My first draft of the year II

[DMD]

Here is the first seven rounds of the draft I just did today. Since it is for a magazine, I won't put the entire draft here but the initial rounds would be interesting enough to see.

 

* = my pick

 

1.01 RB LaDainian Tomlinson

1.02 RB Steven Jackson

1.03 RB Larry Johnson

1.04 RB Frank Gore

1.05 RB Shaun Alexander

1.06 RB Rudi Johnson*

1.07 RB Laurence Maroney

1.08 RB Joseph Addai

1.09 RB Willie Parker

1.1 RB Brian Westbrook

1.11 RB Willis McGahee

1.12 RB Ronnie Brown

2.01 QB Peyton Manning

2.02 RB Travis Henry

2.03 RB Clinton Portis

2.04 WR Torry Holt

2.05 RB Edgerrin James

2.06 RB Reggie Bush

2.07 RB Cedric Benson*

2.08 RB Thomas Jones

2.09 RB Deuce McAllister

2.10 WR Steve Smith

2.11 RB Maurice Jones-Drew

2.12 WR Chad Johnson

3.01 RB Brandon Jacobs

3.02 WR Terrell Owens

3.03 RB Marshawn Lynch

3.04 RB DeAngelo Williams

3.05 WR Marvin Harrison

3.06 WR Larry Fitzgerald*

3.07 RB Cadillac Williams

3.08 WR Reggie Wayne

3.09 TE Antonio Gates

3.10 WR Randy Moss

3.11 RB Marion Barber

3.12 RB Kevin Jones

4.01 WR Roy Williams

4.02 WR Donald Driver

4.03 RB Jamal Lewis

4.04 RB Adrian Peterson, Minn.

4.05 QB Tom Brady

4.06 WR Anquan Boldin

4.07 RB Jerious Norwood*

4.08 WR Marques Colston

4.09 WR Javon Walker

4.10 RB Ahman Green

4.11 WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh

4.12 WR Andre Johnson

5.01 RB Warrick Dunn

5.02 QB Carson Palmer

5.03 QB Drew Brees

5.04 WR Plaxico Burress

5.05 QB Marc Bulger

5.06 QB Jon Kitna*

5.07 WR Lee Evans

5.08 WR Laveranues Coles

5.09 WR Deion Branch

5.10 RB Fred Taylor

5.11 WR Hines Ward

5.12 RB Chester Taylor

6.01 WR Darrell Jackson

6.02 QB Donovan McNabb

6.03 TE Todd Heap

6.04 QB Matt Leinart

6.05 RB Ladell Betts

6.06 QB Vince Young

6.07 QB Tony Romo*

6.08 WR Reggie Brown

6.09 WR Braylon Edwards

6.10 WR Santana Moss

6.11 RB Brandon Jackson

6.12 RB Julius Jones

7.01 RB Vernand Morency

7.02 WR Jerricho Cotchery

7.03 TE Tony Gonzalez

7.04 RB LenDale White

7.05 RB DeShaun Foster

7.06 WR Chris Chambers*

7.07 RB Tatum Bell

7.08 TE Jeremy Shockey

7.09 QB Michael Vick

7.10 WR Joey Galloway

7.11 WR Terry Glenn

7.12 WR Mark Clayton

[fitzkek]

Team is bad, homey. Bad.

[ericthemidget]

6th pick appears to be a tough spot. Seems like we have a "Big 5" this year. (Last year we had the big 3).

 

Noticed that you used your 5th AND 6th pick on QB's???

One of the advantages of the "best ball leagues" is that you can take some lower tier QB's later and still benefit from their stats when they have their occasional big games.

 

What was the thinking here?

[DMD]

6th pick appears to be a tough spot. Seems like we have a "Big 5" this year. (Last year we had the big 3).

 

Noticed that you used your 5th AND 6th pick on QB's???

One of the advantages of the "best ball leagues" is that you can take some lower tier QB's later and still benefit from their stats when they have their occasional big games.

