[DYNASTY] Backyard Brawl 4 Startup Draft (1 Viewer)

[EBF]

I just finished a 14 team startup draft for a league that starts 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 2 FLEX, and 1 DEF. Scoring is 4 pts per passing TD, 6 pts per rushing/receiving TD, 1 PPR for RB/WR, and 1.5 PPR for TE. All 2010 NFL rookies were eligible. There were also 14 slots available for NCAA prospects. I thought I'd share the results because the ADP might help people prepare for rookie drafts at the end of April. It's one thing to see lists of rankings, but another thing to see an actual draft.

DEVELOPMENTAL PICKS

1. RB Mark Ingram, Alabama (4.03) Jr.

2. RB Trent Richardson, Alabama (5.12) So.

3. WR AJ Green, Georgia (5.13) Jr.

4. WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame (5.14) Jr.

5. RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech (6.03) rSo.

6. RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State (6.05) Jr.

7. WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh (7.03) Jr.

8. RB Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh (7.12) So.

9. WR Julio Jones, Alabama (8.02) Jr.

10. RB Bryce Brown, Tennessee (8.10) So.

11. RB Jamie Harper, Clemson (8.13) Jr.

12. WR Armon Binns, Cincinnati (9.01) Sr.

13. WR Andre Debose, Florida (9.09) rFr.

14. QB Andrew Luck, Stanford (9.10) rSo.

ROOKIE PICKS

2.08 - WR Dez Bryant

2.10 - RB CJ Spiller

3.03 - RB Ryan Mathews

3.11 - WR Demaryius Thomas

4.10 - RB Jonathan Dwyer

5.09 - RB Jahvid Best

6.02 - WR Arrelious Benn

6.04 - RB Toby Gerhart

7.05 - RB Montario Hardesty

7.10 - WR Danario Alexander

8.05 - WR Golden Tate

9.02 - WR Freddie Barnes

9.08 - RB Ben Tate

9.13 - WR Damian Williams

10.02 - RB Anthony Dixon

10.05 - WR Mardy Gilyard

10.06 - TE Jermaine Gresham

10.07 - QB Sam Bradford

11.06 - RB LeGarrette Blount

11.11 - RB Joe McKnight

12.02 - QB Jimmy Clausen

13.02 - WR Andre Roberts

13.03 - TE Jimmy Graham

13.07 - WR Carlton Mitchell

13.10 - WR/TE Dorin Dickerson

14.04 - WR Jacoby Ford

14.05 - WR Brandon LaFell

15.01 - RB Joique Bell

15.03 - WR Dexter McCluster

15.04 - WR Scott Long

15.05 - RB Shawnbrey McNeal

15.12 - WR Eric Decker

16.01 - WR Dez Briscoe

16.10 - RB James Starks

16.11 - WR Taylor Price

16.14 - TE Aaron Hernandez

17.01 - QB Tim Tebow

17.02 - RB Stafon Johnson

17.06 - TE Rob Gronkowski

17.11 - QB Dan LeFevour

18.01 - RB Charles Scott

18.06 - TE Dennis Pitta

18.07 - WR Shay Hodge

18.09 - TE Garrett Graham

18.11 - TE Ed Dickson

19.01 - RB Lonyae Miller

19.02 - WR Emmanuel Sanders

19.04 - WR Marcus Easley

19.13 - WR Mike Williams

19.14 - WR Antonio Brown

20.01 - WR Jeremy Williams

20.09 - RB Chris Brown

20.11 - QB Colt McCoy

21.04 - RB Pat Paschall

21.10 - RB Andre Dixon

21.12 - WR Jordan Shipley

21.14 - WR Riley Cooper

22.01 - WR Blair White

22.11 - RB Deji Karim

22.14 - RB Alfonso Smith

23.01 - QB John Skelton

23.03 - QB Tony Pike

QB

1.11 Rodgers, Aaron GBP

2.02 Brees, Drew NOS

4.01 Rivers, Philip SDC

4.05 Manning, Peyton IND

4.06 Romo, Tony DAL

5.03 Schaub, Matt HOU

5.05 Roethlisberger, Ben PIT

5.07 Brady, Tom NEP

6.14 Ryan, Matt ATL

7.02 Cutler, Jay CHI

7.09 Flacco, Joe BAL

8.01 Stafford, Matthew DET

8.08 Sanchez, Mark NYJ

9.10 * Luck, Andrew COLLEGE

9.12 Manning, Eli NYG

10.07 Bradford, Sam ROOKIE

10.10 Kolb, Kevin PHI

10.14 McNabb, Donovan PHI

11.04 Palmer, Carson CIN

11.13 Henne, Chad MIA

12.02 Clausen, Jimmy ROOKIE

12.08 Young, Vince TEN

12.11 Garrard, David JAC

12.12 Leinart, Matt ARI

13.11 Freeman, Josh TBB

13.13 Favre, Brett MIN

13.14 Smith, Alex SFO

15.08 Cassel, Matt KCC

16.04 Moore, Matt CAR

17.01 Tebow, Tim ROOKIE

17.10 Campbell, Jason WAS

17.11 LeFevour, Dan ROOKIE

18.14 Orton, Kyle DEN

19.05 Davis, Nate SFO

20.11 * McCoy, Colt ROOKIE

20.12 Anderson, Derek FA

20.14 Quinn, Brady CLE

21.08 Hasselbeck, Matt SEA

21.09 Vick, Michael PHI

23.01 * Skelton, John ROOKIE

23.03 Pike, Tony ROOKIE

RB

1.01 Johnson, Chris TEN

1.02 Jones-Drew, Maurice JAC

1.03 Peterson, Adrian MIN

1.04 Rice, Ray BAL

1.08 Jackson, Steven STL

1.09 Stewart, Jonathan CAR

2.06 Gore, Frank SFO

2.10 Spiller, C.J. ROOKIE

3.01 Charles, Jamaal KCC

3.02 Williams, DeAngelo CAR

3.03 Mathews, Ryan ROOKIE

3.08 Mendenhall, Rashard PIT

3.09 Wells, Chris ARI

3.12 McCoy, LeSean PHI

3.13 Greene, Shonn NYJ

3.14 Moreno, Knowshon DEN

4.02 Jones, Felix DAL

4.03 * Ingram, Mark COLLEGE

4.07 Turner, Michael ATL

4.10 Dwyer, Jonathan ROOKIE

4.12 Forte, Matt CHI

4.14 Thomas, Pierre NOS

5.02 Benson, Cedric CIN

5.06 Brown, Donald IND

5.09 Best, Jahvid ROOKIE

5.10 Grant, Ryan GBP

5.12 * Richardson, Trent COLLEGE

6.03 * Williams, Ryan COLLEGE

6.04 Gerhart, Toby ROOKIE

6.05 * Rodgers, Jacquizz COLLEGE

6.09 Brown, Ronnie MIA

6.12 Bradshaw, Ahmad NYG

7.05 * Hardesty, Montario ROOKIE

7.07 Addai, Joseph IND

7.08 Slaton, Steve HOU

7.12 * Lewis, Dion COLLEGE

7.13 Lynch, Marshawn BUF

8.03 McFadden, Darren OAK

8.04 Bush, Reggie NOS

8.06 Bush, Michael OAK

8.07 Barber, Marion DAL

8.10 * Brown, Bryce COLLEGE

8.13 * Harper, Jaime COLLEGE

9.04 Harrison, Jerome CLE

9.06 Jacobs, Brandon NYG

9.08 * Tate, Ben ROOKIE

10.02 * Dixon, Anthony ROOKIE

10.03 Choice, Tashard DAL

10.04 Jackson, Fred BUF

10.09 Sproles, Darren SDC

10.12 Hightower, Tim ARI

11.03 Maroney, Laurence NEP

11.06 Blount, LeGarrette ROOKIE

11.08 Forsett, Justin SEA

11.09 Washington, Leon NYJ

11.10 Jones, Thomas KCC

11.11 McKnight, Joe ROOKIE

12.01 Foster, Arian HOU

12.04 Smith, Kevin DET

12.09 Taylor, Chester CHI

13.12 McGahee, Willis BAL

14.01 Williams, Carnell TBB

14.08 Scott, Bernard CIN

14.10 Tomlinson, LaDainian SDC

14.11 Portis, Clinton WAS

15.01 * Bell, Joique ROOKIE

15.05 * McNeal, Shawnbrey ROOKIE

15.09 Williams, Ricky MIA

15.13 Davis, James CLE

16.02 Jennings, Rashad JAC

16.06 Coffee, Glen SFO

16.08 White, LenDale TEN

16.10 * Starks, James ROOKIE

17.02 * Johnson, Stafon ROOKIE

17.07 Ringer, Javon TEN

17.09 Ward, Derrick TBB

18.01 Scott, Charles ROOKIE

19.01 * Miller, Lonyae ROOKIE

19.08 Jones, Julius SEA

19.09 Johnson, Larry CIN

20.08 Hill, P.J. WAS

20.09 * Brown, Chris ROOKIE

21.01 Westbrook, Brian FA

21.04 * Paschall, Pat ROOKIE

21.05 Goodson, Mike CAR

21.06 Bell, Mike NOS

21.10 * Dixon, Andre ROOKIE

22.03 Snelling, Jason ATL

22.04 Norwood, Jerious ATL

22.06 Ware, Danny NYG

22.09 Hillis, Peyton DEN

22.11 * Karim, Deji ROOKIE

22.14 * Smith, Alfonso ROOKIE

23.12 Buckhalter, Correll DEN

23.13 Peerman, Cedric DET RB

WR

1.05 Johnson, Calvin DET

1.06 Johnson, Andre HOU

1.07 Fitzgerald, Larry ARI

1.10 Jackson, DeSean PHI

1.12 Jennings, Greg GBP

1.13 Austin, Miles DAL

1.14 Marshall, Brandon DEN

2.01 Crabtree, Michael SFO

2.03 White, Roddy ATL

2.04 Rice, Sidney MIN

2.05 Colston, Marques NOS

2.07 Jackson, Vincent SDC

2.08 Bryant, Dez ROOKIE

2.12 Wayne, Reggie IND

2.13 Holmes, Santonio PIT

3.05 Nicks, Hakeem NYG

3.07 Smith, Steve NYG

3.10 Bowe, Dwayne KCC

3.11 Thomas, Demaryius ROOKIE

4.04 Maclin, Jeremy PHI

4.08 Smith, Steve CAR

4.09 Harvin, Percy MIN

4.11 Sims-Walker, Mike JAC

4.13 Moss, Randy NEP

5.01 Britt, Kenny TEN

5.04 Boldin, Anquan BAL

