With less than two weeks before the NFL regular season finally gets underway, millions of us are spending countless hours ranking hundreds of players to see who we deem worthy of a slot on our fantasy rosters.
I have been an NFL addict for as long as I can remember, and in my lifetime there have been two creations that have helped elevate this addiction to almost uncomfortable levels. One is fantasy, and the other is Tecmo Super Bowl, a game that owned my childhood and would likely still own my young adulthood if I were lucky enough to get my hands on a Nintendo (the Facebook NES application simply doesn't cut it).
So knowing the countless hours I have burned on both games, a thought occurred to me: Why not combine the two offshoots of my passion and bring them together to create the nerdiest, but also the most fun piece I have ever compiled?
Below are my top five TSB players at each major fantasy position. By all means, if anyone disagrees with these picks, feel free to suggest alternate ones you (falsely) feel are better.
Running Back
1. Bo Jackson
Tecmo Bo is, quite honestly, the single most beastly creation the sports video game industry has ever created. His speed and cutback ability are second to none, and even if your defense selects the right Jackson run nine times out of 10, you can bet your ass he will make you pay by busting a massive run that 10th time.
Don't be scared off by the sizable carry chunk he shares with Marcus Allen. Bo is the undisputed top pick in any draft format.
2. Christian Okoye
"The Nigerian Nightmare" more than lives up to this moniker. While Jackson kills you with speed, Okoye does it with power, bouncing defenders off his shoulder pads as if they are equipped with land mines. A sure-fire No. 2 overall pick.
3. Thurman Thomas
People were so blown away by the Miami Dolphins' wildcat offense last year, but those of us who worship Tecmo saw it for what it was: a jazzed-up knockoff of Buffalo's Right+A direct snap to Thomas.
On his worst days Thomas is capable of duplicating Ronnie Brown's five-touchdown performance against New England. On his best, he makes it look like a student film.
4. Barry Sanders
Though he's stuck on a team with a subpar passing attack, Sanders is much too explosive not to come off the board in the first round. If Rodney Peete can keep defenses honest, Sanders can make a killing for your team.
5. Bobby Humphrey
There were as many as five players I considered at this spot, but I think Humphrey is the best option. He hits his holes very well and is one of the game's most consistent pass catching backs.
He is also stuck with perennial fantasy by being Denver's only consistent offensive threat.
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