A Fond Farewell to Marshawn Lynch

Yet another NFL icon has decided to call it quits as Seattle Seahawk Marshawn Lynch will hang up his Skittles cleats for the last time. Lynch was a different breed from most NFL players and I think many appreciated that. His legendary “just here so I don’t get fined” interview on media day of Super Bowl 49 remains my favorite moment. He even caused an actual earthquake when he scored the decisive touchdown to finish off the defending Super Bowl champion Saints in 2o11.

Marshawn Lynch will be missed, not only for his abilities, but for his quirky attitude that counter-balanced nicely to the sterile NFL players of today.

2015 Recap – Top Ten Wide Receivers

The 2015 Fantasy Football season was bizarre and unpredictable. With a rash of injuries to key players, this year’s top ten scorers at each position is both surprising and silly. Join me as I take a look back, scoring used is the ESPN Standard Fantasy scoring. 

 

#10 Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

• Receiving Stats: 146 targets, 109 catches, 1,215 yards and 9 TDs
• Total Points: 164

With the return of Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald returned to his rightful place in fantasy royalty. He had the highest number of catches he has ever had in his career, along with his fourth highest receiving yards. Admittedly, Fitzgerald is old and will likely see declining numbers (he also posted his lowest total of yards per catch – 11.1), but for this season at least Larry showed off his All-Pro form that got his team all the way to the NFC Title game.

#9 Eric Decker, New York Jets

• Receiving Stats: 131 targets, 80 catches, 1,027 yards and 12 TDs
• Total Points: 166

A year after suffering an injury filled season in 2014, Decker came back strong for the Jets in 2015. In fact, this season was comparable to his best seasons in Denver where he posted 1,064 yards in 2012 and 1,288 yards in 2013. At 28 yards old, Decker still has the best years of his career ahead of him and I think he’ll continue to put up these sorts of numbers for the Jets.

#8 A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals

• Receiving Stats: 132 targets, 86 catches, 1,297 yards and 10 TDs
• Total Points: 179

A return to form for A.J. Green, who despite losing his starting quarterback, managed to finish the season with 1,297 yards and a healthy 15.1 yards per catch. Hopefully as the Bengals transition from having Hue Jackson as their offensive coordinator, he’ll be able to continue posting his big numbers.

#7 Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks

• Receiving Stats: 104 targets, 78 catches, 1,069 yards and 14 TDs
• Total Points: 184

When Jimmy Graham went down for the Seahawks, things looked bleak. But somehow and someway, Doug Baldwin developed into a true top receiving talent for the Seahawks. This season was a career best for Baldwin in all aspects. Will he keep it up? I think he’ll always be a WR3 to be honest and this season reminds me of when James Jones had 14 touchdowns for the Packers. I just don’t know if I see sustained success.

#6 DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

• Receiving Stats: 192 targets, 111 catches, 1,521 yards and 11 TDs
• Total Points: 211

Despite playing with a bevy of terrible quarterbacks, Hopkins still managed to post over 1,500 yards and double-digit touchdowns. And at only 23 years old, I think his best years are still ahead of him. Even if the Texans never find a quarterback, Hopkins is still a sure-fire WR1.

#5 Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants

• Receiving Stats: 159 targets, 96 catches, 1,450 yards and 13 TDs
• Rushing Stats: 1 rush for 3 yards
• Total Points: 216

Going into the 2015 draft, I shied away from Beckham because I thought it was a fluke. I figured there was no way he could replicate what he did in his rookie season. I was most definitely wrong. Missing just one game this season (due to his mind-numbing stupidity), Beckham showed that he was no flash in the pan receiver. And with Coughlin now gone and Ben McAdoo left to run the show in New York, I’m expecting another huge year out of OBJ.

#4 Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

• Receiving Stats: 153 targets, 80 catches, 1,400 yards and 14 TDs
• Total Points: 217

I did not see this one coming. In his rookie year, Robinson flashed some talent. But I didn’t pay any attention to him in 2015 draft. I won’t make that mistake again. Robinson had a monster season, and looks to be the legitimate WR1 in Jacksonville, which actually looks like an NFL caliber offense again.

