This league is amazing and is the reason I stay prepared all year round. Going into this draft feels like a war of attrition. Running backs go hard and heavy in the early rounds, and taking risks here can really come back to bite you. This is a 12-man PPR league with one QB, two RBs, two WRs, one TE, two FLEX (W/R/T), one Defense, and one Kicker, plus a deep 7-bench setup and one IR spot. With a 7-man bench, the managers are well-prepared, and it uses a FAAB waiver system.

This league is also not prone to trading. Out of the managers, maybe 4-6 will try to trade, but they almost always get cold feet, thinking they’re being shortchanged. That means you have to draft a strong roster from the get-go, as it’s tough to make drastic changes through the waiver wire or trades in this league.

If I could change one thing, I’d love for it to be more active in the chat, but I understand. All the managers have demanding, community-focused jobs, so the occasional lack of communication is understandable. What I really appreciate is that, although this is a league with some of the oldest managers, they were willing to switch to the Sleeper platform seamlessly. Sleeper has proven to be the best fantasy football platform, and I’m happy that I be making it new platform for the Coqui League.

And to all the Brandon Aiyuk managers out there—I feel your pain. Looking back at my draft board, I see the weeks he spent on my bench before he got hurt. It stings.

Team Drafted:

QB: Dak Prescott

WR: CeeDee Lamb

WR: Brandon Aiyuk

RB: De’Von Achane

RB: Alvin Kamara

TE: Dalton Kincaid

Flex: James Conner

Flex: Jayden Reed

Defense: Texans

Kicker: Jake Bates

Bench:

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Kendre Miller

Troy Franklin

Darnell Mooney

Will Shipley

TJ Hockenson

Curtis Samuel

Current Record & Standings:

3-4, #8 of 12

Standout Performer:

I can’t say it enough: James Conner has been my standout performer. His consistency and availability have been the foundation of this team, providing stability amidst the chaos.

Biggest Disappointment:

My biggest disappointment is myself, specifically my mistake with Brandon Aiyuk. I made a rookie error by not double-checking my waiver bid and ended up putting in an $85 bid for Carson Steele instead of the $55 I intended. This mishap completely altered how I’ve been able to work the waiver wire due to the lack of FAAB remaining.

Biggest Fantasy Disappointment:

The biggest fantasy letdown for this team has been the Dallas Cowboys’ offense. Last year, defenses knew the Cowboys' offense centered on CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, yet Dallas still managed to deliver fantasy value. But this season, it seems like the league has found a way to cap their fantasy production. Well done, Jerry!

Trades:

As I mentioned earlier, I haven’t made any trades. It’s very difficult to trade in this league because managers truly fall in love with their draft picks. Many of them put in extensive offseason research, going through stats and constantly consuming fantasy content, so getting them to part with a player is no easy feat. In this league, you really have to sell the farm to make a trade happen.

Second Half Strategy:

Strategy options are limited here due to the deep benches, one IR spot, FAAB waiver system, and managers who are hesitant to trade. It’s essential to understand FAAB management and the importance of a strong draft. I’ll be aiming for a miracle by trying to secure one of the rare trades in this league to give my roster a playoff push.

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below. See you in the next one!