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Workshop: "The Early Rounds" (1 Viewer)

Ministry of Pain

Footballguy
Let's do this.

This is mostly a gut check thread. I am going to go thru the draft and simply give my opinions on where I think folks are making mistakes and where I think you have a chance to stay ahead of the curve or go in a different direction. The beginning of these drafts all play out similar and while perhaps a player is picked here and there ahead or below what some might anticipate, overall I can tell you a lot of WRs fill up rounds 3-4-5-6, I'm gonna go thru these guys because there is some difference in a few of them. Some of these TEs have become very prolific and we'll discuss those as well.

I'm gonna start in Round 1 and make this sort of a workshop of sorts where I probably will discover some ideas just by writing out my thoughts. That's what this is really, my FF diary and I'm going to open it up and share my thoughts. Please feel free to ask questions, and please be excellent :)

Early Round 1:

I think it's pointless to discuss anyone other than Foster, Rice, and McCoy. Even if you want to grab QB there, probably best to try and trade down because most owners want one of these 3 picks. I think Rice is the safest and am not going to discuss this in depth but McCoy should have a dip in TD, Foster lost the right side of his OL and also has Ben Tate pushing for playing time. Rice has no one taking his touches.

1.04-This is the 1st real choice in the draft. I think if you play in 6 pt passing leagues that there are 2-3 QBs that offer security and peace of mind around here. If you play in a TE heavy league where you get 2 PPR for example(I compete in these) then it's possible a guy like Jimmy Graham makes some sense. How about Calvin Johnson at WR? All of these are in play but I would not just take the next RB off the board. These guys I am speaking of feel like almost sure things, can't say that about the next group of RB so I would take the sure points in the 1st round. You have 19 more rounds to find players, take the moment players here and fill in the roster with others later.

QB: I'm going to go on record and say that taking any QB other than Brady at #1 is flawed thinking IMO. I love Rodgers, love Brees, just think when the dust settles that Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are going to take a blowtorch to the rest of the league and they have the most cupcake schedule. Don't be afraid, they run the score up when they can. Let me also point out that I do not believe 2011 is the "Norm" but rather an anomaly with so many QBs posting 5,000 yards. I think things will take a step back. One year in the 90s we had a bunch of WRs with 10-15+ TD and people started penciling in a lot of WRs for 10-12+ TDs and the reality is very very few WRs post double digit TDs each season, look it up. Brady can do no wrong IMO this year. You pair him with possible one of the TE and maybe Lloyd which we'll get to and you are going to be blowing people away on SUndays in the passing department.

WR: Calvin Johnson...not much else needs to be said. He's the clear #1 and unstoppable short of 3-4 defenders around him.

TE: Graham/Gronkowski

Middle to late 1st:

I'm gonna run thru a bunch of RBs that go in this area of the draft. Chris Johnson, Darren McFadden, Matt Forte, DeMarco Murray, MJD...they all are gambles for a lot of reasons. I think Chris Johnson will get going when they figure out the passing game and insert Locker. Until that happens the defenses will crowd the line. McFadden is back form injury, seems streaky to me but I understand why folks want him. I think he is too much risk in the 1st round. Forte is solid but will lose touches to Michael Bush. Murray is the most dangerous pick of any of them. He had a 4 game stretch last year, breaks his ankle, had injury problems in college...let someone else draft this guy, don't be a fool. MJD seems like a long holdout right now. I don't like guys who skip camps and report late, he will not be in game shape for at least a month.

WR: I'm going to go thru about 15-20 WRs in a few moments but I am going to touch on a few more that seem to go in the late 1st to mid 2nd. Julio Jones, AJ Green, Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson. Fitz has issues because of the QB play but he seems safe for at least 80 receptions even if a pop warner standout was chucking the ball to him. Johnson is starting to have injuries creep back into the minds of potential owners. There are so many WRs to choose from, what does Johnson give you edge wise vs the headache or heartbreak possible when he pulls up gimpy? Houston has done him no favors getting a solid WR2 on that squad. The other 2 are 2nd year standouts that are being drafted on their potential rather than what they have actually done. If you want them you have to grab them early and I'm not sure it is a terrible move but I don't think those choices automatically move you to the front either.

QB: Stafford and Cam Newton: These 2 go in the late 1st, mid to late 2nd, many owners feel they are getting the same production from them as they will form Brees, Rodgers, and Brady...I majorly disagree. To me this is where some owners start taking chances they didn't need to. What does Cam Newton give you over Matt Ryan and Eli Manning in 2012? I gotta see it again and then I can move them into the top5 with the other 3 but for now my gut says they are being drafted way too high. I will say in Stafford's defense, it is hard to think they will be able to run with a lot of success, it's possible they chuck it a lot. I want to see Stafford go 2 seasons unscathed as well.

-Right about now half the reading audience is getting red ears and light smoke is protruding from the ear canals...I hate to tell you this but they can't all be great picks. I understand you might have some of these players i am not so high on, the good news is I am not 100% in my forecasts so you can come back and we'll have a good hearty laugh as the season unfolds.

The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Round:

Mostly RB and WRs are going to fill up the next 3-4 rounds with a few QBs and TEs thrown in along the way. I'm going to run thru the names for both WR and RB positions.

2nd, 3rd, 4th round RBs:

Risky coming off injuries: Jamaal Charles, Adrian Peterson, Ryan Mathews(stock is falling further now)...I don't have a major opinion on Peterson other than I don't like RBs coming off ACL injuries, he does seem to be ahead of schedule. I don't think he will be a top5 back, at best maybe top12-15 but that might be enough for some owners. Charles will be sharing the load even if he was 100% healthy. I do like Peyton Hills in a few rounds and will discuss him in depth at a later time. And Mathews, the news gets worse and worse IMO, seems like it could be October perhaps November before the is back 100%. I would not bank on 20 touches a game from him anytime the 1st 4-6 weeks of the season.

Marshawn Lynch: Might be facing a suspension but some writers feel he will not and instead face legal issues after the season and then face Goodell...I think he might miss 2-3 games.

Darren Sproles: Word is he has some soreness in his knee. I think he might have been overused last season and he is not a spring chicken either despite the tread left on his tires. I'm leery of this guy drafted this high.

Steven Jackson: Fisher will run him into the ground by week 8. He's OK but I don't see him ever getting back to his dominating days, best days are behind him.

Rookies: Trent Richardson has already been by to see Dr Andrews...I will pass(Did draft him in the early summer-regretting that now). I like Doug Martin though and am not afraid to take him early and then grab Blount several rounds later and carry both. The Bucs are going to be good at running the ball this year so get used to it.

