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NFL Fantasy Player Tracker Buy or Sell

September 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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The Cover 4.com presents you with the NFL Fantasy Player Tracker Buy or Sell! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @thecover4 or facebook at theCo VerFour


Must Buy

#1. Cleveland Browns TE: Jordan Cameron

Cameron has been on my radar since the end of last season. He is another big and physical tight end that has been the primary target for Weeden, and now Hoyer, since Josh Gordon has been gone. Managing to have 5+ receptions in the first three weeks is one thing, but averaging more than 10 yards per reception is another. Head Coach Rob Chudzinski and Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner are getting him more involved with the offense by finding new ways to utilize his catching abilities, as seen in his touchdown reception on a fake field goal. One might think that his fantasy stock has fallen with Wide Receiver Josh Gordon back on the field, but that only helps to take the defense’s focus off of him. He has 4 touchdowns in 3 week. Cameron is a no brainer as top tier (ie Jimmy Graham) fantasy tight ends are hard to come, especially by this season. Trade for Cameron if you are able to as his production should continue for the rest of the season.

#2.  Cincinnati Bengals RB: Giovani Bernard

The running back has finally made use of his reps and has given Head Coach Marvin Lewis a reason to continue to give him more. The Bengals have always been known as a tough, hard-nosed football team but Bernard has brought speed and explosiveness to the team that is now taking focus off the All-Pro wide receiver AJ Green. Bernard has made himself a viable starter in most fantasy leagues at the flex position because of his ability to find ways to get in the end zone. With 4 scores in three weeks I do not see why he’d rot on someone’s bench.

#3. Buffalo Bills QB: EJ Manuel

As a rookie he is showing no signs up backing down to veteran defenders in this league. After being sacked by the New York Jets Defense eight times, Manuel stood strong in the pocket, throwing for 243 yards and 1 touchdown while also making plays happen on his feet (see his 40 yards rushing). He is a versatile player that is continuing to gain chemistry with fellow rookie WR Robert Woods, as well as his #1 receiver Stevie Johnson. There is Russell Wilson type potential in Buffalo; Wilson took the first half of the year to learn and then lit up the league in the final weeks. He might not be your starter yet but he is a strong backup/bye week option and short term replacement for struggling quarterbacks like Colin Kaepernick.

#4. St. Louis Rams WR: Austin Pettis

Although not a household name, yet, Pettis is making himself known as one of the top receivers in St. Louis. He has a sure set of hands and has been quarterback Sam Bradford’s safety blanket and red zone target.  He has great route running skills and finds the windows in the opposing defenses. With 114 yards receiving and two touchdowns, he is not going to have huge games but will certainly find a way to get open. Pettis will have a decent showing Thursday night against a weak 49er secondary. The 49ers’ defense has struggled in past weeks and is plagued by ailing injuries; with ILB Patrick Willis (Groin), DB Carlos Rogers (Knee), Nnadmi Asomugha (knee), DE Justin Smith (Shoulder) all potentially out, look for Pettis to get open and for the Rams to get into the end zone. He is a definite trade worthy receiver for the remainder of the season.

#5. Houston Texans WR: DeAndre Hopkins

Hopkins is a very special rookie that has shown promise dating to the preseason. He might be the #2 receiver behind Andre Johnson but he is looking like a top fantasy wide out more each week. For the past 3 weeks, Hopkins has had 5+ receptions as well as 50+ yards with a touchdown. Hopkins has shown that he can fill in for a hurt Andre Johnson; see week #2 when he had 117 yards receiving and a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans. Quarterback Matt Schaub is really beginning to trust him and his playmaking abilities. With Johnson still hurting, expect Hopkins to get a lot more balls thrown his way the rest of the season. On a side note, Hopkins faces Seattle Seahawks CB Richard Sherman and, although unpopular, I like this matchup for him. We can all flashback to when Falcons’ WR Roddy White torched the Seattle Defense in the 2012-2013 Playoffs.

