Hey everyone, the time has come once again. On Sunday, September 1st at 5 PM MDT, we’ll be gathering for our annual fantasy football draft. It’s hard to believe we’ve been doing this for almost 15 years—time flies when you’re competing for bragging rights and that sweet, sweet feeling of B2B championships! Don’t know that feeling? Ask Bradley. He’ll tell you all about it! It’s time to get ready to channel our inner Scottie Pippen and become the most dominant player in the league! (If you don’t count Shaq, David Robinson, Malone, Grant Hill, Olajuwon, Barkley, Stockton, Reggie Miller, Vin Baker, Chris Gatling, Vinny Del Negro, Kendal Gill, Anthony Mason, Tom Gugliotta… you get my point!)
We’'ve Moved From NFL.com to Sleeper: Get Ready
Before I dive into the draft details, a quick heads-up on the move from NFL.com to Sleeper this year. I’m hopeful this works out! Sleeper has more features that should make managing your team even better and give more opportunity for communication within the app. With change comes a learning curve, so take a few minutes before draft day to get familiar with the new interface. I don’t want anyone pulling a Nick Anderson at the free throw line!
Scoring Updates: Don’t Be That Guy Who Misses the Memo
Before you go full Ricky Williams and disappear into the wilderness right before the season, make sure you're up to speed on the scoring changes. I thought it was time to revamp the IDP settings to make that position more interesting and offer options on all 3 levels of the defense. These changes will most likely impact your draft strategy, so here are a few of the things you need to know:
- Sacks are now worth 5 points. Defensive linemen just became your Reggie White, taking over games and racking up the points.
- QB Hits now earn 1 point each. Not exactly a Gandmama dunk, more of a Stockton assist—every bit helps.
- Interceptions are now worth 6 points. You may want to target those ball-hawking DBs who feast on quarterbacks like they’re Nathan Peterman.
- Passes Defended are worth 4 points. Reliable and steady, just like Tim Duncan in the paint—always valuable.
It’s the most significant change we’ve made on the IDP front so take a look and see how you want to play it. I’ll be interested in what strategy ends up working.
Two Starting Running Backs: A Key Change
This year, we’re adding a second starting running back position to the lineup. That means running backs are now more valuable than ever. With two starting spots, you’ll need to pay extra attention to your RB picks. The NFL is clearly devaluing the RB position and I think it’s time to bring the bell cow back! You may want to grab a couple of solid backs early because there are a ton of guys who get some tun in, but not a lot of difference makers.
Sleeper’s Features: Make the Most of Them
Sleeper’s features are designed to make our lives easier, especially when it comes to trading. It’s an aspect that we haven’t used very much. The trading block feature lets you list your players and see who’s available for trade without the cold call. It’s like Tinder, but for your bench players. Swipe left on you underperformers, swipe right on the breakout stud. Not really, but hopefully it’s a faster, more efficient way to get deals done. So be sure to use it and let’s see if we can get to wheeling and dealing.
Final Thoughts
As we head into this year’s draft, let’s remember why we do this:
Just kidding. We’re all just a bunch of sports sickos that need our fix! All I know is that I’m ready to see a new champ this year or break the tie my dad and I have for the most championships won.
So, be ready on **Sunday, September 1st at 5 PM MDT **to draft live. Draft smart, make bold moves, and let’s keep the tradition alive. Looking forward to another great season with you all. Good luck!