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2013 NFL RB Speed Scores

Rizzla — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 23:54:10 +0000

2013 NFL RB Speed Scores

Every year at NFL combine time fanalysts like myself pay special attention to two skill positions a little more closely than others, the wide receivers and the running backs.

Today we will be discussing the running back class and their 40-times and what ‘speed score’ their speed and weight combination led to.

The speed score is not an end all, be all predictor of NFL success but it sure does help to validate the hype on certain players as well as open your eyes up to players we might want to pay a little closer attention to.

The most recent players pegged for success by this metric include DeMarco Murray, Ben Tate, CJ Spiller, Doug Martin and Lamar Miller.

What is a speed score?

“Speed Score: A method for projecting the NFL success of a rookie running back which combines a player’s weight with his 40-yard dash time from the NFL scouting combine, thus accounting for the fact that a larger back is more likely to be a good NFL player than a small back with the same speed. Speed Scores generally range from 80 to 120, with 100 as the average. Introduced on ESPN.com in the spring of 2008, with a more expanded introduction in Pro Football Prospectus 2008.”
Source: Football Outsiders

“Keeping this in mind, we’ve developed a metric called “Speed Score”, which takes into account both a player’s time in the 40-yard dash at the Combine as well as his weight. Speed Score bears a significant correlation to NFL carries (a correlation coefficient of .46 and a sign of a player’s durability), yards (.46), and DYAR (.37), all at a level superior to that of strictly using the 40-yard dash time alone.
The metric is calculated by multiplying the player’s weight by 200, and then dividing that figure by his 40 time, taken to the fourth power. Although it sounds like a bizarre calculation, the whole thing is pretty simple. 40 time is multiplied to the fourth power because of the huge difference there is in hundredths of a second for a player running the 40. The weight is multiplied by 200 to scale the metric so that an average Speed Score is just about 100. The average for first-round picks in the NFL Draft is 112.9.”
Source: Washington Post

Top scores this year

Kniles Davis is this years speed score darling followed by another prospect in Le’Veon Bell who similarly lost a lot of his hype this season.

Kniles Davis – 124.5
Le’Veon Bell – 102.7
Joseph Randle – 88.8
Andre Ellington – 88.1
Mike Gillislee – 97.1
Giovanni Bernard – 95.9
Mike James – 105.9
Christine Michael – 103.6
Montee Ball – 90.8
Marcus Lattimore – Did not run
Eddie Lacy – Did not run

What did we learn?

Kniles Davis, who finished with a terrific speed score of 124.5 should now be a top consideration in all dynasty rookie drafts, and vie to be one of the top three backs selected behind Eddie Lacy. Davis also proved incredibly strong for a running back posting 31 reps which ranked him 2nd among all running backs in the 2013 class. Davis came in the top ten for broad jump which measures explosion and 15th in the 20 yard shuttle which also measures explosion as well as lateral quickness and cutting ability.

Montee Ball’s speed score was disappointing due to his 4.66 40 time but is someone we will still have on our radar depending on what team he lands on. Ball is still a talent and could really be an asset in touchdown heavy league formats.

Giovanni Bernard and Mike Gillislee also had disappointing speed scores but are both pegged for success at the NFL level, the question now is whether they are feature back material or not.

Joseph Randle and Andre Ellington were extremely disappointing as sub 205 lbs players who both could not crack 4.5. Both proved in college to be talented players and could still find themselves as the lead back in the inevitable committees they will join this year.

Names we were not giving much thought before

Last years speed score compilation led us to look harder at the Seahawks Robert Turbin and the Ravens Bernard Pierce, two powerful runners who put themselves in the mix as day two prospects. Pierce and Turbin both went on to carve out roles in backfields formerly dominated by two of the NFL’s best running backs. Cyrus Gray was the third name, but he never got involved in the Chiefs gameplans carrying the ball only seven times in the three games he actually saw the field.

This year Le’Veon Bell and Christine Michael will get a bump up our dynasty league rookie rankings as landing in the right system could lead to success for either player on the NFL level.

