Well, in the NFC, there are the three monsters in the West and the other three teams who will scratch out a division title to earn the right to have a chance to beat two of the three monsters to get to the championship.
Sounds a little like a video game, right? You beat the monster at the end of Level 1 only to have to face a supposed bigger monster in Level 2.
So who is getting to Level 1?
The Spacklers are the team to beat having won two straight division titles, and according to the JFL Preseason Poll, he’s in line to do it again — and I couldn’t agree more.
The Money Man will certainly put the pressure on, but I think Tom Brady and Marshawn Lynch will have some point totals that will win matchups by themselves.
T-Money has the potential to have a similar potent attack with Arian Foster and Tony Romo, but there are a few question marks there and that is why I put him second.
The Toasters are, well, being disrespected for a second straight year and it might have something to do with one of his QBs.
Here’s how the rest of the JFL voted:
NFC West
1. The Spacklers.................25 points (7 first-place votes)
2. T-Money........................17 points (2 first-place votes)
3. Dottsville Toasters...........12 points
The Spacklers
2012 Record, Finish: 8-7 (NFC East Champion, lost in NFC Championship)
Career Record : 55-45-1 (.550)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 5-5 (5)
Quarterbacks ★★★★★
Yeah, it just happened. Team Boyer is the Spacklers. That was the last time I’ll ever type Team Boyer. … Well, that one was.
The team name may finally be (unofficially) changing, but the quarterback at the helm is not.
For the eighth straight year, Tom Brady will suit up for the Spacklers.
“I’m glad that my owner has decided to embrace the name change that means so much to our franchise,” Brady said in a press conference Friday. “It’s how we do business. We have an awesome front office that needs to fill a few holes each season, and nothing fills holes in the wall better than spackle. And that’s what our owner does each year in the draft.”
That’s mighty praise from his eight-year QB, the only player in the JFL to be with one team all eight years.
He’ll be joined by a QB who has been the exact opposite for JFL franchises. Philip Rivers is the backup after bouncing around a few JFL teams, but he was the starter in most places before eventually turning into the backup. Here, he’ll be the backup from Day One. He’ll likely play one week, Week 10 vs. Denver and Peyton Manning, who he lost his fantasy starter status to.
Running Backs ★★★★½
This is a great way to set up your team. In fact, it’s the way I did it, so I’m biased. One big back to rack up yardage and another back who is a receiving threat out of the backfield.
Marshawn Lynch is undoubtedly that ground game threat and Darren Sproles is in an offense where he can easily catch six to 10 passes per game. Both are red zone threats and they should provide the TDs.
The backup BenJarvus Green-Ellis is a nice handcuff if Giovani Bernard doesn’t pan out in Cincinnati, and Danny Woodhead will likely ride the bench all season.
The biggest problem at running back will be the NFL’s schedule which is ever-expanding with the bye weeks. Now that they creep into Week 12, issues will arise in division matchups, and the Spacklers will have just that.
Lynch will be on the bye when the Spacklers travel to T-Money for his final divisional matchup of the season.
Depth will be the only issue for the Spacklers if something goes awry.
Wideouts ★★★½☆
Brandon Marshall was the No. 2 receiver in the JFL last season and Vincent Jackson, Miles Austin and Hakeem Nicks have all been cherished wideouts in the past. Marshall is dealing with a bit of an injury but he tweeted that he’ll be ready for Week 1, so he’ll be a sure No. 1 starter for the Spacklers.
The other three WRs could play mind games with him, though, and he’ll have to use matchups and a little bit of luck to make sure he starts the right one (or two) each week.
Of the three, I think the best option will be Jackson. He caught a career-best 69 passes for a career-high 1,334 yards last season and it’s clear that Josh Freeman has singled him out as his favorite target. The eight touchdowns helped him have nine double-digit weeks, including five that boasted 18.6 points or more.
Austin could be a second option, but he faded late in the season as Dez Bryant took control. As teams start to focus more defensive players on Bryant, it could be possible for Austin to get open and pick up some fantasy points.
Nevertheless, I foresee a weekly duo of Marshall and Jackson.
