20/20 with Eric Olinger

The DLF Team

This week, IDP expert and superhero fanatic, Eric Olinger, spent some time with us for you to get to know him better. Enjoy!

 

Where are you from?

I currently live in Middletown, OH which is between Dayton and Cincinnati. I’ve lived in this area all my life. 

What do you do for your regular job?

I am a Process Quality Engineer for an automotive manufacturing company. 

What is the worst job you have ever had? 

I don’t think I’ve ever truly had a bad job. I did work for a company that lacked boundaries. A work/home balance was not a priority and the environment became toxic but the money was good enough to tolerate it for a while. 

What is the best job you have ever had?

When I was in high school I managed a mom-and-pop pizza place. It was me and my best friends getting paid to hang out and goof off.

What do you consider your dream job?

I think Kevin Smith has life figured out. He podcasts about pop culture, superheroes, and just day-to-day life in a very entertaining way. Then he makes movies he wants to see and keeps his friends close while doing it. I don’t know what that is but I want to be a non-vegan Kevin Smith.

How long have you been in the industry?

Well, I’m not sure how “in the industry” I still am but I started writing back around 2010. As the family got larger and the kids got older the priorities changed and my time was spent elsewhere. I haven’t been very active from a contribution standpoint the last two seasons. 

How did you get your break into fantasy football?

I began with IDPGuru when Ryan Sitzmann sent out a post looking for writers. I had been playing IDP leagues for 10+ years at that point and he gave me an opportunity. 

What tool do you use the most on DLF?

The ADP and rankings are the tools I use the most. I often check to see if I’m higher or lower on a player versus the consensus. Now and then I plant my flag on a player, for better or worse, and have a hard time valuing him against the field. 

What tool do you use the most outside of DLF?

Is Twitter a tool? I’ll often ride the wave of recency bias and try buying or selling based on the knee-jerk reaction of groupthink.

Who was the best sleeper you pegged that broke out?

The term sleeper is a broad term but I firmly planted my flag on the LeVeon Bell over Montee Ball and Eddie Lacy debate their rookie years. I was all over Vincent Jackson in dynasty leagues two years before his breakout. I was buying Darren McFadden the year he went to Dallas as a free-of-charge asset.

Who was your biggest whiff?

Probably Kelvin Benjamin. I really thought he was going to be a monster. Michael Floyd is another one. All the tools were there except maturity and desire. 

What is the worst trade you have made?

I traded Allen Robinson for Kelvin Benjamin and pick 1.10 after their rookie year in a 12 team league. That still hurts.

Who is your favorite underfollowed Twitter account? 

I’ll never believe @TheFFGhost or @TomKislingbury have enough followers. What Ghost does with the ORANGE Report every year is amazing and the IDP stats, metrics, and breakdowns Tom tweets on a random afternoon are beyond educational and enlightening. It doesn’t hurt they’re genuinely nice people too. 

Who is your favorite NFL team?

The San Francisco 49ers… unless they just mortgaged the future for Mac Jones. Then I may be packing my bags. 

Who is your favorite college football team?

As difficult as it is, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. People really hate Notre Dame. 

Who was your favorite player growing up? 

It’s not even close, Barry Sanders. His ability to embarrass 11 defenders on any given play drew me into NFL football. I had all the Barry Sanders apparel you could find growing up. 

Who is your favorite player of all time? 

See above. I don’t know if anyone will ever top Barry but Randy Moss was another one. The timing was perfect. As Barry stepped away, Randy stepped in and was unstoppable.

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

Golf and superheroes. I’m a huge Batman fan and that release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League was a banger. I love that movie so much. 

I’m also married with five kids. The young ones keep us busy with sports as the COVID restrictions continue to let up. 

What are some of your favorite movies? 

Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Wonder Woman, Man of Steel, anything with Batman. Pretty much any Marvel or Star Wars movie. Outside of the comic book movies, Pitch Perfect, The Departed, The Sandlot, Grown-Ups, Ready Player One, the Scream movies, Varsity Blues. 

Who are some of your favorite bands? 

AC/DC, Shinedown, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Black Keys, Foo Fighters, the Barden Bellas (kidding, kinda). I really can listen to almost anything. 

20/20 with Eric Olinger