[Dynasty] 2014 Draft Prospects (2 Viewers)

[Milkman]

We know what Ebron can do in between the 20's. What he ends up accomplishing in the red zone will determine if he becomes and elite TE. He seems like a significant long shot to be an elite red zone target based on his college numbers.

If that's the case his ceiling is like 6-10 TE. His floor is still pretty high so he's a safe pick. However if you think he's going to be an elite red zone target then his ceiling is #1 TE in the league.

 

[Faust]

Ex-NFL scout: Eric Ebron could be better than Jimmy Graham

Eric Ebron set to visit Bills, Lions, Ravens, Panthers In the Green Room with North Carolina TE Eric Ebron

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

A well-connected NFL source told ESPN's Todd McShay that he'd be surprised if Pittsburgh QB Tom Savage wasn't picked on Day 2.
The postseason QB prospect darling continues to take on helium as evaluators become infatuated with his arm strength on film. McShay called Savage's OTs last season at Pitt the worst he's ever seen at college football's highest level, and he joked earlier this month that Savage "could build [a] strong malpractice suit vs. [his] supporting cast" with the Panthers. Savage was a relative unknown heading into last season after beginning his college career at Rutgers, transferring to Arizona State, and finally settling in at Pittsburgh for one season as a starting QB. Coaches have egos, too, and you can bet the house that at least a few QB coaches will swear to their GMs that they can make an NFL player out of these tools.

Source: ESPN's First Draft podcast

Georgia QB Aaron Murray has a "hot name" in scouting circles, says ESPN's Todd McShay.
"He showed toughness this year, he can handle pressure," McShay said. "He doesn't have great size, he has marginal arm strength, but in the right system, a Sean Payton system, he can have success and be a really good backup, and who knows, one day could maybe be a starter." Murray, progressing well from ACL surgery in November, is hopeful he will be able to work out at Georgia’s pro day on April 16.

Source: ESPN's First Draft Podcast

The Vikings, drafting at No. 8 overall, prefer Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater amongst the QB prospects, reports ESPN's Todd McShay.
Minnesota also likes Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel, McShay has heard, but they have Bridgewater "a little higher in their pecking order." Once thought to have zero chance of selecting Bridgewater, Manziel or UFC's Blakes Bortles barring an expensive trade up, experts now think the Norseman might have an elite QB prospect fall into their laps as other teams pop surer things at other positions above them. "I absolutely think that any one of [bridgewater, Manziel or Bortles] could be there at No. 8, I legitimately do," McShay said. "I would lean more towards only one going off the board in the top-7 picks than I would towards two or more coming off the board by the time Minnesota comes up at No. 8."

Source: ESPN's First Draft Podcast

A contingent of Raiders' decision-makers asked Fresno State QB Derek Carr if No. 5 would be too early to draft him, and the signal-caller hinted that he's been hearing he won't drop into Round 2.
"No sir," Carr said. "From what I've heard from the Senior Bowl, the combine, meeting with teams in-between then, talking to teams, I think we're going to surprise some people come May 8." The Raiders' general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback coach were in attendance at Carr's pro day. The signal-caller completed 43 consecutive throws and did nothing to toss a wet blanket on his surging stock.

Source: NFL.com

Vikings GM Rick Spielman and OC Norv Turner attended Fresno State QB Derek Carr's pro day and scheduled an upcoming private workout with San Jose State's David Fales.
It was once thought that Carr would slip into the top half of the second round, but the Vikings would probably have to pull the trigger on him at No. 8 to be comfortable. Carr's ridiculous arm strength will act as a push-up bra and heels for QB-needy decision-makers on Draft Day, and the result may be a well-intentioned overdraft. Carr suffered from flu-like symptoms at his pro day but performed well anyway. Fales is a mid-round target only if The Purple doesn't tab a QB in the first few stanzas.

Source: ESPN 1500

 

[EBF]

We know what Ebron can do in between the 20's. What he ends up accomplishing in the red zone will determine if he becomes and elite TE. He seems like a significant long shot to be an elite red zone target based on his college numbers.

If that's the case his ceiling is like 6-10 TE. His floor is still pretty high so he's a safe pick. However if you think he's going to be an elite red zone target then his ceiling is #1 TE in the league.

I mostly agree with you (although I don't think he has a ceiling of TE1 overall), but Aaron Hernandez wasn't a spectacular red zone threat and he still put up really nice FF stats. Ebron isn't quite the athlete that Hernandez was with the ball in his hands, but he moves really well for a TE and he has similar potential to be used as basically a slot receiver when the coverage is favorable. He could rack up a lot of receptions/yards and be a top 3-4 FF TE without ever being a monster in the red zone. I've said it many times, but he reminds me a lot of Kellen Winslow Jr. pre-injuries. Very similar build, movement, and style. Even had similar combine numbers with solid speed/broad jump and a somewhat "meh" vertical. I think Kellen was a little better. Ebron is cut from the same cloth though.

 

[Milkman]

We know what Ebron can do in between the 20's. What he ends up accomplishing in the red zone will determine if he becomes and elite TE. He seems like a significant long shot to be an elite red zone target based on his college numbers.

