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 next is Jake Ciely of The Athletic.
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Expert: Jake Ciely
Site: The Athletic
Twitter: @allinkid
Archive: https://theathletic.com/author/jake-ciely/
Rankings Accuracy: No. 1 Overall Draft (2017)
At this point, we have two scenarios with CMC:
1) Panthers are laughing at our laughing at them for the 25 touches talk, and CMC nears Top 5 RB status
2) The preseason is a mega bluffWell… three…
3) #1 is true, and CMC is killed by Week 7 from the work– Jake Ciely (@allinkid) August 29, 2018
Describe the journey that culminated in you becoming a fantasy football expert.
Long ago, when we all posted on forums and constantly checked for responses like watching your phone after sending that flirtatious text… I was handing out advice in a New York Giants forum. After helping several folks to championships (at least that’s what I believe), several people asked why I wasn’t doing it for a site or myself, full time. I started my blog on blogspot.com (All In Sports) and after a few years, sent some examples to any and everyone. Starting as a college football and NBA writer, I worked my way up to Senior Writer for football and baseball and the #CheckTheLink and accuracy guy you now know.
If you have one piece of advice for anyone looking to become a fantasy expert, what would it be?
Take whatever opportunity you can get. Look again – I started with NBA even though I didn’t care much for it. Network your tail off! And know that working your tail off is part of the job.
What is the best part of being a fantasy expert?
I’ll pretend you said “analyst” instead of “expert” first of all… that word… ugh 🙂 I love getting to watch and write about my biggest passion in life… sports.
On the flip side, what is the toughest part of being a fantasy expert?
The hours. People scoff when I say it’s an 80-hour a week job. Trust me… it is… and there is no time where you are 100% completely free. If you’re at the next Star Wars movie and Mike Evans breaks a leg, the industry isn’t going to wait until you’re home.
What fantasy advice of yours has garnered the most memorable reaction (and was it good or bad advice)?
Uh… one name: C.J. Anderson.
You’ve had a tremendous run of accuracy over the past several years. How have you been so successful, so consistently?
I remove my biasies, biasii, biaseses, biases? I rank to expected outcomes, not who I prefer. That’s why sometimes I’ll draft different to what my rankings say. I might want to own a player to enjoy it, etc., but the expected outcome is more accurate than my feelings.
Is there anything commonly accepted in fantasy football that you’re against?
Yea! Using kickers… #BanKickers… and add another Flex. After more than a decade of pushing #BanKickers, we’re getting close, but adding the extra Flex also deepens the rosters and increases the strategy and need for knowledge (also lessens risk, just like eliminating kickers).
What’s the biggest mistake you see fantasy players make?
Buying all of the risk. To explain, owners draft players at their peak value, so that the best case scenario is getting even return value (no potential for value greater than the cost). Therefore, you’re buying all of the risk, as if said player doesn’t fulfill his promise, you have negative return value.
What’s your favorite non-fantasy football activity?
Poker. That’s where “all in kid” came from, back when I first started playing.
Excluding people from The Athletic, what are 5 Twitter accounts fantasy owners should follow?
Olan Rodgers because Final Space is one of the best shows on television. Other than that, I plead the fifth, as just go check my somewhat short following list. I don’t want to hurt feelings, haha.
If you weren’t a fantasy football expert what would you be?
I was a (failed) deli owner and Internet Marketing Manager before this… so one of those… or food critic.
What’s the book that you recommend most to family and friends and why?
I don’t remember the last book I read – everything is online articles (even non-fantasy stuff). That’s like asking a maid to come home and clean up after you.
If you could only listen to one song all day, what would it be?
DuckTales theme song!
If you could only watch one movie all day, what would it be?
Dumb and Dumber.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Flash’s super speed – first of all, it’s like instant transport to anywhere you want to be, and the more underrated aspect is the insane metabolism, so you could eat whatever you want every day!
Gronk revealed a few years ago that his AIM screen name was ChickMagnet4Lyfe. Be honest and tell us what your handle was.
livinsports… sigh…
When this article appears in a Google search result in 5 years, what player will you hope you predicted as a sleeper in 2018?
Nick Chubb
What about a player that will disappoint fantasy owners in 2018?
Jimmy Graham
What is your 2018 Super Bowl prediction?
Saints over Chargers… although, the Chargers might not have enough healthy players by Week 5
Thanks to Jake for taking the time to answer our questions. For more, visit The Athletic and follow @allinkid.
And check out our entire Fantasy Football Expert Q&A:
Rudy Gamble (Razzball)
Mike Wright (The Fantasy Footballers)
Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)
Matthew Freedman (FantasyLabs)
Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)
Justin Boone (theScore)
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