Completed Draft Yesterday (1 Viewer)

[JimboJim]

First off, this is not a rate-my-team thread. Please feel free to comment, but I am not posting this looking for congrats (or insults).

I completed my big money league draft last night, and here are the result picking from the #2 spot.

It's a highly competitive 12 team leauge. You will not see any rosters composed of LT, Caddy, Fitz... and that sort.

Scoring is fairly standard; no PPR. Two main things to point out are no negative points for any turnovers (ints, fumbles) and QBs only get 3 points for a passing TD.

I split the team with a friend and our basic strategy coming in was to take the best available player each round (VBD), but to try and get 2 RBs in the first two rounds, and no question, 2 RBs in the first three rounds, if we took in a WR in round 2.

That didn't happen...

We didn't use the draft dominator, but had printed out our customized VBD lists.

A couple other points we had decided on before the draft:

- We would not take Manning before round 3 (pick 30).

- We would not take Gates before round 3 (pick 30).

- If we didn't get Manning or Gates, we would not touch a QB or TE before we had at least 3 RBs and 2 WRs.

I don't have the entire draft list, but 20 of the first 22 picks were RBs (Manning and S. Smith) and the only non-RB/WRs taken before round 6 were Manning, Hasslebeck, Brady, Palmer and Gates.

Round 1 (Pick 2): Larry Johnson – Alexander went #1 and since it is a re-draft league, we took LJ over LT. Not much thinking on this pick.

Round 2 (Pick 11): Chad Johnson – It was CJ or Droughns. 20 of the first 22 picks were RBs. Since we picked two spots later, we figured we would take the top WR on our board and hope Droughns made it through the next two picks.

Round 3 (Pick 2): Larry Fitzgerald – Droughns didn’t make it past the next two picks. We wanted a RB2 bad, but there wasn’t a single one available that presented the value Fitzgerald did.

Round 4 (Pick 11): Mike Bell – There was no question we were going to take a RB here. We were really pissed when DeShaun Foster was taken right before us. The next RBs on our list were Jamal Lewis and Thomas Jones. We really didn’t like any of our options here, so we figured we would take a (huge) risk on the greatness that is usually the Denver running game.

Round 5 (Pick 2): Tatum Bell – We had our two starting WRs and our two starting RBs. Gates and Manning were long gone, so we felt the best value was getting a decent backup RB. Tatum Bell was not at the top of our list, but makes a great handcuff for Mike Bell. We were afriad if we took Jamal/Thomas Jones, we could end up with two #2RBs that rode the pine. We fugred at least one of the Bells will be servicable each week. This was our plan when we drafted Mike Bell. We knew Tatum only had to last two picks for us to get him. We did. Denver running game is (hopefully) now locked up.

Round 6 (Pick 11): Donovan McNabb – We had him as the #3 QB on our board and he was a better value than any TE available at this point. We were already three deep at RB, golden at WR and weren’t going K or D yet.

Round 7 (Pick 2): Laurence Maroney – We were ecstatic the guy at the turn didn’t take him. A good #4 RB with the potential to start sometime this season.

Round 8 (Pick 11): Alge Crumpler – Him and Vick were still on the board, so we targeted both with picks 8 & 9. Took Crumpler first because the guy at the turn didn’t have a TE yet.

Round 9 (Pick 2): Michael Vick – Maybe two early to take a backup QB, but we figured he will be our QB 1a and in a league that scores only 3 points for passing TDs, but 6 for rushing ones by a QB, Vick has more value.

Round 10 (Pick 11): Pittsburgh D – Took the top ranked D on our board; second team to take a D, but there was no value at WR to be had.

Round 11 (Pick 2): Michael Bennett – Got LJs backup (?) for insurance.

Round 12 (Pick 11): Josh Brown – No explanation needed.

Round 13 (Pick 2): Ernest Wilford – Waited a long time on a backup WR. Having CJ and Fitz, we’re banking on never having to start Wilford more than twice this season. If Wilford busts, we can always grab a half-decent fill-in WR off the WW due to the small rosters.

Final Team:

QB – McNabb, Vick

RB – LJ, Mike Bell, Tatum Bell, Laurence Maroney, Michael Bennett

WR – CJ, Fitz, Wilford

TE – Crumpler

K – Josh Brown

D – Pittsburgh

Highs - LJ, straying rom the plan and taking CJ/Fitz early, getting Tatum to complement/backup Mike Bell, Laurence Maroney.

Lows - Having the Denver running game as our #2 back, taking McNabb/Vick too early, Wilford as our only backup WR.

 

[Bristol]

What do you want? A cookie?

 

[Power Monster]

Very good if u can get Maroney in the mix and LJ can be close to the stud he was last year. Did you find a lot of drafters taking handcuffs?

 

[JimboJim]

Very good if u can get Maroney in the mix and LJ can be close to the stud he was last year. Did you find a lot of drafters taking handcuffs?

