I’m Ryan McDowell and This Is How I Play

Several years ago I began working remotely for a startup non-profit after spending most of my career in retail and corporate offices. As any quality researcher would do, I immediately began looking into tips and tricks of how to be successful working remotely. I stumbled across an article series by Lifehacker, called “How I Work,” which essentially was a collection of interviews, focusing on best practices, workflows, workspaces, and gadgets used by successful business people.

This new article series is a nod, or rather a direct copy of their idea, from a fantasy football perspective. I’ll seek to interview the most interesting minds in fantasy football, procuring their secrets, routines, bookmarks, and more in an effort to pull back the curtains and provide you with resources and information. I hope you enjoy!

Your name

Ryan McDowell

Your Twitter handle

RM: @RyanMc23

Your location (city/state)

RM: Shelbyville, KY

Current day job

RM: Third Grade Teacher

Current fantasy job(s)

RM: Senior Writer @ Dynasty League Football, Contributor @ Rotoworld

One word that best describes how you play fantasy football

RM: Constantly

Who is your favorite (non-current) NFL player? Why?

RM: I’d probably have to go with Brett Favre. I grew up not following football at all, so even through my teenage years I wasn’t familiar with many players. Obviously, I was aware of Favre and enjoyed watching him play when I caught a game. As I began playing fantasy, I loved his gunslinger mentality, even though it often led to turnovers rather than touchdowns.

Current mobile device

RM: Apple iPhone 6+

Current computer

RM: Apple Macbook Air, Apple Macbook Pro

First of all, tell us a little about how you got your start in fantasy football. How did that evolve to what you’re doing now?

RM: Like many, I began playing fantasy football through a co-worker. After having multiple conversations about my friend’s drafts and trades he was making in his league made up of college friends, I knew this was something I wanted to try. A year later, a spot came open in his league and I got an invitation. This was actually a dynasty league, so that was my first experience with any FF format. While things were rough going in that league (I had to fill my expansion roster from the waiver wire & then got the last pick in the rookie draft) I spent a ton of time working trades and the waiver wire to turn my team into a contender. I was totally hooked, even though many others in the league didn’t even bother to set a lineup.

I went in search of my serious dynasty leagues, which was not easy at that time. I joined one of Steve Wyremski’s Backyard Brawl leagues and that fanned the flame even more. By the next year, I started my own league, HyperActive Dynasty, and my enjoyment and activity level in the hobby has grown every year since. After joining Twitter a few years ago, I became somewhat active in dynasty conversations there and was eventually approached by Eric Dickens asking about a possibility of writing for DLF. I had considered writing, but had reservations that centered around a lack of confidence in the area. I decided to give it a shot and became active at DLF as well, writing articles that centered around player value and devy leagues. I also began collecting dynasty ADP several years ago, which has become a key part of my overall work in the dynasty fantasy community.

What’s your best time-saving shortcut or fantasy hack?

RM: This is not the question for me. I need more time saving hacks in my life, especially when it comes to fantasy football. After working my day job on a typical day, I spend the next 5-6 hours working on “football stuff” as my wife calls it. That includes writing articles, checking in on my fantasy teams or simply jumping on Twitter to interact with the rest of the dynasty community. I have found that I usually don’t do things the easy way. I remember when I began collecting the dynasty ADP data. I knew enough about Excel to enter the players’ names and average the six pieces of draft data to find an average draft position. I didn’t know anything about VLookup, and still really don’t, so I was manually entering in six drafts worth of picks, 240 picks each. Needless to say, when Scott Fish informed me that there was a MUCH easier way to mine this data, my life got easier.

What everyday thing are you better at in fantasy football than everyone else? What’s your secret?

RM: I’m not sure I’m better than the average dynasty player at anything specifically, but I try to overcome any weakness with increased activity. I stay on top of all of the news using Twitter and Rotoworld, making quick decisions about what I learn. I also make a point of routinely monitoring my dynasty teams in an effort to improve them. Finally, I think a lot of success I may have in dynasty leagues is a result of the relationships I’ve built. Not only can a good relationship with leaguemates lead to some increased trade opportunities, but simply having informative conversations with other dynasty players can impact my strategy and understanding of the hobby.

How many fantasy football leagues do you currently play in? What is your favorite league and why?

RM: I am up to 24 total leagues this year and it is already proving to be too many. The off-season months are so tempting and I continue either have ideas for new leagues I want to try or I get the opportunity to play against some people I haven’t competed with before. I need to learn to say no before January. As for my favorite league, it would be any of the Kitchen Sink leagues. I have started a new one in each of the past four off-seasons. The format has been discussed before, but essentially the leagues include many different features you might find in a dynasty league, but it has them all (except for IDP, which I try to avoid). Among the features are: super-flex, TE premium, multiple auctions, contracts, devy, Second Chance, doubleheaders, a unique playoff format, Victory Points, flexible lineups and more. These leagues are challenging and a lot of fun.

How would you describe your fantasy football philosophy?

RM: Ever evolving…I’d say I’ve become known for building teams around the wide receiver position and young players, but that certainly does not set me apart from the majority of dynasty players at this point. With many others adapting some of these same general philosophies, I’ve moved more towards a focus on veterans who are severely undervalue and underpriced. This is not a “zig when they zag” situation for me, but rather a slight shift in my team building strategy to take advantage of the market.

What’s your greatest strength in fantasy football? Startup drafts, mining the waiver wire, making trades, lineup decisions? Weakest?

RM: I’d say my greatest strength of these options would be staying on top of the waiver wire and being able to scoop up some high ceiling players before my competitors. This goes back to my high activity level, not necessarily any type of scouting ability I may have, which I don’t. Trying to nail down a weakness is tough as there are a few options. When it comes to making trades, I often get gun shy on actually agreeing to a deal, even when it is clearly fair for both. I’m not sure why this is, but it has caused me to miss out on trades that were beneficial for my team, so I want to improve on this.

