I’m entertaining offers for Jason Witten, last year’s top TE. This year, he’s a 4th Round keeper, while his average draft position would put him in our 3rd Round.
I don’t need much in return. If you’re toward the top of the 4th Round, just swapping picks with me in that same Round should be enough. If you’re more towards the middle or the end of the 4th, then a swap in that round in addition to swaps in subsequent rounds might be called for.
Think about it.
To transpose a note from the League Homepage updating some dates:
Preseason football really kicks off tonight, so, in an effort to tune up for the regular season, I thought I’d give this league a taste of the future…
This is not just another year of fantasy football, this is MY year. Feel free to conduct your pre-draft analysis, bicker over your trades, and make your decisions on keepers. It will all come for naught in the face of the inevitable tide of Moridwon’s victories this year…
That’s enough for, now I’ll bring in the scrubs and rookies:
You guys SUCK and I SUCK too… (he’s getting cut)
I’m going to beat your ass like a jockey in a donkey race … (good potential, I’ll keep him).
I pity the fool who tries to mess with me … (cut. Too cliche)
I will be treble-sinewed, hearted, breathed, And fight maliciously; for when mine hours Were nice and lucky, men did ransom lives Of me for jests; but now I’ll set my teeth And send to darkness all that stop me. … (he’s a starter!!!)
Ahhhhh, football.
By “4th round keeper” do you mean he would cost a 4th-rounder or he’ll cost a 2nd-rounder?
If it’s a 4th, I’ll take him… I’m drafting 10th in Rd 4, so I’ll swap in round 6 also.
Varlos’ Zzzzzzz
(126) Dallas Clark
(141) Baltimore
(155) Maurice Morris
(182) Dennis Northcutt
(196) Stephen Gostkowski
(197) Matt Leinart
(224) Randy McMichael
MunchsUrbanAchievers
(139) Chicago
(142) Antwaan Randle El
(167) Kolby Smith
(170) JaMarcus Russell
(195) Matt Ryan
(198) Mason Crosby
(223) Anthony Alridge
**
New York Fanboys**
(138) Dominic Rhodes
(143) Bryant Johnson
(166) Michael Bush
(171) Derrick Ward
(194) Jabar Gaffney
(199) Trent Edwards
(222) Rian Lindell
Baltimore Weirdos
(137) Jerry Porter
(144) Jake Delhomme
(165) Seattle
(172) Amani Toomer
(193) Zach Miller
(200) Matt Stover
(221) DeShaun Foster
Freshman 16 (RNATB)
(136) D.J. Hackett
(145) Adam Vinatieri
(160) Leon Washington
(173) Donte' Stallworth
(188) Indianapolis
(201) Deion Branch
(220) Carnell Williams
**
CedricBensonBusts**
(135) Tim Hightower
(146) Pittsburgh
(163) Kevin Walter
(174) Donald Lee
(191) Pierre Thomas
(202) Josh Scobee
(219) Tennessee
Fourth and Nineteen
(134) Matt Cassel
(147) J.T. O'Sullivan
(162) Bruce Gradkowski
(175) Charlie Batch
(190) Owen Daniels
(203) Jim Sorgi
(218) Kerry Collins
Moridwon (Hamlet)
(8) Frank Gore
(133) Vernon Davis
(148) Jerious Norwood
(161) Jacksonville
(176) Matt Jones
(189) Justin Gage
(204) Rob Bironas
(217) Ronald Curry
Omni’s Omnipotents
(132) DeSean Jackson
(149) Alge Crumpler
(164) Chad Pennington
(177) Drew Bennett
(192) Sidney Rice
(205) Green Bay
(216) Robert Meachem
Crabby Hermits
(10) Clinton Portis
(19) Larry Fitzgerald
(38) Plaxico Burress
(47) Tony Romo
(66) Hines Ward
(75) Felix Jones
(94) Heath Miller
(103) New England
(122) Chris Brown
(131) Vince Young
(150) Devin Hester
(159) Correll Buckhalter
(178) Limas Sweed
(187) Nate Kaeding
(206) Sammy Morris
(215) Bobby Engram
Shut Your Mouth Abel
(130) Javon Walker
(151) Dallas
(158) Tatum Bell
(179) Dwayne Bowe
(186) Shayne Graham
(207) L.J. Smith
(214) Alex Smith
Spiritus Mundane
(129) Wes Welker
(152) Jeff Garcia
(157) Warrick Dunn
(180) Greg Olsen
(185) Tampa Bay
(208) Neil Rackers
(213) Brady Quinn
**
Fightin’ Quakers**
(128) Vincent Jackson
(153) Jason Campbell
(156) Isaac Bruce
(181) Philadelphia
(184) Darren Sproles
(209) Brandon Jackson
(212) Kris Brown
CarMenace
(140) Minnesota
(154) Joe Flacco
(168) Adrian Peterson
(169) Eddie Royal
(183) Tarvaris Jackson
(210) Leonard Pope
(211) David Akers
So, anyone feel up to analyzing the draft? I don’t have the detailed knowledge, but as a whole I think it went quite well, our new member acquainted himself with aplomb, and 4th and 19 has the strongest FF team at the QB position that I’ve ever seen.
I’m going to give this a shot, team by team. I’m going to give each pick (well, the first 8 or so) a score (out of 10), and give the team an overall grade.
