20/20 Interview with Eric Dickens

This week, DLF partner and Chief Brand Officer, Eric Dickens, took some time to tell you about his journey. Enjoy!

 

Where are you from?

I’m from Kansas City, Missouri originally, but lived in Tennessee and Florida for a few years before returning back to KC about 5 years ago. The weather sucks, but the city is fun and there are a lot of great friends here.

What do you do for your regular job?

I’m the Director of Operations for a company producing complete event experiences, from in-person galas to virtual live streams to hybrid events needing planning and logistics, floral, graphics, media creation, and AV. Essentially, I’m surrounded by creatives that are always looking to do something that hasn’t been done before. I handle the boring, behind the scene details, and try to support them as best as possible.

What is the worst job you have ever had?

In my teenage years, I once spent 9 days working for a pick/pack company distributing to large grocery stores on the overnight shift. I didn’t last long before deciding it wasn’t for me.

What is the best job you have ever had?

It’s not a full-time day job (yet), but being a part of helping DLF grow to what it is today and working alongside so many talented partners, writers, podcasters, and people is definitely a highlight for me.

What do you consider your dream job?

Working full-time for DLF is the dream. Hopefully, we’ll keep growing to a point where it becomes necessary. 

How did you get your break into fantasy football?

I started playing fantasy football in 1996, then dynasty in 2008, and when I went to look for info on strategy and advice, all I found was DLF. It was created in 2006 and there wasn’t anything else like it out there. I reached out a year or two later to ask if I could help with promoting DLF through Twitter and other methods so every dynasty owner would have a resource. A year or so later I became a partner at the site and began to bring on other writers and contributors to help grow the site even further.

What tool do you use the most on DLF?

As soon as the DLF Dynasty Trade Analyzer was created, it quickly became my go-to tool in the industry. As someone who has tried pretty much every calculator or tool out there, I can confidently say this is better than all of them. And our team of developers continues to improve it, constantly discussing new ideas and features, never satisfied with the current iteration. The integration of myDLF with MFL and Sleeper leagues makes it even more powerful. I’m looking forward to continuing to add more dynasty platforms to make it work for even more dynasty owners.

What tool do you use the most outside of DLF?

This may make me sound like a fan-boy (I am), but the work that John Paulson does at 4for4.com with his weekly projections is amazing. I use the projections to make all of my start/sit decisions and have much less heartburn and much more success. Also, Matt Waldman’s Rookie Scouting Portfolio is one of the best educational tools you can find when trying to get up to speed on rookie prospects. It’s worth every penny. And last but not least, just follow Adam Harstad on Twitter. Not exactly a traditional “tool” (insert joke here) but he’s a wealth of knowledge and brings a different perspective to topics many already believe are already settled.

Who was the best sleeper you pegged that broke out?

I seem to have a real love/hate relationship with running back prospects, either predicting their success early or completely missing (see next question). In the plus column are RBs like Ray Rice, Gio Bernard, Aaron Jones, Kareem Hunt. George Kittle is a non-RB I liked quite a lot before it was cool.

Who was your biggest whiff?

Probably a tie between Trent Richardson and Laquon Treadwell. I thought both had what it would take to be a star in the NFL, but obviously, both flopped miserably. Other guys I whiffed on were Kendall Hunter, Keith Marshall. I’m also not too proud to admit I never thought Derrick Henry would make it either. Oops.

What is the worst trade you have made?

I can’t find the exact details, but I think it was something like me giving a rookie Dez Bryant for Miles Austin and a 2nd. You can look up the stats, but it didn’t end well for me. 

Who is your favorite underfollowed Twitter account?

This is a tough one…I guess I’d say @DLFTools even though it’s part of the DLF family. One of our own, Jeff Smith, does a fantastic job putting out interesting content and keeping it fresh. If you’re not already following, you’re missing out.

Who is your favorite NFL team?

The Denver Broncos. As a longtime KC resident, it’s been a difficult last few years, but in the late 90s and mid-2000’s, it was glorious. I can only hope they solve the QB problem that’s been haunting them since Peyton retired.

Who is your favorite college football team?

It feels weird to say, but I don’t follow college football much, or other sports for that matter. I’m a huge sports fan, but my time is consumed by family, friends, and the NFL. On the rare occasion I sit down long enough to watch a game, I’m just looking for offensive fireworks.

Who was your favorite player growing up? 

John Elway easily tops this list. My first football memory was when I was 4 years old and Elway took the Broncos to the playoffs in his second year in the league. 

Who is your favorite player of all time? 

Jerry Rice probably fills this spot (other than Elway). I was so impressed by his consistency year after year and really enjoyed watching his incredible route-running. He’s still the GOAT, in my opinion.

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

Honestly, there are too many to name, haha. I tend to latch on to hobbies and become a little too consumed with them before adding in something else. The ones that have stuck with me are tabletop board gaming, a coffee obsession, foosball, reading books, and most recently, collecting and tasting good whiskey.

What are some of your favorite movies?

I don’t spend a ton of time watching movies, but my favorites include Shawshank Redemption, Crash, Tombstone, Silence of the Lambs, Dumb & Dumber, Sleepers, Love Actually, Iron Man, The Prestige, Wedding Crashers, & Hotel Rwanda.

Who are some of your favorite bands?

I can’t seem to get over Twenty One Pilots, but enjoy a fairly large mix of music, including a lot of 90s rock (think Gin Blossoms, Matchbox 20, Soundgarden, Beastie Boys, Chris Cornell), folk (think Bon Iver, Patty Griffen, Fleet Foxes, Lumineers), and a little rap thrown in (Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Notorious BIG). It really depends on the day.