#3 Brandon Marshall, New York Jets

• Receiving Stats: 174 targets, 109 catches, 1,502 yards and 14 TDs
• Total Points: 223

Not one, but two New York Jets in the top ten? How can this be? Marshall responded to being traded to the Jets by having a career season, and his 2015 game logs are very impressive. He had over 100 yards receiving in ten games this season, and a touchdown catch in twelve of them. That’s impressive for a receiver that the Jets got for very little. He’ll be 32 when the season starts in 2016, but it’s been shown that receivers can still be productive at that age and I think that’ll be the case with Marshall.

#2 Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

• Receiving Stats: 204 targets, 136 catches, 1,871 yards and 8 TDs
• Total Points: 231

Quintorris Lopez Jones had his finest season as an NFL receiver in 2015, despite putting up some dud performances along the way. However, having no tight end and no real other receiver to challenge him for targets, Jones had his way with defenders despite having the less than stellar Matt Ryan throwing to him. So long as the Falcons neglect their other receivers, Jones will be a lock to be dominant for the foreseeable future.

#1 Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

• Receiving Stats: 195 targets, 136 catches, 1,834 yards and 10 TDs
• Total Points: 243

A 6th round draft selection in the 2010 draft, Brown has established himself as the best wide receiver in the NFL. He’s like the second coming of Lynn Swann and John Stallworth and he plays in arguably the best offense in the NFL. Yes, that’s right. I said it. When healthy the Steelers possess the best offense in the NFL. Brown doesn’t need to score touchdowns to be fantasy relevant – he averaged 13.5 yards per catch and 8.5 catches per game. And when he finds an open inch of space…forget it, he’s gone.

Food Time – Championship Pulled Pork

As part of Vultureback, I like to share some of by culinary creations from time to time. With Super Bowl 50 just a few days away, I’ll be making some Pulled Pork to have on sandwiches or heck, just to stuff in your face to fight off the tears from football being over.

For starters, make sure you find yourself a nice big Boston Butt. For those not in the know, they refer to the shoulder of a pig as the butt. No idea why. Also, be sure to find one with a nice layer of fat on it, this will be important later in order to complete the journey to Pork Valhalla.

Next, when you get that big piece of beast home, you will want to put a nice spice rub on it. For me, I just shamelessly ripped off this recipe from Extraordinary BBQ. Seriously, check those guys out, they have some pretty great ways to make a guy overweight. Before you put that rub on though, be sure to make some shallow slices on that fat cap I discussed earlier. Once you have done that, put that rub all over the meat. I typically let the shoulder then rest a night to really soak in that rub.

After a rest for the night, get that pork out and get ready to smoke it! Don’t have a smoker? Not sure what I can do for you. Go here for some recipes on how to cook this without using smoke. Me, I’ve got a smoker. I use a mixture of applewood and hickory smoke, but whatever floats your boat here. I also smoke my butt at 225-250 degrees for five hours. What I’m looking to achieve here is a good smokey flavor, along with some nice bark on the butt as well. Check on the butt every hour or so, being sure to spray it with apple juice to keep it moist, as well as sprinkling more rub on it as well.

Once five hours are up, I take my butt out and then wrap it in tin foil to get it to tenderize. At this point, I also insert a probe thermometer. I’m looking to get an internal temperature of 200 degrees right on the nose. At this temperature, the pork will fall apart beautifully and be as tender as can be. To get to 200 degrees, it’ll take a while. A long while. We’re talking many hours here if your butt is five pounds or more. Your patience will be rewarded.

Once the beast finally reaches 200 degrees, take it out of the oven and then let it rest. If you start ripping it apart like Kam Chancellor ripping out a ball, it’ll become pretty dry. Not good. So let it rest for an hour so those juices redistribute. Once that’s done, pull it however you’d like, I usually just use some forks. Then, serve! I’ll take mine on a bun with a bit of sauce and some coleslaw on top please.