 

What was the thinking here?

 

 

Quarterbacks score more than any other player except for the top RBs. In a best ball format, you do not want to have an off week for your QBs if you can avoid it because it really drops your score and since you are playing every team every week (11 of them), you really never want to not have decent scores from every position. You never want to sacrifice a week or rely on anyone inconsistent in the highest scoring positions. At the 6th spot, I came close to having better QBs than Kitna but a run started in front of me. Everyone likes to get 3 QBs (four teams won't) and I wanted to shore up that position best I could without unduly sacrificing others.

 

I knew RBs would fly off so I went with RB in the 1,2 and 4 and I knew WRs would last a bit longer than anything.

 

I did not particularly like going 6th - if I had only been 4th instead of 6th instead of starting R Johnson, Benson, Fitzgerald, Norwood, Kitna I would have had Gore, James, Harrison, Norwood, Bulger instead.

 

Can only deal with what is there when you pick though.

[tomfin2000]

Gotta love Chambers at 7.06. I expect him to be a bargain pick in most drafts this season after being overvalued last year.

 

I was a little surprised by the back to back QB selections as well, but every league rolls a little bit differently and at least you minimized your risk by taking both Kitna and Romo. Were you ready to spit nails when Bulger went at 5.05? I would have been!

[DMD]

Gotta love Chambers at 7.06. I expect him to be a bargain pick in most drafts this season after being overvalued last year.

 

I was a little surprised by the back to back QB selections as well, but every league rolls a little bit differently and at least you minimized your risk by taking both Kitna and Romo. Were you ready to spit nails when Bulger went at 5.05? I would have been!

 

 

I was surprised to see Chambers fall that much. He was perfect for what I wanted. I took several swings at the fence but balanced those with Chambers and Kennison and even Engram a bit for guys that should always get me something, even if it is not a monster game ever.

 

I knew I wanted a QB in the 5th, I thought I would get Palmer... then Brees... then Bulger... I took Kitna for fear what could happen behind me.

[Outshined]

1.04 RB Frank Gore

1.05 RB Shaun Alexander

1.06 RB Rudi Johnson*

1.07 RB Laurence Maroney

1.08 RB Joseph Addai

1.09 RB Willie Parker

1.1 RB Brian Westbrook

1.11 RB Willis McGahee

1.12 RB Ronnie Brown

2.01 QB Peyton Manning

2.02 RB Travis Henry

2.03 RB Clinton Portis

2.04 WR Torry Holt

2.05 RB Edgerrin James

2.06 RB Reggie Bush

 

2.07 RB Cedric Benson*

 

I think you got good value here. Am I the only one who thinks he should be in the 7-10 range?

[DMD]

The two QB ploy looks wierd I suppose if you are not used to best ball, but in this league 18 of the top 25 players were all QBs. That is not lost on all the drafters and the decent ones get taken far more quickly than in a standard league.

 

I won this league 2 years ago thanks in part to having Bulger and Favre.

[DMD]

 

 

2.07 RB Cedric Benson*

 

I think you got good value here. Am I the only one who thinks he should be in the 7-10 range?

 

 

I am still trying to get comfortable with what I think about Benson this year. CHI has one of the softest rushing schedules which figured in for me. Benson has always been a very heavy workload back that was wildly productive before his CHI holdout blunder. The line is good. If Benson can play to the form that his pre-NFL history indicates, then he could be a top 5. But you can never be sure about a player taking the full load for the first time, regardless who it is. That risk to me makes him a more suitable #2 RB for a team, but one that could step up.

[rattsass]

I am still trying to get comfortable with what I think about Benson this year. CHI has one of the softest rushing schedules which figured in for me. Benson has always been a very heavy workload back that was wildly productive before his CHI holdout blunder. The line is good. If Benson can play to the form that his pre-NFL history indicates, then he could be a top 5. But you can never be sure about a player taking the full load for the first time, regardless who it is. That risk to me makes him a more suitable #2 RB for a team, but one that could step up.

