Unlike my colleague Alex, who doesn’t like to have more than three leagues, I chose to be a part of four fantasy leagues for the 2010 season.

I originally was only going to do two, but one of those fell out and I was offered a league through my old work (The Daily Vidette at ISU), and my current two jobs (Windy City Media Network and Comcast SportsNet), and I love office leagues, so I took them up on the offer. There’s just something about beating your co-worker and then talking crap to them about it later that week. Or, if you’re one of those people who has to work weekends like I do, it’s an added bonus to beat your co-worker as you both sit there and watch the games.

However, if you wind up losing your week, the smiles turn to frowns and the smack talk turns to extended and frequent bathroom breaks that drive people to ask “Do you have an issue with your prostate or something?” To which, you respond: “Yes,” because we all know it’s less humiliating than losing to your colleague in fantasy football and having to hear about it all day. Maybe they’ll pity you enough to only make two or eight comments instead of 20-25.

But, talking crap is part of the fun of fantasy football, as everybody who’s ever played knows. It’s what makes a predominantly online game social. It keeps people all over the country connected, even if it’s only tuning into your league once a week to remind your old college roommate that you whooped him by 40 points four weeks ago.

So, in that spirit, I chose to manage four teams. I’d like to say I had a theory going into each draft, or that I had enough money to compete in all of the leagues (plus a weekly confidence pool) without having to pawn off some of my most prized possessions, but I really didn’t. I went into each draft trying to come away with the best team, regardless of if I had already drafted Laurent Robinson three times prior or if Owen Daniels was my starting tight end on each team (I do love me some OD). Everything was based on where I had my first pick and who was still available when I selected next.

However, I did have some different strategies. My colleague Scott at CSN asked me who I would take if I got the first overall pick in our work league. Having already taken Chris Johnson with the first overall pick in my Vidette league, I told him I’d go with Adrian Peterson, which is exactly what happened. No sense in putting all my eggs in one basket throughout my teams, just in case Chris Johnson gets struck by a car or falls down a flight of stairs or something. Plus, though I do think CJ2K should be the No. 1 overall pick, there can be a case made for AP, especially because he scores more tuddies than CJ.

Note: I believe that each team is capable of a fantasy championship because what’s the point if I don’t feel that way? Now is the most exciting time of the season—everybody is on the same even slate of zero, and anything can happen. There’s no reason not to be optimistic. If you honestly don’t feel your team can win the championship, then what are you doing with it? Now, the chances of me winning four leagues the same year is slimmer than slim to none. But, to quote JP from Angels in the Outfield, “Hey, it could happen!”

So, without further ado, here is the rundown of my four teams:

Toneston Checks In

League: Scott Gleeson Memorial League (Daily Vidette)
Team Namesake: Apparently my new nickname is Toneston with this crowd, so Adam Jun suggested I make my team name “Toneston Checks In” like the great movie “Dunston Checks In” where the monkey goes to a hotel and, you know, checks in and stuff.
Pick Number: 1
What’s at Stake: Dolla-dolla bills (but only $5)
Team:

QB: Joe Flacco
RB: Chris Johnson
RB: Ryan Mathews
RB/WR: Jonathan Stewart
WR: Calvin Johnson
WR: Dwayne Bowe
TE: Owen Daniels
D/ST: Houston Texans
K: Jeff Reed
Bench: Michael Bush RB
Bench: Dez Bryant WR
Bench: Vince Young QB
Bench: Kenny Britt WR
Bench: Laurent Robinson WR
Bench: Devin Hester WR
Bench: Bernard Scott RB

Best Value: Jonathan Stewart 4th round (48th pick).
Worst Pick: Dwayne Bowe 5th round (49th pick)
Biggest Surprise Pick: Calvin Johnson 3rd round (25th pick)

Analysis: I didn’t honestly feel that I would draft Calvin Johnson on any of my teams. I’m not too high on him for this year (or any year until he proves he’s worthy of all the adulation everybody pours on him). So, I was surprised I got him. I also am not that down on Dwayne Bowe—he may have a pretty good year, as he is reportedly more devoted and dedicated this season and has had a full year with QB Matt Cassel now—but I don’t like him as the first pick in the 5th round. I had to take him there, though, because he was the best receiver left in my eyes and I had to wait another 22 spots until I picked again. Stewart is a pretty great fantasy player, capable of carrying a team (73 points, 24.3/week in the last three games of ’09 based on this league’s scoring). I was lucky he fell down to the end of the fourth round. He’ll be a great boost to my squad.