Must Sell

#1. New York Giants QB: Eli Manning

Elite? Right now it doesn’t look like it. Without an o-line and a running game, it is really hard for a defense to respect Manning. Last week, Manning was sacked 7 times and looked silly against the Panthers D. Eli is a pocket passer, who needs the time to make the right decisions and deliver a completed ball. He is playing with frustrations and that will only force him to make more mistakes. Until Eli steps up and calms down, he is not a starting fantasy quarterback. Moving forward, I don’t see the Giants having a major turnaround.

#2. New England Patriots RB: Stevan Ridley

Right now there is no hope for Ridley as a reliable fantasy number one running back. The Patriots offense does not look like the Patriots offense of the past. With multiple wide receiver and running back options, Ridley looks irrelevant; He has failed to get 50+ yards in any of the three weeks against the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His terrible play has caused him to lose carries to running backs LeGarrette Blount and Brandon Bolden. Until Gronkowski and Amendola make their ways back to the field to take pressure off the running game, Ridley will continue to struggle.

#3. Dallas Cowboys WR: Miles Austin

In a blowout on Sunday against the St. Louis Rams, Miles Austin only pulled in 2 receptions for 22 yards. His production has been on a decline since his decent performance in week 1 where he hauled in 10 receptions for 72 yards. With WR Dez Bryant getting most of the targets and Austin suffering from a hamstring injury, it is hard to say that he will be back up to par soon. Hamstring injuries are nagging injuries that take time to heal before getting back to 100%, just ask Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald.  Somewhere down the line this season once he is healthy, consider him a valuable pick up but as of right now he is not the receiver everyone drafted him to be and he won’t be that guy for the next couple of weeks. Sell now!

#4. New York Giants DST

Unfortunately, the Giants look old and tired. Their defense looks slower than in years past and it seems to me that they are lacking leadership. There is no one on that defense that tries to regroup the defense, not even defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. They’re simply not getting to the quarterback. With only 3 sacks, they are allowing opposing quarterbacks to pick apart their coverages.

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Jonah Montenegro
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Fantasy “Start Em Or Sit Em”

September 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
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Ahh it’s time to offer up some “Start em Sit em” advice and though its not as epic as offering pre draft insight it’s still fun. The obvious weekly basis starts  (Brees, Peterson, Megatron, Graham etc.) will not be mentioned.

 

– Note: This was done before the Thursday Game but did not run on the site !

 

Start em

QB

Matt Ryan: Matty Ice is playing in New Orleans. I repeat, Matty Ice will be going up against the Saints defense. Expect a shootout between him and Brees. ‘Nuff Said.

Andrew Luck: Luck’s starting his sophomore season off against Oakland at home. You can expect him to try and get ahead of the Sophomore slump whispers and the opportunity to take advantage of what will most likely be a lack luster defense, is only going to help.

 

RB – I think outside the obvious RB 1’s there are some sweet starts to either plug into that RB2 or your flex slot.

Shane Vereen: At Buffalo you can expect the Patriots to do two things offensively. Run the ball, and get Tom Brady on page with his new weapons. I think Vereen will get a few carries, more receptions, and close to 100 total yards and a TD.

Daryl Richardson: Going up against Arizona DRich isn’t exactly a safe bet, but look for the Rams to split him out wide. He’s the Rams starting RB. I think he comes out and shows he deserves that role. I bet you he catches 50 passes this year as a nice little bonus for PPR owners.Ben Tate: If you’re searching for a nice RB 2 or flex option Ben Tate is another worthy start.  Adrian’s not getting a full workload the first game according to Gary Zubiak. Tate’s gonna get more touches than usual, and he runs really well in that zone run system.Ahmad Bradshaw: I like his chances against Oakland. I like anyone’s chances against Oakland but Ahmad is a good back. Indy will always look to establish the run whether its with Bradshaw or Ballard is a different story. This week I like Bradshaw.