LT- Obviously, a terrific first pick. In my book (and this is my book), drafting a fantasy team is all about one thing in the first few rounds- minimizing risk- and fantasy players don’t come any less risky than LT. He’s among the top 5 backs year in and year out, and he’s unquestionably been the best back in football for the last three years. Throw in his superb durability- one missed start in seven seasons, including his rookie year- and he’s a no-brainer. His average draft position in Yahoo! leagues is 1.3. 10
E. Graham- bit of a reach, IMHO. He played very well for the Bucs last year, and I’m a homer, but there’s a reason Bucs fans called him Mr. August- he didn’t sniff the field before a rash of injuries last year. He’s not fast, he’s not particularly strong, and he’s not a great receiver. On the other hand, he does everything decently, and if he holds onto the job, he’s worth this pick. 5
Chad Ocho Johnson Cinco- He’s really, really good. He’s also really, really injured. Quarterbacks have played full seasons with his injury (torn labrum), but I can’t see how a wideout can, especially not a guy who will go over the middle. High risk, but high potential reward. I don’t think taking a risk with a 3rd-rounder is worth it. 3
Marvin Harrison- A 4th rounder, on the other hand, just might be, especially the last pick of the round. Until last year, Marvin was to wideouts what LT is to running backs - automatic. Sure, he’s 36, but I’ve been predicting his decline for five years, and every year I’m wrong. I do think he’s a bit of a reach here, but a good pick in general. 7
Rashard Mendenhall - Seems like a reach, and there was a starter left on the board (Perry), but otherwise the pickings at RB were very slim here. Not a horrible pick, but not a good one either- and I’ll change my tune if wins a significant role in the offense. 6
Chris Chambers- Had one good year in Miami, and was constantly predicted to be on the verge of another one. It never came. With proven 1,000 yard receivers on the board in Roddy White, Joey Galloway, Donald Driver and Santana Moss, and the knowledge that Chambers will never be more than Rivers’ 3rd option, this is a bad pick, IMHO. I see where he was going with this, but I don’t think it will work. 4
Chester Taylor- Nothing special. If Peterson gets hurt, he’ll be a #2. If Peterson doesn’t get hurt, he’ll be a #4. Seems about right. 6
Aaron Rodgers- As your #1 QB? Really? Eek, man. 2
Philip Rivers- Oh, well I guess that’s okay then. Actually, I think Rodgers may put up very Rivers-like numbers: 3500/20/15, which makes him a borderline starter. But, then again, he may put up Alex Smith numbers. In any case, these picks should be reversed. 7
Dallas Clark- In the ninth? Score. He tends to get lost at times in the Colts’ offense, but when he’s on, he’ll win you a game all by himself. 10
Baltimore- Too old, too hyped, and with an offense that will put them in goal-to-go situations all year. Possibly not even a starting-caliber D, let alone the 2nd one off the board, ideally. 3
Maurice Morris- Yeah, so he’s not THAT running back - the guy who’ll get 25 carries. What he is, is better than Julius Jones through 4 preseason games, and he’ll get the lions’ share of the carries among the three-headed monster developing in Seattle. Not an option if your starter goes down, but an excellent one-week fill in. 9
13-16. No, I’m not going to bother. Nobody cares about #4 wide receivers, and nobody knows a damn thing about who the best kickers are. With the way Fantasy works- all those points for DTDs, nobody knows that much about the defenses either, so I won’t bother throwing out guesses.
Varlos’ overall score (not an average): We’ll go with a 7. Not a terrific draft, but having LT can hide an awful lot of weaknesses in a team.
AP - Oh dear. I know he’s the consensus #2, but I just don’t see it. After getting injured last year, he was almost totally ineffective- and everyone says the injury didn’t affect his play. That means teams figured out how to defend him, and I can’t imagine they forgot during the offseason. 5 (If the pick matches up well with where the guy goes in most drafts, the worst score you can get is 5 in my system)
TJ Whosyourmama- Risky, and a big reach. I don’t think he can be the same player without CJ, and I don’t think he’ll have CJ for the whole year. Add that to the general malaise and drama-queen nonsense that has buried the team all offseason, and it doesn’t look good. 3
Torry Holt- that’s more like it. He did just fine with Bulger in on-field intensive care last year; he can hardly have less to work with this year. Probably could have been had a round later- but maybe not. 7.5
Ricky Williams- Pray he stays off the sticky icky. Pray Ronnie Brown takes as long to fully recover as most ACL-torn backs. Most of all, pray that Chad Pennington can keep Miami in games, because there won’t be a lot of carries to go around otherwise. Still, as with Mendenhall, there wasn’t much to choose from at this point. 7
Calvin Johnson- I want to make out with this pick. I think he’ll have a huge year. I’m a big believer in the 3rd-year wideout theory, and he’s the cream of this year’s crop. 9
Steve Slaton- See Mendenhall. Slightly less upside, but with a chance to earn starting reps without an injury to the guys in front of him. 7
Brett Favre- Will he be '07 Favre, or '04-'06 Favre? Only the football gods know. Still, he’s got good weapons and a good line on paper. I would have waited a round for Matt Schaub, but Favre’s a solid #1. 7
Kenny Watson- Good pick. Perry is hardly durable, and there’s a chance Watson might become the starter without injury anyway. He produced when given his shot last year. 8
Tony Scheffler- He’s not even the #1 TE on his own depth chart. Sure, he’s good, but he’s not going to be good *for you *if he’s in Shanahan’s doghouse. 4
Chicago- The first defense off the board is the Bears, who’ve looked woeful in preseason. They do get to play in the NFC North, but one or two of those teams may turn out to be offensive juggernauts. Horrible, horrible pick. 1
Munch gets a 6 out of 10.
Ahhhgh! It’s taking you an hour per team! Is it you, or the server? I don’t wanna wait until 11:15 to find out how crappy I did!
New York Fanboys (Ellis):
2.Darren McFadden- And there it goes. McFadden is just the pretty head on a three-headed monster, and won’t even be the highest-scoring rookie this year. He IS a terrific keeper prospect, but I’m not scoring the draft for 2010 right now. 2
3.Reggie Bush- Yep, we know now that he’s not a #1 RB, or even a #2. He is one hell of a #3, though, because even though he’ll never score 30 points, he’ll never score 2 either. In any case, he was certainly the best back available by this point. 8
Carson Palmer- Reach. There are too many questions to keep him in the top tier of quarterbacks, but in the fourth round, that’s the sort of value we’re talking about. He’ll put up good numbers, sure, but I don’t think he’ll be putting up great ones this year. 5
Jeremy Shockey- High priced decoy, or legit #1 TE? The game has moved on since Shockey became a superstar, but his game hasn’t. I didn’t realize it until a couple of Dopers pointed it out to me, but he hadn’t been an elite TE for a while in New York. I’m somewhat dubious that he’ll become one in N’awlins, particularly with Bush hogging the short passes. 5
Pat Crayton- He starts for Dallas, across from T.O., and next to Jason Witten. That really ought to be enough to guarantee Fantasy studhood, but strangely isn’t. The inescapable conclusion is that Crayton just isn’t very good. Still, since nobody bothers to cover him, he’ll get 600 yards without breaking a sweat. 5
Eli Manning- 25 TDs, 20 picks. Write down those numbers, because Eli’s virtually a lock to hit them. Some people think he took that step forward in the playoffs, and forever more will put up Peytonesque numbers. I’m not convinced, but my lips are on the Kool-Aid jug. 7.5
Reggie Brown- high risk (well, he’s taking up a roster spot), but potentially unlimited reward. For years and years people have waited for someone to pull the sword from the stone- ie. be a star wideout in Philly not named TO- and for years, everyone has failed. Brown came on strong at the end of last year, and if he gets healthy in time, I think he’ll post 1,000 yards and lots of TDs.
