Instead, what I got was my lowest point total of the season with 61 (previous low: 85). That's an average of less than 7 points per player. My high point man was Steelers TE Ladarius Green (12), who I picked up off waivers a couple of weeks ago. The three wide receivers I left on the bench outscored the three I had in my lineup by a total of 39-14, although that wouldn't have made a difference in the outcome. I get a chance next week to still secure third place, which would be quite an accomplishment considering my total points rank for the season is seventh out of eight teams.
You might be thinking, I don't care to hear about your stupid fantasy football team. But you aren't thinking that because you aren't reading this post. If a tree falls down in the forest and no one is there, does it still make a sound?
As usual, I didn't catch many breaks in the draft. I had the #7 pick in the first round and opted to use it on Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins, who had 111 catches a year ago with an unstable quarterback situation. Maybe I figured with Brock Osweiler coming on board this season in Houston, it could only improve the situation. Instead, I was burned by Brock, as Hopkins was a pretty disappointing fantasy player this year, only topping 20 points once (in week 2) in our PPR league. The next two players selected in our draft? David Johnson went #8 and will wind up as the top scoring fantasy player this season. Le'Veon Bell went #9 and despite missing the first three games is currently #6 in terms of total points.
I went for Rob Gronkowski with the #10 pick, thinking that being able to pencil in 15 points weekly at tight end would be a good move. I can't really fault myself for that logic, but he was only healthy for about four games this year. It hasn't affected the Patriots, who are inexplicably still the best team in the NFL even without him, but it sure didn't help my fantasy team.
In the third round I went for Chargers WR Keenan Allen at #23 overall. He was lost for the season with an injury in Week 1. Ouch. Then I went for Buccaneer Doug Martin as my first RB at #26. He was injured and missed about six games in a row and somewhere along the line I dumped him. If only I had instead snagged RB LeSean McCoy who went #30 or WR Mike Evans who went #32. Both players averaged 18+ fantasy points per week this year.
I took Raiders WR Amari Cooper in the fifth round. He was pretty good early on, but hasn't done much lately. I shouldn't be too frustrated with him - he was supposed to be my WR3. For some reason I decided to take Russell Wilson in the sixth round, as the fourth quarterback taken in our draft. Instead, I dumped him midway through the season. Why didn't I grab Drew Brees, who was the fifth quarterback taken in our draft, #50 overall. He's currently #2 among quarterbacks in fantasy points behind only Aaron Rodgers. Wilson is #17.
So you get the picutre. It's easy to draft after the season when you know how everything turned out. My point is that I didn't catch many breaks. Three of my top four picks made basically irrelevant by injuries, and the other never developed any chemistry with the new quarterback.
So I slogged through to the end with waiver pickups such as Jay Ajayi, Marcus Mariota, Martellus Bennett, Theo Riddick and Jamison Crowder doing just enough to help me get the #3 seed for the playoffs. It just wasn't enough to make me a viable championship contender.
Better luck next year, as they say.