 

WR

Hakeem Nicks: Nicks hasn’t been getting the love he deserves in drafts, many owners have him as their 3rd WR and/or flex guy. Nicks is in a contract year and football players like getting paid. He’ll want to start well and despite common belief, Nicks is Eli’s favorite target especially in the red zone.

Danny Amendola: His value really shot up by the time owners were drafting so he may be a WR1 in most cases inevitably making him an obvious start making him a guy who should go unmentioned. I don’t care some got him as their WR2 and some guys even have him as their flex. So here it is. Start Amendola, he may not play a full 16 game season judging by his injury history. But he’s playing this game, and he’s going to score points.

Kenbrell Thompkins: Another Patriot receiver. The hype is oh so real. Start the man if your flex is still up in there, just play him. I’m thinking he’s a sure bet for 6-8 receptions and maybe more. PPR gold as I’ve said before. TDs may be his only downside due to the Pats love of the play action pass to the TE. But he’ll score a few.

Greg Jennings: This is a bit of a weird one. I find it funny he’s somewhat of a no name fantasy receiver this year. Jennings can play, his QB is horrible but the Vikings’ intentions are clear. They desperately need to make defenses respect the deep ball even if its just a little bit. Giving Adrian a little more room will pay off big time, they drafted Patterson who I think will be involved, but Jennings is the proven receiver. I think they’ll try to get him the ball deep right off the bat in week 1 to get it on tape for opposing defenses coming later in the year. I think he catches a TD in this game, and a long one.

 

TE

Zachary Sudfeld: While I’m not exactly sold on this guys hype despite my bias being a Pats fan I think if you’re going to play him, nows a pretty good time. Ron Gronkowski isn’t expected to play and any time that’s the case Sudfeld should probably make your lineup.

Julius Thomas: Again I’m trying to stay away from obvious guys to play. I think if you have a choice between say Greg Olsen and Julius Thomas you should start Thomas this week. Olsen is playing Seattle and Thomas has been drafted as a backup pretty consistently in fantasy drafts this year. If not check your waiver wire and get him. More on Olsen in the sit em part of this spectacular article.

 

Defense/Special Teams

New England: They’re playing Buffalo and though they’ll struggle with Spiller like any defense they should have fun with the EJ Manuel experiment.

Tampa Bay: Tampa for two reasons. Darrell Revis gets his revenge on the Jets and Geno Smith is absolutely horrible and is starting for NY. This should be a ridiculous year. Play any defense playing the Jets every week!

 

Kicker

No one should have backup kickers! Play who you got sonny!

You never see specific predictions like this! Cover 4 baby.

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Sit em

QB

Both Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton will have their worst weeks this season in week 1. But you really can’t sit Rodgers and in many cases you can’t sit Cam either. Both are playing the best defenses in the league (Rodgers @SF, Cam has SEA at home) so if you have excellent backups with good match ups then I don’t blame you. I’m scared for Rodgers’ life going against the best pass rusher in the game in Aldon Smith with a rookie left tackle to boot, and Cam well, he likes to run so he’ll be taking hits from a very physical Seattle defense no matter what. Scary stuff. If you drafted right you start whomever you took first at the QB position however these are two guys to look at.

 

RB

Arian Foster: Head coach Gary Zubiak has said they will gradually get him involved in week 1 considering he didn’t play a snap in the preseason. Ben Tate may be getting more carries in this one or the Texans may be bluffing. I like Tate more than Arian week 1.

DeAngelo Williams: Please don’t play this guy against Seattle, please don’t.

Eddie Lacy: Welcome to the NFL rook, have fun against San Fran, Pat Willis and company.

Isaac Redman: If you don’t have to I wouldn’t. He is going to start for PIT for awhile while Bell is out but he’s a fill in at best. That’s something you shouldn’t have to worry about week 1.

 

WR

Wes Welker: I’m not so sure Peyton is impressed and I think he’d probably even rather have Stokely I’m the slot considering he’s worked with him for so long. Give Welker time to get accustomed to what Peyton wants from him I don’t think you’ll get much from Wes early.