NYG Def.- Homer pick much? No Strahan, No Umenyiora (I didn’t even have to Google that!), no shot at being a great fantasy D. 4
Dominic Rhodes- Handcuff time! I’m not much for the handcuff strategy, but in a 14-team league where you can’t just draft two starters instead of a starter and his backup, it makes much more sense. 7
That’s enough of that. Ellis gets a 5.5.
(2) Adrian Peterson (bye: 8)
If I had been paying attention to fantasy football this year, I think I would have made a stronger push to try to get some trades done and dropped down a few spots. Peterson’s a huge talent, but in no way am I confident in his ability to stay healthy. That said, he could be a total monster, and I’m glad to have him on board.
(22) T.J. Houshmandzadeh (bye: 8)
He was the best player on the board. I hoped in my heart of hearts that at least one RB from the next tier would be available for me to pick in the next round…
(35) Torry Holt (bye: 5)
Bzzt. I guess I’m going to have to wait on a lower tier RB for my second guy, and go for strong WRs to earn my points (both of them).
(55) Ricky Williams (bye: 4)
He’s going to be the starter, and is being drafted ahead of Ronnie Brown in most leagues out there (at least according to Mock Draft Central). Seeing that Brown was taken way up in Round 2, this is a good pick.
(58) Calvin Johnson (bye: 4)
Again, he was the best player on my board. I would have taken Carson Palmer here, as it was quickly becoming apparent that I’d be apparently punting Week 8. I have 3 WR1s, and Calvin has huge potential to break out.
(83) Steve Slaton (bye: 8)
Yeah, I really don’t know who this guy is. When Omni took Chris Johnson, I realized I had made a mistake - I didn’t realize he was still on the board. That said, Slaton is…okay, I really didn’t lie - I seriously have no idea who this guy is. ESPN refuses to update their depth charts, and still have Ahman Green as the Texans’ RB1.
(86) Brett Favre (bye: 5)
Very good value here. I’m not sure I buy into the Top 5 QB talk he’s been getting, but he certainly has a chance to outperform a few of the 11 QBs taken before him. And he did throw for over 4,000 yards last year.
(111) Kenny Watson (bye: 8)
He’s not the starter in Cincy, but I think he’ll get the goal line carries, if not take the job completely away from Perry by Week 9. Not bad for the 111th player taken. And plus, he’ll be my 4th player with a Week 8 bye…
(119) Tony Scheffler (bye: 8)
Clearly, I need a 5th. I’ve seen Scheffler listed as a TE sleeper, and I could see him working very well in this offense. And if I’m going to suck in Week 8, then why weaken another week with a different average TE?
(139) Chicago (bye: 8)
Not just my 6th slot taken by a Bye Week 8 - but my 3rd ranked Defense.
(142) Antwaan Randle El (bye: 10)
Not a great pick, by any stretch. But Randle El is exciting. Probably should have taken a backup QB.
(167) Kolby Smith (bye: 6)
I like Smith here a lot. Larry Johnson’s been getting run into the ground the last few years, and Smith has talent. Should have been handcuffed a few rounds ago.
(170) JaMarcus Russell (bye: 5)
Whoops. Not only have I grabbed a backup too late, but I managed to grab one with the wrong Bye Week. Never the mind - I have extra roster space than most because I don’t need a backup TE/K/DEF.
(195) Matt Ryan (bye: 7)
There - fixed that problem. I’m not a huge fan of Ryan, but he could pan out by the end of the year as a decent keeper option.
(198) Mason Crosby (bye: 8)
There’s my Week 8 bye kicker.
(223) Anthony Alridge (bye: 8)
Yeah - not a good choice, I think. There were two options out there that I should have grabbed. Once waivers go through, I may make a stab.
Both. I did your team, but didn’t finish. Here’s the story so far, I’ll finish it tomorrow.
Baltimore Weirdos (Weirddave)-
Brian Westbrook- for those who read the previous entry, you know I hate Westbrook. Still, if you can deal with the injury scares, he’ll put your team on his back some weeks. Like Bush, he never gets shut out, because he’s such a good receiver. 9
Ronnie Brown- Eeek. Cross all available extremities. Runners just don’t recover from ACL tears in less than a year. Edge was a shell of himself one year on, and never got the speed back. If Brown pulls it off, he might be the best fantasy back of all, but I just don’t think he can. Still, there weren’t many other choices here, so I can’t penalize for risk. 7.5
Drew Brees- For the win. He was great in 2006, better in 2007, and his receiving corps just got a bit better. If there’s a “but”, it’s that I think the defense got much better, and NO might spend much more time grinding clock this season. 9
4.Jason Witten- There are an awful lot of good tight ends this year. Still, you could do worse than taking the best of them. 6
Lee Evans- doesn’t do a damn thing until Weeks 14-17. By then, it may be too late. There were equally productive and vastly more consistent WRs left on the board. 4
Donald Driver- like this guy. 7
Deuce McAllister- old, no knees, not really the starter anymore. And yet somehow I can’t help feeling he’ll rush for 1,000 yards this year. 8
No pick
Ladell Betts-
This is retribution, isn’t it? 2,3 years ago I jumped on you because you dismissed Kyle Boller as a flack and I hit back because I really like the man as a QB, and then earlier this year I reminded you of that fact, and even though so far you seem to be right about him (I think that ultimately I’m right, I’m very sad that I no longer think his future is in Baltimore, but I bet he goes somewhere else and is a star), you feel you have to TEASE me with a half review, making me wait until tomorrow to commit hari kari because my team sucks. HHHHHHMMMMPH! You are a bad, evil man. BAD RNATB! BAD!
Alright, I felt like doing a recap as well, but this one team took me about 45 minutes for some reason, and I don’t know how enthusiastic I am about spending 10 hours on draft analysis – I might not get through all the teams, or it might take me a week, or future entries might be a little less thorough.
