2017 NFL.com Fantasy Football (halfway)

My 17th year playing Fantasy Football has gotten off to a rough start for one of my three teams. It all boils down to several NFL players that are on my team not performing as they did last season. Carolina Panthers quarterback (QB) Cam Newton, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver (WR) Julio Jones, New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas, Chicago Bears running back (RB) Jordan Howard, and the Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens defense have struggled.

Click below to view the halfway point of the 2017 NFL.com Fantasy season for the teams below.

(click)

(click)

 

(click)

2017 Highland GraveDiggers (halfway)

3-4-0

Last season the Highland GraveDiggers (3-4-0) were inches away from making the NFL.com Fantasy Football Playoffs for the 8th time in team history (2001-2016), but their final game of the season ended in a tie. If they would've won that game they would've made the playoffs with a 9-5-0 record and not settling for 8-5-1.

With a nasty taste in their mouth to start the 2017 season, the GraveDiggers slipped away with a 54.00 - 51.00 victory in week 1. The Philadelphia Eagles defense helped the team earn a win with 25.00 points. The team suffered two losses in a row, both not close. Weeks 2 & 3 saw the GraveDiggers score the same amount of points...70.00. With a 1-2-0 record and two losses under their belt, the team did some position changes by starting New York Giants wide receiver (WR) Odell Beckam, Jr., though, he only scored 6 points. The team pulled away with a victory to get things rolling at 2-2-0. The GraveDiggers got a win in week 5 by only 8 points. The team would fall in the next two games to finish 3-4-0 heading into week 8.

QB

Green Bay Packers quarterback (QB) Aaron Rodgers was the starter until his season ending injury in week 6 (might return toward the end of the season), which was a huge loss for the team. The GraveDiggers ended up losing that game 29.00 - 72.00. Los Angeles Chargers QB Phillip Rivers was the backup. The GraveDiggers released Rodgers prior to week 8 and picked up N.Y. Jets QB Josh McCown as a backup to Rivers, which Rivers is now the starter.

RB

Detroit Lions running back (RB) Ameer Abdullah and Indianapolis Colts RB Frank Gore remained the starters until week 6. Philadelphia Eagles RB LeGarrette Blount took the starting position at week 5 in the flex position (wide receiver/tight end/running back can play). He hadn't played until week 6 when the GraveDiggers were 3-3-0.

Abdullah has been a big disappointment and was benched in week 7 (bye) and will continue to be benched for Minnesota Vikings RB Jerick McKinnon. Weeks 6 & 7 saw Gore score very little points and since the GraveDiggers have lost 2 games in a row, the team decided to give Blount the starting position over Gore.

WR

The GraveDiggers were solid at the wide receiver (WR) position at the start of the season. Beckam had been out due to an injury and was back for week 2, but only scored 2 fantasy points. Luckily the GraveDiggers didn't start Beckam. Beckam put up some good numbers until week 5 when he was injured and needed season ending surgery. This was a loss for the GraveDiggers as they placed Oakland Raiders WR Amari Cooper in his spot. With Beckam out for the season, the GraveDiggers picked up Arizona Cardinals WR J.J. Nelson off waivers. The GraveDiggers have yet to start Nelson.

Pittsburgh Steelers WR Martavis Bryant, New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas, and Cooper remained the starters until week 6 when Bryant was benched due to poor play. The GraveDiggers replaced Bryant with New England Patriots WR Danny Amendola. The team released Bryant after week 7.

Prior to week 8 the GraveDiggers picked up Los Angeles Chargers WR Travis Benjamin (when they released Bryant) and Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten for extra measure. Both players are benched.

TE

Witten is the only TE on the GraveDiggers. The TE position isn't required in the league the GraveDiggers are in.

K

Philadelphia Eagles kicker (K) Caleb Sturgis was the starter while N.Y. Jets K Chandler Catanzaro was benched. Sturgis was injured (hip flexor) and placed on IR for week 2. The GraveDiggers went to the waivers and picked up a gold mine. The team picked up Tennessee Titans K Ryan Succop (#2 kicker in NFL.com fantasy football) for week 3 and started him over Catanzaro in week 7. Catanzaro had continued to outperform Succop every week (besides 2 weeks). Succop will continue to start.

DEFENSE 

The GraveDiggers have continued to start the Philadelphia Eagles defense over the Minnesota Vikings, which has been a toss-up situation. Both have been performing well this season.

CONCLUSION

The GraveDiggers are 3-4-0 and in 7th place out of 12 teams. They're 2nd in their division and two games back from taking 1st. They're still in good position to make the playoffs, but if they started today, they wouldn't be in the post season, as they're two spots out of the single wild card spot.

