Mathew Straessley of Pittsburgh is the winner of the Defense section of the Fantasy Index Open, and he got there on the backs of the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles.
To outperform 170 other contestants, one must zig whether others zag in a couple of key spots. For Straessley, who works in retail, his key choices were the Bills and Eagles.
The Eagles were the runaway No. 1 defense in this scoring system, which ignores shutouts, points and yards (sorry, Seahawks), instead going with 6 points for touchdowns, 2 for safeties, 2 for each takeaway and 1 for every sack. Philadelphia finished with 171 points in this format. The Bills were No. 3, with 140 points.
Straessley had the foresight to rank Buffalo 4th on his board. Of all of the other entries, only one person (Jason Pilon of Minnesota) ranked the Bills 3rd, and only one other person put them in the top 4. So Straessley generated points there relative to the vast majority of the field.
Similarly with the Eagles, who were lightly regarded by most. Straessley ranked them 10th. Only four people ranked them higher, top by Michael Murillo (who writes a column for this website), who had them 6th. So again, Straessley generated value relative to almost everyone else with that pick.
We grade these, recall, on a wildly complex scoring system, multiplying the player’s rank against what they actually do on the field. The higher one ranks a player, the more he counts towards your score. In the case of the Bills, for example, Straessley ranked them 4th, earning him 3,080 points (22 x 140).
We’re using a descending 25-6 scale this year. In the past we’ve tried 20-1 and 30-11 scoring systems, which don’t seem quite as strong. With the 20-1 scale, the picks in the late teens don’t mean enough. With the 30-11 scale, too much of a premium is placed on simply identifying guys who stay healthy and in the lineup. So it’s 25-6 this year.
The top two finishers in this competition win berths to participate in the 2015 Fantasy Index Experts Poll, competing against 18 industry analysts in the magazine.
The overall winner captures an impossibly large trophy from the team at Affordable Trophies.
FANTASY INDEX OPEN, DEFENSES (top 20) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Rk | Entry | Occupation | Def |
1. | Mathew Straessley | Retail | 35,329 |
2. | Mark Becker | Marketing | 35,300 |
3. | Moishe Steigmann | Rabbi | 35,275 |
4. | Joe Pizzica | Teacher | 34,926 |
5. | Michael McIlraith | Filmmaker | 34,919 |
6. | Tom Deskovitz | Advertising Executive | 34,864 |
7. | John Moore | Real Estate Agent | 34,859 |
8. | Dan Martinez | Attorney | 34,848 |
9. | Scott Sachs | Headhunter | 34,745 |
10. | Norm Foisy | Real Estate | 34,730 |
11. | Andy Noll | Financial Manager | 34,627 |
12. | Michael Kolton | Teacher | 34,625 |
13. | Stephen McKenzie | Books Are Fun Salesman | 34,619 |
14. | Michael Livengood | Page Designer | 34,609 |
15. | Michael O'Brien | Fingerprint Examiner | 34,600 |
16. | Kevin Weakland | It | 34,574 |
17. | Rocky Petrella | Buyer | 34,571 |
18. | Sean Chi | Attorney | 34,566 |
19. | James Geist | Bartender | 34,541 |
20. | Mike Nease | Fantasy Sports Writer | 34,540 |
After the first two rounds of the competition, the only two guys over 70,000 points are the two who won the first two positions – Straessley and James Geist (who kickers yesterday).