Fred Jackson, Michael Turner, and Ahmad Bradshaw: You can get Turner later, I snagged him in the 6th recently, but he does seem like he might be getting a few less touches. Jackson is great but you also have Spiller pushing for time, there has to be a limit and I don't think Fred Jackson will be the #1 RB in FF again which he was in the hunt for a while last season. Bradhsaw always seems to get hurt and he has a 1st round rookie lining up next to him or right behind him. I see a decent split of the touches there in New York. I don't think Bradshaw gives you any edge in the 1st 3 rounds of the draft.



2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th round WRs:

These 20+ WRs that all seem to go...I'm gonna run thru them in order of the ADP according to ADP calculator for PPR...some of these you can get beyond the 3rd round so don't have an aneurism on me please. These next 20+ WRs typically get sliced and diced with owners who want strong WRs at all 3 starting spots usually going WR-WR-WR in the 2,3,4 or 3,4,5 rounds. You know you do it so don't deny it :)

Wes Welker...might not catch 100 balls this year, drafted too early for me.

Greg Jennings...battling some injuries and might not be the most talented WR in Green bay right now.

Roddy White...everyone wants Julio, White will provide a solid WR2 for a lot of owners.



Brandon Marshall..Absolutely love him in this bunch, anytime from the middle of the 2nd on go ahead and grab him. I see top5 numbers for him back with Cutler...100-120 receptions.

Victor Cruz...I don't think we see as many dances this year, in fact I see him as folks just relying on 1 year worth of stats.

Hakeem Nicks...the injuries are unsettling but I love his talent.

Jordy Nelson...2011 might not have been a total fluke.

Dez Bryant...Austin is always hurt, Witten could be out a while...3rd year. i know the off the field crap but he had almost 1,000 yds and 9 TDs last year...the expectations have been too high but this year he might have that 1,200/10 season so many are hoping for. Dallas is going 8-8, likely will need to put up some offense playing the AFC North and NFC South on top of their division.

Percy Harvin...I want to like this guy ideally do. The migraines and his small stature make me shy away. Other I like around him better.



Steve Smith...absolutely showed last year what he can do with Cam, love this pick in the 4th round.



Marques Colston...he battled injuries but if you look back he was top 10 the rest of the way once he was playing. He seems like value in the 5th.



Brandon Lloyd...he is startin to move up and I have seen guys taking him a little earlier with each passing week of the preseason.

Mike Wallace...I don't like the holdout and I think the relationship in Pitt will dwindle. Shame really.

Antonio Brown...maybe a little high after past season but I understand owners who are looking for safety. He does his job and keeps his mouth shut.

Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker: Not sold on manning being back 100%. They both will do well but I don't think they will take the FF world by force.

Jeremy Maclin: Had a lot of injuries last year, feel he will showcase himself better this year.

DeSean Jackson: Can be had in the 6th of some leagues. I like him if you have a solid WR1 and WR2 already. He feels like a WR3 with some big upside certain weeks.

Steve Johnson...Solid

Vincent Jackson...New team, running philosophy perhaps might limit his ceiling. New QB to work with.

Dwayne Bowe...Not in camp, not good. Has the potential to be a top10 in this league but is messing that all up right now.

There are going to be more names of guys I like but I'll save it for the middle rounds section or thread. This is a good start. All 12 teams in your league will probably have a 1-2 or a 1-2-3 punch at WR form the 20-25 I have listed. A lot of the WRs are the same but the difference honestly between what many of these guys will score and say WR35 who is starting for another owner...the spread won't be what you wish it was as compared to QB, TE, and a lesser degree RB. If you build your team on 3-4 ball hawking WRs you are going to have problems ripping off the 3 playoff games you need to take him the trophy. December and weather start to limit a few of these guys so my advice is take a couple where you can but don't get so lost in this group you lose sight of the overall objective. I like Smith, LLoyd, and Colston because they are all veterans, all have the trust of their QBs, all of them professional. Brandon Marshall seems like the best bang for the buck after the 1st 3-5 WRs come off the board.



3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th round QB:

Michael Vick: Always risky because of injuries, got hurt int he 1st preseason game. You almost have to draft your QB2 a little quicker than other owners.



Matt Ryan: Could be top3 this year and I mean that. He is a gift in the 4th and later, no crime taking him in the 3rd to lock up the QB position. 4,500 yds, 35 TDs, bank on it.

Tony Romo: Orton will be starting at some point this season. The OLine looks like hell. And Jerry jones is still the General Manager...how many GMs would keep their jobs with JJ's recent track history, I'll hang up and listen.

Peyton Manning: Not buying it just yet



Eli Manning: I do buy into him but not 5,000 yards again.

I'll make a deal with you all, usually team specific questions are for another forum but if you post the scoring rules(please nothing elaborate) and possible draft spot PLUS your thoughts, we can use that and turn this into a working workshop of sorts. Let's try that and see what happens.

Who do you have questions about in the 1st 5-6 rounds before we discuss the middle part of this draft? I highlighted what I felt were some good values inside those early rounds. I hesitated to bold anyone in red, don't want folks getting too jumpy but we know that not all of these guys are going to work out for a variety of reasons.

Cheers :banned:

 
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And you can thank BostonFred, his SP thread on what has happened around here got me so fired up and excited for football that I decided to fire this up in the last hour and hope with all the games on tonight and tomorrow we can get some real discussion flowing in here.

 
Overall, nice job.

However, you knock a lot of the late 1st/2nd/3rd round backs....who DO you like?

 
Outstanding work, really appreciate the time it must have taken you to put all that down. I want to debate you a little on the early picks (I personally think that too many people are too sure about the top 3 RB's, I absolutely advocate taking Brady before McCoy, McCoy lost a lineman, and is likely to have a decreased workload per Reid), but fear getting ripped apart due to my lack of knowledge! All that said, fantastic work, very helpful.

Edit to add - I am drafting 5 in my local. With my ear to the ground, I "know" that Rodgers, Foster, Brees and Rice will be gone. I know most would say McCoy is the obvious pick but harking back to my point above, I want to take Brady. Is the drop-off in talent in your mind too much to make up at RB with a late round 2 selection paired with Brady? or would you advocate going McCoy and following up with Ryan in round 3 perhaps? that would be my dilemma and it should be a lot of people's in the same boat too. Is McCoy that much of a slam-dunk?

