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Here’s hoping you made the playoffs in all your leagues; of course the one league I didn’t make it was the one that cost the most paperclips; that’s what we call it in my work league, at least we do until the Supreme Court decides gambling is legal everywhere. So let’s thank Chris Christie (sitting front row) and the wonderful state of New Jersey for bringing this case to the Supreme Court (under the guise of State’s Rights, no less) because gambling should be legal in America. Then I thought about trips to casinos, the race track and OTBs and realize if there was one thing we need is not more places to make bets in America. I can absolutely wait on sports gambling at 7-11, McDonalds, Target, Starbucks, and everywhere in between. I’m sticking to Fantasy thank you very much.

Anyway the season has progressed rather quickly it seems, and I’m not ready for the fantasy season to be over in three weeks. So let’s do what we can to enjoy them. You guys that have been with me through the weeks know we are talking Free Agent Auction Bidding. Back in week one we started with $100; now I’m going to try something different, giving us $25 to play with. So let’s get spending!

Please, blog, may I have some more?

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I was overseas last week in London and noticed there was an overabundance of barber shops though a severe lack of dentists; good hair is important, mind you, but why not have good teeth, too? Speaking of Barber’s (look at that segue) we have one in Tampa coming off a two TD game though he’s not the man of the week; but before we get to that, let’s recap the game we’re playing here:

You and I all know this is Free Agent Auction Bidding, and we started with $100 FAAB dollars. I don’t have any left, so if you do I’ve broken this week down into 3 categories: 1. Spend all the monies, 2. For a buck and 3. If they clear. Understood? Good, let’s get to it.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Does anyone play in a league where you can trade FAAB dollars? I don’t know if there’s a website set-up for that, but there must be. I could see there being strategy involved with a trading a 4th wide receiver for $10 or using that extra cash to sweeten a deal. Especially over a long season, and if it was a keeper league to boot trading those extra dollars toward the end of the season could really make a difference. Well, I’m sold, if you’re interested check back in about eight months and I’ll have a league ready to go. Now, on to the show.

So this is Free Agent Auction Bidding, and we started the season with one hundred dollars. Ten weeks in, does anyone have any money left? (I have less than $10 in all my leagues) But let’s say you do, let’s say you missed out on all the guys you wanted up until this week, maybe you’ve added and dropped a couple defenses, but that’s it. In that case, spend spend spend!

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Everyone knows the Rams moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles in 2016. Not everyone knows that yours truly did as well. And no, I did not follow the team to LA. I’m no Rams fan; for that matter neither were most of my friends and associates in St. Louis, and even if they were, it wasn’t like the love they showed for the Cardinals. The Rams didn’t have a good setup in the Lou; no tailgating, crappy stadium, bad location, terrible team. I’m not at all surprised they moved, and I doubt many have noticed in that baseball town.

Not surprisingly an embarrassing first season in LA led to poor fan support at games however things are looking up this season. Funnily enough, in either market, if the Rams put a good product out on the field people will go, and people are going now, to see the Goff and Gurley show. But before we get to the fun let’s just reiterate the rules: This is Free Agent Auction Bidding. Or FAAB for the faabulous ones, and we started the season with $100. By now we should have less. How much? I have an average of $25…

Please, blog, may I have some more?

I believe that karma rules fantasy football. I don’t think there’s any other governing force. Example: in my home league I won last week by .42 points and this week, you freaking know it, I lost by .3. Next week am I going to win by .2? I can’t take the aggravation. Though a win’s a win and all we really need is a playoff spot, right? We all want a bye, but 1-4 isn’t season over. I won that league last year by slipping in as the sixth seed (though I had the most overall points which is why I had the creative team name “Most Points”).

Sad truth is if you are 1-4, you can’t be 1-5; so look at the teams in your league and throw out trade offers for guys going this week (I’m not just telling you, I’m doing it too; got unlucky and staring down 1-5 in a big money league). But we believe in fantasy football karma in the land of AbFAAB and the only way to up that is to spend some money! ($100 Free Agent Auction Budget Dollars we’re playing with; at least that’s what we started the season with.)

Please, blog, may I have some more?

After last week’s boring as hell waiver wire we’re back this week with some real options. Not the sexiest of options, mind you, but more (the ol’ quantity over quality). Remember we’re going with $100 FAAB dollars (though most of you probably have much less than that, and I’m working off the loose assumption you have about $50 or so left so adjust accordingly):

Please, blog, may I have some more?