I like Joe Flacco this year. He’s not a great starting QB option just yet, but he can be this season. My starting RB tandem of Chris Johnson/Ryan Mathews/Jonathan Stewart is just extraordinary. Probably the best I could get in any draft. I plan on filling the flex spot with a RB each week, as they are more consistent from week-to-week. Receivers can have weeks as low as 1 or 2 points if they don’t catch many passes, but you know an RB is going to get at least 5 or 6 points just based on touches and yardage alone. I like Vince Young as a backup QB, as his rushing points potential could be a good bye-week or matchup fill-in.

My bench is one of my most solid I’ve ever had, with a good RB duo in Scott and Bush, who could both have great seasons. They have to compete with Cedric Benson and Darren McFadden, respectively, and neither are very proven or have been very durable (Bush is currently out with an injured foot), but fantasy football is all about taking chances. Plus, if one of my lead backs fail, I could always insert Stewart into an RB spot and then start three WRs, a position I have plenty of.

I always like stockpiling WRs because I believe they are the hardest players to predict from year to year. They are the only player, really, who has limited control over his own fantasy output. QBs and RBs are guaranteed to get touches, and thus points and ultimately touchdowns. But, WRs may go three weeks without a redzone target. Their fantasy stock hinges too much on health, ability to get open, whether defenses key on them and double team them or not, how many targets they get, how good their QB is, how many targets they get inside the redzone, etc. It’s too unpredictable, so I grabbed a bunch of guys who could do well and am just hoping that three or four pan out. Bryant could be a great option in his first season with the Cowboys, but rookie WRs are even more unpredictable. Kenny Britt is still young, but he showed good rapport with Vince Young last year and is by far the most dynamic and talented receiving target on the Titans (besides Chris Johnson, of course). Hester could finally have a great season, and Laurent Robinson’s only issue has ever been staying healthy, which he supposedly is now. Plus with Donnie Avery out, the ISU alum should be Sam Bradford’s leading target.

I’m not too happy that I got the only three Titans worthy of being drafted all on one team, but hopefully I won’t have to start all three in any one week throughout the season.

Overall, I like this team. I think it’s capable of a lot. From top to bottom, I should have some pretty good scores week in and week out.

Projected Regular Season Record: 10-3
Projected Postseason Finish: LEAGUE CHAMPION!

Mr. Rodgers’ Hood

League: Windy City Media Network
Team Namesake: I was going to go with “Toneston Checks In” again, but I decided I’d try something new—since I have four different teams, I’ll come up with four different team names. Aaron Rodgers was my first pick and “Mr. Rodgers’ Neighborhood” didn’t fit, so I was relegated to simply “Mr. Rodgers’ Hood.” You know, like the old dude who wore cardigans and had his own show for kids?
Pick Number: 9
What’s at Stake: Pride
Team:

QB: Aaron Rodgers
RB: Steven Jackson
RB: Jamaal Charles
OP: Ahmad Bradshaw
WR: Steve Smith
WR: Percy Harvin
WR: Robert Meachem
TE: Owen Daniels
D/ST: Dallas Cowboys
K: David Akers
Bench: Donald Brown RB
Bench: Laurent Robinson WR
Bench: LaDanian Tomlinson RB
Bench: Mohamed Massaquoi WR
Bench: David Garrard QB
Bench: Heath Miller TE

Best Value: Ahmad Bradshaw 5th round (57th pick).
Worst Pick: Robert Meachem 8th round (88th pick)
Biggest Surprise Pick: Aaron Rodgers 1st round (9th pick)

Analysis: Bradshaw could be fantasy gold this season, and no matter what, should be better value than 5th round, as he is looking at getting the lion’s share of the carries in New York. Meachem was my worst pick. He’s battling a toe injury (the type of injury that has been known to linger throughout the season) and is in an unsure situation in New Orleans. Drew Brees and Sean Payton like to spread things around in the passing game, and from year to year, only Marques Colston is a guaranteed receiving option. So why did I reach for the Saints wideout? Well, he’s my No. 3 WR, so that’s not so bad. And I have to admit, I got too caught up in last year’s numbers, when he scored 9 tuddies. He likely won’t reach that total again, as Devery Henderson came on strong at the end of last year and Lance Moore should figure into the mix more in ’10. All in all, it was a bad pick.