 
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Who do you like in the middle/late first and early second?
Great question Rascal...I like anyone of the safe picks that falls. I would snot hesitate to jump on Brady or another Qb if they fall to you, I also like Brandon Marshall after Calvin is off the board. Is it too early? Perhaps but 3 weeks into the season you will look a lot smarter. I don't like hardly any of the RBs after the first 3-4 are off the board. To me I would start implementing what Waldman and many strong posters were kicking around last season and that is go QB/TE/WR early and take RBs in the middle rounds and just take 5 or 6 of them and find 2 that you can live with as the season moves on. You gotta take the points and put them on your team. At worst you have a lot of trade bait to upgrade later on.
 
I like Gronk/Graham over Brady/Brees/Rodgers - I think there's more separation between them and the baseline.

I also think there's a sizable drop off at WR after the top 30 - So I'd make sure to get 3 before the drop off.

Finally - let's get this MOP guy on staff already!!!

 
NE have one of the most difficult SOS against the pass... Yet you said it's cupcake?

I don't disagree that he is top 3 regardless, but cupcake? I don't see it.

Oh wait... am I not supposed to ask legit questions? does it kill my lack of cred?

 
Overall, nice job.However, you knock a lot of the late 1st/2nd/3rd round backs....who DO you like?
Overall, nice job.However, you knock a lot of the late 1st/2nd/3rd round backs....who DO you like?
:goodposting:Not a negative comment, just curious.
You all are right, I hate them all. I don't see anything there that is sure fire a hit. I am in the MBSL right now, we are in the middle of the 4th round, it's up on MFL if you want to take a look. I will be entering the 5th round with no RBs yet and I am OK with that. I'm not going to fall in line and take a RB just because everyone else is grabbing 2 of them inside of 3 rounds...let them have at it and I'll just keep grabbing value. If you must, grab 1 RB and then hammer away at the other spots and don't touch RB again until about round 6 or 7. if the bottom part of the draft would stick to their guns and not take all the RB bait, you push that crap back to the guys on the 2.3 turn and they start taking their RB2 and that pushes a lot of value back again on the 3/4 turn. You need to try and draft out 6 rounds a couple of way s and then ask yourself which team you like better or which plan looks better to you. I feel like Matt Forte should shine with a lot more talent around him and despite maybe a low TD total for him, he should be good for 1500-1800 yards, 50 receptions, 5-6 TD...he's solid. If you must grab one I would lean Forte, just my gut.
 
Who do you like in the middle/late first and early second?
Great question Rascal...I like anyone of the safe picks that falls. I would snot hesitate to jump on Brady or another Qb if they fall to you, I also like Brandon Marshall after Calvin is off the board. Is it too early? Perhaps but 3 weeks into the season you will look a lot smarter. I don't like hardly any of the RBs after the first 3-4 are off the board. To me I would start implementing what Waldman and many strong posters were kicking around last season and that is go QB/TE/WR early and take RBs in the middle rounds and just take 5 or 6 of them and find 2 that you can live with as the season moves on. You gotta take the points and put them on your team. At worst you have a lot of trade bait to upgrade later on.
The problem with taking a shot in the dark on RBs late is twofold. First, you will be pulling your hair out early on figuring out who to start. Second, teams with a top 3RB paired with someone like Jackson or Bradshaw will have a big point advantage over your RB. So unless your QB + WR + RB > their RB + QB + WR (very deep this year) you may have a tough time. I would rather take my chances with McFadden paired with Murray and get WR like Harvin/Brown/Garcon later that may produce the same as WR5-20.
 
NE have one of the most difficult SOS against the pass... Yet you said it's cupcake?I don't disagree that he is top 3 regardless, but cupcake? I don't see it.Oh wait... am I not supposed to ask legit questions? does it kill my lack of cred?
using last year's SOS is flawed. things change fast in the NFL.Also, I expect NE to pass it early n often much like MOP. They will be blow torching the league after the SB loss.
 
Outstanding work, really appreciate the time it must have taken you to put all that down. I want to debate you a little on the early picks (I personally think that too many people are too sure about the top 3 RB's, I absolutely advocate taking Brady before McCoy, McCoy lost a lineman, and is likely to have a decreased workload per Reid), but fear getting ripped apart due to my lack of knowledge! All that said, fantastic work, very helpful.

Edit to add - I am drafting 5 in my local. With my ear to the ground, I "know" that Rodgers, Foster, Brees and Rice will be gone. I know most would say McCoy is the obvious pick but harking back to my point above, I want to take Brady. Is the drop-off in talent in your mind too much to make up at RB with a late round 2 selection paired with Brady? or would you advocate going McCoy and following up with Ryan in round 3 perhaps? that would be my dilemma and it should be a lot of people's in the same boat too. Is McCoy that much of a slam-dunk?
33 minutes...and I'm on board with Brady at any point in the draft. I just don't want to cause a major ripple by acting righteous about it. I just feel he is as safe as they come this year. People think the OL is not good, it's solid at the Tackle spot and even the interior is fine in pass protection. They might not be able to run the ball all that well, that sure does not hurt Brady.
 
I like Gronk/Graham over Brady/Brees/Rodgers - I think there's more separation between them and the baseline.

I also think there's a sizable drop off at WR after the top 30 - So I'd make sure to get 3 before the drop off.

Finally - let's get this MOP guy on staff already!!!
Scott, you couldn't be more right about this. I grabbed Jimmy Graham at the 1.08 of the MBSl1 going on right now 2PPR TEs, it was the steal of the 1st round IMO. The drop from TE1/TE2 down to about TE12 vs WR12 and WR24 and WR36...absolutely what you are saying.

 
NE have one of the most difficult SOS against the pass... Yet you said it's cupcake?I don't disagree that he is top 3 regardless, but cupcake? I don't see it.Oh wait... am I not supposed to ask legit questions? does it kill my lack of cred?
Totally agree. Not sure why people think that schedule is easy. SF, Arizona and Seattle all have average or above average defenses. Plus they play Houston, Baltimore and the NYJ 2X. Not saying that the Pats are gonna get shut down by these guys, but to say that it's "cupcake" is a little out there.
 
NE have one of the most difficult SOS against the pass... Yet you said it's cupcake?I don't disagree that he is top 3 regardless, but cupcake? I don't see it.Oh wait... am I not supposed to ask legit questions? does it kill my lack of cred?
They play Baltimore and San Fran...show me another potential killer on the schedule? Whatever the pass defense of these teams before they play the Pats, I'll bet money the pass yards allowed for all those teams will go up after they face the Pats. I wouldn't fear any defense in the league if I were the Patriots and you shouldn't either.
 
Outstanding work, really appreciate the time it must have taken you to put all that down. I want to debate you a little on the early picks (I personally think that too many people are too sure about the top 3 RB's, I absolutely advocate taking Brady before McCoy, McCoy lost a lineman, and is likely to have a decreased workload per Reid), but fear getting ripped apart due to my lack of knowledge! All that said, fantastic work, very helpful.