Michael was the star of the 20 yard shuttle and was a top finisher in the broad jump and he is now firmly on our radar as well as many NFL teams’

Jackie Battle and Alfred Morris

Jackie Battle had one of the best speed scores in recent memory with a 123.1 but has never proven to be an effective NFL player despite glimpses, especially this season when Ryan Mathews was sidelined, Alfred Morris on the other hand had a speed score of 98 which correctly predicted him as a day three pick but as we all witnessed he landed in the perfect system and rushed for the 2nd most yards in the entire NFL in his rookie season and set a Redskins record for rushing yards by a rookie (and this is with RGIII stealing numerous carries).

Other combine testing and what it told us

The 20 yard shuttle and broad jump help measure explosiveness while the shuttle also helps to indicate lateral quickness and cutting ability. Christine Michael of Texas A&M was 1st in the shuttle and 3rd in the broad jump and his combine numbers make him look like a solid day two prospect. He is someone that was not particularly on our radar after other names emerged this season but he is now one of our top sleepers for 2013 and where he lands will determine his actual value in dynasty league rookie drafts.

Giovanni Bernard had a solid 20 yard shuttle time that landed him 3rd among all prospects and also posted a good broad jump, Bernard’s 40 time was disappointing but he showed that he has the quickness and explosiveness desired in a day two pick. Bernard may land in a two back system at the next level but is someone with featured skills.

Le’Veon Bell had a top ten 20 yard shuttle time which entrenched him as a potential 3rd or 4th round pick for a team that already has a speedy back in the fold. Bell 4.6 40 time does not impress anyone but at 230 lbs with his lateral quickness, Bell could become a fantasy star on the right team. Bell has some things to work on in the pros including his pass protection skills and vision in the backfield but is the type of running back fanalysts get very excited about after testing well at the combine.

Updated Dynasty League Rookie Running Back Rankings

Eddie Lacy
Kniles Davis
Marcus Lattimore
Giovanni Bernard
Mike Gillislee
Christine Michael
Le’Veon Bell
Montee Ball
Joseph Randle
Andre Ellington

Written by Win My Fantasy League Senior Sports Writer/Fantasy Sports Analyst Raju Byfield (Rizzla).

Derrick Rose: Trade for Him or Acquire Healthy Players Instead?

J-Has — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 01:31:15 +0000

Derrick Rose has participated in full contact practices with the Chicago Bulls and there have not been any reported setbacks. This is extremely positive news, especially for those that have been stashing the star Point Guard away since their fantasy draft. Although there is no official timetable for his return, even the most conservative analysts believe that Rose will return to the lineup after the All-Star break on February 19th.

The question is whether you should trade for him, or if Rose is currently on your roster, whether you should trade him away? It primarily depends on you current place in the standings. If you have solidified your spot in the playoffs, you should seriously consider proposing a trade to acquire Derrick Rose, especially if the person that rosters Rose is struggling in the win-losses category. Considering that the earliest that fantasy playoffs would begin is the week of February 25th, Rose will already have had at least one week to return to form.

Not withstanding ‘max-games’ leagues, stashing a player like Rose on the bench significantly reduces your chances to win on a week-to-week basis because you are often playing 3-4 games less a week than your opponent. If you offer mid-tier players, you may be surprised what he or she would accept for a player that has not suited up once this season.

If you are a Derrick Rose owner and you a few spots out of the playoffs, I would recommend trading him because you will not get help from until for the next 2 crucial weeks. It would be pointless to hold on to him and miss the fantasy playoffs as Derrick Rose will help you win the points and assists categories, but merely in the consolation rounds.

On January 31st, I took my own advice in my main fantasy basketball league, so I am really anxious to see if my gamble works out. I traded away Darren Collison and Gerald Wallace for Derrick Rose and Derrick Favors. On paper, it appears to be a one-sided trade as All-Star Derrick Rose is far superior than the inconsistent Darren Collison, while Favors has better averages than Wallace in points, rebounds and blocks this season. However, this trade was accepted because my opponent is on the bubble right now in terms of making the fantasy playoffs in our league and he needs immediate production from all of his players. On the other hand, I currently sit third overall in a 14-team league, so my focus is on the fantasy playoffs beginning in four weeks.

