# NFL Yardage Pool competition **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 9, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386 "2009-09-09T03:22:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/121 "2009-10-19T00:26:25Z")
… I am starting to think I have a supernatural ability to ruin a QB’s passing day. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/122 "2009-10-19T04:25:03Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Week 6: > > [del]Matt Hasselbeck, Santonio Holmes, Cedric Benson, Kurt Warner, Clinton Portis, Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub, Ryan Grant, Reggie Wayne, Kerry Collins, Darren McFadden, Jerricho Cotchery, Tony Romo, Rashard Mendenhall, Roddy White[/del] > Tom Brady > Maurice Jones-Drew > Nate Burleson 380 + 133 + 40 = **553** **SB** , I am now waiting for you to post to this thread before setting my fantasy lineups, whereupon anyone you pick gets benched. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/123 "2009-10-19T04:30:15Z")
> [@Wilson](#): > > A little late… I’ll take Brady, Westbrook and Braylan Edwards. If I’ve already used Brady, make it Rivers. 380 + 50 + 40 = **470** (I did not check to see if you’ve used Brady yet) > [@VarlosZ](#): > > Aaron Rodgers > Maurice Jones-Drew > Steve Smith (Carolina) 358 + 133 + 4 = **495** > [@SenorBeef](#): > > Matt Hasselbeck > Cedric Benson > Wes Welker 112 + 44 + 150 = **306** > [@Omniscient](#): > > QB - Mark Sanchez > RB - MJD > WR - Wes Welker 119 + 133 + 150 = **402** > [@lieu](#): > > Donovan McNabb > Cedric Benson > Larry Fitzgerald 269 + 44 + 100 = **413** ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/124 "2009-10-21T12:16:22Z")
[del]Joe Flacco, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub, Donovan McNabb Thomas Jones, Adrian Peterson, Brandon Jacobs, Chris Johnson, Rashard Mendenhall, Cedric Benson Marques Colston, Terrell Owens, Reggie Wayne, Santana Moss, Mohammed Massaquoi, Larry Fitzgerald[/del] Week 7 Philip Rivers DeAngelo Williams Randy Moss ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/125 "2009-10-22T07:31:44Z")
Sorry, I slack off. I’ll try to keep the [standings](http://members.cox.net/senorbeef/SDMByardagecomp.htm) updated more regularly. Scores this week: 1. RNATB: 553 2. Varlos 495 3. Tie notfromensa, Wilson 470 4. Lieu 413 5. Omni 402 6. SenorBeef 306 Would you believe I’m actually pretty good at fantasy football? How am I so terrible at this? I mean… Flacco vs SD, Brees vs the Bills, Cutler vs the Lions, Hasselbeck vs Arizona… none cracked 200 yards… only 2 of those were above 150. Those seem like solid picks to me. It seems like there are 10 players putting up 300+ yard passing games for a week and I can’t ever pick the right ones. Here’s how the scores break down currently by yardage type Passing: 1. RNATB 1837 2. notfrommensa 1825 3. Wilson 1763 4. Lieu 1733 5. Varlos 1731 6. Omni 1371 7. SenorBeef 1212 Rushing: 1. Lieu 495 2. Varlos 492 3. Omni 487 4. RNATB 461 5. SenorBeef 402 6. Wilson 355 7. notfrommensa 246 Receiving: 1. RNATB 727 2. Lieu 398 3. SenorBeef 397 4. Omni 341 5. Mensa 298 6. Wilson 251 7. Varlos 205 ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/126 "2009-10-22T10:56:12Z")
Jesus, look at the disparity in receiving numbers. That’s where the money is. (There are cash prizes, yes?) Also, how the hell do I get a combined six games from some of the very best WRs in football (Fitzgerald, Moss, Holmes, Ochocinco, Marshall, and Steve Smith 1.0), all against mediocre or weak defenses, and net a total of 205 yards? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/127 "2009-10-22T13:33:47Z")
Yeah, believe I could fill a page with musings on second guesses gone wrong, missing heroic efforts by a week, etc. Some of the biggest numbers seem to come from close pairings, ones you might have thought would restrict excess. The receiving numbers seem especially difficult because you’ve got to weigh how a QB is going to distribute to the other WRs, TEs and RBs. I’ve never done Fantasy before but now I can see why you guys enjoy it. For one thing it helps take the focus off a favorite team (which in my case isn’t performing very well right now) and distribute that interest to individuals and teams throughout the league. That can really increase your enjoyment of contests in other divisions, as well as your appreciation of individual efforts, knowing a bit more of their history. I watch all the games more intently now and especially pay attention to the NFL channel’s real time stat summary on during Sunday’s first game. This is a fun thread, **SenorBeef** , thanks for starting it. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/128 "2009-10-22T13:49:49Z")