Edit to add - I am drafting 5 in my local. With my ear to the ground, I "know" that Rodgers, Foster, Brees and Rice will be gone. I know most would say McCoy is the obvious pick but harking back to my point above, I want to take Brady. Is the drop-off in talent in your mind too much to make up at RB with a late round 2 selection paired with Brady? or would you advocate going McCoy and following up with Ryan in round 3 perhaps? that would be my dilemma and it should be a lot of people's in the same boat too. Is McCoy that much of a slam-dunk?
33 minutes...and I'm on board with Brady at any point in the draft. I just don't want to cause a major ripple by acting righteous about it. I just feel he is as safe as they come this year. People think the OL is not good, it's solid at the Tackle spot and even the interior is fine in pass protection. They might not be able to run the ball all that well, that sure does not hurt Brady.
Given our agreement on Brady and the year he is likely to have, would you take him over McCoy and trust someone like F-jax later? or is it simply you have to take one of the 3 RB's if they are there? My scoring system is 6pth passing td's and it's non-ppr so maybe that skews the scoring enough to take the QB early? That plus my league is a little QB crazy now I think about it. This is not meant to be an AC type question, more to see if anyone else agree that the top 3 RB's shouldn't necessarily always be taken first and a small evaluation of whether you can make up at the position if you pass on one of them.
 
Who do you like in the middle/late first and early second?
Great question Rascal...I like anyone of the safe picks that falls. I would snot hesitate to jump on Brady or another Qb if they fall to you, I also like Brandon Marshall after Calvin is off the board. Is it too early? Perhaps but 3 weeks into the season you will look a lot smarter. I don't like hardly any of the RBs after the first 3-4 are off the board. To me I would start implementing what Waldman and many strong posters were kicking around last season and that is go QB/TE/WR early and take RBs in the middle rounds and just take 5 or 6 of them and find 2 that you can live with as the season moves on. You gotta take the points and put them on your team. At worst you have a lot of trade bait to upgrade later on.
The problem with taking a shot in the dark on RBs late is twofold. First, you will be pulling your hair out early on figuring out who to start. Second, teams with a top 3RB paired with someone like Jackson or Bradshaw will have a big point advantage over your RB. So unless your QB + WR + RB > their RB + QB + WR (very deep this year) you may have a tough time. I would rather take my chances with McFadden paired with Murray and get WR like Harvin/Brown/Garcon later that may produce the same as WR5-20.
I haven't done the middle rounds yet but I like a ton of guys in the RB 20-50 range and think many of them have a legit shot to way outperform their spots. Injuries always factor in, at least 8-10 starting RBs will miss some time, Ryan Mathews already, Isaac Redman could not start right now, Trent Richardson, lot of guys are already hurt. Maybe Montario Hardesty has the better season?
 
Outstanding work, really appreciate the time it must have taken you to put all that down. I want to debate you a little on the early picks (I personally think that too many people are too sure about the top 3 RB's, I absolutely advocate taking Brady before McCoy, McCoy lost a lineman, and is likely to have a decreased workload per Reid), but fear getting ripped apart due to my lack of knowledge! All that said, fantastic work, very helpful.

Edit to add - I am drafting 5 in my local. With my ear to the ground, I "know" that Rodgers, Foster, Brees and Rice will be gone. I know most would say McCoy is the obvious pick but harking back to my point above, I want to take Brady. Is the drop-off in talent in your mind too much to make up at RB with a late round 2 selection paired with Brady? or would you advocate going McCoy and following up with Ryan in round 3 perhaps? that would be my dilemma and it should be a lot of people's in the same boat too. Is McCoy that much of a slam-dunk?
33 minutes...and I'm on board with Brady at any point in the draft. I just don't want to cause a major ripple by acting righteous about it. I just feel he is as safe as they come this year. People think the OL is not good, it's solid at the Tackle spot and even the interior is fine in pass protection. They might not be able to run the ball all that well, that sure does not hurt Brady.
Given our agreement on Brady and the year he is likely to have, would you take him over McCoy and trust someone like F-jax later? or is it simply you have to take one of the 3 RB's if they are there? My scoring system is 6pth passing td's and it's non-ppr so maybe that skews the scoring enough to take the QB early? That plus my league is a little QB crazy now I think about it. This is not meant to be an AC type question, more to see if anyone else agree that the top 3 RB's shouldn't necessarily always be taken first and a small evaluation of whether you can make up at the position if you pass on one of them.
I'll only say this...Brady/FJax good combo, McCoy/Matt Ryan possibly better. If you don't take the RB then you have to start comparing the combos of what you are going to take vs what you might take the other way.
 
In most of the leagues I compete in by the end of the 5th or 6th round I usually have 1 anchor in at QB, TE, 2 WRs, 1 RB, and then ether a WR3, possible TE2 if they allow flex spots and the TE gets 2 PPR...usually I try and grab RBs in the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th rounds...maybe not all of them but I am looking for the guys I want in those rounds.

Mark Ingram, David Wilson, Peyton Hillis, McGahee...lot of guys in those early middle rounds that are worth a grab and feel good about. I see no reason to push if the value is not there.

 
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I do see one problem with your early round workshop--and this is in large part due to your displeasure with the RBs--there aren't enough players you like to fill the first 5 or 6 rounds! On one hand, you suggest avoid any RBs going outside the 1st, but you also advise taking just a couple of that big WR group and not getting overwhelmed in the idea of tripling up. Assuming you take the QB in round 5 or 6 if you haven't taken someone in round 1 or 2--well, you just can't build a full team being that picky. Do you see any tight ends worth taking in the 4th, 5th, 6th? I think some of the usual suspects are fine but can't get too excited about any of them comparatively--that's probably a group where, if I see Finley or Witten or whomever available in the 6th, I'll take him, but otherwise might just hang out a bit longer for Gresham, Fred Davis, etc.

Even if you add one of those, I'm still having a hard time figuring out a 6-round roster that wouldn't get the big Family Feud X in one or two slots. I guess you still have to discuss the 4th-6th round RBs, so perhaps they'll be able to help fill in the blanks.

Edit: And you dropped a few names right before I finished this post. I do like that crew, but I think I would worry a bit about the musical-chairs effect the first few weeks of the season.

