2014 Team Preview: Baltimore Ravens

For a sixth straight season, Razzball will be interviewing NFL-team blogs and site contributors for some actual in-depth football knowledge to shed some additional light on our fantasy football knowledge. Keep your eye out for an interview for every NFL team for our Team Preview Series through the summer. This installment comes courteous of Brian Malan from the leading Baltimore Ravens blog: Baltimore Beatdown.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

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Underrated: Brian Hartline

August 23, 2014 | 2014 Fantasy Football, 2014 Underrated | 28 Comments

by: Jarrod

Do you even tan bro?

Throughout the world of fantasy football, there are varying degrees of talent. Of course, it’s easy to point out the studs and duds each season. After all, studs end up drafted in the first round or two while the duds find themselves on your league’s waiver wire. However, the most important thing to remember is that fantasy football championships are won in the back-half of your draft. Finding quality depth for your roster is undoubtedly the most important (and difficult) thing for fantasy owners to do year in and out. With that being said, here is a look at one of many quality veterans who are being vastly undervalued in fantasy football drafts across the world and could help you win your league: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline.

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Underrated: Lamar Miller

August 22, 2014 | 2014 Fantasy Football, 2014 Underrated | 26 Comments

by: Geoff

Hey, any of you guys see where my offensive line went?

Hey guys, I get it, risk is scary. Most people go their entire lives doing whatever they can to avoid risk. No matter what it is, people avoid risk like I avoid poison ivy and country music. Well consider me to be the fantasy version of the tacky motivational poster on your boss’s wall. Throughout my years as a fantasy football player, I’ve come to know a few things to be true. Never draft a Mike Shanahan coached running back, never draft a QB in the first round, and those who take risks, win. Some of the best picks I’ve made have been some of my riskiest over the years. For example, Randy Moss in 2007 was going rounds after other top receivers after a futile stay in Oakland and a Training camp of DNP’s. What ensued was pure fantasy magic as the combo of Moss and Brady carried several of my teams to Payout City. Think of all the players that avoided Peyton Manning last year coming off of neck surgery. Now think of all the laughs the owners had who took the risk on Manning, as they cashed the more conservative owners checks.

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Lesharit Blount, Amiright?

August 22, 2014 | 2014 Fantasy Football, Fantasy Football Daily Notes | 82 Comments

by: Jay

Don’t worry, they sell Fantasy handcuffs at that one store down the street…

I guess this could have been considered breaking news, but I’m still waiting for the NFL to have any kind of self-awareness with Ray Rice only getting a two-game suspension for assault. Silly me! So here I am, in complete awe, as Pennsylvania has basically taught us the best way to handcuff running backs in fantasy football. Both Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount were charged with possession of marijuana following a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon. Apparently there’s also a DUI charge in the works, which seems logical, you know, kill two birds with one stone, etc., and, of course, the NFL is expected to review the incident. Personally, I think they both should have just stayed home and punched their girlfriends.

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Beddict’s Disgraces and Delights: Bold Predictions Straight From the Voice of the Elder Gods

August 21, 2014 | 2014 Fantasy Football, Fantasy Football Buy/Sell | 115 Comments

by: LT Murray IV

Can you feel the electricity in the air? I know what you’re thinking– Mom/wifey has yet to learn her lesson and attempted to deploy her plug-in vibrator in the Jacuzzi again. (When will they ever learn?) Pray to the Elder Gods that twas not due to them discovering my mythical Instagram account, for once a mortal witnesses those photographs they literally have no choice other than “Releasing,” which is much like the way I felt after viewing the latest Nicki Minaj video, Anaconda! I am known in some underground circles as they Ganymede of fantasy football analysts and I thoroughly embrace it. Back to that electricity your boy Beddict spoke; It’s due to the return of not only football, America’s greatest sport, but FANTASY FOOTBALL, America’s greatest game! ARE YOU READY?!?! I SAID, ARE YOU READY?!?!