(back)

2016 NFL.com Fantasy Football

My 16th year of playing NFL.com fantasy football has concluded and the Highland Executions (10-4-0) and the Highland LavaRockets (9-4-0) made the playoffs. The Executions bowed out in the first round, but clinched their 5th division title in their 16 year history. The LavaRockets won their 2nd division title in their 15 year history. The team lost in their NFL.com fantasy football league championship game. The Highland GraveDiggers (8-5-1) came up short from making the playoffs, and it was all due to a tie instead of a win.

Click below (logo) to view that teams 2016 NFL.com Fantasy Football results.

Highland Executions (10-4-0)

2016 Division Champions

Ranked: 2nd out of 12 teams (regular season)
* Ranked 1st out of 4 teams (division)

* 16th season

* 4th best record in team history

* Broke 4-year playoff drought

* Lost 1st round of playoffs 

  

Highland GraveDiggers (8-5-1)

Ranked: 6th out of 12 teams (regular season)

* 15th season

* 4th best record in team history

* Missed Playoffs

Highland LavaRockets (9-4-0)

2016 Division Champions

Ranked: 4th out of 12 teams (regular season)

Ranked: 1st out of 4 teams (division)

* 15th season

* Best record in team history

2016 Highland GraveDiggers

2001 - 2016 

Highland GraveDiggers (8-5-1-0) started their 15th NFL.com Fantasy Football season in perfect fashion, but came up short and missed the playoffs, their 2nd straight year. The GraveDiggers are 2-time NFL.com Fantasy Football League Champions and 2-time division champions.

The team won their first two games, but the tide rolled in as the team would lose weeks 3, 4, and 5, which was rough, but with some roster changes, week 6 looked promising with a 93-90 victory. The team won another game in week 7 with a score of 64-50 and were 4-3-0 at the halfway mark of the season.

While the team was able to turn things around quickly, things changed in week 8. The team didn't win or lose a game, but received a dreaded 74-74 tie. Dreaded, meaning the tie would come back to haunt the 4-3-1 GraveDiggers as they headed to the playoffs in week 15, or so they thought.

A tie was better than a loss, but the GraveDiggers had to move on and they did with a week 9 victory, but a painful week 10 loss.

Week 12 rolled around and the GraveDiggers played the #1 team in the league, whom were 10-2-0. The team got a victory against them earlier in the season, but this time they came back with a 65-151 victory of their own. Four weeks later that #1 team would go on and win the league championship.

The GraveDiggers picked up a nice week 13 victory and won their final game of the season by beating the 4th place team in the league 65-63. We both had the same record (8-5-1) and 2nd place in our divisions. With 3 division leaders heading to the playoffs, the 4th team is basically the wild card team.

I had the season winning record against that team, which week 14 was our only meeting. They had more season points for than I did. 1,162.00 against my 1,097.00, so the other team made the playoffs by 65 points for.

The GraveDiggers headed to the consolation bracket and squeezed by their first game 66.00 to 65.00, but flopped in the 5th place game by 75.00 to 97.00

The team had a good season, but it would've been much better with a playoff run. Last season they finished 6-8-0 and missed the playoffs.
====================================== 

At the start of the 2016 the GraveDiggers started Green Bay Packers quarterback (QB) Aaron Rodgers over Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford, which both put up big points for fantasy owners last season, and were no different this year.

The GraveDiggers started Stafford for weeks 6-9, and Rodgers still out performed Stafford, but in the long run it didn't hurt the team, but the GraveDiggers started Rodgers heading into week 10 and continued to start him for the rest of the season and into the consolation bracket, which was the right move, because from weeks 11-16, Stafford struggled point wise.

San Diego Chargers running back (RB) Danny Woodhead and Indianapolis Colts' Frank Gore were the starting RB's heading into week 1. Philadelphia Eagles RB Darren Sproles and Arizona Cardinals Chris Johnson were benched.

After week 2, Woodhead was injured and out for the season. It was a blow to the team, as Woodhead was the starting RB for the GraveDiggers. Sproles became a starter heading into week 3.

With Sproles being on a bye in week 4, (team released Chris Johnson due to lack of points) the GraveDiggers picked up Detroit Lions RB Dwayne Washington, but became a dud by scoring 0 points. He wouldn't score any points for fantasy owners until week 9. The GraveDiggers released him heading into week 5. They picked up Baltimore Ravens RB Terrance West, which was a plus, as he became the starter for the Ravens, as the team released Justin Forsett.

