By Brandon Salamat, NJFFL Contributor
I entered the NJFFL Development League as a last minute invitee. This was just another door of opportunity in the world of fantasy football; Sam is the developmental league commish and did a great job. It may seem easy when you first check out the league scoring settings and huge rosters but don’t let that fool you. Some scoring categories rewarded big points for example return yardage is huge in the D-League, although he disappointed, Josh Cribbs is a top player so on draft day that’s who I gunned for; early. But, for me I joined this league because of the reward you get when you win, that is moving up to the real NJFFL league where the big boys play and well that’s where I consider myself.
The other 7 managers in the D-League were great; most of us had a twitter account so some trash talking here and there and we became a family. The D-League was filled with fellow addicts of fantasy football; and although it’s a free league its challenging because you see the big rosters, you see the starting positions and you ask yourself do I go WR heavy or RB heavy? Well to help you all a little bit, make sure your QB is in the top 10 or gets a ton of completions week in week out because that is a stat category I bypassed on accident. Huge points are rewarded in the D-League and a ton of IDP positions, my forte’. I myself thought I played in every league possible that is until I played in the NJFFL D-League. It’s a learning experience and it could enhance your fantasy football experience in a lot of ways.
I had Rivers and Rodgers as my QB’s (Don’t ask why) and I drafted WR heavy because it was a PPR league and figured I could get by; not so fast. I started off the season on a 5 game winning streak than all of a sudden just went on a slump, big time. Each week have that has been very inconsistent, I couldn’t put together back to back wins and ended up losing 4 straight at one point. I was really frustrated because not only my team but other teams were stacked too (being its an 8 man league) but my IDP’s weren’t cutting it and some of my WR’s weren’t neither (Randy Moss) so made some mid-season pickups which helped me pick up the slack and got the 4th seed in the playoffs. I had some high scoring games in the playoffs and evidently went on to place 5th and got a shot at proving myself in the NJFFL Dynasty in 2011.
Personally, I love dynasty leagues and I love building and rebuilding teams. Found out I’ll be starting from scratch or if some of my players on my D-League rosters are free agents will be awarded to my NJFFL Dynasty Squad. Looking at my D-League roster I’m thinking I may not be awarded anyone so I may have to start from scratch and that is not a problem with me because I know a championship team is not built overnight in a dynasty league. My only strategy I use in all my dynasty leagues is go after young studs or players awaiting in wings and surround them with consistent veterans. In the draft I aim for rookies in good situations that they’ll succeed or an injury away from getting ample playing time, ala Dez Bryant. So it’ll take time for me to build a team for my liking thru draft, free agent pick ups and trades but as long as I make progress year in year out I’ll be fine; its when I move backwards is where I’d have a problem. My minds on the prize, the trophy, the championship and I will sooner or later get that championship! NJFFL hope you all are ready for me, as I can’t wait to be apart of a great league filled with great people.
I’ll say if you want a whole new world of fantasy football experience, join the NJFFL Developmental League and you’ll thank me later.
The NJFFL Dynasty 