If that's the case his ceiling is like 6-10 TE. His floor is still pretty high so he's a safe pick. However if you think he's going to be an elite red zone target then his ceiling is #1 TE in the league.

I mostly agree with you (although I don't think he has a ceiling of TE1 overall), but Aaron Hernandez wasn't a spectacular red zone threat and he still put up really nice FF stats. Ebron isn't quite the athlete that Hernandez was with the ball in his hands, but he moves really well for a TE and he has similar potential to be used as basically a slot receiver when the coverage is favorable. He could rack up a lot of receptions/yards and be a top 3-4 FF TE without ever being a monster in the red zone. I've said it many times, but he reminds me a lot of Kellen Winslow Jr. pre-injuries. Very similar build, movement, and style. Even had similar combine numbers with solid speed/broad jump and a somewhat "meh" vertical. I think Kellen was a little better. Ebron is cut from the same cloth though.

We agree on a lot of players. I'm not sure if that's a good sign for you. Lololol

 

[EBF]

I think there's a pretty strong consensus with Ebron. I don't recall seeing anyone who has said he's a bad prospect. Most people agree that he's really good and a certain first rounder. It mostly just comes down to ceiling and how high you think a good receiving TE should go. I think he's a lot less controversial than Evans/Lee/Benjamin/Cooks and probably even Watkins. Many times two people will look at the same player and see very different things, but it seems like with Ebron everyone sort of has the same general take on him.

 

[ILUVBEER99]

I'd say his value is pretty comparable to what Eifert's was a year ago. I'd rank those guys pretty close together as NFL/FF prospects.

not sure about that, i think he's a lot better prospect than Eifert with a lot higher upside, although Jimmy Graham isn't really a good comparison.

If Vernon wasn't one of the best blocking TE's in the NFL he'd be a much much better FF guy. While Ebron doesn't have the freakish speed Vernon does he's more well rounded as a receiver.

I like eifert quite a bit but as prospects Ebron is better IMO.

 

[EBF]

I'd say his value is pretty comparable to what Eifert's was a year ago. I'd rank those guys pretty close together as NFL/FF prospects.

not sure about that, i think he's a lot better prospect than Eifert with a lot higher upside, although Jimmy Graham isn't really a good comparison.

If Vernon wasn't one of the best blocking TE's in the NFL he'd be a much much better FF guy. While Ebron doesn't have the freakish speed Vernon does he's more well rounded as a receiver.

I like eifert quite a bit but as prospects Ebron is better IMO.

The Ebron/Davis thing has come up a lot and I think ultimately those two guys are very different animals. Davis is relatively short, very thick, and ridiculously fast/explosive for a player that size. Legitimately one of the top combine freaks in the NFL. But...Vernon Davis really isn't that great in terms of the intangible receiving skills. He's not a great route runner. He doesn't have great range or hands. He's just a really strong, insanely fast guy.

Ebron is one or two rungs lower on the workout freak scale, but he's a more gifted receiver. Better route runner. Better range. Capable of making adjustments that Davis never could. I often mention Kellen Winslow because they're just so similar in so many ways. The build is very similar. The skill set is very similar. The playing style is very similar.

I could buy the idea that Ebron is a slightly better prospect than Eifert, but not by a huge margin. Eifert was a high pick last year and many people expected him to go higher. He was a nice prospect with a good blend of athletic tangibles and innate TE skills. I think he's pretty close to Ebron in terms of overall athletic ability. A touch slower. Probably better in jump ball situations due to his superior height and leaping ability. Ebron is probably better at running after the catch and he's more on the "pure pass catcher" side of the TE scale whereas Eifert is just a little more in-line. So maybe he's a slightly better FF proposition. I think if we could look at their grades among the 32 NFL franchises, we'd see that they're pretty similar.

 

[ILUVBEER99]

I'd say his value is pretty comparable to what Eifert's was a year ago. I'd rank those guys pretty close together as NFL/FF prospects.

not sure about that, i think he's a lot better prospect than Eifert with a lot higher upside, although Jimmy Graham isn't really a good comparison.

If Vernon wasn't one of the best blocking TE's in the NFL he'd be a much much better FF guy. While Ebron doesn't have the freakish speed Vernon does he's more well rounded as a receiver.

I like eifert quite a bit but as prospects Ebron is better IMO.

The Ebron/Davis thing has come up a lot and I think ultimately those two guys are very different animals. Davis is relatively short, very thick, and ridiculously fast/explosive for a player that size. Legitimately one of the top combine freaks in the NFL. But...Vernon Davis really isn't that great in terms of the intangible receiving skills. He's not a great route runner. He doesn't have great range or hands. He's just a really strong, insanely fast guy.

Ebron is one or two rungs lower on the workout freak scale, but he's a more gifted receiver. Better route runner. Better range. Capable of making adjustments that Davis never could. I often mention Kellen Winslow because they're just so similar in so many ways. The build is very similar. The skill set is very similar. The playing style is very similar.