Steve Smith: Smith is facing one of the better cornerback tandems in the league in Browner and Sherman. They are massive compared to Smith and just as fast. He’ll struggle. If you’re sensing a theme you’re getting it, stay away from Carolina guys this week with Seattle in town.

Cecil Shorts: Love the guy but he’s simply not as talented as Blackmon and Gabbert is awful. Play KC’s defense is very underrated and should have some fun playing Jacksonville.

Anquan Boldin: I hope you didn’t draft this guy to start him. Don’t think you’ll be happy this year. He’s a big physical guy who will help block for the run game. He’s very similar to the type of player Hines Ward was.

 

TE

Greg Olsen: Carolina guy taking on Seattle. Olsen is far from a safe bet. However I do think if anybody scores on Carolina not named Cam Newton, it’ll be this guy.

Owen Daniels: I’m so over this guy as a legit starting TE for fantasy teams. He’s so boring.  Never anything spectacular you’re better off going for someone with high upside like a Sudfeld or Pettigrew. Maybe even Rob Housler from Arizona.

 

Defense/Special Teams:

Buffalo: I think they’ll be improved this year but they have Tom Brady in week one. If they’re defensive line shows up they’ll do alright.

Atlanta: Enter Drew Brees.

 

Kickers

Enough with the kickers already!

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Oh yeah, tell your friends too!

Christian Stinchfield
Sports Activist for The Cover 4
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Fantasy Football Preview: A Guide to Win Your League

August 30, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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Who to Target, Who to Avoid

Round 1:

Yes, you’re going to want to go RB here, big surprise.  The only non-RB I’m targeting is Calvin Johnson.  Outside of Megatron, I’m taking a top-12 back to help sure up that position.

Who to Target:

CJ Spiller:  Spiller’s going to have a monster year.  Barring injury I’m willing to put my fantasy credibility on the line and say he’s a legitimate candidate to rack up 2000 total yards. He’s my No. 2 pick after Adrian Peterson.

Doug Martin: Dougie has my attention.  I think he’s worth the third pick considering he’s got an elite offensive line clearing holes for him and Greg Schiano said the Bucs will be leaning on him.  If he and his line stay healthy, look for his numbers to improve even after a stellar year last season.

Ray Rice: I’ve seen Rice fall out of the top 5.  At six it’s a no-brainer. Many are afraid of him due to the slight emergence of his backup, Bernard Pierce.  Pierce is an added bonus in my eyes.  John Harbaugh has said Rice will be lined up in the slot when Pierce is in the backfield which sounds like PPR gold to me.  Pierce can also keep Rice fresh throughout the year which could bring a welcomed consistency to Rice’s fantasy performance. Draft Pierce as an insurance policy.

Calvin Johnson: If I don’t get AP, Spiller, Martin or Rice and I’m sitting at six with Megatron on the board, I’m taking him.  He’s a monster in PPR leagues and I think his TD numbers will be up a whole lot from last year.  Calvin owners from last year won their league 25 percent of the time, the highest winning percentage by any player outside of AP. Expect to get Stevan Ridley and Darren Sproles as your first and second backs and I’d recommend going after a Shane Vereen or Daryl Richardson as well.  Either way you’ll want to pay attention to the RB position later in your draft.

Al Morris/Matt Forte: These two are going at the end of round one and in some drafts, the beginning of round two.  If you have the last pick this year there’s a good chance you end up with both of these guys.  You gotta love that.  When it comes back around you can focus on snagging a couple high-end WRs.  You could take one WR and an elite TE or QB such as Jason Witten or Drew Brees/Aaron Rodgers, a really solid draft strategy.

Who to Avoid:

Jamal Charles: I had a terrible experience with Charles, taking him with the No. 2 overall pick the year he tore his ACL. I may be biased on this guy, but I’m not convinced he’s who I want to count on as my No. 1 RB.  I look for reliability with the first RB I take enabling me to take risks on high upside guys later.  If you must take Charles, look to follow him with a pick like Ridley.  I like Ridley’s ability to remain consistent.

