In continuing with our three-part series on ADP analysis, today we look at the second method in which average draft position can be utilized to uncover values come draft day -- trend analysis.
This approach involves following a sequence of successive ADP charts over a span of time, usually a couple of months (or anteing up for a premium service that tracks more detailed mock draft data), and following the trends. Trends in ADP are great indicators of who is moving up or down on depth charts, which players have made breakthroughs in camp, and most of all, who got dinged up in camp -- information that can be daunting to follow on a player-by-player basis.
One of my favorite moves on fantasy football draft day is taking a late-round gamble and letting everyone else laugh at me. You can have the first round, just let me pick late. To illustrate, here's an actual message board post last season after one of my drafts: "Commish Snyder purposefully did not draft a kicker so he could take a flier on yet another long shot (Steve Slaton of the Texans). I'm sure he'll say it will pay off in the long run."
My response? "I'll end up dropping Patrick Crayton (my fifth WR) for a kicker before week 1 when Slaton wins the Houston gig -- unless someone suffers a season-ending injury, in which case I'll drop that person."
WithFantasy Footballseason ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all.
Meet the ... Perennial sleepers. It seems like almost every season, people are discussing the fact that the 49ers are ready to break out and surprise people and win the NFC West. And then, almost every season, they suck. They might not be great this year either. Mike Singletary brings a more disciplined approach than even Mike Nolan, but you can't possibly expect Shaun Hill or Alex Smith to lead a team to the playoffs. Or can you? Well, actually, for fantasy purposes, who cares? There's going to be a lot of running and a lot of surprises on defense in San Fran this year, and that's going to be where you pick up the value.
On Wednesday, 15-year veteran Isaac Bruce made a decision regarding his future in the NFL as the 36-year-old wide receiver informed the 49ers he will be returning for the 2009 season. According to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, Bruce called head coach Mike SIngletary this morning and informed him of the news.
He led the 49ers with 61 catches and 835 yards in 2008, while also surpassing Tim Brown for the No. 2 spot on the NFL's all-time receiving yards list.
Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.
After the uneventful tenure of head coach Mike Nolan, the San Francisco 49ers decided to promote Mike Singletary to interim head coach during the 2008 season.
After a bizarre debut that saw Singletary address his team without pants, the 49ers finished the season on a 5-4 run under their new coach, ending the year with a 7-9 record. Had it not been for a confusing ending to a Monday night game against Arizona, the 49ers would have finished with a .500 record for the first time since 2002. So close, yet so far.
Lance Moore only caught 32 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns in 2007. In 2008, he caught 79 passes for 928 yards and 10 touchdowns. It came from out of nowhere, considering all the other receiving options in New Orleans, but that doesn't mean we can't start grasping at who could be the one who goes from relative fantasy obscurity to a great contributor in the time of one season.
Let's check it out those who will likely see an expanded role in their offense next season, in addition to growth as a playmaker. Please realize these are for deep keeper leagues. Do not even think about keeping any of these over an elite receiver.
Donnie Avery, Rams -- As I said in my top-10 picks post about Steven Jackson, the Rams can't get any worse. They'll figure some things out in the offseason and Mr. Avery is going to be an important part of the offense for any new administration due to his youth. We saw the flashes of talent this time around, and next season we'll see him grow into a real NFL receiver. Plus, it's not like his division is chock full of beastly defenses.
Every week when the dinner bell rings on Friday evening, we'll be here to provide you a comprehensive commentary of the key injuries for the NFL weekend to follow. For those injuries that go right down to the wire, drop by our Fantasy Fanhouse expert live chat from 10am to 1pm EST every Sunday and we'll take care of you on those bloody game-time decisions. As always, please feel free to chime in with opinions, updates, and rumors in the comments.
The Arizona Cardinals
Anquan Boldin - After a well-timed bye week affording Boldin an extra week to rest his dome, he is expected to play on Sunday. Boldin allegedly lost about ten pounds though after having his jaw wired shut and slurping his food for two weeks. I'm in this predicament myself and plan to start him, but it's not an easy decision. If you have other quality options, it is probably worth waiting to see what he does this weekend.
The Baltimore Ravens
Derrick Mason - Unfortunately for Mason owners, who saw his value tick up after his six catch, 86 yard, one touchdown game last week, he was unable to practice this week with an undisclosed illness. Mason is not reliable enough to risk starting unless the illness dissipates completely.
