nittanylion
Footballguy
6.06 Tony Romo / 10
7.11 Philip Rivers / 11
3.11 Ray Rice / 11
8.06 Bernard Pierce / 11
10.06 Terrance West / 9
15.11 James Starks / 4
17.11 Robert Turbin / 4
1.11 Dez Bryant / 9
2.06 Jordy Nelson / 11
4.06 Wes Welker / 9
11.11 Harry Douglas / 11
14.06 Davante Adams / 9
18.06 Jeremy Kerley / 4
5.11 Martellus Bennett / 9
9.11 Tyler Eifert / 4
13.11 Steve Hauschka / 6
16.06 Shayne Graham / 4
12.06 Cincinnati Bengals / 4
I was thrilled to start off the Draft with Dez/Jordy, who are my two highest-ranked WR this year. So thrilled that I took the risk of drafting Ray Rice at 3.11, despite losing 2 weeks worth of production. With the Ravens being the 'other Team' in my neck of the woods, and my general dissatisfaction with how Dan Snyder has mismanaged my beloved Redskins, I've been forced to keep tabs on the Ravens over the years. First, it was Derek Mason, then it was Anquan Boldin, and now it's Steve Smith - the Ravens offense seems to thrive when they have a savvy, tough, chippy veteran WR on the field, and they were noticeably worse last year sans Boldin. Yes, there were other issues, but now they have Kubiak, Pitta and Smith, and a less-dominant defense. I like this offense to put up #'s, I like how Rice looked in preseason, and I expect he maintains his shape during his absence and returns with a chip of his own. Going this route, I'm going to likely start off towards the back of the pack and have to make up ground through the Season. Made the Welker pick before he got concussed. Was really trying to make a strength stronger. Well, he's on track to return early, but he's now an accident waiting to happen, rather than a solid WR3. Gotta stay healthy if I'm to make any noise. Was hoping a better WR/TE would have fallen to me there. Massive run on TE1's in Round 4 forced me to take my highest ranked remaining TE. Love Bennett, worry about Cutler staying in one piece, but am really impressed with Trestman's QB-building skills, and hope that means season-long production. QB's were going quickly, so went back to back with Romo/Rivers in an effort to establish myself at another position since it was shaking out that RB was going to be my weakest link. Thought Jones-Drew would be my RB2 for sure but he went 3 picks too early, so I just hedged the Baltimore running game with Bernard Pierce in Round 8. Trying to mask the RB weakness again by building another position, platooning Bennett with Tyler Eifert. With Hue Jackson running the show, I'm staying away from AJ Green everywhere, but I'm very optimistic about Eifert's role in that scheme. Well, I had to address RB at some point. I'm not a fan of Ben Tate at all, and I think the Browns offense will be all about the run, so Terrance West appeared to be a nice upside play to address a screaming need. This last preseason game takes some luster off that idea, however. Welker's injury, and my need to cover weak RB by being strong elsewhere had me scouring the WR for some upside play. Gonzo's retirement and Toilolo's rather pedestrian appearance, coupled with the chemistry established between Ryan and Harry Douglas last year has me very optimistic about the #3 WR in Atlanta this season. I think solid WR4 #'s are a reasonable expectation for a guy currently ranked as WR 66. Considering I'm hedging Welker, I think he fits the mold. Again, rather than address my weak RB situation, I opted to try and make another position a strength by jumping into the D/ST run and grabbing the Bengals Defense, who sit firmly in my top 5. Same deal in Round 13 with Steve Hauschka. Given how thoroughly picked clean the RB group was, I didn't really sacrifice anything by going this route. I'm a Jarrett Boykin fan, and I never looked at the Davante Adams acquisition as threatening his James Jones role, as long as he played up to his ability, which he has. Adams has become the established WR4 in Green Bay, but in that scheme he could put up solid WR5 #'s with upside, especially if someone gets hurt, in particular, Cobb. Went to the Packers well again in a last-ditch effort to build some semblance of an RB group that's more corps than corpse. Eddie Lacy is a bona-fide stud, but he can't have every carry, and James Starks is easily among the best #2 RB's in the game right now, IMO. If Lacy plays a full season (and there's no reason to think he won't), Starks is still capable of putting up low-end RB4 #'s in this offense, and a Lacy injury could bump that up significantly. Fighting to the end, and running with this alternative idea that strength everywhere else could mitigate my crappy RB's, I selected Saints PK Shayne Graham. Didn't realize at that point that Derek Dimke was giving him a solid run for the job. Have to hope Dodds is more right than Mike Herman, who projects the job as Dimke's at this point. Took another stab at RB in a potential James Starks role with Robert Turbin. A little luster coming off Christine Michael maybe, but this is still a reach on my part, hoping for a lucky break, as Turbin should at best see a time share in Lynch's absence. Finished the lot with final WR in the Welker mold, Jeremy Kerley, who I got a long look at last season. Geno Smith appears to have taken a step forward, Kerley should get plenty of slot work, and targets.
1st Bye Week issue is in Week 4. I think there are still enough teams remaining, and I have enough firepower to get past that. Week 11, on the other hand...that's probably the end of the line, if I do make it that far.
The stable of nags I'm rostering, and my subsequent idea of addressing it in an alternative manner by trying to be strong everywhere else took a major hit when Welker took a corresponding major hit, because there's no knowing what I'm going to get out of him, and the trio of Douglas/Adams/Kerley would all have to outperform ADP to replace his production if he's gets knocked out again, and that's asking a lot. That idea was probably flawed to begin with, though, given that we have to start 2 RB, and Rice/Pierce is likely an RB2 at best rather than an elite anchor. It's gonna take a miracle to get a Final Four finish out of this squad, and a lot of things right to finish in the top half.