Arian Foster: I love Arian Foster, I took him first overall last year and won my league thanks in large part to him.  There are so many questions surrounding Foster this year I’m almost sure I’m avoiding him completely.  The only chance I’m taking Foster is if he falls to me at six or later and Megatron isn’t available.  I don’t think that will happen in most drafts.  If you take him, Ben Tate is a must-draft later on.

Marshawn Lynch: Why did the Seahawks take a RB in the second round in this year’s NFL draft?  On top of that Christine Michael has really impressed in camp and in preseason games.  He could steal a few carries.  Plus Lynch doesn’t really catch the ball.  I’d take him if it was between him and Morris at the end of the first, but that seems unlikely.

Jimmy Graham/Dez Bryant: Expect huge years for these guys.  I want them both on my team.  But  I’m not spending a first-round pick on either.

 

5 Sleeper WRs to Keep Your Eye On:

Justin Blackmon:  Blackmon isn’t that under the radar; however he’s still going extremely late in drafts for some reason.  Even with the four-game suspension he’s worth it because by the time he falls in drafts teams already have their starting WRs as well as a backup or even two.  You can’t go wrong with Blackmon. I’m sure he’ll produce even with the QB situation in Jacksonville.  The old Phil Simms quote applies here, “even when he isn’t open, he’s open.” I could get this guy the ball.

Kembrell Thompkins:  Another guy who the secret is out on.  Thompkins is going to start alongside Danny Amendola and we don’t see Amendola playing a full 16-game season so Thompkins may be the No. 1 in some weeks.  This kid is going a round or two after Blackmon, so when you take him it’s most likely you’ll already have 4 WRs.  You have to take him if that’s the case. He could be a 75-plus reception guy as he’s run both the deep routes and the Wes Welker-style routes for the Pats.

Markus Wheaton:  Wheaton can absolutely fly.  Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown are the starters for the Steelers but expect Wheaton to be on the field a whole lot for Pittsburgh.  The Steelers could cause some problems for defenses with both Brown and Wheaton out there. That’s a serious amount of speed.

Kenny Stills: He’s the third WR for New Orleans and he’s a talent for sure. Drew Brees has already shown a lot of trust in the rookie in just a few preseason games.  He’ll go undrafted without a doubt, so pick him up if you don’t like how your WR corps looks immediately after your draft.  After 70 yards and a TD in Week 1 it will be a race to waiver wire for him anyway.

Brandon LaFell:  LaFell showed he can contribute as a No. 2 receiver for Carolina.  Cam Newton has found him in the red zone a few times as he’s much bigger than Steve Smith.  If you need a fill in, you could get a TD out of him.

5 Sleeper RBs to Keep Your Eye On:

LaMichael James: The 49ers began to get him involved last year and this year he should see even more action.  James possesses big play ability and is the young guy knocking on the old veteran’s door.  I remember a similar situation last year in San Fran involving a former No. 1 overall pick and some guy name Colin Kaepernick.  Hmm.

Christine Michael:  This kid fits right into the “beast mode” mentality in Seattle.  Michael is a physical runner who punishes defenders with every attempted tackle.  The Seahawks drafted him in the second round with no apparent need at RB, so we ask… Why?

Knowshon Moreno:  Still can picture him leaping over defenders in that Georgia uniform.  He’s a talented player who came on strong after Willis McGahee went down last season.  He is probably the most seasoned RB the Broncos have when you factor in pass protection, ball protection and receiving ability.  He’s worth the late pick it costs to get him.

Kenjon Barner: Jonathan Stewart’s been placed on the PUP list and even after he gets back I feel the tiny Oregon product, Barner, can show he deserves his touches. If he outplays DeAngelo Williams in the first six weeks, look out.

Isaac Redman: Went undrafted in my 12-team PPR high stakes league.  I scooped him off the waiver wire because LeVeon Bell’s out for awhile and sure enough Pittsburgh named him the interim starter. Nothing special here but he’ll carry the ball more than anyone on his team. There are only 32 of those guys out there ya know.