Surprisingly, no. For some reason I thought there had been, but the only high round picks spent on handcuffs appears to be Bush/McAllister.Green/DavenportParker/StaleyGore/HicksPortis/DuckettBush/McAllisterTaylor/Moore

 

[JimboJim]

What do you want? A cookie?

Thanks, buddy. I'm so glad there are guys like you out here on the boards trowling around with nothing better to do that post smart-### comments.

Obviously I am wrong, but I thought someone out there might be interested in seeing an example of a recent draft where a team didn't take two strating backs in the first three rounds.

 

[TwinTurbo]

I like your team a lot. Very good draft for a 12 team league. I probably would have passed on Vick in Round 9 but maybe he will finally figure it all out this year.

 

[Bristol]

What do you want? A cookie?

Thanks, buddy. I'm so glad there are guys like you out here on the boards trowling around with nothing better to do that post smart-### comments.

Obviously I am wrong, but I thought someone out there might be interested in seeing an example of a recent draft where a team didn't take two strating backs in the first three rounds.

People are doing it all the time this year. Did you just wake up, Rip Van Winkle?

 

[ooofffaaa]

Was Dunn gone before you picked at 3.02?

I like your first 2 picks but I think I would have went RB in the 3rd rd.

 

[TwinTurbo]

Also I wanted to ask, where did Willie Parker get drafted in your leage? I'm seeing him go to the #1 or #2 pick team in the late second or early third in almost all of my drafts.

 

[Bluestaples]

Can I have a cookie?

 

[fanaticskinsfan]

First off, this is not a rate-my-team thread. Please feel free to comment, but I am not posting this looking for congrats (or insults).I completed my big money league draft last night, and here are the result picking from the #2 spot.It's a highly competitive 12 team leauge. You will not see any rosters composed of LT, Caddy, Fitz... and that sort.Scoring is fairly standard; no PPR. Two main things to point out are no negative points for any turnovers (ints, fumbles) and QBs only get 3 points for a passing TD.I split the team with a friend and our basic strategy coming in was to take the best available player each round (VBD), but to try and get 2 RBs in the first two rounds, and no question, 2 RBs in the first three rounds, if we took in a WR in round 2.That didn't happen...We didn't use the draft dominator, but had printed out our customized VBD lists.A couple other points we had decided on before the draft:- We would not take Manning before round 3 (pick 30).- We would not take Gates before round 3 (pick 30).- If we didn't get Manning or Gates, we would not touch a QB or TE before we had at least 3 RBs and 2 WRs.I don't have the entire draft list, but 20 of the first 22 picks were RBs (Manning and S. Smith) and the only non-RB/WRs taken before round 6 were Manning, Hasslebeck, Brady, Palmer and Gates.Round 1 (Pick 2): Larry Johnson – Alexander went #1 and since it is a re-draft league, we took LJ over LT. Not much thinking on this pick.Round 2 (Pick 11): Chad Johnson – It was CJ or Droughns. 20 of the first 22 picks were RBs. Since we picked two spots later, we figured we would take the top WR on our board and hope Droughns made it through the next two picks.Round 3 (Pick 2): Larry Fitzgerald – Droughns didn’t make it past the next two picks. We wanted a RB2 bad, but there wasn’t a single one available that presented the value Fitzgerald did.Round 4 (Pick 11): Mike Bell – There was no question we were going to take a RB here. We were really pissed when DeShaun Foster was taken right before us. The next RBs on our list were Jamal Lewis and Thomas Jones. We really didn’t like any of our options here, so we figured we would take a (huge) risk on the greatness that is usually the Denver running game.Round 5 (Pick 2): Tatum Bell – We had our two starting WRs and our two starting RBs. Gates and Manning were long gone, so we felt the best value was getting a decent backup RB. Tatum Bell was not at the top of our list, but makes a great handcuff for Mike Bell. We were afriad if we took Jamal/Thomas Jones, we could end up with two #2RBs that rode the pine. We fugred at least one of the Bells will be servicable each week. This was our plan when we drafted Mike Bell. We knew Tatum only had to last two picks for us to get him. We did. Denver running game is (hopefully) now locked up.Round 6 (Pick 11): Donovan McNabb – We had him as the #3 QB on our board and he was a better value than any TE available at this point. We were already three deep at RB, golden at WR and weren’t going K or D yet.Round 7 (Pick 2): Laurence Maroney – We were ecstatic the guy at the turn didn’t take him. A good #4 RB with the potential to start sometime this season.Round 8 (Pick 11): Alge Crumpler – Him and Vick were still on the board, so we targeted both with picks 8 & 9. Took Crumpler first because the guy at the turn didn’t have a TE yet.Round 9 (Pick 2): Michael Vick – Maybe two early to take a backup QB, but we figured he will be our QB 1a and in a league that scores only 3 points for passing TDs, but 6 for rushing ones by a QB, Vick has more value.Round 10 (Pick 11): Pittsburgh D – Took the top ranked D on our board; second team to take a D, but there was no value at WR to be had.Round 11 (Pick 2): Michael Bennett – Got LJs backup (?) for insurance.Round 12 (Pick 11): Josh Brown – No explanation needed.Round 13 (Pick 2): Ernest Wilford – Waited a long time on a backup WR. Having CJ and Fitz, we’re banking on never having to start Wilford more than twice this season. If Wilford busts, we can always grab a half-decent fill-in WR off the WW due to the small rosters.Final Team:QB – McNabb, VickRB – LJ, Mike Bell, Tatum Bell, Laurence Maroney, Michael BennettWR – CJ, Fitz, WilfordTE – CrumplerK – Josh BrownD – PittsburghHighs - LJ, straying rom the plan and taking CJ/Fitz early, getting Tatum to complement/backup Mike Bell, Laurence Maroney.Lows - Having the Denver running game as our #2 back, taking McNabb/Vick too early, Wilford as our only backup WR.