My QB’s picks are pretty competitive but boy do i suck in receiving and rushing. CFB is the sport I pay attention to so. I definitely re-evaluate my strategy of picking the rushers and recievers. (as a straight man, it is comforting that I know little about tight ends and wide receivers) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/129 "2009-10-22T14:18:49Z")
This is sorta like Fantasy Football Light, if you will. **lieu** , you pretty much nailed the strategy (at least the one I’m employing, which seems to be pretty successful): I’m picking quarterbacks and wideouts who are going against poor-but-not-terrible pass defenses, and where possible against good _offenses_. That way (in theory) my guys won’t be in blowouts where their team is going 70/30 run/pass in the second half. Obviously, sometimes it doesn’t work, and sometimes it works even when the game _is_ a blowout- see Roddy White against San Fran or Brady against the Titans. I am also looking at the specific matchups at wide receiver; for example, I’m avoiding guys who play Oakland, even though their overall pass defense is poor, because Nnamdi Asomugha doesn’t get thrown at, and he’s always lined up against the other team’s #1. My strategy with running backs is the opposite- pick teams with the worst possible run defense and the worst possible offense. For some reason, that hasn’t been as successful, possibly because of a weird fantasy football trend this season: good running backs are doing badly against bad run defenses. However, good running backs are doing well against good run defenses, and bad running backs are doing well against bad run defenses. Example: Cedric Benson over the last two weeks ran for 120 yards against Baltimore and 44 against Houston. Anyway, on with my Week 7 lineup: [del]Matt Hasselbeck, Santonio Holmes, Cedric Benson, Kurt Warner, Clinton Portis, Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub, Ryan Grant, Reggie Wayne, Kerry Collins, Darren McFadden, Jerricho Cotchery, Tony Romo, Rashard Mendenhall, Roddy White, Tom Brady, Maurice Jones-Drew, Nate Burleson[/del] Ben Roethlisberger Thomas Jones Wes Welker ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/130 "2009-10-22T15:16:19Z")
Weeks 1-6 (so I don’t repeat) [del]Passing - Tom Brady, Kyle Orton, Joe Flacco, Jay Cutler, Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub Rushing - Reggie Bush, Ray Rice, Ray Rice, Chris Johnson, Adrian Petersen, Cedric Benson Receiving - Terrell Owen, Tim Hightower, Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, Steve Smith, T.J. Houshmandzadeh [/del] Week 7 Passing - Brett Favre MIN Rushing - Ryan Grant CHI Receiving - Andre Johnson HOU ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/131 "2009-10-22T15:27:59Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Passing: > > 1. RNATB 1837 > 2. notfrommensa 1825 > 3. Wilson 1763 > 4. Lieu 1733 > 5. Varlos 1731 > 6. Omni 1371 > 7. SenorBeef 1212 > > Rushing: > > 1. Lieu 495 > 2. Varlos 492 > 3. Omni 487 > 4. RNATB 461 > 5. SenorBeef 402 > 6. Wilson 355 > 7. notfrommensa 246 > > Receiving: > > 1. RNATB 727 > 2. Lieu 398 > 3. SenorBeef 397 > 4. Omni 341 > 5. Mensa 298 > 6. Wilson 251 > 7. Varlos 205 Checking out stats at [nfl.com](http://nfl.com): **Passing:** Roethlisberger: 1887 Schaub: 1810 **Rushing:** Petersen 618 Johnson 596 **Receiving:** Ward 599 Johnson 572 If we integrate our stats with [nfl.com](http://nfl.com), **RANTB** is leading the receiving category by ~150 yds (25%), and is second in passing. Somehow I’m third in passing but my primary receivers are covered so I am going to secondary receivers. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/132 "2009-10-24T05:31:02Z")