Gore and West strengthened the RB position. Sproles was in the starting position once again due to the Ravens (West) having a week 8 bye.

The two started for the rest of the season, but didn't have a great week 16 consolation bracket game. Gore scored 5 points and West scored 3 points. Sproles scored 10 points, but the team lost 75.00 - 97.00, so it wouldn't have made a difference.

The GraveDiggers made a bold move by starting two tight ends (TE) at the start of the season. The team started Carolina Panthers WR Ted Ginn over N.Y. Giants WR Victor Cruz, who put up some good numbers in week 2. From the get go, the team started TE Jordan Reed (Washington Redskins) and Panthers TE Greg Olsen. Reed started over Tennessee Titans TE Delanie Walker and Olsen started over injured TE (heading into the season) Tyler Eifert (Cincinnati Bengals). Benched was N.Y. Giants WR Dwayne Harris.

With a 2-3-0 record heading into week 6 and a 3-game winless streak, the players that were benched (Walker & Cruz) weren't doing any better point wise, infact, they were doing worse. The team released Eifert (due to being injured and not playing) and picked up Tampa Bay WR Adam Humphries off waivers.

The team got a 93.00-90.00 win in week 6. It didn't make a difference, but the team benched Ginn and started Sproles in the flex position (WR or RB could start) Sproles scored 3 points while Ginn scored 10, but it didn't make a difference with the win intact. The team was back at .500 at 3-3-0 and won again in week 7 to go 4-3-0 at the midway point of the season.

Due to two byes, Walker started while the team picked up St. Louis Rams WR Kenny Britt. That gave the team a boost with a week 7 victory, with him as a starter.

Due to another bye, Britt was benched and Olsen started, but scored 0 points. The team pulled out of week 8 with a 74-74 tie.

The GraveDiggers released Humphries (never started) and picked up Cincinnati Bengals WR Brandon LaFell, which was a step up. He was benched for week 8 and scored 0 points.

The trio of Olsen, Walker, and Ginn continued to give the GraveDiggers victories and the team was 5-3-1 heading into week 10.

The Tennessee Titans had a week 13 bye, thus Walker was benched and Britt started once again. The GraveDiggers snatched a 100-70 victory as Britt scored 10 points. Ginn put up 12, while Olsen put up 2. Olsen continued to struggle, but with him in the lineup, the team continued to add victories and he stayed as a starter.

The team was 7-5-1 heading into the final game of the season. Olsen was benched as Walker returned to the lineup from the bye week. Rodgers and Gore were the only two that put up big points and the GraveDiggers slid by with a 65-63 victory and grabbing the 4th place tie in the league.

Missing the playoffs was rough, but with Britt, Walker, and Ginn in the lineup, the team (yet again) hitched a 66.00-65.00 victory, but lost painfully the next week 75.00-97.00 and settled for 6th place out of 12 teams in the league.

The GraveDiggers were very strong at the kicking (K) position. The team drafted New England Patriots K Stephen Gostkowski and Green Bay Packers Matt Crosby. Gostkowski started the first 8 weeks of the season. The Patriots were on a bye week and Crosby started and continued to do so until week 11. Gostkowski returned to the starting position and finished off the season.

The Denver Broncos defense (D) started all 16 weeks (excluding bye week) with the Detroit Lions D taking over that week.

Player of The Year: QB Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers)
Biggest Disappointment: TE Jordan Reed (Washington Redskins)
==============================================


TEAM HISTORY (2001-2016)


Highland GraveDiggers (8-5-1)

Est. 2001
15th season

Overall Record:  114-108-2 (224 games)

Winning Percentage:  .513 (51%)

Playoff Record (including Consolation) 10-9-0

Playoff Winning Percentage:  .526 (53%)

2-time NFL.com Fantasy League Champions (2005, 2014)
2-time NFL.com Fantasy League Division Champions (2005, 2010)

Best Record: 9-5-0 (2005)

Worst Record: 4-10-0 (2008)

Division Champions- 2005, 2010

NFL.com League Champions- 2005, 2014

*2001*7-7-0 
(Lost 2nd round of playoffs, finished 6/10 in league)- Yahoo

*2002*
9-5-0 (Lost 2nd round of playoffs, finished 5/10 in league)- Yahoo

*2003*
8-6-0 (Lost 2nd round of playoffs, finished 4/10 in league)- Yahoo

*2004*
7-6-1 (Lost 2nd round of playoffs, finished 4/10 in league)- Yahoo

*2005*
9-5-0 (Western Division & NFL.com League Champions)- NFL.com
Note: 2005 NFL.com returned to being a free Fantasy League. I started playing on NFL.com