I could buy the idea that Ebron is a slightly better prospect than Eifert, but not by a huge margin. Eifert was a high pick last year and many people expected him to go higher. He was a nice prospect with a good blend of athletic tangibles and innate TE skills. I think he's pretty close to Ebron in terms of overall athletic ability. A touch slower. Probably better in jump ball situations due to his superior height and leaping ability. Ebron is probably better at running after the catch and he's more on the "pure pass catcher" side of the TE scale whereas Eifert is just a little more in-line. So maybe he's a slightly better FF proposition. I think if we could look at their grades among the 32 NFL franchises, we'd see that they're pretty similar.

If we looked at NFL grades you are probably right, but isn't Eifert a much better and refined blocker? That is important in the NFL but actually hurts for FF.

 

[EBF]

If we looked at NFL grades you are probably right, but isn't Eifert a much better and refined blocker? That is important in the NFL but actually hurts for FF.

I think he was regarded as a passable blocker. Definitely not terrible like Escobar, but not some kind of road grader either.

Two schools of thought with the blocking thing. One is that being a good blocker ensures that a guy will stay on the field. The other is that being a good blocker means less time out wide and therefore less catches. I'm not sure which side makes the most sense. I think as long as the guy is a good receiver then he'll get his fair share of opportunities either way.

 

[ILUVBEER99]

If we looked at NFL grades you are probably right, but isn't Eifert a much better and refined blocker? That is important in the NFL but actually hurts for FF.

I think he was regarded as a passable blocker. Definitely not terrible like Escobar, but not some kind of road grader either.

Two schools of thought with the blocking thing. One is that being a good blocker ensures that a guy will stay on the field. The other is that being a good blocker means less time out wide and therefore less catches. I'm not sure which side makes the most sense. I think as long as the guy is a good receiver then he'll get his fair share of opportunities either way.

True. i guess Eifert going to Cinci hurt him short term with Gresham already being there. I like him a lot as well, just think Ebron should end up in a better situation and really like his upside. Also Ebron is only 20 right now, so probably has a lot more upside, whereas Eifert was over 2 years older coming into the NFL.

 

[bengalbuck]

Should Ebron be drafted at about the 1.07 in dynasty drafts just trying to see where some are ranking him I'm trying to put together my rankings. He could be one of the few that contribute to fantasy dynasty teams right way. Any discussion on this?

I was wondering the same thing, but I'm more curious about other opinions and rankings in a PPR with TE enhanced scoring rules.

Also, with 1.5 TE PPR, I wouldn't give the TEs too much of a bump. If you figure 14 or 15 PPG is what you are hoping for out of your flex, there were only about 5 or 6 TEs who scored that much. So it doesn't make TE a real attractive flex option unless you have 2 top 5 TEs. In terms of your TE vs. your opponents TE, the extra 0.5 per reception compared to normal scoring doesn't really have much of an impact.

So if you have him 1.12 in normal PPR rankings, maybe you bump him up a little to 1.09 or something. But I wouldn't go too nuts with bumping TEs way up in reaction to the 1.5 PPR.

11 TEs scored 14+ppg last year in 1.5ppr. And another six scored 12-14ppg.

Only 6 TEs put up over 14 per game and also scored over 150 points. Take out the small sample size guys who only played a few games, and there just aren't a lot of TEs, even in 1.5 PPR, who are putting up a lot of points.

So realistically, only 6 TEs would have been what I consider strong flex options last year. If you had 2 of the top 6 TEs, then cool. You could use your backup as a flex. If not, you could still use some of those other 12 or 13 PPG guys as a flex, but its likely not giving you any real advantage over the guys using WRs or RBs in the flex spot.

Based on my experience, it seems like people way overvalue TEs in "TE Premium" leagues and then undervalue them in normal 1 PPR leagues. There really is not all that big of a difference.

 

[The Fantasy Chef]

I have one first round pick and if he is as good as I think he might be he will be a steal at 1.05 to 1.08 His athleticism is ridiculous and his comparisons give you a good feel for how high people think of his potential.

 

[jonboltz]

Should Ebron be drafted at about the 1.07 in dynasty drafts just trying to see where some are ranking him I'm trying to put together my rankings. He could be one of the few that contribute to fantasy dynasty teams right way. Any discussion on this?

I was wondering the same thing, but I'm more curious about other opinions and rankings in a PPR with TE enhanced scoring rules.

Also, with 1.5 TE PPR, I wouldn't give the TEs too much of a bump. If you figure 14 or 15 PPG is what you are hoping for out of your flex, there were only about 5 or 6 TEs who scored that much. So it doesn't make TE a real attractive flex option unless you have 2 top 5 TEs. In terms of your TE vs. your opponents TE, the extra 0.5 per reception compared to normal scoring doesn't really have much of an impact.

So if you have him 1.12 in normal PPR rankings, maybe you bump him up a little to 1.09 or something. But I wouldn't go too nuts with bumping TEs way up in reaction to the 1.5 PPR.

11 TEs scored 14+ppg last year in 1.5ppr. And another six scored 12-14ppg.

Only 6 TEs put up over 14 per game and also scored over 150 points. Take out the small sample size guys who only played a few games, and there just aren't a lot of TEs, even in 1.5 PPR, who are putting up a lot of points.