Good luck, all!
7.11 Philip Rivers / 11
3.11 Ray Rice / 11
8.06 Bernard Pierce / 11
10.06 Terrance West / 9
15.11 James Starks / 4
17.11 Robert Turbin / 4
1.11 Dez Bryant / 9
2.06 Jordy Nelson / 11
4.06 Wes Welker / 9
11.11 Harry Douglas / 11
14.06 Davante Adams / 9
18.06 Jeremy Kerley / 4
5.11 Martellus Bennett / 9
9.11 Tyler Eifert / 4
13.11 Steve Hauschka / 6
16.06 Shayne Graham / 4
12.06 Cincinnati Bengals / 4
I was thrilled to start off the Draft with Dez/Jordy, who are my two highest-ranked WR this year. So thrilled that I took the risk of drafting Ray Rice at 3.11, despite losing 2 weeks worth of production. With the Ravens being the 'other Team' in my neck of the woods, and my general dissatisfaction with how Dan Snyder has mismanaged my beloved Redskins, I've been forced to keep tabs on the Ravens over the years. First, it was Derek Mason, then it was Anquan Boldin, and now it's Steve Smith - the Ravens offense seems to thrive when they have a savvy, tough, chippy veteran WR on the field, and they were noticeably worse last year sans Boldin. Yes, there were other issues, but now they have Kubiak, Pitta and Smith, and a less-dominant defense. I like this offense to put up #'s, I like how Rice looked in preseason, and I expect he maintains his shape during his absence and returns with a chip of his own. Going this route, I'm going to likely start off towards the back of the pack and have to make up ground through the Season. Made the Welker pick before he got concussed. Was really trying to make a strength stronger. Well, he's on track to return early, but he's now an accident waiting to happen, rather than a solid WR3. Gotta stay healthy if I'm to make any noise. Was hoping a better WR/TE would have fallen to me there. Massive run on TE1's in Round 4 forced me to take my highest ranked remaining TE. Love Bennett, worry about Cutler staying in one piece, but am really impressed with Trestman's QB-building skills, and hope that means season-long production. QB's were going quickly, so went back to back with Romo/Rivers in an effort to establish myself at another position since it was shaking out that RB was going to be my weakest link. Thought Jones-Drew would be my RB2 for sure but he went 3 picks too early, so I just hedged the Baltimore running game with Bernard Pierce in Round 8. Trying to mask the RB weakness again by building another position, platooning Bennett with Tyler Eifert. With Hue Jackson running the show, I'm staying away from AJ Green everywhere, but I'm very optimistic about Eifert's role in that scheme. Well, I had to address RB at some point. I'm not a fan of Ben Tate at all, and I think the Browns offense will be all about the run, so Terrance West appeared to be a nice upside play to address a screaming need. This last preseason game takes some luster off that idea, however. Welker's injury, and my need to cover weak RB by being strong elsewhere had me scouring the WR for some upside play. Gonzo's retirement and Toilolo's rather pedestrian appearance, coupled with the chemistry established between Ryan and Harry Douglas last year has me very optimistic about the #3 WR in Atlanta this season. I think solid WR4 #'s are a reasonable expectation for a guy currently ranked as WR 66. Considering I'm hedging Welker, I think he fits the mold. Again, rather than address my weak RB situation, I opted to try and make another position a strength by jumping into the D/ST run and grabbing the Bengals Defense, who sit firmly in my top 5. Same deal in Round 13 with Steve Hauschka. Given how thoroughly picked clean the RB group was, I didn't really sacrifice anything by going this route. I'm a Jarrett Boykin fan, and I never looked at the Davante Adams acquisition as threatening his James Jones role, as long as he played up to his ability, which he has. Adams has become the established WR4 in Green Bay, but in that scheme he could put up solid WR5 #'s with upside, especially if someone gets hurt, in particular, Cobb. Went to the Packers well again in a last-ditch effort to build some semblance of an RB group that's more corps than corpse. Eddie Lacy is a bona-fide stud, but he can't have every carry, and James Starks is easily among the best #2 RB's in the game right now, IMO. If Lacy plays a full season (and there's no reason to think he won't), Starks is still capable of putting up low-end RB4 #'s in this offense, and a Lacy injury could bump that up significantly. Fighting to the end, and running with this alternative idea that strength everywhere else could mitigate my crappy RB's, I selected Saints PK Shayne Graham. Didn't realize at that point that Derek Dimke was giving him a solid run for the job. Have to hope Dodds is more right than Mike Herman, who projects the job as Dimke's at this point. Took another stab at RB in a potential James Starks role with Robert Turbin. A little luster coming off Christine Michael maybe, but this is still a reach on my part, hoping for a lucky break, as Turbin should at best see a time share in Lynch's absence. Finished the lot with final WR in the Welker mold, Jeremy Kerley, who I got a long look at last season. Geno Smith appears to have taken a step forward, Kerley should get plenty of slot work, and targets.
1st Bye Week issue is in Week 4. I think there are still enough teams remaining, and I have enough firepower to get past that. Week 11, on the other hand...that's probably the end of the line, if I do make it that far.
The stable of nags I'm rostering, and my subsequent idea of addressing it in an alternative manner by trying to be strong everywhere else took a major hit when Welker took a corresponding major hit, because there's no knowing what I'm going to get out of him, and the trio of Douglas/Adams/Kerley would all have to outperform ADP to replace his production if he's gets knocked out again, and that's asking a lot. That idea was probably flawed to begin with, though, given that we have to start 2 RB, and Rice/Pierce is likely an RB2 at best rather than an elite anchor. It's gonna take a miracle to get a Final Four finish out of this squad, and a lot of things right to finish in the top half.
Good luck, all!