Tight Ends ★★★★ ½
There was one player on my board who I did not get and that was Vernon Davis. I missed him by a few picks and the Spacklers were the culprit. I think Davis will finish in the top five in fantasy tight ends and he’ll be a huge help for the Spacklers.
Jordan Cameron is the backup (FYI, World of Noise, he plays for Cleveland) and I’m not taking the type to analyze someone I don’t know.
Team Outlook
It’s hard not to like this team in the NFC East. The other two teams have some issues, so I think he has the clear advantage out of the gates. It’s just a matter of can he compete with the West? They could easily put a wrench in his divisional crown aspirations.
T-Money
2012 Record, Finish: 4-7
Career Record : 47-51 (.480)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 2-5 (5)
Quarterbacks ★★★★☆
Last year was a little different for Tony Romo. Typically he get’s off to a great start and then he stumbles.
Instead, he struggled through the first couple weeks until he and Dez Bryant became a powerful duo. He threw 18 TDs over the final eight weeks, and he posted quality points four of those eight matchups, including 43.7 in Week 12 and 34.4 in Week 13.
It was a little late for the Money Man, but it did have an impact in the playoff race.
In 2013, the Money Man is hoping that this late-season momentum carries over to the start of the year, and I think it will.
But if it doesn’t, Eli Manning is a great backup to have. He’s a quality fantasy QB who had a bad season last year. I think he’ll bounce back nicely this year, giving T-Money the chance to start QBs based on matchups. Although, when in doubt, he’ll roll with Romo.
Running Backs ★★★½☆
For the second straight season, Frank Gore played 16 games, which has made the Money Man’s keeper selection pay off. So for another year, Gore starts the year with T-Money before the draft.
He had 11 double-digit weeks last season and if he provides the same in 2013, it will be a successful keeper pick.
Gore certainly isn’t the question in this RB corps. It’s Arian Foster.
Foster could make or break this team. A first-round pick this year surrounded with a lot of questions, injuries and a planned decreased workload could seriously affect his fantasy value.
But if he’s healthy and if he forces the coaches to get him back to 20/25 touches a game, watch out.
The darkhorse here is a guy I’ve liked over the last two years, but he never panned out. Ryan Mathews has been misused for years by Norv Turner, and with a new coaching staff, there has to be a renewed hope that Mathews could emerge as a premier fantasy back.
Fred Jackson is, well, just dead weight at this point. C.J. Spiller will get the bulk of the carries in Buffalo.
Wideouts ★★½☆☆
This is where the T-Money takes a huge hit, and it’s certainly where he hopes both Ryan Mathews and Arian Foster play extremely well, because he may need to trade one of those guys to get a WR.
Danny Amendola, if he can truly be the next "Wes Welker" in New England, is the best of the crew. Reggie Wayne had some decent starts last year, but he is 34 and that has to be a concern. James Jones had a breakout year with an NFL-best 14 TDs, but I do not think he’ll get anywhere close to that.
Sidney Rice has shown the talent, but his injuries have plagued him, and Michael Floyd is still a question mark in Arizona, although Carson Palmer is far better than John Skelton and Kevin Kolb.
This group of WRs could surprise me and make me look like a fool, but I’m just going on record and saying I don’t like it.
Tight Ends ★★★½☆
Antonio Gates was the guy everyone wanted to draft first when it came to tight ends, but injuries always made him a huge risk. Last year, he played a full season, but the stats weren’t there, mostly because the Chargers had a poorly run offense.
Just like Mathews, the new coaching staff could rejuvenate the once dominant beast in Antonio Gates.
If not, Jermaine Gresham is certainly due for a breakout. Andy Dalton does have to start throwing the ball to others when A.J. Green gathers all the attention.
Team Outlook
Realistically, the Money Man needs Arian Foster and one of his wideouts to jump up and have a huge season. I think Romo is going to be good enough to lead this team, but he needs that support.
With the powerful NFC West, the wild card looks like it will avoid the East once again, so T-Money knows he has to compete with the Spacklers to get in the playoffs. So, perhaps it’s time to buy some voodoo dolls that resemble Marshawn Lynch and Tom Brady.
