Cactus Drags

Stefon Diggs, WR, MIN

@Little Red Srarvette

Matt Ryan, QB, ATL

@Lineker

I was contemplating him. I just find that drafting players from my team ruins actually watching the games though.

Jason Witten

I'm not sure when I'm getting Madden, it won't be at launch so you'll have to start without me. I'm almost certainly not going to be the Panthers when I do join, so if anyone else wants them, feel free. 

Giovani Bernard

@Lineker

Sterling Shepard, WR, NYG

@Little Red Srarvette

17 hours ago, Maxx said:

I can't wrap my head around the new touchbacks to the 25 yard line rule.  Didn't they adjust where they kicked off from to encourage more touchbacks out of fear of injuries?  And now they want to discourage them by adding 5 yards onto it?

The idea is that returners will be more likely to take the touchback if they starting at the 25 instead of the 20. The flipside, as several kickers and ST coordinators have come out and said, is that it's actually going to make kicking teams more likely to kick high and short, resulting in more returns, which is the opposite of the intent of the rule change.

Markus Wheaton, WR

@Lineker

Yeah the decision to let Slauson go, especially after Manny Ramirez and the other guy signed and retired is looking worse and worse.

Julius Thomas 

@Little Red Srarvette

Bears lose Grasu to the Soldier Field turf, acl, done for the year. Ted Larsen is going to move over to play center. 

I'm not sure how bad this is. 

Yeah, just be mindful you don't end up with too many bench players having the same bye week as the starters. 

6 hours ago, Little Red Srarvette said:

Eddie Lacy I guess 

 

@Cactus Drags

Yeah, you need to turn in your Bears fan club badge and gun. Traitor.

C.J. Anderson

@Lineker

Drew Brees

Eternal Champions? Fuck yes, that was badass. Cracking theme tune too:

Matt "he'll always be a Bear dammit" Forte. 

@Lineker

Keenan Allen. 

@Little Red Srarvette

Julio Jones 

@Lineker

10 hours ago, Lineker said:

Still not worked out what I'm doing

What are you having trouble with?

The league begins with a draft, just like the real NFL draft, only it snakes (so 12th in the first round gets 1st pick in the second and so on). Different leagues have different rules on how many players at each position, and there's usually at least one flex spot (where you can play a receiver or runnign back). You also draft players to fill your bench, usually players who will replace your starter in case of injury or the starter is on his bye week.

Each week, your team plays against one of the others. You set your lineup before the games start, and each of the players on your team earn points based on their performance (6 points for a td, 1 point for every 10 yards gained etc. Again, this varies league by league), these points contribute to your team's total. After all the players on yours and your opponent's teams have played for the week, the team with the highest total wins.

The league is split into divisions which work the same as the real NFL, the teams with the best winning records at the top and qualifying for playoff spots. Because not every NFL team makes the playoffs and therefore not everyone would have their full compliment of players to field, fantasy playoffs usually take place in week 15 and 16 (again, dependant on league).

That's the basic gist. I won't get too in depth, but you can also offer up trades with other teams and pick up free agents on the waiver wire (Yahoo seems to fuck me every single week with this, so I can't explain exactly how it works in our league, but the basic idea is that the worse a team is the better their waiver priority. So if we both wanted to pick up Jay Cutler for example, but you had a 3-2 record while I was 4-1, you would get him. I think). Once  player's team has started its game, your selection is locked, so you need to keep an eye on things like injury reports to make sure you don't put someone in who isn't going to play (similarly, keep an eye on thewaiver wire for back-ups to starters who get injured and will miss time).

Just checked our leaue page. Roster is as follows:

QB

RB

WR

TE

3 x Flex (RB/WR/TE)

K

DEF (You pick a team defense, not individual players)

You score points for the following:

1 point per 25 passing yards

1 point per 10 rushing or receiving yards

1 point per catch

6 points for a passing or receiving TD

7 points for a rushing or return TD (I don't know why, I'm pretty sure Maxx is on crack)

-2 for an INT or lost fumble

3 points for field goals under 40 yards

4 points for field goals between 40 and 50 yards

5 points for field goals over 50 yards

1 point for PAT

-5 for a FG miss under 20 yards

2 points for a sack, INT or fumble recovery by your defense

7 for a defensive TD

2 for a blocked kick

Points Allowed 0 points10

Points Allowed 1-6 points7

Points Allowed 7-13 points4

Points Allowed 14-20 points01

Points Allowed 21-27 points-10

Points Allowed 28-34 points-2-1

Points Allowed 35+ points-4

There's a couple of sites I can recommend for further advice:

sbnation.com/fantasy

nfl.com/fantasy

rotowire.com

I always get the worst pick :/

3 hours ago, Lineker said:

...fine, if it makes things a lot easier for you I will join in and come dead last. 

 

Provided someone gives me a literal Idiot's Guide as to how every single last aspect of it works.

If you've ever watched a game on Sky Sports, you must've seen their promo spots for their fantasy game? This is basically the same (I think passing TDs may be worth less rhough), but instead of picking a fresh team every week that has to fit in with the your budget, we draft the players and keep them for the season (well, you can trade and pick up free agents too). So whereas in the Sky game, any number of teams could start Gronk, in this only the team that drafts him can. Also, instead of it being the highest scoring team each week winning, you have a schedule and your team plays the others. 

I'm getting it if only because the soundtrack has been done by 65daysofstatic. 

Can't say for sure since the defensive stuff has been massively overhauled, but I think the quarter length is about right, difficulty is ok. It might be an idea to look into sliders to prevent the ridiculous stats we've been seeing lately. 

What's the rule on alcohol? I saw that Gordon had been busted for it before, but I couldn't find out why. I don't understand why you can't drink, it's not exactly performance enhancing.