Where did the season go wrong?

In a league that is perhaps the most challenging I've ever done (partly because of the 15 other teams I compete against), I barely missed the playoffs this week. The team's destiny was in it's own hands and it completely fell apart...landing an overall record at 6-7. Which in itself was completely miraculous considering the total points scored by my team is currently the 5th lowest in the league.

Two other leagues that I participate in (not including this one we're reviewing) I'm safely at least the #2 seed going into the playoff week 14.

I thought it would be useful for next year to do a small recap about where things went wrong....starting with the draft.

Note that this is a PPR league - so top receivers CAN do as well as a top running back.


KEPT PLAYERS (from 2006 team)

We're allowed to keep 3 players. So here were my choices from last season's team.

Laurence Maroney - Consensus top 10 pick going into the season by many fantasy experts. Stuck in a pass happy offense, hurt for a number of games, and now losing touches to the "other Faulk". Heath Evans likes to get the touchdown glory.

Cedric Benson - High NFL draft pick with great college pedigree. Thomas Jones traded in the offseason - he had no competition. He underachieves all year, especially against horrible run defenses. Cedric's offensive line didn't help matters. He starts to pick it up (just in time for the playoffs) and then gets hurt.

Antonio Gates - has a good overall season, but throws up a stinker last
week thanks to Philip Rivers.


Short Draft Recap


1) Marques Colston - does nothing for the first weeks of the season
(mainly why I lost a couple two point games early), but overall turns out
okay. Throws out a stinker last week too.

Two draft picks in round 2

2a) Matt Leinart - supposed to be break out year. With two great
receivers, does nothing, then goes into time share with Kurt Warner. Then gets hurt.

2b) Reggie Brown - third year receiver - does not break out. McNabb's
injury killed his potential...and then Kevin Curtis becomes the go to
guy.

Braylon Edwards was picked three picks later.

4)LenDale White - underachieves for the first few games. I traded him in
week 5 for Javon Walker. We know how that turned out. White goes on a hot streak, and Walker stays injured.

5) Todd Heap - hurt all year. Nuff said. (Chris Cooley picked round 6).

8) Patrick Crayton - he was streaky - but turned out to be a good value pick.

9) Sammy Morris - wonderful backup to Maroney and really worked out well (while he was healthy). Matt Schaub was also picked this round.

10) Jason Campbell. My starting QB for most of the year. Had some really big games, but still learning and inconsistent. Dwayne Bowe was also picked this round.

Rounds 11 / 12 were mostly DEF and Special Teams picks.


FREE AGENT PICKUPS


I'm normally pretty active in the waiver wire. These may seem as reaches, but with 15 other teams bidding for players...here's what I was able to pickup. Note that these are only players that I STARTED any given week for my team.

Chris Henry (CIN) - Had a big game for me, hasn't done much since...filling in for Javon Walker

Priest Holmes (KCC) - Sounded promising, I sang his praises through a number of weeks...reinjures his neck and retires.

Kolby Smith (KCC) - Still playing! Put a decent number of points up for me last week.

Rex Grossman (CHI) - Started him once - didn't do well for me.

Brian Griese (CHI) - Started him a couple of times - with mixed results.

Fred Jackson (BUF) - Good game last week - got 14 points.

Adimchinobe Echemandu (HOU) - weeks ago was the hot waiver pickup. The next week, hardly plays...and scores less than a point for me.


SUMMARY


So where did this all go wrong? Mainly it was a lack of a "fantasy playmaker" for me. Someone that would consistently score a few points a week - with no major drop offs. All these guys have been mostly boom or bust - with my scores fluctuating wildly week to week. It may not be that a RB is the position that will do this for you anymore (meaning not just the top 10, but rather the top 20 used to be a safe play). It may come down to a good QB carrying your team - as long as he can stay healthy.