Listen Up, if your mind has been wandering throughout the week because you feel your fantasy team resembles the St. Louis Rams, I am here to help. If you have had trouble sleeping as a direct effect from your 0-1 start, don’t freak out just yet. Here is some Kool-Aid for your thoughts, so chill the fuck out.
Don't even think about it...yet.
I know what it’s like to feel all alone, but please remind yourself, first and foremost…it’s only week 1. You need atleast three weeks to truly evaluate your team, even if you have someone like McNabb. Remember, you can play with broken ribs and D has the cajones to do it. It’s not the time to claim Mike Vick as your savior either. There are still better options out there even in deep leagues. I am a fantasy legend not because I have the perfect drafts every single year, but because stay calm and play the game.
For example, we have a big money league that we play in every year sponsored by www.wickedthreadz.com who happens to have some of the sickest vintage sports tees ever produced (sorry for the lame plug). I lost my number two Marques Colston last year in week 1. I finished first because I saw other opportunities and didn’t trade away the bank. The guy who lost Brady in our league finished third and got his money back because he didn’t freak. Hell, I went 0-4 to start the ’06 season and came out on top. Give yourself sometime to evaluate your squad before you regret it later.
Here are three ways to stay focused and get your squad on the right track.
- Buy Low/Sell High. Yeah yeah…we’ve all heard it before, but seriously, this is a surefire way to dominate your league. Just because you’re not willing to give in and you remain unfreaked by week 1, doesn’t mean others aren’t. Maybe Steve Smith didn’t pan out, but he’s still an elite wideout and even though Jake Delhomme looked as if he was drugged the night before, he still looked his way 13 times. Same with Calvin…and they are going to be airing it out in Detroit all year long. People are trading CJ straight up for Greg Jennings after week one. You didn’t draft it this way and you sure as shit shouldn’t give it up that easily either. We’re talking about Mega-tron. If somebody wants to ditch him like a junior high girlfriend after one week because you couldn’t get a handjob then let them. They always regret it later. Package up Santonio Holmes and Nate Burleson and see what you can get.
- Be the hunter, not the prey. It’s tough to take a loss, but some are taking it harder than others. Especially those who may have lost a player. If you drafted Flacco or Hasselbeck late, go look at the guy who had McNabb or Cutler. If you do this on a weekly basis you are bound to strike gold. I made a trade last year for Fitzgerald on his bye week, because the guy who had him could not afford another loss and had no one at wideout. Anthony Gonzalez could be sidelined for a while, go prey on the weak. If there’s somebody you wanted on Draft Day this is the best way to go get him. No one is untouchable on a banged up squad.
- Don’t give in to the week 1 breakouts. There is the guy in every league who drafted five late round running backs hoping to strike gold with at least one of them. Then they try to trade them league wide for one of your prized picks. They’re doing the right thing - selling high and preying on the weak. I don’t care who you are though, it is not time to trade Brandon Jacobs for Cadillac Williams and Darren Sproles. Now who knows, it may look better down the road, but you can’t tell something like that after week 1, so hold on to your pants. You can’t show weakness and make sure the trade being proposed benefits you no matter who is trying to sell it to you. You paid good money to be in your league, now don’t lose your return after week one.
If you are freak’d out, please follow these rules and you will surely have a much more enjoyable season. Did you know, that only five backs hit the 100 yard mark last week. Nearly everyone struggled in that department. So once again, please remind yourself that it is only week one.
Tags: Anthony Gonzalez, Cadillac Williams, Calvin Johnson, Donovan McNabb, Fantasy Freak'd, Greg Jennings, Jake Delhomme, Jay Cutler, Marques Colston, Michael Vick, Nate Burleson, Steve Smith
