20/20 Interview with Eric Flynn

This week, writer and editor at DLF, Eric Flynn, took some time to let you get to know him just a little bit better. Enjoy!

 

Where are you from?

I’m from Cork in Ireland, famous for its whiskey, black pudding, the accent, and Cillian Murphy for you Peaky Blinders fans out there.

What do you do for your regular job?

Sitting at my desk as an Accountant for a group of leisure centers, swimming pools, golf clubs, and cultural amenities across Cork city.

What is the worst job you have ever had?

I wouldn’t say the worst as I had plenty of fun times at it, but the stinkiest job was definitely as a bin collector on weekends during college. 

What is the best job you have ever had?

Most definitely revolved around the property boom when the whole of the country was buying property abroad. Spent some fabulous trips down the Costa del Sol and enjoyed all that went with it until the boom turned bust!

What do you consider your dream job?

I think I’m pretty good at reading people’s work and pointing out areas to add value to the reader’s experience and understanding. So… I think I’m well suited to the editor role

How long have you been in the industry?

I suppose you could say it’s 2-3 years. I wouldn’t class myself as in the industry, rather behind the scenes.

How did you get your break into fantasy football?

I started out writing some pieces for Colm Kelly on his website Overtime Ireland. He still had his podcast on the go at the time, before he moved on to RotoViz. I then joined DFF (Dynasty Football Factory) after conversations with our colleague here, Shane Manila, who was part of the ownership there at the time and I quickly advanced to Editor in Chief, working with some extremely talented writers while I was there.

What tool do you use the most on DLF?

The ADP at DLF is the gold standard, thanks to the work Ryan and John do working at getting the mock data each and every month. I also like using the Coaching History App and Snap Count App, when projecting fantasy output.

What tool do you use the most outside of DLF?

I tend to trawl the data provided by Peter Howard and Dave Wright in their databases rather than any Apps or tools out there. That and my own eyes determine how I value players.

Who was the best sleeper you pegged that broke out?

No one comes to mind who might have broken out from a deep sleeper point of view. I suppose you could say I was all in on Mike Davis being the CMC handcuff. I’ve had him rostered across many leagues since he came into the NFL and on reading Matt Waldman’s evaluation in the RSP.

Who was your biggest whiff?

I’ve been off on WR prospects the past few years, both ways. I was way too high on Kelvin Harmon and way too low on Brandon Aiyuk. The draft pick that hurt me the most down the years was definitely believing in Breshad Perriman as a first-round rookie draft pick!

What is the worst trade you have made?

Definitely giving up Kittle and Lindsay for David Johnson and Jesse James, expecting DJ to get back to his 2016 self. I have no excuse. I really don’t know what I was thinking!

Who is your favorite underfollowed Twitter account?

It’s definitely Zac Reed, @tacitassassin13, who is part of the Dynasty Dummies crew. His outlook on player prospects, the valuation of players, and the mentals of playing dynasty resonate with me and he’s got a savage gif game to boot.

Who is your favorite NFL team?

San Francisco 49ers. Ever since I first came across the NFL on national TV here back in the ’80s, I was drawn to the Niners and Montana.

Who is your favorite college football team?

Can’t say I have a college football team I follow. I watch players rather than teams.

Who was your favorite player growing up? 

Joe Montana…. Magic!

Who is your favorite player of all time? 

I loved watching Calvin Johnson, who will soon be entering the Hall of Fame.

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

Who has time for hobbies or passions with 3 small kids? Outside of fantasy football, I enjoy hurling and Gaelic football which are our national sports. All the competitiveness of football but on an amateur basis….just like fantasy. I used to go to an abundance of live music gigs too before parenthood struck and I’m sure once they grow up a bit, I’ll make my way back to it.

What are some of your favorite movies? 

I could watch almost anything, to be honest, depending on the mood. Not a movie snob in any way, I’d be just as happy watching American Pie as American Beauty.

But some actors that spring to mind would be anything with Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, you know you’re going to get something good. I really like Emma Stone in stuff as well.

Who are some of your favorite bands? 

You name it, I’ve seen it, but I’m particularly partial to Radiohead, Sigur Ros, and David Bowie.