First off - Major kudos to all involved for ripping through 32 rounds in about a week. Truly outstanding !

The only two things I need now are thus:

1. The name you want to display with your team in the Handbook. We greatly prefer real names and don't want to use board handles (like last year). I just need to know what name you want associated with your team. You can use your real name or if for any reason you want to use a psudeo...a pseu... a fake name that is fine with me. Or a last name with a first initial is fine as well - whatever you want.

2. I would like to get just one paragraph from each of you how you thought your draft went and any comment about how the strategy went for your draft. I'd like them as soon as you can get them and you can just post them here in this thread. Make them no more than 100 - 150 words. I have to have something by June 1st or I'll just make something up for it. A sample:

Picking from the #12 spot meant having to decide between a great QB/WR or double up with the best pair of RBs I could. I opted for Davis and Barber so I could value pick my QB and WR's. I held off on DEF until the XX round and started out with LB XXXXXXXX. I thought I could hold off on CB's until the XX round but XXXXX went earlier than I figured so I pulled the trigger on XXXX earlier than I wanted. Overall, I think my secondary is weak but has upside with XXXX and my WR's are as good as any in the league. Wish I would have taken XXXXX but XXXXX is almost as good.
Again - great job!

Brent Clement

Starting in the 5 hole, I wanted to get a RB with huge scoring potential, so I chose Priest Holmes. I later snagged Larry Johnson to back him up. Waiting two rounds longer than anyone to draft my first defensive player, gave me solid depth at RB and WR. Michael Strahan was the top scoring DL four of the last five yrs, before tearing a pectoral muscle ending his season in 2004. I was surprised he fell to me in round 14. My favorite picks are, TE Jason Witten, LB Antoine Pierce, and Larry Johnson to back up Priest. The player I wanted most and didn't get was DB Antoine Winfield, making my CB position weaker than I would have liked. But the rest of my defense should pick up the slack. My offense should put up consistent numbers. I'm satisfied with the starters and depth of this team.


148 words

Chris Claflin - Seattle, WA.

I went RB/RB with picks #4 & #21 taking Edge & Jackson. Came back with Barlow & then Gore to fill the rookie requirement and finally snagged Rhodes to handcuff Edge. I took McNabb in the 3rd. & managed to get 3 top 15 WR's in the mid rounds including Stokely in the 14th, and a top 6 TE in Wiggins. I went early on DT and took the clear cut #1 in Kevin Williams in the 7th. seeing as the position is a must start, then lucked out and got Winfield incredibly late to satisfy the CB position. Having both these players are keys to any success I may have, IMO. I put together a set of 3 MLB's in Zach, Bell & Trotter as starters and a above average set of safties featuring Troy Polamalu. My favorite picks are Williams (7th), Stokely (14th) and Winfield (17th). The players I wanted but didn't get are Bob Sanders & Michael Boulware. I really like this squad.

Those are outstanding...

Dan Overton

Drafting tenth can be tricky. You have to wait and see who falls, it could be a top tier WR, or the number one QB, or if those guys are gone a stud RB falls into your lap. Here Deuce fell, then Kevin Jones and Benson had the highest upside when I came up next. Then I moved onto LBs, the most important position on the defensive side of the ball. Ray and Brooks are two of the best. Then I was forced to get some WRs, in the next few rounds. I was lucky to get Fitzgerald and Moulds, to compliment Porter. My favorite pick was Williamson at 13.10, not counting on him to start, so no risk, possible huge reward. My biggest reach was Plummer, I thought there’d be a run on QBs, I was wrong. I’m not alone in thinking I’ve assembled a championship caliber team here.