This season the Eagles thought they had that famous combination, pairing LeGarette Blount and Darren Sproles (only to have Sproles break his arm and tear his ACL, brutal, and get replaced by another Lighting). The nickname for a running back combination, typically a larger, burlier back and a shiftier, quicker back has been passed down through the years. Beginning with the backfield of one Archie Manning, the original Thunder and Lighting were the Saints duo Chuck Muncie and Tony Galbreath, so dubbed by Hank Stram (I don’t remember this, uh, since I wasn’t born yet, so thanks NY Times, though the link is about the tough life of Muncie, worth the read, but come right back!).

In more recent years we’ve had CJ2K (more on him later) and LenDale White (I still remember winning leagues with White scoring 15 TDs back when leagues weren’t rewarding .1 for rushing & receiving yards and TDs were what won leagues) Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott(and later TJ Duckett), Tiki Barber and Ron (the Cocaine Train) Dayne and I’m sure I’m missing a bunch (so feel free to add your favorite).

A google search yields multiple teams are working on their own T&L this season including the Bears (Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen), the Dolphins (Jay Ajayi and Kenyan Drake), Atlanta (though I’m not really sure which is which), Cincinnati (Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard formed a piss poor T&L, just let Mixon be the number one already) and…wow, this is such a lazy way to refer to running back combinations so let’s all agree to never use the term Thunder and Lighting…except in the title of this post. But after that, no more, ok?

Onto the Values! At this point I’m going to assume you’ve spent at least half of a $100 budget (If you have more, add a few dollars to the bids, what do you have to lose?) So with that remaining Grant this week we’re spending it on:

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Well the top guys of a week ago did not live up to their hype, did they?  Here are their stats from Week 2:

Javorius Allen – 5 Rec, 35 yards, 66 rush yards, 1 TD.

Kerwynn Williams – 22 rush yards.

Kenny Golladay – 1 Rec, 8 yards.

Tarik Cohen – 8 Rec, 55 yds, 13 rush yards, 1 fumble lost.

Nelson Agholor – 1 Rec, 9 yards, 1 TD.

Williams was quiet this week as the Cardinals looked bad against Indy and Chris Johnson definitely took carries. The whole Cardinals offense still doesn’t look right; let’s hope they get back on track Week 3 but Johnson & Ellington were on the field in overtime and that worries me. On the bright side: Williams is also their return man to add to his value. Don’t cut bait after one week…

Allen looked good on his TD run and is settling in as Woodhead light, which is a hoppy sardines-infused dark chocolate almond butter IPA with less calories. Flacco likes to throw so Allen should remain a flex play, although West is still the bellcow there.

Cohen could have looked better, but Howard was also terrible and the Bears simply got owned, so that Cohen salvaged some fantasy value is good to see. Cohen clearly benefits from being on the field for all the passing the Bears will do. So hold him if you added him last week because better days are coming.

Agholor salvaged some value catching a garbage time TD (though based on that score the Eagles actually had a chance to win (on a Hail Mary), so was it really in garbage time?)

Razzball Football’s partner FantasyDraft is starting a new sign-up promotion this week, all new depositing signups receive a free $4 “Everyone Wins” NFL GPP ticket for the upcoming Sunday slate along with offering all players 4% cash back on their initial deposits! 

Please, blog, may I have some more?

The first couple weeks are where you should spend at least fifty percent of your Free Agent Auction Budget. Yeah, I said Half. At least. Spend that money. These early weeks are mas importante. Don’t worry about dropping the money on the top guys because isn’t it better to have them and drop them than not have a possible lottery ticket? But it does seem a bit weird. We’re not taught to spend all our money right away. We’re supposed to save some for a rainy day. You can, but experience has shown me that the most valuable guys come after the first couple weeks and very often after week one. You don’t need money once the season is over (and if you don’t get one of these guys your seasons may be over a lot sooner than you think), so don’t worry about spending it now.

If you want an FAAB lesson check out the preseason column is here. Now let’s get to the good stuff.  You know these guys because everyone can’t stop talking about them. Here are the top waiver adds and what should you pay (assuming $100 FAAB Budget):

Please, blog, may I have some more?