front group towards the end you will always have a shot at the win.

FWIW, I would draft Rodgers all day long at #1 overall if I draw that pick even though he lost thousands of owners a championship by disappearing in the FF playoff weeks last season.

[leaffan]

If McCoy didn't go top 10 in your league, your league was full of retards.

Yah a guy who had 1000yrds and 7TDs the year before was a lock 1st rounder at the time. Most people had him sitting around the 4th to 6th or 7th overall RB at the time.

[Primetime]

It was obvious he was in line for a good season. He didn't split carries and was a threat out of the passing game, especially with Vick. So yes, a prominent back on the rise with a 1,700 yard season and 9 TDs the year before should have been an easy lock for the first round.

[spiker]

RBs used to be the go-to first round picks a few years ago. In a 10 team league, you'd see at least 7 RB taken in the first round. Recently, the trend has been to take a QB and it's because they are the most important aspect to team success. The league and teams both go the extra mile to keep their QBs upright for the entire season. The QB takes all of the offensive snaps and will likely play all 16 games. QB is the way to go for the #1 pick.

I know it goes against what I'm used to doing but drafting RB at #1 scares me so much. They are largely interchangeable and they take such a beating during the year. Not many of them make it through the entire season unscathed unless they are truly splitting carries with another back.

[Tailback U]

If I have the #1 pick I'm probably taking Rodgers, Brady, or Brees for reasons already given (injury, chances of backs having a down year, etc.).

But if I have the 4th or 5th pick, I'm probably going RB because there are about 10 QB's that are all going to give you 15-20 points per week. RB's just have more question marks surrounding them so the deeper the draft goes the bigger the question marks get.

Top 10 fantasy QB's (Standard yahoo scoring 6pt TDs):

• 1. Drew Brees 405
• 2. Aaron Rodgers 403
• 3. Cam Newton 386
• 4. Tom Brady 378
• 5. Matthew Stafford 359
• 6. Eli Manning 296
• 7. Tony Romo 285
• 8. Matt Ryan 285
• 9. Phillip Rivers 274
• 10. Mark Sanchez 255

Top 10 RB's in points (Standard yahoo scoring)

• 1. Ray Rice 296
• 2. LeSean McCoy 280
• 3. Maurice Jones Drew 262
• 4. Arian Foster 250
• 5. Marshawn Lynch 215
• 6. Michael Turner 212
• 7. Darren Sproles 191
• 8. Adrian Peterson 189
• 9. Ryan Matthews 186
• 10. Michael Bush 185

After looking at the points, it really just depends on where you draft and how the 1st round develops.

If you can get one of the top 5 QB's early then you should, but if you can get one of the top 5 backs early then you should as well...lol. This is why I always like to draft in the middle of the pack rather than getting an early or late pick. The top QBs/HBs fly off the board in that 1st round.

Last year the top 5 picks were QBs in a 10 team league so I had to grab Rivers at #7 because I was too scared of not getting a top QB.

The most glaring thing about the rankings is how Darren Sproles and Michael Bush cracked the top 10 in halfbacks. Nobody expected that. And I doubt Marshawn Lynch was the 5th back taken in most drafts.

It's worth noting that the top halfback (Ray Rice) scored as many points as the 6th best QB (Eli Manning).

Also probably worth mentioning that the difference between the top QB (Rodgers) and the 10th (Sanchez) was 150 points. While the difference between the top RB (Rice) and the 10th (Michael Bush) was just 111 points.

[ralaw]

I got bashed in my league for taking LeSean McCoy 2nd overall last year... He led me to a championship.

I had Rice, McCoy and Forte as my runningbacks and didn't make the championship........ I'm not playing FF this year....still bitter.

[Tailback U]

I had Rice, McCoy and Forte as my runningbacks and didn't make the championship........ I'm not playing FF this year....still bitter.

I almost quit playing a couple seasons ago because I had Chris Johnson, Jamaal Charles, and LeSean McCoy and barely made the playoffs I think or may not have even.

Guy who wins each year is the guy who is on the waiver wire the most since my league doesn't do waiver claims. Hopefully we'll change that this season.

I just do it for the live draft though and the shit talking. Fantasy football itself sucks ass and is stupid. It does keep me more interested, though.

[ralaw]

I almost quit playing a couple seasons ago because I had Chris Johnson, Jamaal Charles, and LeSean McCoy and barely made the playoffs I think or may not have even.

Guy who wins each year is the guy who is on the waiver wire the most since my league doesn't do waiver claims. Hopefully we'll change that this season.

I just do it for the live draft though and the shit talking. Fantasy football itself sucks ass and is stupid. It does keep me more interested, though.

Part of the reason why I am not going to play is that it consumes me to the point where I don't even watch (and enjoy) the games. I'm more concerned about my FF guys...constantly checking stats, putting in waiver claims, etc This year I just want to enjoy the games.

[DoubleDeuce]

Jamaal Charles was my first round pick last year (not first overall) and that didn't turn out so well.

[Len B]

Fantasy football is a battle of attrition. Unless you draft completely stupid, it comes down to injuries and luck.

/debbie downer, but it's true

sidenote-it's also advantageous to suck Week 1, because then you get that all important Week 2 top waiver claim, where you can scoop up that backup RB who is now a starter due to a big injury, or that RB who came out of nowhere that nobody drafted. It's like a free 2nd round draft pick.

Agree to an extent. Everyone can draft well nowadays thanks to the 1,000 mocks/guides out there. However, the guy who is able to find waiver wire pick ups that aren't obvious and are able to load their bench with solid risk/reward bench players will do well in the long run more than others.

If you can find Arian Foster or Victor Cruz before the other guy, you're at an advantage. I remember I picked up Foster before week 1 against the Colts knowing he'd have a decent game. Little did I know he'd explode the way he did. That small advantage got me him before everyone else.

The best way to play fantasy football is to do weekly games where you pick players weekly. Eliminates a lot of luck.

[Guest]

I had Rice, McCoy and Forte as my runningbacks and didn't make the championship........ I'm not playing FF this year....still bitter.

Don't feel bad, I had Rodgers, Forte, McCoy and MJD (along with Michael Bush) plus Dez Bryant and others and finished second for the second season in a row.

[Sharkweather]

In a basic league, it's between Rice and Foster.

I had both last year and didn't win the title. I'm definitely going QB if I get a real early pick or maybe even WR if I pick later. WR's are so streaky in fantasy, so I'm curious how getting a couple of the real top of the top WRs would work.

[Hasselbeck]

Fantasy football is a battle of attrition. Unless you draft completely stupid, it comes down to injuries and luck.

/debbie downer, but it's true

sidenote-it's also advantageous to suck Week 1, because then you get that all important Week 2 top waiver claim, where you can scoop up that backup RB who is now a starter due to a big injury, or that RB who came out of nowhere that nobody drafted. It's like a free 2nd round draft pick.

Case in point, my team in my $350 league was flying high and started 7-2... then the wheels came off with Schaub, Fred Jackson, and Miles Austin all going down one after the other. I limped to a 3rd place finish. (My starting QB in the playoffs was Matt Moore)

Guy who won it all? Got blown out Week 1... picked up Victor Cruz off waivers.

Which.. related subject. I HATE the reverse waiver wire rule.

[jms493]

I dont know....the same guys in the my 2 leagues always do good for the last 5-6 years. Injuries obviously is a huge factor but that waiver is known to produce champions.