Ah, yes – another draft recap piece. Every fantasy site out there has several of these kinds of articles up, but this one will be offered in the context of our respective fantasy community’s scoring system and roster parameters. So, perhaps it will benefit you more than the generic, “I’m a fantasy expert because I went to journalism school and no one else in my office even know what fantasy football is” kind of reviews. I am tired of reading the incessant ramblings of some of the self-proclaimed “experts” out there after they draft a team with their expert friends. I am tired of reading about how LeGarrette Blount is a “breakout” candidate. The man racked up 1,000 yards last season – WE’RE AWARE OF HIS ABILITIES.
I am not an expert. I have been playing the fantasy sports games for over 10 years now; I’ve had great teams and terrible teams. I finished 3rd in the Elite Football League last year. I had Arian Foster on my radar last year BEFORE Ben Tate even went down… But I also thought Kevin Smith in Detroit would rack up about 800 yards and 40 receptions last year, so I won’t even pretend that I know everything.
In an effort to do something different with a draft recap article, I’d like to try a pick-by-pick analysis of the first ten rounds instead of just highlighting two picks per round and rushing through some useless babble about how smart I think I am for picking players that have already proven their mettle. From round 11 – on I’ll just pick the best and worst picks. At the end, I will dub a winner and a loser of the draft.
Here we go (my picks have the ** by the number):
Round: 1
(1) Corporal Punishers – Aaron Rodgers QB (so right away Punishers takes the top QB off the board. In most other leagues, the first pick seems to trend between one of the top 4 or 5 RBs out there, but in a league where you can start two QBs, Rodgers going with the first pick makes sense to me. For one, he is the best Quarterback in football – be it fantasy or real-world. Secondly, he won’t be on the board at the end of round two, so if the guy with the first pick really wants Aaron Rodgers then he should take Aaron Rodgers where he can reasonably get him. Thirdly, the internal debate over which RB to take first in a PPR league can be maddening, especially given the Arian Foster hamstring / CJ2K hold-out issues. Good pick.)
(2) Cardiac Cats – Adrian Peterson RB (Best running back in football goes at #2, though Cardiac Cats was one of three teams on autopick for the duration of the draft. I hope he got his guy, but it’s hard to go wrong with a guy that has all the tools (plus all the opportunity) to produce. I expect Peterson to get more involved in the passing game this year, which makes him hands-down my top pick at the position.)
(3) Gang Green – Arian Foster RB (Arian Foster was a fantasy deity last year, and I fully expect him to maintain a top-5 RB status in 2011. Take a look at Houston’s schedule for the second half of the year – fantasy playoff time – and you’ll see that whoever is at RB might win you a championship. For now, that’s Foster.)
(4) Corys Crew – LeSean McCoy RB (This pick really caught me off guard. It makes sense to me because it’s PPR format, but I just don’t feel that ‘wow’ factor when I watch McCoy play. I consider football very intuitive, so I try to go with my gut a lot. His involvement in the passing game makes him a very attractive pick, but I just wouldn’t pull the trigger on McCoy this early in the draft where he would conceivably be my #1 RB, and depending on how the next two rounds break – he might be my only RB taken in the first three rounds. I’m an Eagles skeptic this year because I’m not sold on this ‘dream team’ stuff. Plus, the addition of Ronnie Brown helped me tempered my expectations of McCoy’s workload in 2011.)
** (5) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Ray Rice RB (my plan going in was to take Calvin Johnson at number 5. Good thing Rice fell – I didn’t think he would fall to me. And, as you will see later, I still landed my top-two WR’s for 2011 in Johnson and Vincent Jackson in later rounds. I think that Ray Rice is an exceptional play in a PPR league, and I feel extremely comfortable taking him as my first RB. My main concern with Rice is the workload from previous years, but he seems to get better as the season progresses rather than wearing down. I hope that trend continues.)
(6) THE VOODOO – Jamaal Charles RB (I took Jamaal Charles last year, but I don’t want him this year. Thomas Jones is still around to steal the goal-line work, Matt Cassel is still unimpressive, and the Chiefs’ 2011 schedule is a lot tougher than the 2010 schedule.)
(7) Impregnable Priapismics – Drew Brees QB (Drew Brees is arguably the second-best QB in the league, but I don’t know if I take him this soon unless I’m plotting a dynamite two-QB roster alignment each week. As we will see later, the Impregnable had just such a plan.)
(8) Hot Sauce – Chris Johnson RB (CJ2K at #8 is highway robbery… Unless he is still sitting at home on the couch. I don’t know what to do with this one, and neither did the rest of the league. Hot Sauce was on autopick. I wonder if he would have picked Johnson otherwise. My guess is no, because everyone realizes the potential harm this situation could cause your chances to compete. Look at Vincent Jackson last season. If you use a first round pick on Johnson, you then have ensure you get the handcuff just in case this hold out extends into the season. And just which guy is the handcuff? Ringer or Harper? I would have to take both. That would mean 3 picks for one spot – the RB on a Titans team that might not be as good as advertised.)
