AFFL Team Pre-Draft Preview '15: Hartan

Hartan owner Harout and Vartan

For the next twelve days, the AFFL will give you a break down of each manager and preview their 2015 Fantasy season. We will take a look at what the team has done up to this point, their current keeper situation, and take an early look at how the difficulty of their schedule. Teams will be previewed in reverse draft order, starting with 12 and ending at 1. You can further see more about each manager and team by clicking on the teams tab and visiting each team page.

7. Hartan

History:

• 2007 AFFL Champion (10 team)
• 4 straight playoff appearances. Inc. 3 straight semi-final games '11-'13
• Third highest AFFL lifetime win percentage 58-46 (55%)
• 3 straight years without a winning record '08-'10
• Draft strategy is very solid, with value based drafting
• One of the best keepers in '15, Odell Beckham Jr round 8.

Every science test must have a placebo. A constant. Something to act as a baseline for which all things can be measured. In the AFFL, with teams that can go from conservative to wild, Hartan is team consistent. They are the AFFL's placebo. Their history is full of 8th place finishes and consistent playoff production. Four straight seasons making the post-season with three fourth place finishes is evidence of this. Sprinkle in three straight seasons before that where the team finished in 8th place every year, and you have predictability with consistency. AFFL's Ph 7.4? I give you, team Hartan.

While many teams may opt to reach for rookies or high risk players, Hartan's teams typically center around low risk moves. Theirs is a conservative approach centered around proven production, veterans with a track record. That doesn't mean that they don't take risks, but will often mitigate their risk with strength at the position they are taking a gamble on. Their draft strategy has been successful in recent years, as they have reached the playoffs the last four seasons, finishing in fourth place three of those years.

Hartan has fairly solid in-season management, with solid pick-ups that help maintain depth. When it comes to trading, they are always active, but at times have miscalculated their own teams needs. In 2013, Hartan was struggling at the QB position as Matt Ryan was failing to live up to expectations. In need of help at the position, they traded Jamaal Charles for Drew Brees. While the players were comparable in value, they were not when it comes to their value in respect to their position. Losing a top Rb wasn't worth the QB help, as other Qb's could have been had for cheaper. Granted, the team did make the semi's but eventually lost to the team they traded with.

What is often not mentioned is that Hartan is an AFFL champion, winning the league crown during the 2007 season. However, that was in a 10 team format, and team two-face hasn't been back to the finals since. We may have to ask whether or not Hartan will ever return to the finals. Are they just a team that will always be good and not great? Having two managers can at times be more of a burden than a benefit. When two cooks are in the kitchen there is a greater chance that the stew can be ruined. It's fair to wonder if there have been times when the team would have gone all the way but didn't because of a decision compromised due to Hartan not seeing eye-to-eye.

With their level of consistency and proven track record, it's safe to put Hartan in the top four of AFFL teams, and one could argue that they could be higher. With a solid keeper in Odell Beckham Jr. for the 2015 season, team two-face is set-up nicely to have a successful run at their first twelve team title. That is if they can make sure to get out of their own way.

2015 Preview

Potential Keepers = Excellent

• LeSean McCoy #7
• Odell Beckham Jr #91

Schedule = Fair

• x2 = Hangin' and Bangin' and Bomba

Draft

LeSean Mccoy and Odell Bekcham Jr are the two most likely keepers for Hartan. While it is conceivable that McCoy could be released back into the draft pool, Odell Beckham will certainly be kept. With great value out of ODBJ as an eighth round keeper, Hartan can go any which way he wants in the early rounds. Typically, they have held off on QB in the early rounds and will more than likely take the best RB/WR avail with their 2nd round pick. You can almost rest assured that they will do the same in the fourth round. With pick seven Hartan will be able to choose twice before the person behind him, Grabbers, picks at all. This is a nice advantage to have. We don't think that Hartan can do much of anything wrong in the draft given their position, but it will be interesting to see if they remain conservative in their player approach or take more risk being that they are already a leg up with ODBJ.

Schedule

Hartan gets two match-ups against two teams that may have better-than-you-thought chances of doing things in 2015. Hangin' has two very good keepers along with two picks in the top sixteen. Bomba is the most successful franchise in the AFFL and has earned the right to be labeled a threat in any season. Both these teams will be formidable, which makes the four games that Hartan has to face between these two a mixed-bag. Looking at the bye weeks, Hangin's match-ups don't fall on any bye weeks, so they'll be at full strength. Bomba gets a week five and eleven tilt versus Hartan. While week five won't effect either teams keepers, week eleven is the week OBDJ is on bye. Hartan will lose a keeper for that week. The team will also lose McCoy week 8 where Hartan plays Vosgee. Vosgee will have all keepers available.