Brandon Funston
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Brandon Funston
Brandon Funston is a Yahoo! Sports fantasy expert who has spent more than a decade in the industry. After spending eight years as a fantasy personality on ESPN's online, TV, radio and magazine outlets, he's happy to be back on the West Coast where he can watch his home-town Seattle teams at a reasonable hour of the day.Send Brandon a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast. |
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| Archived Opinions |
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NFL Skinny: Week 11 preview November 18, 2009
Look for Houston to make every effort to let Steve Slaton regain the featured role in the Texans backfield on Monday night.
NFL Skinny: Week 10 preview November 11, 2009
Baltimore should be able to choose its path to pay dirt against a hapless Cleveland Browns defense in Week 10.
NFL Skinny: Week 9 preview November 4, 2009
Owners will miss the soft defenses of Cleveland and St. Louis this weekend, but thankfully Tampa Bay and Kansas City will be back in action.
Big Board: Keeping up with Mr. Jones November 3, 2009
Thomas Jones was the most upwardly mobile player in the latest update of the top 50 fantasy football commodities.
NFL Skinny: Week 8 preview October 28, 2009
Alex Smith's triumphant return to a starting role is likely to be short-lived as he travels to Indianapolis in Week 8.
NFL Skinny: Week 7 preview October 21, 2009
In a hostile environment at Pittsburgh in Week 7, the volatile side of Brett Favre may finally emerge.
Big(ger) Board: Basketball October 15, 2009
Nets second-year center Brook Lopez boldly charges into the top 20 on the latest fantasy hoops Big(ger) Board.
NFL Skinny: Week 6 preview October 14, 2009
Expect San Diego to literally "throw" everything but the kitchen sink at Denver on Monday night.
NFL Skinny: Week 5 preview October 7, 2009
Against a Houston defense allowing 5.5 yards per carry, a more balanced offensive approach could be in the Cards for Week 5.
NFL Skinny: Week 4 preview September 30, 2009
The Giants got back to business on the ground in Week 3, and owners should expect more of the same in Week 4.
NFL Skinny: Week 3 preview September 23, 2009
A visit to Cincinnati on Sunday could prove problematic for Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger.
NFL Skinny: Week 2 Preview September 16, 2009
Frank Gore picked up just 30 yards on 22 carries last Sunday, but San Francisco's commitment to the run will remain strong in Week 2.
Week 1 wild cards September 10, 2009
Kansas City running back Jamaal Charles is one of several backup running backs that could pleasantly surprise in Week 1.
Ten players I hate more than you September 1, 2009
A Super Bowl MVP means little in fantasy football. Looking at Santonio Holmes' draft value, this fact appears to be lost on some.
Ten players I love more than you August 27, 2009
There's a very strong possibility that Ryan Grant will be the cheapest source of 300 carries in your upcoming fantasy drafts.
Yahoo! Friends and Family League: Post-draft Q&A August 17, 2009
The experts talk about their decision-making process in the aftermath of the sixth annual Yahoo! Friends and Family League draft.
MLB Skinny: Packing it in August 11, 2009
At what point should a cellar-dwelling team stand aside and let the contenders battle for league supremecy without influence from below?
Big Board: Baseball August 9, 2009
A trade to St. Louis, and a spot in the batting order behind Albert Pujols, has vaulted Matt Holliday back into the top 20 on the Big Board.
MLB Skinny: Lacking class August 6, 2009
The fantasy community is not getting the kind of offensive boost from the rookie class that its become accustomed to in recent years.
MLB Skinny: Time is of the essence July 28, 2009
When it comes to swinging the big deal, fantasy owners should treat this week's MLB trading deadline as their own.
MLB Skinny: Halfway home July 7, 2009
Breakouts Adam Lind and Ben Zobrist are among the members of the Skinny All-Star team.
MLB Skinny: A change is gonna come June 30, 2009
Mark DeRosa was recently sent from the American League to the Senior Circuit. Which players could follow in his footsteps in the coming weeks?
MLB Skinny: Accentuating the negative June 23, 2009
Ricky Nolasco has pitched well in June, but it hasn't made up for the damage he did to his owners in the first two months of the season.