*2006*
9-5-0 (Missed playoffs, first time in team history)- NFL.com
Note: Best record in team history

*2007*
8-6-0 (Missed playoffs, 2nd straight year)- NFL.com

*2008*
4-10-0 (Missed playoffs, 3rd straight year)- NFL.com
Note: Worst record in team history

*2009*
6-8-0 (Missed playoffs, 4th straight year)- NFL.com

*2010*
8-6-0 (Division Champions, lost 3rd place game)- NFL.com

*2011*
5-9-0 (Missed playoffs, finished 8/12 in league)- NFL.com

*2012*
4-10-0 (Missed playoffs, 2nd straight year)- NFL.com

*2013*
8-6-0 (Lost 1st round of playoffs, finished 5/12 in league)- NFL.com

*2014*
8-6-0 (NFL.com League Champions, finished 4/10 in league)- NFL.com
Note: Most exciting playoff series in fantasy history, defeated two 12-2-0 teams, won both games by 6 points.

*2015*
6-8-0 (Missed playoffs, finished 6/10 consolation bracket)- NFL.com

*2016*
8-5-1 (Missed playoffs, 2nd straight year, finished 6/12 consolation bracket)- NFL.com
===================================

2015 Fantasy Football: Halfway

NFL.com Fantasy League (half way point) hasn't been a good one for any of my teams, though the Highland LavaRockets are 4-4. Highland Executions are 2-5 and GraveDiggers are 3-4. At least all my teams are still doing better than our Detroit Lions 1-7.



NFL Fantasy League 2015: Halfway

The Highland Executions (2-5-0) are off to a terrible start this 2015 NFL.com Fantasy season. This is one of their worst starts in their 15 year history. San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers was the starting QB, but with a 0-3-0 start, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger became the starter. Houston Texans RB Arian Foster was drafted, but was out due to an injury at the start of the season, and the same for Jacksonville Jaguars TE Julius Thomas. Chargers TE Antonio Gates was out due to a 4 game suspension prior to the season, thus Steelers TE Health Miller was picked off waivers and became the starter. The team was hurting in the TE department and also at RB, but Chicago Bears RB Matt Forte and Cincinnati Bengals RB Giovani Benard filled that void. At WR, Denver Broncos Emmanuel Sanders and Detroit Lions Golden Tate were the starters. Kicker (K) was Philadelphia Eagles Cody Parkey and defense was Green Bay Packers. 

Week 2 Highland Executions did a small change at kicker and started Seattle Seahawks Steven Hauskchka and would eventually release Parkey and sign K Josh Brown (benched) from the New York Giants.

At 0-3-0 the entire team was struggling, even though I had two good QB's and one solid RB in Forte. Before week 4, the Executions received a trade deal. The trade was for Broncos QB Peyton Manning in exchange for Roethlisberger, and I accepted. Shockingly, Roethlisberger was injured during week 3 and would be out for a few weeks. I contacted the other teams owner, stating he/she couldn't take back the trade, but I would be willing to give him/back Manning for Roethlisberger. He/she never responded. So I kept Manning and started him for week 4.

With Manning as the starter now, the Executions won their first game by 3 points (62-59) to become 1-3-0. They picked up Miami Dolphins WR Rishard Matthews and started Texans Foster, who returned from injury, but only put up 1 point. The Executions let go New England Patriots WR Danny Amendola (benched) to make roster room for Matthews. The acquisition of Manning and Matthews seemed like a good one.

The Executions picked up their 2nd win and first back-to-back of the season with a score of 108-59 to become 2-3-0. The team was starting to pick up pace and both Forte and Foster had big games. Gates returned from injury and posted 21 points, the most out of any player that week. 

The Executions (week 6) benched QB Manning and started QB Philips again, whom hadn't seen any playing time since week 2. They released San Diego Chargers RB Melvin Gordon and picked up Carolina Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart. The starting of Philips and the pickup of Stewart for week 7 saw the Executions lose by 0.40 points to become 2-5-0. Losing by 0.40 points was the 2nd most devastating loss in my 15 years of playing fantasy football. I lost a game (week 1) with the Highland GraveDiggers by 0.28 points.

So the trade for Manning, the pick up of Matthews, and Stewart, hasn't put a dint into the winning ways of the 3-time NFL.com Champion Executions.
===================================

















The Highland GraveDiggers (3-4-0) aren't off to a great start, but still have time to make the playoffs. The GraveDiggers won their NFL.com League Championship last year (2014) with a 8-6-0 record.