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RCL Update: Mysterious Additional Prize Shall Be Announced At a Date That Remains a Mystery

August 21, 2014 | 2014 Fantasy Football, 2014 Razzball Commentator Leagues | 53 Comments

by: Jay

ALL THE VAGUENESS. But you’ll just have to trust me. While it’s true that we already have some wonderful prizes (described in detail after the jump), I thought I would take the time out of my day to let you know about one more prize that we are including for this year’s RCL Championship. And that is a mystery prize! OOOO, so exciting. In fact, it’s so mysterious, I’m not technically sure what it’s going to be, but I do know it’s going to be good. (Full disclosure: I actually know what it’s sorta-kinda-maybe going to be, and I think it’s pretty nifty and cool, and since I’m nifty and cool and you’re probably nifty and cool, we might have a similar opinion on such a matter!) The announcement will come out next week, so in the mean time, just trust me and get in on this free action. We are about a quarter way through the drafting phase of the pre-season, with the next three weeks being the “main event”. I actually used air quotes when typing that. The actual typing was done by my forehead and tongue to make my hands free. Impressive, I know. So remember, we are still looking for commissioners and fantasy owners to test their mettle against the entire Razzball family, from the contributors to you, the readers. Everyone is invited! So what are you waiting for? Create or Join a Free Razzball Commentator League today! (Or tomorrow. Or next week. Or, you know, soonish.)

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DraftKings: The Pump & Primer Edition

August 20, 2014 | 2014 Fantasy Football, DraftKings | 51 Comments

by: Sky

Greetings Earthlings, I have decided to descend from the heavens to give unto you the secrets of the DraftKings life. And by ‘descend’ I mean ‘go down a flight of stairs’ and by ‘from the heavens’, I mean from the second floor of my house. It’s hot up there right now! I’ll just type this down on the coolest floor of the house, thank you very much. If you’re not familiar with the baseball side of Razzball, well you’re probably just a football junkie through and through. I’m fine with that. But I did do a similar write up this year for the MLB side of this Daily Fantasy Sports universe so if you by chance did read the Primer and the Pumped editions, you might see some cross over. Yes, I might even be copying and pasting whole paragraphs. But you can’t plagiarize yourself, can you? Who would object? You won’t see me hauling myself to the principle’s office by my own ear…unless it leads to YouTube hits, of course. I’m all about the cash money! The point being is that though the sports are different, the similarities are still there in terms of knowledge base. Since this will be for people who aren’t familiar with DraftKings or the idea of Daily Fantasy, I want to do a quick reach out in the intro to those who are here for just the important parts. First important part: sign up for DraftKings through that link there. First time depositors get a free entry into the week 1, $100K Play Action Tournament. If you already have an account, well send your friends on over to sign up through us as well. The second important part is DK will be the lead article Wednesday Mornings throughout the season so tune in for the fun. Thirdly, if you’d like to know what got my motor running about DraftKings and how to get the strategy down, @BalesFootball has a fantastic e-book series available on Amazon called ‘Fantasy Football For Smart People’. I strongly suggest it even if you’re a seasoned veteran in the Daily Fantasy biz. And with that, I’m spent! Let’s get down to the getting down and cover some ins and outs of the DraftKings world for 2014 Fantasy Football…

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Ambulance Chasers, Preseason Edition: Reduced S-Pead Limit in Missouri

August 19, 2014 | 2014 Fantasy Football, Injury Report | 8 Comments

by: SethDaSportsMan

The tale of St. Louis Rams’ running back Isaiah Pead may end up being a short one.

Pead was taken by the Rams with the 50th overall pick of the 2012 Draft, eights spots ahead of stud linebacker Lavonte David and ten picks ahead of corner Casey Hayward. There would’ve been no reason to doubt the Rams selection at the time, after all, the University of Cincinnati product was an electrifying running back in college and performed very well in the pre-draft combines. The 5’10”, 200-pounder finished fourth among all RBs in the cone drill (6.95) and had the fifth-best 40 time at the position (4.47). Pead went into camp that year looking to compete, but quickly fell behind Steven Jackson and Daryl Richardson on the depth charts, finishing with just 10 carries for 54 yards during his rookie season.

