He Hate Me FF Keeper League – Year 12

The Game Room
101

Omnipotents

  1. (10) Marshawn Lynch (Sea - RB)
  2. (19) Brandon Marshall (Chi - WR)
  3. (38) Pierre Garcon K (Was - WR)
  4. (47) Chris Johnson (NYJ - RB)
  5. (66) Steven Jackson (Atl - RB)
  6. (75) Russell Wilson (Sea - QB)
  7. (94) Greg Olsen K (Car - TE)
  8. (103) Danny Amendola (NE - WR)
  9. (122) Chris Ivory (NYJ - RB)
  10. (131) Martellus Bennett (Chi - TE)
  11. (150) Miles Austin (Cle - WR)
  12. (159) Donald Brown (SD - RB)
  13. (178) Joe Flacco (Bal - QB)
  14. (187) New England (NE - DEF)
  15. (206) Jeff Janis (GB - WR)
  16. (215) Robbie Gould (Chi - K)
    So, I’m still at the office, supposed to be working, so why not do a draft recap. I’ve wasted so much time this week on fantasy (and will absolutely get crushed this weekend with work as a result) what’s another 45 minutes?

I entered this draft with some really dismal keepers. Garcon and Olsen are probably solid players this season and will score points, but I basically kept them in the exact spot they would have been drafted give or take…no real keeper value. But, I figured I’d at least eliminate a couple variables.

I feel exceptionally lucky to get Lynch at #10, easily the best value in the first round. He’s the sixth best RB this year by consensus which usually means you have to pick him at 6-8 in this league most seasons. I also think the risk goes way, way up with the 7-12 guys making Lynch a tier to himself. I knew RB was going to be painful without any keepers, but that bit of fortune allowed me to play the rest of the draft a little more casually.

I think I got a similar spell of luck with my second pick in Marshall. I think the 3-5 guys are all basically equal and in that situation you always want to be drafting the last one. Also, the next 2 guys have injury red flags. Neither Lynch or Marshall are “steals” but I think the picks would make the value-based-drafting guys excited.

Garcon is a bit of a weird one. Keeper obviously, but I think he’s a decent selection there. I like him more than some of the old guys who went before him like VJax (Lovie), Johnson (Fitzpatrick) and Fitzy (Arizona) and I think he’s safer than 3rd year guys like Floyd and Jeffery. This might be just a bunch of rationalization, but if RG3 is healthy Garcon is definitely his favorite target in a division with some dismal pass defenses.

The next two picks were basically me deciding that I’m getting a RB in my flex spot. It’s also where not having an RB keeper shows the most. CJ1K has a some fresh scenery around him and maybe Rex will ride him like a new big wheel for a while. As disappointing as he’s been, he’s still been productive. I think Yahoo’s ranking on him is a bit nutty, he’s in the pile with Ridley, Richardson and MJD, I think he’s got way more upside than any of those guys. He’s behind question marks like Jennings, Sankey, Joique Bell and Lamar Miller which is equally cray-cray. And just in case I’m the one with the screw loose, I grabbed Ivory in the Ninth round just to be sure I locked up the Jets running attack. They Jets will run the ball this year in that mediocre division, so here’s to hoping it’s not a perfect 50-50 split.

The Jackson pick is tougher to justify, but he was the last guy on the board who’s definitely the starter in week 1 not named DeAngelo. Jackson really looks like he’s got a fork sticking out of his back, but the Falcons seem committed to him. Maybe Jake Matthews will buy him another 1000 yard season. Worth a shot, right?

Jumping ahead to wrap up the RBs, I landed Donald Brown in the 12th which I’m not horrified by. He’s looked good in the preseason and being Ryan Matthews backup isn’t exactly like RB purgatory. Still, I’ll need to be watching the Waiver wire for the next sneaky rookie RB to breakout.

Quarterbacks went unusually early this year. Considering the log jam from 4-12 it didn’t make a ton of sense, but it happened and the only QB1s left on the board in the 6th were Russell, RG3 and Romo. Knowing I had a keeper coming in the 7th it was now or never and I felt like Wilson was the safest. I heard some commentary on how close he was to being the #3 QB overall last season and he’s been unstoppable this preseason. Romo was the more conventional choice and RG3 maybe the highest risk-reward guy, but I’m comfortable here. In my other drafts guys like Cutler and Brady were still available at this point and that’s where my plan was, so I adapted.

Olsen’s a bit of a weird keeper. Not thrilled about him in the 7th round, but some draft boards had him as the 4th over all TE. If he’s that, this is a great get, but I don’'t buy it. Maybe Cam and he have a bromance and Kelvin Benjamin flames out, but I’m betting this pick is middle of the road at best.