Tips on Throwing a Great Super Bowl Party from Nick Stevens

I love Nick Stevens, and if you aren’t following him on Twitter, you are missing out. Here are his tips to make your Super Bowl party that much more rockin’

 

All Hail Megatron!

In that grand Detroit Lion way, yet another superstar player has decided that enough’s enough and pulled the trigger on retirement. According to multiple outlets, WR Calvin Johnson will retire.  It’s a bummer, Calvin Johnson was a Detroit mainstay throughout his career. But like Barry Sanders, his teams never had much success in the postseason. Johnson’s teams only made the playoffs twice in his time with the Lions.

Fantasy-wise, Johnson had an impressive run. In his sophomore season in 2008, he hauled in 78 catches for 1,331 yards and 12 touchdowns. In 2011, he had 96 catches and 1,681 yards along with 16 touchdowns! And who can forget his 2012 season. While his touchdown total was small (just 5), he had 122 catches and 1,964 yards that year.

For years and years, Megatron was often the first wide receiver taken off the board, and his absence will be huge for the Lions. I used to joke with friends the that Lions’ offense was simply “throw it to the tall guy and hope for the best.”

All the best to Calvin Johnson and his future endeavors. Vultureback and football fans everywhere salute you.

2015 Recap – Top Ten Running Backs

The 2015 Fantasy Football season was bizarre and unpredictable. With a rash of injuries to key players, this year’s top ten scorers at each position is both surprising and silly. Join me as I take a look back, scoring used is the ESPN Standard Fantasy scoring. 

 

#10 Danny Woodhead, San Diego Chargers

• Rushing Stats: 97 carries, 335 yards and 3 TDs
• Receiving Stats: 107 targets, 81 catches, 756 yards and 6 TDs
• Fumbles: 0
• Total Points: 149

Woodhead’s rushing stats are pretty “meh” but it’s his receiving numbers that jump off of the page. 107 targets and 81 catches is WR1 territory, and for a running back it’s pretty impressive. This is a role that Woodhead excels at as he had 88 targets in 2013. With Woodhead, you get a runner who isn’t really a runner but instead is a tiny wide receiver. Quite useful in PPR formats.

#9 Chris Ivory, New York Jets

• Rushing Stats: 247 carries, 1,070 yards and 7 TDs
• Receiving Stats: 37 targets, 30 catches, 217 yards and 1 TD
• Fumbles: 2
• Total Points: 159

Cracking a thousand yards for the first time in his career, Ivory managed to scratch out 1,070 yards and 7 TDs for the Jets. It wasn’t always pretty, but he did manage some solid performances in Week 4 and 6, before going a bit into the tank until Week 14. His future is murky as the Jets really started to lean on Bilal Powell in the passing game. This, combined with his injury history makes me wary of Ivory going forward.

#8 Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

• Rushing Stats: 218 carries, 898 yards and 4 TDs
• Receiving Stats: 58 targets, 44 catches, 389 yards receiving and 3 TDs
• Fumbles: 1
• Total Points: 159

In what is likely Forte’s last season in Chicago barring a change of heart from the Bears’ front office, Forte posted his lowest rushing total and lowest receiving totals of his career. He also missed a few games due to injury as well, letting talented rookie Jeremy Langford steal his job. It’s a bummer that it has come to this for Forte, but all running backs reach their NFL mortality at some point. I think Forte could thrive again in the right system, but that likely won’t be in Chicago.

#7 David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals

• Rushing Stats: 125 carries, 581 yards and 8 TDs
• Receiving Stats: 57 targets, 36 catches, 457 yards and 4 TDs
• Fumbles: 1
• Total Points: 164

Coming out of nowhere to save the day for the Cardinals, the rookie out of Northern Iowa started five games and made the most of them. He’ll be on the radar as a first round selection in the 2016 fantasy draft due to his running ability and his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. In fact, he looks to be a younger version of the aforementioned Matt Forte, and looking at some of the stats he put up as a youngster it’s hard not to get excited about Johnson.