 

The Trick to Adding Depth and My Famous Jason Witten Pick
Year after year my favorite player to draft is Jason Witten. For the past two or three years explosive guys like Jimmy Graham and Vernon Davis garner all the attention and it’s made it even easier for me to go under the radar and snag Witten in the fifth round. At that point I have my starting RBs and WRs, and while people are “adding depth” at those positions, I’m stealing a 20-30 point player (referring to points per game) giving me an edge every week at the TE position.
The only matchup I’m losing is Witten vs. Graham (or Witten vs. a healthy Rob Gronkowski) and even then I’m competing with them, scoring enough at the position to allow my other players win me the week. Graham goes in the mid-to-late second round and scores a little more than Witten. Witten goes three rounds later and really gives you an edge since you took a stud RB or WR in the same round that Graham was picked.
With the next two picks you add either another RB and WR, or one of the two and an elite QB who’s fallen right to you. I find myself in this position every draft, a possible top-three guy like Tom Brady or Tony Romo falling right in my lap in the seventh round holding a big sign saying, “Draft Me!” So through seven rounds all starting positions (outside of DEF/ST and kicker) are filled and everyone of those guys flat out score points. Plus, you have the luxury of not having to worry about a finding a QB who can get you 20 points weekly or a TE who’ll get you 10. Why? Because you stole both Witten and Brady/Romo, who can be counted on to score a substantial amount of points throughout the year.
Now you can focus on depth.  You already know you’re getting points from your workhorses. Now is the time to take risks and target sleepers or undervalued guys. Snatch up guys like Kenny Britt or Lance Moore, DeAngelo Williams or Daryl Richardson adding more starters for their respective teams and late at that. Then take your risks like Kenbrell Thompkins or Justin Blackmon.  Then add a solid defense and kicker one round earlier than most in an attempt to get a leg up on those positions knowing you can get Kenny Stills or Isaac Redman (who have been going undrafted) with your last pick. A good defense and kicker to target just a tad early would be New England and Sebastian Janikowski. Try it out in mocks and see if you like your team.  I always do.

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Christian Stinchfield
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The Cover 4 Fantasy Football: Time to win your league

August 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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Here at The Cover 4 we pride ourselves on the fact our primary goal isn’t to provide readers with a daily update on the underwear Tim Tebow has decided to roll with that particular day.  Nor do we spend time focusing on the recession of LeBron’s hairline.  We don’t care that Brett Favre texted a picture of his man region to an attractive lady reporter, in fact I think I speak for everyone here at The Cover 4 when I say I hope it worked out for him (it didn’t).  It is my honor to apply this philosophy to fantasy sports.  I’m from Boston, I promise to work “wicked hahd.”

With the start of the 2013 NFL season, fantasy owners everywhere are discussing projections and draft strategies religiously.  At this point drafts are taking place and it’s the perfect time.  The third weekend of preseason games is prime for draft day.  Imagine if you drafted before the first game of the preseason and wound up with Danario Alexander, an exciting sleeper option at WR a few weeks ago, only to learn he suffered an ACL tear and his season is over.

We promise not to list 200 players and call it a day.  Instead we’d like to offer a more in-depth approach to preparing for your draft.  You can expect round-by-round pointers and analysis as well as a very important undervalued and overvalued player portion ensuring you fully understand what you’re paying for and whether it’s worth it.  Each player you add to your team costs a draft pick, so spend wisely fellas. (To all female fantasy football owners, we love you, but you are a precious few.  Call me.)