Amendola is a gamble but I tend to have a soft spot for Brady’s WRs. I think I’ve had Welker and Amedola in just about every draft for the last 5 or 6 years so the trend continues. If he’s healthy it’s great, and a great value, but as we all know that’s a big if. If he’s healthy I think the Edelman owners might be pretty sore, because I think Amendola’s Tommy’s first choice.

I rarely go for a backup TE and I suppose the Bennett pick is part mistrust of Olsen, part homerism, and part utter panic and desperation. This was definitely the doldrums of the draft. Feels like a nice value and possible keeper, but normally I’d have preferred to take a shot at a rookie RB here.

Miles Austin is actually a fair value in the wake of the Josh Gordon news but it’s not like he’s the clear cut WR1 in Cleveland now and even if he is the Hoyer/Manziel combo isn’t exactly enthusing. Worst of all he’s a zero keeper value. With luck he’ll be an boom or bust option at flex in the bye weeks.

Flacco…ugh, backup QBs went fast too. One of those years where I sorta outsmarted myself with waiting on QB. Hopefully the Russell Wilson mo is legit. In retrospect I really wish I’d have fished for keepers here and targeted Bortles in the 14th. Also didn’t help that I was 100% confident that I was drafting Cincy’s defense here until they got snaked 1 pick before, so I ended up settling for the Pats D in the next round.

I felt super smart for grabbing Janis in the 15th. I suspect a handful of folks had him queued up for a keeper in the 16th and I wanted to be sure to get in early. Everyone in GB loves the guy and seems to view him as Jordy Nelson 2.0…only more athletic. I’m hoping this guy is a staple on my teams for years to come.

So there we are. If I’m grading myself, I think it’s probably a C team, but a B- for a draft execution. I put myself in a tough spot last year and the draft order didn’t help, but I think I made the best of it. I probably could have gambled for more keepers but doing so might have meant punting on the season since my starters aren’t exactly rock solid.

102

Fourth & Nineteen

  1. (12) A.J. Green (Cin - WR)
  2. (17) Doug Martin (TB - RB)
  3. (40) DeSean Jackson (Was - WR)
  4. (45) Vernon Davis (SF - TE)
  5. (68) Jay Cutler (Chi - QB)
  6. (73) Golden Tate (Det - WR)
  7. (96) Mark Ingram (NO - RB)
  8. (101) Khiry Robinson (NO - RB)
  9. (124) Knowshon Moreno (Mia - RB)
  10. (129) Anquan Boldin (SF - WR)
  11. (152) Jonathan Grimes (Hou - RB)
  12. (157) Benny Cunningham (StL - RB)
  13. (180) Tim Wright (NE - TE)
  14. (185) Buffalo (Buf - DEF)
  15. (208) Geno Smith (NYJ - QB)
  16. (213) Phil Dawson (SF - K)

I’m reasonably happy with my team, considering my draft position of 12th and coming in with no keepers.

QB - Cutler was my target for this draft, although I probably pulled the trigger a little early on him. He was great on a per-game basis last year, and I think he should continue to thrive in Chicago’s offense. Backup QB is of course a position of worry, as I kept putting the position off, and by round 13 found there really was nothing (Flacco was sort of who I was hoping for). Well, Geno Smith has a job, and if somehow he becomes adequate, he’s got keeper value for next year.

RB - I knew I’d be in trouble at RB this year, considering where I was drafting and all the RBs that were kept. My plan was to try to get one solid starter and a lot of depth, and that’s pretty much what I wound up with. Martin is a solid starter, with upside. The rest of my motley crew - I have the lesser two-thirds of the Saints’ triple headed monster with Ingram and Khiry Robinson. Ingram should be good for some touchdowns, and every time I see Robinson play he looks great. Knowshon might get the starting job in Miami; at the worst he should get considerable carries. Cunningham and Grimes have looked good in pre-season, and are the kind of young RBs that might develop into something (or might hit the waiver wire by week 4). Obviously, RB is not a position of strength for me.

WR - This is a pretty good crew. A.J. Green is a stud; Desean Jackson, while a headcase, should do well with the Redskins. I like Golden Tate’s chances to put up some numbers in Detroit. And Anquan Boldin is a really solid #4. Considering I’ll probably be starting 3 WRs most weeks, I’m glad I have these four.