The Carolina Panthers
D.J. Hackett- While I doubt too many people are reeling over Hackett's day-to-day status, he looks to be practicing lightly and should be available to play.
The Chicago Bears
Brandon Lloyd - Brandon Lloyd continues to nurse a sprained knee, so hopefully this week's bye should be the final stage in the waiting game. After a hot start to the season, owners are eagerly anticipating his return, but who knows what kind of shape he will be in upon returning.
FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled weekly by the staff in order to provide answers to possible lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, you need more players ranked, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.
Lee Evans is a must-start receiver in fantasy football. We've been waiting for this day for years, because we've seen the occasional outburst which illustrated his enormous potential. The problem, as it turns out, was that he never had a chance to develop a solid rapport with a quarterback. Thank you, Trent Edwards. Those of us who have been waiting on Evans are quite grateful.
- The Jets receiving duo is ranked lower here than on most other sites. That's because both are nursing injuries, Brett Favre doesn't seem right, and I'm expecting the Jets to run all over the Swiss Chiefs this weekend.
- You know what's funny? I hated Herrera's boyAntonio Bryant all year. But now, the Bucs have injury issues at WR, Jeff Garcia is back starting, and they face a depleted Cowboys' secondary. Now is the time, Tom.
- Hail Mary? Josh Morgan. The Seahawks' defense is having a rough year, and the Niners are going to try and make a statement for the new regime. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz is going to campaign for the job. Oh, and a LONG time ago someone said to watch out for Morgan.
Strange things happen in fantasy football on a weekly basis. No matter how perfect your team looks, there's always a wild card that can disrupt everything. Sometimes, you just have to take your lumps and move onto the next week. I mean seriously, do you really think that Dan Orlovsky is going to nearly triple the fantasy production of Peyton Manning each week? Deep sigh, if you were starting Peyton yesterday, as I was.
Well, no matter how much we study the matchups, absorb knowledge and/or think we just know ... flukes can happen. It's your job to observe such freak bust-outs and flops, then monitor each situation as it relates to your team. Of course, you can always grab the latest sexy waiver wire wonders right here each week. And you can grab value information to digest on whether a certain performance was a fluke or going to be a reality moving forward.
That said, let's take a look at a few All-Star lineups that were probably crushed by a few odd, maybe even fluke performances in Week 7.
Weeding through those unwieldy waiver wires requires a keen eye and a quick trigger. Thus, Waiver Wire Wonders provides a weekly snapshot of players worthy of consideration who should be available on a good portion of league waiver wires. Enjoy those pickups...
Week 7 provides fantasy owners with a diverse buffet of waiver wire options to consider. While many of them look quite good, the majority will ultimately probably just take up valuable space. Still, feel free to sample a few and see if there is anything you like.
Malcom Floyd (WR, San Diego) - Floyd filled in well in the void left by Chris Chambers this week by hauling in four passes for 65 yards and one touchdown. Chambers will likely return in the next week or two however, so Floyd is not worth a roster spot at this point. Still, he at least deserves a mention if only because his older brother Malcolm also played in the NFL for the Oilers (yes, that's Malcom and Malcolm).
Kyle Orton (QB, Chicago Bears) - At this point, Kyle Orton is only available in roughly 30 percent of fantasy leagues, but it is worth checking the wires, because Orton continues to bring the Chicago passing game along into a viable offensive threat. If he is still available, snap him up, because he will make a great backup and matchup play for the second half of the season. On Sunday, he racked up another 283 yards and two touchdown passes.
In continuing with our three-part series on ADP analysis, today we look at the second method in which average draft position can be utilized to uncover values come draft day -- trend analysis.
With
On Wednesday, 15-year veteran 
Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 
Every week when the dinner bell rings on Friday evening, we'll be here to provide you a comprehensive commentary of the key injuries for the NFL weekend to follow. For those injuries that go right down to the wire, drop by our Fantasy Fanhouse expert live chat from 10am to 1pm EST every Sunday and we'll take care of you on those bloody game-time decisions. As always, please feel free to chime in with opinions, updates, and rumors in the comments. 
Strange things happen in fantasy football on a weekly basis. No matter how perfect your team looks, there's always a wild card that can disrupt everything. Sometimes, you just have to take your lumps and move onto the next week. I mean seriously, do you really think that 
Weeding through those unwieldy waiver wires requires a keen eye and a quick trigger. Thus, Waiver Wire Wonders provides a weekly snapshot of players worthy of consideration who should be available on a good portion of league waiver wires. Enjoy those pickups...