Dottsville Toasters
2012 Record, Finish: 7-6
Career Record : 49-46 (.516)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 3-1 (2)
Quarterbacks ★★★☆½
Ut oh, here we go again.
How can the Jargon possibly disrespect the Toasters' QB position again?
Simple. One QB is about to venture onto a field with an injury that should take a year and a half to recover from (because it’s his second ACL tear), but instead, he’s coming back in less than nine months.
That’s scary, especially for a mobile QB. All it takes is one wrong move in the pocket and a defensive lineman is landing on his bad leg.
So, with that in mind, the Toasters went into the draft knowing he should get a QB to back Griffin up. That fifth-round draft pick was ...
... Drum roll please.
… Brandon Weeden.
... Crickets.
Tell me how Brandon Weeden gets selected in the fifth round and Sam Bradford and Jake Locker are undrafted? Even Alex Smith in Kansas City is more interesting.
But Weeden? I don’t know.
Then again, the last time I questioned a Toasters QB, I watched said QB score 40-plus points on my sorry fantasy team. So with that said, I love this pick. I think he’ll be a top-five QB and the steal of the draft. Wow, what a great pick. Weeden will lead the Toasters to the top of this division!
Running Backs ★★★½☆
Alfred Morris was a good pick, but the reason he wasn’t a Jammer keeper is the same reason I will have some reservations about him. Can we really trust a Shanahan RB in a second year? I’m not sure, but it was a big enough question for me to let him go.
That doesn’t mean he’s still not a viable No. 1 back. I think he’ll have a good chance to get his 1,000 yards and 10 TDs.
For the Toasters to be competitive in 2013, I think he’s looking toward DeAngelo Williams, who has the talent but seems to be neglected by the Panthers' play-callers. He was used properly late in the season last year, with 17-plus touches in three of the final four games. That led to point totals of 36.5, 21.8 and 19.6. There also was a 5.2 mixed in there which is the scary part. Williams had three games where he scored less than a point, seven games where he scored less than 3.4.
That has to change, otherwise, the Toasters will roll with just Morris or he’ll give Ronnie Hillman or Michael Bush a chance. Bush is good to have as a handcuff for Matt Forte, who has had his issues with injuries. If Bush is the feature back in Chicago, the Toasters all of a sudden have their second back.
Wideouts ★★★½☆
Megatron did not live up to his name last year. He had just one TD catch in the first nine weeks and it didn’t come via a pass from Matthew Stafford. And that was a year removed from his monster 2011 start where he had nine TDs in the first five weeks.
Calvin Johnson finished with 16 TDs that season, and with only five last year, the Toasters and the Lions are both hoping for a little bit more. (So are the Jammers.)
The second wideout will most likely be Anquan Boldin, who I think can be a key weapon for the 49ers. He will quickly become an asset for Colin Kaepernick and it shouldn’t be crazy to expect at least eight double-digit weeks from Boldin. He had only four TDs with the Ravens last year, but with Crabtree out, I think we could see a few more TDs this year.
Golden Tate could move into the flex position, but outside of that, the Toasters may be looking for help at WR. Darius Heyward-Bey is buried on the depth chart in Indy and Aaron Dobson isn’t the top rookie in camp anymore in New England.
Tight Ends ★★★½☆
Owen Daniels has always been a favorite target for Matt Schaub and he scored six TDs last season. He had only four double-digit performances last season and the Toasters will ask for more than that. Daniels mostly caught three or four passes a game last year, but they’re all short-yardage plays. The Toasters will need him to bump that average up to six to eight, or make one of those three to four catches go for more than 10 yards.
Team Outlook
The Toasters messaged me and said he doesn’t like his draft, and I have to agree. This seems a bit off.
But as I told him, I loved my draft last year and looking back at it, it was the worst I’ve ever had.
In fantasy football, you never truly know. I have no clue why I’m even writing previews. I’m only right 60 percent of the time and that’s only good for Brian Fantana.
So with that said, let’s say what needs to go right for the Toasters to make the playoffs.
One, RGIII needs to be a freak of nature and be 100 percent healthy.
Two, Alfred Morris needs to duplicate his rookie season and make the Jammers upset that he didn’t keep him.