#6 Lamar Miller, Miami Dolphins

• Rushing Stats: 194 carries, 872 yards and 8 TDs
• Receiving Stats: 57 targets, 47 catches, 397 yards and 2 TDs
• Fumbles: 1
• Total Points: 173

Miller still continues to be a head-scratcher of a player – is he miscast in the dumpster fire that is the Dolphins’ offense or is he simply an underachiever who needs the right coach to utilize him? Afterall, he’s had 20 or more carries only twice in his career (22 in Week 12 of the 2013 season, 20 in Week 13 of 2015) Maybe he’ll finally get his chance now with Adam Gase as his latest head coach.

#5 Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

• Rushing Stats: 226 carries, 1,106 yards and 10 TDs
• Receiving Stats: 26 targets, 21 catches, 188 yards and 0 TDs
• Fumbles: 1
• Total Points: 176

Despite not playing in the first two weeks of the 2015 season, Gurley put up impressive numbers for his rookie campaign. The highlight of the year for him was his Week 14 game game against Detroit where he gained 140 yards on the ground and scored 2 touchdowns. Gurley has a bright future, now if only the Rams can get a quarterback to prevent defenses from stacking the box.

#4 DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers

• Rushing Stats: 200 carries, 900 yards and 11 TDs
• Receiving Stats: 47 targets, 40 carries, 367 yards and 0 TDs
• Fumbles: 2
• Total Points: 179

With the injury to Le’Veon Bell, Williams was called on to become the lead running back for the Steelers and he did not disappoint. He ended 2015 with a respectable 4.5 yards per rush and a healthy 11 touchdowns. At the age of 32 though, he’s on the backside of his career and I have to think that this was likely his fantasy swan song. Worth drafting though if you end up with Le’Veon in the 2016 draft.

#3 Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Rushing Stats: 288 carries, 1,402 yards and 6 TDs
• Receiving Stats: 42 targets, 33 catches, 271 yards and 1 TD
• Fumbles: 5
• Total Points: 187

The Muscle Hamster (yes, I’m aware he hates this name…TOUGH SHIT) is back! After two disastrous seasons, Martin finally showed that rookie form he had back in 2012. Posting a 4.9 yards per rush, Martin was a complete surprise. He looked like he was on his way out of the NFL before the 2015 season. Of course, maybe he was motivated by his expiring contract, but I’m excited to see what he does next season.

#2 Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

• Rushing Stats: 327 carries, 1,486 yards and 11 TDs
• Receiving Stats: 36 targets, 30 catches, 222 yards and 0 TDs
• Fumbles: 3
• Total Points: 217

After sitting out 2014, Peterson returned to the NFL and won the league’s rushing title in 2015. Undoubtedly, he’s still the NFL’s best running back, but he’s also getting close to the age where NFL RBs drop off a cliff. Still if Peterson has taught us anything, it’s to never bet against him.

#1 Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons

• Rushing Stats: 265 carries, 1,065 yards and 11 TDs
• Receiving Stats: 97 targets, 73 catches, 578 yards, 3 TDs
• Fumbles: 2
• Total Points: 230

The top fantasy running back, Devonta Freeman’s numbers are likely inflated due to a huge monster games he had in 2015. Running for 141 yards and 3 TDs in Week 3, another 153 yards and a TD in Week 5, and then 116 yards in Week 7. After that week though, Freeman went into the tank. Hard. He didn’t top a hundred yards again the rest of the way, and scored just two rushing touchdowns.

 

2015 Recap – Top Ten Quarterbacks

The 2015 Fantasy Football season was bizarre and unpredictable. With a rash of injuries to key players, this year’s top ten scorers at each position is both surprising and silly. Join me as I take a look back, scoring used is the ESPN Standard Fantasy scoring. 