I am drafting next week and am picking from the 4 spot. I too was think of going wr/wr and then get a rb in the 4th round. At the very least go wr/rb. I am just not sure what rb will there at #21 & #28 in our 12 team league. 4pts/passing 6pts/rush & rec 1pt/rec & rush 1pt/25 passing. Do you remember if there were any good RBs right before your pick in the 2nd round?

 

[Bluestaples]

Also I wanted to ask, where did Willie Parker get drafted in your leage? I'm seeing him go to the #1 or #2 pick team in the late second or early third in almost all of my drafts.

2.06, 20th overall

 

[painkiller]

What do you want? A cookie?

Thanks, buddy. I'm so glad there are guys like you out here on the boards trowling around with nothing better to do that post smart-### comments.

Obviously I am wrong, but I thought someone out there might be interested in seeing an example of a recent draft where a team didn't take two strating backs in the first three rounds.

I realize you went with your plan when taking McNabb in the 6th, and I think it was a good pick, but I would be interested in knowing what RBs and WRs you passed over to get him.

 

[JimboJim]

Dunn and Parker were both gone by the time we picked at the end of the second. This is the first 26 picks:

1 - SAlex

2 - LJ

3 - LT

4 - Tiki

5 - Jackson

6 - Rudi

7 - Caddy

8 - Ronnie

9 - Jordan

10 - McGahee

11 - Portis

12 - James

13 - Bush

14 - Parker

15 - Dunn

16 - Manning

17 - S. Smith

18 - Westbrook

19 - K. Jones

20 - Taylor

21 - Gore - Edit; had Dunn on there twice.

22 - Julius Jones

23 - Chad Johnson

24 - Holt

25 - Droughns

26 - Fitz

Per the Footballguys cheatsheets, that left Foster as the best avaiable RB when we selected Fitzgerald. Maybe Foster would have been a better choice than Fitz...

 

[JimboJim]

What do you want? A cookie?

Thanks, buddy. I'm so glad there are guys like you out here on the boards trowling around with nothing better to do that post smart-### comments.

Obviously I am wrong, but I thought someone out there might be interested in seeing an example of a recent draft where a team didn't take two strating backs in the first three rounds.

I realize you went with your plan when taking McNabb in the 6th, and I think it was a good pick, but I would be interested in knowing what RBs and WRs you passed over to get him.

I'm a little fuzzy on exactly who was avialable, but I think the top ranked RBs were Maroney/Brown/Fred Taylor and the WRs were could of had were Clayton/Johnson/Coles. Three picks later we did get Maroney.

 

[painkiller]

I realize you went with your plan when taking McNabb in the 6th, and I think it was a good pick, but I would be interested in knowing what RBs and WRs you passed over to get him.

I'm a little fuzzy on exactly who was avialable, but I think the top ranked RBs were Maroney/Brown/Fred Taylor and the WRs were could of had were Clayton/Johnson/Coles. Three picks later we did get Maroney.

Like I said, I think it was a good pick (even more so now), but just wondered who you passed over. Maroney was definitely a good pick in the 7th.

 

[Native]

First off, nice thread. I enjoyed the analysis of your picks. In general, I like your team a lot.

I do have one burning strategy question pertaining to the Bell/Bell picks. At 4.11, I would agree that Mike Bell represents decent RB value. However, taking Tatum Bell at 5.2 does not. Accordingly, if youre going to spend two early picks on a RBBC, I dont think theres any reason to make your picks according to the VBD of the higher ranked back (in this case, Mike Bell). If you believe the RB situation is murky enough to justify picking both backs in the first 5 rounds, it probably makes more sense to look at the joint value of BOTH backs AS A UNIT.

In such a scenario, I would be much more privy to spend 4.11 and 5.2 on the Colts RBBC - which is just as explosive as the Denver backfield but doesnt have the added threat of a 3rd/4th RB joining the mix (such as Cobbs, Dayne etc). Sure, neither Rhodes nor Addai has an INDIVIDUAL VBD that comes close to Mike Bell's 4.11, but together they represent greater value than Bell/Bell - without any of the added risk.

