Time for our annual look at some of the better known fantasy football magazines available. While many choose not to purchase them due to them often being out of date as soon as they hit the stands, many of us oldtimers still like a hard copy to peruse. Many of the magazines compensate by offering free online updates to keep the info current.
Several of the better known ones often put out two or three magazines, such as a cheat sheet edition and/or a draft edition. For the purposes of this article, only the basic fantasy ones are examined. Click here to read a few more magazine reviews.
Here’s the baker’s dozen for this season:
Fantasy Football Index
Rankings/Bios: As per their custom, they only rank the top 10 at each position and give lengthy bios for each. They also include shorter bios on other players they consider to have fantasy value.
IDP’s: As per last year, they list all IDP’s in NFL team profiles followed by a cheatsheet of the top 65 at each position (for fantasy purposes, there are generally 3 positions: DL, LB and DB. However these are sometimes further broken down in deeper leagues).
Cheat Sheets: There are several cheat sheets to cover various league formats.
Articles: Numerous articles including: Effects of the free agent frenzy that wasn’t; Sleepers, overrated stars, and nobodies who could make your season; Deepest draft in years – but not at positions fantasy leagues care about; FFI mock draft; FFI mock auction; The O-line; Expert’s poll; team by team depth charts; and an in depth look at each NFL team.
Comments: Lots of well written, in depth articles. Always one of the more popular mags here at the Oasis.
NFL.com Fantasy Football
Rankings/Bios: The top players at each position rate a paragraph for a bio, with lesser players getting only a sentence.
IDP’s: As per usual, IDP’s are completely ignored!
Cheat Sheets: Only one as usual.
Articles: A few short articles: can we legislate luck, Egg meet face; Away from home games; The football mind; My son, my opponent; QB’s rule; Too much of a good thing; Sleepers, breakout players, underachievers; Rookie report; and a mock draft.
Comments: Always one of the first & the worst. Lots of flash but not much bang for the buck. No excuse for the lack of IDP info. Definitely a fantasy lightweight!
Athlon Sports Fantasy
Rankings/Bios: Lengthy paragraph on every player ranked. Also has college player rankings, but no bios.
IDP’s: They have rankings for the top 50 at each position, but bios for only five players. Very weak!
Cheat Sheets: They have a single lengthy cheat sheet in tiers with a one sentence comment on each player.
Articles: A few of varying length: The choice is clear (Chris Johnson); Teasers and pleasers; Mock draft pitfalls; The statistical peak; 2K encores; Playing the field; Sleepers and busts; The case for playing dynasty; Average draft position; Offensive line rankings; On the move; Mock draft; and Insights from last year’s champ.
Comments: Not bad overall, middle of the road entry.
Fantasy League Football
Rankings/Bios: Lengthy rankings but only a sentence or two on each player. Weak!
IDP’s: Similar to offensive players in format, but only 35 players deep at each position.
Cheat Sheets: Three available.
Articles: Very few: Auction analysis; Experts picks.
Comments: They have a fair bit of statistical analysis at the back of the mag, but not much else of note. Definite lack of depth and info.
Fantasy Sports (NFFC)
Rankings/Bios: A paragraph on each player ranked.
IDP’s: Same as offensive players format, but rankings only include top 20 at each position.
Cheat Sheets: Three included.
Articles: A few, including: Off season moves; Class of 2010 top rookie review; Deep sleepers; In-season roster management; Cashing in on contract year players; ADP top 200; and four mock drafts.
Comments: Not a lot of depth, resulting in one of the smaller mags.
Fanball.com
Rankings/Bios: A paragraph on each player ranked with occasional lengthier blurbs on some player. Rankings fairly deep at each position.
IDP’s: Same format as offensive players, but only 32 players deep at each position.
Cheat Sheets: Numerous, covering all kinds of formats.
Articles: several including: All Day & every coach’s dream; Sleepers; Busts; Impact rookies; NFL coaching changes; A conversation with Chris Johnson; Building and maintaining a dynasty; Passing trends in fantasy football catching on; Snapdraft strategies; 2010 National fantasy championship.
Comments: Overall one of the more solid entries in the field.
Fantasy Football Diehards
Rankings/Bios: A generous paragraph on each player ranked, but rankings don’t go deep enough (49 RB’s and 57 WR’s for example).
IDP’s: Definitely their strong suit seeing as they have the top IDP guru in the business on board, that being our own Gary Davenport (aka Kilroy)! Deep, deep rankings and lots of tips & advice.
Cheat Sheets: Two, top 244 not broken down by position and then one by position..