TE - Vernon Davis is good, but ever since I picked him I have a worry that this may be the year that he breaks down. So, unlike what I usually do, I drafted a backup in Tim Wright. I know, receivers coming in to the Patriots’ offense usually don’t live up to the hype; but Brady’s liked TEs in the recent past, and Wright is a good pass-catching end.

DEF - I tend to draft the available defense that had the most sacks last year, which was Buffalo this time. They’re not rated very highly, but DEF ranking isn’t an exact science.

K - I have one, and he has a job.

Keeper prospects - I have quite a few. Geno Smith, Wright, Cunningham, Grimes, Robinson, even Knowshon if things break right. Nobody definitive, but there’s some potential here.

Overall, I think I got myself a B- team, which for having no keepers, I’m OK with.

103

Yay!: We both have man-crushes on DeAndre Hopkins. The seventh seems a tad early for a guy who basically put up all his numbers in four weeks of last season, but he could be a true WR1 by season’s end. I wanted to take Dalton quite badly but I wasn’t prepared to spend the pick before you on him. He’ll be the best #2 QB in the league. Wright and Stacy are excellent values at their relative keeper spots. Cameron will probably catch more passes than everyone else in Cleveland combined.

Boo!: I’m surprised by the Charles pick. I don’t like McCoy as I said upthread, but I don’t really care for Charles outside PPR formats. He has to deal with a first place schedule this season and KC’s line seems to have gotten worse. After Charles and Stacy your RB situation is pretty dire. If Ridley keeps his nominal starting job you have great depth; if he doesn’t you might be screwed. Of course, Freeman might be starting sooner rather than later which would save you. You reached on Stafford (his ADP is in the 40 range) though it doesn’t seem to have affected the selection of wideouts available to you that much. I just don’t like Wayne as a #2 given his age and injury concerns.

Bottom line: There are a lot of guys on this team I don’t like from a gut-feeling perspective, but I had to look pretty hard for objective flaws. I’m a little surprised you didn’t end up with any truly elite players aside from Charles (given your keeper benefit), but looking at the players available in the third there really wasn’t anyone there. Overall you get an A-.

104

Yay!: Potential top scores at three positions. Wow. This team has no holes at all. I love the value pick of MJD, even though you won’t use him much. But…

Boo!: …you could have been much better at wide receiver. I’d be a bit nervous with Jeffrey and Harvin as my #1 and #2 options. Obviously they’re great values where you kept them but one has only done it for one year and the other has as many injury concerns as touchdowns. Bowe was awful last year. I can’t really complain about much else; I am downvaluing Morris considerably but even I can’t justify not taking him four rounds before where you kept him. I would have put a premium on handcuffing McCoy though you have good RB depth.

Bottom line: Like Beef, you have a lot of guys I don’t like but others do. I haven’t looked at the other teams yet, but I’m going to guess none of them are better on paper than this one. A+. If I didn’t take your keepers into consideration I might like this draft a lot less, though.

105

Yay!: I love, love, love Shane Vereen this year. He’s the only guy I’m drafting a round above his ADP (I’d take him in the second; he was going in the fourth/fifth but has moved way up to the early third). Newton’s receiving corps is awful this year but it’s always awful and he always generates huge numbers. I liked the Gordon pick when you made it, though obviously it’s worthless now (except maybe for keeper purposes).

Boo!: Ertz was a reach, more than a full round before his ADP. I know he’s everyone’s uber-breakout candidate but the point of drafting sleepers is that you get them late. The funny thing is that I was going to take him in this round until you did. I’m sure you didn’t feel the need to spend on a backup RB with Joique Bell coming as a keeper, but I expect a bit more from a #3 RB than ~1000 scrimmage yards, which is what you’ll get from Bell. Hunter could be a great #3 but he could also be a bit useless. He wasn’t particularly impressive last year and it’s not as though the Titans’ passing game is going to support three wideouts. Andre Johnson could fall off the old man cliff at any moment, Randy Moss-style.

Bottom line: I’m not really blown away by any aspect of this team, but I don’t particularly dislike any of it either. I can’t downgrade much for the Ertz pick since I would have made it too. You get a B.

106

I’m not going to bother reviewing this team because it was autodrafted. Suffice it to say that it’s awful and I’d have to make up a new letter grade for it.

107

Yay!: You have the best tight end. I am somewhat intrigued by the strategy of drafting two questionable but high-ceiling quarterbacks back to back.