The only reason I would choose the Denver backfield over the Colts backfield is if you think Mike Bell is the surefire starter this yr. But if you do, thats suggesting that Tatum Bell likely wont see the field much this year (in which case he certainly shouldnt warrant a 5th rd pick).

Anyway, just thinking out loud here. Would like to hear your response. Again, great thread, thanks for sharing.

 

[DaWidowMaker]

Interesting....My 12 team draft was yesterday and I also had pick #2 overall. League is PPR, 5 pts for passing TD's:

R1 (#2): LJ

R2 (23): W.Dunn

R3 (26): C.Chambers

R4 (47): F.Gore -love this pick

R5 (50): Carlson Parmer

R6 (71): L.Coles

R7 (74): A.Bryant - sleeper to me

R8 (95): Alge Crumpler

R9 (98): Cowboys D

R10 (119): Neil Rackers

R11 (122): Bobby Engram

R12 (143): Eric Parker

R13 (146): Chris Simms

R14 (167): Ron Dayne -really starting to regret this pick

R15 (170): Santonio Holmes - gamble but hey I think I'm set at WR

R16 (191): Kris Mangum

R17 (194): Buffalo D

 

[Buckna]

What were the starting requirements?

My general strategy for drafting in the first 3rd most years is RB, WR, WR. This year there is a lack of quality RB2 candidates and I have yet to see any of the top WR's (SS, Holt, CJ, Fitz) fall to the late 2nd, early 3rd in the few odd drafts I've already done. (Maybe 1 of those guys does in occasionally.) I think you got a gift if you ended up with CJ & Fitz from the 2 hole.

I'm now re-evaluating my strategy before my last few drafts to see if it is worth it to drop down to a Marvin/Wayne/Driver/Chambers type or to grab another RB &/or Gates.

 

[JimboJim]

First off, nice thread. I enjoyed the analysis of your picks. In general, I like your team a lot.

I do have one burning strategy question pertaining to the Bell/Bell picks. At 4.11, I would agree that Mike Bell represents decent RB value. However, taking Tatum Bell at 5.2 does not. Accordingly, if youre going to spend two early picks on a RBBC, I dont think theres any reason to make your picks according to the VBD of the higher ranked back (in this case, Mike Bell). If you believe the RB situation is murky enough to justify picking both backs in the first 5 rounds, it probably makes more sense to look at the joint value of BOTH backs AS A UNIT.

In such a scenario, I would be much more privy to spend 4.11 and 5.2 on the Colts RBBC - which is just as explosive as the Denver backfield but doesnt have the added threat of a 3rd/4th RB joining the mix (such as Cobbs, Dayne etc). Sure, neither Rhodes nor Addai has an INDIVIDUAL VBD that comes close to Mike Bell's 4.11, but together they represent greater value than Bell/Bell - without any of the added risk.

The only reason I would choose the Denver backfield over the Colts backfield is if you think Mike Bell is the surefire starter this yr. But if you do, thats suggesting that Tatum Bell likely wont see the field much this year (in which case he certainly shouldnt warrant a 5th rd pick).

Anyway, just thinking out loud here. Would like to hear your response. Again, great thread, thanks for sharing.

That's very interesting; I never really thought of it that way.I agree, if it is going to be a RBBC all season, Indy is as good, if not a better option than Denver. Although, personally, I am not a Dominic Rhodes fan and truly beleive both him and Addai will see significant playing time all season, barring injury.

On the flip side, I have this odd premonition that one of the two Bells will rise to the top in Denver and get a substantially larger portion of the action than the other. The problem is, I have no clue which one that is. Mike Bell has an edge right now, but seeing Tatum as the full-time starter by week three would not surprise me. That was my strategy behind taking the two Bells. After locking up my other starting RB and my two starting WRs, I felt spending two back to back picks on the two Bells were worth it. Who knows.

I wasn't going to take a QB or TE in rounds 4 or 5. Another WR would have not been a good choice with only having one RB. I beleive the other top ranked backs on my board were Thomas Jones and Jamal Lewis. There is no doubt that the two Bells are a risk, but I think the celing of one of them taking over as a full-fledged feature back combined with the risk mitigation of having both outweighed the indiviudual risk/reward of a Jones/Lewis combo.

Worst case situation is if both back average ~15 touches a game and split the TDs, or someone else becomes part of the mix (Dayne, Cobbs...). Historically though, other than last season, Shannahan rides a single back.

 

[Sonny Lubick Blowup Doll]

You screwed up not taking a third WR earlier.

The Bell2Bell was not worth what you paid.

And you took a QB too early...which was only magnified by taking his backup too early also.