So realistically, only 6 TEs would have been what I consider strong flex options last year. If you had 2 of the top 6 TEs, then cool. You could use your backup as a flex. If not, you could still use some of those other 12 or 13 PPG guys as a flex, but its likely not giving you any real advantage over the guys using WRs or RBs in the flex spot.

Based on my experience, it seems like people way overvalue TEs in "TE Premium" leagues and then undervalue them in normal 1 PPR leagues. There really is not all that big of a difference.

Which of these TEs are you excluding from your "14 ppg plus 150 total points" category? Jimmy, Tony, Cameron, Julius, Witten, Vernon, Olsen, Gates. In addition, Clay put up 13.93, which was higher than Hilton, Wright, and Torrey, to name a few. This list also doesn't include Gronk and Reed, who were flat out fantastic plays when healthy. PItta and Rudolph are also not in this list, and both are in great situations for TEs.

In a TE premium league, I doubt Ebron falls out of the top 5, unless he goes somewhere terrible.

 

[Donnybrook]

Rotoworld:

.

Vikings GM Rick Spielman and OC Norv Turner attended Fresno State QB Derek Carr's pro day and scheduled an upcoming private workout with San Jose State's David Fales.
It was once thought that Carr would slip into the top half of the second round, but the Vikings would probably have to pull the trigger on him at No. 8 to be comfortable. Carr's ridiculous arm strength will act as a push-up bra and heels for QB-needy decision-makers on Draft Day, and the result may be a well-intentioned overdraft. Carr suffered from flu-like symptoms at his pro day but performed well anyway. Fales is a mid-round target only if The Purple doesn't tab a QB in the first few stanzas.

Source: ESPN 1500

What idiot at Rotoworld is writing this crap?

According to these reports every time the Vikings attend a QB's pro day, they fall head over heels for the guy they are watching. I can't wait until next week, when they watch Johnny Manziel. I am sure Turner will say that he looked good and the reports that they are trading up for Johnny Football will follow.

I have a serious question though. What makes Carr any better QB prospect than Geno Smith? Smith was a second round pick last year. Smith also has a great arm and ran a similar time at the combine. Like Smith, Carr rarely actually runs out of the pocket. I still think Geno was/is a better prospect than Carr because he has better poise in the pocket.

 

[Donnybrook]

I think I would like Ebron better if I didn't get to hear his interviews. It always good for a player to have confidence in their abilities but he is a little too in love with himself.

 

[lod01]

Rotoworld:

.

Vikings GM Rick Spielman and OC Norv Turner attended Fresno State QB Derek Carr's pro day and scheduled an upcoming private workout with San Jose State's David Fales.
It was once thought that Carr would slip into the top half of the second round, but the Vikings would probably have to pull the trigger on him at No. 8 to be comfortable. Carr's ridiculous arm strength will act as a push-up bra and heels for QB-needy decision-makers on Draft Day, and the result may be a well-intentioned overdraft. Carr suffered from flu-like symptoms at his pro day but performed well anyway. Fales is a mid-round target only if The Purple doesn't tab a QB in the first few stanzas.

Source: ESPN 1500

What idiot at Rotoworld is writing this crap?

According to these reports every time the Vikings attend a QB's pro day, they fall head over heels for the guy they are watching. I can't wait until next week, when they watch Johnny Manziel. I am sure Turner will say that he looked good and the reports that they are trading up for Johnny Football will follow.

I have a serious question though. What makes Carr any better QB prospect than Geno Smith? Smith was a second round pick last year. Smith also has a great arm and ran a similar time at the combine. Like Smith, Carr rarely actually runs out of the pocket. I still think Geno was/is a better prospect than Carr because he has better poise in the pocket.

David Carr Jr. Should be a trainwreck like his big brother. They look the same on the field on college.

 

[Gandalf]

Derek Carr puts himself into first round at pro day

I think if David Carr was not his brother that he would be thought of a lot higher. It's crazy. But I think's it's true. Seriously if his name was say Derek Brady or Derek Manning but with the exact same attributes people would be catapulting him to the 1st overall pick. And had David Carr gone to a better situation his whole career could have turned out different. And I think Derek learned from his brother. And I think Derek is probably better than David anyway anyway. Seriously, think about how the name biases you... Derek Leaf, Derek Vick. Okay I'll stop.

 

[Donnybrook]

Derek Carr puts himself into first round at pro day

I think if David Carr was not his brother that he would be thought of a lot higher. It's crazy. But I think's it's true. Seriously if his name was say Derek Brady or Derek Manning but with the exact same attributes people would be catapulting him to the 1st overall pick. And had David Carr gone to a better situation his whole career could have turned out different. And I think Derek learned from his brother. And I think Derek is probably better than David anyway anyway. Seriously, think about how the name biases you... Derek Leaf, Derek Vick. Okay I'll stop.

I think you need to watch Derek Carr play. If somewhere along the line he displayed the ability to be brave in the pocket I would like him more. He really hasn't demonstrated that ability in either bowl game I watched. I believe if he showed that ability I think NFL GMs wouldn't care what his name is.