(9) Texas Thunder – Maurice Jones-Drew RB (pocket Hercules is a mini-beast with beastly beast statistical beastitude. – BUT – I would have waited on this pick, because he might have been there on the way back. I think that Thunder was the other team besides Cats and Sauce that was on autopick. MJD is the unchallenged every-down back on the Jaguars – which is good, however, he plays on the Jaguars – which is bad.)
(10) Team Stroup – Michael Vick QB (No way, no how would I take Vick with my first pick. Yeah, he is a fantasy bonus in our scoring system because he gets a point for every 10 rushing yards, and you can start two QBs. As I said earlier, I’m not buying the Eagles this year. I don’t know what’s going on with DeSean Jackson. Jeremy Maclin has cancer? What? Their O-line really scares me too if I’m a Vick owner because he will be running for his life – backwards – a lot more than a short man should in the NFL.)
(11) Bonneau Rattlers – Andre Johnson WR (yes, he should have, and yes – he did. Best WR in football. I personally prefer Calvin Johnson over Andre, but that’s only because Calvin is younger and has the better QB. Yeah I said it.)
(12) Collyn B’Jammin – Roddy White WR (Second best WR in football. The only reason I wouldn’t is because I prefer bigger receivers – 6’3” and taller. No one argue against the skills this man has though, being the NFL – leading receiver on a team with no other passing options. He is just so so SO smooth, and his chemistry with Matt Ryan insures his relevance for the foreseeable future.)
Round: 2
(13) Collyn B’Jammin – Rashard Mendenhall RB (I like Mendenhall, but I think in a PPR league the better choice would have been another tier-1 WR… or maybe a dynamic runner like McFadden. I don’t think it’s a big enough miss that Collyn is going to have buyer’s remorse after the season though.)
(14) Bonneau Rattlers – Michael Turner RB (Way too high. He could have locked down an unstoppable WR tandem here, but chose a 2-down RB that has seen his best and fastest days.)
(15) Team Stroup – Tom Brady QB (proven fantasy stud. The end.)
(16) Texas Thunder – Greg Jennings WR (I would rank Nicks, Fitz, and Calvin above Jennings, but this isn’t a bad pick at all – especially for an autopick team)
(17) Hot Sauce – Frank Gore RB (Luckily, Gore just worked out his contract dispute. Autopick didn’t totally doom Hot Sauce’s chances. He should try to trade this guy though. Gore 2011 is not Gore 2006, and San Francisco is just terrible. They are dreadful – awful. They might beat Seattle though…)
(18) Impregnable Priapismics – Larry Fitzgerald WR (oh, the swoon-fest over the Kolb Fitzgerald dynasty is in full effect. I will temper my expectations because I’m still a little wary of Kolb. It will be better than last year though, and Fitzgerald should get around 100 catches and over 1,000 yards. Good pick, especially at 18.)
(19) THE VOODOO – Philip Rivers QB (VOODOO seemed intent on bucking consensus opinions by taking Charles over CJ2K and again with Rivers over Manning. I like Rivers a lot, but with Calvin Johnson and Hakeem Nicks still available, I might have gone receiver here to complement the first round choice of a overrated Jamaal Charles. I saw QB as the deepest position this year, and vowed not to buy one until I had some solid RBs and WRs. VOODOO obviously had a two-QB plan as we will see later. The Manning neck injury might have swayed him to Rivers for his first QB.)
** (20) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Calvin Johnson WR (I celebrated when Megatron landed in my lap at #20. I’m banking on 16 games of Stafford – Johnson. I think that Johnson will be highest scoring WR in fantasy this year.)
(21) Corys Crew – Peyton Manning QB (great deal in this league if the neck injury is a non-issue and he plays all 16 games and does his thing.)
(22) Gang Green – Hakeem Nicks WR (This is a very good deal. This guy is an extremely special talent. He should finish in the top three WR in fantasy scoring. I actually expect him to lead the NFL in receptions this year. I’m thinking 120-130 range. The Giants might be playing from behind a lot.)
(23) Cardiac Cats – Steven Jackson RB (autopick. This might be Steven Jackson’s last year of fantasy relevance before round 8 of drafts. He should still contribute, and if he’s still involved in the passing game then this could turn out to be an autosteal.)
(24) Corporal Punishers – Darren McFadden RB (man, do I love what this guy can do. This looks like a good spot to pick Run-DMC and add him to a team headlined by Rodgers. Punishers could be a tough matchup for the rest of league if McFadden stays healthy.)
Round: 3
(25) Corporal Punishers – Mike Wallace WR (Mike Wallace is developing into a solid producer, but I would have gone with a more consistent #1 option like Wayne or Jackson here. Still, Punishers is sitting pretty with Rodgers McFadden and Wallace after three rounds.)
(26) Cardiac Cats – Peyton Hillis RB (Because Hillis came out of nowhere and wore down late last season, a lot of owners stayed their hands in drafts. Cats was on autopick, and I wonder how early Hillis would have gone had every owner been at the draft. Cats already had Adrian Peterson and Steven Jackson, so essentially Hillis amounts to future trade bait… if anyone’s buying. I might – he actually caught A LOT of passes last year, even in the final weeks when he had “worn down.”)
(27) Gang Green – Reggie Wayne WR (probably the most consistent WR over the past few years. I think he still has a year or two left in him. Good pick. This looks like a really good team so far with Foster, Nicks and Wayne.)