JMO

 

[tangfoot]

Round 4 (Pick 11): Mike Bell – There was no question we were going to take a RB here. We were really pissed when DeShaun Foster was taken right before us. The next RBs on our list were Jamal Lewis and Thomas Jones. We really didn’t like any of our options here, so we figured we would take a (huge) risk on the greatness that is usually the Denver running game.Round 5 (Pick 2): Tatum Bell – We had our two starting WRs and our two starting RBs. Gates and Manning were long gone, so we felt the best value was getting a decent backup RB. Tatum Bell was not at the top of our list, but makes a great handcuff for Mike Bell. We were afriad if we took Jamal/Thomas Jones, we could end up with two #2RBs that rode the pine. We fugred at least one of the Bells will be servicable each week. This was our plan when we drafted Mike Bell. We knew Tatum only had to last two picks for us to get him. We did. Denver running game is (hopefully) now locked up.Round 7 (Pick 2): Laurence Maroney – We were ecstatic the guy at the turn didn’t take him. A good #4 RB with the potential to start sometime this season.

WOW, do I really not like these picks.You wasted two picks to get (maybe) one starting RB. And that's IF Skeletor can be trusted to tell you which one is going to start on a given Sunday.You REALLY needed to get a viable starting RB after taking that huge risk at 4 and 5, and you waited until the 7th to get a guy who won't be starting, is behind one of the (former) premier RBs in the league, and is a rookie on a team that runs with experience over anything else. I would love to know what RBs were still on the board in the 6th and 7th rounds here.

 

[ImTheScientist]

What do you want? A cookie?

 

[JimboJim]

Round 4 (Pick 11): Mike Bell – There was no question we were going to take a RB here. We were really pissed when DeShaun Foster was taken right before us. The next RBs on our list were Jamal Lewis and Thomas Jones. We really didn’t like any of our options here, so we figured we would take a (huge) risk on the greatness that is usually the Denver running game.Round 5 (Pick 2): Tatum Bell – We had our two starting WRs and our two starting RBs. Gates and Manning were long gone, so we felt the best value was getting a decent backup RB. Tatum Bell was not at the top of our list, but makes a great handcuff for Mike Bell. We were afriad if we took Jamal/Thomas Jones, we could end up with two #2RBs that rode the pine. We fugred at least one of the Bells will be servicable each week. This was our plan when we drafted Mike Bell. We knew Tatum only had to last two picks for us to get him. We did. Denver running game is (hopefully) now locked up.Round 7 (Pick 2): Laurence Maroney – We were ecstatic the guy at the turn didn’t take him. A good #4 RB with the potential to start sometime this season.

WOW, do I really not like these picks.You wasted two picks to get (maybe) one starting RB. And that's IF Skeletor can be trusted to tell you which one is going to start on a given Sunday.You REALLY needed to get a viable starting RB after taking that huge risk at 4 and 5, and you waited until the 7th to get a guy who won't be starting, is behind one of the (former) premier RBs in the league, and is a rookie on a team that runs with experience over anything else. I would love to know what RBs were still on the board in the 6th and 7th rounds here.

My round 6 and 7 picks were only two apart, so taking maroney in the 7th versus the 6th was pretty much a wash.When I picked McNabb in the 6th, my top ranked backs were Chris Brown, Fred Taylor and Maroney. Brown, I wouldn't touch. Maroney and Taylor were close, but my opinion is that at the very least, Maroney gets a third of the work in NE. To me, his upside is higher than Taylor's.I know it goes against the common opinion, but I really think one of the two Bells will be a good FF RB this season. Other than 01, Denver has produced nearly a 200 point FF back every year. See below.2005 - Anderson (200 points)2004 - Droughns (196 points)2003 - Portis (275 points)2002 - Portis (289 points)2001 - Anderson (96 points)2000 - Anderson (255 points)

 

[tangfoot]

When I picked McNabb in the 6th, my top ranked backs were Chris Brown, Fred Taylor and Maroney. Brown, I wouldn't touch. Maroney and Taylor were close, but my opinion is that at the very least, Maroney gets a third of the work in NE. To me, his upside is higher than Taylor's.

Please explain the logic behind this assertion.The upside for a player who is getting 1/3 of the carries is more than for a player who is getting 3/4 of the carries?And is a starter?And is proven?I'd MUCH rather have Fred Taylor as my #3 RB than Maroney.

 

[tangfoot]

I know it goes against the common opinion, but I really think one of the two Bells will be a good FF RB this season. Other than 01, Denver has produced nearly a 200 point FF back every year. See below.2005 - Anderson (200 points)2004 - Droughns (196 points)2003 - Portis (275 points)2002 - Portis (289 points)2001 - Anderson (96 points)2000 - Anderson (255 points)

There's nothing wrong with that opinion, in fact you are probably right.The question is WHICH ONE? One of them will end up being worth that pick at #4/#5. The other will be utter and absolute garbage, not worth a #12. This makes for a situation that I want no part of. Take ONE guess, don't waste your entire draft by taking both when you could have had someone else in that #5 slot who is "guaranteed" to produce stats worthy of his draft slot.