Boo!: Considering how many picks you invested at running backs, you should have some much better ones than this. Gerhart is not going to be a #2 RB even if he keeps his job and/or doesn’t end up as the head of a committee. Bush and Bell are okay, but the former has a low ceiling and the latter is probably going to be suspended at some point. If you were going to spend consecutive picks on quarterbacks you should have done it much, much later. Or waited a round for Tony Romo, who is probably going to outproduce both your guys. Your wide receivers are bad, and that’s assuming Maclin returns to his former productivity. Bryce Brown is third on Buffalo’s depth chart; why even roster him?

Bottom line: I don’t think a team can have this many questionmarks at the three biggest positions and win a championship. I’m taking this as an object lesson in why I shouldn’t be drafting Jimmy Graham in the first round in any of my own drafts. D.

108

Yay!: You’ve obviously got the best 1-2 WR punch in the league. Luck will probably be a top-5 fantasy QB this year and I have no problem with where you took him. McFadden is a worthwhile flier at the tail of the draft, as is Nicks.

Boo!: Your #2 RB situation is pretty shitty. You have a bunch of backups, essentially, and you’ll have to hope for more than one injury. Woodhead especially doesn’t have the same sort of value outside PPR leagues.

Bottom line: I don’t think a team can have this many questionmarks at the three biggest positions and win a championship. I’m taking this as an object lesson in why I shouldn’t be drafting Jimmy Graham in the first round in any of my own drafts. D.

109

You hate my team so much that I don’t even get my own bottom line?

Other than that, I don’t disagree with much that you said except for:

Little danny was the #19 scoring RB in this league last year (above MJD, Ellington, Rice, Spiller, Sproles, etc.). He has a low ceiling, but I can live with him as my RB2 gien my investments elsewhere. I do wish I had another decent RB2/3 for matchups/depth/byes/etc. But those flew off the board. I was particularly mad at Haruspex for taking MJD in round 5. I was zeroed in on him - and the man already had 3 RBs on his roster. That was just mean. :eek:

RB will be my weakest position, there’s no way around that after going WR/WR up top, but I like Blount and McFadden as “better than nothing” time shares for an emergency flex (or more if MJD or Bell lose significant time.)

110

I normally enjoy doing these draft reviews, but work is crushing me this year so I have no time for anything but instant reaction blurt. Ah well, First Thought, Best Thought as some drug addled writer once said.

Varlos’ Zzzzzzz

  1. (14) Peyton Manning (Den - QB)
  2. (15) Arian Foster (Hou - RB)
  3. (42) T.Y. Hilton (Ind - WR)
  4. (43) Bishop Sankey (Ten - RB)
  5. (70) Emmanuel Sanders (Den - WR)
  6. (71) Brandin Cooks (NO - WR)
  7. (98) DeAngelo Williams (Car - RB)
  8. (99) James White (NE - RB)
  9. (126) Riley Cooper (Phi - WR)
  10. (127) Tyler Eifert (Cin - TE)
  11. (154) St. Louis (StL - DEF)
  12. (155) Brian Quick (StL - WR)
  13. (182) Ryan Fitzpatrick (Hou - QB)
  14. (183) Donte Moncrief (Ind - WR)
  15. (210) Adam Vinatieri (Ind - K)
  16. (211) Garrett Graham (Hou - TE)

Good Peyton. I’m shocked he fell to you at 14. I almost took him at 7. Don’t love your WR strength overall, but Sanders and Cooks have good upside potential, though you pulled the trigger a little early on Cooks. DeAngelo was solid value; Cooper the same. I don’t like Quick but mostly because I don;t like Shaun Hill. You might be right on him as a possible keeper.

Bad TE, but really how bad can that be. No RB1 that I trust, but drafting 14 in this league that is pretty much guaranteed. Foster has upside, but huge risk as well. I would have either played it wafer with an RB2 or taken the risk on a younger back like Martin. Arian has a lot of miles on his treads and back issues for an RB can be devastating. Oh - and Fitzpatrick. Fiztpatrick is bad in any round and for any reason.

Huh? drafting 2 TE but your second has less keeper value than the first? Moncrief?

Theme Song One Fine Thing by Harry Connick Jr. The front man is strong, but the band is just average. Competent musicianship that doesn’t really excite or disappoint. Nice in the background, though. And has the potential to swing if the mood is right.