 

#10 Eli Manning, New York Giants

• Stat Line: 4,436 yards, 35 TDs, 14 INTs and sacked 27 times
• Rushing Stats: 61 yards
• Total Points: 278

In his second season in Ben McAdoo’s system, posted another 30+ touchdowns and another 4,000 yard passing season. In fact, his passing yards this season were the second highest total of his career. With McAdoo now being promoted to head coach, Manning’s fantasy future is bright. He still throws his fair share of mind-numbing interceptions, but he looks to be fairly solid otherwise. You could do a lot worse at this position, that’s for sure.

#9 Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

• Stat Line: 4,262 yards, 32 TDs, 13 INTs and sacked 44 times
• Rushing Stats: 159 yards and 1 TD
• Total Points: 280

Midway through the season, the Lions held a firing spree and terminated many associated with the team, including the previous offensive coordinator, Joe Lombardi. In stepped Jim Bob Cooter, and Stafford really seemed to respond to his philosophy. He had the highest completion percentage of his career (67.2) which isn’t huge for fantasy, but the higher the percentage, the more points you score, right? There’s reason for concern in Motown though as Calvin Johnson has made waves with his contemplation of retirement. It’s a situation that bears watching as I think Stafford could benefit from having more weapons at his disposal and not less.

#8 Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins

• Stat Line: 4,166 yards, 29 TDs, 11 INTs and sacked 26 times
• Rushing Stats: 48 yards and 5 TDs
• Total Points: 283

Jay Gruden pulled the trigger on Cousins as his starter this season and didn’t look back. For his first full season as a starter, Cousins was surprisingly solid. His 29 TDs in the air and 5 additional TDs on the ground were welcome surprises for many fantasy teams. Surprisingly, only owned in 59.2% of all ESPN fantasy leagues. Also has one of the strangest subreddits I’ve ever encountered.

#7 Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

• Stat Line: 3,821 yards, 31 TDs, 8 INTs and sacked 46 times
• Rushing Stats: 344 yards and 1 TD
• Total Points: 286

It’s strange to see Rodgers this far down this list, but when you think about it he’s probably lucky to be here at all. The first six weeks of the season, the Rodgers and Packers looked like one of the best in football. But after the bye, the team went 4-6 and he cracked 300 yards passing in just two of those games. The 46 sacks Rodgers absorbed were also the most he’s received since 2012 due to the many injuries the team suffered at offensive line.

#6 Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

• Stat Line: 4,870 yards, 32 TDs, 11 INTs and sacked 31 times
• Rushing Stats: 14 yards and 1 TD
• Total Points: 299

A true gamer, Brees overcame some serious injuries to turn in another typical season for New Orleans. However, his passing yards have gone down each of the past four seasons along with his TD total. His 32 passing TDs in 2015 were his lowest since 2007. There have also been rumblings that Brees may be a cap casualty if he and the Saints cannot come to an agreement on a restructured salary.

#5 Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals

• Stat Line: 4,671 yards, 35 TDs, 11 INTs and sacked 25 times
• Rushing Stats: 24 yards and 1 TD
• Total Points: 300

Rebounding from last season’s ACL tear, Palmer came back with a vengeance and led his Cardinals all the way to the NFC Championship game. The stats he put up this season were the best he’s ever had in his career thanks to Bruce Arians’ innovative offense. However, he’s not getting any younger and his playoff collapse will give the Cardinals plenty to think about for next season.

#4 Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars

• Stat Line: 4,428 yards, 35 TDs, 18 INTs and sacked 51 times
• Rushing Stats: 310 yards and 2 TDs
• Total Points: 302

Coming out of nowhere, Bortles turned in a great sophomore campaign for the Jaguars. Not bad for a player who went largely undrafted in fantasy drafts. Buoyed by an exciting receiver duo of Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns and with the reemergence of TE Julius Thomas, Bortles is a player to consider going forward.