MLB Skinny: Deep impact June 16, 2009
When it comes to making an impact in a single fantasy category, few can hold a candle to Ichiro's batting average prowess.
MLB Skinny: Second thoughts June 10, 2009
Second baseman Jose Lopez got off to a slow start this season, but he's starting to finally produce like the top 100 player that he was in '08.
MLB Skinny: Major movers May 26, 2009
Matt Wieters and Fernando Martinez join David Price in making this week a gold rush for fantasy baseball prospectors.
MLB Skinny: Birds on the wire May 20, 2009
Baltimore owns the worst ERA among starters in the American League, but Koji Uehara and Chris Tillman offer hope for a brighter future.
MLB Skinny: Blanks check May 12, 2009
With Adrian Gonzalez blocking his path at first base, San Diego top prospect Kyle Blanks is getting a trial run in the outfield.
MLB Skinny: National rentals April 28, 2009
Washington may have the worst record in baseball, but the fantasy waiver wire is currently loaded with viable Nats.
Friends and Family: Post-draft Q&A March 17, 2009
The fifth annual Yahoo! Friends and Family League draft was held recently. Afterwards, the owners were asked to show their work.
NFL Skinny: Week 16 previews December 16, 2008
Indianapolis and Chicago kick off what is championship week for many fantasy owners.
NFL Skinny: Week 15 preview December 9, 2008
With the fantasy playoffs underway, it behooves fantasy owners to get an early jump at breaking down the Week 15 matchups.
NFL Skinny: Weathering the storm December 1, 2008
A few venues dealt with inclement weather conditions in Week 13, but the fantasy impact proved to be insignificant.
NFL Skinny: By any means necessary November 24, 2008
With the fantasy playoffs around the corner, there's no such thing as overkill when it comes to roster management this week.
NFL Skinny: Hightower, lower expectations November 17, 2008
A starting gig in Arizona's backfield hasn't been as lucrative for Tim Hightower as many expected it to be.
NFL Skinny: Ride 'em, Cowboys November 10, 2008
Coming off a bye week, Dallas hopes to have a much healthier Tony Romo, Jason Witten and Felix Jones when it returns to action in Week 11.
NFL Skinny: The next Earnest Graham? November 3, 2008
Virtual unknowns like Earnest Graham and Ryan Grant helped win fantasy championships in '07. Who are this year's unlikely stretch-run heroes?
NFL Skinny: It's now time October 27, 2008
Bye weeks are nearing an end, and the trading deadline and playoffs are fast approaching. It's time for owners to get top-heavy.
NFL Skinny: Kansas City BBQ October 20, 2008
After watching LenDale White and Chris Johnson shred the Chiefs' run defense, fantasy owners should be circling Kansas City on the schedule.
Skinny: The man or the matchup? October 13, 2008
Trying to determine how much to discount a star player faced with a difficult matchup can be tricky.
NFL Skinny: Who's the man? October 6, 2008
Through five weeks, the race to become the most valuable player for the '08 fantasy football season remains wide open.
NFL Skinny: Seeing red September 29, 2008
Larry Johnson ran wild on Sunday, and another strong effort in Week 5 at Carolina would solidify his credibility as a top 10 running back.
NFL Skinny: The king is dead … September 22, 2008
In three short weeks, the first round values of Tom Brady and Randy Moss have flown out the window.
NFL Skinny: Shaking your foundation September 15, 2008
Two weeks is not nearly enough time to make serious determinations about stars that aren't performing up to expectations.
NFL Skinny: The sea was angry ... September 8, 2008
The fantasy football gods were particularly ornery on the opening weekend of the '08 regular season.
Friends and Family: Dissecting the draft August 15, 2008
The Yahoo! Friends and Family League recently held its draft, and owners proved to be in a rookie state of mind.
MLB Skinny: Ace in the hole July 28, 2008
Chris Carpenter is set to make his long-awaited return to St. Louis, and fantasy owners owe it to themselves to buy in before he arrives.
MLB Skinny: Big fish July 21, 2008
Josh Johnson is an imposing figure on the mound, but his return from Tomy John surgery has garnered little fanfare in fantasy circles.
MLB Skinny: Go for it July 7, 2008
Fantasy owners should heed the comments of Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin in regards to the C.C. Sabathia deal.