Acquiring an injured player in exchange for active, productive players is never a guarantee to work, but you are fortunate enough to have already clinched a playoff berth, it is something to seriously consider. There is always a big risk when a player returns from a serious injury, but if we have learned anything from NFL stars Adrian Peterson and Peyton Manning this year, I am going to take my chances that one of the top athletes in the world will return to his dominating ways, among the fantasy elite.

Written by Justin Hasan exclusively for WinMyFantasyLeague.com

Comment below or e-mail him at JHas@WinMyFantasyLeague.com

Is Beal for Real?

Rizzla — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 19:05:38 +0000

Is Beal for Real?

Bradley Beal has exploded since John Wall returned to the Washington Wizards leading many fantasy owners and fanalysts to ponder whether or not Beal can keep up his pace.

Yes, he can.

Beal was always destined to do better with a superior backcourt mate who could space the floor, command defensive attention and get Beal the ball where he needs it to be at his most effective.

Beal has averaged a whopping 19.6 points in the three games since John Wall has returned to the WIzards and 18.8 points in 8 january games.

Some will say that Jordan Crawford being hurt has led to his increased production but the truth is Beal has finally found his shot and the game appears to be slowing down for him as he is now shooting a respectable .463 from the field after going .250, .341, .368 over the first three months of the season.

Beal is currently available in only 34 percent of Yahoo! leagues but he is someone who should now be owned in every competitive league.

Jordan Crawford will eat some of his minutes when healthy but will be employed in a sixth man role.

Beal has all-star potential and John Wall is the perfect catalyst to bring that potential to bear.

Beal is for real!

Written by Win My Fantasy League Senior Sports Writer/Fantasy Sports Analyst Raju Byfield (Rizzla).

Top 10 Super Bowl Moments of the Last 10 Years

Guest — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 04:33:28 +0000

Top 10 Super Bowl Moments of the Last 10 Years

With Super Bowl 47 odds gaining steam for Peyton and the Broncos, we wanted to share our top-10 super moments of the last 10 Super Bowls. This is a list of “moments” not “performances” so for a variety of reasons you won’t see things like Aaron Rodgers’ incredible 304-yard game with 3 touchdowns to win Super Bowl 45 or Terrell Owens catching 9 passes for 122 yards on a barely healed broken leg.

I tried my best to really determine what the top 10 Super Bowl moments of the last 10 years were on the football field. That made existential elements like “Gruden vs. Raiders” from Super Bowl 37 a tough one to omit. It also means that I’m not going to care about wardrobe malfunctions, or Prince’s awesome fallacy symbol from half-time shows.

Obviously I spent too much time thinking about this so I’m just going to get to it. If you would be so kind as to bang off a drumroll before you hit the list, I’d appreciate it. Enjoy.

10. Devin Hester Returns Opening Kick-Off – Super Bowl 41

An interesting turn of events occurred in the two championship football games in 2007: Tedd Ginn Jr. of the Ohio State Buckeyes had a blistering, 92-yard kick-off return in the BCS Championship Game in a losing effort to Florida. A month later, Devin Hester returned a 92-yard kick-off in the Super Bowl in another losing effort.

What’s remarkable about the play is that the initial phase of Hester’s incredible return went right up the middle of the field, gashing Indianapolis’s special teams for the opening score of the game. It was the first – and only – opening kick-off touchdown return in Super Bowl history and remains one of the top 10 Super Bowl moments of the last 10 years, if not of all time.

9. McNabb’s Inexplicable Final Drive – Super Bowl 39

I know I said that I’d try and isolate specific moments in Super Bowl history for this list, but this is the most confusing 57-seconds I’ve ever seen in a big game. It may not in your personal top 10 Super Bowl moments of the last 10 years, but it’s worth noting for how much it impacted Philadelphia as a franchise and how it also handed New England their second championship.