 

[msommer]

I think I would like Ebron better if I didn't get to hear his interviews. It always good for a player to have confidence in their abilities but he is a little too in love with himself.

Is he a soldierTM ?

 

[identikit]

I think I would like Ebron better if I didn't get to hear his interviews. It always good for a player to have confidence in their abilities but he is a little too in love with himself.

Is he a soldierTM ?

I think I would like Ebron better if I didn't get to hear his interviews. It always good for a player to have confidence in their abilities but he is a little too in love with himself.

Is he a soldierTM ?

LOL..

First guy I thought of too.

 

[OrangeJulius]

I think I would like Ebron better if I didn't get to hear his interviews. It always good for a player to have confidence in their abilities but he is a little too in love with himself.

Kate Upton is the same way...... Just enjoy and cherish the on field performance!

 

[Faust]

Pro days notebook

 

[Faust]

Justin Ellis among underrated draft prospects who could fill holes in AFC

 

[lod01]

Derek Carr puts himself into first round at pro day

I think if David Carr was not his brother that he would be thought of a lot higher. It's crazy. But I think's it's true. Seriously if his name was say Derek Brady or Derek Manning but with the exact same attributes people would be catapulting him to the 1st overall pick. And had David Carr gone to a better situation his whole career could have turned out different. And I think Derek learned from his brother. And I think Derek is probably better than David anyway anyway. Seriously, think about how the name biases you... Derek Leaf, Derek Vick. Okay I'll stop.

I think you need to watch Derek Carr play. If somewhere along the line he displayed the ability to be brave in the pocket I would like him more. He really hasn't demonstrated that ability in either bowl game I watched. I believe if he showed that ability I think NFL GMs wouldn't care what his name is.

People think that David Carr was shell shocked due to lack of talent protecting him but the real truth is that he was a wuss in the pocket. David Carr Jr. has not shown any different characteristics in the pocket. Nothing tells the story like Sunday, October 29, 2006. Carr, 3 sacks no TDs, benched, same OL, Sage Rosenfels, 3 TDs, 1 sack, almost brings the team back.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Scouts Inc.'s Todd McShay has a fourth-round grade on Fresno State QB Derek Carr.
McShay also labeled Carr the biggest risk of the quarterback group since people are mentioning him in the first-round. "I don't see it," McShay began. "60 percent of his throws within five yards of the line of scrimmage, struggles against pressure and that tape I watched against USC, that is not a quarterback, to me, that looks like a potential starter in the league." It can be difficult to separate quarterbacks from systems, and Carr's inability to fire in the face of a pass rush has been well documented in the form of poor balance, but we still expect him to be, at worst, an early second-round pick.

Source: ESPN

ESPN's Mel Kiper believes Eastern Illinois QB Jimmy Garoppolo has the most upside of any prospect at the position.
"The reason I say upside is because if he would have put him in a major college program, where would he rank? Probably top five or top 10," Kiper said, adding Garoppolo has a super quick release. Rotoworld's Josh Norris also lists Garoppolo as his fifth quarterback, but questions his feet in the pocket and specifically under pressure. Kiper believes Garoppolo could go a bit later than he should due to playing in the FCS.

Source: ESPN

CBS Sports' Dane Brugler believes Pitt's Devin Street is a top five senior WR.
"He might be what everyone wants BYU's Cody Hoffman to be as a prospect," Brugler tweeted. The draft analyst did not diclose his entire list, but names like Robert Herron, Jordan Matthews, Jared Abbrederis, Josh Huff, Shaq Evans, Ryan Grant, Kevin Norwood and Jalen Saunders are the likely contestants to battle for the ranking.

Source: Dane Brugler on Twitter

At least two teams have Texas A&M's Mike Evans as their top WR, according to CBS Sports' Dane Brugler.
Some have questioned if this was possible, citing the league's size bias for top receiver prospects, but it still is a bit of a surprise. Sammy Watkins, despite his 6-foot-1 frame, fights for the ball at the catch point better than most and offers explosiveness after the catch. Evans has a few veteran traits, specifically his willingness to work back towards his quarterback and win in contested situations. Both prospects could be top-10 selections.

Source: Dane Brugler on Twitter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Wednesday that 12 teams have expressed interest in Georgia QB Aaron Murray.
Murray is currently in Phoenix preparing for Georgia’s pro day on April 16. Pat Dye, Jr., Murray’s agent, said the signal caller has garnered interest from the following teams: Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Arizona, Minnesota, New Orleans, St. Louis, Cleveland, Houston, Dallas, Oakland, Tennessee and Kansas City. "There’s just a real positive buzz about Aaron with the teams," Dye said. "He’s well ahead of schedule [from ACL surgery in November] and he should be fine to start training camp or at some point during training camp. Whether if that’s the first day or two weeks into it. Aaron swears he’ll be ready by training camp, a full go."

Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

[The Fantasy Chef]

Should Ebron be drafted at about the 1.07 in dynasty drafts just trying to see where some are ranking him I'm trying to put together my rankings. He could be one of the few that contribute to fantasy dynasty teams right way. Any discussion on this?

I was wondering the same thing, but I'm more curious about other opinions and rankings in a PPR with TE enhanced scoring rules.