5.08 Ochocinco, Chad CIN

5.11 Welker, Wes NEP

5.13 * Green, AJ COLLEGE

5.14 * Floyd, Michael COLLEGE

6.01 Garcon, Pierre IND

6.02 Benn, Arrelious ROOKIE

6.07 Edwards, Braylon NYJ

6.08 Cotchery, Jerricho NYJ

6.11 Royal, Eddie DEN

6.13 Collie, Austin IND

7.03 * Baldwin, Jonathan COLLEGE

7.04 Aromashodu, Devin CHI

7.06 Meachem, Robert NOS

7.10 Alexander, Danario ROOKIE

8.02 * Jones, Julio COLLEGE

8.05 Tate, Golden ROOKIE

8.09 Breaston, Steve ARI

8.12 Wallace, Mike PIT

9.01 * Binns, Armon COLLEGE

9.02 * Barnes, Freddie ROOKIE

9.03 Bess, Davone MIA

9.09 * Debose, Andre COLLEGE

9.11 Knox, Johnny CHI

9.13 Williams, Damian ROOKIE

10.01 Avery, Donnie STL

10.05 Gilyard, Mardy ROOKIE

10.11 Schilens, Chaz OAK

10.13 Evans, Lee BUF

11.02 Kelly, Malcolm WAS

11.05 Morgan, Josh SFO

11.07 Edelman, Julian NEP

11.12 Ward, Hines PIT

11.14 Bryant, Antonio CIN

12.03 Gonzalez, Anthony IND

12.05 Thomas, Devin WAS

12.06 Robinson, Laurent STL

12.07 Tate, Brandon NEP

12.10 Thomas, Mike JAC

13.01 Massaquoi, Mohamed CLE

13.02 * Roberts, Andre ROOKIE

13.05 Jones, James GBP

13.07 Mitchell, Carlton ROOKIE

13.09 Hester, Devin CHI

14.02 Doucet, Early ARI

14.03 Moss, Santana WAS

14.04 Ford, Jacoby ROOKIE

14.05 LaFell, Brandon ROOKIE

14.07 Owens, Terrell BUF

14.09 Houshmandzadeh, T.J. SEA

14.12 Bennett, Earl CHI

14.13 Ogletree, Kevin DAL

14.14 Williams, Roy DAL

15.02 Heyward-Bey, Darrius OAK

15.03 McCluster, Dexter ROOKIE

15.04 * Long, Scott ROOKIE

15.06 Burleson, Nate DET

15.07 Manningham, Mario NYG

15.10 Driver, Donald GBP

15.12 Decker, Eric ROOKIE

15.14 Stroughter, Sammie TBB

16.01 Briscoe, Dez ROOKIE

16.05 Jones, Jacoby HOU

16.11 * Price, Taylor ROOKIE

16.12 Murphy, Louis OAK

16.13 Mason, Derrick BAL

17.03 Hardy, James BUF

17.05 Nelson, Jordy GBP

17.08 Caldwell, Andre CIN

17.12 Jones, Matt CIN

17.13 Butler, Deon SEA

17.14 Avant, Jason PHI

18.02 Robiskie, Brian CLE

18.05 Hartline, Brian MIA

18.07 Hodge, Shay ROOKIE

18.10 McKinley, Kenny DEN

18.13 Floyd, Malcom SDC

19.02 * Sanders, Emmanuel ROOKIE

19.04 * Easley, Marcus ROOKIE

19.06 Douglas, Harry ATL

19.07 Ginn Jr., Ted MIA

19.11 Walter, Kevin HOU

19.12 Johnson, Steve BUF

19.13 * Williams, Mike ROOKIE

19.14 * Brown, Antonio ROOKIE

20.01 Williams, Jeremy ROOKIE

20.04 Cribbs, Josh CLE

20.05 Berrian, Bernard MIN

20.07 Camarillo, Greg MIA

21.02 Moore, Lance NOS

21.11 Naanee, Legedu SDC

21.12 * Shipley, Jordan ROOKIE

21.13 Dillard, Jarett JAC

21.14 * Cooper, Riley ROOKIE

22.01 * White, Blair ROOKIE

22.07 Gibson, Brandon STL

22.13 Hill, Jason SFO

23.04 Chambers, Chris KCC

23.14 Henderson, Devery NOS

TE

2.09 Gates, Antonio SDC

2.11 Clark, Dallas IND

2.14 Davis, Vernon SFO

3.04 Finley, Jermichael GBP

3.06 Witten, Jason DAL

6.06 Celek, Brent PHI

6.10 Olsen, Greg CHI

7.01 Gonzalez, Tony ATL

7.11 Daniels, Owen HOU

7.14 Winslow, Kellen TBB

8.11 Miller, Zach OAK

8.14 Keller, Dustin NYJ

9.05 Cook, Jared TEN

9.07 Miller, Heath PIT

9.14 Cooley, Chris WAS

10.06 Gresham, Jermaine ROOKIE

11.01 Carlson, John SEA

12.13 Davis, Fred WAS

12.14 Pettigrew, Brandon DET

13.03 * Graham, Jimmy ROOKIE

13.06 Shiancoe, Visanthe MIN

13.10 * Dickerson, Dorin ROOKIE

16.14 Hernandez, Aaron ROOKIE

17.04 Scheffler, Tony DEN

17.06 * Gronkowski, Rob ROOKIE

18.06 * Pitta, Dennis ROOKIE

18.08 Coffman, Chase CIN

18.09 * Graham, Garrett ROOKIE

18.11 * Dickson, Ed ROOKIE

19.03 Nelson, Shawn BUF

20.13 Bennett, Martellus DAL

21.07 Boss, Kevin NYG

22.02 Shockey, Jeremy NOS

22.08 Casey, James HOU

22.10 Ingram, Cornelius PHI

22.12 Scaife, Bo TEN TE

23.10 Miller, Zach JAC TE

DEF

10.08 Jets, New York

13.04 Packers, Green Bay

13.08 Vikings, Minnesota

14.06 Steelers, Pittsburgh

15.11 Eagles, Philadelphia

16.03 49ers, San Francisco

16.07 Ravens, Baltimore

16.09 Cowboys, Dallas

18.03 Bengals, Cincinnati

18.04 Saints, New Orleans

18.12 Bears, Chicago

19.10 Patriots, New England

20.02 Giants, New York

20.03 Chargers, San Diego

20.06 Dolphins, Miami

20.10 Colts, Indianapolis

21.03 Cardinals, Arizona

23.02 Falcons, Atlanta

23.05 Broncos, Denver

 

[Go deep]

Youre a dynasty league junkie, how many leagues are you in?

 

[D'OHtis]

Pretty high praise for Spiller/Matthews to be drafted ahead of Beanie & Mendenhall.

Slaton at 7.08? Yikes. Must have been kremenull..

--------------------

Still amazing to me that Dwayne Bowe still goes in Round 3 of start ups.

He's got some skills. I think this is a case of people getting caught up too much with age of WR. He's also already battling weight problems (early in his career), work ethic issues, not exactly a great QB situation in present & who knows long term. Despite a very large # of targets, he doesn't exactly reel in an extraordinary # of passes. JMO His issues are going to quickly catch up to him [if they haven't already]. I would not be surprised to see Chris Chambers leading KC in receiving in 2010.

I'd probably take the majority of the next 20 WR's taken after him. [sans Braylon and perhaps Royal/Collie]

--------------------

 

[EBF]

Youre a dynasty league junkie, how many leagues are you in?

8 at the moment.Each added team doesn't add much time to my workload because I'm already keeping up with the draft and player developments, which is the only real work required to maintain a competitive roster. It also helps that I don't play in IDP leagues.

 

[EBF]

My team and some general thoughts about dynasty strategy:

QB Jay Cutler, CHI (7.02)

QB Andrew Luck, COLLEGE (9.10)

Cutler should be solid for 2010 and I think he's talented enough to stick around. Obviously he needs to cut down on the turnovers. I took Luck over Henne, Bradford, and Freeman, which was absurd. Is it smart to draft a player who might eventually become a promising franchise QB prospect over several players who already are promising franchise QB prospects? Probably not. Then again, none of those guys are sure things by any means and I'm playing a hunch that Luck will be a special prospect in the near future.

RB DeAngelo Williams, CAR (3.02)

RB Cedric Benson, CIN (5.02)

RB Jacquizz Rodgers, COLLEGE (6.05)

RB Stafon Johnson, ROOKIE (17.02)

I like my two starters. I wanted a good third option, but the value was never there. Quizz and Stafon give me some upside for the future at a reasonable cost. I'm starting to wonder whether there's a more overrated commodity in dynasty leagues than high profile young RBs. Out of the first 21 RBs picked in this draft, a full 15 have been in the league for 2 years or less. I understand the obsession with youth. I'm guilty of it myself. People like the idea of locking up a starting spot for the next 4-5 years at a position where starters carry high value. On the other hand, I wonder how many of those picks will go the way of Lynch/Maroney/Reggie/Addai/Forte/Slaton. Turnover is huge at the RB spot and youth is highly overrated since it's only really valuable when paired with elite talent. RB is also the easiest position to get instant production from a rookie, which only increases my belief that building long term teams around RBs is folly. Guys like LT and Portis are very rare.

