Fantasy Football: Supply and Demand
By Editorial Staff
It’s that time of the year sports fans.Two words that brings a smile to my face, Fantasy Football.So what are the best ways to capitalize in your league and ensure bragging rights?First off what worked last year isn’t guaranteed to do anything the following.For this year, when debating what should one spend their resources on in fantasy football I stick to the age old concept of Supply and Demand…how precious do I consider any position is depended on how many there are.
We want to obtain as many elite players as we can, problem is everyone else has the same goal.So how can we get elite QB,RB, and WR’s???For argument sake we will categorize an elite QB as one who is able to throw for 4,000 yards and 25+TD’s. To be an elite RB one should gain around 1500 total yards, 7+TD’s and 30+ Receptions. For an elite WR one should be over 1,000 yards, 7+ TD’s, and 70 receptions.As fantasy owners we want to collect as many elite performers as we can so this article will be dedicated on finding how to gain as many as possible. This article also will help fantasy owners to avoid players with potential pitfalls.All results are based on a 10 team league.
Also while I realize that the elite players will not score that much more than the ones capable of becoming elite, the elite players are guaranteed to score this baring an unforeseen injury.
QB
Tom Brady
Peyton Manning
Ben Roethlisberger (maybe)
Phillip Rivers
Tony Romo
Eli Manning (maybe)
Michael Vick (maybe due to running stats)
Aaron Rogers
Matt Ryan (maybe)
Drew Brees
Matt Schuab (maybe)
Break down the numbers and you get 6 for sure and 5 potential Franchise QB’s.
That means that every team should get one capable of becoming elite , however, there are some potential problems with a few of them.
Ben Roethlisberger is scary because of a history of injuries as well as inconsistent scoring due to a run first mentality as well as bad weather.
Tony Romo is questionable due to injuries and an unstable offensive line.
Eli Manning due to his propensity to turn the ball over and I believe the run game in New York will limit his numbers.
Michael Vick due to injuries and his propensity to wear down over the year.
Matt Ryan due to the fact that the system he plays in will limit his ability to post elite numbers.
Matt Schuab become of his injury history and I just don’t have a great gut feeling on him repeating his numbers.
Meaning there are 5 for sure QB you can count on every week. In a ten team league half the teams will get one so 50%. It is highly unlikely one team would have two since only one can play each week.
In normal league format, owners are able to start two runningbacks and an average of 4 on each team.So 20 starters will be taken and around 40 total RB will be drafted.This means even backups will be selected by some.
RB
Maurice Jones Drew (maybe)
Reshard Mendenghall
Chris Johnson
Ray Rice
Peyton Hillis (maybe)
Jamel Charles
Darren McFadden (maybe)
Ryan Matthews (maybe)
Ahmad Bradshaw (maybe)
LeSean McCoy
Adrien Peterson
Jahvid Best (maybe)
Matt Forte
Michael Turner
Frank Gore
Stephen Jackson
Arlon Foster
I believe readers can count but just to make sure I will tell you that there are 11 for sure RB and 6 with some question marks.This works out to every team should be able to obtain one and most teams can get two. But once again there are a couple RB I would stick away from or draft with caution.
Maurice Jones Drew due to injuries, age, and lack of a passing game.
Peyton Hillis due to the fact he has no help and has the making of a one year wonder.
Darren McFadden has injury concerns and a young, inexperienced OL in front of him.
Ahmad Bradshaw has fumbling issues and might have his opportunities limited.
Michael Turner has worn down over the last couple years and is not getting younger.
There are 11 RB, who are, without question elite. Seeing as our league will start 20 that means to get two you need to take one in the first and will need to get the second in the following round or go with potential elite running backs in the early third if you are lucky. So based on averages that an owner will get 2 for sure RB is only 10%.
In most fantasy leagues the format is three starting Wide Receivers. Most of the time 2 bench players as well. So thirty starters and 50 overall. That means a bevy of third receivers shall be selected. Do not worry though this is the age of passing in the NFL. Of the elite WR there are:
Brandon Marshall (maybe)
Santonio Holmes
Steve Johnson (maybe)
Wes Welker (maybe)
Reggie Wayne
Austin Collie (maybe)
Mike Wallace
Kenny Britt (maybe)
Anquan Boldin (maybe)
Brandon Lloyd
Dwayne Bowe
Vincent Jackson
Miles Austin
Dez Bryant
Hakeem Nicks
Mario Manningham (maybe)
Larry Fitzgerald
Santana Moss (maybe)
DeSean JAckson
Jeremy Macklin
Sidney Rice (maybe)
Greg Jennings
Mike Williams TB
Calvin Johnson
Jhonny Nox (maybe)
Roddy White
Michael Crabtree (maybe)
Marques Colstone
Andre JOhnson
Wow, there are 22 for sure and 6 potentially dominating WR in the NFL. Now if I was a betting man I would not take:
Brandon Marshall due to him both being insane and having insane, knife wielding GF’s.
Kenny Britt having a rookie QB and his overall inconsistency and trouble in the law.
Anquan Boldin due to age, injuries, and the system he is in.
Santana Moss having John Beck or Rex Grossman throwing him the ball.
Jhonny Nox due to his lack of help and Mike Martz’s new conservative Offense
Michael Crabtree and his lack of the Golden Rule: Don’t insult the QB throwing you the ball.
That means there are 22 WR who I feel confident can score stable points…that is enough for everyone to have 2 for sure and some to have 3. Taken into account 28 could be elite and everyone could almost have three. I know they will not all have elite years but it is possible. There is hypotetically an 80 percent chance of having three potentiall dominate WR and a 20 percent chance of having three dominate WR. High odds.
So what does all this tell us…my friends would say nothing. To me once analyzing the numbers I would say getting a stable scoring RB who can catch the ball in round 1 is important…not a QB and certainly not a WR.
Round 2 if picking early needs to be on a second RB if picking later on can be on a QB or another RB…round 2 or 3 needs to be spent getting one of the 5 elite QB’s
So when round 4 comes around in a ten team league, one should have 2 stable RB and 1 franchise QB…from there you can get 2 stable WR and go from there.Why do I believe all this?
Numbers don’t lie.We have 17 potential dominate RB with 20 needed ensuring every team cannot get two.I think 11 of them will be dominate ensuring very few get two.This is the least amount of players and the second most need.Supply is low and demand is high.They are the winner.
Next is Quarterback to me.11 could be dominate meaning everyone gets one but I believe only 5 will be.Half the teams will get one.
WRhave 28 possibly dominate players and almost everyone could get three and are ensured two.Now I believe 22 will be meaning everyone should be able toget two.This has the highest supply and the highest demand since 5 will be drafted.I believe you need to put an emphasis on them, but with so many dominate players I think you can wait till round 4 and then hammer away at it.
Some will argue I put way too much emphasis on the QB.However, based on numbers they are the hardest to come by.They also are mostly obsolete in some scoring systems but due to the fact I can only count on 5 I think by round three you should have one and just focus elsewhere afterwards.
RB is where it is…in the game today it is a passing and platoon RB world.There are only so many who can get stable points every week.One must get them or else scour the waver wire and pray.
Just my thoughts. Take them for what their worth.