Also, with 1.5 TE PPR, I wouldn't give the TEs too much of a bump. If you figure 14 or 15 PPG is what you are hoping for out of your flex, there were only about 5 or 6 TEs who scored that much. So it doesn't make TE a real attractive flex option unless you have 2 top 5 TEs. In terms of your TE vs. your opponents TE, the extra 0.5 per reception compared to normal scoring doesn't really have much of an impact.

So if you have him 1.12 in normal PPR rankings, maybe you bump him up a little to 1.09 or something. But I wouldn't go too nuts with bumping TEs way up in reaction to the 1.5 PPR.

11 TEs scored 14+ppg last year in 1.5ppr. And another six scored 12-14ppg.

Only 6 TEs put up over 14 per game and also scored over 150 points. Take out the small sample size guys who only played a few games, and there just aren't a lot of TEs, even in 1.5 PPR, who are putting up a lot of points.

So realistically, only 6 TEs would have been what I consider strong flex options last year. If you had 2 of the top 6 TEs, then cool. You could use your backup as a flex. If not, you could still use some of those other 12 or 13 PPG guys as a flex, but its likely not giving you any real advantage over the guys using WRs or RBs in the flex spot.

Based on my experience, it seems like people way overvalue TEs in "TE Premium" leagues and then undervalue them in normal 1 PPR leagues. There really is not all that big of a difference.

Which of these TEs are you excluding from your "14 ppg plus 150 total points" category? Jimmy, Tony, Cameron, Julius, Witten, Vernon, Olsen, Gates. In addition, Clay put up 13.93, which was higher than Hilton, Wright, and Torrey, to name a few. This list also doesn't include Gronk and Reed, who were flat out fantastic plays when healthy. PItta and Rudolph are also not in this list, and both are in great situations for TEs.

In a TE premium league, I doubt Ebron falls out of the top 5, unless he goes somewhere terrible.

What if its. A te/wr flex league no actual te spot just four flexes with ppr? Where does he fall?

 

[Brewtown]

This extra time before the draft stinks.

Makes the period from the combine way to the draft too long... The draft is more than a month away still.

This takes away two weeks of play book study as well...

 

[Sabertooth]

Yeah not sure what sense it made to move it into May. Sucks really.

 

[joey]

Is this a permanent change to May or just a one-year delay for some reason?

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Scouts Inc.'s Todd McShay believes Oklahoma's Damien Williams has the most upside at the RB position.
"He goes to the Combine and has an explosive workout... the guy can move laterally, can explode with his lower body, can catch the football," McShay said. "I think it is terrific value if you can get him in that fifth- or sixth-round range." Williams was dismissed from the Oklahoma football team in November, but McShay gave him a third-round grade heading into the season.

Source: ESPN

Bengals tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes worked out Iowa TE C.J. Fiedorowicz at the school's pro day on Monday.
Fiedorowicz (6-foot-5 3/4, 266 pounds) is "ok, but not great at catching the ball," according to NFL.com's Gil Brandt, "but is a really good blocker." Fiedorowicz is a straight-line runner who tops out at average speed. While he'll never break an NFL defender's ankles in the open field, he'll have plenty of chances, as his 10 1/4'' hands suck in anything close. Fiedorowicz's catch radius and physicality guarantee a suitor on the draft's second day.

Source: NFL.com

NFL.com's Gil Brandt sees North Carolina State TE Asa Watson as a "likely" Day 3 pick.
The brother of New Orleans Saints TE Ben Watson ran forties of 4.71 and 4.65 seconds at his pro day on Monday. He added a 32-inch vertical jump, a 9-9 broad jump, a 4.44 second short shuttle, a 7.05 second three-cone drill, and 26 lifts on the bench press. Watson is "a very good receiver," according to Brandt. "He has excellent hands and runs very good routes."

Source: NFL.com

Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage told Alabama WR Kevin Norwood that he will "go mid-third round to no later than fifth."
Norwood recently worked out for the Panthers and has a meeting with the Patriots scheduled. "[Carolina] told me they really like me and hope I won't get picked before they pick me," Norwood wrote in his USA Today draft diary. When Norwood's name is called in May, he'll become only the second Alabama WR under Nick Saban drafted, following Julio Jones.

Source: USA Today

 

[Faust]

2014 NFL Draft: What we learned from Monday's pro days

 

[Faust]

Underrated 2014 draft prospects for every NFC team

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Scouts Inc.'s Todd McShay believes Oklahoma's Damien Williams has the most upside at the RB position.
"He goes to the Combine and has an explosive workout... the guy can move laterally, can explode with his lower body, can catch the football," McShay said. "I think it is terrific value if you can get him in that fifth- or sixth-round range." Williams was dismissed from the Oklahoma football team in November, but McShay gave him a third-round grade heading into the season.

Source: ESPN

I posted this one above, but was intrigued enough to explore this further.

Former Sooners take to Twitter to defend Damien Williams after dismissal from teamAny additional thoughts about Williams from the Shark Pool?

 

[Faust]

Video Link:

NFL Draft Lab: Running Backs

Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay examine the top running backs in the 2014 NFL draft, including some risky picks and under-the-radar players.