WR Sidney Rice, MIN (2.04)

WR Santonio Holmes, PIT (2.13)

WR Derrick Mason, BAL (16.13)

WR Eddie Royal, DEN (6.11)

WR Demaryius Thomas, ROOKIE (3.11)

WR Andre Debose, COLLEGE (9.09)

WR Malcolm Kelly, WAS (11.02)

TE Fred Davis, WAS (12.13)

WR Andre Roberts, ROOKIE (13.02)

WR Kevin Ogletree, DAL (14.13)

WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, OAK (15.02)

WR Malcom Floyd, SD (18.13)

WR Emmanuel Sanders, ROOKIE (19.02)

TE Martellus Bennett, DAL (20.13)

WR Lance Moore, NOS (21.02)

WR Jason Hill, SF (22.13)

I can't complain about my first two picks. I sacrificed short term production by taking Demaryius Thomas so high. I think he's a future top 10 dynasty WR. I drafted him near his upside, which means I'm banking heavily on my evaluation being correct. I got a couple guys with proven NFL success here in Mason and Davis, but for the most part I played hunches and gambled. Once I have the skeleton of a starting lineup in place and the quality veterans are gone, I start swinging for the fences. I have 12 players on my bench at WR/TE and all I really need is for 1-2 of them to become standouts. I feel like the odds are in my favor. Who will step up? Kelly? Ogletree? Roberts? DHB? Bennett? I don't have a clue. All I know is that strength in numbers has served me well in the past and if you throw enough crap at the wall, you're going to find a Sidney Rice or Miles Austin. I still have all of my 2011 rookie picks and dev picks, so I can probably swing a deal for a veteran starter if the need arises.

OVERALL - Not the prettiest squad. My fascination with youth and upside cost me some short term depth, but my dynasty teams usually struggle in year one before surging in year 2-3. I hope I can compete this season. If not, I feel like I have a pretty solid foundation that I can build upon. As with any draft, I'm sure I made plenty of mistakes that I'll look back on and cringe.

 

[doowain]

There always seems to be three general strategies in dynasty. Go really young to possibly dominate in the future, take a redraft approach to cash now and rebuild later, or draft a mix with the intention of being strong in the future but have a legitimate chance at winning now. Obviously the 3rd strategy is the most ideal and that's the way I always approach drafts. I usually tend to draft a bit on the younger side in that mix, but it works well a good portion of the time. The devys have potential to throw monkey wrenches all over the place, because the worst possible situation to be in, in a devy league, is as an "average" team. So much of the college talent is taken up in the initial draft, that's it hard to get better as an average team. So, that's why the redraft approach in this league will kill you after Year 1 or 2 IMO. Anyway....

I won the top pick in the draft and did some maneuvering. That's why you won't see my team with a 1st round pick. The big one is below:

I gave:

1.01/2.14/7.01

I got:

1.10/2.05/3.10

After the trades, that gave me 6 picks in the first 38. That was huge in this format, where depth is so, so valuable.

QB

Donovan McNabb PHI (10.14)

Kyle Orton DEN (18.14)

Brady Quinn CLE (20.14)

Tim Tebow ROOKIE (17.01)

John Skelton ROOKIE (23.01)

I went into this draft with experience from BBIII. I know that an elite QB is not necessary to be successful (I have McNabb there). The only time I ever consider drafting a QB early is if it's a 6 pts TD league. Since it wasn't, I knew I could get a QB to start later. No way did I expect to get McNabb one pick from the 11th round though. I was ecstatic to get him there. Orton is a decent enough backup. He was quietly QB16 last year. I'm not a big fan and I don't think he's the long term guy in Denver, but he's worth the 252nd overall pick. Brady Quinn was a flier pick who could regain some value if he's moved. Tebow was a personal pick as I'm a huge Gator fan. He's a project, but I'm telling you if I had to put my money on one guy to do whatever it takes to make it in the NFL.....he's the guy. I can afford to wait. Skelton is also an intriguing prospect who wowed at the combine and at his pro day. Could he be the next small school guy with a big arm who makes a splash? 2010 Flacco?

RB

Jamaal Charles KCC (3.01)

Rashard Mendenhall PIT (3.08)

Felix Jones DAL (4.02)

Joique Bell ROOKIE (15.01)

Lonyae Miller ROOKIE (19.01)

Brian Westbrook FA (21.01)

Alfonso Smith ROOKIE (22.14)

I typically go into a draft with the intention to go WR heavy early. As the top RBs flew off early and then the top WRs, my plan was to grab Jonathan Stewart at 1.10 and then go WR/WR with my next two picks. He was sniped at 1.09, so I traded back. My plan then was to go WR/WR still, but then with my 3rd round picks take three young RBs with huge upside. My short list was JC, Wells, Mendenhall, Felix, and Greene. I was happy to get JC at 3.01. I've seen him go in the 1st round in some drafts, albeit prior to the Thomas Jones signing. I think he's the real deal, but there is definitely risk there. Having him as my RB1 is worrisome, but that's why I had the plan to go RB/RB/RB in the 3rd. I think I hit the jackpot with Mendenhall at 3.08. He will have very little competition for carries and is realistically a 300 carry guy, which we all know is hard to find these days. I wanted Wells at 3.10 to complete my trio, but he went at 3.09. Although I had Greene and Felix in that short list, I like Wells a lot more than them, so I chose to go a different direction and selected a WR. I then moved my late 4th up to 4.02 and took Felix. I rounded out my RBs with some rookie fliers. Alfonso Smith is an intriguing guy for me. Great measurables, but nearly no college production. I'm hoping one of those rookie RBs finds a home. Overall, I love my top 3 guys, but it gets murky after that. We only have to start 2, so I didn't feel that I needed to reach for mediocre RB talent in the middle rounds. Instead I chose to take chances with WR/TE.

WR

Marques Colston NOS (2.05)

Vincent Jackson SDC (2.07)

Dwayne Bowe KCC (3.10)

Kenny Britt TEN (5.01)

Armon Binns COLLEGE (9.01)

Early Doucet ARI (14.02)

Roy Williams DAL (14.14)

Very happy with my top two. Some might question my Bowe pick. I still see him as a guy who can be a perennial 1000 yard WR, with the upside to be more. I expect a rebound this year, especially with Weis in town, but I know I may be in the minority. It was kind of a knee jerk selection considering I wanted Wells there. I see Bowe as a classic buy low right now in all of my dynasty leagues. I do question his drive, but no one can question the talent that's there. Kenny Britt is a luxury as my WR4 as he seems to be kind of lost in the fold of the hugely talented crop of rookie WRs from last year. Outside of Crabtree, I think he has the most legitimate shot at being a WR1 from that group, but VY will limit him for the foreseeable future. Armon Binns was a homer pick. He quietly had a 900 yard/11 TD season last year in the shadow of Mardy Gilyard. He's a big receiver with reliable hands. He may get lost in the fold with that crazily talented 2011 WR crop, but he will be a name you learn this year. Doucet fell for some odd reason and I was very happy to get him in the 14th. He has some real potential to be the WR2 in ARI as I don't see Breaston as the answer. Something can also be said for the chemisty he should've built with Leinart on the 2nd team offense last year. Roy Williams pick made me throw up a little bit, but worth a gamble in the 14th I suppose. He might be the highest paid 14th round selection ever.

TE

Dustin Keller NYJ (8.14)

John Carlson SEA (11.01)

Brandon Pettigrew DET (12.14)

Aaron Hernandez ROOKIE (16.14)

Continuing my trend of drafting young, productive players with upside, I went with Keller and Carlson. With the 1.5PPR for TE in this league, TEs can be very valuable. You can also start them as WRs, so they really give you flexibility. Keller impressed me in the playoffs and if Sanchez can improve in his 2nd year, I expect Keller to really benefit. Carlson may be the 1b in that offense this year. Pete Carroll liked involving the TEs quite a bit at USC and I hope it translates. Pettigrew was a guy I liked from what I saw last year. Coming off the ACL will be something to watch, but he was developing a rapport with Stafford when he went down. Aaron Hernandez I saw a lot of in college and he was very productive this past year. I'm not quite sure why he doesn't get the hype of the other rookie TEs, though.



Overall

I'm pretty happy with my team. I feel like I can compete this year and I should be ok in the near future as my young guys mature. The RB depth might be a concern if Felix doesn't produce like we expect, but the flexibility with the lineups should hopefully help me there. I feel like I'm really deep at WR/TE. On any given week I'm going to be leaving four of Felix/Bowe/Britt/Carlson/Keller/Doucet on the bench. That makes for some tradeable assets if need be. I'm going to need to address my QB situation in the next couple years, but as I've learned, that's the 2nd easiest position to fill behind TE. It was a fun draft and I look forward to how it all plays out

ETA: I know we all love our teams after the initial draft, so please excuse my "excitement".

 

[Bandite]

With a 14 team league, I went with the "stud" theory. I wanted 3 cornerstone players I could rely on each and every week for now and the forseable future.

I won pick 1.4 and drafted Ray Rice. I then traded up to 1.6 to get Andre Johnson and 2.1 to get Drew Brees. Now with Brees/Rice/Andre on board, I wanted to fill in the rest of my roster with viable starters and also youth talent with upside.

QBs: Drew Brees/Carson Palmer/Colt McCoy

I have really changed my tune over the years. I used to be a big believer in not overspending for a top QB. But every year, I always found myself trying to trade for a top 5 guy every season. I guess I like the idea of putting in a QB every week and know exactly what to expect. Avg 250-300 yrs, 2-4tds--Sign me up. I was more than happy to get Carson as my backup in rd 11. I dont know why people are so down on him. I know the Bengals turned into a solid running team last yr, but lets not forget after Chris Henry's injury ( RIP CH ) Palmer no longer had a deep threat. Now with Antonio Bryant in the fold to fill that role, I expect better numbers this season. As for Colt McCoy---I dont know....kinda depends where he ends up in the draft. Im not a huge fan, but I wanted a young qb to stash on my roster. Time will tell.

RBs: Ray Rice/Frank Gore/Brandon Jacobs/Clinton Portis/Willis McGahee

My biggest splash of the draft was trading Ronnie Brown/Jerome Harrison/Kellen Winslow for Frank Gore. This league does have 1.5 PPR for TEs so they are more valuable. I was pretty high on Winslow, but the chance to get 2 top 6 RBs was too good to pass up. Yes I know that RBs in dynasty are a dime a dozen because of their short shelf life, but I am more than happy to Ride the Gore/Rice Train for at least the next 3-4 yrs. I think Jacobs is in for rebound yr now that he's healthy and Portis was simply a flier hoping for 1 more decent yr:

WRs: Andre Johnson/Lee Evans/Steve Breaston/TJ Housh/Nate Burleson

I am really excited about Breaston, I think he is more than capable of being a compliment to Fitz. Never having to see double coverage will help. Housh and Evans are both fliers. I think Housh rebounds and gets back to his normal 70-80 catch season mainly because the seabirds dont have a better option. As for Evans, interested to see him now without Owens. Burleson is a wildcard, see if Stafford can find him open deep.