Articles: Several very in-depth, encompassing: High-stakes tactics, A closer look at this years top fantasy wideouts; In-season management – your key to fantasy success; 2010 rookie symposium – the birth of an NFL player; 2010 Off-season player moves; Top sleepers/breakout players for 2010; 2010 SOS (strength of schedule); 2010 Team reviews; Experts’ poll; Mock draft.
Comments: First time I’ve ever purchased this one and quite impressed with it. Lots of info to absorb and very nicely laid out and pleasing to the eye.
Pro Football Weekly/Yahoo Sports
Rankings/Bios: Fairly detailed bios on all players ranked (broken down into: boom, bust and bottom line).
IDP’s: A short paragraph on each player ranked and only 20 ranked at each position.
Cheat Sheets: One top 200 all positions, and one broken down by position.
Articles: Several, covering: High fives; Running out of time; Fantasy gems and junk; New on the scene; No risk, no reward; mock drafts; Auction suggested price list; Offensive lines; The doctor is in.
Comments: Pro Football Weekly & Yahoo Sports join forces to put out a respectable product. Just a good solid read.
Sporting News
Rankings/Bios: Short three sentence blurb on every player ranked and Sporting News is finally putting them in order of rank, rather than alphabetically. Although at the conclusion of ranked players, which go pretty deep, “waiver-wire watch” players are alphabetical.
IDP’s: Top 35 at each position profiled, plus “waiver-wire watch” candidates.
Cheat Sheets: Tear out top 205 players, plus one by position.
Articles: Several, including: To-know list; Reader mailbag; Myth busters; Wanted – the next big thing; mock draft with extensive analysis; Strategy faceoff; Getting to the point (PPR); The rookie rulebook; Fantasy source; Coaching carousel; and 2010 schedule power poll.
Comments: A solid, if unspectacular, effort.
Lindy’s Sports
Rankings/Bios: Detailed bios of all ranked players, but rankings not overly deep.
IDP’s: Only the top 11 all positions are profiled. Very poor!
Cheat Sheets: One top 50 all positons and one by position.
Articles: A few articles covering: 20 Questions; In defense of the running back; mock draft with analysis; NFL fantasy power grid.
Comments: Like NFL.com’s entry, not a lot of substance here!
Beckett/Rotoworld
Rankings/Bios: Bios about five sentences in length for all ranked players. Rankings go very deep and are divided into tiers. Solidly done!
IDP’s: Same as offensive players, but only the top 30 at each position are ranked (not in tiers).
Cheat Sheets: Several cheat sheets covering different formats.
Articles: A good selection with: For better or worse; Top 25 player moves; Burning questions; Training camp pitfalls; Sleepers; Busts; Overvalued; Top fantasy rookies; Strategy roundtable; Bold predictions; Contract players; 10 Trends that define 2010 drafts; The ADP list; Running back report (by team); Mock draft; On the offensive; Depth charts.
Comments: Beckett & Rotoworld.com’s joint effort is a solid read.
USA Today
Rankings/Bios: Bios consist of one short paragraph, and players are listed in alphabetical order instead of by rank. Very poor.
IDP’s: A short piece on the subject and the top 25 at each position ranked.
Cheat Sheets: One with the top 200 all positions.
Articles: Nothing earth shattering: Run down; Is he the new John Elway (Donovan McNabb); The other QB; Handcuffs – avoid them most of the time; Steals & Deals; Scheduling success; Draft 101; Target practice; Second-half awakenings; Don’t be a kicker picker; He’s a real keeper.
Comments: A small magazine lacking in substance
ESPN
Rankings/Bios: Only a couple of sentences on each player ranked, however the rankings do go very deep.
IDP’s: Top 50 players ranked at each positon ranked with only a sentence on each one.
Articles: Pretty basic stuff: Kickoff; Knowledge is power; Easy come, easy go; KC Joyner’s Metricmania.
Comments: The annual ESPN offering is yet another lightweight in the fantasy magazine world.
Summary
Most of the above mags contained NFL team by team analysis which I didn’t get into in any depth. I regret one magazine missing from the study is Rotowire which I was unable to find – it’s generally worthy of a look and I’ll do a quick review of it in the forums when I find one. Fantasy Football Guys switched from a magazine to strictly online version last year and is not even doing that this year. FantasyGuru has dropped their magazine this year and does not have an online version but are considering doing one next year. I also couldn’t find Sports Illustrated’s fantasy mag, but it’s not likely to be anything special as their forte is clearly the professional football scene and not fantasy football.
Overall, some good, some bad, some somewhere in between. For my top pick it comes out to be a draw between perennial fave Fantasy Football Index and Fantasy Football Diehards – good work guys!