(28) Corys Crew – Matt Schaub QB (I get it, but no. Something just didn’t look right with Schaub last year in a couple of games that I saw. I couldn’t place it… Eh, call it a hunch. He will have some really bad games this year. Crew had just selected Peyton with his 2nd round pick, so this is all the more puzzling given the depth at the position.)
** (29) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Vincent Jackson WR (I found myself celebrating again when Jackson fell to me. I was targeting Felix Jones, but I couldn’t resist taking another big, dominant receiver who is still in his prime. This pick gave me a WR tandem of Calvin Johnson and Vincent Jackson. I may be biased, but that just looks intimidating on a roster.)
(30) THE VOODOO – Ahmad Bradshaw RB (I don’t like this pick. Look at all the names that come after this one. VOODOO could have gone a lot of different ways here, and he opted for a tier-3 RB on team that is trending downward.)
(31) Impregnable Priapismics – Tony Romo QB (Impregnable adds the forces of Tony Romo to a roster featuring Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald. He should have grabbed a RB, but Romo is a solid QB#2, considering he is the lone starter on probably the majority of fantasy teams.)
(32) Hot Sauce – Matt Forte RB (Like Cats, Sauce finds himself sporting 3 RBs after the first 3 rounds. I think Forte is a decent catch at 32 because of his involvement in the passing game. Marion Barber’s arrival is an interesting wrinkle, and I’m not exactly sure what it might mean for Forte yet.)
(33) Texas Thunder – DeAngelo Williams RB (elite level ball carrier stuck in a terrible offense. Two years ago the trio of MJD, Jennings, and Williams would look really strong, but for 2011 it just looks pretty good.)
(34) Team Stroup – DeSean Jackson WR (This pick could prove to be a steal. Jackson is too unpredictable for my taste in WR’s, but you can’t argue with his talent. He will have a lot of opportunities to shine next year as well.)
(35) Bonneau Rattlers – Ben Roethlisberger QB (Roethlisberger is an excellent QB and underrated in fantasy, but I personally wouldn’t let this guy anywhere near anything I own. The Rattlers are shaping up into a decent squad with Big Ben at QB, Andre at WR, and the sledgehammer formerly known as “the burner” at RB.)
(36) Collyn B’Jammin – Matt Ryan QB (Collyn is double-dipping on Roddy White and Atlanta’s passing game by adding Ryan. I think this is too early to take the Atlanta QB though.)
Round: 4
(37) Collyn B’Jammin – Shonn Greene RB (Collyn is apparently a fan of powerful RB’s – with the tandem of Mendenhall and Greene. I like that RB tandem. These guys are young, strong, and fixtures in their respective offenses. Good pick.)
(38) Bonneau Rattlers – Miles Austin WR (Bonneau makes a smart pick here by taking Austin as his 2nd WR. He has a nice duo at the position with Austin and Andre Johnson.)
(39) Team Stroup – LeGarrette Blount RB (This pick and one just a few spots after it tie for my “steals” of this draft. Blount will be a bigger factor in the passing game in 2011, and he is going to put up top-10 stats, if not better. Stroup is looking strong with two fantasy star QBs and two young and promising skill position players.)
(40) Texas Thunder – Dez Bryant WR (enormous talent. I am very interested in seeing what Bryant can do with a full season, free of injuries and off-field issues… I just prefer to see it on someone else’s team. For Thunder, this is a good pick to add to his roster with two solid RBs and Jennings as his first receiver.)
(41) Hot Sauce – Antonio Gates TE (no way am I taking a TE this early. There are a lot of young guys who could break out this year. Autopick gave Sauce a TE after giving him 3 straight RB picks. Not good.)
(42) Impregnable Priapismics – Felix Jones RB (Steal of the draft. I cursed loudly when I saw that Felix got snagged two picks before me. I had targeted him in the third round because I really believe he will put up top-5 stats for RBs in PPR this year, but I took Vincent Jackson instead. Now, the spoils of Felix Jones unleashed will go to Impregnable. What I like about Jones is his speed and pass-catching ability out of the backfield. He has looked superb this preseason, and it’s not a fluke. I live in the south and love SEC football, and I remember watching him at Arkansas and thinking to myself that he might be better than McFadden. I also love talented RB’s who average less than 15 carries per game the year prior to becoming the every-down featured back. He hasn’t been overused. This pick alone shoots this team up my list in the early stages of the draft. With Fitzgerald and two solid QBs, Jones really pushes this team into championship contender at this point… It’s still early.)
(43) THE VOODOO – Josh Freeman QB (I don’t like this pick. With Rivers, Charles, and Bradshaw on the roster, VOODOO probably should have gone WR here. I have learned over the years that if you go too light in either WR or RB in the first 5 rounds you wind up trying to play catch up for the rest of your draft; you miss out on a lot of opportunities at other positions later.)
** (44) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Knowshon Moreno RB (I was thinking QB at round 4 originally. Then Felix almost fell to me, then he quickly fell before me. I surveyed the landscape again, and the pick before me confirmed it: everyone was going QB-heavy. I had a little time, so I decided to add a RB. Moreno gives me a receiving RB who is the featured back – I’m not worried about McGahee at all – and he says that he is in his best shape ever. As a Georgia fan and resident of the Athens area, Moreno is a favorite of mine. His athleticism is unquestioned, and I’ve been reading about Moreno running with more power and speed in training. We will see.)