TEs: Zach Miller(OAK)/Tony Scheffler

I really like Miller, and I will like him a whole lot more if the Raiders ever find a QB! Im also hoping Scheffler is soon traded, hopefully NE( He's going to be cheaper for NE than Olsen)

Rookie RBs:Charles Scott_LSU/Pat Paschall_NDSU/Deji Karim/Jamie Harper Clemson--Devy Player

Alright, minus Rice and Gore, my RB core is old. I wanted to take fliers on guys that I think might be able to contribute at the next level. After filling out the most of my roster, I took rookies 7 of my last 9 picks. Hoping to uncover some gems, we will see.

Rookie WRs: Scott Long/Taylor Price/Antonio Brown

Long had a great combine, so Im hoping he can turn out to be someone in the NFL. Price is Johnny Knox 2.0 so it will be interesting to see where he ends up and Brown was a Leavouver's best WR. He's a little small, but he was productive in college.

All in all I am happy with my Roster, I would like another Top 20 WR, but I think I can make this work.

 

[kremenull]

Pretty high praise for Spiller/Matthews to be drafted ahead of Beanie & Mendenhall.

Slaton at 7.08? Yikes. Must have been kremenull..

--------------------

Still amazing to me that Dwayne Bowe still goes in Round 3 of start ups.

He's got some skills. I think this is a case of people getting caught up too much with age of WR. He's also already battling weight problems (early in his career), work ethic issues, not exactly a great QB situation in present & who knows long term. Despite a very large # of targets, he doesn't exactly reel in an extraordinary # of passes. JMO His issues are going to quickly catch up to him [if they haven't already]. I would not be surprised to see Chris Chambers leading KC in receiving in 2010.

I'd probably take the majority of the next 20 WR's taken after him. [sans Braylon and perhaps Royal/Collie]

--------------------

Yeah, might have been me if I was in this league..... Although that's not a bad gamble at that point.

But I sure wouldn't have drafted any of these rookie RBs over Beanie. Out of the '09 and '10 classes, Beanie is easily the best RB, not even close. Here's how I'd rank a few of 'em.

1. Beanie

2. Spiller

3. Mathews

4. Best

5. McCoy

6. Moreno

7(tie). Donald Brown/Hardesty

 

[Ernol]

RB DeAngelo Williams, CAR (3.02)

RB Cedric Benson, CIN (5.02)

RB Jacquizz Rodgers, COLLEGE (6.05)

RB Stafon Johnson, ROOKIE (17.02)

I like my two starters. I wanted a good third option, but the value was never there. Quizz and Stafon give me some upside for the future at a reasonable cost. I'm starting to wonder whether there's a more overrated commodity in dynasty leagues than high profile young RBs. Out of the first 21 RBs picked in this draft, a full 15 have been in the league for 2 years or less. I understand the obsession with youth. I'm guilty of it myself. People like the idea of locking up a starting spot for the next 4-5 years at a position where starters carry high value. On the other hand, I wonder how many of those picks will go the way of Lynch/Maroney/Reggie/Addai/Forte/Slaton. Turnover is huge at the RB spot and youth is highly overrated since it's only really valuable when paired with elite talent. RB is also the easiest position to get instant production from a rookie, which only increases my belief that building long term teams around RBs is folly. Guys like LT and Portis are very rare.

Agree for the most part, high profile young RBs do go earlier than they should in most leagues. Not so much here though. Looking at where some of the young RBs went here, you had Mendenhall, Wells, McCoy, Greene, Moreno and Felix Jones all going in the late third to early fourth. That is excellent (bordering ridiculous) value imo in a 14 team league that requires two RBs. How much further would names like these have to drop before a young RB is not considered overrated?The examples you mention of Lynch, Maroney, Reggie, Addai, Forte and Slaton were mostly the types drafted in the first round of a draft like this (excluding Slaton perhaps) and are much better support for your contention. In the late third, early fourth, the players that bust are not typically limited to RB or youth.

Out of the 15 young RBs to which you refer that were among the top 21 picked, how many would you have replaced with an older vet that you think should have been drafted in the top 21. A few maybe? A guy like Benson perhaps, but Im looking at the list you posted above and I’m not seeing too many RBs that I would prefer to have on my team that have 3+ years experience (which is why I think so many college RBs got drafted around that part of the draft).

Turnover IS huge at RB, which is why I think you need to draft young where you can in order to preserve value, or you may find yourself with a team of older RBs with fast declining value. In part because young RBs are overrated generally, it is usually much easier to trade them for value later than it would be to trade the Joseph Addai types.

I agree with you that unlike any other position, you can find instant production from a rookie. However, there are several problems with this, particularly in this league setup. First, and most importantly, what is the cost of acquiring that rookie that will produce? With young RBs generally overrated (I think we can accept this as something that won't likely change), the top rookies are hard to come by. At some point or another in the future, you’ll have to spend on a young RB an amount that may seem to be overpaying.

The answer then may be to draft the rookie RB yourself in future rookie drafts. This is an option in a typical league, but it could be difficult to accomplish here with many of the top names in college (including freshmen) already locked up. Next option then would be to use a dev pick next year to acquire a freshman in 2011 (eligible for the draft in 2013). That’s a long time to wait for a RB should the need for one arise and still, drafting one of the top freshmen in 2011 will likely require that you burn a top dev pick.

All of this said, you covered yourself quite well by drafting a Jacquizz Rodgers in the 6th.

 

[DevilDog919]

I'm on the same page as Polk. I tend to build my dynasties with a nice blend of youth and vets, and felt some of the stud vets fell pretty far in this draft...

QB:

Tom Brady

Alex Smith

I also think that having a top QB is very valuable. Brady slipped a bit, probably because of Welker/Moss concerns for the future, but there is no doubt Brady is a stud with or without them imo. 3-5 more years of stud Brady production is fine with me. Alex Smith was one that I targetted as my backup. He posted QB2 numbers after he came in and started, and is young with some upside in a young offense. We'll see how he works out.

RB:

Marion Barber

James Davis

Rashad Jennings

Marshawn Lynch

Cedric Peerman

Pierre Thomas

I planned to take WR's early and take some of the RB's that are falling this season. Lynch is still very young, and has proven he can run in this league. He is a bit of a dummy though, he'll have to screw his head on a little tighter. Marion, as a Cowboys fan, I can say has not lost it. He was a beast in the first few weeks of the season, then he injured his hammy. His warrior mentality would not allow him to sit injured and let 2 young RB's in Choice and Felix force him into backup duties. That hindered his performance the rest of the season. With some luck he's traded, but worst case scenario he goes back to 3rd down/goalline duties and that is when he produced his best fantasy seasons imo. I'm fine with that. I'm also leaning on Pierre, big fan but think Bush is holding him down because of his paycheck.

WR:

Miles Austin

Arrelious Benn

Anquan Boldin

Deon Butler

Jarrett Dillard

Mohammed Massaqoiu

Randy Moss

Santana Moss

Brian Robiskie

Mike Sims-Walker

Devin Thomas

Jeremy Shockey

I'll obviously be starting 4 WR's in this format, and think my front 4 will win me many games themselves. Having Austin, Randy, Boldin, and Mike Sims-Walker as my starters puts me a bit ahead of my opponent each week imo. I grabbed some nice youth and also some solid vet production in the later rounds, vets for depth and youth to replace Moss and Boldin in the next few seasons.

Dev:

Julio Jones

Again, wanted a young WR to backup Moss in the next few years. Sort of surprised how far Julio fell.

Starting Lineup

Tom Brady

Pierre Thomas

Marshawn Lynch/Marion Barber (will go by matchups each week)

Miles Austin

Randy Moss

Anquan Boldin

Mike Sims-Walker

Cincy DEF

 

[kremenull]

I still find it quite interesting that Crabtree, Dez, and sometimes Nicks are being taken well ahead of Percy, Maclin, Britt. I simply don't see that big of a difference there from any of the first three to the second three, if any. My Top 2 are actually in the second trio.

In all of the devy startup leagues so far this offseason, I still see at least a couple of (potentially) very nice RBs who should be entering the league in 2010 that have yet to be rostered..........And yes, I will not be divulging who they are at this time.........I have one more devy league to start right at NFL draft time and may get one of 'em rostered.....

 

[shader]

Who picked Andre Dubose? The guy hasn't even played a down of college yet!

 

[EBF]

RB DeAngelo Williams, CAR (3.02)

RB Cedric Benson, CIN (5.02)

RB Jacquizz Rodgers, COLLEGE (6.05)

RB Stafon Johnson, ROOKIE (17.02)

I like my two starters. I wanted a good third option, but the value was never there. Quizz and Stafon give me some upside for the future at a reasonable cost. I'm starting to wonder whether there's a more overrated commodity in dynasty leagues than high profile young RBs. Out of the first 21 RBs picked in this draft, a full 15 have been in the league for 2 years or less. I understand the obsession with youth. I'm guilty of it myself. People like the idea of locking up a starting spot for the next 4-5 years at a position where starters carry high value. On the other hand, I wonder how many of those picks will go the way of Lynch/Maroney/Reggie/Addai/Forte/Slaton. Turnover is huge at the RB spot and youth is highly overrated since it's only really valuable when paired with elite talent. RB is also the easiest position to get instant production from a rookie, which only increases my belief that building long term teams around RBs is folly. Guys like LT and Portis are very rare.

Agree for the most part, high profile young RBs do go earlier than they should in most leagues. Not so much here though. Looking at where some of the young RBs went here, you had Mendenhall, Wells, McCoy, Greene, Moreno and Felix Jones all going in the late third to early fourth. That is excellent (bordering ridiculous) value imo in a 14 team league that requires two RBs. How much further would names like these have to drop before a young RB is not considered overrated?The examples you mention of Lynch, Maroney, Reggie, Addai, Forte and Slaton were mostly the types drafted in the first round of a draft like this (excluding Slaton perhaps) and are much better support for your contention. In the late third, early fourth, the players that bust are not typically limited to RB or youth.

