Confessions of a Fantasy Football Addict: An Ode to Round 11

Okay, I admit it.

Schedule the intervention. Call A&E. Disconnect the modem.

I'm about to draft my seventh and eighth fantasy football teams this year.

Crazy, I know.

With the proliferation of online leagues, it's become easier than ever to fall head over heels into fantasy football. I resisted the pull of the game for a long time, refusing to play until two years ago.

Since then I've done a lot of catching up.

What started as three leagues my first year became five last year.

I figure I write about football for a living, keep abreast of all the league news anyway, watch most of the games every weekend, and understand the strategy of the game enough to just make the Sunday morning exercise of setting my lineup take a few minutes more.

But I've noticed something. When most of my friends/colleagues/opposing owners begin to mail in the picks on draft day, I actually get more into it.

To understand that, you probably need to know more about me as a sports fan.

Remember the Celtics not too long ago? Not the KG-Ray Allen-Paul Pierce "Title or Bust" Squad, but the Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Al Jefferson, Gerald Green "freshman class."

I loved watching them. I watched every minute of that season. There's something about a young squad, watching them develop and grow. You don't cling to the bevel. You don't agonize over every win and loss.

Yeah, you might make the playoffs, but before the season even begins, you know you're going to be free to go out those early summer nights.

Call me a masochist if you will, but it's a feeling I'm sure you're all familiar with.

Take the NFL. No team in the league is without significant questions.

I have a Steeler fan friend who insists on adding "DEFENDING Super Bowl champion" before mentioning his hometown team. Ask him if Tempur-Pedic is sponsoring the field this season considering how often Ben Roethlisberger will be on his back.

Patriots fan? Tell him to enjoy that 2011 pick in the long winter months during the impending lockout. 

Colts fan? Bob Sanders knows the league season is a whole 17 weeks, right?

Cowboys? Ask them if Jerry Jones built the screen that big so God can watch the Red Zone channel every time Terrell Owens catches one of his 10 touchdowns.

Raiders fan? Well...I think they've been through enough.

Regardless, every team is 0-0 right now. Every team has questions, but each has promise too. Football is, for everyone involved, fun to watch right now.

I feel that way about the late rounds of any fantasy football draft. It's all hopes and dreams at this point.

For instance, here are the guys I drafted in round 11 of my drafts (so far):

Carson Palmer, Darren Sproles, Jay Cutler, Kevin Walter, Josh Morgan, Jerious Norwood, and Chester Taylor.

At this point in the draft, I'm going after nothing but upside. Carson Palmer could finally be healthy and throw for over 3,500 yards this season. Darren Sproles could be a legitimate (albeit small) threat. Jay Cutler could show why he's considered one of the top young players in the league and prove he's more than just petulant.

Josh Morgan? All upside. Morgan could blow up for 1,200 yards. He's like Santonio Holmes without Hines Ward (and with a more accurate quarterback throwing to him).

Jerious Norwood? My personal favorite. If Turner is healthy, he'll likely be little help. If not? Watch out.

Of course, all of those guys could be major duds. They could go nowhere. But in round 11, you're not relying on those guys.

Even if they fail to deliver, that's what the waiver wire is for.

Of course—and here's the kicker—any one of those guys could have a monster season. You know who I targeted in late rounds last year? DeAngelo Williams.

You know what I enjoyed so much last year? Everyone complaining I "ruined" the league by having Williams, a player I've owned on 75 percent of my teams the last three years.

I've been burned enough by Williams wasting space on my rosters that nothing pleased me more than seeing him finally put it all together—not for my rosters, but because I thoroughly enjoy seeing young players succeed.

It's why I watched all those Celtics games with something akin to pleasure. It's why I won't buy a Madden game until they add real player progression. It's why I don't put on cruise control once I fill out the top six spots on my roster.

So hate on, I say. I didn't forego drafting fun players with upside so I could have New York Jets D/ST.

Besides, we're all undefeated right now.