(45) Corys Crew – Dallas Clark TE (Good pick if you want a TE this early. For a team with 2 QB’s and no WR’s this struck me as an odd choice. I would have taken Brandon Marshall here.)
(46) Gang Green – Jahvid Best RB (I made the mistake of owning Best last year. If healthy, pick 46 is good value for a shifty, home run threat like Best. What will likely happen is that he doesn’t really do much and he ends up retiring in a year or two. Extremely talented player, but the whole concussion issue is worrisome. He isn’t going to take a chance on becoming a vegetable, so expect him to take breaks often or even sit out games in the interest of safety. You can’t predict this stuff, and for fantasy purposes I would leave him on the shelf. I hope he does well in the weeks I’m not playing Green though, because he is exciting to watch.)
(47) Cardiac Cats – Dwayne Bowe WR (yay, autopick! Brandon Marshall is still on the board. Matt Cassel looks awful. Dwayne Bowe can’t throw it to himself.)
(48) Corporal Punishers – Beanie Wells RB (good pick here. Beanie Wells isn’t getting much love this year. I didn’t like him at all until the Cardinals added a decent QB. The existence of a passing game in Arizona will help give Wells some room.)
Round: 5
(49) Corporal Punishers – Percy Harvin WR (Punishers adds another speedy receiver to his lineup with Harvin. It will be interesting to see how the Minnesota offense shapes up as the season goes with Berrian and Jenkins projected to start outside, with Harvin filling the slot. I think that if a slot WR was the target with this pick, then Welker would have to be the choice… BUT BRANDON MARSHALL IS STILL AVAILABLE!!!!)
(50) Cardiac Cats – Mike Williams WR (He’s a good receiver, but we will see if he can do it again. I know the “sophomore slump” is cliché, but I can’t help thinking that when it comes to this entire offense, Blount excluded.)
(51) Gang Green – Joe Flacco QB (this guy is a good QB, and Green needed one on his team. I don’t see Flacco putting up numbers that will be much different from last year. The important thing is that I don’t see how Flacco could regress. This is a very good low-to-no risk pick.)
(52) Corys Crew – Wes Welker WR (Wes Welker is no longer a secret. He should be a big part of New England’s offense again. BUT – I don’t understand this pick. Welker was the first WR taken by Crew, and Brandon Marshall was still available at the time. I would have taken a young, dominant receiver over an aging slot receiver who is spending more and more time on injury reports…)
** (53) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Matthew Stafford QB (and with all my harping on Brandon Marshall, I end up taking a QB who hasn’t played a full season yet. I felt the pressure of my lack of a QB, coupled with the fact that I think Stafford is capable of top-10 production, and I grabbed him when I felt like it couldn’t wait any longer. I’ll get double the points when he finds Calvin in the end zone, and I think that could happen 10 times this year.)
(54) THE VOODOO – Jeremy Maclin WR (I am staying away from players with mystery diseases or cancer or whatever this poor guy supposedly has.)
(55) Impregnable Priapismics – Brandon Marshall WR (imagine a top-10 WR going in the 5th round… Because that just happened here. Impregnable just got a steal. Big time. He just won in round 4 with Felix Jones, and now he adds Marshall alongside Fitzgerald at WR. I’m not looking forward to playing this team unless it’s week five – Romo, Jones, and Marshall all have a bye that week…)
(56) Hot Sauce – Marques Colston WR (autodraft selects an injured player who might be running out of fantasy relevance. This is a good value if he gets healthy soon and is back out there catching touchdowns for the rest of the season.)
(57) Texas Thunder – BenJarvus Green-Ellis RB (Thunder adds another RB to make a nice MJD, Williams, BJGE trio at the position. I would have taken a QB here. Thunder had yet to pick a QB, and the potential fantasy production of the remaining QBs is arguably a lot greater than that of Mr. Green-Ellis… That’s autopick for you.)
(58) Team Stroup – Ryan Mathews RB (the world quickly forgot about Ryan Matthews after a disappointing year in 2010. I like him as a bounce-back candidate, and Stroup could have gone WR or RB here. With this pick his backfield shapes up to being pretty solid with Blount and Matthews.)
(59) Bonneau Rattlers – Brandon Lloyd WR (Last year, Lloyd led the league in receiving – I think – and here he is, still undrafted until the end of the 5th round. Rattlers adds Lloyd to a receiving corps already featuring Andre Johnson and Miles Austin; lookin’ good.)
(60) Collyn B’Jammin – Kevin Kolb QB (This could be a prove to be a good deal if Kolb takes flight in Arizona. Collyn has a nice QB tandem with Ryan and Kolb. The Kolb pick seems like less of a reach than the Ryan pick.)
Round: 6
(61) Collyn B’Jammin – Jason Witten TE (Collyn secures probably the most reliable TE right now with the selection of Witten. I think all TE’s are overrated, but Witten’s production could be comparable to that of the other players remaining on the board.)
