How can we sum up to the 2017 fantasy football season?
It was the first time since 2006 that the top two QBs didn't include Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, or Drew Brees. And only one QB had 300+ points--the first time that's happened since 2009; from 2010 to 2016, an average of nearly five QBs cleared that plateau each year.
Two rookie RBs who entered the preseason as backups finished the season in the top four. And for the first time since 2010, seven RBs had at least 260 points.
Only three WRs had 300+ points--the first time that's happened since 2008; from 2009 to 2016, an average of more than seven WRs cleared that mark each year. And only 27 WRs earned 100+ targets--the first time that's happened since I-don't-know-when; I took it back a decade, during which more than 35 WRs averaged 100+ targets each season.
The top 10 TEs combined for 1,800 points--the lowest such total since 2008; from 2009 to 2016, each season's top 10 TEs averaged 2,027 points.
Seven kickers had 150+ points--the most in one season that I could find since at least 2002 . . . and possibly the most ever. From 2002 to 2016, an average of barely more than one kicker per season cleared 150 points.
And that's just what I could research in about 30 minutes.
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Seven years ago I was in the midst of a two-year stint in India; my wife was a Foreign Service officer stationed there. It was as good a time as any to write a second book. I had three ideas in my head and somewhat randomly decided to go with one on fantasy sports. But which sport? I'd been playing fantasy baseball for over 20 years and knew that subject inside and out. I was also in a fantasy basketball league and had recently done really well in a couple of national fantasy hockey contests. I love competition.
But those sports are forgiving. You can coast for the first few weeks while trying to determine how various guys will play out. You can ride out slumps and injuries.
Football is different. In most leagues you have only 13 games to prove yourself--not 50 or 80 or 120. Each week is a mini-championship. Wrap up the first month of baseball in sixth place, and anything's possible. If you finish September in sixth place in football, nearly every October game is a must-win.
There's an intensity to fantasy football that's unmatched in any other fantasy sport. That's the appeal. And that's why I decided to write "Fantasy Football for Winners." And because I was pretty sure the book wouldn't sell very well, I created this Facebook page to help promote it, never imagining it would become a vibrant fantasy community.
So thank you for making this a vibrant fantasy community, where the right answer--not the loudest--is the goal. Have a terrific offseason, and see you in June.
It was the first time since 2006 that the top two QBs didn't include Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, or Drew Brees. And only one QB had 300+ points--the first time that's happened since 2009; from 2010 to 2016, an average of nearly five QBs cleared that plateau each year.
Two rookie RBs who entered the preseason as backups finished the season in the top four. And for the first time since 2010, seven RBs had at least 260 points.
Only three WRs had 300+ points--the first time that's happened since 2008; from 2009 to 2016, an average of more than seven WRs cleared that mark each year. And only 27 WRs earned 100+ targets--the first time that's happened since I-don't-know-when; I took it back a decade, during which more than 35 WRs averaged 100+ targets each season.
The top 10 TEs combined for 1,800 points--the lowest such total since 2008; from 2009 to 2016, each season's top 10 TEs averaged 2,027 points.
Seven kickers had 150+ points--the most in one season that I could find since at least 2002 . . . and possibly the most ever. From 2002 to 2016, an average of barely more than one kicker per season cleared 150 points.
And that's just what I could research in about 30 minutes.
---
Seven years ago I was in the midst of a two-year stint in India; my wife was a Foreign Service officer stationed there. It was as good a time as any to write a second book. I had three ideas in my head and somewhat randomly decided to go with one on fantasy sports. But which sport? I'd been playing fantasy baseball for over 20 years and knew that subject inside and out. I was also in a fantasy basketball league and had recently done really well in a couple of national fantasy hockey contests. I love competition.
But those sports are forgiving. You can coast for the first few weeks while trying to determine how various guys will play out. You can ride out slumps and injuries.
Football is different. In most leagues you have only 13 games to prove yourself--not 50 or 80 or 120. Each week is a mini-championship. Wrap up the first month of baseball in sixth place, and anything's possible. If you finish September in sixth place in football, nearly every October game is a must-win.
There's an intensity to fantasy football that's unmatched in any other fantasy sport. That's the appeal. And that's why I decided to write "Fantasy Football for Winners." And because I was pretty sure the book wouldn't sell very well, I created this Facebook page to help promote it, never imagining it would become a vibrant fantasy community.
So thank you for making this a vibrant fantasy community, where the right answer--not the loudest--is the goal. Have a terrific offseason, and see you in June.