Rovers- John White

At the 1.3 pick, with RB's Tomlinson and Alexander off the board, I took the unconventional wisdom route and selected Manning. My team's fortunes lie with his ability to throw at least another 40 TD's. I think Martin and Jordan make a good RB pairing, but waited too long on a third RB, taking Branch over Staley in the 9th round. I am one of those that thinks Jordan will be good in Oakland, and at 3.3 was a very nice pick. Waited too long for the Martin/Blaylock handcuff in the 19th round, taking SS Kennedy instead. Burleson could be great, and Calico has big upside at 16.10. MLB's Vilma and Hartwell could be top 5, if not, then top 10, with Washington, Quarles and Cowart providing depth. Value pick: Eric Johnson in the 18.3 slot. Biggest mistake: Drafting 2 kickers with the same bye week. Still, I like the squad and think I can win with it.

Matt Denson - Perchoutofwater

Unconventional best describes my draft. Not happy with the RBs available I took a chance, and grabbed agruably the best QB and best WR with my first two picks. Then I went for rookie RB's. This was a huge gamble, but I believe that Cadillac is the next coming of Charlie Garner, and Arrington should be fine behind that line. I used my 5th and 6th round picks on a top 10 and a top 20 LB. With Mason and Clayton on board, it shoud free up Heap for a huge year. With O Smith's problems, Bennett was a steal in the 7th. Then I focused on DE's, taking two of the best with my next two picks. I'm really happy with my defense, and took huge risks on my offense. If my rookie RB's work out I'm a mad genius, if not I'm just mad.

Drafting out of the 2 hole, I was sure of getting one top flight RB and a top 5 WR with my first three picks. Having Alexander and Holt make for a consistency in those positions, and although Taylor is a risk with his injury, I felt he was too good to pass up as the 19th RB taken. Taking 2 safeties in the next 2 rounds may prove to be my downfall, as I was forced to chase value LB's and never got a stud. Leonard Little as the 9th DE and Dallas Clark as the 7th TE were two picks I was extremely happy with, and the QB combination of Hasselbeck (9.02) and Harrington (21.02) has a ton of upside this year. A very solid WR group to add to the mix may not offset the lack of points I will be getting from the most important defensive position, LB's.

Justin Girouard - rajncajn

Picking in the wrap-around spot I knew right away that I wouldn’t have a shot at the true stud RB. But, with the questions surrounding the top WR’s I decided early to take the two best RB’s available and continue taking the two best players at the highest scoring positions at each turn. The plan worked well for me overall in choosing my starters and allowed me the luxury of having a pair of studs at each major starting position. For my depth players I probably took more risks than many of the other teams, but if some of them pan out I could be a serious contender. Favorite picks were my WR duo at the start & Bruschi very late. Biggest reach was Pennington in the 10th & Graham in the 19th.

Steve Gallo

In IDP drafts running backs AND linebackers are your heart & soul. The plan was to take the BPA in rounds one & two then take two top Linebackers in rounds three & four. This plan was developed to start runs on the defensive side to allow offensive values to drop. Approximately fifteen players(including QBs) will score over 300 points, Bullock and Edwards will be two of them! I was correct in being able to get value picks of: SSmith (5.11), DFoster (6.2) & LColes (8.2). All three could easily end up in the top 10-15 at their respective positions. My strategy continued to allow me to take highly ranked defensive players (Jason Taylor/Rod Coleman & Clements) and take advantage of offensive values. I wanted Carson Palmer but missed out on him. I love my linebackers, Bullock/Edwards & Fletcher are 3 monsters to start every week!

Darin Tietgen

My draft strategy was built around taking Manning at 6 and taking RBs with my next two picks. That strategy was thrown out the window with Manning going third. I opted for the steady Corey Dillon over the likes of Deuce, McGahee and Lewis at 6, thinking the Patriots would again be the cream of the NFL crop and he’d easily match his 1,600+ yards of ’04. I feel that I landed the best TE, DE and CB in the game, and have plenty of depth at RB and LB, the lifeblood of any good IDP team. WRs blend upside/youth with steady vets. I was pleased to get the gunslinger Brett Favre as my QB. He’ll have another solid fantasy season. Overall, my team is nothing flashy but certainly solid across the board.