I was surprised most at myself for the Rodgers pick. As far as I can recall, I have never had an elite quarterback on any fantasy team. Part of that is because I’ve never taken a QB in the first round, because it’s a weird concept to me. Everybody in the draft critiqued the pick because passing touchdowns are only worth 4 points in this league, but even still, Aaron Rodgers had 334 points last year, 4 ahead of Chris Johnson, who came in at second place in a 2,000 yard rushing season. So, yeah, I’m going to take Rodgers with the 9th pick. Plus, I was on my drive home from work since the train took a while, so I had my sister draft the first four rounds for me while I dictated via phone, so Rodgers was the best commodity left, to my knowledge.

I feel really fortunate that I got Steven Jackson in the 2nd round, with the 16th overall pick. He’s gone Top 10 in every single draft I’ve done (Mock Drafts included) this season, so I felt real lucky to snag him in the 2nd round. He’s a back that’s easily capable of finishing in the Top 5 and the only reason why he didn’t last year was because he scored just 4 tuddies. Even on the horrendously bad St. Louis Rams, that was still an aberration for such a supremely talented back. Jackson should find the endzone a couple more times in 2010.

I don’t particularly like my receivers, but as I said before, WRs are hard to judge from year to year. I will have to mix and match well each week with this team, as I am forced to start three WRs. Smith is solid, but Harvin (migraines) and Meachem are question marks and Laurent Robinson and Mohmaed Massaquoi are unproven commodities on the bench.

I don’t like that I have only two WRs on my bench, as this league only allows six bench spots because of that extra starting WR. But, I don’t want to drop Miller, since there are no other TEs worthy right now on the waiver wire and should Daniels go down, I don’t want to be left with Brandon Pettigrew as my starter (as he may not even play much this year with Tony Scheffler in town). I also have Garrard (never go without a backup QB) and then LT and Brown as RBs. Both backs have a lot of potential, so I didn’t want to let them go for any reason. LT is on a team that ran the ball over 500 times last year, so he’ll likely get 150+ carries regardless of how well Shonn Greene runs this year. Brown is widely regarded as the better RB in Indianapolis, with more future upside than Joseph Addai, so hopefully that will hold true and Brown will wind up being a viable fantasy player this season.

This team may be interesting from week to week, as well. Since the flex option allows for any type of offensive player, I’m going to think about starting David Garrard—or any QB I pick up later in the season—in that spot instead of going with three RBs. In this league, even though passing TDs are only worth 4 points, QBs made up 17 of the Top 25 point-scorers in this format last year. Heck, even Jason Campbell, Kyle Orton and 26-INT Jay Cutler were on the list.

Winning is all about scoring more points than the other guy, so why not start the guy who might net me more points, even if that does mean David Garrard in the lineup and Ahmad Bradshaw riding bench. Last season, Garrad finished 21st overall in this format, ahead of four 1st round picks in this league (Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, Michael Turner and Rashard Mendenhall). And I picked him up in the 15th round (177 overall).

Another stat in favor of starting Garrard: in this format, he averaged 13.4 fantasy points per week, in what was largely considered a poor season, even by his standards. Ray Rice averaged just 14.25 points per week in one of the top performances by a RB.

In hindsight, I should have actually drafted a second quarterback sooner and taken more advantage of this offensive flex spot.

This team is solid as is, but because of the receiver situation, I will need to keep a very close eye to the waiver wire. I’m going to monitor my RBs well and a couple weeks into the season, I may look to trade one of my top three backs (Charles, Jackson, Bradshaw) for a more stable receiver. LT and Brown are both very capable backups should either of my two starters get injured, and with QBs still somehow heavily weighted, I could easily start two in this format each week.

Projected Regular Season Record: 9-4
Projected Postseason Finish: LEAGUE CHAMPION!

