2013 Season Summary/What I Learned

My 2013 season was full of ups and downs. I learned many valuable lessons from both my leagues. I learned to not buy in on over hyped players, to value consistency, and to draft players who produce above average fantasy points at their position. A key to fantasy drafting is getting players when they slide down in draft position, and not reaching to get average players. My ten man league (no flex, 3 WR, with individual defensive players) saw me repeat as champion. I only lost once all season. I finished 15-1 including the playoffs. 12-1 was my regular season record.

I knew my season was going to be successful immediately after the draft. My first pick was Doug Martin. Doug Martin did not even end up being that great of a pick. My stellar drafting allowed that fact to not matter.  Doug Martin only played six games, had 456 yards, and scored one touchdown. His season ending injury did not even hurt my team. It would have crippled some teams if their first pick sustained a monstrous injury, not mine. My running backs included: Doug Martin, Knowshon Moreno, Chris Johnson, and Giovanni Bernard (at the time of Martin's injury). My receiving corps consisted of Dez Bryant, AJ Green, and Jordy Nelson. All of the players I mentioned in the past two paragraphs were draft picks except Knowshon, who I snagged off the waiver wire. Drafting is the key to any fantasy season. Picking the "wrong" player in the first few rounds can be devastating. The second, third, and fourth rounds are incredibly important. To be honest every round is important, but the early rounds more so. It is also important to keep your eyes out for players who slide. I drafted Jordy Nelson with the ninth pick in the 10th round! 

My twelve team league has shown me that it is never a good idea to draft a player who you are unsure of in the early rounds. I drafted Lamar Miller based entirely off the fact that "experts" were saying he was going to be a number one running back. People were claiming that he was the go to guy in Miami. He did show some flashes of brilliance, but did not produce solid numbers most of the year. It could have had to do with the Dolphins disastrous offensive line situation. The Johnathan Martin and Richie Incognito saga. I was attempting to draft three remarkable running backs. I wanted a strong running back in my flex spot. While my ten man league is a 3 wide receiver league, this league utilizes a flex. I know hind sight is twenty/twenty, but if I had not bought into the hype I could have drafted  Eddie Lacy or Demarco Murray. Lacy was a player who I had extreme confidence in going into the season, but as I sad I bought into Miller hype. My own personal belief was that Lacy was a strong runner and was going to be on a power house offense. I should have picked him and trusted my beliefs instead of taking a running back for the Dolphins. A running back for the Dolphins who I really knew nothing about.  I could have even drafted Eric Decker, or Wes Welker. I ended up finishing 7-7 this year. 9-7 if you count my wins in the consolation playoff. My whole season came down to my errant Miller pick. I almost has a trade deadline trade where I would have sent Tony Gonzalez and Miller for Julius Thomas. The trade did not end up going through, but it would not have saved me and bumped me into the playoffs.

I can not emphasize enough that the majority of your fantasy football success hinges on the draft. Acquiring players who find themselves in starting roles off waivers is important, it could be one of the vital points to your season, But you can not win an entire year off waivers, you need a good draft.