Jeff Spain

In an IDP League, I am of the firm belief that Running Backs and Linebackers are the teams life blood. Drafting out of the 7th position I knew that I would be able to get 2 and possibly 3 stud rb's. At 1.7 I took Jamal Lewis over Mcallister and then at 2.6 I selected Ahman "Every Other Year" Green over Julius Jones. I was actually set to take my 3rd rb next but when Chris Brown went off the board right in front of me, there just wasnt much value left at rb. So, I took the best available player and a difference maker at his position, Tony Gonzales. My LB corps is solid led my Sharper, Barnett, Dansby, and Holmes. My real value picks were getting Duce Staley at 9.7, Trent Green at 8.6, Joe Horn(the last stud wr) at 4.6 and David Carr at 14.6. I wish I hadnt taken the Whizzinator in round 15, but I bet the Vikings also wish they had never selected him either.

Jules Madden - SteelBunz

Picking 8th, RBs and LBs as the theory goes for IDP drafts. Ended up with a very young/high upside team. Took a chance on McGahee(1.08) and Westbrook(2.05) with their injury histories, so chose rookie Ronnie Brown(3.08)…virtually uncontested in his starting role at Miami. Very happy with our 5 WRs. Nothing flashy, but a pt/rec makes them steady contributors. Bulger is a top 5 QB, but missed 3 games in ‘04. Went a little early with Dan Morgan(6.05), but when healthy, his numbers are easily top 5. DJ Williams (9.08) will be a flat out star and one of our many 2nd yr players/starters on this team. Lehman is solid, Thomas in his 2nd yr at LB should have improved numbers and Johnson(25.08) could surprise. Love our DB corp…just missed adding Winfield, but Coleman, Trufant make a nice 1-2, rotating in the other three. Snagged Schobel(10.05) with most of the top DLs gone. Top tier DLs and TEs are scarce; we took Alge and Schobel quite high, and let the rest fall, building on higher scoring positions.
Mistakes: Haggans was a keystroke error in MFL. Kickers have same bye weeks..not worried about that. Favorite picks: Alge(8.05), DJ Williams, and McCareins(18.05). With OC Heimerdinger coming over from the Titans, Justin should have a surprisingly good year.

*As an aside....Marauders started out partnering this team, but had 3 days of family obligations in the middle of the draft. I thought his 10 yrs experience in IDP would be valuable for handbook purposes and it was. I'd like to thank him for helping out.

Drafting first puts one in great position to get two great wrs (Chad Johnson and Marvin Harrisson) to group with Tomlinson and a pair of high upside but non-sure-thing rbs at the turn.

On the IDP front, some might question taking Urlacher AND Briggs, but Chicago's offensive ineptitude leaves plenty of tackles to go around. Briggs' scoring was roughly equivalent with or without Urlacher. Andra Davis before being injured was on pace to finish as the #17 LB.

In this unusual format, requiring CBs and DTs, getting a stud at each position provides a nice bonus. I was pleased that Dunta Robinson fell. I was hoping to nab Cornelius Griffin or John Henderson, but didn't want to reach for them. Gragg, (7th last year and 1st in 2003) was a nice consolation prize. Generally, DE, CB, and S are fairly easily replaceable. I waited on them until after some offensive depth and scarcer IDPs were acquired. That being said, Unmenyiora could improve on his torrid close to the season with Strahan absorbing double teams. At S, Boulware is a stud, and Earl was great value late on a Texans team with inexperienced LB'ers and a defense that may be on the field a good amount.

Best IDP Values: Robisnson and Umenyiora

Worst IDP Values: Briggs (LB'ers not much worse lasted several rounds longer.)

Thanks LG (I had to edit it down somewhat to fit but kept everything you were saying).

And a big kudo to all of you for a great job!

These are the writeups from last yr