Out of the 15 young RBs to which you refer that were among the top 21 picked, how many would you have replaced with an older vet that you think should have been drafted in the top 21. A few maybe? A guy like Benson perhaps, but Im looking at the list you posted above and I’m not seeing too many RBs that I would prefer to have on my team that have 3+ years experience (which is why I think so many college RBs got drafted around that part of the draft).

Turnover IS huge at RB, which is why I think you need to draft young where you can in order to preserve value, or you may find yourself with a team of older RBs with fast declining value. In part because young RBs are overrated generally, it is usually much easier to trade them for value later than it would be to trade the Joseph Addai types.

I agree with you that unlike any other position, you can find instant production from a rookie. However, there are several problems with this, particularly in this league setup. First, and most importantly, what is the cost of acquiring that rookie that will produce? With young RBs generally overrated (I think we can accept this as something that won't likely change), the top rookies are hard to come by. At some point or another in the future, you’ll have to spend on a young RB an amount that may seem to be overpaying.

The answer then may be to draft the rookie RB yourself in future rookie drafts. This is an option in a typical league, but it could be difficult to accomplish here with many of the top names in college (including freshmen) already locked up. Next option then would be to use a dev pick next year to acquire a freshman in 2011 (eligible for the draft in 2013). That’s a long time to wait for a RB should the need for one arise and still, drafting one of the top freshmen in 2011 will likely require that you burn a top dev pick.

All of this said, you covered yourself quite well by drafting a Jacquizz Rodgers in the 6th.

High profile young players are always early picks in dynasty leagues. You mentioned some of the names: Charles, Mendenhall, Wells, McCoy, Greene, Moreno, and Felix. They went very high, as did the 2009 WR class: Crabtree, Nicks, Maclin, Harvin, and Britt. I like some of these guys quite a bit and I think some of them will become great players.The thing is, at this point they're still speculative picks. They have flashed talent, but none of them are reliable starters yet. I've noticed that dynasty drafters consistently operate under the assumption that any high pick youngster who flashes talent early in his career is destined to become a consistent star. It sometimes works out that way, but often times you end up with William Green, Michael Bennett, Anthony Thomas, Matt Forte, Steve Slaton, Cadillac Williams, Joseph Addai, Reggie Bush, Marshawn Lynch, Laurence Maroney, Ashley Lelie, Koren Robinson, and Rod Gardner. Once upon a time these guys were coveted for their youth and talent.

Therein lies the rub. Youth is not valuable on its own. It's only valuable when paired with elite talent. People who drafted Laurence Maroney and Reggie Bush after their rookie seasons thinking they were filling a starting spot for the next 4-5 years jumped the gun because those guys weren't actually elite talents and were unable to hold down their starting jobs. As a result, their value plummeted. This will undoubtedly happen to some of this year's flashy young picks as well.

That doesn't mean there was a lot of great RB talent on the board when guys like Greene/McCoy/Moreno were selected, but no one put a gun to those owners' heads and forced them to pick a back.

As for how teams can be expected to fill a RB hole, I would say the rookie/dev drafts will offer opportunities. Even with 14 dev players rostered, it's unlikely that we identified all of the impact rookie rushers in the 2011/2012 drafts. There are always some guys like Chris Johnson, Rashard Mendenhall, Matt Forte, Donald Brown, Shonn Greene, and Ryan Mathews who emerge from relative obscurity. Almost no one was touting those guys prior to their final collegiate seasons. We know about Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, but there are many names in those drafts that haven't popped yet.

That's not to mention waivers and trades.

 

[EBF]

Who picked Andre Dubose? The guy hasn't even played a down of college yet!

That was me. I knew it was a silly pick at the time. I knew he didn't play last year and I knew he's injured. My reasoning was simple:- Most of the veterans left on the board were mediocre. Passing on them wasn't going to hurt my team.

- There were some good prospects left, but none who were obviously better than the guys I could get later.

- We were one pick away from the limit of 14 developmental players, so if I wanted to draft one, it was then or never.

- Debose is an elite talent with difference maker potential. If he busts, it won't really hurt me. If he succeeds, it will provide a huge boost.

I thought I could probably wait until next year's dev draft to roster him (I thought the same thing about Andrew Luck), but ultimately I didn't want to chance it with either player in case they happened to blow up during the 2010 NCAA season.

It was a big reach to take Debose so early, but it's not like I was passing up a lot of reliable difference makers. If he heals to 100%, I think he will prove to be a very nice player for me. His talent just jumps off the screen. I think he can be another Chad Johnson.

 

[EBF]

I still find it quite interesting that Crabtree, Dez, and sometimes Nicks are being taken well ahead of Percy, Maclin, Britt.

Yea, but you also thought Josh Morgan would outshine Crabtree and you think Dez is the second coming of Braylon.I think Crabtree and Dez are a cut above the others. The only thing that can hold Dez back is his work ethic. I suspect that some of rumblings about his character might be the sort of unfounded 11th hour rumors that we often hear about top prospects (like Harvin last year).

 

[mlball77]

RB:Marion BarberJames DavisRashad JenningsMarshawn LynchCedric PeermanPierre Thomas

I'm curious what you are thinking about Peerman... total flier? I have him in one league and am not sure if I will be holding onto him. Seems like he could get a shot... but I'm not sure.

 

[DevilDog919]

RB:Marion BarberJames DavisRashad JenningsMarshawn LynchCedric PeermanPierre Thomas

I'm curious what you are thinking about Peerman... total flier? I have him in one league and am not sure if I will be holding onto him. Seems like he could get a shot... but I'm not sure.

Total flier in a rather deep roster limit for me. I liked him coming out of college, and Detroit needs a RB so he does have a decent shot. I drafted him 321 overall out of 322 picks though, so I'm not holding my breath on anything. But definetly worth a shot that late compared to what was left.

 

[mlball77]

RB:Marion BarberJames DavisRashad JenningsMarshawn LynchCedric PeermanPierre Thomas

I'm curious what you are thinking about Peerman... total flier? I have him in one league and am not sure if I will be holding onto him. Seems like he could get a shot... but I'm not sure.

Total flier in a rather deep roster limit for me. I liked him coming out of college, and Detroit needs a RB so he does have a decent shot. I drafted him 321 overall out of 322 picks though, so I'm not holding my breath on anything. But definetly worth a shot that late compared to what was left.

Yeah, I think we see him pretty similarly. If Kevin Smith takes a while to recover, Peerman might get a look... so he's a solid flier. I was sort of hoping you'd sell me on how great he is, so that I can feel better about having him on my roster. All of this said, I like him quite a bit for your last pick in the draft.

 

[DevilDog919]

RB:Marion BarberJames DavisRashad JenningsMarshawn LynchCedric PeermanPierre Thomas

I'm curious what you are thinking about Peerman... total flier? I have him in one league and am not sure if I will be holding onto him. Seems like he could get a shot... but I'm not sure.

Total flier in a rather deep roster limit for me. I liked him coming out of college, and Detroit needs a RB so he does have a decent shot. I drafted him 321 overall out of 322 picks though, so I'm not holding my breath on anything. But definetly worth a shot that late compared to what was left.

Yeah, I think we see him pretty similarly. If Kevin Smith takes a while to recover, Peerman might get a look... so he's a solid flier. I was sort of hoping you'd sell me on how great he is, so that I can feel better about having him on my roster. All of this said, I like him quite a bit for your last pick in the draft.

If you want sold on his skills coming out of college, from someone that does them much more in depth than I do, read Matt Waldman's rookie scouting portfolio on him. Highly recommend those for every dynasty player honestly.

 

[kremenull]

I still find it quite interesting that Crabtree, Dez, and sometimes Nicks are being taken well ahead of Percy, Maclin, Britt.

Yea, but you also thought Josh Morgan would outshine Crabtree and you think Dez is the second coming of Braylon.I think Crabtree and Dez are a cut above the others. The only thing that can hold Dez back is his work ethic. I suspect that some of rumblings about his character might be the sort of unfounded 11th hour rumors that we often hear about top prospects (like Harvin last year).

Cut above in what regard? Both Harvin and Maclin are much faster, at least just as athletic if not moreso, and easily more dynamic/explosive. Not to mention they are both in better pass offenses.Bringing up past comparisons s irrelevent to my point here, being that I just don't see a two Round discrepency in value nor prodction in these two groupings. And if we want to bring up another similar argument to this one, this is exactly how I viewed (and argued) the Royal-DeSean analysis last year at this time, where many, man people had Royal rated substantially ahead of DeSean and the ADP in offseason drafts were similar to this current analysis between the aforementioned. I'll side with the dynamic playmakers more times than not as the explosive skill sets translate/projects into more yards and TDs......which is exactly what I see here....Crabtree an 80/1050/7 guy........Harvin and Maclin are 65-70/1200/10 guys......Give me the latter DeSeans over the Housh/Hines/Mason......OK, (Crabtree) is better than Housh/Hines/Mason....but production-wise, maybe not so much

 

[Ernol]

I still find it quite interesting that Crabtree, Dez, and sometimes Nicks are being taken well ahead of Percy, Maclin, Britt. I simply don't see that big of a difference there from any of the first three to the second three, if any. My Top 2 are actually in the second trio.

In all of the devy startup leagues so far this offseason, I still see at least a couple of (potentially) very nice RBs who should be entering the league in 2010 that have yet to be rostered..........And yes, I will not be divulging who they are at this time.........I have one more devy league to start right at NFL draft time and may get one of 'em rostered.....

You will always find discrepancies like this where there is a bunch of similarly valued talent in a tier, which I think is the case here. After the elite WRs and RB, there is a large pool of comparable talent in Crab, Harvin, Maclin, Britt, Nicks, Greene, McCoy, Wells, etc... These players have to be drafted somewhere and right after Crabtree and before Harvin is just as good a place as any. It just as easily could have been Crabtree and Harvin getting picked back to back in the 3rd round as well. You can cite similar examples up and down the same tier (e.g., CJ Spiller getting drafted one and a half rounds earlier than Felix Jones, two very similarly valued players). The fact that they were picked two rounds apart sounds much more of a difference then it really is.