111

Baltimore Weirdos

  1. (13) Andre Ellington (Ari - RB)
  2. (16) Aaron Rodgers (GB - QB)
  3. (41) Frank Gore (SF - RB)
  4. (44) Torrey Smith (Bal - WR)
  5. (69) Wes Welker (Den - WR)
  6. (72) Jason Witten (Dal - TE)
  7. (97) Jeremy Hill (Cin - RB)
  8. (100) Mike Evans (TB - WR)
  9. (125) Ahmad Bradshaw (Ind - RB)
  10. (128) Steve Smith Sr. (Bal - WR)
  11. (153) Heath Miller (Pit - TE)
  12. (156) Arizona (Ari - DEF)
  13. (181) Mike Williams (Buf - WR)
  14. (184) Justin Tucker (Bal - K)
  15. (209) Matt Cassel (Min - QB)
  16. (212) Marlon Brown (Bal - WR)

Good Aaron Rodgers. Witten in the right place. Steve Smith in the right place. A decent flyer in round 16 (but that means you took your kicker too soon.)

Bad Heath Miller in 11. The only reason to draft Witten high is if you believe in his steady reliability. If you do, then you don’t waste a round 11 pick on a 1 week sub. That’s what the waiver wire is for. Ellington @ 1.13 - but only a little bad given the way the draft played out. Arizona too early for a DEF that has lost some of its best from last year. WR is terrible until week 6, then it becomes just poor after Welker returns. With a WR core this shaky you really need some studs at other positions. But all I see is Gladys Rogers and the Pips.

Huh? Mike Williams - Walking dead is a great comic and a decent TV show, but bad for a football team. Can you name the last WR who got drummed out of Tampa and then produced someplace else?

Theme Song Help Me Make it through the Night. Gladys Rogers and the Pips

112

I love the theme song thing.

Whoops. I was typing these up at work yesterday in between assignments and yours was sitting in Word for a while before I got around to posting it. Or finishing it.

I would have said you shot yourself in the foot by taking Brown instead of a running back. Really, he was a luxury pick since you were already keeping Patterson. The MJD plan wasn’t a bad one and I admit Woodhead is borderline startable. Plus, I tend to overvalue RBs a bit relative to the way the NFL works these days, so I’m not as harsh about them as I used to be. You’re basically crossing your fingers for an RB injury or waiver gem, but then pretty much every championship team needs one of those; it’s just not usually so obvious where. I’ll give you a C.

113

Fourth & Nineteen

  1. (12) A.J. Green (Cin - WR)
  2. (17) Doug Martin (TB - RB)
  3. (40) DeSean Jackson (Was - WR)
  4. (45) Vernon Davis (SF - TE)
  5. (68) Jay Cutler (Chi - QB)
  6. (73) Golden Tate (Det - WR)
  7. (96) Mark Ingram (NO - RB)
  8. (101) Khiry Robinson (NO - RB)
  9. (124) Knowshon Moreno (Mia - RB)
  10. (129) Anquan Boldin (SF - WR)
  11. (152) Jonathan Grimes (Hou - RB)
  12. (157) Benny Cunningham (StL - RB)
  13. (180) Tim Wright (NE - TE)
  14. (185) Buffalo (Buf - DEF)
  15. (208) Geno Smith (NYJ - QB)
  16. (213) Phil Dawson (SF - K)

Good Good start. *Green *and Martin are solid picks with good upside. Ingram in 7 was solid value, though less exxciting as RB2 than if he were your RB3. Great ambulance chasers i 11 & 12. Tim Wright in 13 is a pick that broke my heart. I was hoping to steal him later. Moreno in round 9. Solid pick.

Bad Khiry Robinson after Mark Ingram. Either is a fine play on their own, but you will drive yourself insane week to week trying to pick the right NO back. Golden Tate was a little too early, but hardly a major sin.

Huh? BUF Defense. I don’t get the love and it clearly isn’t for the week 1 matchup against Chicago. But this is a solid draft overall. No standout positions, but no really week positions either.

Theme Song My Country by Midnight Oil. Front man is tall, skinny and a little funny looking, band behind is solid. Not a supergroup, but a solid team unlikely to suck and capable of rocking the house on a good night.

114

Moridwon (Hamlet)

  1. (11) DeMarco Murray (Dal - RB)
  2. (18) Julio Jones (Atl - WR)
  3. (39) Roddy White (Atl - WR)
  4. (46) Trent Richardson (Ind - RB)
  5. (67) Randall Cobb ? (GB - WR)
  6. (74) Terrance Williams (Dal - WR)
  7. (95) Eric Decker (NYJ - WR)
  8. (102) Charles Clay (Mia - TE)
  9. (123) Philip Rivers ? (SD - QB)
  10. (130) Shonn Greene (Ten - RB)
  11. (151) Eli Manning (NYG - QB)
  12. (158) Jarrett Boykin (GB - WR)
  13. (179) Jacquizz Rodgers (Atl - RB)
  14. (186) Dwayne Allen (Ind - TE)
  15. (207) Indianapolis (Ind - DEF)
  16. (214) Blair Walsh (Min - K)

Good ATL WR combo. 1 horrible bye week for 13 solid starts is a good trade. Cobb as a keeper + Decker gives you the second best WR set in the league.