2013 was supposed to be his breakout. Fantasy football owners pegged him as a guy who could be taken later in drafts, yet had fantasy starter capability. With Jackson signing in Atlanta, Richardson was the starter on paper, but he could easily be overtaken. Pead’s sleeper status grew exponentially during the off-season, until a suspension for substance abuse derailed that somewhat. He was forced to miss the Rams’ season opener and never regained any of his momentum from training camp. Coach Jeff Fisher saddled Richardson with the bulk of the ball-carrying duties for the first couple weeks of the season, limiting Pead’s upside. Pead received only one carry in Week 2, turning that into just one yard. He had two catches for 18 yards as well, but he was clearly behind the eight ball. During Week 3 vs. Dallas, Pead rushed for 20 yards and caught seven balls for 43 yards — a pretty productive game. Things were looking up for the second-year back — or were they?

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2014 Fantasy Football Auction Strategy & Values

August 19, 2014 | 2014 Draft Strategy, 2014 Fantasy Football | 98 Comments

by: Jay

Well, this is it, the last required information dump (hehe, dump) for the masses in preparation for your 2014 Fantasy Football Draft. And here it is, the auction values have been released. But I’m guessing you already knew that, because, of well, ^. For those of you who have never played in an auction draft, or for those of you who do nothing but make it rain when you here the words Jamaal and Charles in the same sentence, I’ll go over some pointers so as to facilitate moderate to heavy alcohol consumption without the fear of drafting David Wilson.

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2014 Fantasy Football Razzball IDP Leagues

August 18, 2014 | 2014 Fantasy Football, 2014 Razzball Commentator Leagues | 33 Comments

by: Kevin Kumpf

I’m pleased to announce the debut of RazzDP Leagues, IDP’s answer to Razzball Commentator Leagues. I would be remiss if I did not give a major hat tip to my boy J-FOH both for giving me both the inspiration to put these leagues together, but also the name of the leagues themselves.

Now for the specifics. Much like the standard RCL’s, the RazzDP leagues are completely 100% free. On the offensive side of the ball, both the positions and the scoring system are exactly the same. The difference, as one might imagine, is on defense. We’ve removed the D/ST position entirely (the #NoTeamD movement lives on!) and replaced it with six IDP slots, two each for DL, LB and DB, as well as two additional bench slots. The scoring system is Yahoo standard for now, however if enough owners want to change things up a bit (JFOH is keen on upping the points for Passes Defensed), I have no problem making adjustments.

In terms of prizes, these leagues are separate from the regular RCLs, so they will not be eligible for those prizes. However, there will be a mystery prize that will be announced once we see how many leagues we can fill. The more leagues filled, the cooler the prize.

So how do you join these epic leagues? Just follow me after the jump!

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Expert Leagues: The Fantasy Legends League Draft

August 18, 2014 | 2014 Fantasy Football, Our Leagues | 73 Comments

by: Jay

So, as you may know, or not know, and for those of you who do not know what I know that you know about what we both don’t know… uh, my computer just turned off. But, as I was saying,while having a stroke I guess, I don’t like calling myself an “expert”. Unless we are talking about browsing Redtube.com. I can do that for days. But in terms of fantasy sports, I prefer to just call myself a “writer”. A glorious and complicated descriptor, I’m sure. I have to say though, there are fantasy football experts out there, they do exist. How do I know this? Because that’s what they call themselves, and that’s okay! It’s not like they give degrees out for this stuff (though, they really should have so I would have payed a lot more attention in college…), so it is what it is. And this season, I was invited to take part in an experts league, (which I’m sure will be a surprise if you don’t read post title’s), called “The Fantasy Legends League“. Surprise! And how did your very own Jay do? Follow me after the jump to find out!

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2014 Team Preview: New England Patriots

August 17, 2014 | 2014 Fantasy Football, 2014 Team Previews | 15 Comments

by: Doc Matt

For a sixth straight season, Razzball will be interviewing NFL-team blogs and site contributors for some actual in-depth football knowledge to shed some additional light on our fantasy football knowledge. Keep your eye out for an interview for every NFL team for our Team Preview Series through the summer. This installment comes courteous of our very own Jennifer Warner.

Please, blog, may I have some more?