Did McNabb puke or was he just winded? Did he run out of gas? It’s the most confusing series of events in the final minute of any Super Bowl. What the hell was taking him so long? Why was he throwing up the middle of the field with no time-outs? Why was he burning so much time off the clock trying to set up a play? Why did he bother checking down to Westbrook on first down?

These questions were never answered and McNabb, being the dink that he is, never took full blame for the debacle of that last minute. Instead he vilified Owens, which caused the destructive duo to be broken up. McNabb and the Eagles never went to the Super Bowl since, while New England became the dynasty we all love and hate today.

8. Manningham’s Sideline Catch – Super Bowl 46

Manning-to-Manningham in Super Bowl 46 was one of the greatest pass and catches in the Super Bowl and deflated New England as it reminded them of another unbelievable catch. The play saw Manningham streak up the sidelines in to double coverage and Eli tossed a perfect 38-yard throw that

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Manningham caught over his shoulder as he tippy-toed to remain inbounds. The play kept the Giants alive in a tightly fought Super Bowl, and set up Bradshaw’s adorable “I didn’t mean to score!” rushing touchdown that iced the game.

7. James Harrison’s 100-yard Touchdown – Super Bowl 43

Get used to seeing Super Bowl 38 on this list of top 10 Super Bowl moments of the last 10 years. In a record setting play, James Harrison picked off Kurt Warner in the endzone and rumbled down the sideline for the longest interception return in Super Bowl history. We’re talking about a 6-foot, 250-pound man here! Harrison seemingly avoids six tackles during his exhausting sprint downfield that cemented his place in history.

6. Fitzgerald For The Lead – Super Bowl 43

With the surging Cardinals down 16-20 with just under three minutes left in the final quarter, Warner connected with Fitzgerald on a short slant route. Sixty-four yards later, Fitzgerald had torn up the middle of the field leaving three Steelers in his dust for

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his second score of the game in front of his sports writer father who was forced to silently cheer in the press box (where no cheering is allowed). The touchdown gave the Cardinals the lead with only a few precious minutes left on the clock. It’s the closest moment this fledgling franchise has ever come to winning the big one, and also helped Larry secure the most receiving yards in NFL playoff history.

5. Vinatieri Does It Again – Super Bowl XXXVIII

A walk-off field goal doesn’t have the same ring to it as a homerun of a similar nature in baseball, but Vinatieri cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greatest kickers when he booted a 48-yard beauty to silence the Panthers in one of the greatest Super Bowl moments of the last 10 years. Kickers are often remembered for their failures (read: Norwood, Scott), stupidity (read: Vanderjagt, Idiot Kicker) or buffoonery (read: Gramatica brothers). Vinatieri is remembered for being a hero. And he’s a kicker who’s never made a tackle or taken a hit in a full contact sport.

4. Porter Picks Off Manning – Super Bowl 44

The city of New Orleans needed a win after Katrina. That much we all knew, and the Saints ended up being the emotional savior of a city that felt hopeless. Drew Brees and company marched in to Super Bowl 44 against Peyton Manning’s mighty Colts and battled their way to a 24-17 lead. Problem was that Manning had the ball with over five minutes left. The Colts began pressing, but Manning threw an errant pass to Reggie Wayne which was picked off by Tracy Porter and returned for a 74-yard touchdown. Unless you had money on that game, you could feel the joy bursting out of New Orleans as Porter ran down the field and in to the endzone. It was a nationally cathartic moment for a city that desperately needed something to celebrate.

3. “Go Go Gadget Play!” – Super Bowl 40

A lot of people will remember Super Bowl 40 for Roethlisberger’s passer rating, the refs screwing up a bunch of calls or Jeramy Stevens dropping all the passes. It’s a shame really, because this game had one of the most entertaining and memorable plays of all time.

