Fantasy Football (Bonus: English Edition)

Economist link to Premier League article Place your bets, Gentlemen! The Economist has a bit of advise for managing your Premier League teams.

I tried playing fantasy soccer, once. Fantasy football in the US is much more exciting and gratifying every week than trying to keep track of low scoring players in a completely different sport. Nevertheless, top players in Barclay's Fantasy Premier League for week five are as follows:

1. Leighton Baines (16) -- Everton
2. Dejan Lovren (15) --  Southhampton
3. Liam Ridgewell (15) -- West Brom Albion
4. Brad Guzan (14) -- Aston Villa
5. Mesut Ozil (14) -- Arsenal
6. Sergio Aguero (13) -- Manchester City
7. Loic Remy (13) -- Newcastle
8. John Terry (12) -- Chelsea
9. Robbie Brady (12) -- Hull City
10. Nathan Dyer (11) -- Swansea City
11. Paulinho (11) -- Tottenham Hotspur

Total: 146

Just to share a little comparison with American football fantasy, the starting Tight End (TE) in one of my leagues this season Jordan Cameron had a day with 40 points this week. Aaron Rodgers had a slow day with only 15 points. My other starting TE also had a day with 35 points. So, the top 11 players in NFL Perfect Fantasy points are as follows:

1. Antonio Brown (43.60) -- PIT, WR
2. Drew Brees (42.78) -- NO, QB
3. Jimmy Graham (37.40) -- NO, TE
4. Josh Gordon (35.80) -- CLE, WR
5. DeMarco Murray (32.30) -- DAL, RB
6. Jamaal Charles (30.20) -- KC, RB
7. Santonio Holmes (29.40) -- NYJ, WR
8. Calvin Johnson (27.50) -- DET, WR
9. Stephen Gostkowski (14) -- NE, K
10. Carolina (26) -- CAR, DEF

Total: 255.18

I do not wish to make an inference one sport is better than another. I do wish to impart the rich statistical nature of the NFL, and that Fantasy Football is the best fantasy sport available to play.