 

[Faust]

Video Link:

NFL Draft Lab: Quarterbacks

Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay examine the top quarterbacks in the NFL draft and discuss which QBs have the highest upside, are the riskiest picks and could be under-the-radar sleeper picks.

 

[DaveL]

Is this a permanent change to May or just a one-year delay for some reason?

The change came from the Radio City Music Hall being booked the last week in April due to Easter being later than normal. So the NFL used that to make the change for this year and following years as well. Sadly it's permanent, until they change it again. The two less weeks for rookies to study the playbook is my biggest gripe.

edit: also, next year they're moving free agency to before the combine

 

[Faust]

Mike Pettine calls Derek Carr the 'best natural thrower in draft'By Mike Huguenin

College Football 24/7 writer

New Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine would seem to be in the market for a quarterback, and he provided a quick rundown on each of the top four quarterback prospects Tuesday morning at the NFL Annual Meeting.

Pettine called Fresno State's Derek Carr the "best natural thrower in draft," said Texas A&Ms Johnny Manziel is "a gifted playmaker," called Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater "extremely accurate, cerebral" and "NFL-ready" and said of UCF's Blake Bortles, "If you said, 'Draw me an NFL quarterback,' that's probably who you'd draw."

Pettine also said the Browns could draft more than one quarterback and that he wouldn't have a problem starting a rookie at the position.

Pettine has bypassed the pro days of Bortles, Bridgewater and Carr, and said he will not attend Manziel's on Thursday. But Pettine, who has a background on defense, also said he will attend the private workouts of the top quarterbacks. New Browns GM Ray Farmer - - who attended Bortles' and Bridgewater's pro days - - won't be at Manziel's pro day, either.

Cleveland is the only quarterback-needy team with two first-round picks (well, for now, anyway), with picks at No. 4 and No. 26. It seems doubtful that Bortles, Bridgewater or Manziel would be available at No. 26, but Carr could be. He led the nation in passing yards (5,083) and TD passes (50); he became just the fifth quarterback in FBS history with 50 TD passes. He has gained a lot of momentum as a potential first-rounder in the past two months, and Oakland is said to be extremely interested in him. The Raiders pick fifth, which seems too high to take Carr. There's always the potential to trade down, though.

Given Cleveland's holes, taking someone other than a quarterback at No. 4 makes some sense. The Browns also have a plethora of picks that could be packaged to move up from No. 26, if they feel the need, to grab a quarterback.

The quarterback class is considered deep, so finding two in this draft shouldn't be hard; there should be intriguing prospects in every round. In that scenario, though, the only veteran quarterback on the roster could be Brian Hoyer - - he of the 18 games of NFL experience. Monday, Pettine said he would be "comfortable" with Hoyer as his starter, but no way do the Browns take two quarterbacks in this draft if they truly are comfortable with Hoyer at quarterback.

Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Draft Insider Tony Pauline reports that Massachusetts senior TE Rob Blanchflower is not participating in his Pro Day due to a sports hernia.
"I'm told Rob Blanchflower/TE/UMass, who did not workout at the combine due to his sports hernia, is not participating in pro-day today," Pauline tweeted. Blanchflower is still rehabilitating the bilateral sports hernia which caused him to miss six games last season and forced him to undergo surgery in December. Blanchflower plans to have a private workout for NFL teams on April 23rd. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound senior has the talent for the next level, but his durability is the biggest concern for teams moving forward.

Source: Tony Pauline on Twitter

Smart Football's Chris Brown believes Pitt QB Tom Savage is "fool's gold for scouts."
By fool's gold, Brown means that evaluators will "Discover him late, see the big arm, miss the inconsistency." Savage was a highly sought after high school recruit, but flopped at Rutgers before landing at Pitt. He has generated some buzz in recent weeks after evaluators noted how poor his offensive line was, but Rotoworld's Josh Norris believes there are a handful of issues with his play, one being footwork.

Source: Chris Brown on Twitter

Former NFL scout John Middlekauff believes that Pittsburgh QB Tom Savage's film is "as good as Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles" coming out of college.
"I'd argue Tom Savage film is every bit as good as Nick Foles coming out with a more live arm on tape. Foles went in the third," Middlekauff tweeted. The 6-foot-4, 228-pound quarterback has an impressive blend of size and arm strength. With the ability to make some big-time throws, some pro scouts have fallen in love with Savage's arm, as of late. It's safe to say, that Savage has become a popular sleeper pick among draft evaluators and could be a late-round riser.

Source: John Middlekauff on Twitter

The Patriots WR and special teams coaches are working out Michigan WR Jeremy Gallon today, according to Christopher Price.
We love this fit, as Gallon consistently leaves his feet to fight for the football at the catch point despite his 5'8" frame. This might immediately put Gallon in the slot, but he won on the outside against a variety of different corners, including physical Michigan State defender Darqueze Dennard. Rotoworld's Josh Norris would select Gallon in the fifth-round.