 
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Coming into the year, the Patriots were expecting an offensive line that consisted of Nate Solder, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Brian Waters and Sebastian Vollmer. That's three All-Pros, one Pro-Bowler and a first-round pick in Nate Solder.Instead, New England's starting offensive line come Week 1 against Tennessee could be Nate Solder, Donald Thomas, Dan Koppen, Dan Connolly and Marcus Cannon. That's one Pro-Bowler, one first-round draft choice, a fifth rounder, a sixth rounder and an undrafted player. As recent playoff games against the Ravens and Giants have illustrated, the key to beating the Patriots is to put pressure on Tom Brady.One of the primary reasons why the Patriots have won three Super Bowls and not five, is that the offensive line was unable to stop the pass-rushers of the New York Giants. With the Buffalo Bills beefing up their defensive line and the Jets, Ravens and Steelers all possessing pressure defenses, a weak offensive line could cost the Patriots dearly if things don't change quickly.
I was really high on Brady too, until I read the above info. Now I have him ranked #3 out of the big 3. If the line comes together, he could easily be #1, but color me nervous. :unsure:
 
NE have one of the most difficult SOS against the pass... Yet you said it's cupcake?I don't disagree that he is top 3 regardless, but cupcake? I don't see it.Oh wait... am I not supposed to ask legit questions? does it kill my lack of cred?
We have no idea how defenses will be in 2012 compared to 2011 . . .But since you brought it up, here were the defensive passing rankings from 2011 for the teams the Pats will face in 2012 . . .HOU 3BAL 4NYJ 5NYJ 5STL 7JAC 8SEA 11TEN 14IND 15SFO 16ARI 17DEN 18BUF 19BUF 19MIA 25MIA 25Since 2007, Brady has faced Top 10 pass defenses 29 times. He had 300+ passing yards in 10 of them, 3+ TD in 11 of them, and averaged 2.25 TD a game. In 2009 he faced 8 Top 10 defenses. In 2010 he faced 9 Top 10 defenses. It's not like Brady has gone up against chopped liver.Again, I would not look at the schedule as a reason not to draft Tom Brady.
 
Thanks for posting this. This is what the SharkPool should be all about.

Interesting take on Murray. I agree that with Dallas's interior line issue, Murray is not going to be as beastly as some expect him to be.

It seems to me that there is a lot more risk earlier in the draft than there has been in past years or maybe am I just spending more time prepping for drafts and becoming more knowledgeable. What do you think about the risk factor this year?

 
I do see one problem with your early round workshop--and this is in large part due to your displeasure with the RBs--there aren't enough players you like to fill the first 5 or 6 rounds! On one hand, you suggest avoid any RBs going outside the 1st, but you also advise taking just a couple of that big WR group and not getting overwhelmed in the idea of tripling up. Assuming you take the QB in round 5 or 6 if you haven't taken someone in round 1 or 2--well, you just can't build a full team being that picky. Do you see any tight ends worth taking in the 4th, 5th, 6th? I think some of the usual suspects are fine but can't get too excited about any of them comparatively--that's probably a group where, if I see Finley or Witten or whomever available in the 6th, I'll take him, but otherwise might just hang out a bit longer for Gresham, Fred Davis, etc.

Even if you add one of those, I'm still having a hard time figuring out a 6-round roster that wouldn't get the big Family Feud X in one or two slots. I guess you still have to discuss the 4th-6th round RBs, so perhaps they'll be able to help fill in the blanks.

Edit: And you dropped a few names right before I finished this post. I do like that crew, but I think I would worry a bit about the musical-chairs effect the first few weeks of the season.
Great questions and I want to be fair with everyone, about 80% of my leagues are all best ball formats. That matters and I should probably focus more on those late 1st round posts because those guys all feel the need to reach out and grab their RB1...in that case I am probably a bigger supporter of Matt Forte, that would be my guy later in the 1st early 2nd, pair him with a stud at QB or even a top WR or possibly a TE falls to you, then in the 3/4 turn you will have a lot of WRs to pick over.

Just because I did not green bold a guy does not mean I don't like him at all.

 
Other topic for discussion here - given you have mentioned a strong dislike for the mid to late round 1 RB's, to flip that discussion, do you consider the WR pool to be so deep this year that you could leave round 3 without one? As in start out RB/TE/QB for example (for argument's sake Forte/Graham/Ryan)? Then follow up with guys from the Colston/Austin/Bryant/Lloyd tier in round 4? or would you find it too hard to pass on the group of WR's like Jones, White, Green, Nelson, Nicks etc?

 
Thanks for posting this. This is what the SharkPool should be all about.Interesting take on Murray. I agree that with Dallas's interior line issue, Murray is not going to be as beastly as some expect him to be. It seems to me that there is a lot more risk earlier in the draft than there has been in past years or maybe am I just spending more time prepping for drafts and becoming more knowledgeable. What do you think about the risk factor this year?
People that must have a RB either in the 1st or 2nd round are going to have problems this year.
 
Other topic for discussion here - given you have mentioned a strong dislike for the mid to late round 1 RB's, to flip that discussion, do you consider the WR pool to be so deep this year that you could leave round 3 without one? As in start out RB/TE/QB for example (for argument's sake Forte/Graham/Ryan)? Then follow up with guys from the Colston/Austin/Bryant/Lloyd tier in round 4? or would you find it too hard to pass on the group of WR's like Jones, White, Green, Nelson, Nicks etc?
This is excellent LoG, if you get the right combination absolutely there is a ton of WRs but there is drop-off after WR25-30, at least you start going into the great unknown with folks like Denarius Moore, Robert Meachem, these guys will be streaky at best.Edit to add: I do however have a couple can't miss types for the middle to later rounds...almost like "Oops look what almost got tossed in the trash" types. Did your mom ever discover a Christmas gift almost tossed out with the wrapping paper? Those types of guys I have on a short list. Yes you can leave the early rounds with just a couple of WRs but you will need to be very selective in the later rounds.
 
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Thanks for posting this. This is what the SharkPool should be all about.Interesting take on Murray. I agree that with Dallas's interior line issue, Murray is not going to be as beastly as some expect him to be. It seems to me that there is a lot more risk earlier in the draft than there has been in past years or maybe am I just spending more time prepping for drafts and becoming more knowledgeable. What do you think about the risk factor this year?
People that must have a RB either in the 1st or 2nd round are going to have problems this year.
In a 12 team TD heavy non-ppr league that starts 3 RB, I'm not sure I can field a good team without taking a RB early. At #9 I plan on taking CJ/DMAC/Forte followed by Graham/Gronk/Julio round 2 (TE same as WR)
 
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I do see one problem with your early round workshop--and this is in large part due to your displeasure with the RBs--there aren't enough players you like to fill the first 5 or 6 rounds! On one hand, you suggest avoid any RBs going outside the 1st, but you also advise taking just a couple of that big WR group and not getting overwhelmed in the idea of tripling up. Assuming you take the QB in round 5 or 6 if you haven't taken someone in round 1 or 2--well, you just can't build a full team being that picky. Do you see any tight ends worth taking in the 4th, 5th, 6th? I think some of the usual suspects are fine but can't get too excited about any of them comparatively--that's probably a group where, if I see Finley or Witten or whomever available in the 6th, I'll take him, but otherwise might just hang out a bit longer for Gresham, Fred Davis, etc.