Three, Calvin Johnson needs to be the 2011 version.
And let’s give a fourth, Carolina needs to give DeAngelo Williams a chance to be the feature back.
Sounds a little like a video game, right? You beat the monster at the end of Level 1 only to have to face a supposed bigger monster in Level 2.
So who is getting to Level 1?
The Spacklers are the team to beat having won two straight division titles, and according to the JFL Preseason Poll, he’s in line to do it again — and I couldn’t agree more.
The Money Man will certainly put the pressure on, but I think Tom Brady and Marshawn Lynch will have some point totals that will win matchups by themselves.
T-Money has the potential to have a similar potent attack with Arian Foster and Tony Romo, but there are a few question marks there and that is why I put him second.
The Toasters are, well, being disrespected for a second straight year and it might have something to do with one of his QBs.
Here’s how the rest of the JFL voted:
NFC West
1. The Spacklers.................25 points (7 first-place votes)
2. T-Money........................17 points (2 first-place votes)
3. Dottsville Toasters...........12 points
The Spacklers
2012 Record, Finish: 8-7 (NFC East Champion, lost in NFC Championship)
Career Record : 55-45-1 (.550)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 5-5 (5)
Quarterbacks ★★★★★
The team name may finally be (unofficially) changing, but the quarterback at the helm is not.
For the eighth straight year, Tom Brady will suit up for the Spacklers.
“I’m glad that my owner has decided to embrace the name change that means so much to our franchise,” Brady said in a press conference Friday. “It’s how we do business. We have an awesome front office that needs to fill a few holes each season, and nothing fills holes in the wall better than spackle. And that’s what our owner does each year in the draft.”
That’s mighty praise from his eight-year QB, the only player in the JFL to be with one team all eight years.
He’ll be joined by a QB who has been the exact opposite for JFL franchises. Philip Rivers is the backup after bouncing around a few JFL teams, but he was the starter in most places before eventually turning into the backup. Here, he’ll be the backup from Day One. He’ll likely play one week, Week 10 vs. Denver and Peyton Manning, who he lost his fantasy starter status to.
Running Backs ★★★★½
This is a great way to set up your team. In fact, it’s the way I did it, so I’m biased. One big back to rack up yardage and another back who is a receiving threat out of the backfield.
Marshawn Lynch is undoubtedly that ground game threat and Darren Sproles is in an offense where he can easily catch six to 10 passes per game. Both are red zone threats and they should provide the TDs.
The backup BenJarvus Green-Ellis is a nice handcuff if Giovani Bernard doesn’t pan out in Cincinnati, and Danny Woodhead will likely ride the bench all season.
The biggest problem at running back will be the NFL’s schedule which is ever-expanding with the bye weeks. Now that they creep into Week 12, issues will arise in division matchups, and the Spacklers will have just that.
Lynch will be on the bye when the Spacklers travel to T-Money for his final divisional matchup of the season.
Depth will be the only issue for the Spacklers if something goes awry.
Wideouts ★★★½☆
Brandon Marshall was the No. 2 receiver in the JFL last season and Vincent Jackson, Miles Austin and Hakeem Nicks have all been cherished wideouts in the past. Marshall is dealing with a bit of an injury but he tweeted that he’ll be ready for Week 1, so he’ll be a sure No. 1 starter for the Spacklers.
The other three WRs could play mind games with him, though, and he’ll have to use matchups and a little bit of luck to make sure he starts the right one (or two) each week.
Of the three, I think the best option will be Jackson. He caught a career-best 69 passes for a career-high 1,334 yards last season and it’s clear that Josh Freeman has singled him out as his favorite target. The eight touchdowns helped him have nine double-digit weeks, including five that boasted 18.6 points or more.
Austin could be a second option, but he faded late in the season as Dez Bryant took control. As teams start to focus more defensive players on Bryant, it could be possible for Austin to get open and pick up some fantasy points.
Nevertheless, I foresee a weekly duo of Marshall and Jackson.
Tight Ends ★★★★ ½
There was one player on my board who I did not get and that was Vernon Davis. I missed him by a few picks and the Spacklers were the culprit. I think Davis will finish in the top five in fantasy tight ends and he’ll be a huge help for the Spacklers.
