We have arranged for several feature writers to provide their thoughts on a wide variety of fantasy-related topics. These topics will include drafting strategies, commissioner tips, rookie reviews, and free agent analysis as well as other fantasy discussions.

Michael Nazarek, FF Mastermind

* Mike is the CEO and President of Fantasy Football Mastermind Inc. He has 25 years fantasy experience including 20 fantasy championships in 10 different leagues and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Most recently, he won the FanEx Championship in 2012 with Chris Rito (back-to-back & 4th time in the last 9 years).  He and Steve Yerger won the HAFAX Experts Dynasty IDP Auction league in 2010. He also won the FanEx Overall Championship in 2009 with Chris Rito and won the SOFA IDP Experts league in 2008, while finishing Runner-Up in the SOFA Classic Experts league, FFWebMasters 14-team Experts league, and the FanEx Online league. His primary claim to fame is the fact that he won the SI.com Experts League title for FOUR CONSECUTIVE SEASONS (2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007). SI.com retired the league after 2007 for unknown reasons, making Nazarek the ONLY winner of that league in the four years of its existance.  He finished Runner-Up in the FanEx Online league in 2007. He finished Runner-Up in both the FFWebMasters 14-team Experts league and the FanEx Alpha league in 2006. He won the FF Index Magazine Mock Draft Best Ball league by 15.5 games in 2005. He and Chris Rito won the FanEx Overall Championship for the first time in 2004. He's also won the the very tough 14-team FFWebMasters.com Experts Fantasy League (2003), a high stakes league title in the Fantasy Jungle (2003), the 1st annual Site Owners Fantasy Association (SOFA) Experts League (2000 & first runner-up in 2005) and the Showcase Re-Drafter Experts League (SRL-American - 1999). He led team FF Mastermind to league best records in SOFA and FFWebMasters.com Experts leagues in 2001. Mike has been a contributing author for many fantasy football magazines, including Fantasy Football Pro-Forecast, Power Ranking System Fantasy Football Report, and Fantasy Football Draftbook II as well as a periodic columnist for SI.com's Fantasy Central feature for five seasons. Mike's goal for FFMastermind.com Services has never wavered... to provide comprehensive fantasy football information via the Internet, while having fun in the process. Although he is married with no children, one dog keeps him quite busy at times.

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P 2013 Initial Top 12 Fantasy Player Rankings (PPR & Non-PPR) -- 2/1/2013

P Free Agency 2013: 12 Moves in 12 Days -- 3/26/2013 New!

 

John Holler - Exclusive Senior Staff Writer

John is a sports writer and sports talk radio host. He currently works for, among others, Viking Update – a website and monthly magazine devoted to the Minnesota Vikings. He is a beat writer who covers both the Vikings and the rest of the NFL for both the print and web publication. He also hosts a weekday sports talk show on 1390 The Fan Radio in St. Cloud, Minn. The show runs noon to 2 p.m. Central Time and can be accessed on-line at the 1390 The Fan website. He spent six years as staff writer for the St. Cloud (Minn.) Times, where he was both a sports and entertainment writer. He also does a weekly movie review radio show Mondays at 10:40 a.m. on WJON 1240-AM Radio. He has written one book “Minnesota Vikings Facts and Trivia”and was a contributing writer to two other books -–"War Stories From the Field” and “Hit and Tell: War Stories of the NFL’s Wildest Players” from Foghorn Press, San Francisco. John has written several magazine articles for regional and national magazines, including several in “SLAM” and “BLITZ” magazines out of New York and several college fan magazines under the FOX Sports banner. John is our NFL Tendencies Guru and also pens his weekly column “A Holler From the Cheap Seats” seen exclusively in the FFMastermind.com Weekly Newsletter, as well as regular off-season columns on free agency, the draft and contributes articles and analysis for our annual pre-season guide. John plays “officially” in just one fantasy league – which he routinely dominates because he never strays from his list of best available players and has gained a reputation for putting together blockbuster trades of his mid-round talent for one stud that annually makes him feared among his veteran leaguemates. He has won his championship four of the last six years (including 2007) and has led his league in scoring five years running.

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P Free Agency 2013 Preview -- 2/11/2013

P 2013 Free Agency: Winners & Losers -- 3/17/2013

* 2013 Mastermind's Madness Rookie Draft Reference Guide Sneak Peek -- 4/17/2013 NEW!