(62) Bonneau Rattlers – Santonio Holmes WR (Holmes is a clutch play-maker who is stuck in an inconsistent situation with the Jets offense. If Sanchez continues to improve his game, I expect to see Holmes benefit the most. Good value at 62 here, even though I’m not sure Rattlers needed another WR.)
(63) Team Stroup – Jermichael Finley TE (Stroup probably should have gone WR here, but if Finley lives up to the hype it won’t matter.)
(64) Texas Thunder – Kenny Britt WR (I am expecting big things from Britt this year, so long as he continues to progress and Hasselbeck stays healthy. Still no QB for this autopick team.)
(65) Hot Sauce – Steve Johnson WR (I wonder how far Johnson would have fallen had all the owners been present. He seems to have garnered the ‘potential bust’ label. I don’t see why he wouldn’t continue to produce in 2011. The Bills will have to throw the ball a lot.)
(66) Impregnable Priapismics – Mario Manningham WR (good pick. I would have taken him had he been there at 68. Impregnable is still looking strong, especially at QB and WR. He could have gone RB here, but Manningham might outscore all the RBs that were left on the board.)
(67) THE VOODOO – Anquan Boldin WR (Boldin is still a good receiver. His second year in Baltimore should be a little better – at least more consistent. With players like Charles, Bradshaw and Maclin on the roster, VOODOO could use a little consistency. Perhaps he gets it with Boldin.)
** (68) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Mark Ingram RB (RB’s were going fast and Ingram looked like the one with the most potential, who gave me a bye-week fill-in for both Rice and Moreno. He has a favorable schedule as well… It’s just up to him to produce. I’m still mixed about it.)
(69) Corys Crew – Tim Hightower RB (I don’t think Hightower gets enough credit. Fumbling issues aside, this guy is just looks like the real deal when he is running the ball. He’s not a bad receiver either. This could end up being a great deal if Hightower hangs on to the ball. This was a really good pick by Crew, as he had only one RB, and after Hightower, he ran the risk of being stuck with a Cedric Benson or Joe Addai.)
(70) Gang Green – Eli Manning QB (Eli Manning won a Superbowl. Sure, he’s inconsistent, but this is a good pick for Green. After six rounds he had 2 solid QB’s, 2 solid WR’s and Arian Foster. If Jahvid Best proves me wrong this will be a good team.)
(71) Cardiac Cats – Austin Collie WR (Autodraft strikes again. See Best and my reluctance to take a chance on “could-be-great” players with concussion histories.
(72) Corporal Punishers – Sam Bradford QB (Punishers continues to be one of the major players in the draft with this selection. Bradford is a good QB. If he continues to improve he will soon be a great QB. As long as Bradford doesn’t regress, this pick is in the least a great back-up for Rodgers.)
Round: 7
(73) Corporal Punishers – A.J. Green WR (It might have been a little early to take a rookie WR who will play with a rookie QB on a team that won’t be able to run the ball, but you have to take players like Green when you want them. Punishers wanted him at 73. I wish Green was still at Georgia, but I sure don’t blame him for leaving. He is going to have some huge games this year. The only problem is knowing when those games will come.)
(74) Cardiac Cats – Jonathan Stewart RB (Autopick strikes again.)
(75) Gang Green – Jay Cutler QB (Green seems to be a little overzealous with 3 QB picks in 3 consecutive rounds, but I think Cutler is a good value pick here. Jay Cutler has the talent to be the best QB in the NFL. If the intangibles improve, I think Cutler could put up some great numbers. In fact, I am kind of banking on a bounce-back year from him. He doesn’t have Brandon Marshall anymore, but with a full season in the Martz offense under his belt we should see some improvement right away in 2011.)
(76) Corys Crew – Daniel Thomas RB (Daniel Thomas was the only bright spot for Kansas State during his tenure there. The Dolphins seem intent on starting Reggie Bush, so it just depends on how long the coaches plan on trying to make Bush work as an every down back before Thomas gets the opportunity to carry the ball. I would have gone with one of the few remaining starters before Thomas, but Crew could afford this risk as his backfield was already set with McCoy and Hightower.)
** (77) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Vernon Davis TE (this was very much an impulsive pick. I didn’t want Vernon Davis, but when I looked at all the options out there I felt that this would be a good investment. He is an extremely talented player, and the team will need to use him often if they want to compete. I’m banking on the 49ers figuring something out at the QB position. I hope I don’t regret this pick.)
(78) THE VOODOO – Santana Moss WR (not a bad pick by VOODOO here. Moss continues to produce, even despite his lack of size and increasing age.)
(79) Impregnable Priapismics – Owen Daniels TE (This guy just kept winning with Daniels in the 7th round. As much as I dislike the TE position in fantasy, I have to acknowledge that Daniels is one of the better choices out there. Impregnable still needed to fill one of his RB spots, but this was his first TE selection. This team looks pretty good.)
(80) Hot Sauce – Sidney Rice WR (autopick strikes again.)
(81) Texas Thunder – Cedric Benson RB (autopick strikes again.)
(82) Team Stroup – Pierre Garcon WR (Stroup is solid at RB and QB, so he went WR here. I think Garcon is a good pick here. The only downside with Garcon is consistency. This was a good pick for Stroup here because he was addressing a need with the best available at the position.)
