In the immediate aftermath of my fantasy draft this past weekend I had conflicted feelings. On one hand, I actually feel good about my team and unlike last year feel some confidence in my chances to compete this year if a couple things fall my way.

On the other hand, I hate several members of my team.

I don’t mean ‘hate’ in that ‘I hate that I drafted these players and don’t think they will do well’ sense. What I really hate is that I will need to cheer for them. You see, I drafted several players that would rank very high in my personal Hierarchy of Hate for NFL players.

Fantasy is all business you know.

It started in round one. With the sixth pick of the draft, I watched all of the high profile running backs get drafted (A.P., M-J-D, Turner, Forte) as well as Steven Jackson by a guy who thinks it is still 2006. My choices came down to one of the top wide receivers or LaDainian Tomlinson. Yes, LT. Former consensus, perennial top-fantasy pick and arch-nemesis of Bronco fans everywhere.

After a down year that may or may not have been the post-30^th birthday beginning of the trip downhill that all running backs seem to take, LT is no longer the obvious top pick and questions hang over him like smog. Was last season an aberration or is LT on his way out faster than you can say Shaun Alexander? I don’t know but after years of going against conventional wisdom and failing at fantasy, I decided to just follow the experts and take LT.

So, now I can look forward to an entire fall of getting excited while being mad after every good play by LT. I am going to be like Jim Carrey in Me, Myself and Irene, only I won’t be lusting over a woman in a constant state of squint.

Round 5 I added insult to injury. Needing a quarterback and missing out on Aaron Rodgers (who I really wanted), I faced a decision – draft Tony Romo or be stuck scrambling for a mediocre quarterback every week like last year (my glorious 5-8 campaign). So, like many blonde, idiotic starlets with big boobs before me, I ended up with Tony. I hope this doesn’t mean I am going to start putting on pounds and wearing mom jeans.

The player who I am still convinced is the 2^nd most overrated quarterback in the NFL (thanks again for coming back Brett), is going to either lead my team to glory or fumble away yet another fantasy season for me.

The really scary part is if the rest of my team carries Tony to the playoffs. We all know how he does in the playoffs but this time I will end up crying instead of laughing.

Thankfully, there are a few players that I will have no problem cheering on.

The first is my boy Eddie Royal. The longer B-Marsh acts like a 12-year old makes my reach for Eddie Royal in the 4^th round look more and more brilliant. It has been obvious over the first two pre-season games that Royal is not only a good fit for the Broncos new Patriot-esque system but Orton has developed a rapport with him.

A rapport that almost matches the rapport Orton has developed with every defensive back in the league apparently.

Another player I will not have any problem loving is FSU-alum and fantasy sleeper Leon Washington who I picked up in the 8th round to much mockery. As I sit here and watch him single-handedly keep the Jets in the game against the Ravens. I’m debating sending a scathing email to my league (which would be about the 15^th such email sent by someone today – this could be a long, x-rated, politically incorrect season. I almost would have expected a little more class from a bunch of lawyers) but kind of feel talking trash based on a pre-season game is just teeing up myself to be Charlie Brown to karma’s Lucy about week #3.

All of these conflicted feelings I expect each Sunday all fall do make me thankful for one thing.

I sure am glad I didn’t pick any Gators in my college fantasy league.

Tagged as: eddie royal, fantasy football, ladainian tomlinson, leon washington, nfl, tony romo