 

John Cooney - Exclusive Staff Writer & Scout

John Cooney entered the world of fantasy football in 1989, enjoying immediate success by winning a championship 2-out-of-3 years (1989, 1991). After a 3-year sabbatical from fantasy football (1992-94), John accepted an invitation to get back into fantasy football (1995) and garnered another title. Since jumping back into the sport in ‘95, Cooney has made the playoffs each and every season (15 consecutive seasons), and in-all has made 9 championship appearances, with an 8-1 title record and consecutive titles 2008-09.  Compelled to channel his talent and passion for the game and posessing an education in communications and broadcasting (Temple Univ. in Phila, PA), Cooney worked-up a plan for a fantasy football radio program. The kick off of “Fantasy Football Breakdown” happened in 1998. In 1999, John’s co-host was former Boston Univ. QB Kevin Foley, the brother of former Jets/Seahawks’ QB Glenn Foley. The program ran for three years on 2 stations, growing each year. Life events (marriage, new business venture) necessitated a break from the studio with the intention of getting back on the air after two seasons. A battle with throat cancer in 2003 ended the broadcasting dream, but the passion for football and fantasy football in particular continued to burn brightly. Cooney is adept at identifying unknown players, bench guys and risky prospects that are ready to show their stuff, often recognizing the hidden gems weeks, sometimes months before they “breakout”.  This “obsessed” football writer actually has a life outside the sport. He’s a loving husband and devoted father. In his “day job” he travels 5-States designing fine custom-clothing (J. Lucas Clothiers) for private clientele and is currently in the process of setting an affiliation with LifeLock to protect anyone he can from identity theft (being a 5-time victim himself). John is a cancer survivor who helps those in their battle against the disease whenever called upon. His to-live-by motto comes from the great Vince Lombardi, “You’re not gonna’ get perfection. But you’re gonna’ get excellence in the process.”

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* Mastermind Fantasy Combine: QBs & WRrs -- 3/22/2013

* Mastermind Fantasy Combine: RBs -- 5/4/2013

* Fantasy Football Just Sayin' -- 5/16/2013 NEW!

 

Brent Lathrop - Exclusive Staff Writer

You won't find many, if any, guys that have played fantasy football longer than Brent Lathrop. He started playing in 1990 in a six-team, touchdown only league that has turned into a keeper league. He's a fantasy fanatic, but isn't one of those guys that joins 15-leagues every season. He likes to keep it simple and concentrate on the 3-4 leagues he's in, including a dynasty league. A Rams fan since their days in L.A., Brent enjoys watching Steven Jackson run over defenders and Torry Holt catch balls with ease and grace. To Brent the NFL is the ultimate sport and loves nothing more than sitting in front of several T.V.'s on a Sunday afternoon. Brent is our Keeper Korner Dynasty league specialist!

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P 2013 Initial Dynasty/Keeper Fantasy Player Rankings -- 1/27/2013

P 2013 May Dynasty/Keeper Fantasy Player Rankings -- 5/14/2013 NEW!

Eddie Rex - Exclusive Staff Writer

Eddie Rex is a complex guy. The pseudonym masks a longtime radio journalist and former sports editor who has a dirty little secret -- an addiction to fantasy football. And in particular, an addiction to making late-round picks that prompt league ridicule AND a high winning percentage. He has flirted with Joe Montana's wife, got Jerry Rice to pose in the nude and kissed Willie Mays on the top of his stubbly head -- and yes, one of those three things is a lie.

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Chris Rito - Exclusive Staff Writer & Scout

Chris is a pharmaceutical research scientist by day and a complete sportsaholic and fantasy football junkie by night...and actually most of the day, too. He is happily married to a beautiful FFL chick in the making who patiently tolerates his obsession. He is occupied in his "free time" by six kids who enjoy watching the games with Daddy, and hopefully all will be FFLers some day! Chris is probably best known in fantasy football circles as the fearless prognosticator on the fortunes of the Indianapolis Colts for FFMastermind. He also is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the FanEx experts' league, and has for years served on FanEx's Executive Committee.  Chris also teams with FFMastermind 's Mike Nazarek in FanEx where they together won the 2004, 2009 and 2011 championships; we have been division champ 6 out of the last 8 seasons and have made the finals 6 times as well. He is in his 20th year of playing fantasy football (usually playing in 5-6 leagues each season), and his 18th serving as commissioner of several local and national leagues. Known in some circles as "Da Commish", his lifetime records include 14 fantasy championships, many more championship game appearances, and a career .630 (606-356-1) winning percentage with only six sub-.500 seasons ever.

 

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Steve Yerger - Exclusive Staff Writer & IDP Specialist

Steve resides in Hershey, Pennsylvania with his wife Lisa, a 17 year old son and a 20 month old son. In the real world, Steve is an accountant for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department and is a Penn State graduate and also an Army veteran. He began playing fantasy football while deployed to Bosnia in 1998. He quickly became hooked and expanded into many different league types; IDP, dynasty, auction, etc. IDP leagues became a personal favorite by 2002, as he focused his efforts on learning all there was to know about IDP. These efforts quickly bore fruit, as he became a nationally published fantasy football writer and has contributed IDP content to several fantasy football sites. 2010 will be his second official season writing for FF Mastermind, and he is excited about continuing getting to know the Mastermind community.

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