 

 

Yeah, Benson could be a nice surprise......or a nightmare. At 2:07 the price was fair enough for his potential. Could be rock solid.

[Wolverines Fan]

 

1.03 RB Larry Johnson

 

 

 

I like LJ, but I'm starting to worry about the team around him. The O-line has lost three starters (I think) from the group that helped him put up big numbers two years ago. Will Green be the QB on opening day?

 

 

1.07 RB Laurence Maroney

 

 

 

Do we have any guarantee that Maroney will get the goal line carries that Dillon got last season?

[broncosn05]

Amazing fall for Caddy. thehuddle curse!!

[Doc Holliday]

I knew I wanted a QB in the 5th, I thought I would get Palmer... then Brees... then Bulger... I took Kitna for fear what could happen behind me.

 

 

I am extremely high on Bulger this year.I think he has his best season. Kitna is solid though.only thing that can keep him from being a top fantasy QB IMO is injury(not that he is injury prone).

 

1.04 RB Frank Gore

1.05 RB Shaun Alexander

1.06 RB Rudi Johnson*

1.07 RB Laurence Maroney

1.08 RB Joseph Addai

1.09 RB Willie Parker

1.1 RB Brian Westbrook

1.11 RB Willis McGahee

1.12 RB Ronnie Brown

2.01 QB Peyton Manning

2.02 RB Travis Henry

2.03 RB Clinton Portis

2.04 WR Torry Holt

2.05 RB Edgerrin James

2.06 RB Reggie Bush

 

2.07 RB Cedric Benson*

 

I think you got good value here. Am I the only one who thinks he should be in the 7-10 range?

 

 

I think he was a excellent pick right there.not sure about the 7-10 range...but if not in that group real close to it.

 

The two QB ploy looks wierd I suppose if you are not used to best ball, but in this league 18 of the top 25 players were all QBs. That is not lost on all the drafters and the decent ones get taken far more quickly than in a standard league.

 

I won this league 2 years ago thanks in part to having Bulger and Favre.

 

 

I always like to draft my QB's back to back in the mid rounds. nothing like having 2 solid starters who you can rotate depending on the matchup.

 

Amazing fall for Caddy. thehuddle curse!!

 

 

I think Caddy has a bounce back year this season.

[Randall]

Colston still going before Javon Walker. I don't see it based on just 1 year's results. Not yet.

 

7.11 WR Terry Glenn

 

Driver before Boldin?

Edited May 13, 2007 by Randall

[broncosn05]

I think Caddy has a bounce back year this season.

 

I disagree nothing done to help him and Pittman/Alstott still around. Caddy looks like a bust this year again.

 

Driver before Boldin?

 

Yeah Boldin's slide got me too.

 

**cj

Edited May 13, 2007 by broncosn05

[Randall]

I like LJ, but I'm starting to worry about the team around him. The O-line has lost three starters (I think) from the group that helped him put up big numbers two years ago. Will Green be the QB on opening day?

Do we have any guarantee that Maroney will get the goal line carries that Dillon got last season?

 

 

 

Green has said no.

[Ursa Majoris]

Westbrook at 1.10? I suppose people think his knees will catch up with him at some point but the guy carried me to a championship in 2006.

[DMD]

The guys that surprised me the most (though in fairness early May drafts are pretty hard to prepare for comprehensively)

 

1.07 Maroney (thought he would last another round)

2.02 Travis Henry (though this may be okay, but with DEN always a risk)

2.03 Clinton Portis (Betts was way too successful and paid a lot for this year)

2.05 James (Figured he would go much sooner)

2.11 Jones-Drew (thought he might go lower, almost took him over Benson)

3.01 Jacobs (figured him on mid-second round or so)

3.04 DeAngelo Williams (based on last year, Williams is not just 5 picks worse than Jones-Drew)

4.04 Peterson (if he looks good in training camp, this may be a steal)

 

I think Westbrook was about right. Last year he had almost twice his normal rushing yards because McNabb was out. Plus there are no reception points in this league scoring.