 

[EBF]

Cut above in what regard? Both Harvin and Maclin are much faster, at least just as athletic if not moreso, and easily more dynamic/explosive. Not to mention they are both in better pass offenses.

They are also smaller, weaker, and less productive. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat. Guys like Boldin, Marshall, and Fitzgerald have been wildly successful in lieu of elite speed and explosiveness. I don't see any reason to think Bryant and Crabtree can't have similar success.

Crabtree an 80/1050/7 guy........Harvin and Maclin are 65-70/1200/10 guys......Give me the latter DeSeans over the Housh/Hines/Mason......OK, (Crabtree) is better than Housh/Hines/Mason....but production-wise, maybe not so much

The problem here is that you're lumping Harvin/Maclin in with the very best speed WR of the moment (DJax) whereas you're lumping Crabtree/Dez in with middling possession WRs (rather than guys like VJax/Boldin/Marshall/Fitzgerald). Harvin and Maclin are just as likely to become Santana Moss and Terry Glenn as they are Steve Smith. Speed doesn't somehow ensure that a player is going to be a statistical monster. Most of the best WRs of recent memory weren't burners. FWIW, I would take Mason or Ward's career over DJax/Harvin/Maclin any day.

 

[GSWarriors]

Cut above in what regard? Both Harvin and Maclin are much faster, at least just as athletic if not moreso, and easily more dynamic/explosive. Not to mention they are both in better pass offenses.

They are also smaller, weaker, and less productive. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat. Guys like Boldin, Marshall, and Fitzgerald have been wildly successful in lieu of elite speed and explosiveness. I don't see any reason to think Bryant and Crabtree can't have similar success.

Crabtree an 80/1050/7 guy........Harvin and Maclin are 65-70/1200/10 guys......Give me the latter DeSeans over the Housh/Hines/Mason......OK, (Crabtree) is better than Housh/Hines/Mason....but production-wise, maybe not so much

The problem here is that you're lumping Harvin/Maclin in with the very best speed WR of the moment (DJax) whereas you're lumping Crabtree/Dez in with middling possession WRs (rather than guys like VJax/Boldin/Marshall/Fitzgerald). Harvin and Maclin are just as likely to become Santana Moss and Terry Glenn as they are Steve Smith. Speed doesn't somehow ensure that a player is going to be a statistical monster. Most of the best WRs of recent memory weren't burners. FWIW, I would take Mason or Ward's career over DJax/Harvin/Maclin any day.

One of you guys is either OVERESTIMATING Crabtree/Dez and UNDERESTIMATING Maclin/Harvin.....or vice-versa.That's the one thing good in this hubby, we'll find out soon enough.obviously gimme Maclin/Harvin 1.5-2 rounds later over Crab/Dez......

 

[Invictus~Bronte]

Cut above in what regard? Both Harvin and Maclin are much faster, at least just as athletic if not moreso, and easily more dynamic/explosive. Not to mention they are both in better pass offenses.

They are also smaller, weaker, and less productive. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat. Guys like Boldin, Marshall, and Fitzgerald have been wildly successful in lieu of elite speed and explosiveness. I don't see any reason to think Bryant and Crabtree can't have similar success.

Crabtree an 80/1050/7 guy........Harvin and Maclin are 65-70/1200/10 guys......Give me the latter DeSeans over the Housh/Hines/Mason......OK, (Crabtree) is better than Housh/Hines/Mason....but production-wise, maybe not so much

The problem here is that you're lumping Harvin/Maclin in with the very best speed WR of the moment (DJax) whereas you're lumping Crabtree/Dez in with middling possession WRs (rather than guys like VJax/Boldin/Marshall/Fitzgerald). Harvin and Maclin are just as likely to become Santana Moss and Terry Glenn as they are Steve Smith. Speed doesn't somehow ensure that a player is going to be a statistical monster. Most of the best WRs of recent memory weren't burners. FWIW, I would take Mason or Ward's career over DJax/Harvin/Maclin any day.

The problem with alot of the burners, is when they lose that half step. That route running better be great by then. And yes, most of the top WR's over the years consistency wise have not been the fastest. Jerry Rice 4.60 combine 40. Personally at this point I'd rather have Maclin over Djax in Dynasty

 

[Steed]

Cut above in what regard? Both Harvin and Maclin are much faster, at least just as athletic if not moreso, and easily more dynamic/explosive. Not to mention they are both in better pass offenses.

They are also smaller, weaker, and less productive. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat. Guys like Boldin, Marshall, and Fitzgerald have been wildly successful in lieu of elite speed and explosiveness. I don't see any reason to think Bryant and Crabtree can't have similar success.

Crabtree an 80/1050/7 guy........Harvin and Maclin are 65-70/1200/10 guys......Give me the latter DeSeans over the Housh/Hines/Mason......OK, (Crabtree) is better than Housh/Hines/Mason....but production-wise, maybe not so much

The problem here is that you're lumping Harvin/Maclin in with the very best speed WR of the moment (DJax) whereas you're lumping Crabtree/Dez in with middling possession WRs (rather than guys like VJax/Boldin/Marshall/Fitzgerald). Harvin and Maclin are just as likely to become Santana Moss and Terry Glenn as they are Steve Smith. Speed doesn't somehow ensure that a player is going to be a statistical monster. Most of the best WRs of recent memory weren't burners. FWIW, I would take Mason or Ward's career over DJax/Harvin/Maclin any day.

The problem with alot of the burners, is when they lose that half step. That route running better be great by then. And yes, most of the top WR's over the years consistency wise have not been the fastest. Jerry Rice 4.60 combine 40. Personally at this point I'd rather have Maclin over Djax in Dynasty

I think that's crazy unless your making an arguement based on value alone.Also, the burners have a step to lose whereas the possession guys don't. I believe Chase did a study on this. The Jerry Rice example is purely anectotal as he's become the patron saint of non-burners.

 

[kremenull]

DeSean's single season last year is better than anything either of those guys has ever individually produced. This kid single-handedly won a number of NFL games.

Of course speed isn't all that is required, and these guys have displayed much more than speed. Excellent route-running, hands, and play-making ability in abundance is what I've witnessed.

My point is that from these early ADPs, I'd rather get Maclin/Harvin/Britt at their ADP vs Dez or Crabtree at theirs......Trade Back!

Just my 2c

 

[EBF]

Also, the burners have a step to lose whereas the possession guys don't.

I have my doubts about this. I don't think guys like DeSean Jackson and Steve Smith would be very effective without their speed. Speed is the only thing that allows them to excel at their diminutive size. Take it away and you have Josh Reed. At any rate, I never intended to start a discussion about longevity. I was just pointing out that speed and explosiveness are often equated with upside, when in reality many of the top WRs in FF aren't exceptional in these categories. One thing I've been noticing over the past year of evaluating football prospects is that a lot of people exaggerate the importance of flashy physical qualities like speed and underestimate the importance of blue collar qualities like strength and instincts. I would say that people who rank Maclin above Crabtree are falling prey to this phenomenon.

 

[Invictus~Bronte]

DeSean's single season last year is better than anything either of those guys has ever individually produced. This kid single-handedly won a number of NFL games.Of course speed isn't all that is required, and these guys have displayed much more than speed. Excellent route-running, hands, and play-making ability in abundance is what I've witnessed. My point is that from these early ADPs, I'd rather get Maclin/Harvin/Britt at their ADP vs Dez or Crabtree at theirs......Trade Back!Just my 2c

You said it.. Djax SINGLE SEASON. I own the guy, he's great but for my $ not worth his adp. I think this year he will regress back closer to his 1st year numbers. Just for my taste and what I've seen, I'll take Maclin over him at this point. He was certainly becoming more prominent and developing a good rapport with McNabb at season's end and playoffs. I also don't see Maclin disappearing during games sometimes the way Djax has. He's a great boom/bust guy. Just a preference. Wouldn't shock me if by next season Maclin is the "go to"

 

[Maroney=Speed]

With a 14 team league, I went with the "stud" theory. I wanted 3 cornerstone players I could rely on each and every week for now and the forseable future. I won pick 1.4 and drafted Ray Rice. I then traded up to 1.6 to get Andre Johnson and 2.1 to get Drew Brees. Now with Brees/Rice/Andre on board, I wanted to fill in the rest of my roster with viable starters and also youth talent with upside. QBs: Drew Brees/Carson Palmer/Colt McCoyI have really changed my tune over the years. I used to be a big believer in not overspending for a top QB. But every year, I always found myself trying to trade for a top 5 guy every season. I guess I like the idea of putting in a QB every week and know exactly what to expect. Avg 250-300 yrs, 2-4tds--Sign me up. I was more than happy to get Carson as my backup in rd 11. I dont know why people are so down on him. I know the Bengals turned into a solid running team last yr, but lets not forget after Chris Henry's injury ( RIP CH ) Palmer no longer had a deep threat. Now with Antonio Bryant in the fold to fill that role, I expect better numbers this season. As for Colt McCoy---I dont know....kinda depends where he ends up in the draft. Im not a huge fan, but I wanted a young qb to stash on my roster. Time will tell. RBs: Ray Rice/Frank Gore/Brandon Jacobs/Clinton Portis/Willis McGaheeMy biggest splash of the draft was trading Ronnie Brown/Jerome Harrison/Kellen Winslow for Frank Gore. This league does have 1.5 PPR for TEs so they are more valuable. I was pretty high on Winslow, but the chance to get 2 top 6 RBs was too good to pass up. Yes I know that RBs in dynasty are a dime a dozen because of their short shelf life, but I am more than happy to Ride the Gore/Rice Train for at least the next 3-4 yrs. I think Jacobs is in for rebound yr now that he's healthy and Portis was simply a flier hoping for 1 more decent yr:WRs: Andre Johnson/Lee Evans/Steve Breaston/TJ Housh/Nate BurlesonI am really excited about Breaston, I think he is more than capable of being a compliment to Fitz. Never having to see double coverage will help. Housh and Evans are both fliers. I think Housh rebounds and gets back to his normal 70-80 catch season mainly because the seabirds dont have a better option. As for Evans, interested to see him now without Owens. Burleson is a wildcard, see if Stafford can find him open deep. TEs: Zach Miller(OAK)/Tony SchefflerI really like Miller, and I will like him a whole lot more if the Raiders ever find a QB! Im also hoping Scheffler is soon traded, hopefully NE( He's going to be cheaper for NE than Olsen)Rookie RBs:Charles Scott_LSU/Pat Paschall_NDSU/Deji Karim/Jamie Harper Clemson--Devy PlayerAlright, minus Rice and Gore, my RB core is old. I wanted to take fliers on guys that I think might be able to contribute at the next level. After filling out the most of my roster, I took rookies 7 of my last 9 picks. Hoping to uncover some gems, we will see. Rookie WRs: Scott Long/Taylor Price/Antonio BrownLong had a great combine, so Im hoping he can turn out to be someone in the NFL. Price is Johnny Knox 2.0 so it will be interesting to see where he ends up and Brown was a Leavouver's best WR. He's a little small, but he was productive in college. All in all I am happy with my Roster, I would like another Top 20 WR, but I think I can make this work.