#3 Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

• Stat Line: 4,024 yards, 34 TDs, 8 INTs and sacked 45 times
• Rushing Stats: 553 yards and 1 TD
• Total Points: 322

Another player who had a career year, Wilson has firmly entered the discussion as one of the best fantasy quarterbacks you can have on your team. His 2015 campaign was the best of his young career, despite losing what looked to be his top target in TE Jimmy Graham midway through the season.

#2 Tom Brady, New England Patriots

• Stat Line: 4,770 yards, 36 TDs, 7 INTs and sacked 38 times
• Rushing Stats: 53 yards and 3 TDs
• Total Points: 335

Fueled by anger and hatred, Brady took it to the NFL in 2015. He was seemingly unstoppable for most of the season, passing for over 250 yards and throwing at least two touchdowns in thirteen games this season. The only concern for Brady is that Father Time is starting to catch up to him, and his offensive line has been less then reliable. Brady will likely have a strong 2016 campaign, but at his age I think you have to be a bit concerned about spending a high round pick on him.

#1 Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

• Stat Line: 3,837 yards, 35 TDs, 10 INTs and sacked 33 times
• Rushing Stats: 636 yards and 10 TDs
• Total Points: 373

Performing like a top flight quarterback and running back, Newton ran away as the top scoring quarterback in fantasy football. He posted his highest number of passing touchdowns this season and combined that with his highest rushing touchdown total since his rookie season. If you took Cam, you did well in your fantasy season. I normally don’t advocate taking a quarterback in the first round, but in Cam’s case I’ll gladly make an exception. If he can repeat this performance next season or at least come close to it, he’s worth a first round pick easily.

Recapping Vultureback’s 2015 Draft

You’re likely thinking “Well, welcome back Mister Lazy-Ass who only posts when he feels like it!” You know what, you’re right. I’m an ass and I neglected the shit out of this place. I neglected it like Eddie Lacy neglects fruits, vegetables, and sensible portions. Mea Culpa, and I’ll try not to let it happen again.

Ahem, now to the subject at hand – how did Vultureback do in the 2015 fantasy draft? The answer to that my friends, freakin’ fantastic. I participated in two leagues this season and was able to capture the championship crown in both. I’m more proud of my cutthroat family league, so I’ll detail that one here, including a round-by-round recap of each player, how they did, and if they “went the distance” and stayed on the roster all season. So without further adieu, let’s recap this bitch!

Round 1, Pick #8 – TE Rob Gronkowski

Bucking my usual tradition, I took Gronk off the board in the first round and I could not have been happier. He was the top fantasy tight end in my league, he was mostly reliable, and he had a touchdown in 9 games this season. In short, the man is a beast and I love him eternally.

Did he go the distance? Fuck yes he did. He only missed the starting lineup on his bye and when he was hurt in Week Thirteen.

Round 2, Pick #17 – WR Julio Jones

I decided to commit to the zero-RB system in this draft as running backs came off the board all around me. In Julio Jones, I had a wide receiver who had some touchdown drought in the middle of the season, but came on like gangbusters in the fantasy playoffs. I only hope for Julio’s sake he gets to play with a good quarterback at some point in his career, because Matt Ryan is pretty lousy.

Did he go the distance? Oh yeah. He may have had his ups and downs, but he was a monster for most of the season.

Round 3, Pick #26 – QB Andrew Luck

They say you can’t win your draft with your first three picks, but you can certainly lose it. I hit paydirt with my first two picks but with this pick I got a bum deal. Luck was hurt and didn’t play in Weeks Four and Five. He came back for a small stretch, but thanks to the dogshit offensive line GM Ryan “Super Genius” Grigson put in front of him, Luck was hurt in Week Nine and that was it for his season.

Did he go the distance? Sure didn’t. But, I was able to trade him before news broke that his kidneys were lacerated in exchange for Alshon Jeffrey. A trade that in hindsight, didn’t really work out for anyone.