 

[Native]

I know it goes against the common opinion, but I really think one of the two Bells will be a good FF RB this season. Other than 01, Denver has produced nearly a 200 point FF back every year. See below.2005 - Anderson (200 points)2004 - Droughns (196 points)2003 - Portis (275 points)2002 - Portis (289 points)2001 - Anderson (96 points)2000 - Anderson (255 points)

There's nothing wrong with that opinion, in fact you are probably right.The question is WHICH ONE? One of them will end up being worth that pick at #4/#5. The other will be utter and absolute garbage, not worth a #12. This makes for a situation that I want no part of. Take ONE guess, don't waste your entire draft by taking both when you could have had someone else in that #5 slot who is "guaranteed" to produce stats worthy of his draft slot.

Again, beggars cant be choosers. He loaded his team with a stud RB and two great WR's. His team is obviously going to have weaknesses in other areas, particularly at RB2. I dont think its a bad choice to load up on the Brincos RB's; I would justnt spend a #5 on Tatum if I thought Mike was going to explode. Besides, Tatum may be there at 6.10 as well.

 

[Buckna]

What were the starting requirements?My general strategy for drafting in the first 3rd most years is RB, WR, WR. This year there is a lack of quality RB2 candidates and I have yet to see any of the top WR's (SS, Holt, CJ, Fitz) fall to the late 2nd, early 3rd in the few odd drafts I've already done. (Maybe 1 of those guys does in occasionally.) I think you got a gift if you ended up with CJ & Fitz from the 2 hole.I'm now re-evaluating my strategy before my last few drafts to see if it is worth it to drop down to a Marvin/Wayne/Driver/Chambers type or to grab another RB &/or Gates.

Debated this back and forth and just went:1.03 - LJ2.09 - Fitz3.03 - Randy MossGates was still on the board as well as CTaylor, Drougns, Foster, Julius. Other players I targeted at 3 were Marvin, Dunn or Boldin but they all went in the picks between mine. This was a start 2RB, 3WR, 1TE league with no flex so RB wasn't as important to me. WR seemed the best option as most teams already had a RB2 and while the dropfrom Gates to the next TE is steep, I found the drop in what would be my WR2 to be much larger as I expect probably 15 WR's to go before my next pick. I fully expect to see at least 1 of Shockey, Heap or Gonzo still there at 4.09 as well. If this wasn't a start 3WR league, I think the best course of action in the early 3rd is to go Gates unless another of the top WRs lasts to you.

 

[hammerd]

You screwed up not taking a third WR earlier.

sounds like his league starts 2 WRs, considering he called Wilford his backup WR.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

i had the 9th pick in a dynasty and got:

caddy

c johnson

droughns

dunn

foster

d mason

i love those first 5 picks

a lot of people went nuts with drafting young players.

 

[mojorizin]

Didnt take me much thinking to go

Barber

Fitz

Boldin

yesterday. Considering what will be the crash and burn rate of RBs this year, I couldnt pass up the WRs, same squad or not.

 

[Spearchucker Jones]

I am in a 12 team draft right now and did the same thing. Took LJ with pick #2 and then by the time the second round came back to me most of the "decent" backs were gone, I more than happily took Holt and Steve Smith with my 2nd and 3rd round. Just drafted the 4th and I took D. Foster, its back to me in the 5th and Frank Gore is out there, I want to round out my WR3 but I would rather have the solid backup in Gore, heck I may end up playing him more than Foster anyhow. There are always servicable WR#3 out there late. I know of Fosters propensity for injury so my plan is to very late in the draft handcuff him with D. Williams.

I dont think your drafting of the two Bells is that far off, I was considering it, but with Foster there I had to go with a #1 guy with little competition. I am always scared of RBBC in that I may have two bench players so if I were to draft one I would most certainly try for the other a round or two later.

 

[JimboJim]

When I picked McNabb in the 6th, my top ranked backs were Chris Brown, Fred Taylor and Maroney. Brown, I wouldn't touch. Maroney and Taylor were close, but my opinion is that at the very least, Maroney gets a third of the work in NE. To me, his upside is higher than Taylor's.

Please explain the logic behind this assertion.The upside for a player who is getting 1/3 of the carries is more than for a player who is getting 3/4 of the carries?And is a starter?And is proven?I'd MUCH rather have Fred Taylor as my #3 RB than Maroney.

I respect your opinion; I really didn't see a lot of difference between the two anyways.IMO, Taylor was as likey to split time with Jones as Dillon/Maroney prior to the Greg Jones injury.Maroney has looked great in the pre-season; he apeers to have better vision, burst and power than Dillon. If I had to guess, Maroney will be the starter at some point this season.

 

[bjabrad]

Was Dunn gone before you picked at 3.02?I like your first 2 picks but I think I would have went RB in the 3rd rd.

I'll go farther and state the obvious in that although they were taking a risk by waiting for Droughns it wasn't a risk that they could afford to take due to the ending of the depth at RB. When you see that the tier of quality RB's is running out you have to load up and then take whatever of the top 5 WR's you can get. I don't blame you for trying this risk because it could have been a nice move but unfortunately it backfired and now you have more risk for the rest of the season at RB. Here's to hoping for some good luck and good waiver wire hunting.