Source: Christopher Price on Twitter

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

Draft Insider Tony Pauline reports that UNC TE Eric Ebron "did not look good" at his Pro Day.
"Told Eric Ebron/TE/North Carolina did not look good at pro-day...dropped a number of passes and generally looked poor in drills," Pauline tweeted. Ebron is a player with with natural hands who has the ability to make spectacular catches with ease, but his hands just aren’t as good as publicized with a 11.43% drop rate, which should not be overlooked.

Source: Tony Pauline on Twitter

 

[cstu]

Rotoworld:

Draft Insider Tony Pauline reports that UNC TE Eric Ebron "did not look good" at his Pro Day.
"Told Eric Ebron/TE/North Carolina did not look good at pro-day...dropped a number of passes and generally looked poor in drills," Pauline tweeted. Ebron is a player with with natural hands who has the ability to make spectacular catches with ease, but his hands just aren’t as good as publicized with a 11.43% drop rate, which should not be overlooked.

Source: Tony Pauline on Twitter

I haven't seen his Pro Day, but I'm not a believer in the reported 11.43% drop rate. I watched seven games and only saw four (1) (2)(3) and (4) that I would count as a drops. I didn't count passes that were thrown behind him or at his feet and blamed those missed catches on his inaccurate QB.

My concern with Ebron is not his hands but whether he's worth the 1st round rookie pick considering we now have a glut of TE's with his athletic profile. There are so many good, young TE's right now that he really needs to have Gronk/Graham potential to draft over WR's who could be valuable in start 4 or 5 WR leagues.

 

[Xue]

Rotoworld:

Draft Insider Tony Pauline reports that UNC TE Eric Ebron "did not look good" at his Pro Day.
"Told Eric Ebron/TE/North Carolina did not look good at pro-day...dropped a number of passes and generally looked poor in drills," Pauline tweeted. Ebron is a player with with natural hands who has the ability to make spectacular catches with ease, but his hands just aren’t as good as publicized with a 11.43% drop rate, which should not be overlooked.

Source: Tony Pauline on Twitter

I haven't seen his Pro Day, but I'm not a believer in the reported 11.43% drop rate. I watched seven games and only saw four (1) (2)(3) and (4) that I would count as a drops. I didn't count passes that were thrown behind him or at his feet and blamed those missed catches on his inaccurate QB.

My concern with Ebron is not his hands but whether he's worth the 1st round rookie pick considering we now have a glut of TE's with his athletic profile. There are so many good, young TE's right now that he really needs to have Gronk/Graham potential to draft over WR's who could be valuable in start 4 or 5 WR leagues.

Well Ebron played 13 games. You basically only sampled half of his games. It's possible he dropped 4 more in the 6 other games you didn't see. Also, I don't know if Peshek includes screen passes in those figures.

 

[Faust]

2014 NFL Draft: The top-5 QBs, what you need to know

 

[Faust]

UNC TE Eric Ebron's pro day included some dropped passes

 

[Faust]

Debate: Which top QB in 2014 draft will have best NFL career?

 

[Faust]

2014 NFL Mock Draft: Two-round mock reveals depth of WR class

 

[ZWK]

Rotoworld:

Draft Insider Tony Pauline reports that UNC TE Eric Ebron "did not look good" at his Pro Day.
"Told Eric Ebron/TE/North Carolina did not look good at pro-day...dropped a number of passes and generally looked poor in drills," Pauline tweeted. Ebron is a player with with natural hands who has the ability to make spectacular catches with ease, but his hands just aren’t as good as publicized with a 11.43% drop rate, which should not be overlooked.

Source: Tony Pauline on Twitter

I haven't seen his Pro Day, but I'm not a believer in the reported 11.43% drop rate. I watched seven games and only saw four (1) (2)(3) and (4) that I would count as a drops. I didn't count passes that were thrown behind him or at his feet and blamed those missed catches on his inaccurate QB.

My concern with Ebron is not his hands but whether he's worth the 1st round rookie pick considering we now have a glut of TE's with his athletic profile. There are so many good, young TE's right now that he really needs to have Gronk/Graham potential to draft over WR's who could be valuable in start 4 or 5 WR leagues.

Well Ebron played 13 games. You basically only sampled half of his games. It's possible he dropped 4 more in the 6 other games you didn't see. Also, I don't know if Peshek includes screen passes in those figures.

An 11.43% drop rate means 8 drops out of 70 catchable balls (since he had 62 receptions). 4 drops in about half of his games is exactly what you'd expect to see with that drop rate.

 

[Biabreakable]

I think I would like Ebron better if I didn't get to hear his interviews. It always good for a player to have confidence in their abilities but he is a little too in love with himself.

Is he a soldierTM ?

I think I would like Ebron better if I didn't get to hear his interviews. It always good for a player to have confidence in their abilities but he is a little too in love with himself.

Is he a soldierTM ?

LOL..

First guy I thought of too.

http://www.bangcartoon.com/2004/goingposton.htm

 

[MAC_32]

This extra time before the draft stinks.

Makes the period from the combine way to the draft too long... The draft is more than a month away still.

This takes away two weeks of play book study as well...

March madness, baseball starts, the masters...enjoy the football break.

 

[Brewtown]

March madness, baseball starts, the masters...enjoy the football break

Yeah - good point...