Here is the draft from last year. I picked up Ryan in the 3rd last year.
Round 1
1.
LeSean McCoy(Phi - RB)
2.
Aaron Rodgers(GB - QB)
3.
Ray Rice(Bal - RB)
4.
Arian Foster(Hou - RB)
5.
Tom Brady(NE - QB)
6.
Drew Brees(NO - QB)
7.
Matthew Stafford(Det - QB)
8.
Darren McFadden(Oak - RB)
9. Jay Cutler(Chi - QB)
10.
Calvin Johnson(Det - WR)
11.
Chris Johnson(Ten - RB)
12.
DeMarco Murray(Dal - RB)
13.
Marshawn Lynch(Sea - RB)
14.
Larry Fitzgerald(Ari - WR)
15.
Andre Johnson(Hou - WR)
16. Michael Vick(Phi - QB) P
Ouch.
My theory is that when injuries happen, it's more likely an injury replacement running back will have a chance to be more effective than an injury replacement quarterback. It's also my assumption that most teams will carry two quarterbacks so you won't be able to acquire one on the waiver wire. You could go QBBC, but I think that's rolling the dice.
I play in mostly 16 team leagues with 30-40 man rosters. After the draft, promising guys at RB will pop up in all likelihood. There's no Alfred Morris every year, but there's usually someone close to it that no one sees coming. You can also take flyers on guys who still have a shot of starting like Andre Brown. You can also grab a lot of guys later on who may have larger roles than expected in committees like Bryce Brown, Ben Tate, and Bernard Pierce.
I'm not saying you need to go QB in the first round, follow the value, and think about who will be available where later on in the draft. Make sure you have tiers and try to have an idea of who everyone will draft next round.
Yah, hopefully I come the most prepared. And hopefully some people make some stupid picks in the first couple of rounds.
And ya most teams will be draft a QB early and a QB late. So, there will be no QBs on the waiver wire except for Mark Sanchez. And that can be said for all the other positions. Waiver wire is pretty empty. So the only players that come from it are the guys who were absolute ZEROS who turned into heros, like Alfred Morris and Cecil shorts. But those don't happen every year.
I am really aiming to get Peyton Manning. How can he not have a better passing year than Brees and Rodgers? How can you pick Brees and Rodgers over a QB who has one of the best offensive lines and will be throwing to D THomas, Eric Decker and Wes Welker? Fox needs to use Peyton like Detroit uses Stafford and throw the ball 650 times lol.
If you can get a work horse back in the first, take him. But don't reach for a back over brees, Rodgers, or Peyton.
Maybe i missed it, but unless you start more than 3 WRs, don't worry about it early unless insane value presents itself.
In large leagues, I'm more inclined to play it safe with injuries. Your elite pocket passing qbs and tough receivers will generally be safer than backs aside from Peterson. I'd also take proven receivers over upside once you start taking receivers. Guys like colston, vjax, and Roddy white should be targets over Gordon, amendola, blackmon, and certainly over rookies. In smaller leagues i might consider taking the risk.
Well at what point we it be reaching? Missing out on AP and Foster, so then picking up McCoy or Charles when at least one of those 3 Qbs are on the board?
QB is very deeeeeeeeeeep this year. I mean think about the top-12 guys this year (and if you go by the top-300 list from Dodds, QB12 is Tony Romo). I play in a 16-team league as well and would be perfectly happy with Romo as QB-1 in this format. Clean up in the other rounds for your value, but target QB after 7-8 have gone off the board. You should have a significant advantage.
My 2 cents...
Ya Romo is a guy that I have in mind if I don't get Brees/Rodgers/Manning.
I would target, in order, QBs Ryan in the 2nd, or Luck/Romo/RG3 in the 3rd. Normally I'd have RG3 higher, but Luck + Romo are good bets to have 30+ TDs, RG3 is not and his running yards are handicapped in this scoring format. I'd also check out the QBBC thread and do some research on the QBs outside the top 10.
If you can come out of the first round with a stud RB, I think you're in good shape. Also for draft prep, spend the majority of your time going over players OUTSIDE the top 3 rounds. Depth is going to be critical. I'd also wait on TEs and look for something in the tier of Olsen/Finley and Cameron and make that your last priority.
I'd also suggest drafting minimal WRs - i.e. if you start 3, draft only 4 or at most 5. They are the easiest to fill on the waiver. If a RB has even a chance of being valuable, pick him up over a 5th WR.
Matt Ryan is another guy that is hard to pass on if he is available in the 2nd. Romo might make it passed the 3rd.
And I agree about spending time going over players outside of the top 3 rounds. It is easy to draft in the top rounds, but your team is made in the middle of the draft, and that is where you really need to know your stuff and come prepared.
And I forgot to mention in my OP, the starting lineup looks like this:
QB
RB(2)
WR(3)
TE
D
K
Bench(7)
What is your guy's strategy on your bench allotment in regards to back ups for QBs, TEs, Defenses and Kickers? Was thinking about getting just a back up qb and just riding with 1 te, d and kicker on my roster and dopping someone once one of their bye weeks come.