Carol Stream Cheaties

League: Fantasy Football (award-winning name, I know)
Team Namesake: This league is with a lot of my friends from back home in the Chicago suburbs, and most of those guys play on my summer baseball team, which we nicknamed the Carol Stream Cheaties a few years back. Our team name is the Carol Stream Royals, but back then, I was a 19-year-old college kid running and coaching a baseball team and we were beating teams coached by middle-aged men, so a lot of people accused us of cheating. Thus, the name Carol Stream Cheaties was born.
Pick Number: 8
What’s at Stake: Dolla-dolla bills
Team:

QB: Tony Romo
RB: Steven Jackson
RB: Ryan Mathews
RB/WR: Justin Forsett
WR: Anquan Boldin
WR: Percy Harvin
WR: Dexter McCluster
TE: Owen Daniels
D/ST: Cincinnati Bengals
K: Jeff Reed
Bench: Reggie Bush RB
Bench: Mike Williams (SEA) WR
Bench: Legedu Naanee WR
Bench: Matthew Stafford QB
Bench: Sidney Rice WR
Bench: Anthony Fasano TE
Bench: Anthony Dixon RB

Best Value: Reggie Bush 8th round (89th pick).
Worst Pick: Dexter McCluster 9th round (104th pick)
Biggest Surprise Pick: Tony Romo 3rd round (32nd pick)

Analysis: This is a PPR (points per reception) league, the only format where Bush is an actual fantasy commodity. He will rack up rushing yards, receiving yards and receptions, in addition to any touchdowns he scores via rush, catch or punt return. I reached too far for McCluster, who is a relative unknown in fantasy amongst many leagues, let alone this league, which is made up of mostly people who just play fantasy football for fun (not that there’s anything wrong with that, but they’re not obsessed like I am and thus, likely don’t know much about McCluster or what he’s capable of). I’m surprised by the Tony Romo pick not that I drafted him but that I reached that far for him. I should have gone with a surefire No. 1 WR (like either Steve Smith or Marques Colston) instead of taking Romo and then Boldin. It may have been a risk, as Romo could have been drafted in between those picks, but Rivers and Flacco were still available to me in the 4th round no matter what, so it was a poor pick in hindsight.

I like that I have Bush in this league because frankly, it never hurts to have talent on your team. And he is talented, despite the removal of his Heisman Trophy. He will get at least 50 more points thanks to his receptions and since Sean Payton uses a variety of running backs every single game and drive, he only has to compete with only Pierre Thomas, at least until Chris Ivory comes back from his MCL injury.

I’ve never owned Romo before, so I was also glad to get him, not only because he has my same name and taste in women, but because I truly believe he will be the top fantasy quarterback this year. I could have waited another round on him, though.

I don’t like that I had the 8th pick, because that meant I was stuck with Steven Jackson. Turner, Rodgers, Greene, Moss, DeAngelo Williams, Mendenhall, Wells and Grant were the best players left at that point (all of whom were selected, in order, after I took Jackson), and in a PPR league, Jackson is by far the best option amongst those. Turner isn’t a receiver at all, Moss isn’t worth a 1st round pick to me, and Greene, Williams, Mendenhall, Wells and Grant are too much of a risk for me to take when Jackson is available. I don’t like owning SJ in two leagues, but I figure he’ll at least put up the same numbers he did last season (1,416 rush yards, 4 TDs, 51 REC, 322 yards=244 points in this format). He has the upside to be better, obviously. So, it was a relatively safe pick, which is what you want out of the first round.

I’m glad I was able to snag Forsett and Naanee could be a huge option in that SD passing offense. I also took Sidney Rice later in the draft because I really don’t think I have a very good receiving corps on this squad, so I figured Rice could be a boost whenever he returns from injury. As of right now, he’s no risk to me and I’ll afford a bench spot for the potential payoff he gives me when he returns 8-9 weeks into my season.

Projected Regular Season Record: 9-4
Projected Postseason Finish: LEAGUE CHAMPION!

Tony! Toni! Tone!