Bad Your RB core. Much like myself, you sacrificed RB for WR strength and depth. Eli Manning - you had Rivers as a keeper. Spending a round 11 pick on a 1 week starter was suspect. Making it Manning against the Seahawks in week 10 was bad. (So bad that I see you have already waived him. So I guess we agree on that one.) Dwayne Allen. Only because you already had Clay and I dislike grabbing a backup TE with less keeper value than your starter. Allen is a solid player, but you didn’t need to spend a pick on him.

Huh? How do you grow stones big enough to trust Murray as your RB#1? I understand the pundit love, but when did he become durable or reliable? When did the Cowboys stop being pass happy when did Jason Garrett call him the leader of a RBBC? (Oh yeah, in August). I can’t call this “bad”. But it doesn’t smell good.

Theme Song Fly Like [a Falcon], Steve Miller Band. Though it really needs to be the Jay cutler band for you. If your aerial attack comes through you will become a classic rock idol. If Cutler is inconsistent or injured (what are the odds) or Murray can’t live up to expectations (what aren’t the odds) then they will turn you into department store Muzak.

115

Omnipotents

  1. (10) Marshawn Lynch (Sea - RB)
  2. (19) Brandon Marshall (Chi - WR)
  3. (38) Pierre Garcon ? (Was - WR)
  4. (47) Chris Johnson (NYJ - RB)
  5. (66) Steven Jackson (Atl - RB)
  6. (75) Russell Wilson (Sea - QB)
  7. (94) Greg Olsen ? (Car - TE)
  8. (103) Danny Amendola (NE - WR)
  9. (122) Chris Ivory (NYJ - RB)
  10. (131) Martellus Bennett (Chi - TE)
  11. (150) Miles Austin (Cle - WR)
  12. (159) Donald Brown (SD - RB)
  13. (178) Joe Flacco (Bal - QB)
  14. (187) New England (NE - DEF)
  15. (206) Jeff Janis (GB - WR)
  16. (215) Robbie Gould (Chi - K)

Good 3 starting RBs. Brandon Marshall is a fully grown man. And I do like Wilson as a QB this year. 6 might have been a little early, but QBs ran early this year.

Bad 3 starting RBs with serious questions about each. I love Beast mode, but no back has carried the load he has for the past 3 seasons. I don’t think this is the year the wheels come off - but I don;t feel confident that it isn’t. Garcon (or Jackson - don;t like either Washington WR this year for the ADP they demand.) Garcon wasn’t worth a keeper when White and Hilton were still on the board. Miles Austin. I mean, sure the Browns WR core is crap, but a turd on the field with a bad QB situation doesn’t suddenly become shiny.

Huh? Martellus Bennet after using a keeper on Greg Olsen? Round 10 is too rich for a 1 week TE sub. Jeff Janis? OK - I get it, a raw talent with great athletic gifts, young WR on the Packers, etc. But he’s the 5th WR on his team, the 2 studs are both still young and Boykins is ahead of him as the young star in the making.

Theme Song Three Little [RB’s], by Russell Wilson and the Wailers. Listen to those cool rhythms and don’t worry about those aging RB starters. If they produce you could be reggae walking into the playoffs. But they better produce, because Brandon Marshall is just 1 fully grown man and he’s feeling lonely in your position group meetings.

116

Carcosa Yellow Kings

  1. (9) Dez Bryant (Dal - WR)
  2. (20) Drew Brees (NO - QB)
  3. (37) C.J. Spiller ? (Buf - RB)
  4. (48) Ben Tate ? (Cle - RB)
  5. (65) Pierre Thomas (NO - RB)
  6. (76) Sammy Watkins (Buf - WR)
  7. (93) Fred Jackson (Buf - RB)
  8. (121) Cecil Shorts III (Jax - WR)
  9. (132) Knile Davis (KC - RB)
  10. (149) Doug Baldwin (Sea - WR)
  11. (160) Jonathan Stewart ? (Car - RB)
  12. (177) Cincinnati (Cin - DEF)
  13. (188) Antonio Gates (SD - TE)
  14. (205) Eric Ebron (Det - TE)
  15. (216) Blake Bortles (Jax - QB)
  16. (222) Matt Bryant (Atl - K)

Good RB keepers are good. Even Spiller, Tate, and Stewart. Jackson to back Spiller was a good call, and Davis is a handcuff that will pay off for someone eventually - might be you, might be now. But I really Hate Tate this year, probably beyond reason, so I can’t fault you for it. He’s a clear starter in round 4, so good. Dez Bryant - hate the man but count the points. He’s a stud. Shorts in 8 was good value. Waiting for TE util late then grabbing solid Gates + upside Ebron - THAT’S HOW YOU PLAY THE 2 TE GAME. Bortles in 15 is a nice upside QB2

Oh - and Brees. I put him on a separate line because I absolutely love him this year (and HATE you for grabbing him 2 picks in front of me.) So good job - and I curse each of the the 5,000 yards he will deliver for you.