FANTASY INDEX OPEN, OVERALL STANDINGS (PK & Def) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Rk | Name | Loction | Points |
1. | Mathew Straessley | Pittsburgh, Pa. | 71,231 |
2. | James Geist | Overland Park, Kan. | 70,618 |
3. | Moishe Steigmann | Milwaukee, Wis. | 69,613 |
4. | Rusty Stephens | Atlanta, Ga. | 69,537 |
5. | Jim Coventry | Chicago, Ill. | 69,259 |
6. | Greg Resin | Santa Barbara, Calif. | 69,248 |
7. | Scott Liles | Russellville, Ark. | 69,247 |
8. | Dan Martinez | Yuba City, Calif. | 69,064 |
9. | Rich Wolff | San Diego, Calif. | 69,032 |
10. | Sean Sampson | Liberty, Mo. | 68,939 |
11. | Paul McCann | Moon Twp., Pa. | 68,936 |
12. | Mike Taylor | Meridian, Idaho | 68,925 |
13. | Kevin E. Smith | Philadelphia, Pa. | 68,922 |
14. | Mike Nease | West Chicago, Ill. | 68,899 |
15. | Richard Jackson | San Francisco, Calif. | 68,884 |
16. | Scott Sachs | Canton, Ohio | 68,881 |
17. | Richard Fechter | Miami, Fla. | 68,801 |
18. | Zach Leavitt | Highlands Ranch, Colo. | 68,743 |
19. | Kevin Weakland | Tracy, Calif. | 68,699 |
20. | Kyle Soppe | Rochester, N.Y. | 68,638 |
FANTASY INDEX OPEN, DEFENSES (alphabetical) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Name | Loction | Def | Rk |
Aaron Weaver | Buffalo, N.Y. | 33,436 | 104 |
Adam Holtz | Rochester, Minn. | 34,506 | 22 |
Adam Renzoni | Buffalo, N.Y. | 34,368 | 25 |
Adam Taylor | Media, Pa. | 33,174 | 124 |
Adam Thygeson | Portland, Ore. | 33,559 | 95 |
Andy Gough | Dallas, Texas | 33,733 | 79 |
Andy Noll | Oakdale, Minn. | 34,627 | 11 |
Andy Richardson | Port Chester, N.Y. | 33,175 | 123 |
Andy Waxman | Flower Mound, Texas | 33,956 | 54 |
Ben MacLeod | Manchester, N.H. | 33,265 | 115 |
Bill D'Allesandro | Huntington, N.Y. | 32,991 | 144 |
Bill Zullo | Mount Laurel, N.J. | 33,898 | 60 |
Billy Friedrich | Raleigh, N.C. | 33,901 | 59 |
Bob Henry | White Lake, Mich. | 33,292 | 114 |
Bob Tecca | Buffalo, Minn. | 33,442 | 102 |
Brack Varnon | Houston, Texas | 33,024 | 139 |
Brad Henderson | Louisville, Ken. | 34,097 | 39 |
Bradley Wolfrum | Alpharetta, Ga. | 33,710 | 83 |
Brent Miles | Pasco, Wash. | 33,594 | 92 |
Brian Sauber | Highlands Ranch, Colo. | 33,675 | 87 |
Brian Staines | Mars, Pa. | 33,222 | 120 |
Calvron Wachter | Nashville, Tenn. | 32,836 | 151 |
Chris Hertzberg | Austin, Texas | 33,740 | 77 |
Chris Vansant | Fairfield, Pa. | 33,169 | 125 |
Chris Whitney | San Jose, Calif. | 34,232 | 30 |
Chris Winder | San Ramon, Calif. | 33,669 | 89 |
Cory J. Bonini | San Diego, Calif. | 33,007 | 141 |
Craig Leedy | Sacramento, Calif. | 33,672 | 88 |
Dan Martinez | Yuba City, Calif. | 34,848 | 8 |
Dan Schneier | New York City, N.Y. | 33,094 | 132 |
Dana Duffield | Rochester, Minn. | 34,102 | 37 |
Daniel Bowman | Liberty, Mo. | 33,516 | 97 |
Daniel Olsen | Jacksonville, Fla. | 34,293 | 26 |
Daniel Williams | Murrieta, Calif. | 33,691 | 86 |
Dave Cohen | Brooklyn, N.Y. | 32,852 | 149 |
Dave Pratt | Geneva, Ill. | 33,936 | 57 |
David "Mojo" Smith | Walls, Miss. | 33,045 | 137 |
Dish Adams | Los Angeles, Calif. | 33,130 | 129 |
Don Pavelka | Plainview, Minn. | 32,550 | 166 |