The play was insane: a pitch from Roethlisberger to Willie Parker, who handed off an end-around to Randle El who continued to the right hash and unleashed a 43-yard bomb to a wide open Hines Ward in the endzone. It gave the Steelers a 21-10 lead which would be the final score of this game. Every major, offensive Steeler who had an impact on that game touched that ball in one play and Big Ben even threw a huge block that gave Randle-El time to find Ward deep down the field. When we talk about the top-10 Super bowl moments of the last 10 years, this play is often forgotten or omitted and I don’t understand why. Trickery, I suppose, doesn’t receive as much love as it should.

2. The Helmet Catch – Super Bowl 42

Wait…what?! This play is probably the most famous catch in Super Bowl history and is arguably the greatest Super Bowl moment of the last 10 years, but I’ll beg to differ in a paragraph or two.

The Patriots broke in to the backfield with three defenders getting their hands on Eli Manning, who spun and scampered his way to safety to throw a 32-yard pass down the middle of the field. David Tyree, a career special teams player, jumped up with one hand reaching for the heavens and brought the ball down as he was being molested by Rodney Harrison and pinned the ball against his skull to retain possession and give the Giants life in the final minute of the game. Four plays later, Manning lofted a perfect pass to a wide open Plaxico Burress in the endzone for the final score of the game and a Super Bowl victory that murdered Vegas since the Patriots had been 14-point favorites.

This play is substantial for a lot of reasons. The Patriots were undefeated heading in to Super Bowl 42 and that single play gave the Giants a chance to fatally wound their immortality as a team. This play also denied Brady and Belichik the chance to match Montana and Walsh with their fourth Super Bowl. It’s hard to argue that this isn’t the greatest Super Bowl moment of the last 10 years – if not ever – but I’m going to try.

1. Roethlisberger To Holmes – Super Bowl 43

Super Bowl 43 was the most exhilarating and fun championship game in the history of the league. Kurt Warner submitted one his all-time greatest performances with 377 yards and 3 touchdowns, carrying his team with Larry Fitzgerald who obliterated playoff records for receivers that year. The Steelers had just moved on from Bill Cowher to Mike Tomlin, and were matched up against two of their former coaches in Ken Wisenhunt and Russ Grimm who had bolted Pittsburgh after being overlooked for the head coaching job that Cowher left a couple seasons earlier.

This was a slobberknocker kind of game that had everything you could ask for. But the final two drives of the game left fans on the edge of their seats. Kurt Warner connected with Larry Fitzgerald for the aforementioned 64-yard touchdown that gave the Cardinals the lead with two minutes and thirty-seven seconds left. Pittsburgh took over, and Big Ben connected with Santonio Holmes on a series of passes that put them six-yards away from the endzone.

Roethlisberger lobbed up a pass to Santonio Holmes in the corner ,who was covered by three Cardinals. The ball barely sailed over the tips of their fingers as it landed in Holmes outstretched hands. Dragging his toes inbounds, Holmes fell to the ground with the ball, a touchdown and a Super Bowl victory firmly in his two handed grasp.

That’s. Drama.

That reception was not only off-the-charts difficult, it won the Super Bowl. That’s the main difference between the Holmes catch and the Helmet Catch. Tyree’s effort kept a drive alive, and if Ellis Hobbs hadn’t fallen over trying to cover Plaxico in an unfair mismatch, the Helmet Catch wouldn’t have the same relevance in history as it does today. Keeping a drive alive and winning the Super Bowl are two very different things.

Of course, this is up for debate as is the entire list. This is just one writer’s opinion. Hopefully Super Bowl 47 will be just as exciting as some of the matchups we’ve enjoyed in the last decade. It remains to be seen if any instance from the upcoming championship matchup will have the historic impact that these moments did.

Are we going to have another Helmet Catch or Santonio-Roethlisberger connection on the final drive of the big game? All I know is that someone’s going to have to do something beyond spectacular in Super Bowl 47 to crack the top 10 Super Bowl moments of the last 10 years.

