Skip to main content

Fantasy Football Expert Q&A: Rudy Gamble (Razzball)

Fantasy Football Expert Q&A: Rudy Gamble (Razzball)

As we approach the start of the 2018 NFL season, we’re excited to launch a new series where we’re featuring several of the top experts in the fantasy industry. Our aim is to help you get to know each analyst a little better with info about their path to becoming a fantasy expert, advice for helping you win your leagues and answers to fun questions mixed in.

We encourage you to follow each expert, check out their rankings and enjoy the interview! Up first is Rudy Gamble from Razzball.

Expert: Rudy Gamble
Site: Razzball
Twitter: @rudygamble
Archive
https://football.razzball.com/author/rudy-gamble
Rankings Accuracy: No. 5 Overall In-Season (2017)

Describe the journey that culminated in you becoming a fantasy football expert.
Grey and I started Razzball back in 2008 as just a fantasy baseball blog. While Grey focused on the writing and building our community, I slowly gravitated from general strategy and/or jokey posts to focusing on stats and tools. I started with the Player Rater and our readers help direct me down a path which led to building out fantasy player pages and dedicated tools with daily, weekly, and rest-of-season projections (collaborating on ‘skill’ projections with Steamer).

After several iterations of improvements/learnings, I needed a new challenge. We had already built out fantasy football (among other sports) on Razzball but they were content-only. I had some free 9-to-5 time for the first time in my adult life. Grey and I decided to build out projections for fantasy football and basketball.

I was, thus, fortunate enough to have a platform (as well as fantasy baseball acolytes and industry friendships) to jump into football without working my way up. An advantage for sure.

It took me a couple months to build the ‘projection machine’ for football which completed in 2016. The FantasyPros contest was very helpful as it gave me immediate feedback/gratification on week-to-week improvements. The first year was a humbling experience (finished 91st out of 125) but I made steady progress. Something seemed to click in mid-2017 and I rode a hot streak (4 1st place and 1 2nd place finish in the last 10 weeks) to end up 5th in 2017.

If you have one piece of advice for anyone looking to become a fantasy expert, what would it be?
I have a skewed perspective in that I write a LOT less than most experts as my primary focus is on projections. That said, my advice is as follows:

1) If you have any math/research bonafides, invest the time to build out something unique and prove its effectiveness vs the status quo

2) If that does not work or apply (or even if it did), find a unique voice. It will take time. Study the writers you like most. Focus less on actual style vs how you feel after reading their work. Let that ‘I want people to feel this after reading this’ guide your writing.

What is the best part of being a fantasy expert?
The best part is being able to invest free time in something thought-provoking, ego-fulfilling and fun as football without feeling selfish for neglecting your wife and kids because you are helping others. Do you think Einstein took his daughters to Saturday ballet practice? Aren’t you glad Jonas Salk didn’t spend his Sunday mornings making latkes for his family?

On the flip side, what is the toughest part of being a fantasy expert?
The flip side to the fulfillment of helping others is the burden of ever being wrong. Or the tools having a glitch. Now that I have MLB, NFL, and NBA projections under my purview, I get to feel that burden every day of the year!

What fantasy advice of yours has garnered the most memorable reaction (and was it good or bad advice)?
Admitting that my model was liking Blake Bortles a lot more than the consensus during the last 10 games or so of 2017. I seemed to have him 5+ picks ahead of consensus every week (one week it was +19). He had a weak schedule, a killer defense giving him great field position, and solid WRs. It ended up being good advice.

Is there anything commonly accepted in fantasy football that you’re against?
Either play best ball or keep the benches shallow. I dislike player hoarding. I would also move waivers back to Wednesday or Thursday morning to allow more time for research.

What’s the biggest mistake you see fantasy players make?
Too much focus on a player’s past performance, volumes, and talent. Too little focus on the context – e.g., the matchup, the player’s projected role, team’s coaching/offensive emphasis, etc.

What’s your favorite non-fantasy football activity?
Eating food, drinking beer, making jokes. Or dad stuff.

Excluding people from Razzball, what are 5 Twitter accounts fantasy owners should follow?
@friscojosh
@FantasyADHD
@scott_pianowski
@LateRoundQB
@amicsta

If you weren’t a fantasy football expert what would you be?
More attentive.

What’s the book that you recommend most to family and friends and why?
I liked Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters which is an evolutionary psychology book. I like trying to figure out what makes people tick. I also have three daughters and like compliments.

If you could only listen to one song all day, what would it be?
“Another Girl Another Planet” by the Only Ones.

If you could only watch one movie all day, what would it be?
Chinatown or Princess Bride

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Getting my kids to go to sleep at 8 PM.

Gronk revealed a few years ago that his AIM screen name was ChickMagnet4Lyfe. Be honest and tell us what your handle was.
I think captaincrunch74. Was a long time ago.

When this article appears in a Google search result in 5 years, what player will you hope you predicted as a sleeper in 2018?
Marqise Lee. I think he can be a top 25 WR this year and is being ranked/drafted more like WR50.

What about a player that will disappoint fantasy owners in 2018?
Kareem Hunt. This is all predicated on Spencer Ware being healthy and earning enough playing time/room on Andy Reid’s giant play menu to turn Hunt into a 200-carry, 50-target back vs a 270-carry, 60-target back.

What is your 2018 Super Bowl prediction?
Hard to bet against the Eagles right now in the NFC. I’ll go with Jacksonville in the AFC.

Thanks to Rudy for taking the time to answer our questions. For more, visit Razzball and follow @rudygamble.

More Articles

FantasyPros Dynasty Football Podcast: How Much is Your First-Round Draft Pick Worth?

FantasyPros Dynasty Football Podcast: How Much is Your First-Round Draft Pick Worth?

fp-headshot by FantasyPros Staff | 2 min read
3 Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Running Backs (2024)

3 Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Running Backs (2024)

fp-headshot by Anthony Corrente | 2 min read
Fantasy Football Mock Draft: FFPC Best Ball Picks (2024)

Fantasy Football Mock Draft: FFPC Best Ball Picks (2024)

fp-headshot by Tom Strachan | 3 min read
3 Fantasy Football Draft Picks to Avoid: Tight Ends (2024)

3 Fantasy Football Draft Picks to Avoid: Tight Ends (2024)

fp-headshot by Mike Fanelli | 2 min read

About Author

Hide

Current Article

3 min read

FantasyPros Dynasty Football Podcast: How Much is Your First-Round Draft Pick Worth?

Next Up - FantasyPros Dynasty Football Podcast: How Much is Your First-Round Draft Pick Worth?

Next Article