Anyway, so that those at the bottom of the draft order don’t have to wait for both me and RNATB, I’ll start with 14 and work my back to myself at 1. For ease of comparison, I’ll also use a 1-10 scale for overall rankings – 5.5 will be league average. $10 says my predictions are more accurate than RNATB’s.
CarMenace (Nurse Carmen)
RBs: Ryan Grant (1), Jonathan Stewart (3), Ahman Green (7), Adrian Peterson (12) – Grant was the BPA and a decent find at #14. Stewart is am underwhelming crap-shoot, but looking at what was available he was probably the best bet at RB (though maybe drafting a QB or WR would have been better – there’s not a ton of difference between the 27th RB [wow] off the board and, say, the 37th). Ahman Green isn’t a bad gamble in the 7th; someone has to get the carries in Houston, it could be him. I like Adrian Peterson (Chi) a lot as a 12th Rounder – he’s always been effective in his limited playing time, and he’s sharing carries with a 2nd Round rookie, so there’s no reason he can’t wind up getting the lion’s share of the work in Chicago.
Nitpick: CarMenace had the corner pick between the 3rd and 4th Rounds; he took Stewart and Antonio Gates, which isn’t a bad corner, but he took them in the wrong order. There’s almost no way Gates will be kept with a 2nd rounder next year, but the pick of Stewart has a lot more value if you have the option to keep him in the 2nd on the off chance that he explodes this year. Grade: 6.5 (which is pretty good for using the 14th and 42nd picks on your starters)
WRs: Reggie Wayne (2), Bernard Berrian (6), Derrick Mason (8), James Hardy (9), Eddie Royal (13) – Wayne is very good, but was the first pick out of the 2nd tier guys who are all pretty close (Wayne, Fitzgerald, Colston, Housh); that’s the corner pick for you. Berrian’s an interesting gamble, but not, I think, a good one: Minnesota’s passing game is too weak, and he wasn’t exactly tearing things up in Chicago. Hardy and (especially) Royal are pretty decent keeper possibilities, but all told this group depends too much on guys from bad passing offenses (Min, Buf, Bal). Wayne single-handedly makes the group respectable. Grade: 5
TEs: Antonio Gates (4), Leonard Pope (15) – Gates is fantastic, though admittedly the rest of the pack has caught up to him a little, thus reducing his value. Why do we all of a sudden think that Arizona will ever throw to Leonard Pope? He’ll be the first player cut on this team. Grade: 9
DEF: Minnesota (10, keeper) – Maybe went a little early, but if so not by much. 4th last year, should be top 10 again this year without too much trouble. Grade: 7
K: David Akers (16) – He’ll do, and I like Philly for a good season. Grade: 7.5
Overall: 5 – Actually it’s a pretty good draft for someone picking last, and this team can definitely contend if it catches a few breaks and stays healthy.
Fightin’ Quakers
Isaac Bruce is an extremely, well, bizarre pick in the 12th. This team already had 5 perfectly reliable WRs, there was no need for a 6th, and especially not this one; Bruce is the #2 WR on a terrible offense, and he’s ancient. This pick should have been a backup RB on a good offense, or a handcuff for LJ, or a young player who can sit on the bench and be a keeper next year. Hell, even splurging on your favorite kicker or defense would have been better. That said, it’s a small issue and solid overall group. **Grade: 6.5
**
TEs: Chris Cooley – Pretty good, but maybe not worth the 5th Rounder. It’s unknown how he’ll be used in the offense with Al Saunders having moved on. Still not bad; he was the 6th TE last year, and there was a big drop-off between him and #7. **Grade: 6
**
DEF: Philly (13) – I actually like this pick in a vacuum, but there was a very good chance that Philly would have been available in the 16th Round or on waivers; again, given that, it would have been better to look for a potential keeper here. Grade: 5
K: Kris Brown (16) – Sure, why not? **Grade: 5
**
Overall: 6.5 – If Tomlinson, Grant, or McGahee gets injured (thus promoting one of the Quakers’ three backups to a starting roll), this team is golden. However, given the weakness at RB, at least one of those players probably does have to actually get injured for this to be a title contender. Too bad, because it’s a very solid team apart from having no 2nd RB.
Yes. Bwahaha. Anyway, here’s the rest of your review:
Ladell Betts- He was terrific in 2006, and Portis is getting a little long in the tooth as running backs go. Of course, he was virtually worthless last year. Still, at this point, if you wanted a back, you were getting one who needed injury help. 7
Mark Clayton- Always seemingly on the verge of a breakout year, but with all kinds of questions about who’s going to throw him the ball, I don’t think he finally makes good this year. That said, he’s probably good for 800 yards and a hat-trick, which is about all you want from a ninth-round WR, and there is definitely upside here. 8
Jerry Porter- He’ll be the #1 guy in Jacksonville, which is worth about as much as being the #1 guy in Philly, ie. not much. A #1 is a #1, though, and Porter showed flashes of consistency (heh!) in some woeful Raider offenses.6.5
We’ll give Weirddave an 8.
Once again, I had a great time drafting. And doing the draft review. I’ll let the other guys give out grades, that’s just not my style. Instead, I’ll highlight picks that caught my eye, list what I like or dislike about the team, and give my overall impression. Then, instead of a number of letter grade, I’ll rate them based on 2008 Movies. I gotta be me.
Varloz Z
(1) LaDainian Tomlinson
(126) Dallas Clark This player is a keeper.
(141) Baltimore
(155) Maurice Morris
(182) Dennis Northcutt
(196) Stephen Gostkowski
(197) Matt Leinart
(224) Randy McMichael
Best pick: Maurice Morris, 12th Round. Getting a guy who may well be a starting RB on a championship contending team in the 12th is amazing value. Although he has Duckett and J.Jones taking carries (and TD’s), he’s been the best of the group so far.
Worst pick: Earnest Graham. I don’t think he’ll even come close to last year’s numbers, with Dunn and Bennett leaching carries and the loss of Davin Joseph for a few weeks. I think he was a reach in the second round.
Strength: LT baby. LT. The top end talent at each position is nice too. LT, OchoCinco, Dallas Clark, Ravens, Gostkowski he’s got pretty good starters.
Weaknesses: I’m not impressed with the depth, which isn’t a surprise considering there are 14 teams in the league. But with 2 starting WR with injury risks, 3 mediocre QB’s (tough decision each week on who to start), and a lot of RB’s sharing time, I think this team will be hard pressed to ever dominate.