Round 4, Pick #41 – WR DeAndre Hopkins

I got lucky that he was somehow still on the board and I pounced. I’m happy as hell that I did, because despite some truly putrid QB play, Hopkins was still a force to be reckoned with. Like Julio, he had a huge game in the Week Sixteen fantasy finale.

Did he go the distance? Without a doubt.

Round 5, Pick #56 – RB Andre Ellington

Ellington was drafted because I really needed a running back at this point, and he seemed to be good value with his dual-threat status of runner and pass catcher. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out like that and he ended up losing carries to Chris Johnson and later rookie-phenom RB David Johnson.

Did he go the distance? He came close, but I ended up dropping Ellington on December 2nd.

Round 6, Pick #65 – RB Joseph Randle

“Wheeeeeew, crash and burn Mav.” Randle was a colossal disappointment for me and Jerry Jones. With the exception of a fluke Week Three where he scored 3 touchdowns, he was pretty much useless in fantasy before he was booted from the Cowboys. I had high hopes for this guy, really thought I was getting a steal.

Did he go the distance? That’s a hard no. He was cut on November 3rd.

Round 7, Pick #80 – RB Chris Ivory

With my third consecutive running back selection, I was able to salvage the position Ivory. It wasn’t always pretty for him, and towards the end of the season he gave up more and more carries to Bilal, but for a good part of the season this guy was my running back rock. His best fantasy performance was when he played the Redskins in Week Six, as he rumbled for 146 yards and a TD.

Did he go the distance? Yes, even when he started going running like Eddie Lacy. I’d probably stay away from him next season though.

Round 8, Pick #89 – RB Ameer Abdullah

Count me as one of those rubes who saw Abdullah in preseason and figured he’d steal Joique Bell’s job with ease. Unfortunately, the Lion rookie looked not quite ready for primetime and scored just two touchdowns on the season. I’ll be keeping an eye on him for next season though.

Did he go the distance? No, he was dropped on October 24th.

Round 9, Pick #104 – WR Larry Fitzgerald

Fitzy fought off Father Time this season and finished as a top 10 receiver. I had a hunch on him that with a healthy Carson Palmer, he’d be pretty solid. I had no idea he’d be as good as he was though. Tip of the cap to me for believing in Fitzy.

Did he go the distance? Hell yes.

Round 10, Pick #113 – WR Anquan Boldin

I picked up Boldin thinking he’d be the sure-handed receiver that soaked up targets thanks to Crabtree leaving San Francisco, but he battled playing with Kaepernick all season and injury. He was unable to recapture his youth and didn’t do me much good.

Did he go the distance? He did not. I unceremoniously gave him his walking papers on September 29th.

Round 11, Pick #128 – QB Ryan Tannehill

I read into the Dolphins’ hype and talked myself into thinking that Tannehill was going to put it all together this season. “He’s got Joe Philbin and had a great finish to last year’s season, he’ll be really good!” I told myself this lie, and Tannehill fell flat on his face.

Did he go the distance? Oh God no. Tannehill got the old heave-ho on October 2nd. That’s the last time I trust that guy.

Round 12, Pick #137 – WR Bershad Perriman

I figured he’d slide right into the Ravens’ lineup and have himself a decent rookie season of 70ish catches, 800 ish yards, and 6ish touchdowns. Nope. Didn’t play a single snap.

Did he go the distance? Lived in my IR slot until I finally had enough on September 29th.

Round 13, Pick #152 – WR Stevie Johnson

The last of the six receivers I drafted (I bought in to the Zero RB system hard!), Johnson was brought in because of the pre-draft hype I read on him. He had looked great in the preseason, and would be filling a role for the Chargers he could excel in. I wasn’t disappointed the first two weeks of the season, but then he went on an extended drought and was living on my bench.

Did he go the distance? Nope, I ended up cutting him loose on December 10th. He got so close!

Round 14, Pick #161 – TE Tyler Eifert

Reading that now, I can hardly believe it. But it’s true – I lucked into a top ten tight end way down in Round 14. An embarrassment of riches this draft was! However, with Gronk on the roster he didn’t see my starting lineup.

