Free Fantasy Game at DraftStreet.com Offers $500 Prize Pool

By KFFL Staff on September 16, 2011

Sponsored Post
By Jason Catania

This week, I plan on doing better. I mean it.

After finishing a respectable, yet ultimately disappointing, 36th out of 124 total entries during Draft Street's fantasy contest last week - that's still among the top thirty percent, if you're keeping track - I'm back for a second shot at the prize. Although Philip Rivers and Vincent Jackson wound up being my two biggest misses, I hold no grudges (as you'll see). Rather, I tip my cap to the Week 1 winner, Finman30, and challenge everyone to prove you're better than moi.

The same rules apply as last week, so remember: 1) it's free, 2) it's a one-day pick-'em contest (this Sunday, September 18), and 3) it offers the possibility of winning up to $500. Considering all that, there's really no reason not to join in the fun, even if your only goal is to make it more difficult for me to improve my performance.

To get in on the action for the contest - an exclusive offer from Big Lead Sports - just head over to Draft Street, where logging in and getting set up is a simple, painless process. You can find a full list of the rules, as well as the scoring format, here: http://www.draftstreet.com/rules.aspx. In brief, the contest we're playing is a salary cap league, where you get a $100,000 payroll to build your team, which consists of the following: 2 QBs, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 2 Flex and 1 Defense. Each NFL player's price, determined by Draft Street, is based on expected performance; so for example, Eagles QB Michael Vick, the No. 1 player overall this week, costs $21,595, whereas Matt Ryan, his opponent in Week 2, is rated much lower but priced accordingly at a more affordable $12,163. With the housekeeping out of the way, it's a good time to remind you that not only is this contest free to enter, it's also paying out to the owners of the Top 9 point totals. So you don't even have to be the best to win.

Speaking of the best, my savvy selections will be available for your viewing pleasure when you sign up. In fact, every owner can see each other's picks, so everyone knows what they're up against. While we're on that topic, here's a look at the logic behind my choices.

QB: Tom Brady, Patriots ($17,912)
What can I say? I'm a sucker for guys who throw for 517 yards and 4 TDs. Brady looked too good last week to pass up this week, and chances are his Pats could get themselves into another shootout against the Chargers…

QB: Philip Rivers, Chargers ($16,292)
…which is exactly why I'm picking Rivers. Yes, he was a slight disappointment for me in Week 1 - just 335 yards and 2 TDs to go with 2 picks - but he's going to have to keep pace with Mr. Bündchen, so he could easily surpass last week's whopping 48 attempts.

RB: Matt Forte, Bears ($14,937)
Sticking with this week's theme, I'm buying Forte because the Bears will rely on him, perhaps even more than usual, as they trade punches with the Saints' explosive O. Even if Chicago falls behind, Forte is always a receiving threat out of the backfield (see: last week's 56-yard TD on a swing pass).

RB: Michael Bush, Raiders ($4,881)
Apparently, lead back Darren McFadden's shoulder is okay, but he's never been the healthiest bloke, and with one big hit, Bush could be in line for an increased workload. Plus, Buffalo's run D was far and away the worst in the NFL in 2010, a weakness Oakland would be wise to exploit.

WR: Wes Welker, Patriots ($12,811)
Not only did Welker cross the goal line twice last week, his 160 receiving yards were the second-best total of everyone. Plus, he's long been Brady's most-targeted receiver - 108 receptions per season since 2007, so he's a points-per-reception dream.

WR: Vincent Jackson, Chargers ($9,427)
Jackson was my worst pull a week ago, but I'm going back to the well. He's always been a big-play receiver (17.2 career yards per catch), and the Rivers-Jackson combo should have a few of those in them, if they want to hang with New England.

TE: Jason Witten, Cowboys ($11,349)
He's totaled more than 90 catches and more than 1,000 yards in three of the last four seasons. His 6-catch, 110-yard Week 1 got him started on his quest to make it four of five. And really, who am I to deny a man his quest?

FLEX: Ricky Williams, Ravens RB ($4,780)
Williams is more of a hunch play on the cheap here. With the way the Ravens pwned (yes, that's "pwned") the Steelers last week, I'm thinking they shouldn't have any trouble running amok against a Titans defense that surrendered 163 yards on the ground. And if it turns into another Ravens rout? Ricky runs.

FLEX: Chad Ochocinco, Patriots WR ($3,742)
I've had just about enough of the frenzy over Ochocinco's "inflammatory" tweet after he got to witness first-hand just how much of a machine the Pats' offense really is. I'm sure Chad is sick of it, too - and would like nothing better than to show up and shut 'em up.

DST: Vikings ($3,544)
Tampa Bay, the Vikes' Week 2 opponent, did a whole lotta nothin' against a Lions D that's got a few playmakers. Well, with with DE Jared Allen, LB Chad Greenway and CB Antoine Winfield, Minny has its own batch.

CLICK HERE to enter the freeroll!