Overall: He’ll always have a chance with LT, but you can really see why he wanted to trade out of the #1 spot because the depth isn’t there. Could easily make the playoffs if he gets lucky (A. Peterson getting injured will really help this team) and stays healthy.
Movie Rating: Hancock. A lot riding on one star, but that star is pretty damn good.
Munch’s Urban Achievers
(139) Chicago
(142) Antwaan Randle El
(167) Kolby Smith
(170) JaMarcus Russell
(195) Matt Ryan
(198) Mason Crosby
(223) Anthony Alridge
Best Pick; Calvin Johnson. Not only does Calvin have the greatest nickname in the league (Megatron), but he’s also primed to join the elite WR. Great value and a great player, in the 5th round.
Worst Pick: Ricky Williams. How many times must this guy disappoint? Don’t get me wrong, I like what I’m hearing out of Miami about him, but he’s far from reliable and has Ronnie Brown breathing down his neck. I think the 4th round was too early for the retread. Slaton was a reach too.
Strengths: Great WR crew. Housh gets the catches and TD’s, especially with 85 being somewhat injured (and insane); Holt is as solid as can be (if his knees hold up), and Megatron is a stud in waiting.
Weaknesses: QB & TE. Favre looked amazing against the vanilla defenses that he saw in the preseason. But I’m worried about his inability to grasp the new playbook and he’ll still hurt you with int’s. And JaMarcus and Matt are fine keepers, but I don’t think you need two backup QB’s who are going to suck this year. Scheffler as the only TE is going to hurt.
Overall: A lot of this teams success will depend on Adrian Peterson. Me, I look at his injury history and his decline late in the season last year, and I don’t think he’ll be the stud people think this year. And with only splitters/backups at RB and a weak QB, I think this team NEEDS AP to do well. If he does, they’ll be in it each week. But if he doesn’t, they’re close to done.
Movie Rating: Journey to the Center of the Earth. I very flashy team that looks great, but may fall apart if you analyze it too closely. Just hold on for the ride and hope for the best.
New York Fanboys
(138) Dominic Rhodes
(143) Bryant Johnson
(166) Michael Bush
(171) Derrick Ward
(194) Jabar Gaffney
(199) Trent Edwards
(222) Rian Lindell
Best Pick: None of the picks jumps out at me, but most are relatively solid. Apparently, along with New York, this team likes a lot of Bush, both Reggie and Michael. I like Reggie to pick it up this year, so getting him in the third was nice, and he did a great job of covering his bases by grabbing Addai/Rhodes and McFadden/Bush.
Worst Pick: Patrick Crayton as your #1 WR? That’s painful. Completely ignoring the position to get a QB with 0 healthy receivers and an egotistical prick like Shockey will haunt this team.
Strengths: Young talent and depth. Addai, McFadden, and Bush are all young and very talented, but I’m not sure they’re as good as where they were selected. To be honest, I think Addai was a reach at #3, what with Westbrook and Jackson still available; and McFadden will be splitting carries and hasn’t adjusted to the NFL yet. But the backups are there if injuries or suckitude claims a starter.
Weaknesses: WR. Obviously.
Overall: I can see waiting on WR’s early, there’s plenty of great, but not elite, WR out there. But waiting to the 6th is just too long. A ton of pressure is on his RB’s, and I’m not sure they’re the ones who can carry a team.
Movie Rating: Hannah Montan in 3D. It’s a great team for the young out there, but it’s all surface level and has some huge holes in it. Fun for the tweeners though.
Baltimore Weirdos
(137) Jerry Porter
(144) Jake Delhomme
(165) Seattle
(172) Amani Toomer
(193) Zach Miller
(200) Matt Stover
(221) DeShaun Foster
Best Pick: I think with his healthy elbow, Jake Delhomme was a fantastic pick in the 11th. I also think Driver was great value, but he needs to get over his bad case of the dropsies.
Worst Pick: Ronnie Brown in the second. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ronnie and he showed pre-injury last year, that he can be a true stud. But coming back from an ACL injury takes awhile, he’s sharing with Ricky Williams, and it was just too early.
Strengths: I love his QB’s. Brees and Delhomme could both be top 10 Qbs this year. And I think Westbrook will be a great pick if he can stay healthy.
Weaknesses: WR. I’ve always thought Lee Evans is overrated, he’s not a number one WR. Driver is a big question mark this year and Clayton hasn’t shown me anything yet, especially with a rookie starting QB throwing to him.
Overall: A lot of risk on this team, but some nice upside. Westbrook is always dinged up, Brown is coming off surgery, McCallister too, and the others are old. If this team can stay (and get) healthy, it will be in the running. But that will take some luck. And good surgeons. Plus, he stole 4 of the guys I wanted: Brees, Driver, Delhomme, and Z.Miller.
Movie Rating: Tropical Thunder. A great ensemble with some good talent, but could easily just fall apart. It has a lot of guys I like, I’m just not so sure it has the legs to make it a whole season.
Freshman 16 (RNATB)
(136) D.J. Hackett
(145) Adam Vinatieri
(160) Leon Washington
(173) Donte' Stallworth
(188) Indianapolis
(201) Deion Branch
(220) Carnell Williams
Best Pick: Roy Williams. Playing for a fat new contract, I expect Roy to have a great year. Even though the Lions plan to “emphasize” the run and have a monster in Calvin Johnson, I think Roy will get more than his fair share of catches, yards, and TD’s. Great pick in the 4th round.
Worst Pick: Benjamin Watson and Ahmad Bradshaw. The middle parts of a draft, especially in a 14 team league, is where many games are lost and won. And I think both Watson and Bradshaw were very sizable reaches. Watson is consistent… consistently injured. If healthy and on the Pats, he’s OK, but not in the 7th round. And Bradshaw, although he showed some flashes, is the #3 RB. Taking him in the 9th was a reach.
Strengths: A lot of talent…according to the books. If you were going by what the “experts” say, Barber, Parker, Smith, Williams, etc. are all great picks who were good value when taken. The only problem is that I think they’re wrong. Barber could explode, but he’s no sure thing and has some good players behind him. I actually like Parker to have a good year. But Kevin Smith is, to my mind, overrated in the 3rd round (signing Rudy scares me) and McNabb, Galloway, Hackett are all question marks. Of course, who are you going to trust. “Experts” or me?