Week 1 was just a total lose for the GraveDiggers, as they lost their first game by 0.28 points (101.36 - 101.64) Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers was the starter over New England Patriots QB Tom Brady. The RB position wasn't so magnificent, with Arizona Cardinals RB Andre Ellington and San Diego Chargers rookie RB Melvin Gordon as the starters. Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown was a huge draft pick, along with Indianapolis Colts' T.Y. Hilton. The Executions had Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans benched due to him being injured. Buccaneers RB Doug Martin was the flex player, whom helped the RB position. Dallas Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey and Philadelphia Eagles defense served as the starters.

After the heartbreak loss from week 1, the team got back on track with a nice 11 point win to become 1-1-0. For week 2, the Executions (even though they almost won) benched RB Ellington for Cincinnati Bengals Giovani Bernard, which was a great move. Ellington had 0 points for that week, while Bernard had 16.

Week 3 saw another win for the Executions and the team picked up Denver Broncos defense off waivers to backup the Eagles.

Week 4 saw the Executions lose their 2nd game of the season by a huge 48 point loss and a return of Evans to the lineup as a starter. Hilton was booted down to flex player and Martin was benched, which probably wasn't a good move. He scored 28 points that week, still not enough to win. The team picked up K Robbie Gould from the Chicago Bears to backup K Dan Bailey.

Heading into week 6 the team had lost 2 in a row. The only change was the Broncos defense became the starter. A week 6 loss made it 3 straight losses. The team lost by 3 points 94-97. 

Heading into week 7 there were some changes to the lineup (to say the least) both Denver and Cincinnati had bye weeks, thus Bernard and Broncos defense were benched. Ellington and Martin became the starters at RB while Gordon was benched. Arizona Cardinals WR Doug Brown was picked up off waivers and became the starter. The biggest change? QB Tom Brady became the starter. These changes helped the Executions become 3-4-0.

It seems as though last years champions can't stay on course.


















The Highland LavaRockets (4-4-0) are currently at .500 and have had a back and forth season thus far. They'll win a game, lose a game, win a game, and lose a game. At 4-4-0, they're far away from making the playoffs.

Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning was the starter, as Jacksonville Jaguars QB Blake Bortles was benched. Looking back, I should've started Bortles instead of Manning. I know, sounds odd typing that. San Diego Chargers RB Danny Woodhead and Pittsburgh Steelers RB DeAngelo Williams were the starters. Williams was in for an injured Le'Von Bell. The WR position was a very weak one. San Francisco 49'rs Torrey Smith and New England Patriots Danny Amendola were the starters. Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald was at the flex position. San Diego's TE Antonio Gates was suspended for the first 4 games of the season, thus Philadelphia Eagles Eric Ertz was the starter. Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri started over Seattle Seahawks kicker Steven Hauschka and Houston Texans defense started over Denver Broncos defense. Looking back, I wish I would've started Bortles, Vinatieri, and Broncos defense.

Week 1 got off on the wrong note as the LavaRockets lost by 31 points to become 0-1-0.

No big changes were made heading into week 2, but Amendola was benched for Tennessee Titans WR Kendall Wright and Hauschka became the starter. With a 121-69 point victory, the LavaRockets made it to .500 with a 1-1-0 record.

Week 3 saw the LavaRockets fall back, losing by 20 points to become 1-2-0. By week 3 the Texans defense was doing horrible. At the beginning of the season, the Texans were suppose to have a good defense, thus far they haven't. Carolina Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart was picked off waivers and benched.

Week 4 the LavaRockets jumped back to .500 with a 2-2-0 record and escaping with a 5 point win. Stewart got the start in the flex position adding 5 points and Cincinnati Bengals WR Marvin Jones was grabbed off waivers and benched, while Broncos defense started and added 10 points compared to the Texans -2 points.

Week 5 saw the LavaRockets skip away with a 67-64 win to make it two wins in a row.

With a week 6 loss and Gates returning to the lineup (he returned for week 5, but I had him benched), more changes needed to be made. Manning was benched for Bortles and the LavaRockets came out of week 7 with a 68-64 win to become 4-3-0.

Week 8 saw the team lose by a hair, 65-68. New Orleans Saints TE Benjamin Watson was picked up, but benched.

If the LavaRockets would've won their close games, they would easily be 6-2-0 instead of 4-4-0. The team hasn't made the playoffs since 2012, but if they continue their winning ways, they have a strong chance to do so in 6 weeks.