In the past, I would’ve said setting weekly lineups was a weakness, but I have worked hard to improve that this season and things are getting better. I have taken the advice of sites like 4for4.com into account, along with closely following the advice of those in the daily fantasy industry. Since these folks are only worried about creating the best lineup on a week by week basis, this seemed like an underused resource for dynasty players. Finally, I’ve moved away from the “always start your studs” mindset. In the past, I’ve haphazardly set by lineups quickly by looking at the names on my roster, without closely considering matchups, trend and other useful information.

What’s your favorite article you’ve ever written? Why?

RM: That would have to be my dynasty startup strategy piece I entitled Productive Struggle. This was part of my Dynasty Blueprint series from the off-season of 2014. The idea behind the article is to punt the first season of a new dynasty league in an effort to build a dominant and long-lasting dynasty team. Following this exact method has worked for me in the past on more than one occasion, but as I said earlier, I have begun to slightly adjust that strategy.

Who is the best fantasy football owner you’ve ever played with and why?

RM: This is maybe the toughest question of this activity as I’ve had the chance to play with and against many of the top names in the fantasy industry. If I had to choose one person, I’d say Jeff Tefertiller, who is a writer for FootballGuys. Jeff was in the first league I created when I was still very green in the dynasty world. We’ve had hundreds of phone conversations over the years and had the chance to meet up a few times as well. Building this friendship has been nice, but he’s also taught me a lot about dynasty strategy and player value over the years. Not to mention, he’s always a strong contender in every dynasty league he joins.

What’s your current workspace (for fantasy football) like? Coffee shop with laptop and headphones? Home office with a standing desk? Submit an image if possible.

RM: I am forced to be flexible. I would love a home office in a finished basement, but we don’t currently have either of those things in our home. That usually means I am working from the couch in front of the television as my kids are playing, arguing etc. Maybe this is why it takes me three or four hours to write a 1,000 word article. When things get too hectic, I’ll retreat to the bedroom for a little quiet work time, although it is not the ideal space either.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can’t you live without and why?

RM: Does the remote control count? As I mentioned, I am almost always watching television while I work. Sometimes that means a football game, or maybe some kind of crime/drama background noise.

What apps, software, or tools can’t you live without?

RM: On the phone, I am using the Tweetbot app non-stop. I also make use of the Rotoworld app, Sleeperbot app, and Voxer to stay in touch with my DLF coworkers. Other apps that come in handy during my writing time include Apple Music, HBOGO, Periscope and Downcast for listening to the latest podcast episodes. On the computer, Google Drive has become my most used tool, keeping FF data, Dynasty Blueprint agendas and even doing some writing there.

What is your go-to site for your tough start/sit decisions?

RM: 4for4.com

If you could only read one website (other than those you contribute at) for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

RM: This seems like an easy one. I would choose Twitter.com. While I might not have access to some of the great content found at many sites, I would be able to interact with the writers of that content. That is one of the things I love about Twitter. I have the chance to have conversations with some folks I may not know at all, along with fantasy writers I’ve admired for years.

Take a quick peek at your bookmarked sites. What are the top 3-4 sites on the list?

RM: Pro Football Reference, FantasyData, DynastyLeagueFootball, Rotoworld, Google Drive, MyFantasyLeague, Twitter

What podcast is currently queued up on your phone?

RM: The Dynasty Tradecast is the last one I listened to. I subscribe to 35 podcasts, most of them being FF related, but unfortunately, I rarely have the time to listen to many during a normal week. I can’t listen at work and my daily commute is less than five minutes. I have to be very picky when I get a chance to listen to a podcast.

What are you currently reading? A novel, comic book, website, magazine?

RM: I love the idea of reading books, but I never actually do it. When I have free time, I usually end up catching up on some television or talking dynasty football on Twitter. As for websites, I try to read everything I can on DLF and Rotoworld, especially the in-season content from Evan Silva and Rich Hribar.

What do you listen to while you play? Got a favorite playlist? Maybe a podcast? Or do you prefer silence?

RM: As I mentioned, my listening time in general is limited, which is maybe why I try to combine that with my writing. The podcasts I try to listen to each week include The Bull Rush, The Daily Fantasy Edge, DFS MVP, DLF Dynasty Podcast, DLF Filmetrx, Dynasty Trade Calculator and the Dynasty Tradecast. When I’d rather listen to music, the variety feels kind of odd, but there is always something on Apple Music I like. Sometimes that is a Christian/Praise mix, other times it is Metallica or Beastie Boys.

Do you have any superstitions on game day? Wear the same lucky T-Shirt? Always make homemade chili before the games?

RM: No superstitions really, but once the weather gets colder, my wife seems to think chili and football are a good combination and I tend to agree.

How do you recharge?

RM: Hmm, I don’t think I do. Of course, I focus on my students while at work and my family takes vacations or does typical weekend activities, but there is never really a time I step away from fantasy football. Maybe I should consider that.

What’s your sleep routine like? Are you a night owl or early-riser?

RM: I’d prefer to be a night owl, but a teaching schedule doesn’t really allow that. During the week, I’m usually asleep by midnight an up by 6. On the weekends and summers, I’m often up past 1 or 2 and up by 8.

Fill in the blank: I’d love to see _________ answer these same questions.

RM: Rich Hribar

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

RM: Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31

The How I Play series asks writers, developers, editors, and fantasy football degenerates to share their secrets, bookmarks, routines, and more. Have someone you want to see featured, or questions you think we should ask? Email Eric Dickens or start a conversation with him on Twitter.