                I want to quickly touch on scoring settings.  Please don’t get cute and go with two QB leagues or have passing TDs earn you six points each.  The traditional PPR (point per reception) scoring settings are in place for a reason.  They offer the most realistic experience possible.  Fantasy owners have full reign over their respective teams.  You are Jerry Jones or Bill Belichick to your team.  When you win, you get the credit. When you lose, you are to blame.  At least have it be as real as possible.  Fantasy football has become a way of life, a hobby to some, an investment to others.  Six points per passing TD makes Drew Brees a fire-breathing dragon who needs be the first overall pick in every draft, whereas four points levels the playing field considering QBs touch the ball on every offensive play. These “cute” leagues as I have become accustomed to calling them are the Miller Lite or Natural Ice of fantasy football.  They’re light, cheap, and no matter what anyone says, they are not enjoyable.  The traditional PPR is your craft beer. It’s full bodied, packs a punch, just a beautiful thing.  It only takes one to have you hooked.  Your taste is altered, your perception is changed.  Everything not is not that simply falls short. Take my word for it and give in to the temptation.  You’ll probably lose your marriage over it.  It’s perfect.

                In the weeks leading up to your draft you are a man on a mission.  This season you’re winning the money, the bragging rights, the shiva, whatever the prize may be, this is the year you are taking it.  During the season each week brings the latest story, a tragic injury placing you a RB short of two full-time starters or a welcomed injury where all of a sudden a RB who hasn’t left your bench all year is now the guy getting all the carries on his team.  Players come out of nowhere and it’s a race to the waiver wire to bid on an undrafted free agent.  Maybe your backup QB is facing the worst passing defense in the league and you’re pondering starting him over your mainstay who’s been great for you all year.  So many possible circumstances, so many possible outcomes, you don’t want to be kicking yourself after the draft or after you started a WR who didn’t end up playing.

Cover 4 will have you feeling confident going into your draft and sure of your weekly lineup adjustments.  That’s why we’re here.  That’s why a lot of services are here.  So far no one has separated themselves from the pack.  It’s all the same.  There isn’t a website that has truly broken down the draft process and showed you recommended strategies bringing you maximum values with all your picks.  We refuse to rank players and not explain why.  We refuse to tell you a player is a sleeper and have him cost you a fourth-round pick.  You will not be wasting your third pick on a “sleeper.”  You want to score more points than the other guy, and you want to do it every week.  We’re the PPR league, we’re the craft beer.  Cover 4 is going to level the playing field.  We’re going to change your perception.  The 2013 NFL season is here gentlemen, another year of epic fantasy football action. Let’s go.

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Thank you for reading The Cover 4! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

Oh yeah, tell your friends too!

Christian Stinchfield
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Don’t Be “That Guy” During your Fantasy Draft

August 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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It’s officially August, and that means it’s the time of year that sports fans forget about all other fantasies that don’t involve fantasy football. Although many of us have been doing mock drafts and rating running backs since the Super Bowl ended, draft time is officially right around the corner. With crimes being so rampant in the NFL right now, I’m here to make sure you don’t commit one during your draft. Don’t be the one who ruins their league’s draft and gets his trades vetoed all season long. Everyone hates “that guy.” Nobody wants to be “that guy.” So, don’t be “that guy.” Protect yourself and don’t act as any of the following:

The Delay of Game

Don’t be the guy who shows up late to his draft. Odds are you’ve known about the date and time for weeks. If you’re doing an online draft, all it takes is one or two auto drafts and not only can your team be ruined, but the whole league drastically changes. If you are all drafting in person, you are making the whole league wait on you. We all know that fantasy drafts are a process that will take hours to get done. Also, by being late you drastically increase the risks that the beer will be gone before the kickers start going. If you make the league wait for the draft, you will wait on the league during the draft. Enjoy being the guy to grab everyone’s beers from the fridge.

The Bum

If you’re playing in a money league, don’t show up to the draft without having paid your dues. Asking someone for money is always an awkward situation, so do your best to avoid it and pay on time. Don’t be the douche that keeps trying to get out of paying because he doesn’t like the team he drafted. The earlier that all the money is collected, the better it is for the entire league. Good luck trying to get a guy that is 2-10 to fork over $100 come playoff time. Make it easy for everyone and don’t be the bum that can’t pay.