Preliminary 2013 Top 100 Fantasy Baseball Rankings

zgreub — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:26:31 +0000

It’s about that time again! Fantasy baseball season is just around the corner and drafts are being commenced. The following are my initial Top 100 rankings. Feel free to let me know what you think and who you think I’m missing. It’s easy to miss someone out of 100 players.

1. Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

2. M. Cabrera, 3B, Detroit Tigers

3. Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

4. Cano, 2B, New York Yankees

5. Verlander, SP, Detroit Tigers

6. Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds

7. Fielder, 1B, Detroit Tigers

8. Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

9. Kemp, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

10. Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

11. Hamilton, OF, Los Angeles Angels

12. Bautista, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

13. McCutchen. OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

14. Posey, C, San Francisco Giants

15. Granderson, OF, New York Yankees

16. Encarnacion, 1B/3B, Toronto Blue Jays

17. Strasburg, SP, Washington Nationals

18. Stanton, OF, Miami Marlins

19. Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays

20. A. Jones, OF, Baltimore Orioles

21. Butler, 1B, Kansas City Royals

22. Price, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

23. Kimbrel, RP, Atlanta Braves

24. C. Lee, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

25. C. Gonzalez, OF, Colorado Rockies

26. Cain, SP, San Francisco Giants

27. Dickey, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

28. Weaver, SP, Los Angeles Angels

29. Hamels, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

30. Harper, OF, Washington Nationals

31. Hernandez, SP, Seattle Mariners

32. Teixeira, 1B, New York Yankees

33. Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies

34. Bruce, OF, Cincinnati Reds

35. Kinsler, 2B, Texas Rangers

36. Medlen, RP, Atlanta Braves

37. Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox

38. Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves

39. Beltre, 3B, Texas Rangers

40. Zobrist, SS, 2B, OF, Tampa Bay Rays

41. G. Gonzalez, SP, Washington Nationals

42. Sabathia, SP, New York Yankees

43. Napoli, C, 1B, Boston Red Sox

44. Konerko, 1B, Chicago White Sox

45. Chapman, RP, Cincinnati Reds

46. Rizzo, 1B, Anthony Rizzo

47. Ortiz, DH, Boston Red Sox

48. Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros

49. A. Ramirez, 3B, Chicago Cubs

50. Molina, C, St. Louis Cardinals

51. H. Ramirez, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers

52. Goldschmidt, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks

53. Reyes, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

54. J. Upton, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks

55. Sale, SP, Chicago White Sox

56. Ellsbury, OF, Boston Red Sox

57. Heyward, OF, Atlanta Braves

58. Santana, C, 1B, Cleveland Indians

59. Markakis, OF, Baltimore Orioles

60. Andrus, SS, Texas Rangers

61. Bumgarner, SP, San Francisco Giants

62. Cespedes, OF, Oakland Athletics

63. A. Gonzalez, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers

64. Halladay, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

65. Holliday, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

66. Mauer, C, 1B, Minnesota Twins

67. Me. Cabrera, OF, San Francisco Giants

68. Cueto, SP, Cincinnati Reds

69. Fister, SP, Detroit Tigers

70. Wright, 3B, New York Mets

71. Lawrie, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays

72. Craig, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

73. Aoki, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

74. Kipnis, 2B, Cleveland Indians

75. Wainwright, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

76. Castro, SS, Chicago Cubs

77. Bourn, OF, Atlanta Braves

78. Rios, OF, Chicago White Sox

79. Cuddyer, OF, Colorado Rockies

80. Wieters, C, Baltimore Orioles

81. B. Upton, OF, Tampa Bay Rays

82. Latos, SP, Cincinnati Reds

83. Shields, SP, Kansas City Royals

84. Greinke, SP, Los Angeles Angels

85. S. Romo, RP, San Francisco Giants

86. Hart, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

87. Willingham, OF, Minnesota Twins

88. A. Hill, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks

89. Victorino, OF, Philadelphia Phillies

90. Kuroda, SP, New York Yankees

91. Harvey, SP, New York Mets

92. Papelbon, RP, Philadelphia Phillies

93. Motte, RP, St. Louis Cardinals

94. As. Cabrera, SS, Cleveland Indians

95. Sandoval, 3B, San Francisco Giants

96. De Aza, OF, Chicago White Sox

97. Middlebrooks, 3B, Boston Red Sox

98. Nathan, RP, Texas Rangers

99. Headley, 3B, San Diego Padres

100. A. Gordon, OF, Kansas City Royals

Written by winmyfantasyleague.com contributor Zach Greubel.