Bad WR’s not named Bryant. Those RB keepers and your masterful TE waiting game should have given you great options here, but grabbing RB4 (Thomas) in round 5 ahead of WR2 left you grasping for straws. And you didn’t even grasp that many. Watkins - good player, bad offense/QB situation. And laready nursing injuries. And rookie on a team with coaches walking a 1 year plank. Shorts - not a bad value in 8, but hard to get too excited about any WR in JAX this year. Baldwin - well, he’s a good bet to repeat 700 yds and 5 TDs this yea, so there’s that.

Huh? Thomas in round 5. I like him as a player, and even fantasy value in that position, but you screwed your WR core for a WR4 after investing 3 keepers in the RB position.

Theme Song Tramp the Dirt Down, Elvis Costello. No, I don’t think I will forgive you any time soon.

117

Ottoman Empire

  1. (8) Demaryius Thomas (Den - WR)
  2. (21) Jordy Nelson (GB - WR)
  3. (36) Rashad Jennings (NYG - RB)
  4. (49) Lamar Miller (Mia - RB)
  5. (64) Ray Rice (Bal - RB)
  6. (77) Mike Wallace (Mia - WR)
  7. (92) Tony Romo (Dal - QB)
  8. (105) Andre Williams (NYG - RB)
  9. (120) Markus Wheaton (Pit - WR)
  10. (133) Johnny Manziel (Cle - QB)
  11. (148) Andrew Hawkins (Cle - WR)
  12. (161) Ronnie Hillman (Den - RB)
  13. (176) Andre Holmes (Oak - WR)
  14. (189) Julius Thomas ? (Den - TE)
  15. (204) Baltimore (Bal - DEF)
  16. (217) Jerricho Cotchery (Car - WR)

Good WR studs. I’m a little shaky on Wallace this year, but he’s a strong WR3. Nelson and Thomas are neck and neck for top 1/1a combo in the league. And I’m told the NFL is a passing league these days. Julius Thomas as a Round 14 keeper. Yeah - good isn’t really a strong enough word.

Bad RB’s. As expected, WR at the top left you weak in RB. Jennings, Miller, Rice aren’t a horrible trio, though Miller looks to be more of a handcuff/role player to Moreno right now. 2 ambulance chasers behind. Maybe Rice bounces back. Maybe you should hae taken MJD over Miller in round 4. Or even Pierre Thomas (though I never blame someone for avoiding the Saints backfield lottery).

Huh? Am I the only person who fears Romo this year? Hus back scares me very much. And he’s gotten sacked 35+ times each of the last 3 years. And looking at your WR depth I may have been too quick to call Hamlet second best. I like his 3-5 better than yours, but your stronger at the top. Only a steel cage match can decide this quandry.

Theme Song Somewhere Down That Crazy River, Robbie Robertson. Your pass catchers are divine. If you had just nailed either QB or RB this could have been The Band, taking your Last Walstz to a championship while Scorcese made you immortal. But I’m afraid you’ll have to settle for a virtuoso performance that hits one note often and excellently, but falls short of rock and roll glory.

118

Spiritus Mundane

  1. (7) Calvin Johnson (Det - WR)
  2. (22) Antonio Brown (Pit - WR)
  3. (35) Montee Ball ? (Den - RB)
  4. (50) Andrew Luck (Ind - QB)
  5. (63) Terrance West (Cle - RB)
  6. (78) Jordan Reed (Was - TE)
  7. (91) Cordarrelle Patterson ? (Min - WR)
  8. (106) Danny Woodhead ? (SD - RB)
  9. (119) Christine Michael (Sea - RB)
  10. (134) Kenny Britt (StL - WR)
  11. (147) LeGarrette Blount (Pit - RB)
  12. (162) Josh McCown (TB - QB)
  13. (175) Darren McFadden (Oak - RB)
  14. (190) Tampa Bay (TB - DEF)
  15. (203) Hakeem Nicks (Ind - WR)
  16. (218) Nick Novak (SD - K)

Good Best WRs in teh league, though the gap between me and Otto/Hamlet is slim. I like Luck a lot this year. Ball was great keeper value, and I like Woodhead better than anyone else, apparently. But his numbers backed me up last year and I don;t see any reason to expect a big drop off this year. Jordan Reed - I am buying the hype on him this year.

