Twitter has long been an excellent source of instantaneous news and wide-ranging opinions. We ran a series of interviews two years ago to help users new and old get to know some of our favorite tweeters.
Our series is back for 2014. Today we interview Austin Lee, new on the staff here at Football Guys. Get to know him below.
Such an unsatisfying season ender that I'm considering re-watching the Pro Bowl. Someone talk me off the ledge.
— Austin Lee (@AustinNFL) February 3, 2014
Who Am I?
Name: Austin Lee
Twitter handle: @AustinNFL
Tweeting since: January 2012
Number of tweets: 3,696
Follower count: 2,673
Hometown: I split my childhood between Coral Gables, FL and Marietta, GA. I tell people I'm from Atlanta, but after living in the East Bay for longer than either of those places, maybe I should say I'm from Berkeley, CA.
Day job: I’m a character modeler and rigger at Pixar Animation Studios. That basically means that I'm a digital puppet maker. Some of the characters I've made large contributions to include Elastigirl in The Incredibles, the lead character in WALL-E, and Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story 3.
Family life: My wife and I have been married for over 11 years. We have a five-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter.
Quick bio (who you are, site(s) you represent, etc.): I joined Football Guys in April of 2014. The previous 2.5 years I worked for PFF Fantasy as a writer, ranker, and podcast host. In 2013 I was nominated by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) for best audio podcast and finished third in Fantasy Pros' Daily Fantasy Accuracy Competition.
What is something unique about you that few would know about? Some of my friends in high school called me The Burger Prince because my family owned 11 Burger King restaurants.
What you do for fun during the football offseason: There's an offseason? I enjoy snowboarding and performing in Pixar's improv group, the Improvibles.
Favorite NFL team(s): My favorite team is the Miami Dolphins, but I'm also a big Atlanta Falcons fan.
Favorite NFL player(s): Bo Jackson and Dan Marino are my favorite players of all time. I also like Matt Ryan and whoever the Dolphins eventually find to replace Dan Marino.
Give us your “must follows” on Twitter: In addition to all of the FBG staff, I'm a fan of the folks at PFF Fantasy, Rotoworld, ESPN, 4-for-4, RotoViz, Dynasty League Football, XN Sports, and Number Fire. Basically, subscribe to my “Football Favorites" Twitter list and you'll get a dynamic view of the 100 or so people I follow most closely.
What do you like most about Twitter? The fantasy writing community is really friendly and encouraging, and Twitter has been a great entry point for getting to know everyone. Even the legends of the industry are approachable and down to earth. It's a close-knit family that's very welcoming to newcomers.
Years playing fantasy football: 12
How many leagues, typically? I played in four traditional leagues last year, but I dropped all of them this offseason to focus on weekly rankings contests and day gaming.
Before joining FBG, I filmed "Five More Trading Tips" for @PFF_Fantasy and @FNTSYSportsNet. Fun with a green screen! https://t.co/e8jetb9WGG
— Austin Lee (@AustinNFL) May 2, 2014
Inside the Guru’s Studio
What is your favorite fantasy word? Upside
What is your least favorite fantasy word? The phrase “if he stays healthy" is such a common addendum to predictions that it might as well be one word. When I catch myself wanting to add this disclaimer, I decrease my projection to reflect the time that the player will probably miss. There's no need to dream about what's unlikely to happen.
DC Comics or Marvel? I love the latest Batman trilogy, but I have to go with Marvel. Call me biased because we're all under the Disney umbrella, but I loveIron Man, The Avengers, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is one of the few TV shows I watch every week.
What is your favorite film? The original 1977 theatrical release of Star Wars where Han shoots first and Jabba the Hutt is just a name.
What is your favorite book? Ender's Game
Cake or ice cream? Oreo Ice Cream
Star Wars or Star Trek? I’m a big-time Star Wars nerd. I like J.J. Abram's Star Trek reboot, and I'm curious to see what he can bring to Star Wars: Episode VII
What sound do you hate? I’m a terrible poker player. When I’m on the short stack in a No Limit Texas Hold ‘em tournament, I hate the alarm sound indicating that the blinds have just gone up.
What sound do you love? My children laughing
Film or Stats? Both are valuable, but I definitely spend more time analyzing stats. It better suits my strengths.
2013 Top-20 Fantasy RBs: Reggie Bush gained 66.9% of his rushing yards between the tackles. Matt Forte gained 63.3% outside the tackles.
— Austin Lee (@AustinNFL) March 27, 2014
Predictions and Advice
Favorite fantasy style or combination of styles of play (Dynasty, Redraft, Auction, Best Ball, Daily, Survivor, etc.): I love redraft leagues with auction drafts, FAAB, and a deep roster of offense.
Studs ‘n Duds or Value Based Drafting? I generally try to split the difference. In deeper leagues with stiffer competition, I steer more towards value. In a less active league, I'll have an easier time working the waiver wire and a harder time trading away accumulated value, so I'll take the risk on some studs.
What's the biggest mistake you see fantasy players make? Getting too locked in on one player because of name value and/or previous performance. This causes inexperienced managers to overvalue players in drafts, trades, waiver moves, and starting lineup decisions.
How much of fantasy football is skill? How much is luck? I think about this question with a VBD-esque re-frame to ask, "How much return do you get on your time investment doing research beyond the newbie that blindly follows his league's host site rankings?" Based on ranking accuracy at FantasyPros, the best rankers make the right calls about 18% more often then the worst rankers. You should be able to do even better against your uninformed friends and family. In a game of slim margins, having that kind of advantage is huge.
Go out on a limb—give a wild prediction about the 2014 season that would shock the world if it happened: Rashad Jennings, Joique Bell, and Toby Gerhart will score more fantasy points in 2014 than Ray Rice, Chris Johnson, and Knowshon Moreno.
Super Bowl XLIX Teams and Score: Packers defeat Steelers 31-21
2014 Fantasy MVP: Giovani Bernard
2014 Fantasy Most Improved: Jeremy Maclin
2014 Fantasy Bust of the Year: Doug Martin