(83) Bonneau Rattlers – Ryan Grant RB (will Grant bounce back this year? Rattlers hopes so. There were only about 4 starting RB’s left at this point, and it’s pretty much a crapshoot as far as which one would be worth owning. Rattler’s needed a second RB, and I think Grant was a decent choice.)
(84) Collyn B’Jammin – Steelers D/ST D/ST (Defenses and kickers should be drafted last. The Steelers D/ST still might be the best in the league, but the defense is getting old.)
Round: 8
(85) Collyn B’Jammin – Robert Meachem WR (I like Meachem this year, and Collyn needed another WR. With or without Colston, I expect to see more Meachem – Brees hookups in 2011.)
(86) Bonneau Rattlers – Matt Cassel QB (Rattlers could have snatched up another RB, but chose to go with a QB that isn’t relevant.)
(87) Team Stroup – Marshawn Lynch RB (Seattle looks like a mess. Lynch looked awesome on that game-sealing run at the end of the game against the Saints last year, but that was it. I don’t know if it’s Lynch or the O-line, but I would have passed on him here and grabbed either Jackson, Addai, or a top-end handcuff if I really wanted a RB.)
(88) Texas Thunder – Fred Jackson RB (autopick gives Thunder an underrated RB in Jackson. I think we’ve seen all that Spiller has to offer. The RB to own in Buffalo is Jackson.)
(89) Hot Sauce – James Starks RB (autopick strikes again.)
(90) Impregnable Priapismics – Joseph Addai RB (Impregnable’s opportunistic approach and patience pay off late with Addai. I really wouldn’t want him on my team, but for a team in need of a RB, this is a pretty good pick in the 8th round. We all know he’s in no danger of losing his job to Donald Brown.)
(91) THE VOODOO – Packers D/ST D/ST (Defenses… too early.)
** (92) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Plaxico Burress WR (I needed a 3rd receiver and I figured he was the best one available. The addition of Burress completes my trio of giant receivers. Sure, he’s old and hasn’t played in a while, but I liked what I saw in the 3-catch 60+ yards and a TD preseason performance.)
(93) Corys Crew – Jets D/ST D/ST (wasting picks on Defenses.)
(94) Gang Green – Chad Ochocinco WR (I am afraid that I really think Ocho is going to be a bust in New England. He is on the downward trend in his career. Considering the fact that Green already has Wayne and Nicks, it couldn’t hurt to take a flier on Chad in the 8th round.)
(95) Cardiac Cats – Marcedes Lewis TE (autopick strikes again. Better TEs still on the board.)
(96) Corporal Punishers – C.J. Spiller RB (Punishers was having a pretty good draft, so perhaps he felt like taking a chance on Spiller. The reward could be nice considering the price. I fear he just wasted an 8th round pick.)
Round: 9
(97) Corporal Punishers – Michael Bush RB (Punishers starts the 9th with a very smart pick – Michael Bush. I was planning to take him in a later round, but Punishers beat me to it. Make no mistake about this RB – he would start on a lot of other rosters and produce for fantasy owners. If McFadden misses a few games this year, Punishers will get his money’s worth.)
(98) Cardiac Cats – Pierre Thomas RB (Pierre Thomas is still a viable RB in fantasy, even despite the presence of Mark Ingram. Too bad Cats already had about eleven running backs and no QB’s on his roster. Autopick fail.)
(99) Gang Green – Julio Jones WR (what’s not to like about Julio Jones? Not a bad choice for a 4th WR.)
(100) Corys Crew – Ryan Torain RB (Ugh. Crew just spent 2 picks in the past 3 rounds on Washington RB’s. His only WR at this point was Welker.)
** (101) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Kyle Orton QB (I needed another QB, and Orton was the best candidate to throw for 3,500 yards out of the remainder. I don’t love this pick, but I see Denver playing from behind a lot, and with Lloyd, Thomas, Royal, Decker and Moreno to throw to, he has the opportunity to rack up yards. Orton just looks really terrible every now and then. I waited too long to take a backup QB.)
(102) THE VOODOO – Steve Smith WR (I can’t remember which Steve Smith this was… Either way, it seems like boom or bust.)
(103) Impregnable Priapismics – Danny Amendola WR (I really liked the team Impregnable had put together until this pick. This isn’t bad if you’re hoping for a guy who will get you a steady 8 points per game. There are just so many more playmakers left on the board. He had set himself up pretty nicely up until this pick, and he could have really separated himself from the pack with a riskier pick. I get it though…)
(104) Hot Sauce – Mike Tolbert RB (autopick fail.)
(105) Texas Thunder – Johnny Knox WR (There’s only one Chicago WR I think is worth owning. I’ll explain in a minute…)
(106) Team Stroup – Reggie Bush RB (nice value here, given the PPR scoring system. I don’t think Reggie Bush is going to suddenly become a true RB in Miami, but he still has some value because the team is giving him the opportunity, and he can make a difference catching the ball out of the backfield.)
(107) Bonneau Rattlers – Kellen Winslow TE (with the top-tier TEs taken, I think it’s time to wait for the younger, more promising guys like Pettigrew, Gresham, Graham, Cook, Davis… There were plenty out there, and Rattlers still could have benefitted from another RB.)