Wow nice team. This is what happens when Men drafts vs. boys. Is this an 8 man League, that would explain your loaded roster?

 

[JPeso]

With a 14 team league, I went with the "stud" theory. I wanted 3 cornerstone players I could rely on each and every week for now and the forseable future. I won pick 1.4 and drafted Ray Rice. I then traded up to 1.6 to get Andre Johnson and 2.1 to get Drew Brees. Now with Brees/Rice/Andre on board, I wanted to fill in the rest of my roster with viable starters and also youth talent with upside. QBs: Drew Brees/Carson Palmer/Colt McCoyI have really changed my tune over the years. I used to be a big believer in not overspending for a top QB. But every year, I always found myself trying to trade for a top 5 guy every season. I guess I like the idea of putting in a QB every week and know exactly what to expect. Avg 250-300 yrs, 2-4tds--Sign me up. I was more than happy to get Carson as my backup in rd 11. I dont know why people are so down on him. I know the Bengals turned into a solid running team last yr, but lets not forget after Chris Henry's injury ( RIP CH ) Palmer no longer had a deep threat. Now with Antonio Bryant in the fold to fill that role, I expect better numbers this season. As for Colt McCoy---I dont know....kinda depends where he ends up in the draft. Im not a huge fan, but I wanted a young qb to stash on my roster. Time will tell. RBs: Ray Rice/Frank Gore/Brandon Jacobs/Clinton Portis/Willis McGaheeMy biggest splash of the draft was trading Ronnie Brown/Jerome Harrison/Kellen Winslow for Frank Gore. This league does have 1.5 PPR for TEs so they are more valuable. I was pretty high on Winslow, but the chance to get 2 top 6 RBs was too good to pass up. Yes I know that RBs in dynasty are a dime a dozen because of their short shelf life, but I am more than happy to Ride the Gore/Rice Train for at least the next 3-4 yrs. I think Jacobs is in for rebound yr now that he's healthy and Portis was simply a flier hoping for 1 more decent yr:WRs: Andre Johnson/Lee Evans/Steve Breaston/TJ Housh/Nate BurlesonI am really excited about Breaston, I think he is more than capable of being a compliment to Fitz. Never having to see double coverage will help. Housh and Evans are both fliers. I think Housh rebounds and gets back to his normal 70-80 catch season mainly because the seabirds dont have a better option. As for Evans, interested to see him now without Owens. Burleson is a wildcard, see if Stafford can find him open deep. TEs: Zach Miller(OAK)/Tony SchefflerI really like Miller, and I will like him a whole lot more if the Raiders ever find a QB! Im also hoping Scheffler is soon traded, hopefully NE( He's going to be cheaper for NE than Olsen)Rookie RBs:Charles Scott_LSU/Pat Paschall_NDSU/Deji Karim/Jamie Harper Clemson--Devy PlayerAlright, minus Rice and Gore, my RB core is old. I wanted to take fliers on guys that I think might be able to contribute at the next level. After filling out the most of my roster, I took rookies 7 of my last 9 picks. Hoping to uncover some gems, we will see. Rookie WRs: Scott Long/Taylor Price/Antonio BrownLong had a great combine, so Im hoping he can turn out to be someone in the NFL. Price is Johnny Knox 2.0 so it will be interesting to see where he ends up and Brown was a Leavouver's best WR. He's a little small, but he was productive in college. All in all I am happy with my Roster, I would like another Top 20 WR, but I think I can make this work.

Wow nice team. This is what happens when Men drafts vs. boys. Is this an 8 man League, that would explain your loaded roster?

Beauty is most certainly in the eye, as I'm not liking the makeup of this squad more than others posted.

 

[Go deep]

DeSean's single season last year is better than anything either of those guys has ever individually produced. This kid single-handedly won a number of NFL games.Of course speed isn't all that is required, and these guys have displayed much more than speed. Excellent route-running, hands, and play-making ability in abundance is what I've witnessed. My point is that from these early ADPs, I'd rather get Maclin/Harvin/Britt at their ADP vs Dez or Crabtree at theirs......Trade Back!Just my 2c

You said it.. Djax SINGLE SEASON. I own the guy, he's great but for my $ not worth his adp. I think this year he will regress back closer to his 1st year numbers. Just for my taste and what I've seen, I'll take Maclin over him at this point. He was certainly becoming more prominent and developing a good rapport with McNabb at season's end and playoffs. I also don't see Maclin disappearing during games sometimes the way Djax has. He's a great boom/bust guy. Just a preference. Wouldn't shock me if by next season Maclin is the "go to"

What makes you think he will regress to his rookie year numbers? I think in general, that a WR's 2nd year is more telling of future production than his rookie year. Also, any rapport Maclin and Mcnabb might have had is probably useless as Mcnabb might not be an Eagle for much longer. The scary thing about Jackson is he put up those numbers with 65 catches. The guys upside is off the charts, no other WR in the league is as dangerous with the ball in his hands.

 

[Patoons]

Here's my squad:

QBs

Clausen, Jimmy FA QB

Freeman, Josh TBB QB

Stafford, Matthew DET QB

RB

Brown, Donald IND RB

McKnight, Joe FA RB ®

Moreno, Knowshon DEN RB

Smith, Kevin DET RB

Washington, Leon NYJ RB

WR/TE

* Easley, Marcus FA WR

* Floyd, Michael FA WR

Briscoe, Dez FA WR ®

Bryant, Dez FA WR ®

Ford, Jacoby FA WR ®

Garcon, Pierre IND WR

Hartline, Brian MIA WR

Mitchell, Carlton FA WR ®

Smith, Steve CAR WR

Smith, Steve NYG WR

Stroughter, Sammie TBB WR

Williams, Jeremy FA WR ®

Cooley, Chris WAS TE (P)

Miller, Zach JAC TE

* Green, AJ FA WR

Now... I typically subscribe to doowain's strategy in dynasty startups. Anyone who's seen me draft in the past, I always draft a MUCH more experienced team. I traded out of the 1st to move up in the 3rd/4th (I continued to trade down) in order to secure a position where I could have a shot at some of the top WRs for 2011. That class is going to be monstrous and I wanted a piece of it.

In trading down, I was hoping to have VJax slip to be in the 2nd based on all the suspension news out there. It didn't happen. Doowain snagged him two picks before me and I was left with a decision of Reggie Wayne or Dez Bryant (in my eyes). I decided to go the young route and that ended up dictating the rest of my draft. I had 3 picks back-to-back-to-back at the end of the 5th and fully intended to make a run at the top developmental picks. I decided to go AJ Green,Floyd and seriously considered Baldwin as my third. I ended up drafting Garcon, who I think is in for a 1K yard season in 2010.

At the end of the day, my strategy after my first pick was simple. Take the best player available, field a competitive lineup for 2010 and ensure I get some of the best developmental picks. AJ Green and Michael Floyd accomplished that feat. Add in Dez Bryant and I have the potential for a sick WR group from 2011 on. Even if these guys ALL bust, I still am able to field a competitive lineup with the Steve Smiths, Garcon and Cooley.

My RB corp is my weak link. That's clear. I'm not huge on Moreno, but think he's undervalued. People are selling this guy to hard. Anyway, I decided to take him late 3rd to get a starter at the RB spot. I was hoping for Wells, but he clearly didn't fall to me. Moreno and Brown should be serviceable in my RB slot and worse comes to worse, Leon Washington or Kevin Smith (once he returns from that injury) will be serviceable in a 1 ppr for RB. Regardless, RB isn't my primary concern in these startups. I always target WRs and QBs who I believe will be around for some time. RBs fluctuate too much.

At the end of the day, I think I fielded a team that will be reasonably competitive that has some of the better WR prospects rostered. I can weather the storm with the WR corp I currently have. I just need a break in Indy and have Brown start assuming some more carries.

My draft in BB4 is super risky, but I'm confident in the young guns I selected. Let's see how my first draft sticking to a majority of younger guys works out!