Even if you add one of those, I'm still having a hard time figuring out a 6-round roster that wouldn't get the big Family Feud X in one or two slots. I guess you still have to discuss the 4th-6th round RBs, so perhaps they'll be able to help fill in the blanks.

Edit: And you dropped a few names right before I finished this post. I do like that crew, but I think I would worry a bit about the musical-chairs effect the first few weeks of the season.
Great questions and I want to be fair with everyone, about 80% of my leagues are all best ball formats. That matters and I should probably focus more on those late 1st round posts because those guys all feel the need to reach out and grab their RB1...in that case I am probably a bigger supporter of Matt Forte, that would be my guy later in the 1st early 2nd, pair him with a stud at QB or even a top WR or possibly a TE falls to you, then in the 3/4 turn you will have a lot of WRs to pick over.

Just because I did not green bold a guy does not mean I don't like him at all.
Ah, yes--in best ball, I agree with your approach completely. The biggest pull for any early round pick is perceived/expected consistency; now, you still might get 5-6 bum weeks from a 1st round back, but that's better than 9 or 10 of them from your 7th rounder. What's interesting is finding the common ground players who you find yourself liking in both lineup leagues (consistency, reliability, etc.) and best ball leagues (upside, explosive potential). I think it's a good lens to examine players through, and perhaps identify guys you didn't think would check all the boxes who actually do. Good thread.
 
Edit to add: I do however have a couple can't miss types for the middle to later rounds...almost like "Oops look what almost got tossed in the trash" types. Did your mom ever discover a Christmas gift almost tossed out with the wrapping paper? Those types of guys I have on a short list. Yes you can leave the early rounds with just a couple of WRs but you will need to be very selective in the later rounds.
Just curious, would one of these happen to be a pseudo frenchman in the nation's capital?
 
Thanks for posting this. This is what the SharkPool should be all about.Interesting take on Murray. I agree that with Dallas's interior line issue, Murray is not going to be as beastly as some expect him to be. It seems to me that there is a lot more risk earlier in the draft than there has been in past years or maybe am I just spending more time prepping for drafts and becoming more knowledgeable. What do you think about the risk factor this year?
People that must have a RB either in the 1st or 2nd round are going to have problems this year.
In a 12 team TD heavy non-ppr league that starts 3 RB, I'm not sure I can field a good team without taking a RB early. At #9 I plan on taking CJ/DMAC/Forte followed by Graham/Gronk/Julio round 2 (TE same as WR)
I understand Poncho, I think that league is behind the times. I actually am for leagues that only start 1 RB and then make one spot a flex...like a RB-WR-WR-Flex
 
Coming into the year, the Patriots were expecting an offensive line that consisted of Nate Solder, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Brian Waters and Sebastian Vollmer. That's three All-Pros, one Pro-Bowler and a first-round pick in Nate Solder.Instead, New England's starting offensive line come Week 1 against Tennessee could be Nate Solder, Donald Thomas, Dan Koppen, Dan Connolly and Marcus Cannon. That's one Pro-Bowler, one first-round draft choice, a fifth rounder, a sixth rounder and an undrafted player. As recent playoff games against the Ravens and Giants have illustrated, the key to beating the Patriots is to put pressure on Tom Brady.One of the primary reasons why the Patriots have won three Super Bowls and not five, is that the offensive line was unable to stop the pass-rushers of the New York Giants. With the Buffalo Bills beefing up their defensive line and the Jets, Ravens and Steelers all possessing pressure defenses, a weak offensive line could cost the Patriots dearly if things don't change quickly.
I was really high on Brady too, until I read the above info. Now I have him ranked #3 out of the big 3. If the line comes together, he could easily be #1, but color me nervous. :unsure:
Since you brought this up, here is the most recent OL update that I heard last night on the status of the Pats OL:Mankins was activated and is practicing. Many people feared he would be placed on the regular season PUP list and have to miss the first 6 weeks of the season. While many players take it easy when rehabbing, not so for Mankins. He spend his down time in the gym getting jacked. From what I heard, his upper body strength is now through the roof. Even though he has only been out there a few days, word is he is even nastier than ever before. He has been outmuscling defenders. The only downside has been his lateral movement so far is not back to where it was, but that is to be expected. He seems to move ok north and south but east and west his mobility is not 100% yet.Vollmer has been out recovering from back surgery and initially was not even seen in camp and had trouble even walking. Lately, he has been at camp and getted treated, although at times he has still been seen walking gingerly. He was expected to be back on the field in the next 10 days or so and it doesn ot on the surface look like he will miss any live action (although that one is far from 100%).Waters sounds like the vet that doesn't want to kill himself in training camp. He may be looking for a few extra dollars (especially given his Pro Bowl season last year and a contract for $1.4 million). From what I can tell, the Pats expect him back.Cannon could be the weakest link in the chain. early reports have him being overwhelmed and outmuscled. His best asset has been his quickness and foot work, but since it's in his head that he can get pushed around he sometimes has been too focused on that and on occasion guys have been able to outmanuever him as well. But the Pats have been busy coaching him up and giving him extra attention, and there is still a few weeks until the games count for real.Bear in mind that the Pats for years have functioned with run of the mill lineman (in terms of draft spot), average joes, and backups. Most years, they have not had a healthy OL and have had to plug and play guys and move people around.
 
Other topic for discussion here - given you have mentioned a strong dislike for the mid to late round 1 RB's, to flip that discussion, do you consider the WR pool to be so deep this year that you could leave round 3 without one? As in start out RB/TE/QB for example (for argument's sake Forte/Graham/Ryan)? Then follow up with guys from the Colston/Austin/Bryant/Lloyd tier in round 4? or would you find it too hard to pass on the group of WR's like Jones, White, Green, Nelson, Nicks etc?
This is excellent LoG, if you get the right combination absolutely there is a ton of WRs but there is drop-off after WR25-30, at least you start going into the great unknown with folks like Denarius Moore, Robert Meachem, these guys will be streaky at best.Edit to add: I do however have a couple can't miss types for the middle to later rounds...almost like "Oops look what almost got tossed in the trash" types. Did your mom ever discover a Christmas gift almost tossed out with the wrapping paper? Those types of guys I have on a short list. Yes you can leave the early rounds with just a couple of WRs but you will need to be very selective in the later rounds.
I'm guessing you are waiting for your previously mentioned draft to be complete before you share that list with us, no?
 