 

[bjabrad]

First off, nice thread. I enjoyed the analysis of your picks. In general, I like your team a lot.

I do have one burning strategy question pertaining to the Bell/Bell picks. At 4.11, I would agree that Mike Bell represents decent RB value. However, taking Tatum Bell at 5.2 does not. Accordingly, if youre going to spend two early picks on a RBBC, I dont think theres any reason to make your picks according to the VBD of the higher ranked back (in this case, Mike Bell). If you believe the RB situation is murky enough to justify picking both backs in the first 5 rounds, it probably makes more sense to look at the joint value of BOTH backs AS A UNIT.

In such a scenario, I would be much more privy to spend 4.11 and 5.2 on the Colts RBBC - which is just as explosive as the Denver backfield but doesnt have the added threat of a 3rd/4th RB joining the mix (such as Cobbs, Dayne etc). Sure, neither Rhodes nor Addai has an INDIVIDUAL VBD that comes close to Mike Bell's 4.11, but together they represent greater value than Bell/Bell - without any of the added risk.

The only reason I would choose the Denver backfield over the Colts backfield is if you think Mike Bell is the surefire starter this yr. But if you do, thats suggesting that Tatum Bell likely wont see the field much this year (in which case he certainly shouldnt warrant a 5th rd pick).

Anyway, just thinking out loud here. Would like to hear your response. Again, great thread, thanks for sharing.

the most obvious reason for avoiding the DEN RB's is that you can't get any trustworthy intel on who is going to play. So which Bell will it be??? I haven't a clue and I too would rather have the IND backfield.

 

[JimboJim]

I know it goes against the common opinion, but I really think one of the two Bells will be a good FF RB this season. Other than 01, Denver has produced nearly a 200 point FF back every year. See below.2005 - Anderson (200 points)2004 - Droughns (196 points)2003 - Portis (275 points)2002 - Portis (289 points)2001 - Anderson (96 points)2000 - Anderson (255 points)

There's nothing wrong with that opinion, in fact you are probably right.The question is WHICH ONE? One of them will end up being worth that pick at #4/#5. The other will be utter and absolute garbage, not worth a #12. This makes for a situation that I want no part of. Take ONE guess, don't waste your entire draft by taking both when you could have had someone else in that #5 slot who is "guaranteed" to produce stats worthy of his draft slot.

Again, beggars cant be choosers. He loaded his team with a stud RB and two great WR's. His team is obviously going to have weaknesses in other areas, particularly at RB2. I dont think its a bad choice to load up on the Brincos RB's; I would justnt spend a #5 on Tatum if I thought Mike was going to explode. Besides, Tatum may be there at 6.10 as well.

RBs went off the board so fast in this league. I went two stud WRs early and had to face the consequences. By the time the end of round four rolled around, there were no Frank Gores or DeShaun Fosters avaiable.My original point for posting was to provide an example of what a team might look like when you take two WRs in the first three rounds.- My first three rounds built the core of my team (LJ, CJ, Fitz).- Picks 4 & 5 had to be RBs. Gates and Manning were the only non-RB/WR picks I would have made here.- I went with the Bell combo in Denver. Yes, I used two early picks to secure the players I wanted. When I drafted Mike Bell, I knew Tatum would be my next pick. Looking at historical data, there is a good chance one of the two will be a 200 point producer. The other options I had at RB were Thomas Jones and Jamal Lewis. It's not like I passed on Willie Parker or Kevin Jones to take the Denver backs.- Took a chance on Maroney over a couple of backs that might see more time (F. Taylor, C. Brown...). I like Maroney; I think he will start sometime this year and put up good numbers.- I took McNabb and Vick early; maybe a mistake. By the time I drafted them, RB/WR was so thin they presented the best value in my mind.- I think taking only one backup WR wasn't the worst move ever. We have only 13 roster spots. I (like everyone else) loaded up at RB. By taking Vick, we gave up on a #4 WR. Wilford might not be great, but if I have to start someone at WR other than CJ or Fitz for an extended period of time, I'm in trouble anyways because one of my cornestones is injured or a bust. If something happens to CJ or Fitz and Wilford is also a complete waste, there will be some servicable options on the WW.

 

[JimboJim]

You screwed up not taking a third WR earlier.

sounds like his league starts 2 WRs, considering he called Wilford his backup WR.

You're right. Sorry I didn't post the lineup reqs.1 QB2 RB2 WR1 TE1 K1 D

 

[Keys Myaths]

Not to be one of those guys, but why the hell are there about 6 threads relating to individual FF teams on page 1?