The Caveman

This is the guy who has been living under a rock, sat in the dark, or suffered a serious head injury the day before the draft. You know, the guy who is going to draft Aaron Hernandez in the fourth round and think he got a steal. You’ll know you are this guy because you will draft a person and immediately hear the entire room laugh out loud at you. Not only will you ruin your draft, but you will be the butt of every joke the entire season.

The Whiner

We’ve all heard them before: “I never get the first pick,” “this is the worst year to pick eighth,” or “if I had your pick my team would be so much better.” There’s always that guy who decides to whine about his draft position. Nobody wants to hear your excuse for why your team sucks. It’s not where you drafted, it’s just you.

The Whistleblower

This is the guy who gets most hated by his fellow fantasy players. It’s bound to happen at some point during the draft, and odds are it will ruin the pick you had lined up. This is the guy who yells “How is (insert player here) still on the board in this round?!” If you scream about a player still sitting on the board, everyone who wanted that player will hate you and rightfully so. Odds are some people saw him, but didn’t want to blow their chance getting him by yelling it out. This is a fantasy no-no and may get you punched in the throat.

The Einstein

Big whoopdy doo, you watched NFL Network and ESPN all week long and are throwing around more facts than Biogenesis throws out steroids. Few things are more annoying than this guy. Just because you watched and read Matthew Berry all week doesn’t mean you should pretend to be him. Nobody likes a know-it-all and everyone hates a person who simply is ACTING like a know-it-all. No matter what you say, I don’t need to know the name of every center, tackle or guard and their lingering ankle, middle toe or nipple injury to draft my running back. Some things are better left unsaid.

The Computer Thief

If you’ve ever had to share your computer with someone during a fantasy draft, you’ll know that this is one of the worst things that can happen. Don’t be the guy who forgets to bring his laptop to the draft. When you make someone else share their computer with you, you take away their time to research, can look at their draft queue, and just all around piss that person off. Make sure to bring your own computer and charge it before the draft. Draft picks are like girlfriends, some things you just don’t share.

The Macaulay Culkin

This is the guy who brags about his fantasy championships throughout the draft even though he hasn’t won in years. The only champ that escapes being a Macaulay Culkin is the league’s champion from last year. If you won your league last year, boast away, you’ve earned it. If you have to talk about the 8-man league you won five years ago, nobody wants to hear it. You may have been a hit in the past and had some glory moments, but you’re washed up now.

The Snail

There’s a time limit on draft picks for a reason, so don’t be that guy who uses the ENTIRE time limit each and every time you pick. Fantasy drafts are already a long process and don’t need to be made longer by you taking forever to decide between kickers. Few things are more annoying than the first or twelfth pick taking the full time for their two picks in a row. It’s like being stuck in line at a drive-thru because the guy in front of you placed a huge order. Don’t be the guy that slows everything down to a snail’s pace.

The Ed Hochuli

This is the guy who is constantly asking about the rules of the league. He’s either complaining about them, asking what they are or suggesting new ones. He’s bound to bust out, “we should really go PPR” or “the flex position shouldn’t allow running backs,” if it would help his team out. All this does is make everyone else wish they hadn’t allowed you in the league. The draft is not the time to bring up issues with league rules.

The Sleeper

This is the guy who read a bunch of fantasy articles about this year’s fantasy football sleepers and proceeds to draft every player named. Not only does he draft every sleeper, he also makes sure everyone knows that the player is indeed a sleeper. If you say “this guy is going to be good, he’s my sleeper pick,” you’re guilty. He’s everyone’s sleeper pick and ESPN has shown him about 10 times in their fantasy sleeper segment. By the end of the draft this guy is bragging about his team’s potential and the entire league is hoping that they’re all busts.

The Roster-bater

So the draft is completely over and you managed to not commit any of the acts that’ll turn you into “that guy.” You’re not out of danger yet, however, and the last thing you want to do is be caught roster-bating. Roster-bating is when you simply stare at your team saying how good your team is and how much you love it. If you’re going to do it, don’t do it out loud or in public, you’ll only embarrass yourself.

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Tye Masters
Sports Activist for The Cover 4
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