Jeff Ratcliffe's Articles

There are many paths you can take in a fantasy football draft. I recently broke these down and you can check them out in the “Roadmap” fantasy football draft strategy article. If you end up going running back heavy in the early rounds, you’ll need to have a plan of attack in place for wide […]

Running back handcuffing is an essential strategy in fantasy football drafts given the nature of the position. Simply put, top running backs touch the ball a lot and take a pounding. As such, they’re more prone to injury than the other skill positions. Like opening an insurance policy, handcuffing is a way we can protect […]

Fantasy football draft strategy is widely discussed at this time of year, yet many fantasy drafters either don’t know or simply don’t use strategies in their drafts. Many of us in the fantasy industry are at fault here, as it’s rare to find a comprehensive guide on how to use the multitude of fantasy draft […]

Auction drafts aren’t as common as their snake draft counterparts in fantasy football, but it’s an exciting format that every fantasy football player should try. Where snake drafts are checkers, auction drafts are chess. Auctions have a much more nuanced strategy and give you the possibility for a wider set of outcomes for your rosters.  […]

Nearly a year and a half after an incident in Las Vegas during Pro Bowl weekend, Alvin Kamara has finally been suspended by the NFL. That suspension will be three games to start the season, which is half of the baseline recommendation of six games for this type of violation of the league’s Personal Conduct […]

Dwight Schrute said it best: “Keep it simple stupid.” That isn’t just great advice. It’s a mantra for fantasy football drafts. Instead of developing an overly elaborate plan for your drafts, keeping things as a simple as possible is other the path to success. On draft day, overthinking is the enemy. Instead, the goal is […]

One of the best-kept secrets in fantasy football drafts is that you can use site ADP to your advantage on your commissioner platform. Invariably, those who do not prepare in your leagues will lean heavily on the site ADP to make their selections. If you know where the value gaps lie in that site’s ADP, […]

Fantasy football draft strategy doesn’t need to be complex. The goal on draft day is simple: to outdraft your opponents and put together the best team possible. While there’s certainly a lot to think about in a fantasy draft, there are a few key things to keep in mind as we head into the heart […]

Fantasy football keeper leagues are a fun variation on a traditional redraft league where you get to carry over players from one season to the next. Keeper leagues come in all shapes and sizes, but there is one common element across these leagues: Many fantasy football managers struggle to make their keeper decisions. There’s no […]

Every year, we see rookies make their mark on the fantasy football landscape. Often, these guys are some of the bigger names of their respective classes, like Breece Hall or Kenneth Walker last season. However, unlike last year, we have some high-end rookies at running back in Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs. Robinson will almost […]

The 155th running of the Belmont States takes place Saturday. There will be no Triple Crown winner this year, as Kentucky Derby winner Mage failed to win the Preakness Stakes three weeks ago. However, we do have five horses who ran in either the Derby or Preakness along with Forte, who was scratched from the […]

Dynasty fantasy football rookie draft season is here, so it’s time to finalize our big board for 2023 dynasty rookie fantasy football rankings. With all the dust settled following the draft, we’ve seen a lot of movement in our fantasy football rookie rankings. We have the top 30 listed below, but if you want a […]

The 148th running of the Preakness Stakes is this Saturday, which means we have another opportunity to win some money. Two weeks ago, Mage stormed down the stretch to a big win at the Kentucky Derby. Unlike last year when Derby winner Rich Strike did not run in the Preakness, we have Mage attempting to […]

Fantasy football best ball draft season is in full swing, and like every year there are several new faces in the mix with an exciting crop of rookies in 2023. Unlike dynasty leagues, we aren’t concerned with the long-term outlooks for these players in our best ball leagues.    It’s all about their immediate impact […]

The Run for the Roses is here. Saturday, we’ll have the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby. The Derby is always a tricky race to bet, as you not only have very young horses, but you also have a massive 20 horses on the track. That may seem intimidating, but I have something that can […]

The 2023 edition of the NFL Player Selection Meeting – otherwise known as the NFL Draft – has arrived, and it’s time for the final 2023 NFL mock draft of the season. Of course, mock drafts are an exercise in futility, as it’s essentially impossible to get even remotely close to correct on all your […]