Weaknesses: The question marks. McNabb’s injuries, Kevin Smith’s rookie-ness, Branch and Williams’ recoveries, etc. makes this team full of unsureitytude. And yes, I get to make up words.
Overall: Who knows. There’s a lot of question marks, but they could all go in this teams favor. I’m not a fan of the team, but I can certainly see why they were selected and there is a chance for this team to be really, really good. I just don’t buy it.
Movie Rating: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Crystal Raiders…whatever. You can tell me over and over how great it was, you can show me the great reviews it got, and you can tell me it killed at the box office. And, objectively, it may be a good movie. I just don’t like it.
CedricBensonBusts
(135) Tim Hightower
(146) Pittsburgh
(163) Kevin Walter
(174) Donald Lee
(191) Pierre Thomas This player is a keeper.
(202) Josh Scobee
(219) Tennessee
Best Pick: Screw you. You took Warner, Hightower, Walter, and Burleson, all guys who I thought were great options and that would fall to me. Warner, who was a monster when healthy and playing last year, could be the steal of the draft. Oh, and screw you.
Worst Pick: Kitna in the 6th and Julius Jones in the 5th. While I think Kitna will have a better than average year, I think you could have waited a few rounds. And Julius Jones, I think, will have a crappy year and was certainly a reach in the 5th.
Strengths: Damn, look at those RB. Stephen Jackson? Brandon Jacobs? Thomas Jones? Throw in some nice young rb’s and this team is stacked. There are question marks, of course, but I think, with the exception of my team, this team has the best Rbs in the league.
Weaknesses: Those RB came at a heavy price to the WR corp. Jennings may have a drop off, and Burleson, Walter, and Patten are solely #2’s on their team with no upside whatsoever. If Jennings falters this year, it could be a long season.
Overall: I really like this team, but it will have some serious decisions to make each week. Kitna or Warner. Walter/Burleson/or Patten. I expect good things from this team, especially because Stephen Jackson fell to them at 6.
Movie Rating: Iron Man. I really like this team, but I can still see some weaknesses. But, overall, it should be great and did well at the box office.
Fourth and Nineteen
(134) Matt Cassel
(147) J.T. O'Sullivan
(162) Bruce Gradkowski
(175) Charlie Batch
(190) Owen Daniels This player is a keeper.
(203) Jim Sorgi
(218) Kerry Collins
Best Pick: DeAngelo Williams. I think he’ll have a better year than Stewart, and he was a helluva lot cheaper.
Worst Pick: It’s too obvious to say.
Strengths: Backup QB’s up the wazoo.
Weaknesses: Backup QB’s up the wazoo.
Overall: This team got totally fucked by the autodraft. I actually liked it up until the 7th round, but then it went to hell. If fantasy football is won by the first few picks, this team will compete. Best of Luck, Wilson. I think you’ll need it.
Movie Rating: Speed Racer. Almost painful to look at.
Moridwon (Hamlet)
(133) Vernon Davis
(148) Jerious Norwood
(161) Jacksonville
(176) Matt Jones
(189) Justin Gage
(204) Rob Bironas
(217) Ronald Curry
Best Pick: Keepers. Getting Jones Drew in the 4th and Turner in the 9th gave me an advantage going in.
Worst Pick: Too high risk at WR. Colston’s injury, Smith’s suspension and Delhomme’s elbow, made it important to find some value later in the draft. Unfortunately, I hated every single WR available and waited until the dregs of WR society (Did I really pick Matt Jones?) To fill that need.
Strengths: I love my RB crew. I expect Gore to have a good year, and having 3 other starters and Norwood helps a ton.
Weaknesses: Depth at WR. If my big two are healthy and playing, I like it, but beyond those two, it’s garbage. And the bye weeks may just screw me. That’s one of the problems with my BPA draft strategy.
Overall: Of course I like my team, I picked it. I think I put together a solid team that will compete each week, as well as having depth to help out in case of injuries. A lot is riding on Colston and Smith though.
Movie Rating: WALL-E. Great fun for the whole family, a great scorer, and unless a Dark Knight shows up, one of the best of the year.
Omni’s Omnipotents
(132) DeSean Jackson
(149) Alge Crumpler
(164) Chad Pennington
(177) Drew Bennett
(192) Sidney Rice This player is a keeper.
(205) Green Bay
(216) Robert Meachem
Best Pick: Roddy White, Robert Meacham and DeSean Jackson. Getting three WRs with huge upsides at those spots was excellent drafting.
Worst Pick: I think Jamal Lewis, Matt Forte, and Jerricho Cotchery were all reaches. Getting Kevin Jones to backup Forte was smart though.
Strengths: I do really like the WR crew. Moss is a stud, Cotchery is overrated this year, but could really explode, White had 1,000+ yard season with dead wombats throwing to him, and Jackson, Williams, Rice, and Meacham all have huge upside. Outstanding crew and great depth.
Weaknesses: RB. A lot is riding on Jamal Lewis and while I think his O Line is outstanding, I don’t think he’ll have as good a year as last year. Forte is unproven in the NFL and has a dogshit O Line, and Chris Johnson could be the most overrated RB selected in the first round of the NFL draft ever. Relying on those 3 to get you to the playoffs could be too much to ask.
Overall: I was surprised last year, when WR and QB were better values than most RB’s out there. If that happens again this year (which I don’t see, but could easily happen), then this team is in great shape. Maybe I’m just too old school, but I think FF is won by RB’s. And the ones on this team don’t scare me at all.
Movie Rating: Pineapple Express. Screw the old farts, it’s a new age. It’s an amusing team that will get a few good games, but I can’t imagine it has any staying power. But then again, I don’t understand the kids and their wide receiver fascinations these days.
Crabby Hermits
(131) Vince Young
(150) Devin Hester This player is a keeper.
(159) Correll Buckhalter This player is a keeper.
(178) Limas Sweed
(187) Nate Kaeding
(206) Sammy Morris
(215) Bobby Engram
Best Pick: Larry Fitzgerald. I think, if Warner is throwing, Fitzy takes his place at the pantheon of NFL elite receivers. Keeping Romo was a good call too.
Worst Pick: Chris Brown. He’s on IR and a waste of a pick. I also think that not getting a second RB earlier than Jones in the 6th will hurt.