I’ll pick a little earlier than usual so you guys can figure out who to avoid. Eli Manning D’Angelo Williams Steve Smith (NYG) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/133 "2009-10-24T16:07:18Z")
Are you sure you want D’Angelo and Steve Smith? I really need a couple of Fantasy wins this week… ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/134 "2009-10-24T18:26:31Z")
Haha! Enjoy your implosion sir! ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/135 "2009-10-24T18:38:52Z")
Actually I’ll have some mercy on you. I want to switch my receiver from Steve Smith to Santonio Holmes. You can thank me later. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/136 "2009-10-24T19:42:40Z")
[del]QB: Kurt Warner, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Matt Schaub, Tony Romo, Aaron Rodgers RB: LaDanian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson, Ryan Grant, Brandon Jacobs, Jerome Harrison, Maurice Jones-Drew WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Randy Moss, Santonio Holmes, Chad Ochocinco, Brandon Marshall, Steve Smith 1.0[/del] Week 7: Tom Brady DeAngelo Williams Steve Smith 2.0 ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/137 "2009-10-24T20:23:11Z")
Used Players: QB - Carson Palmer, Joe Flacco, Eli Manning, Matt Schaub, Mark Sanchez RB - Thomas Jones, Ryan Grant, Cedric Benson, Ronnie Brown, Maurice Jones-Drew WR - Marques Colston, Roy Williams, Santonio Holmes, Larry Fitzgerald, Wes Welker **Week 7:** QB - Ben Roethlisberger RB - Donald Brown WR - Roddy White Taking a gamble at RB this week, we’ll see how that pans out. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/138 "2009-10-24T20:27:26Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Sorry, I slack off. I’ll try to keep the [standings](http://members.cox.net/senorbeef/SDMByardagecomp.htm) updated more regularly. > > Scores this week: > > 1. RNATB: 553 > 2. Varlos 495 > 3. Tie notfromensa, Wilson 470 > 4. Lieu 413 > 5. Omni 402 > 6. SenorBeef 306 > > Would you believe I’m actually pretty good at fantasy football? > > How am I so terrible at this? > > I mean.. Flacco vs SD, Brees vs the Bills, Cutler vs the Lions, Hasselbeck vs Arizona.. none cracked 200 yards… only 2 of those were above 150. Those seem like solid picks to me. It seems like there are 10 players putting up 300+ yard passing games for a week and I can’t ever pick the right ones. > > Here’s how the scores break down currently by yardage type > > Passing: > > 1. RNATB 1837 > 2. notfrommensa 1825 > 3. Wilson 1763 > 4. Lieu 1733 > 5. Varlos 1731 > 6. Omni 1371 > 7. SenorBeef 1212 > > Rushing: > > 1. Lieu 495 > 2. Varlos 492 > 3. Omni 487 > 4. RNATB 461 > 5. SenorBeef 402 > 6. Wilson 355 > 7. notfrommensa 246 > > Receiving: > > 1. RNATB 727 > 2. Lieu 398 > 3. SenorBeef 397 > 4. Omni 341 > 5. Mensa 298 > 6. Wilson 251 > 7. Varlos 205 Are these numbers with the lowest score dropped or is this just the raw totals? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/139 "2009-10-24T20:35:24Z")
Raw totals. I wasn’t going to drop the lowest score until the end of the year because due to the spreadsheet method I’m using I would have to delete and re-add data as someone’s lowest week changed. However, if anyone who knows Excel better than me knows a way I can program the formula to drop the lowest score, I’ll implement that. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386/140 "2009-10-24T20:45:06Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Raw totals. I wasn’t going to drop the lowest score until the end of the year because due to the spreadsheet method I’m using I would have to delete and re-add data as someone’s lowest week changed. > > However, if anyone who knows Excel better than me knows a way I can program the formula to drop the lowest score, I’ll implement that. Use the SMALL function. See here: > **[Excluding Values from Averaging (Microsoft Excel)](https://excel.tips.net/T002050_Excluding_Values_from_Averaging.html)** > > Calculating an average of a group of numbers is easy. What if you want to exclude a couple of the numbers from the group you are averaging? Here's the tools you need to develop a formula that will give you what you want. (Tips.Net) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-yardage-pool-competition/509386.md?page=8)