(108) Collyn B’Jammin – Lee Evans WR (Will Evans produce with Baltimore? Collyn was willing to find out, and thought it worth a 9th round pick. Evans could conceivably have some big games in 2011.)
Round: 10
(109) Collyn B’Jammin – Willis McGahee RB (continuing his team’s trend of goal-line power backs and speedy receivers, Collyn followed up the selection of Lee Evans with Willis McGahee. I think the 10th round might be a little early, but if Moreno goes down this becomes a steal.)
(110) Bonneau Rattlers – Eagles D/ST D/ST (This Defense is overrated. The special teams has some big-play potential, but the LB corps in Philly is marginal at best. This team will struggle against the run all year.)
(111) Team Stroup – Michael Crabtree WR (This guy could be so good. Apparently Stroup is counting on it. Too bad he has to depend on A- getting healthy and then B- two former run-option QB’s from non-BCS conferences to get him the ball. Think if he was in New England – man, that would be awesome…)
(112) Texas Thunder – Malcom Floyd WR (autopick strikes again. I guess this isn’t a bad pick… I don’t know. I don’t want this guy.)
(113) Hot Sauce – Mike Thomas WR (Sauce might have lucked out with this autopick. I passed over Thomas because of his size and the QB situation in Jacksonville, but the reality is that this guy is pretty talented. Might end up being a very nice pick when it’s all said and done.)
(114) Impregnable Priapismics – Jerome Harrison RB (Impregnable is getting… pregnable with picks like this.)
(115) THE VOODOO – LaDainian Tomlinson RB (solid pick at 115; get a former pro-bowler with some juice still left in the tank that plays for a running team behind a solid O-line. He is also a proven receiver out of the backfield. Good choice here by VOODOO.)
** (116) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Earl Bennett WR (I might be crazy, but I see Earl Bennett having an Isaac Bruce year ala the “greatest show on turf” St. Louis teams that Martz had. Bennett is the most consistent receiver on the team, and the addition of Roy Williams will only hurt Johnny Knox. Bennett is the best route runner of the bunch, and can own the middle of the field. I see him getting 5-10 targets a game from his former college teammate as he dominates the middle of the field, running precise crossing routes. The coaching staff also pledged to get him more involved in 2011, and if the 6-catch, 89 yard preseason performance was any indication, they might be telling the truth.)
(117) Corys Crew – Lance Moore WR (Lance Moore is a pretty good receiver who is overshadowed by the talent around him. Not a bad value pick here at 117.)
(118) Gang Green – Greg Olsen TE (the new O-coordinator in Carolina loves to use TE’s, and the lack of good QB’s might lead to even more TE targets. Olsen is also quite talented, so this is a good pick for a team that had no one at the position yet.)
(119) Cardiac Cats – Brandon Jacobs RB (autopick! Danny Ware looks like he should be the RB in NY, but that’s just me.)
(120) Corporal Punishers – Jacoby Ford WR (I don’t get the hype over this guy. I would plant my flag on Heyward-Bey in 2011, if I HAD to pick a Raiders WR.)
Round: 11
(121) Corporal Punishers – Ryan Fitzpatrick QB (best pick of the round. Not because I think he’s a great QB, but because I think he will get plenty of stats to make fantasy owners happy when their starting QB is on a bye or gets hurt. I mean, what are the Bills going to do – run the ball? Exactly. Punishers could have gone TE here, but there were still plenty on the board.)
(122) Cardiac Cats – Jordy Nelson WR (Worst pick. Last time I checked, he’s still a #4 WR.)
(123) Gang Green – Braylon Edwards WR
(124) Corys Crew – Donald Driver WR
** (125) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Greg Little WR
(126) THE VOODOO – Jimmy Graham TE
(127) Impregnable Priapismics – Davone Bess WR
(128) Hot Sauce – Roy Williams WR
(129) Texas Thunder – Zach Miller TE
(130) Team Stroup – Mark Sanchez QB
(131) Bonneau Rattlers – Danny Woodhead RB
(132) Collyn B’Jammin – Tony Gonzalez TE
Round: 12
(133) Collyn B’Jammin – Ben Tate RB (Best pick. I still think Foster is the better player, but if Foster is hurt, Tate will still produce some great fantasy numbers. Foster has a nagging hammy issue, and the potential value for a starting RB in Houston is great at pick 133.)
(134) Bonneau Rattlers – Nate Kaeding K (worst pick. A kicker in round 12.)
(135) Team Stroup – Hines Ward WR
(136) Texas Thunder – David Garrard QB
(137) Hot Sauce – Ravens D/ST D/ST
(138) Impregnable Priapismics – Darren Sproles RB
(139) THE VOODOO – Donovan McNabb QB
** (140) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Brandon Pettigrew TE
(141) Corys Crew – Ronnie Brown RB
(142) Gang Green – Montario Hardesty RB
(143) Cardiac Cats – James Jones WR
(144) Corporal Punishers – Rob Gronkowski TE
Round: 13
(145) Corporal Punishers – Justin Forsett RB (tied for worst pick. Might as well take a kicker.)