Strengths: I really like the first 4 rounds. Portis, Fitzy, Burress, and Romo are a great start for a fantasy team. If those big guns can produce wll consistently, this team will always be competitive.
Weaknesses: Almost everything but those four. Felix Jones is worth a flier, and H. Miller, the Pats D, and Kaeding are all very solid, if not elite, at their positions. But the rest of the roster, to me, is useless. Take away Ward’s TD’s (which Holmes and Mendenhall will do this year) and he’s almost worthless, and Young, Hester, Sweed, Morris, and Engram should never even see a starting spot.
Overall: This team needs the big guns to score big, because I’m not all that impressed with the secondary players. The talent at the top, though, should scare any team having to face them.
Movie Rating: Leatherheads. I really like the stars, but the secondary stuff leaves a bad taste in my mouth. With those big guns, this should do better than I think it will.
Shut Your Mouth Abel
(130) Javon Walker
(151) Dallas
(158) Tatum Bell
(179) Dwayne Bowe This player is a keeper.
(186) Shayne Graham
(207) L.J. Smith
(214) Alex Smith
Best Pick: Keeping Dwayne Bowe. Although there are questions about KC’s offense, Bowe is a #1 WR and quite talented. I’m concerned about this team having both Bowe and Gonzalez relying on crappy QB’s though. Too many eggs in one crappy basket.
Worst Pick: I’ll say “worst situation”. By keeping Anthony Gonzalez for a sixth round pick (which is an issue in and of itself with Harrison looking healthy and hungry) and Cutler in the 7th (which is a good move), this team cost themselves a shot at Ray Rice. Now, Ray Rice isn’t an outstanding pick, unless you’re the one who drafted McGahee, in which case you really need to have drafted Rice. Also, this team took a Defense wwwwwaaaayyy to early and Tatum Bell is, at best, the #3 rb on an iffy team.
Strengths: The best at certain positions. The Chargers and Dallas D, Nick Folk, and Gonzo and LJ Smith give this team studs at the D, K, and TE. They also have decent starters.
Weaknesses: Who really gives a shit about D, K, and TE? And Cutler as the only starting QB on the roster is just begging for trouble.
Overall: If Cutler ends up being a stud, this team can compete. I like Boldin to do well. But there is too much riding on the Chiefs QB’s and on Cutler to call this a solid team. I predict a long season.
Movie Rating: Sex and the City. It may be really good… at things I couldn’t care less about. Also, the overreliance on what I think is crap, may hurt it’s box office.
Spiritus Mundane
(129) Wes Welker This player is a keeper.
(152) Jeff Garcia
(157) Warrick Dunn
(180) Greg Olsen This player is a keeper.
(185) Tampa Bay
(208) Neil Rackers
(213) Brady Quinn
Best Pick: Edwards and Welker as keepers gave this team an outstanding start. Add in nice value (if you like him) in Derek Anderson, and Jeff Garcia, and a nice sleeper in Andre Hall, and this team made some good moves.
Worst Pick: TO. I know, I know, it’s hard to call TO a wasted pick, but when you’ve kept two top 20 WR’s in Edwards and Welker, using your number one on another WR, no matter how good, isn’t good value. Manning, Grant, or Johnson would have been a better pick. And Maroney is not, and will likely never be, a #1 RB. Unless Bellicheck plans to surprise his opponents by loading up on Maroney, this team will suffer.
Strengths: Clearly the receiving positions. Owens, Edwards, Welker, Winslow, Ginn and Olson is one hell of a lineup for catching the ball. If the trend of more passing scores continues, it’s a nice setup to have.
Weaknesses: RB. Taylor is a year older, Fargas has to compete with McFadden/Bush, Maroney isn’t spotlighted enough, and Dunn is a part timer and backup.
Overall: If wide receivers begin to dominate the fantasy football scene, this team will be right up there. But I just don’t see that happening. Still, the strength of the team may overcome the weaknesses.
Movie Rating: Wanted. Talk about putting all your money on one thing. While Angelina Jolie (or the receiving positions) are hot and flashy, I don’t think it’s enough to carry an otherwise pedestrian movie.
Fightin’ Quakers
(128) Vincent Jackson
(153) Jason Campbell
(156) Isaac Bruce
(181) Philadelphia
(184) Darren Sproles
(209) Brandon Jackson
(212) Kris Brown
Best Pick: I like the Peyton Manning/Larry Johnson one two. If the Chiefs O Line is even just mediocre, it’s a great start, given that he’s starting well behind.
Worst Pick: LenDale White isn’t a third rounder, even in a 14 team league. I can’t see him having a great year this year, and he may just lose his job soon. I’d also be worried having only LJ, a half time splitter, and 3 unproven backups.
Strengths: A pretty good team for such a poor starting position. Marshall, Holmes, Coles, Moss, and Jackson is a damn good WR lineup. And having Manning and Cooley adds even more points.
Weaknesses: I keep looking at the RB and wondering. If McGahee, LT, or Grant go down, he’ll be in good shape. But if not, he can’t expect much from that crew.
Overall: Not a bad team by any stretch. If Johnson returns to form and this team can avoid injuries, there is a good shot at the playoffs. But the lack of depth at RB and questions surrounding KC will make it an uphill battle.
Movie Rating: Kung Fu Panda. It’s good, enjoyable, and has some nice success. But it will never be considered great and does suffer from some glaring weaknesses.
CarMenace
(140) Minnesota This player is a keeper.
(154) Joe Flacco
(168) Adrian Peterson
(169) Eddie Royal
(183) Tarvaris Jackson
(210) Leonard Pope
(211) David Akers
Best Pick: Adrian Peterson in the 12th round. Infuckingcredible. What? Oh, sorry. I liked Eddie Royal in the 13th, it’s the almost definition of low risk high reward pick. I also think picks like Ahman and Mason add a certain amount of… experience… to the team.
Worst Pick: David Garrard in the 5th round. I don’t think he’s horrible, but at best he’s a solid #2 QB, and certainly not worth taking above Anderson, Favre, Delhomme, etc.
Strengths: Ummmm… Reggie Wayne is great. So is Gates.
Weaknesses: Everything but Reggie Wayne or Gates. Sorry, but with Grant’s hammy, Stewart’s toe and DeAngelo, Gates’ toe, Green’s entire lower body, and age, I don’t think this team has much of a chance of repeating. Part is due, of course, to drafting late. But the over-reliance on unproven younguns like Stewart, Berrian, Hardy, Flacco, Royal, and Tavaris; the selecting of has beens like Green and Mason; and the bench of never was-es like Peterson, and Garrard and I think this team is in for a long season.