Bad RB depth. I’ll never play more than 2, but I wish I had someone reliable behind/beside Woodhead. Blount and McFadden should be “better than nothing” plug ins. Michael and West are chasing ambulances, but I thin k Tate and Beast are both at teh high end of RB injury risk this year. That’s always a crap shoot, though.

Huh? Every single 14 team mock I ran this year had Graham waiting for me at 7. I tried lots of different approaches to that and had a strategy prepared. Then Megatron slid to me instead. I was elated, but suddenly I was into improvisation territory. Nicks - late round flyer, but who knows.

Jordan Reed - why am I buying the hype on him this year?

Theme Song Sea of Joy, Blind Faith.

Shut up.

119

I’m actually really happy with this draft, which I almost never am.

QB: I have two solid options; both are unquestioned starters (the Cousins talk is national-media BS) who have the possibility of serious rushing yards even in a game when the opposing defense shuts them own in the air. That gives them a low floor, and both could realistically take steps forward to top-5 status.

RB: I am thin here, but I feel like I have three really solid ones in Bell, Bush and Gerhart. If two of them were to go down to injury, I’d likely be hosed, though. I think both Brown and Mason are good late-round keeper prospects.

WR: So much potential here. Crabtree is the one known quantity, and I expect him to be a solid 80/1000 possession guy. Maclin will be solid enough. Lee and Benjamin are both rookies that will be given every chance to be a WR1, and Austin will play a Percy Harvin role (never forget, this league counts return yards). One of those guys will break out, and if more than one does I’ll have salable keeper possibilities to some team out of contention.

TE: Graham is my linchpin, obvo. If the Cowboys fall apart this year, which is a real possibility, Witten is one of the obvious candidates to be cut in a housecleaning, and Escobar is in line to replace him. How in God’s name I missed the fact that Eric Ebron was still sitting out there at that pick, I have no idea, though, and I will never forgive myself. IMO that was the steal of the draft, and I had it sitting there waiting for me. (insert DiNiro Copland “You Blew it!” clip)

120

Fightin’ Quakers

  1. (6) Jimmy Graham (NO - TE)
  2. (23) Toby Gerhart (Jax - RB)
  3. (34) Reggie Bush (Det - RB)
  4. (51) Le’Veon Bell ? (Pit - RB)
  5. (62) Colin Kaepernick (SF - QB)
  6. (79) Robert Griffin III (Was - QB)
  7. (90) Michael Crabtree ? (SF - WR)
  8. (107) Kelvin Benjamin (Car - WR)
  9. (118) Tavon Austin (StL - WR)
  10. (135) Marqise Lee (Jax - WR)
  11. (146) Carolina (Car - DEF)
  12. (163) Bryce Brown (Buf - RB)
  13. (174) Jeremy Maclin ? (Phi - WR)
  14. (191) Tre Mason (StL - RB)
  15. (202) Gavin Escobar (Dal - TE)
  16. (219) Ryan Succop (KC - K)

Good Jimmy Graham is TE dominance. I actually like Kaepernick this year, despite the preseason struggles. Top 3 RB’s are borderline for good, but stand out next to the rest of your “anyone not named Graham.” Maclin was clear alue in round 13, but you must like RG3 and the Washington receier situation a lot more than I do this year.

Bad Jimmy Graham at 1.6 in’t a move to make without a very well defined strategy (and strong keepers). Leveon (am I suspended yet) Bell doesn’t count as the latter. I don;t know if you had the former but if so it didn’t survive contact with the enemies. Having no clear WR1 might have been okay - there is depth at teh position. Having no clear WR1 or WR2 is bad. Taking 2 QB before your first WR is bad. We only play one QB each week, I seem to recall. And 2/3 WRs. And you will probably need 3 since the only backs behind Bell-Bush-Devo, er Gerhart are Bryce Brown and Tre Mason. Bye weeks, inevitable suspensions, injuries, Gerhart sucking - all of these will have you dipping 3 WR deep into a very shallow pool.

Huh? Bryce Brown? Relying on the Washington downfield passing game? Picking a second TE after Jimmy graham because you think Gavin Escobar might be a keeper steal next year?

Theme Song Twisting in the Wind, David Byrne