FIFA Ultimate Team and Fantasy Sports

Rizzla — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 20:26:07 +0000

FIFA Ultimate Team and Fantasy Sports

On the advice of a friend who swears by FIFA ultimate team, I gave this game mode a try last year as it was touted as a fantasy sports/trading card type of video game.

I am someone who enjoys a good sports title when I can find the time to play and my ultimate team experience was actually quite a fun one.

You will probably have to at least be a casual world cup fan to enjoy this game but do not need to follow clubs.

The game keeps things fresh and exciting by including online and offline seasons and tournaments as well as weekly team of the weeks which feature some of the top in-form players from around the soccer world. FIFA releases an upgraded version of the player card which is available for a limited time of one week only.

The biggest event in the game is the team of the year additions to the game which come right after the Ball D’Or award presentations, an award that Lionel Messi always seems like a lock for despite the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo.

This year Lionel Messi is a -800 favorite to win the award once again at sportsbooks like William Hill where you can bet on the winner as well as Place a bet on premier league games and other club contests.

The game is a very challenging one where you start out small with a bronze team and have to play matches to earn virtual currency to buy (‘sign’) new players, you also have the option to trade and sell players and other game to game consumables on the fifa market or you can buy packs with actual cash.

The game seems intimidating at first to a casual fan as there are so many different leagues and players but is a fun and rewarding experience if you can find the time to truly explore it.

For video game fans this is a nice way to increase your appreciation of the beautiful game and increase your overall knowledge of the players which can be very helpful when it comes to fantasy soccer leagues like the ones offered at Yahoo!

The biggest help this video game gives you with fantasy sports is knowledge of incoming transfer market additions and their potential value to their new clubs vis a vis Yahoo! A lot of transfer additions are ranked very low in value until they prove themselves in the premier league giving the astute manager a lot of room to improve his fantasy squad.

Written by Win My Fantasy League Senior Sports Writer/Fantasy Sports Analyst Raju Byfield (Rizzla).

WMFL Staff Consensus Rankings – Week 16

Rizzla — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 18:55:22 +0000

WMFL Staff Consensus Rankings – Week 16

At the quarterback position both Zach and Rizzla see Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady as the top two options with Tony Romo also being included as a QB1 due to his match-up with a the Saints and their porous secondary.

At the running back position both of our writers believe that KnowShown Moreno is a RB1 this week against the Browns in a matchup where the Broncos figure to be protecting a lead. They however disagree on CJ Spiller with Zach touting him as a top four play while Rizzla has him all the way down in RB2 territory in what likely is differing opinions on how effective Miami’s run D will be against CJ Spiller this time around after going off for 91 yards against the Dolphins in Buffalo week 11.

At the wide receiver position both of our experts have Calvin Johnson as the number one overall option and Brandon Marshall as the number two option. Our experts have vastly different opinions of Reggie Wayne and Wes Welker with Zach having them at 12 and 6 respectively while Rizzla has them at 5 and 12 respectively. Cecil Shorts gets a WR2 grade from both of our experts.

2012 Fantasy Football Rankings powered by FantasyPros

Written by Win My Fantasy League Senior Sports Writer/Fantasy Sports Analyst Raju Byfield (Rizzla).