Ed Weiss | Parsippany, N.J. | 33,421 | 106 |
Eddie Tietchen | Sicklerville , N.J. | 33,824 | 68 |
Eric Gustitus | Exeter, Pa. | 32,775 | 156 |
Eric Hotz | Fremont, Ohio | 33,828 | 67 |
Eric Scolnick | Redmond, Wash. | 33,235 | 119 |
Gary Allen | Charleston, S.C. | 33,917 | 58 |
Geoff Maleman | Redondo Beach, Calif. | 32,247 | 169 |
Greg Heminway | Sacramento, Calif. | 33,025 | 138 |
Greg Resin | Santa Barbara, Calif. | 34,098 | 38 |
Henry Goers | Bartlett, Ill. | 33,757 | 74 |
Ian Allan (Corrected) | Seattle, Wash. | 32,781 | 154 |
Ian Allan (Official) | Seattle, Wash. | 32,781 | 155 |
Ian MacEwen | Seven Hills, Ohio | 32,725 | 160 |
James Geist | Overland Park, Kan. | 34,541 | 19 |
Jared Smola | Rochester, N.Y. | 33,246 | 118 |
Jason Flatley | Cohoes, N.Y. | 32,689 | 162 |
Jason Mattern | Wintersville, Ohio | 32,837 | 150 |
Jason Pilon | Columbia Heights, Minn. | 34,047 | 43 |
Jay Wimmers | Lincolnton, N.C. | 34,022 | 46 |
Jeff Alberts | Sturgeon Bay, Wis. | 34,152 | 34 |
Jeff Fossett | Newburgh, Ind. | 33,256 | 117 |
Jeff Friedrich | Greenville, N.C. | 33,735 | 78 |
Jeff Slawson | Buffalo, N.Y. | 32,863 | 148 |
Jeffery Lebeouf | Crowley, La. | 33,970 | 52 |
Jeremy Schwartz | Edison, N.J. | 33,721 | 80 |
Jim Bukowski | Chicago, Ill. | 34,199 | 32 |
Jim Carvin | Mount Laurel, N.J. | 34,022 | 47 |
Jim Coventry | Chicago, Ill. | 33,721 | 81 |
Jim Heroux | Neenah, Wis. | 33,819 | 69 |
Joe Pizzica | Wynnewood, Pa. | 34,926 | 4 |
John D. Smith | Willow Grove, Pa. | 33,778 | 70 |
John Duggins | Piedmont, S.C. | 33,261 | 116 |
John Moore | Sea Isle City, N.J. | 34,859 | 7 |
John Ruppe | Fort Myers, Fla. | 32,694 | 161 |
John Stolzmann | Las Vegas, Nev. | 33,365 | 110 |
John Wilkinson | San Carlos, Calif. | 34,002 | 48 |
Jon Hansen | Reno, Nev. | 32,762 | 157 |
Jonathan Klanderud | Shrewsbury, Pa. | 34,078 | 42 |
Jonathan Mick | Santa Maria, Calif. | 33,163 | 126 |
Jonathan Mora | Miami, Fla. | 33,854 | 64 |
Joseph Michelangelo | Oceanside, N.Y. | 33,701 | 85 |
Josh Jackson | Lincoln, Calif. | 32,359 | 168 |
Josh Smith | Olympia, Wash. | 33,068 | 135 |
Juan Novo | Miami, Fla. | 32,459 | 167 |
Keith Burdick | San Diego, Calif. | 33,415 | 107 |
Kenneth Jones | New Orleans, La. | 32,648 | 164 |
Kenneth Yuen | Arlington Heights, Ill. | 33,212 | 121 |
Kevin Cuozzo | Concord, Mass. | 33,424 | 105 |
Kevin E. Smith | Philadelphia, Pa. | 33,403 | 108 |
Kevin Weakland | Tracy, Calif. | 34,574 | 16 |
Kirk Kennedy | Beulaville, N.C. | 34,094 | 40 |
Kyle Soppe | Rochester, N.Y. | 34,212 | 31 |
Mark Becker | New York City, N.Y. | 35,300 | 2 |
Mark Maloney | Andover, Minn. | 34,426 | 24 |
Mary Mulholland-Goers | Bartlett, Ill. | 33,836 | 66 |
Mathew Straessley | Pittsburgh, Pa. | 35,329 | 1 |
Matthew Kenerly | Fresno, Calif. | 33,305 | 113 |
Michael Crow | Orion, Ill. | 34,001 | 49 |
Michael Desario | Las Vegas, Nev. | 32,832 | 152 |
Michael Knorowski | Wesley Chapel, Fla. | 33,712 | 82 |
Michael Kolton | Green Bay, Wis. | 34,625 | 12 |
Michael Livengood | Ward, Ark. | 34,609 | 14 |
Michael McAninch | Naperville, Ill. | 32,911 | 147 |
Michael McIlraith | Los Angeles, Calif. | 34,919 | 5 |
