“In the sixth round of the 2008 fantasy draft, your team selects …”

By Os Davis  |   Sunday, August 03, 2008  |  Comments( 3 )

Fantasy Football
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All right, then. Though even mainstream fantasy football philosophers have acknowledged that the old RB-RB-QB-WR-WR draft strategy is out the window for 2008, you’ve most likely spent the first five picks in the above fashion. Perhaps you’ve got a third runner in lieu of a wideout, but the majority of your fantasy points for the year are, in theory, set.

But now comes the mystery: That trickiest of rounds -- the sixth. Which way to turn? Which leap of faith to make? Might this fantasy owner suggest a/an ...

Substitute RB. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: At least one guy in every fantasy league has a running back fetish and fills his roster of 15 with, say, six halfbacks. The in-house RF365 league naturally has one of these jokers as well; so that we may discuss this slightly sick individual while keeping his identity a secret, we’ll refer to him as “Hugo Guzman.” Your own league’s “Hugo Guzman” type will surely infuriate some as he stocks his lineup with at least four RBs in his first six picks.

It’s something of a sound strategy in that, after the first couple of choices, the RB position becomes wickedly unpredictable with slow starts, teams not yet gelling, and of course a propensity for injury. Additionally, even in a 14-team league with a Hugo Guzman, one or two starting RBs could still be available by Round 6. If your opportunities for handcuffing involve serious 14th-round benchwarmer (see: Sproles, Darren) types, going for a third RB might not be a bad solution. Unless, of course, a league member of yours has already snapped up the Ronnie Browns and Michael Turners also.

Substitute QB. Also a decent pick for the conservative. This should probably be the go-to option for those who were stuck with their 12th or 13th choice at the position, particularly if said choice is a stat pig of a QB with a shaky offensive line protecting him. Yes, we’re talking about you, Marc Bulger holders.

Defense. This fantasy owner’s favorite move in the sixth round, one that in previous years (2006 Chicago Bears, 2007 San Diego Chargers) turned a ‘W’ or an ‘L’ two or three times per season. This year, however, not a single 'D' stands out above the rest and the difference between the top tier and, say, defenses ranked five through 10 is minimal if figuring the Chargers, Patriots, Colts and Giants come down a bit from last year’s impressive numbers. Meanwhile, the defensive units seemingly on the upswing – 11s like Buffalo and Cleveland – still require a bit of faith and a stronger stomach than mine. Perhaps subverting “Hugo Guzman” with a RB while waiting on the ‘D’ until Round 7 might be a better idea this year.

Antonio Gates or Tony Gonzalez. On one hand, of all the roster spots on your fantasy team, the tight end is the most underrated. On the other hand, statistics say there’s little difference year to year between about No. 3 and No. 16 or so. On the other other hand, Gates and Gonzalez have been making the difference against teams with a Zach Miller or Kellen Winslow seemingly forever in the fantasy game. In the 2007 in-house RF365 game, Gonzalez averaged 9.88 fantasy points per game despite scoring only five TDs; in the high-scoring San Diego offense, Gates put in just over 9.5. The problems with these formerly sure things? At 32, Gonzalez isn't getting any younger and in a still-feeble Kansas City offense is evermore recognized as a threat worthy of much physical punishment by the opposition; Gates is reportedly still rehabbing from injuries of last season.

This owner’s take on TEs? If you were one of the fortunate enough to drafted at No. 1 or No. 2 in Rounds 1, 3 and 5, take one of these two guys when available. You’ll have plenty of time to draft that backup running back (and annoy your “Hugo Guzman”) in Round 7.

Training Camp: An entirely new kind of fantasy game!
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's ...
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