 

I love looking back at this draft every August.

[yo mama]

I thought the following picks were curious:

 

2.09 RB Deuce McAllister (seems way too early)

3.10 WR Randy Moss (seems way too risky, given the other talent that was available)

3.12 RB Kevin Jones (a high pick for a guy who might not play more half the season, and in a crowed backfield at that)

7.07 RB Tatum Bell (seems like a steal at the RB position this far in, IMO)

Edited May 13, 2007 by yo mama

[Ursa Majoris]

I think Westbrook was about right. Last year he had almost twice his normal rushing yards because McNabb was out. Plus there are no reception points in this league scoring.

 

 

Forgot about the lack of PPR.

[Doc Holliday]

Colston still going before Javon Walker. I don't see it based on just 1 year's results. Not yet.

 

 

Yeah , I don't see this either. but I kind of expect Colston to go to high in every draft.

 

I disagree nothing done to help him and Pittman/Alstott still around. Caddy looks like a bust this year again.

 

 

 

Schedule brother...schedule.

[BeeR]

Noticed that you used your 5th AND 6th pick on QB's???

One of the advantages of the "best ball leagues" is that you can take some lower tier QB's later and still benefit from their stats when they have their occasional big games.

 

What was the thinking here?

 

It amazes me how often people think like this. ie why do you assume that the lesser QB will have that big game the exact same week your top QB is off (one way or the other)? The weaker that QB2 is, the worse the odds are that he will cover for you.

 

I agree w/a solid backup QB, even in normal league formats (esp if you buy into the "you can get a good enough QB late" bit). DMD chose wisely here IMO.

[BeeR]

Colston still going before Javon Walker. I don't see it based on just 1 year's results. Not yet.

 

7.11 WR Terry Glenn

 

Driver before Boldin?

 

Agree on all counts.

 

Disagree that Caddy was over-valued; I don't see enough improvement on their O to expect much and he REALLY sucked time and again last year.

 

 

I am still trying to get comfortable with what I think about Benson this year. CHI has one of the softest rushing schedules which figured in for me. Benson has always been a very heavy workload back that was wildly productive before his CHI holdout blunder. The line is good. If Benson can play to the form that his pre-NFL history indicates, then he could be a top 5. But you can never be sure about a player taking the full load for the first time, regardless who it is. That risk to me makes him a more suitable #2 RB for a team, but one that could step up.

 

He showed just enough late last year (finally) to have hope, but he's still sucked more than he's done well and overall he is a big risk IMO; I don't see him being elite. But yeah given the system and knowing he'll get plenty of touches, you could do worse for RB2.

 

The guys that surprised me the most (though in fairness early May drafts are pretty hard to prepare for comprehensively)

 

1.07 Maroney (thought he would last another round)

2.02 Travis Henry (though this may be okay, but with DEN always a risk)

 

Agree on Maroney, not Henry. I know trusting Shanny is nuts but that aint some schmuck like Griffith or Bell back there. He will be the man IMO.

[Caveman_Nick]

I think Westbrook was about right. Last year he had almost twice his normal rushing yards because McNabb was out. Plus there are no reception points in this league scoring.

 

 

I think Westbrook is the new Tiki Barber. He will be outperforming his ADP until people finally jump on the bandwagon...and then it will be too late.

[irish]

I think Westbrook is the new Tiki Barber. He will be outperforming his ADP until people finally jump on the bandwagon...and then it will be too late.

 

 

I love Westy but feel he is way to injury-prone to be the next Barber. If he could stay on the field I'd agree whole-heartedly. However, let him fall to me and I'll grab him up, no doubt!!

Edited May 14, 2007 by irish