 

[bjabrad]

Round 4 (Pick 11): Mike Bell – There was no question we were going to take a RB here. We were really pissed when DeShaun Foster was taken right before us. The next RBs on our list were Jamal Lewis and Thomas Jones. We really didn’t like any of our options here, so we figured we would take a (huge) risk on the greatness that is usually the Denver running game.Round 5 (Pick 2): Tatum Bell – We had our two starting WRs and our two starting RBs. Gates and Manning were long gone, so we felt the best value was getting a decent backup RB. Tatum Bell was not at the top of our list, but makes a great handcuff for Mike Bell. We were afriad if we took Jamal/Thomas Jones, we could end up with two #2RBs that rode the pine. We fugred at least one of the Bells will be servicable each week. This was our plan when we drafted Mike Bell. We knew Tatum only had to last two picks for us to get him. We did. Denver running game is (hopefully) now locked up.Round 7 (Pick 2): Laurence Maroney – We were ecstatic the guy at the turn didn’t take him. A good #4 RB with the potential to start sometime this season.

WOW, do I really not like these picks.You wasted two picks to get (maybe) one starting RB. And that's IF Skeletor can be trusted to tell you which one is going to start on a given Sunday.You REALLY needed to get a viable starting RB after taking that huge risk at 4 and 5, and you waited until the 7th to get a guy who won't be starting, is behind one of the (former) premier RBs in the league, and is a rookie on a team that runs with experience over anything else. I would love to know what RBs were still on the board in the 6th and 7th rounds here.

My round 6 and 7 picks were only two apart, so taking maroney in the 7th versus the 6th was pretty much a wash.When I picked McNabb in the 6th, my top ranked backs were Chris Brown, Fred Taylor and Maroney. Brown, I wouldn't touch. Maroney and Taylor were close, but my opinion is that at the very least, Maroney gets a third of the work in NE. To me, his upside is higher than Taylor's.I know it goes against the common opinion, but I really think one of the two Bells will be a good FF RB this season. Other than 01, Denver has produced nearly a 200 point FF back every year. See below.2005 - Anderson (200 points)2004 - Droughns (196 points)2003 - Portis (275 points)2002 - Portis (289 points)2001 - Anderson (96 points)2000 - Anderson (255 points)

I'm glad that you brought out these stats because 200 pts per season is good stuff. However, with a DEN RB you typically get your points in bunches instead of spread out evenly across the whole season. A couple of games of Mike Anderson, a few with Tatum, some Quentin and back to Mike Anderson and during that time you can't get anybody to tell you who's going to start and you might end up with a goose egg at the RB if you start the wrong one.

 

[JimboJim]

Was Dunn gone before you picked at 3.02?I like your first 2 picks but I think I would have went RB in the 3rd rd.

I'll go farther and state the obvious in that although they were taking a risk by waiting for Droughns it wasn't a risk that they could afford to take due to the ending of the depth at RB. When you see that the tier of quality RB's is running out you have to load up and then take whatever of the top 5 WR's you can get. I don't blame you for trying this risk because it could have been a nice move but unfortunately it backfired and now you have more risk for the rest of the season at RB. Here's to hoping for some good luck and good waiver wire hunting.

Yes and no. I know that Dodds has Droughns ranked fairly high; not me. I think the TDs still won't be there. The oline is a little better than last year, but the center spot is a mess and I could see Harrison getting some work.My buddy and I discussed Droughns heavily. On our list, his ranking was only a couple of spots better than who we ended up taking: Mike Bell.If I had to do it again, I would take CJ/Fitz/Mike Bell/Tatum Bell over what it could have been; say Droughns/Fitz/J. Lewis/Galloway

 

[bjabrad]

What were the starting requirements?My general strategy for drafting in the first 3rd most years is RB, WR, WR. This year there is a lack of quality RB2 candidates and I have yet to see any of the top WR's (SS, Holt, CJ, Fitz) fall to the late 2nd, early 3rd in the few odd drafts I've already done. (Maybe 1 of those guys does in occasionally.) I think you got a gift if you ended up with CJ & Fitz from the 2 hole.I'm now re-evaluating my strategy before my last few drafts to see if it is worth it to drop down to a Marvin/Wayne/Driver/Chambers type or to grab another RB &/or Gates.

Debated this back and forth and just went:1.03 - LJ2.09 - Fitz3.03 - Randy MossGates was still on the board as well as CTaylor, Drougns, Foster, Julius. Other players I targeted at 3 were Marvin, Dunn or Boldin but they all went in the picks between mine. This was a start 2RB, 3WR, 1TE league with no flex so RB wasn't as important to me. WR seemed the best option as most teams already had a RB2 and while the dropfrom Gates to the next TE is steep, I found the drop in what would be my WR2 to be much larger as I expect probably 15 WR's to go before my next pick. I fully expect to see at least 1 of Shockey, Heap or Gonzo still there at 4.09 as well. If this wasn't a start 3WR league, I think the best course of action in the early 3rd is to go Gates unless another of the top WRs lasts to you.

I understand why you couldn't pull the trigger on Gates but the difference between Gates and the next TE is too great to ignore and when combined with a key RB waiver wire acquisition can literally win you your season outright by creating the key separation that is needed each week. I'll take Gates if he's avaiable in my 3rd contrary to what Dodd's perfect draft believes,