Week 16 Running Back Rankings

Rizzla — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 18:40:16 +0000

Week 16 Running Back Rankings

Alfred Morris continues to impress. Although a WMFL favorite this off-season, no one on our staff could have predicted that Alfred Morris would have more rushing yards than Arian Foster and Ray Rice after fifteen weeks of the 2012 season were in the books. Morris is only going to get better and is a sure-fire 1st round pick in 2013 fantasy football drafts. We have him ranked in at number five for championship week.

Adrian Peterson comes in as the number one overall running back and fantasy play for the week as he continues his quest for a 2,000 yard season and now for the overall single season rushing record. Both landmarks are firmly within his grasp and there is now no one who believes he will not surpass 2,000 yards as well as Eric Dickerson rushing record. AP is also in the MVP debate this season which is a testament to just how stellar of a season he is really having as that award typically goes to quarterbacks.

KnowShown Moreno should be in for another rock solid game in what is expected to be an easy win for the streaking Denver Broncos. Manning should have Denver up early who should than turn their attention to the run game with Moreno. KnowShown could be in store for a 100 plus yard rushing game but should definitely crack 100 yards from scrimmage in week sixteen.

DeMarco Murray is ranked as the sixth overall fantasy back this week as his Cowboys face off against an explosive Saints team that just can’t seem to stop the run. The Saints have given up the 2nd most fantasy points on the season to opposing running backs and DeMarco should be able to take full advantage of their incompetence this week. After going off 5.8 ypc against the Steelers Murray looks like he finally has his legs under him.

Fantasy Football Rankings powered by FantasyPros

Written by Win My Fantasy League Senior Sports Writer/Fantasy Sports Analyst Raju Byfield (Rizzla).

Fantasy Football Championship Week Rankings

Rizzla — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 20:04:39 +0000

Fantasy Football Championship Week Rankings

Congratulations if you are still in the championship hunt this season and we are hopeful that we were able to be of some assistance in your push to the ‘promised land’.

Calvin Johnson is also on a quest to break a single season record having just become the first player in NFL history with back to back 1,600 yard seasons. The Lions are out of the playoff hunt and devoid of any other competent wideouts so Megatron will be force fed the ball early and often as Matthew Stafford tries to help Megatron etch his name in the NFL record books. Calvin Johnson remains our number one ranked receiver for week sixteen.

Aaron Rodgers comes in as the number one ranked QB this week as the Green Bay Packers find themselves in a must win situation as they continue to angle for playoff positioning in the NFC. With James Jones and Randall Cobb having career seasons Rodgers has the most explosive set of weapons he has ever had thus far in his career. Expect Aa-Rod to put up the big game you have been waiting the last few weeks for.

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Written by Win My Fantasy League Senior Sports Writer/Fantasy Sports Analyst Raju Byfield (Rizzla).

Fantasy Sports and Prop Betting

Rizzla — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 19:44:40 +0000

Fantasy Sports and Prop Betting

The hardcore fantasy sports player should know that he has an advantage when it comes to sports betting on props.

For example the avid fantasy football player would know that Julio Jones puts up most of his big games on the road, while someone like Joe Flacco does most of his good work at home.

The next step is for us to utilize this information to potentially profit from online sportsbooks, so if we used a sports betting review site we could shop around and look for the most attractive lines.

An analysis of Kevin Durant’s splits from thus far this year indicate that he scores slightly more on the road which is important to know if a gaming site offered a line of 27 points for Durant during an away game; in this case the over would look more attractive.

Recent trends are also very important as sportsbooks often like to use season averages to help them set a over/under number.

The next example is someone like Adrian Peterson who is averaging a stellar 123 yards per game this season. If a casual fan saw this number they may immediately take the under as 123 yards is a stellar game by any account, but a deeper look at the numbers indicates that Peterson has averaged 160 yards per game over his last four and 157 yards per game over his last seven, a span where he was only under 123 once against the vaunted Chicago Bears defense who he carved up for 154 yards last week.

So if you have the inclination, try to make use of one of these books deposit bonuses and cash in on your fantasy sports knowledge.

Written by Win My Fantasy League Senior Sports Writer/Fantasy Sports Analyst Raju Byfield (Rizzla).