#6 The Safety
Sacks in the endzone are an exciting way to earn points. Holding and intentional grounding penalties are not as much fun, but are interesting ways to gain points as well. Safeties can go unnoticed depending on how your league is set. If the safety is +2 then all other defensive plays should be set at +1 that way it gets the recognition it deserves. The team with the most safeties in 2011 was NYJ with 3.
#5 A 50+ Yard Field Goal
Kickers are probably the least exciting position on the standard roster. Their typical contribution comes in chip-shots for 1 or 3 points. Seeing a kicker set up for the 50-yarder is much more rewarding, especially if your league awards 5 points for the longer kicks. The top 3 big-boots from 2011 were David Akers, Seabass, and Phil Dawson, each with 7 +50-yarders.
#4 A DEF TD
You're happy enough if your team-D simply makes plays and holds-off from being scored-on. When they get in the endzone, it's a big time play and time to celebrate! The level of excitement is increased if your DEF is playing against any of your opponents fantasy players. The team with the most DEF TDs in 2011 was DET with 7. The next closest were BUF and CHI with 6.
#3 A RET TD
It's the play that has you screaming, "Go, go, go, ahhh, goooooo, YEAH!" Return TDs are certainly big plays since it may take the whole length of the field to make one. It is also pretty rare and usually involves a WR or RB who is lower on the depth chart. Devin Hester had the most in 2011 with 3 total ret-TDs. Randall Cobb and Ted Ginn Jr also had multiples.
#2 A RB 20+ Yard REC-TD
As important as RBs are to fantasy football, you're usually watching them run into big piles, or the pile runs into them, either way it's pretty deflating, usually. Big yard rushing TDs are no doubt exciting but you expect to get a few of those from your starters at some point in the season. When a RB goes long for the bomb and gets it for a TD, you go bonkers! Darren Sproles racked up 710 rec-yards and 7 rec-TDs in the air in 2011. The next best was Ray Rice who caught for 704 rec-yards and 3 rec-TDs.
#1 Opposing QB Throws a Pick-Six in the Redzone
Bear with me. In my league, the BFFG, a pick six thrown is -2. A passing TD is +6. So if the QB you face in your weekly match-up throws a pick-six in the redzone, that's a potential 8 point swing. Add on the possibility of you having the team DEF, in that play, and it's a whopping 15 point swing (-2 for the pick-six, -6 for the possible TD, +1 for the interception and +6 for the DEF TD). Rooting against your opponent's players is as much fun as rooting for your own. Almost nothing matches the drama of a pick thrown in the redzone, especially if it goes back the other way for a TD. Not only is this play huge in the real game but if you're rooting against your opponent's QB, then it's probably a tight match-up and this play can definitely put you in the win column. GB had the most interceptions in 2011 with 31. Philip Rivers threw the most pick-sixes with 4.
Please comment with your favorite fantasy football big plays.