Ding dong, the witch is dead. After months of speculation, the game of chicken between the Packers and Jets has reached its conclusion. Aaron Rodgers is on his way to the Big Apple, after the Packers traded him to the Jets.  What are the fantasy football implications?   Aaron Rodgers traded to the Jets – […]

We’re now just over a week away from the NFL Draft, so let’s dive into another 2023 NFL mock draft. A lot has changed from when I did Mock Draft 2.0, so let’s put the pieces together based on what we’ve learned.   Of course, mock drafts are an exercise in futility, as it’s essentially […]

The dust has settled from NFL free agency, so let’s take another crack at a 2023 NFL Mock draft. A lot has changed since my first mock draft, but one thing remains the same: Mock drafts are an exercise in futility, as it’s essentially impossible to get even remotely close to correct on all your […]

The Cleveland Browns address a position of need Wednesday, acquiring WR Elijah Moore from the Jets. Along with Moore, the Browns receive the Jets’ third-round pick in April’s draft in exchange for Cleveland’s second-rounder, which is the 42nd overall pick. Tapped as a rising star following a solid rookie season in 2021, Moore sputtered out […]

The next era in Tampa Bay Buccaneers football began Wednesday, as the team agreed to terms on a contract with Baker Mayfield. The pact is a one-year deal worth $8.5 million. That’s what we call in the business a “prove-it” deal, but it’s one that does position Mayfield as the presumptive starter in 2023. Following […]

David Montgomery is staying in the NFC North. The veteran back agreed to terms with the Detroit Lions on a three-year, $18 million deal with $11 million in guarantees. This signing signals the end of Jamaal Williams’ tenure with Detroit, as Montgomery figures to fill his role in the Lions’ offense. Once the apple of […]

Potentially the first domino in the Aaron Rodgers to the Jets saga fell on afternoon when New York signed Allen Lazard to a four-year, $44 million contract with $22 million in guaranteed money. The Rodgers rumor mill has been teaming with stories of Rodgers requesting his guys be signed, and that group included Lazard.  We […]

The trades keep coming in the NFL, as the Giants made a move to get another pass-catcher in the mix for Daniel Jones with the acquisition of veteran TE Darren Waller.    The Giants sent a third-rounder, which will be the 100th pick in next month’s draft, to the Raiders. The Giants acquired that pick […]

The Las Vegas Raiders added another piece on the offensive side of the ball, signing Jakobi Meyers to a three-year deal worth $33 million. It’s been a quiet 24 hours at wide receiver, with Meyers being the only noteworthy free agency signing. A cool wideout market likely limited what got in this deal, as his […]

The Las Vegas Raiders got the top available quarterback in this year’s free agency class, inking Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year, $67.5 million deal with a reported $34 million in guaranteed money.    While this wasn’t the most impressive quarterback market, the Raiders did well to address a massive need after severing ties with Derek […]

We have our first blockbuster trade of the 2023 NFL Draft season. The Carolina Panthers made a power move up the board to the No. 1 overall spot, sending the Chicago Bears the No. 9 overall pick and the No. 61 from this year’s draft along with their 2024 first-round pick and their 2025 second-round […]

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is now in the rearview mirror. All the times and measurements have been recorded in this year’s edition of the underwear Olympics and the dynasty fantasy football landscape continues to evolve. We still have a ways to go before next month’s draft, but there were certainly some eye-opening performances at […]

With the NFL Scouting Combine here, the 2023 NFL Draft season is officially in full swing, and it’s time for our first mock of the year. Mock drafts are an exercise in futility, as it’s essentially impossible to get even remotely close to correct on all of your picks.    So instead of worrying about […]

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Super Bowl betting is one of the best times of the year to get your money in play. Not only do we get more markets in terms of Super Bowl props, but we also tend to get more favorable conditions in terms of Super Bowl odds given the sheer volume of casual money in play. […]

Finally, you can turn your sports knowledge into real cash by investing in an athlete’s entire career. Prices rise and fall with every hit, huddle, and headline — and you can buy and sell instantly or hold for as long as you want. Three times a week, FTN will feature a player and his Mojo […]