Did he go the distance? Decided I needed to get something in return for Eifert, he was traded on September 25th for RB Todd Gurley.

Round 15, Pick #176 – Miami Dolphins D/ST

I knew I was going to rotate defenses, but I figured Miami would have the best opening week of the remaining defenses on the draft board. They did just that, scoring 15 points in Week 1. Then they went in the tank fast.

Did they go the distance? Dropped on October 1st.

Round 16, #185 – K Mason Crosby

For a time, he was a solid. But once Green Bay’s offense went into hibernation, so did his fantasy relevance. I also experimented with rotating kickers this season as well, and as a result Crosby became a casualty to fantasy science.

Did he go the distance? Dropped on October 22nd.

 

How to Host a Kick-ass Fantasy Draft Party Part 1 – The Draft Board

“Oh shit.” This thought may be racing through your head right now. You’ve just been told your league wants to hold a live draft, and you have no idea where to begin. We here at Vulture Back have been there and done that. Hosting a live draft can be a daunting prospect, but you’ve come to the right place. Crack a beer open and take some notes.

What the hell am I looking for?

Ideally, you want a draft board that’s large enough for everyone to see from any distance and easy to understand. This seems pretty basic, but at the end of the day this board is the genesis of your league for the upcoming season. Without it being easy to see and read, you might as well just do an auto-draft. And nobody wants that.

Outside of being easily able to read, I’ve found that it’s also nice to be able to customize the board. Instead of the generic “Team 1”, “Team 2” etc at the top of the board, I would recommend springing for the ability to add team names to the board. Most companies will take your team names and print them off on stickers for you. Also, having the board printed with your league’s logo or name is a nice touch.

Player names should be large enough to see and having them color coded is a huge plus. I’ve had draft boards where this wasn’t the case and after several adult beverages, it can be difficult to determine what positions have been drafted. Typically draft boards utilize a color coded scheme for players. For example, quarterbacks are green, running backs are red, etc. Below is an example of the board I used in 2014:

Finding the right draft board

If you Google “fantasy football draft board” you will be swamped with results. They all have their own quirks, and usually the costs are similar. So which ones are good, and which are duds? A great place to start your journey is this review by Brad Perniciaro over at Cheatsheet War Room.  He’s complied a great list of fantasy boards and listed their pros, cons, and price. Heck, his review helped me decide on a board.

I’ve used Bruno’s in the past, and I really liked them. I’ve used their Commissioner’s Dream kit and I was quite pleased with it. This year though, based on Brad’s review, I’ve opted for the free standing board offered by FJ Fantasy Sports. They are highly regarded, and I’m looking forward to not having to attach the board to a wall.

I’m not paying for something I can print for way cheaper!

I hear you, this is a bit silly to pay for something that you could probably print off yourself for far cheaper at the nearest office store. I’ve personally never done it, but I’ve looked into the idea and for me, it’s worth the money to spring for a board over making my own board. But, its certainly something that could be done. Another option that has arrived on the scene in recent years are sites like Clicky Draft, which are run online and can be projected onto a screen or surface with a projector or by hooking up a computer to a television. It’s pretty innovative and the costs are minimal.

To sum it all up.

There are lots of choices out there for draft boards, and hopefully this will get you pointed in the right direction. Arguably the most important part of the draft, buying the right board sets your league apart from the run-of-the-mill fantasy leagues out there.

“It starts with a whistle, and ends with a gun. Sixty minutes of close-in action from kickoff to touchdown. This is pro football. The sport of our time.”

We here are Vulture Back are obsessed with football and in particular, fantasy football. It haunts our dreams. It has turned us into mathematicians with algorithms and theorems that would make even the most ardent NASA employee blush. In short, we’re way too invested in this game and after annoying everyone around us about it for years, it is time to unleash our thoughts and musings upon an innocent planet.

We’re Vulture Back – you’re welcome.