20/20 Interview with Adam Tzikas

This week, DLF writer and IDP savant Adam Tzikas took some time with us so you could get to know him a little better. Learn about one of the great defensive minds of the team that is DLF. Enjoy!

Where are you from?

I was born in Baltimore, but have lived most of my life in south Florida, baking alive, day in and day out.

What do you do for your regular job?

My day job is as an “Integrations Developer” which is a fancy way to say I type code into a computer and it does stuff for me

What is the worst job you have ever had?

I worked for like a week at Universal Studios in Orlando during college. It was really cool to see the behind the scenes stuff of a massive theme park, but the hours sucked, and being treated like a nameless number employee just wasn’t for me.

What is the best job you have ever had?

I delivered subs for Jimmy Johns after the theme park gig and enjoyed it immensely. Working in a college town had its perks doing late-night delivery and it was fun for me to hang out with people and sling subs.

What do you consider your dream job?

I do like programming a good deal, I would love to actually help make the world a better place instead of making a corporation richer. Especially if it was something with Veterans, who I think is an incredibly underserved part of our population in this country. 

How long have you been in the industry?

I have been part of the “writing” side of fantasy football since 2014

How did you get your break into fantasy football?

I started as a poster on the dynasty fantasy football subreddit and eventually took over as the head moderator there. At the time it was a beautiful and small community of like-minded people. I parlayed this into a gig here at DLF, probably because they wanted a foothold there, and now they are stuck with me.

What tool do you use the most on DLF?

Besides the trade analyzer which I use daily as a check on what I send to others, I LOVE the splits app. It’s a great way to see how different players are affected by injuries.

What tool do you use the most outside of DLF?

I tend to use stuff to make my life easier, so I use a lot of the stuff they do at FantasyPros a great deal.

Who was the best sleeper you pegged that broke out?

I felt like I was a year early to James Conner, but at this point, that is ancient history.

Who was your biggest whiff?

Maybe Rashad Higgins? I thought he was the truth at Colorado State

What is the worst trade you have made?

Oh, man….I once owned every Khiry Robinson share across 12 leagues (This was before I crossed the 20 league line, thankfully), and that did NOT pan out. 

Who is your favorite underfollowed Twitter account?

He has over 3k so maybe not underfollowed, but I love following @FFPeeblesChamp, Dwight is really good with the devy content and an excellent follow. 

Who is your favorite NFL team?

Somehow I am an Eagles fan. 

Who is your favorite college football team?

Well, I went to UCF so I tend to follow them pretty closely, also they make football fun. 

Who was your favorite player growing up?

I always really liked Brian Westbrook, hence the Eagles fandom.

Who is your favorite player of all time?

Back to the eagles well, but Brian Dawkins was an absolute beast on the field but a really incredible dude off the field as well.

What other hobbies or passions do you have outside of fantasy football?

Sadly for my wife, they are endless. I love all things Space and have been obsessed with DnD since I started playing 4 years ago. 

What are some of your favorite movies?

Gotta say my favorite movie might be Anchorman just because of how much we quoted it in High School. Others that top my list are The Truman Show, Apollo 13, Princess Bride, and The Departed.

Who are some of your favorite bands?

I listen to some weird stuff, mostly math rock and new wave emo, but some bands that fit either of those would be: Maps & Atlases, Empire! Empire! (I was a lonely Estate), Local Natives, and Giraffes? Giraffes!