In case you weren’t convinced I have a nerd problem, this should serve as sufficient evidence. AAF stands for the Alliance of American Football. “Oh yeah, I forgot about that league”. Well, it starts this weekend. It may be late to get a group of degenerates together, but there is still time to set up a league over at AltFantasySports. I had no intentions of admitting how much of a nerd I was, but when I found out thousands of other leagues had already been established, I figured you all may want a cheat sheet of sorts.

The current ADPs are a trainwreck, as only a few of the names are recognizable to even the most passionate football fans. Depth charts are non-existent too which throws a wrench in things. Fortunately, however, I have done unreasonably too much research on the AAF so I might as well give you my information so as to justify my wasted time.

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About the AAF

• 8 teams
• 10 games each
• No kickoffs
• Faster play clock
• Must go for two-point conversion
• Coaches include Mike Martz, Steve Spurrier and Mike Singletary
• Players include Trent Richardson…and that’s about it

Players to Avoid

• Denard Robinson (not starting)
• Trevor Knight (not starting)
• Aaron Murray (not starting)
• Matt Asiata (not starting)
• Bishop Sankey (injured)
• Justin Crawford (arrested)
• Josh Johnson (staying with Washington)
• Stephen Morris (released)

Top Five Picks

#1 Jhurell Pressley (RB – ARI)
It might not feel sexy to draft someone you’ve never heard of with the first overall pick, but I can assure you winning is sexy. Just like NFL fantasy leagues, we are looking for a workhorse running back, and Pressley fits the bill. He combines an excellent build with excellent 4.40 forty speed and most importantly, he plays on the team Vegas favors to win the championship in 2019. There doesn’t appear to be much in the way of competition for Pressley so don’t be surprised when he ends the year with 200+ touches and double-digit scores.

#2 Trent Richardson (RB – BIR)
Many are recommending Richardson with the first pick (others say Robinson, who again, isn’t the starter in Atlanta). I have a hard time disagreeing with them, but prefer Pressley just a little more. After fizzling out in the NFL, Richardson played well in a limited sample size for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. We only saw 48 carries from him and it was over a year ago, but he appeared to be in excellent shape and still ultra-athletic.

#3 Fabian Guerra (WR – MEM)
1000% chance Guerra ends up on the Patriots roster next season. Someone is going to earn an NFL contract and my bet is on Guerra. Frankly, I’m surprised it hasn’t happened yet after he shredded the Arena Football League as a rookie for 14 touchdowns. He isn’t especially big or fast, but Guerra has that Doug Baldwin type instinct to his game mixed with Odell Beckham’s spectacular catch aptitude.

#4 Dustin Vaughan (QB – SA)
In normal fantasy football, you should never EVER draft a QB in the first round. The AAF is an entirely different animal becuase we’ve only got eight starting quarterbacks to choose between. Vaughan is not the most complete passer in the league, but he does have the best receiver core which should go a long way. It isn’t as though Vaughan is some slouch, of course. Rather, he is exceptionally accurate and built like a premier NFL QB. What’s more, is that his intangibles are top of the line. At West Texas A&M, Vaughan threw for 10,525 yards and 123 touchdowns in two seasons as their starter. While he may already be 28 years old, he could very easily play himself into a backup role in the NFL.

#5 Mekale McKay (WR – SA)
Speaking of that San Antonio wide receiver core, McKay is the best of the bunch. He is not only a red-zone weapon at 6’4″, 207, but likely the best big-play receiver in the league too. There have been issues with staying healthy, preventing drops and playing hard throughout the game, but no one has more upside than McKay. The former Kentucky and Louisville basketball recruit could win you your league, or perhaps he will bust. I’m expecting the former with his NFL dream on the line for likely the last time in his life.

The Big Board

 
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