Jordan Cameron is the backup (FYI, World of Noise, he plays for Cleveland) and I’m not taking the type to analyze someone I don’t know.
Team Outlook
It’s hard not to like this team in the NFC East. The other two teams have some issues, so I think he has the clear advantage out of the gates. It’s just a matter of can he compete with the West? They could easily put a wrench in his divisional crown aspirations.
T-Money
2012 Record, Finish: 4-7
Career Record : 47-51 (.480)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 2-5 (5)
Quarterbacks ★★★★☆
Instead, he struggled through the first couple weeks until he and Dez Bryant became a powerful duo. He threw 18 TDs over the final eight weeks, and he posted quality points four of those eight matchups, including 43.7 in Week 12 and 34.4 in Week 13.
It was a little late for the Money Man, but it did have an impact in the playoff race.
In 2013, the Money Man is hoping that this late-season momentum carries over to the start of the year, and I think it will.
But if it doesn’t, Eli Manning is a great backup to have. He’s a quality fantasy QB who had a bad season last year. I think he’ll bounce back nicely this year, giving T-Money the chance to start QBs based on matchups. Although, when in doubt, he’ll roll with Romo.
Running Backs ★★★½☆
For the second straight season, Frank Gore played 16 games, which has made the Money Man’s keeper selection pay off. So for another year, Gore starts the year with T-Money before the draft.
He had 11 double-digit weeks last season and if he provides the same in 2013, it will be a successful keeper pick.
Gore certainly isn’t the question in this RB corps. It’s Arian Foster.
Foster could make or break this team. A first-round pick this year surrounded with a lot of questions, injuries and a planned decreased workload could seriously affect his fantasy value.
But if he’s healthy and if he forces the coaches to get him back to 20/25 touches a game, watch out.
The darkhorse here is a guy I’ve liked over the last two years, but he never panned out. Ryan Mathews has been misused for years by Norv Turner, and with a new coaching staff, there has to be a renewed hope that Mathews could emerge as a premier fantasy back.
Fred Jackson is, well, just dead weight at this point. C.J. Spiller will get the bulk of the carries in Buffalo.
Wideouts ★★½☆☆
This is where the T-Money takes a huge hit, and it’s certainly where he hopes both Ryan Mathews and Arian Foster play extremely well, because he may need to trade one of those guys to get a WR.
Danny Amendola, if he can truly be the next "Wes Welker" in New England, is the best of the crew. Reggie Wayne had some decent starts last year, but he is 34 and that has to be a concern. James Jones had a breakout year with an NFL-best 14 TDs, but I do not think he’ll get anywhere close to that.
Sidney Rice has shown the talent, but his injuries have plagued him, and Michael Floyd is still a question mark in Arizona, although Carson Palmer is far better than John Skelton and Kevin Kolb.
This group of WRs could surprise me and make me look like a fool, but I’m just going on record and saying I don’t like it.
Tight Ends ★★★½☆
Antonio Gates was the guy everyone wanted to draft first when it came to tight ends, but injuries always made him a huge risk. Last year, he played a full season, but the stats weren’t there, mostly because the Chargers had a poorly run offense.
Just like Mathews, the new coaching staff could rejuvenate the once dominant beast in Antonio Gates.
If not, Jermaine Gresham is certainly due for a breakout. Andy Dalton does have to start throwing the ball to others when A.J. Green gathers all the attention.
Team Outlook
Realistically, the Money Man needs Arian Foster and one of his wideouts to jump up and have a huge season. I think Romo is going to be good enough to lead this team, but he needs that support.
With the powerful NFC West, the wild card looks like it will avoid the East once again, so T-Money knows he has to compete with the Spacklers to get in the playoffs. So, perhaps it’s time to buy some voodoo dolls that resemble Marshawn Lynch and Tom Brady.
Dottsville Toasters
2012 Record, Finish: 7-6
Career Record : 49-46 (.516)
Playoff Record (Appearances): 3-1 (2)
Quarterbacks ★★★☆½
How can the Jargon possibly disrespect the Toasters' QB position again?
