Tuesday, September 4, 2007

ARE YOUR READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!

Introducing... The 2007 Super Squirrels!*

*(I searched Google images for squirrels and found this adorable little guy about to unleash the powers of planet Krypton on my fantasy football opponents. I signed him up as my mascot immediately.)

For perspective on the upcoming season, let's look back at my previous Squirrel-themed fantasy teams. In 2004, the Bullwinkle Squirrels took home the Nerfball League championship. That year, Shaun Alexander's amazing 18.4 points per game led the way. Willis McGahee was my #2 back, and the two have been Squirrel keepers ever since.

In 2005, I went from first to worst with a 4-9 record, despite a respectable 90.7 weekly average (5th best in the league).

In 2006, I finished 6-7 with a miserable, pathetic, embarrassing 76.2/week, which was by far the worst in the league. I blame Shaun Alexander for this; since he was listed as questionable for most of the season, I was unable to replace him, DL him, or some weeks to decide whether or not to start him. Even worse, with McGahee laboring in a transitioning Buffalo offense, his last 6 weeks of the season were wildly inconsistent: 20, 8, 23, 4, 17, -1. Let's just say it was a tough year and move on, shall we?

This season, my hopes once again rest on the shoulder pads of Alexander and McGahee. And there's plenty of reason for optimism here. Alexander looks healthy again and is the trendy preseason pick for comeback player of the year. Meanwhile, McGahee is the new featured back in Baltimore, where he figures to get worked like a dog. (This is a good thing. I mean, is anything worse for fantasy players than the NFL's trend toward RB job-sharing? What's next, telecommuting?!)

The Super Squirrels' season is already off to a good start. After we all rostered 13 keepers, I used the 2nd overall pick in the draft to land Willis McGahee's replacement in Buffalo, rookie Marshawn Lynch. If you're looking for a 3rd RB for injury depth, you can do a whole lot worse than Lynch. Here's ESPN's 2007 SEASON OUTLOOK:

When they closed the book on Willis McGahee, the Bills couldn't have guessed that their next running back would be such a page-turner. This first-rounder is gritty and explosive, generating rare power for his size (5'11", 217). Lynch's straight-line style might not consistently click behind Buffalo's iffy O-line, but those five slabs of beef should serve him well on the goal line. When he does get a crease, his burst and top-end speed are the stuff of 40-yard runs (which is why his receiving potential also excites). If Lynch stays healthy, flex production should be the bare minimum.

Here's the rest of the Super Squirrels opening week roster:

Eli Manning
, NYG QB
1411.8--
Shaun Alexander
, Sea RB
297.8--
Willis McGahee
, Bal RB
288.9--
Anquan Boldin
, Ari WR
178.8--
Jerricho Cotchery
, NYJ WR
218.6--
Alge Crumpler
, Atl TE P
27.5--
Brian Urlacher
, Chi LB P
610.3--
Aaron Schobel
, Buf DE
106.6--
Dre' Bly
, Den CB
256.1--
Jason Elam
, Den K

LET'S GO SQUIRRELS!

2 comments:

Jeff Cutler said...

Why does your league use defensive players? That's odd.

I guess not as odd as my league a few years back using return yards as a stat. If you had Wes Welker, you were on your way to a HUGE season.

Good luck squirrels.

Jeff
http://www.jeffcutler.com

D. Scott Campbell said...

It's called IDP in the fantasy parlance. "Individual Defensive Player" I guess it means. It's more fun than just owning a team's defense, IMO. And we do count return yardage. One of my little tricks is to look for DBs who are also return men. God I miss Pacman Jones!