Edit to add: I do however have a couple can't miss types for the middle to later rounds...almost like "Oops look what almost got tossed in the trash" types. Did your mom ever discover a Christmas gift almost tossed out with the wrapping paper? Those types of guys I have on a short list. Yes you can leave the early rounds with just a couple of WRs but you will need to be very selective in the later rounds.
Just curious, would one of these happen to be a pseudo frenchman in the nation's capital?
:lmao:I didn't get this on the 1st read over. I like a couple of them there, Garcon will do fine and could be a nice gem in the middle rounds yes. Like Hankerson real late too.
 
Coming into the year, the Patriots were expecting an offensive line that consisted of Nate Solder, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Brian Waters and Sebastian Vollmer. That's three All-Pros, one Pro-Bowler and a first-round pick in Nate Solder.Instead, New England's starting offensive line come Week 1 against Tennessee could be Nate Solder, Donald Thomas, Dan Koppen, Dan Connolly and Marcus Cannon. That's one Pro-Bowler, one first-round draft choice, a fifth rounder, a sixth rounder and an undrafted player. As recent playoff games against the Ravens and Giants have illustrated, the key to beating the Patriots is to put pressure on Tom Brady.One of the primary reasons why the Patriots have won three Super Bowls and not five, is that the offensive line was unable to stop the pass-rushers of the New York Giants. With the Buffalo Bills beefing up their defensive line and the Jets, Ravens and Steelers all possessing pressure defenses, a weak offensive line could cost the Patriots dearly if things don't change quickly.
I was really high on Brady too, until I read the above info. Now I have him ranked #3 out of the big 3. If the line comes together, he could easily be #1, but color me nervous. :unsure:
Since you brought this up, here is the most recent OL update that I heard last night on the status of the Pats OL:Mankins was activated and is practicing. Many people feared he would be placed on the regular season PUP list and have to miss the first 6 weeks of the season. While many players take it easy when rehabbing, not so for Mankins. He spend his down time in the gym getting jacked. From what I heard, his upper body strength is now through the roof. Even though he has only been out there a few days, word is he is even nastier than ever before. He has been outmuscling defenders. The only downside has been his lateral movement so far is not back to where it was, but that is to be expected. He seems to move ok north and south but east and west his mobility is not 100% yet.Vollmer has been out recovering from back surgery and initially was not even seen in camp and had trouble even walking. Lately, he has been at camp and getted treated, although at times he has still been seen walking gingerly. He was expected to be back on the field in the next 10 days or so and it doesn ot on the surface look like he will miss any live action (although that one is far from 100%).Waters sounds like the vet that doesn't want to kill himself in training camp. He may be looking for a few extra dollars (especially given his Pro Bowl season last year and a contract for $1.4 million). From what I can tell, the Pats expect him back.Cannon could be the weakest link in the chain. early reports have him being overwhelmed and outmuscled. His best asset has been his quickness and foot work, but since it's in his head that he can get pushed around he sometimes has been too focused on that and on occasion guys have been able to outmanuever him as well. But the Pats have been busy coaching him up and giving him extra attention, and there is still a few weeks until the games count for real.Bear in mind that the Pats for years have functioned with run of the mill lineman (in terms of draft spot), average joes, and backups. Most years, they have not had a healthy OL and have had to plug and play guys and move people around.
Connolly and Koppen can play both G/C plus Mankins and Waters, Pats will be fine in the middle. They might need another Tackle though.
 
Coming into the year, the Patriots were expecting an offensive line that consisted of Nate Solder, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Brian Waters and Sebastian Vollmer. That's three All-Pros, one Pro-Bowler and a first-round pick in Nate Solder.Instead, New England's starting offensive line come Week 1 against Tennessee could be Nate Solder, Donald Thomas, Dan Koppen, Dan Connolly and Marcus Cannon. That's one Pro-Bowler, one first-round draft choice, a fifth rounder, a sixth rounder and an undrafted player. As recent playoff games against the Ravens and Giants have illustrated, the key to beating the Patriots is to put pressure on Tom Brady.One of the primary reasons why the Patriots have won three Super Bowls and not five, is that the offensive line was unable to stop the pass-rushers of the New York Giants. With the Buffalo Bills beefing up their defensive line and the Jets, Ravens and Steelers all possessing pressure defenses, a weak offensive line could cost the Patriots dearly if things don't change quickly.
I was really high on Brady too, until I read the above info. Now I have him ranked #3 out of the big 3. If the line comes together, he could easily be #1, but color me nervous. :unsure:
Since you brought this up, here is the most recent OL update that I heard last night on the status of the Pats OL:Mankins was activated and is practicing. Many people feared he would be placed on the regular season PUP list and have to miss the first 6 weeks of the season. While many players take it easy when rehabbing, not so for Mankins. He spend his down time in the gym getting jacked. From what I heard, his upper body strength is now through the roof. Even though he has only been out there a few days, word is he is even nastier than ever before. He has been outmuscling defenders. The only downside has been his lateral movement so far is not back to where it was, but that is to be expected. He seems to move ok north and south but east and west his mobility is not 100% yet.Vollmer has been out recovering from back surgery and initially was not even seen in camp and had trouble even walking. Lately, he has been at camp and getted treated, although at times he has still been seen walking gingerly. He was expected to be back on the field in the next 10 days or so and it doesn ot on the surface look like he will miss any live action (although that one is far from 100%).Waters sounds like the vet that doesn't want to kill himself in training camp. He may be looking for a few extra dollars (especially given his Pro Bowl season last year and a contract for $1.4 million). From what I can tell, the Pats expect him back.Cannon could be the weakest link in the chain. early reports have him being overwhelmed and outmuscled. His best asset has been his quickness and foot work, but since it's in his head that he can get pushed around he sometimes has been too focused on that and on occasion guys have been able to outmanuever him as well. But the Pats have been busy coaching him up and giving him extra attention, and there is still a few weeks until the games count for real.Bear in mind that the Pats for years have functioned with run of the mill lineman (in terms of draft spot), average joes, and backups. Most years, they have not had a healthy OL and have had to plug and play guys and move people around.
Connolly and Koppen can play both G/C plus Mankins and Waters, Pats will be fine in the middle. They might need another Tackle though.
Thanks MoP, good info here. :thumbup:
 