Michael Murillo | Tampa, Fla. | 34,083 | 41 |
Michael O'Brien | Brighton, Colo. | 34,600 | 15 |
Michael Stanco | Sunrise, Fla. | 33,763 | 71 |
Miguel Tames | Miami, Fla. | 33,752 | 75 |
Mike Clay | Fleetwood, Pa. | 32,918 | 146 |
Mike Craig | Kokomo, Ind. | 32,997 | 143 |
Mike McCleary | Roseville, Calif. | 33,944 | 56 |
Mike Nease | West Chicago, Ill. | 34,540 | 20 |
Mike Rickel | Ira, Mich. | 33,585 | 93 |
Mike Taylor | Meridian, Idaho | 34,111 | 36 |
Mike Todd | Otis, Ore. | 33,079 | 134 |
Mike Wells | Good Thunder, Minn. | 32,762 | 158 |
Moishe Steigmann | Milwaukee, Wis. | 35,275 | 3 |
Monte McDonald | Las Vegas, Nev. | 33,091 | 133 |
Nathan Kline | Topton, Pa. | 34,237 | 28 |
Nathan Priest | Waynesboro, Pa. | 33,615 | 91 |
Nathan Roberts | Lucasville, Ohio | 33,508 | 98 |
Norm Foisy | Walnut Creek, Calif. | 34,730 | 10 |
Pat Thorman | Boston, Mass. | 32,731 | 159 |
Paul Hazen | Granada Hills, Calif. | 33,582 | 94 |
Paul McCann | Moon Twp., Pa. | 33,888 | 62 |
Paul Owers | West Palm Beach, Fla. | 33,158 | 127 |
Pete Collins | Orland Park, Ill. | 33,107 | 130 |
Peter Owers | West Palm Beach, Fla. | 33,637 | 90 |
Peter Steinke | Redmond, Wash. | 33,980 | 50 |
Rey Diaz | Miami, Fla. | 33,859 | 63 |
Rich Wolff | San Diego, Calif. | 34,236 | 29 |
Richard Fechter | Miami, Fla. | 33,947 | 55 |
Richard Jackson | San Francisco, Calif. | 33,976 | 51 |
Richard Meadors | Seymour , Ind. | 34,460 | 23 |
Richard Meyers | Gurley, Ala. | 32,919 | 145 |
Rob Dammers | Ringwood, N.J. | 34,043 | 44 |
Rob Reiber | Randolph, N.J. | 33,329 | 111 |
Rocky Petrella | Philadelphia, Pa. | 34,571 | 17 |
Roger Hallquist | Hiawatha, Iowa | 32,634 | 165 |
Rusty Stephens | Atlanta, Ga. | 33,743 | 76 |
Sam Hendricks | Lynchburg, Va. | 33,762 | 72 |
Scott Kopischke | Menomonee Falls, Wis. | 33,004 | 142 |
Scott Liles | Russellville, Ark. | 34,138 | 35 |
Scott Rigsby | Saint Anne, Ill. | 33,498 | 99 |
Scott Sachs | Canton, Ohio | 34,745 | 9 |
Scott Yannich | Valencia, Calif. | 33,452 | 101 |
Sean Chi | Flushing, N.Y. | 34,566 | 18 |
Sean Sampson | Liberty, Mo. | 33,762 | 73 |
Shane Scott | Toronto, Ont. | 34,523 | 21 |
Stephen Fisse | Mandeville, La. | 33,494 | 100 |
Stephen McKenzie | New Richmond, Wis. | 34,619 | 13 |
Steve Blenker | Sloan, N.Y. | 33,555 | 96 |
Steve Hoyt | Buffalo Grove, Ill. | 33,020 | 140 |
Steve Moyer | Oakland, Calif. | 33,702 | 84 |
Steve Tortora | Wallingford, Conn. | 33,143 | 128 |
Tim Travis | Glendora, Calif. | 32,805 | 153 |
Tim Wandling | Rohnert Park, Calif. | 33,439 | 103 |
Todd Blinn | Obetz, Ohio | 33,381 | 109 |
Todd Hinesley | Weston, Fla. | 33,060 | 136 |
Todd Voorhees | Chula Vista, Calif. | 33,837 | 65 |
Tom Deskovitz | South Lyon, Mich. | 34,864 | 6 |
Tom Morande | Chicago, Ill. | 33,963 | 53 |
Tom Overberger | Bedminster, Pa. | 34,032 | 45 |
Tony Zeller | Dundalk, Md. | 34,279 | 27 |
Travis Gray | Wellington, Fla. | 33,321 | 112 |
Treavor Phipps | Salem, Ind. | 33,102 | 131 |
Victor Kitzes | Maple Valley, Wash. | 33,178 | 122 |
Will Sayre | Sacramento, Calif. | 32,651 | 163 |
Zach Leavitt | Highlands Ranch, Colo. | 34,193 | 33 |
Zach Nizolek | Kansas City, Mo. | 33,895 | 61 |