(146) Cardiac Cats – Ricky Williams RB
(147) Gang Green – Jerome Simpson WR
(148) Corys Crew – Jacquizz Rodgers RB
** (149) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Chad Henne QB
(150) THE VOODOO – Rashad Jennings RB
(151) Impregnable Priapismics – Colt McCoy QB
(152) Hot Sauce – Jason Campbell QB
(153) Texas Thunder – Thomas Jones RB (best pick. Great value for the guy who will still score the 3 touchdowns KC will have this year.)
(154) Team Stroup – Patriots D/ST D/ST
(155) Bonneau Rattlers – Roy Helu RB
(156) Collyn B’Jammin – Neil Rackers K (tied for worst pick. Might as well take a bad backup RB on a bad team.)
Round: 14
(157) Collyn B’Jammin – Mike Sims-Walker WR (This is the worst pick of the round that isn’t a kicker. I don’t know what happened to Sims-Walker, but he has fallen off in a big way. Maybe he peaked too soon. It appears that he sits behind marginal receivers like Amendola, Gibson and Avery on the Rams depth chart.)
(158) Bonneau Rattlers – Mike Williams WR
(159) Team Stroup – Chris Cooley TE
(160) Texas Thunder – Bears D/ST D/ST
(161) Hot Sauce – Josh Brown K
(162) Impregnable Priapismics – Falcons D/ST D/ST
(163) THE VOODOO – Jamie Harper RB (best pick. I wanted this one badly, and I couldn’t believe it when VOODOO snatched him from my grasp. Harper is better than Ringer. He’ll get stats if Johnson stays off the field.)
** (164) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Jacoby Jones WR
(165) Corys Crew – Eddie Royal WR
(166) Gang Green – Derrick Ward RB
(167) Cardiac Cats – Saints D/ST D/ST
(168) Corporal Punishers – Giants D/ST D/ST
Round: 15
(169) Corporal Punishers – Jared Cook TE (best pick. Should be a top-10 TE at the end of the year.)
(170) Cardiac Cats – Deion Branch WR
(171) Gang Green – Chargers D/ST D/ST
(172) Corys Crew – Kevin Walter WR
** (173) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Cadillac Williams RB
(174) THE VOODOO – Alex Henery K
(175) Impregnable Priapismics – Emmanuel Sanders WR
(176) Hot Sauce – Rob Bironas K
(177) Texas Thunder – Stephen Gostkowski K
(178) Team Stroup – Tarvaris Jackson QB (worst pick. This needs no explanation.)
(179) Bonneau Rattlers – Garrett Hartley K
(180) Collyn B’Jammin – Antonio Brown WR
Round: 16 (Ugh, all of these picks suck.)
(181) Collyn B’Jammin – Mason Crosby K
(182) Bonneau Rattlers – Matt Hasselbeck QB
(183) Team Stroup – Donald Brown RB
(184) Texas Thunder – Billy Cundiff K
(185) Hot Sauce – Nick Folk K
(186) Impregnable Priapismics – John Beck QB
(187) THE VOODOO – Arrelious Benn WR
** (188) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Dan Carpenter K
(189) Corys Crew – Matt Prater K
(190) Gang Green – Chiefs D/ST D/ST
(191) Cardiac Cats – Adam Vinatieri K
(192) Corporal Punishers – Matt Bryant K
Round: 17
(193) Corporal Punishers – Jordan Shipley WR
(194) Cardiac Cats – Alex Smith QB (worst pick. Not an NFL QB. That has been proven.)
(195) Gang Green – Sebastian Janikowski K
(196) Corys Crew – Kendall Hunter RB
** (197) Danse Macabre Coup De Grace – Browns D/ST D/ST
(198) THE VOODOO – Dustin Keller TE
(199) Impregnable Priapismics – Jay Feely K
(200) Hot Sauce – Derrick Mason WR
(201) Texas Thunder – Anthony Dixon RB
(202) Team Stroup – Ryan Longwell K
(203) Bonneau Rattlers – Lions D/ST D/ST
(204) Collyn B’Jammin – Eric Decker WR (best pick. I think this guy could put up 800 yards this season. That would be phenomenal value at pick 204.)
Winners:
Gang Green: There were some questionable picks like Best and the 3 consecutive QBs, but overall the defending champ is going to contend again in 2011. The receiving corps is the strength, anchored by names like Wayne, Nicks, Ochocinco and Edwards. RB lacks depth, but Foster and Best could be big contributors if healthy.
Impregnable Priapismics: The Impregnable train de-railed in the later rounds, but started off strong enough to earn a spot at the winners table. With Brees and Romo this team sports one of the better QB duos in the league without sacrificing too much at other positions; this WR trio will push Green for the best in the league with Fitzgerald, Marshall and Manningham.
Collyn B’Jammin: This team came out pretty good in the end. The powerful RBs who will definitely get goal-line carries and the speedy receivers make for a dangerous, unpredictable team. It was really the mid-round picks of Lee Evans, McGahee, and Ben Tate that won me over.
Loser:
Hot Sauce: Hopefully he can trade one of those RB’s for a QB and some WR help.
The other two autopick teams didn’t fare too terribly. Despite each team having 20 RB’s and 5 K’s they still have the trade bait to make their team resemble something competitive.
I feel pretty good about my draft, though I had hoped for more RB depth. It’s going to be an interesting year.
Erich F.