Thanks for posting this. This is what the SharkPool should be all about.Interesting take on Murray. I agree that with Dallas's interior line issue, Murray is not going to be as beastly as some expect him to be. It seems to me that there is a lot more risk earlier in the draft than there has been in past years or maybe am I just spending more time prepping for drafts and becoming more knowledgeable. What do you think about the risk factor this year?
People that must have a RB either in the 1st or 2nd round are going to have problems this year.
But, it also seems like you are saying that people that must have a WR either in the 1st or 2nd round not named Calvin Johnson and Brandon Marshall in the late 2nd are going to have problems.And, don't go drafting any TEs, either, unless you get Gronkowski or Graham.QB? Don't think about that, either, unless it's Brady or you can get Brees or Rodgers in the 2nd (you can't).So, in the first two rounds, you would only take: Brady, Rice, Foster, McCoy, Forte, Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall (in the late 2nd), Gronkowski or Graham (or Brees or Rodgers if they fall out of the 1st, which they probably won't in a lot of leagues). Those are only 9 players in 24 picks and any other players are bad choices in the first two rounds? So, if you are drafting at the 11/12 hole, and all these guys are gone, then you don't think it's possible to make a good selection until the third rolls around?
 
Coming into the year, the Patriots were expecting an offensive line that consisted of Nate Solder, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Brian Waters and Sebastian Vollmer. That's three All-Pros, one Pro-Bowler and a first-round pick in Nate Solder.Instead, New England's starting offensive line come Week 1 against Tennessee could be Nate Solder, Donald Thomas, Dan Koppen, Dan Connolly and Marcus Cannon. That's one Pro-Bowler, one first-round draft choice, a fifth rounder, a sixth rounder and an undrafted player. As recent playoff games against the Ravens and Giants have illustrated, the key to beating the Patriots is to put pressure on Tom Brady.One of the primary reasons why the Patriots have won three Super Bowls and not five, is that the offensive line was unable to stop the pass-rushers of the New York Giants. With the Buffalo Bills beefing up their defensive line and the Jets, Ravens and Steelers all possessing pressure defenses, a weak offensive line could cost the Patriots dearly if things don't change quickly.
I was really high on Brady too, until I read the above info. Now I have him ranked #3 out of the big 3. If the line comes together, he could easily be #1, but color me nervous. :unsure:
Since you brought this up, here is the most recent OL update that I heard last night on the status of the Pats OL:Mankins was activated and is practicing. Many people feared he would be placed on the regular season PUP list and have to miss the first 6 weeks of the season. While many players take it easy when rehabbing, not so for Mankins. He spend his down time in the gym getting jacked. From what I heard, his upper body strength is now through the roof. Even though he has only been out there a few days, word is he is even nastier than ever before. He has been outmuscling defenders. The only downside has been his lateral movement so far is not back to where it was, but that is to be expected. He seems to move ok north and south but east and west his mobility is not 100% yet.Vollmer has been out recovering from back surgery and initially was not even seen in camp and had trouble even walking. Lately, he has been at camp and getted treated, although at times he has still been seen walking gingerly. He was expected to be back on the field in the next 10 days or so and it doesn ot on the surface look like he will miss any live action (although that one is far from 100%).Waters sounds like the vet that doesn't want to kill himself in training camp. He may be looking for a few extra dollars (especially given his Pro Bowl season last year and a contract for $1.4 million). From what I can tell, the Pats expect him back.Cannon could be the weakest link in the chain. early reports have him being overwhelmed and outmuscled. His best asset has been his quickness and foot work, but since it's in his head that he can get pushed around he sometimes has been too focused on that and on occasion guys have been able to outmanuever him as well. But the Pats have been busy coaching him up and giving him extra attention, and there is still a few weeks until the games count for real.Bear in mind that the Pats for years have functioned with run of the mill lineman (in terms of draft spot), average joes, and backups. Most years, they have not had a healthy OL and have had to plug and play guys and move people around.
Connolly and Koppen can play both G/C plus Mankins and Waters, Pats will be fine in the middle. They might need another Tackle though.
Thanks MoP, good info here. :thumbup:
LOL. I do the heavy lifting and MOP gets all the creidt.
 
Thanks for posting this. This is what the SharkPool should be all about.Interesting take on Murray. I agree that with Dallas's interior line issue, Murray is not going to be as beastly as some expect him to be. It seems to me that there is a lot more risk earlier in the draft than there has been in past years or maybe am I just spending more time prepping for drafts and becoming more knowledgeable. What do you think about the risk factor this year?
People that must have a RB either in the 1st or 2nd round are going to have problems this year.
But, it also seems like you are saying that people that must have a WR either in the 1st or 2nd round not named Calvin Johnson and Brandon Marshall in the late 2nd are going to have problems.And, don't go drafting any TEs, either, unless you get Gronkowski or Graham.QB? Don't think about that, either, unless it's Brady or you can get Brees or Rodgers in the 2nd (you can't).So, in the first two rounds, you would only take: Brady, Rice, Foster, McCoy, Forte, Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall (in the late 2nd), Gronkowski or Graham (or Brees or Rodgers if they fall out of the 1st, which they probably won't in a lot of leagues). Those are only 9 players in 24 picks and any other players are bad choices in the first two rounds? So, if you are drafting at the 11/12 hole, and all these guys are gone, then you don't think it's possible to make a good selection until the third rolls around?
What I'm saying is the combinations you come out of the 1st 4-6 rounds, the overall team. I understand what you are saying, I didn't rip that many players, just some I like more than others. I think Julio Jones will have a great season but are you making out ahead taking him at the 1.12/2.01 like he is starting to go? Another owner I saw recently took Julio Jones, AJ Green, DeSean Jackson...it looks really good on paper but there is a lot of risk involved there too. I like a mix or a balance. If you play in a TE heavy league then Gronk and Graham are gone by the turn, probably 4-5 RBs, Calvin would be gone, there should be a solid QB option available, they can't pick them all. If you play in a league where TE is standard PPR I think you will find one or two of the top TEs available. Going Graham Marshall on the 1/2 turn, I can find much worse combos, both those guys are top tier at their position. 3/4 turn you come back with maybe Doug Martin who I do like and think will be very solid as the season rolls along and you combo that with another WR. I don't buy into ADP as much especially when you have to wait to pick 12th, take who you want not what some ADP calculator tells you. This thread is titled workshop for a reason. I'm not so stubborn I can't learn so please if you have differing opinions keep bouncing them back and we'll keep rewriting this stuff up on the board sort of speak.
 

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