MLB Skinny: A bird in the hand ... June 30, 2008
When it comes to waiver wire dealings, fantasy owners can often be hurt by delusions of grandeur.
MLB Skinny: Deadline dealings June 23, 2008
The baseball trade deadline is a little more than a month away, which means it's time for fantasy owners to sharpen their focus.
MLB Skinny: Feelin' a (mid-season) draft June 16, 2008
Mid-season drafts bring the dilemma of having to make a determination on the suprise breakout players of the first half of the season.
MLB Skinny: Harden your heart June 9, 2008
If you don't have expectations of getting hurt going into a relationship with Rich Harden, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.
MLB Skinny: Braun of a new day June 2, 2008
Jay Bruce is gathering the kind of buzz that Ryan Braun enjoyed in '07, and he's already fetching a hefty price tag in fantasy.
MLB Skinny: Opportunity lost May 28, 2008
Sometimes there's a steep price to pay for unplugging from your fantasy teams over a holiday weekend.
MLB Skinny: Where's the beef? May 20, 2008
Adam Dunn has finally started to fulfill his 40-home run promise, now it's Prince Fielder's turn.
MLB Skinny: Prior developments May 12, 2008
San Diego originally hoped that Mark Prior could make a May return, but there's now reason to doubt a comeback at any point in '08.
MLB Skinny: Life after 40 May 5, 2008
Moises Alou is 41 years old and oft-injured, but when he's on the field, his bat can still produce healthy results.
MLB Skinny: Breath of fresh Jair April 28, 2008
Atlanta rookie Jair Jurrjens has a lot going for him, including a stingy home run rate and a strong supporting offense.
Skinny: Red hot corner April 21, 2008
There's a lot to like about Edwin Encarnacion, but only about half of the Yahoo! fantasy baseball community is invested in the Reds' rising star.
Skinny: A Lastings impression April 14, 2008
Despite loads of talent and steady production since the opening of spring training, Lastings Milledge can still be had in many leagues.
Friends and Family feedback March 20, 2008
The fourth annual Yahoo! Friends and Family League draft is complete, and the experts are already having to defend their picks.
Rookies: Keys to success February 28, 2008
In recent years, rookies have figured prominently into the success of championship fantasy squads.
Fantasy Fallout: Lakers get Gasol February 1, 2008
The Los Angeles Lakers made the first major waves in advance of the NBA trade deadline, acquiring Pau Gasol from Memphis.
NFL Skinny: White Christmas December 11, 2007
Roddy White is the top fantasy receiver over the past three weeks and could deliver a championship come Week 16.
NFL Skinny: Secondary concerns December 4, 2007
The Browns and Saints are having such trouble against the pass that Luke McCown and Gus Frerotte feasted on them.
NFL Skinny: Gold rush November 27, 2007
In Week 12, Frank Gore reminded his fantasy owners why they made him a consensus top six pick on draft day.
NFL Skinny: Backup plan November 13, 2007
Adrian Peterson's injury in Week 10 should serve as a reminder for fantasy owners to fully insure their top running back investments.
NFL Skinny: Keeping pace November 6, 2007
San Diego's Antonio Gates is no longer standing head and shoulders above the rest of the tight end class.
NFL Skinny: Just win, baby! October 30, 2007
With precious few weeks remaining before the fantasy playoffs, struggling owners no longer have the luxury of thinking beyond the week ahead.
NFL Skinny: A leg up October 23, 2007
Tom Brady garnered more fantasy attention, but Rob Bironas may have produced the most impressive performance.
NFL Skinny: Back on Track October 16, 2007
LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson's big days helped bring some normalcy to an unpredictable fantasy season.
Fantasy Fallout: Chambers, Bennett Dealt October 16, 2007
Two noteworthy fantasy football names were dealt on Tuesday, with Chris Chambers landing in San Diego and Michael Bennett headed to Tampa.
NFL Skinny: Fantastic Finishes October 9, 2007
Nick Folk's 52-yard field goal on the last play of Week 5 undoubtedly impacted many Yahoo! fantasy leagues.
NFL Skinny: Risk Management October 2, 2007
Bye weeks, injuries and underperformers have made the fantasy landscape much more treacherous for owners.