Simple. One QB is about to venture onto a field with an injury that should take a year and a half to recover from (because it’s his second ACL tear), but instead, he’s coming back in less than nine months.
That’s scary, especially for a mobile QB. All it takes is one wrong move in the pocket and a defensive lineman is landing on his bad leg.
So, with that in mind, the Toasters went into the draft knowing he should get a QB to back Griffin up. That fifth-round draft pick was ...
... Drum roll please.
… Brandon Weeden.
... Crickets.
Tell me how Brandon Weeden gets selected in the fifth round and Sam Bradford and Jake Locker are undrafted? Even Alex Smith in Kansas City is more interesting.
But Weeden? I don’t know.
Then again, the last time I questioned a Toasters QB, I watched said QB score 40-plus points on my sorry fantasy team. So with that said, I love this pick. I think he’ll be a top-five QB and the steal of the draft. Wow, what a great pick. Weeden will lead the Toasters to the top of this division!
Running Backs ★★★½☆
Alfred Morris was a good pick, but the reason he wasn’t a Jammer keeper is the same reason I will have some reservations about him. Can we really trust a Shanahan RB in a second year? I’m not sure, but it was a big enough question for me to let him go.
That doesn’t mean he’s still not a viable No. 1 back. I think he’ll have a good chance to get his 1,000 yards and 10 TDs.
For the Toasters to be competitive in 2013, I think he’s looking toward DeAngelo Williams, who has the talent but seems to be neglected by the Panthers' play-callers. He was used properly late in the season last year, with 17-plus touches in three of the final four games. That led to point totals of 36.5, 21.8 and 19.6. There also was a 5.2 mixed in there which is the scary part. Williams had three games where he scored less than a point, seven games where he scored less than 3.4.
That has to change, otherwise, the Toasters will roll with just Morris or he’ll give Ronnie Hillman or Michael Bush a chance. Bush is good to have as a handcuff for Matt Forte, who has had his issues with injuries. If Bush is the feature back in Chicago, the Toasters all of a sudden have their second back.
Wideouts ★★★½☆
Megatron did not live up to his name last year. He had just one TD catch in the first nine weeks and it didn’t come via a pass from Matthew Stafford. And that was a year removed from his monster 2011 start where he had nine TDs in the first five weeks.
Calvin Johnson finished with 16 TDs that season, and with only five last year, the Toasters and the Lions are both hoping for a little bit more. (So are the Jammers.)
The second wideout will most likely be Anquan Boldin, who I think can be a key weapon for the 49ers. He will quickly become an asset for Colin Kaepernick and it shouldn’t be crazy to expect at least eight double-digit weeks from Boldin. He had only four TDs with the Ravens last year, but with Crabtree out, I think we could see a few more TDs this year.
Golden Tate could move into the flex position, but outside of that, the Toasters may be looking for help at WR. Darius Heyward-Bey is buried on the depth chart in Indy and Aaron Dobson isn’t the top rookie in camp anymore in New England.
Tight Ends ★★★½☆
Owen Daniels has always been a favorite target for Matt Schaub and he scored six TDs last season. He had only four double-digit performances last season and the Toasters will ask for more than that. Daniels mostly caught three or four passes a game last year, but they’re all short-yardage plays. The Toasters will need him to bump that average up to six to eight, or make one of those three to four catches go for more than 10 yards.
Team Outlook
The Toasters messaged me and said he doesn’t like his draft, and I have to agree. This seems a bit off.
But as I told him, I loved my draft last year and looking back at it, it was the worst I’ve ever had.
In fantasy football, you never truly know. I have no clue why I’m even writing previews. I’m only right 60 percent of the time and that’s only good for Brian Fantana.
So with that said, let’s say what needs to go right for the Toasters to make the playoffs.
One, RGIII needs to be a freak of nature and be 100 percent healthy.
Two, Alfred Morris needs to duplicate his rookie season and make the Jammers upset that he didn’t keep him.
Three, Calvin Johnson needs to be the 2011 version.
And let’s give a fourth, Carolina needs to give DeAngelo Williams a chance to be the feature back.
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