2004 Season - Pre Season Guide

And so the biggest sporting event of the year is just around the corner. Yes, as soon as we get the Olympics out of the way, the 2004 BUMS NFL Fantasy Draft will take place at BUMS HQ on Saturday evening September 4th from approx 7pm. Cheryl will be making tea for all. Attached is the player price spreadsheet which also includes all the players 2003 scores and how much a Franchise player will cost you if he is cut by his current owner. Remember if you cut your franchise player you still have to pay him his signed salary for the rest of the season/two seasons. This year top scorers becoming available include kicker Adam Vinatieri, receiver Marvin Harrison and RB’s Shaun Alexander, LaDainian Tomlinson and Priest Holmes as they have all ended their 2 year Franchise designation and become free agents. They are released onto the open market together with 21 rookies. There was a real focus on Receivers in April’s draft with 5 taken in the first 15 picks - see the rookie report attached. Draft Order and Franchise Players Phil will have the first pick in the draft and Wayne will have the 98th and final choice. The full draft order, budgets available and franchise players are attached. Trading DaysAs with previous years if you make a complete hash of your draft (or if your key pick does a ‘Ricky’ and unexpectedly retires) you will have two opportunities to put things right. I am waiting until we see what double headers Sky produce before finalising the dates so like last year we can have trading day in the late afternoon, immediately followed by Sunday NFL action. Trading Day 1 will be before either week 4/5 or 6 on Sunday Oct 3rd, 10th or 17th and Trading Day 2 will be before week 10 or 11 on Sunday Nov 14th or 21st. Season Kick-Off Game In a repeat of last year’s AFC Championship game Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James will try and unlock the Patriot’s defense once again. Sky will show Indianapolis at New England live in the early hours of Friday September 10th and we’ll get together later that evening to watch it off tape. Venue to be confirmed. So I’ll leave you to your 31 days of planning and see you on September 4th.