NFL Skinny: Philadelphia Story September 18, 2007
Philadelphia QB Donovan McNabb has struggled in the passing game through the first two weeks of the season.
NFL Skinny: Moss is Back September 11, 2007
Randy Moss' debut performance for New england was reminiscent of his All-Pro years as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.
Friends and Family Follow-Up August 28, 2007
Much to the participants' surprise, Clinton Portis fell to No. 33 overall in the recent Yahoo! Friends and Family draft.
MLB Skinny: Clay Nation August 13, 2007
Red Sox Nation could get a first-hand look Friday at its top arm on the farm, Clay Buchholz.
MLB Skinny: After Aaron August 6, 2007
Barry Bonds' owners should consider dealing the soon-to-be home run king now, before the post-HR record depression hits San Francisco.
Position Primer: Tight End July 31, 2007
Antonio Gates dominates the tight end position in fantasy unlike any player dominates any other position.
MLB Skinny: Yo, Adrian! July 30, 2007
Adrian Beltre is off to another strong second half performance, and he leads the league in RBI for the past month.
MLB Skinny: Deadline Nears July 17, 2007
With the MLB trade deadline two weeks away, fantasy owners can expect the trade rumor mill to start heating up.
MLB Skinny: Split Adam July 2, 2007
Fantasy owners have endured the worst of Adam LaRoche's '07 campaign. Now they can expect the good times to start rolling.
MLB Skinny: Post-Hype Breakouts June 25, 2007
Former top arms on the farm, Dustin McGowan and Jeremy Guthrie, are finally delivering on their long-promised potential.
MLB Skinny: Ming Dynasty June 18, 2007
With a 6-1 record in his past seven starts, Chien-Ming Wang is lining up another serious run at 20 wins.
MLB Skinny: Yankee Dandy June 11, 2007
Roger Clemens picked up a win in his '07 debut on Saturday, picking up seven strikeouts and ample run support.
MLB Skinny: Feeling Good Again June 4, 2007
The feel-good story of '07, Josh Hamilton, is back from the DL and a rehab stint that included four home runs in five Triple-A games.
MLB Skinny: Sizzling in Seattle May 21, 2007
Ichiro is baseball's all-time batting average leader for the month of May and, after a slow start, he's started to pad that career mark.
MLB Skinny: Upper Cust May 14, 2007
After toiling for the years in Triple-A, Oakland slugger Jack Cust is finally making an impact at the major-league level.
MLB Skinny: Maine Man April 30, 2007
Mets pitcher John Maine is on pace to win 26 games after pitching seven shutout innings against Washington on Sunday.
MLB Skinny: Red (Hot) Sox April 23, 2007
Josh Beckett won the first of Boston's three vcitories over the Yankees this past weekend, making him the league's first four-game winner.
MLB Skinny: Power Outage April 16, 2007
Several top sluggers have yet to hit their first home run of the season, much to the dismay of their fantasy owners.
MLB Skinny: Overlooked Import April 9, 2007
While Daisuke Matsuzaka has garned all the attention, another Japanese import is making waves in the AL East.
Position Primer: Starters March 13, 2007
While starting pitching is in abundance for fantasy owners in '07, Johan Santana still warrants a first-round selection.
Average Auction Values February 27, 2007
Cleveland catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez saw the greatest boost in his Average Auction Value over the past week.
High Fives: All-Fantasy '06 December 28, 2006
With 14 touchdowns, Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew was the consensus fantasy Rookie of the Year choice for the Yahoo! fantasy experts.
NFL Skinny: Spit Decision December 18, 2006
Terrell Owens' fantasy owners can relax after the receiver failed to receive a suspension for spitting on an opponent in Week 15.
NFL Skinny: Wounded Pride December 11, 2006
Detroit was victimized for three touchdowns by ex-Lion Artose Pinner in Week 14, and it also lost RB Kevin Jones for possibly the season.
NFL Skinny: Fountain of Youth December 5, 2006
DeAngelo Williams, Reggie Bush and Jerious Norwood were Week 13 stars for an elite class of rookie running backs.
NFL Skinny: Quick Change November 27, 2006
Receivers Chad Johnson and Torry Holt have seen their fortunes reversed drastically in the past month and a half.
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