Cooked Goose

Who’s Eric Fisher?

The Kansas City Chiefs launched what everyone predicted would be an Offensive Line heavy first round of the 2013 NFL Draft by taking Eric Fisher with their number one overall pick. The 6’7″ Offensive Tackle from Central Michigan just edged out Luke Joeckel, who had been a frontrunner for a good portion of the draft season. Six other O-Linemen went in the first round. None were and probably never will be household names. But the fact that eight first round draft picks were spent on the offensive line ought to tell you all you need to know about the value of an effective line.

What does this have to do with fantasy football? Simple. Without blocking, a running back cannot run. Let me put it in more concrete terms: Adrian Peterson was the leading rusher in 2012. In the 2012 NFL Draft, the Vikings took OT Matt Kalil with the 4th overall pick. I’m not saying Matt Kalil carried Peterson. Yes, Peterson is super-human. Did Kalil have an impact on Peterson’s season? Better believe it.

Something you might find interesting is that of the eight O-line dudes taken in the first round, three of them were taken by teams with candidates for the most disappointing 2012 fantasy Running Backs: Chance Warmack goes to Chris Johnson at Tennessee, Lane Johnson to LeSean McCoy at Philadelphia, and DJ Fluker to Ryan Mathews at San Diego. CJ, McCoy, and Mathews finished 13th, 21st, and 31st respectively in fantasy pts at the running back position. Along with getting a first round stud, they get starters back on the line who missed most or all of last season due to injury. Just sayin’.

Also, Jamaal Charles who had flashes of brilliance is getting the … um … that Fisher kid.
Who?
Eric Fisher, the number one overall pick.
Oh, right, that guy.

Creature of Habit

Before I write anything, I gotta tell you, I’m a creature of habit. Every morning, I pour myself a cup of coffee and go sit in the same chair. The other day, my youngest asked, “Daddy, why do you always sit in that chair?” Thinking to answer her question, it struck me that I don’t always sit in that chair. In fact, I only sit in that particular chair in the mornings. That’s pretty much it. What she really meant to ask was why every morning, I was in that same chair. And to that question, I didn’t really have an answer. I just am. It’s a habit. And it’s not likely to change any time soon.

I’ve drafted in four fantasy drafts. Each have gone about the same. Running back in the first round. The best available RB or WR in the second round. Go back and forth with a slight tilt toward the RB position til about the 5th when I start looking for a bargain QB. I don’t like TEs until the 9th and D/ST and Kickers until the last four picks.

Even in the short span of the past five years, things have changed in the NFL. The most prominent change is passing is at a premium. That one shift affects everybody, QBs on down. That ought to affect draft strategy, right? You would think. It’s not going to change mine. Like I said, I’m a creature of habit. And taking an elite RB in the first, despite all the challenges of actually landing one these days is to me like that feeling of dropping my ass onto the familiar contours of a comfortable, well worn seat.

Here is a list of QBs that makes taking one in the first two rounds difficult to justify:
Tier 1: Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees
Tier 2: Peyton Manning, Colin Kaepernick, Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford
Tier 3: Russell Wilson, Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Eli Manning, Tony Romo

It’s business; it’s not personal

Isn’t this what mob dudes say when they get an old friend, a paisan to whack a life long pal? “Hey, Vinny, I know you grew up wit da guy. I know. Believe me. And it’s a rotten thing, but it’s business; it’s not personal.” When anyone puts a slug in your head, it’s personal. All the more when that person in question celebrated holidays with you. Cosa Nostra – Our Thing. Family. In that split second of clarity before the Pop! of the 32 behind the ear, the parting thought is, “Awe, Vinny. Not you.”

Last month, the Free Agency period kicked off, unleashing as it does every year a bevy of “brow raising” activity. It’s a treacherous season of personal relationships jettisoned for the demands of the all mighty $. Teams need to get better – need to bleed the aging financial drag. Players need to get paid, for most the one big pay day of a short lived career. Days are coming when talk of team, talk of “All being in it together” will be renewed. Right now, guys like Brian Urlacher is getting “hung out to dry.” Yo, every man for himself.

You can’t tell Urlacher that it’s not personal. You can’t tell Greg Jennings it’s not personal. Oh, it’s personal alright. When Welker signed for 2 mil more with Denver, it was personal. Welker is a Patriot. He’s bought into the Patriot way. He’s more Belichickian in press conferences than Tom Brady. They signed Gronk and Hernandez, the new kids, the young kids. Welker was left to dangle. When they offered a last minute two-year, ten mil, as much as he wanted to end his career in New England, Welker couldn’t sign. It was a personal affront. He had no choice.

It’s business; it’s not personal is a load. They should stop saying it to excuse what everyone knows is brutal. Nobody believes it … well, maybe nobody outside the Mafia and the NFL.

On a fantasy note: I heard a crazy stat, that I have neither the time nor the energy to verify – you’re on your own on this. It came from a nationally syndicated sports radio guy. Something like 60+ Pro Bowl Wide Receivers have changed teams through free agency in the past ten years, less than 10% have made it back to another Pro Bowl. Something to think about as you assess the value of Welker, Jennings, Harvin, and Wallace.

Separated at birth. According to the ambiguous, unreliable stat, Toby Maguire has a better shot at returning to his Spidermanesque Hollywood leading man status than Welker to the ProBowl.