League: Comcast SportsNet Digital League
Team Namesake: Continuing along the lines of four different team names, I realized it was pretty tough on my fourth team. I was tempted to go with ‘Victor’y Cruz, but my boss told me about the old R & B band Tony! Toni! Tone! a couple days before the draft, so I figured, I had to pick that as my team name. How could I have not known until now there was a band with the name “Tony” spelled three different ways??
Pick Number: 1
What’s at Stake: Dolla-dolla bills
Team:

QB: Tony Romo
RB: Adrian Peterson
RB: Ryan Mathews
RB/WR: Felix Jones
WR: Reggie Wayne
WR: Marques Colston
TE: Owen Daniels
D/ST: Dallas Cowboys
K: Jay Feely
Bench: Jahvid Best RB
Bench: Santana Moss WR
Bench: Malcom Floyd WR
Bench: Mike Williams (SEA) WR
Bench: Chad Henne QB
Bench: Kevin Boss TE
Bench: Dexter McCluster RB/WR

Best Value: Jahvid Best 7th round (61th pick).
Worst Pick: Owen Daniels 9th round (81th pick)
Biggest Surprise Pick: Chad Henne 13th round (121st pick)

Analysis: This was only a 10-team league, so it was fairly easy to put together a good team. Plus, people drafted more for the fun of it in this league, overdrafting their favorite players (mostly Bears players) and players from their respective alma maters, so that made it all the more easier. However, it was also easier for other people to put together good teams, so there’s no guarantee my draft went the best.

Best was the best value (pun intended) because I’ve seen him go as early as the 2nd or 3rd round in some drafts, yet he fell to the 7th round for me. Being a rookie running back in a bad offense, he’s a little bit of a risk, but he’s my No. 4 RB, and doesn’t project to be an every week starter on this team. I shouldn’t have reached that high on Owen Daniels. This was my last draft and I wanted to make sure I got Daniels in all of my leagues, but he’s not worth a 9th round pick in a 10-team league. I’ve snagged him a couple rounds later in other drafts I’ve done. I should have taken another backup WR here (Meachem, Dez Bryant, Laurent Robinson were taken in between Daniels and my next pick) or another backup RB since Best and Jones are both certifiable risks (Portis, Cadillac Williams, Marion Barber, Bradshaw and McFadden were all still around). I could have even snagged Eli Manning as my backup QB, but nope. I overreached for Daniels.

Henne was the biggest surprise to me because I honestly never believed I’d even think about drafting him in any league. But when it came down to my 13th round pick, I needed a backup QB and I felt he was the best available. I could have taken Vince Young (but I didn’t want him on two of my teams) and should have taken Stafford, but something just told me to draft Henne.

Overall, I like this team. I have two top-flight receivers to go along with the No. 1A player in the game (Peterson). Romo, Mathews and Jones are great players to round out my team. Jones may be a bust (as he could get hurt again), but I took him in the 6th round and made sure to draft Best right after as insurance. I only have four RBs on this squad, which may hurt, but none of the four figure to lose their jobs or many carries (barring injury), so I should be pretty good. Plus, if need be, I could always start McCluster (once he officially breaks out) or another WR in the RB/WR slot.

Projected Regular Season Record: 10-3
Projected Postseason Finish: LEAGUE CHAMPION!

Overall

I’m sad I didn’t get either Jay Cutler or Matt Forte in any of my leagues. I really think they will both have good years (though they are both a pretty big risk). As a Bears fan especially, that hurts. I like that I have Tony Romo on two teams, and drafting Owen Daniels on every team may not be the smartest idea, but I have a gut feeling about him. Plus, I have a solid backup for him on three of my four teams.

I never thought I’d draft Steven Jackson in any league, but I somehow ended up with him in two leagues, so I guess I’ll have to readjust my feelings about him. Overall, I don’t like my receivers, but as I said, WRs are the hardest thing to predict from season to season, so maybe I have struck gold with a couple of gambles.

I love that I was able to get Jamaal Charles, Dexter McCluster and Justin Forsett, all guys who I think are underrated sleepers. They are somewhat risky picks (both Charles and McCluster are on the same bad Chiefs team), but they are also dynamic, electric players who should figure to get plenty of touches.

All in all, I truly believe I’ll walk away with at least one championship this year. Hopefully it will be in the league that’s worth the most money…