Overall: I don’t like this team at all, which probably means they’ll go 12-2 and win again. But for that to happen, this team needs to get and stay healthy and have rookies produce outstanding results.
Movie Rating: Don’t Mess with the Zohan. One tiny joke and an OK star spread out over an entire movie that isn’t good in the least.
There you have it. Now, in 5 months, I expect everyone to bump this thread and remind me how stupid I am. Thanks in advance…
Now I get to do my own team. Woo! I like everyone else’s method of reviewing by position instead of by where each player was drafted, so I’m going to use that.
Quarterbacks - Donovan McNabb (5), Matt Schaub (8) - Let’s face it, McNabb sucked a bit last year. He really sucked when you compare ‘07 to his superb ‘06 performance, which we’d be talking about in terms reserved for Brady and Manning if he had stayed healthy all year. I think he’ll be closer to ‘06 than ‘07 this year, but there is risk here. 6
So, I platooned him with a guy with sky-high upside, who I think can be a plug-in starter this year. It’s tempting to call Schaub an injury risk, but he’s only been a starter for one year, so it’s not like he has an injury history or something. 9
Running Backs- Marion Barber (1), Willie Parker (2), Kevin Smith (3), Ahmad Bradshaw (9), Leon Washington (12), Cadillac Williams (16) - Barber might be the next big thing in fantasy. He might also be a Chester Taylor type: the guy that’s at his best carrying the ball 200 times a year, and starts to break down with more carries. I went against my own rules here, drafting a high-risk, high-reward player instead of a sure thing. 7
I took Parker in my normal “main” league last year in the eighth spot of the first round, and got burned. I’d taken him in ‘06 at the tail end of the second round, and been thrilled. Lesson learned; Parker’s a #2 guy. He will crank out yards, but last season showed us that Bruce Arians likes to throw in the red zone. I think things will improve a bit on that front this year. I’m not really worried about Mendenhall; no-nonsense coaches like Tomlin just don’t give the ball to fumblers.
Kevin Smith, as everyone knows, is my top sleeper pick this year. It’s pretty hard to call anyone a sleeper in the third round, though. I could have had a 2nd-tier wideout here, but in a three back league, I felt the best third back was a no-brainer. 6.5
Bradshaw is the kind of backup who’ll get plenty of carries regardless of whether the starter gets hurt. I’m not a fan, but the pundits seem to like him and I was a bit short on options here. 5
Washington is a similar guy, but I don’t think Thomas Jones will be any better this year than last and he has the potential to be a season-maker if he gets 40% or more of the team’s carries somehow. 8
Cadillac is a keeper-oriented pick, pure and simple. If he comes back this year, I don’t think he’ll win the starting job back, and much as it pains me to say it (I wrote Bucs’ management begging them to draft him before he ever declared for the pros) I’m sure he’ll be with another team next year. I may end up dropping him if a Ryan Grant-type becomes available during the season.5
Wide Receivers- Roy Williams (4), Joey Galloway (6), D.J. Hackett (10), Donte’ Stallworth (13), Deion Branch (15) - Roy Williams is not an ideal #1 wideout. Of course, I pretty much gave up on the #1 wideouts by going back, back, back to start. He’s reliable, though, and I think playing in a more balanced offense will actually help rather than hurt, since Martz’ offense tended to blow up the stats of the slot guys. I am a little worried that Megatron may eat into his targets and particularly his TDs. 6
Galloway is another one of those guys I’m always betting against, and always wrongly. I don’t know how he does it, but as a Bucs fan I’m thrilled he does because otherwise we’d have no passing game at all. Age is (obviously) a concern, but he can still fly, and 1200/6 is just fine from a #2. 6.5
D.J. Hackett is hurt, but he’s always hurt for half the season. The key is that he puts up extremely consistent numbers in the other half. When he finally got healthy in Seattle last year, he seemingly turned in 6 straight 100-yard, 1-TD games. Playing across from Steve Smith, I think he can be a terrific Welkeresque catch hog. 8.5
Stallworth is a #2 receiver who’s a #3 option. However, Braylon’s injury, and Winslow’s seemingly endless injury-report appearances, mean he could be a #2 or even #1 option for half a season. 8
I picked Branch, who is injured, partly as a keeper, and partly because every other Seattle WR is injured, which should help when he gets back. He’s never going to be a classic #1, but he can be a super-cheap #2. 6
Tight End- Benjamin Watson - he was the #1 TE by some distance through seven weeks last season, scoring in six straight games. He’s obviously not going to catch a lot of passes with Moss and Welker around, but for a TE he’s a great deep threat and I think he can come close to that scoring rate over a full season this year. This is a major roll of the dice, particularly because I didn’t draft a backup, but with phenomenal potential. 6, but maybe a 10 when all’s said and done
Kicker- Adam Viniatieri - Kicks in a dome, hardly misses, plays on a juggernaut offense. Silly of me to go kicker in Round 11, although as it turned out everyone I targeted fell to me afterward. 3 (because RD11 was way too early for any kicker
D/ST- Colts - Healthy Bob Sanders. Healthy Dwight Freeney. Rapidly maturing corners. Linebackers who can catch. Adds up to a great fantasy defense. Sure, they can be run over, but Fantasy is all about big-play D; no biggie if you gamble for the pick and give up the deep ball, as long as you make the pick next play and return it for a TD. My top target, Philly, went 1 round earlier, so I was very happy to have the Colts fall to me here. 9
My overall score: 8
I’m really pleased with this team. Almost stunned, particularly considering that my cupboard was pretty bare as far as keepers. I actually like this roster better than the one I drafted yesterday in a 12-team league. I might go far as to say that this is the best job I’ve ever done in a draft. I’ve never been a particularly good drafter; I make the playoffs in almost every league I play in, but usually with my work on the waiver wire.
I completed a draft day trade of Cotchery for Mendenhall straight up, it bolsters my RB group on the off chance that Lewis or the 2-headed Bears monster folds up completely. I loved Cotchery but I really didn’t expect to get all of my upside guys, especially Williams that late, so I was able to leverage it. For the record I had Brandon Jackson selected when Drew Bennett was drafted from my queue, that really fucked up my plan.