 

[Go deep]

With a 14 team league, I went with the "stud" theory. I wanted 3 cornerstone players I could rely on each and every week for now and the forseable future. I won pick 1.4 and drafted Ray Rice. I then traded up to 1.6 to get Andre Johnson and 2.1 to get Drew Brees. Now with Brees/Rice/Andre on board, I wanted to fill in the rest of my roster with viable starters and also youth talent with upside. QBs: Drew Brees/Carson Palmer/Colt McCoyI have really changed my tune over the years. I used to be a big believer in not overspending for a top QB. But every year, I always found myself trying to trade for a top 5 guy every season. I guess I like the idea of putting in a QB every week and know exactly what to expect. Avg 250-300 yrs, 2-4tds--Sign me up. I was more than happy to get Carson as my backup in rd 11. I dont know why people are so down on him. I know the Bengals turned into a solid running team last yr, but lets not forget after Chris Henry's injury ( RIP CH ) Palmer no longer had a deep threat. Now with Antonio Bryant in the fold to fill that role, I expect better numbers this season. As for Colt McCoy---I dont know....kinda depends where he ends up in the draft. Im not a huge fan, but I wanted a young qb to stash on my roster. Time will tell. RBs: Ray Rice/Frank Gore/Brandon Jacobs/Clinton Portis/Willis McGaheeMy biggest splash of the draft was trading Ronnie Brown/Jerome Harrison/Kellen Winslow for Frank Gore. This league does have 1.5 PPR for TEs so they are more valuable. I was pretty high on Winslow, but the chance to get 2 top 6 RBs was too good to pass up. Yes I know that RBs in dynasty are a dime a dozen because of their short shelf life, but I am more than happy to Ride the Gore/Rice Train for at least the next 3-4 yrs. I think Jacobs is in for rebound yr now that he's healthy and Portis was simply a flier hoping for 1 more decent yr:WRs: Andre Johnson/Lee Evans/Steve Breaston/TJ Housh/Nate BurlesonI am really excited about Breaston, I think he is more than capable of being a compliment to Fitz. Never having to see double coverage will help. Housh and Evans are both fliers. I think Housh rebounds and gets back to his normal 70-80 catch season mainly because the seabirds dont have a better option. As for Evans, interested to see him now without Owens. Burleson is a wildcard, see if Stafford can find him open deep. TEs: Zach Miller(OAK)/Tony SchefflerI really like Miller, and I will like him a whole lot more if the Raiders ever find a QB! Im also hoping Scheffler is soon traded, hopefully NE( He's going to be cheaper for NE than Olsen)Rookie RBs:Charles Scott_LSU/Pat Paschall_NDSU/Deji Karim/Jamie Harper Clemson--Devy PlayerAlright, minus Rice and Gore, my RB core is old. I wanted to take fliers on guys that I think might be able to contribute at the next level. After filling out the most of my roster, I took rookies 7 of my last 9 picks. Hoping to uncover some gems, we will see. Rookie WRs: Scott Long/Taylor Price/Antonio BrownLong had a great combine, so Im hoping he can turn out to be someone in the NFL. Price is Johnny Knox 2.0 so it will be interesting to see where he ends up and Brown was a Leavouver's best WR. He's a little small, but he was productive in college. All in all I am happy with my Roster, I would like another Top 20 WR, but I think I can make this work.

Wow nice team. This is what happens when Men drafts vs. boys. Is this an 8 man League, that would explain your loaded roster?

Beauty is most certainly in the eye, as I'm not liking the makeup of this squad more than others posted.

I think his team is the 2nd best of the four listed here.Doowains team looks to easily be the best. His QB's are sub-par, but Mcnabb should give him a year or two until he can get another QB, which happens to be the easiest position to improve. His RB's and WR's would be awesome in a 12 team league. 3 top 12 RB's and 4 top 24 WR's, thats not even fair, not to mention 2 good young TE's.Bandite and Devildogs team are both pretty solid as well, with an edge to Bandite. Not really a fan of DD's RB's, but he has great top end talent and depth at WR, and thats key in 14 team dynasties. If Bandite can get get some production out of a WR or two other than Johnson, his team might be as good as Doowains.Not a big fan of EBF's team. Looked OK originally considering it was a 14 team league, but compared to the other 3 teams that have posted since, his team looks pretty weak. Cutler as his only QB to speak of, his RB's will be OK for a year or two, but no depth unless Rodgers pans out, even then his RB's are so/so. I do like Rice and Holmes at WR, but Mason and Royal as 3/4, that hurts, especially considering his lack of strength at other positions. What happened to your #1 pick EBF? Also, you said you expect your team to really compete in year 2/3, then why draft Deangelo and Benson, as they will be at the twilight of their careers?

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Also, the burners have a step to lose whereas the possession guys don't.

I have my doubts about this. I don't think guys like DeSean Jackson and Steve Smith would be very effective without their speed. Speed is the only thing that allows them to excel at their diminutive size. Take it away and you have Josh Reed. At any rate, I never intended to start a discussion about longevity. I was just pointing out that speed and explosiveness are often equated with upside, when in reality many of the top WRs in FF aren't exceptional in these categories. One thing I've been noticing over the past year of evaluating football prospects is that a lot of people exaggerate the importance of flashy physical qualities like speed and underestimate the importance of blue collar qualities like strength and instincts. I would say that people who rank Maclin above Crabtree are falling prey to this phenomenon.

As is the difference between Spiller and Mathews

 

[jwb]

Here's mine from this draft:

Rivers, Sanchez

Greene, Mcfadden/Bush, J Best, L White, other guys

Fitz, Crabby, Cotchery, Avery, Manningham, AGonz, other guys

NYJ

I didn't take any college players, opting instead to go with studs (Fitz, Rivers), and a few young guys who I think have really good upside (Greene, Crabby). I traded my 2011 devy and a late pick for McFadden (I already had Bush). Having the duo was somewhat important to me. I'm hoping Best can be a nice PPR league play.

I am taking a risk at RB - I took fitz / crabby with my first two picks, and had to trade up to get Greene. I'm hoping between Greene, Best, and the two Oak guys that I have two weekely starters. Without my 2011 devy, help isn't on the way for awhile.

I'm one that thinks having entrenched qb's who aren't getting replacements drafted anytime soon is important, especially in this league - with 14 teams, it can be hard to find a solid starter. Plus, we only have 22 roster spots - playing qbbc with 3 or 4 guys hurts. Hopefully, I don't have to worry about qb fo quite some time.

Can you tell I'm a Jet homer?

 

[Sinrj]

I won the top pick in the draft and did some maneuvering. That's why you won't see my team with a 1st round pick. The big one is below:I gave:1.01/2.14/7.01I got:1.10/2.05/3.10After the trades, that gave me 6 picks in the first 38. That was huge in this format, where depth is so, so valuable.

Chris Johnson (or Peterson) is worth a lot more then that. When you have the luck to get the top pick this year you don't trade it for depth let alone add a top 30 players (2.14).

 

[EBF]

Not a big fan of EBF's team. Looked OK originally considering it was a 14 team league, but compared to the other 3 teams that have posted since, his team looks pretty weak. Cutler as his only QB to speak of, his RB's will be OK for a year or two, but no depth unless Rodgers pans out, even then his RB's are so/so. I do like Rice and Holmes at WR, but Mason and Royal as 3/4, that hurts, especially considering his lack of strength at other positions. What happened to your #1 pick EBF? Also, you said you expect your team to really compete in year 2/3, then why draft Deangelo and Benson, as they will be at the twilight of their careers?

Cutler is the only QB that I need since we only start one. A guy like McNabb or Henne would've been nothing but a pretty ornament on the bench. I took Luck as my backup because I think he has a chance to become a Rodgers/Manning type. I value upside over security from my backups. Benson is 27 and Williams is 26. I figure I can get 2-3 years out of them, which is about the most you can reasonably expect from a dynasty RB. I agree that depth could be a problem here, but I've got a couple of interesting developmental guys on the bench and I have a year or two to add another body. RB will only be a big problem in the short term if one of my top two gets hurt. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. At WR/TE, you've got to remember that this is a dynasty league. I agree that my short term depth doesn't look impressive, but you made no mention of guys like Demaryius Thomas and Fred Davis. Whether I'm ultimately right or wrong, I'm viewing Thomas as akin to a Brandon Marshall/Dwayne Bowe/Vincent Jackson type. Add him into the mix with Holmes/Rice/Royal and you've got a very good quartet. Nevermind potential contributions from guys like Kelly, DHB, Ogletree, Bennett, and Roberts. You have to think beyond what these players represent for 2010 and try to imagine what they'll become. As I said before, I'm playing the odds and betting that this group will yield a gem or two. That's all that I really need beyond my core top 4. Honestly, anyone who has drafted with me in a dynasty league can vouch for the fact that this roster is typical of my teams. My teams never look pretty on paper and never get good reviews post draft, but my squads usually appreciate in value and become contenders within 1-2 seasons. If I wanted to be the paper champion I could've drafted a redraft team, but that wasn't my goal. I like to amass a big stockpile of speculative value and let time sort it out. That's what I did here. I'm not that worried because I feel like I'm covered at QB and WR/TE for the foreseeable future and if my team bombs in year one, I'll be able to snag two high level RB prospects in the rookie/dev drafts.

 

[JohnW1970]

This is the team I ended up with from the 1.08 spot. Also ended up with an extra 1st rounder in 2011, and an extra 2011 dev. pick. I think I have a strong team if Slaton can be a #3 RB and Braylon Edwards can be a #3 WR.

QBs:

Matt Ryan, Matt Casel, Matt Hasselback, Sam Bradford

RBs:

Steven Jackson, Michael Turner, Steve Slaton, Justin Forsett, Julius Jones, Ben Tate

WRs:

Andre Caldwell, Camarillo, Braylon Edwards, Brandon Gibson, Shay Hodges, Desean Jackson, Chad Ochocinco, TO, Brandon Tate, Damian Williams

Def: Viking Ravens

I figure my baseline is:

Ryan

Jackson

Turner

Slaton

Jackson

Ocho

Edwards

Vkes or Ravens

 

[Invictus~Bronte]

DeSean's single season last year is better than anything either of those guys has ever individually produced. This kid single-handedly won a number of NFL games.Of course speed isn't all that is required, and these guys have displayed much more than speed. Excellent route-running, hands, and play-making ability in abundance is what I've witnessed. My point is that from these early ADPs, I'd rather get Maclin/Harvin/Britt at their ADP vs Dez or Crabtree at theirs......Trade Back!Just my 2c

You said it.. Djax SINGLE SEASON. I own the guy, he's great but for my $ not worth his adp. I think this year he will regress back closer to his 1st year numbers. Just for my taste and what I've seen, I'll take Maclin over him at this point. He was certainly becoming more prominent and developing a good rapport with McNabb at season's end and playoffs. I also don't see Maclin disappearing during games sometimes the way Djax has. He's a great boom/bust guy. Just a preference. Wouldn't shock me if by next season Maclin is the "go to"

What makes you think he will regress to his rookie year numbers? I think in general, that a WR's 2nd year is more telling of future production than his rookie year. Also, any rapport Maclin and Mcnabb might have had is probably useless as Mcnabb might not be an Eagle for much longer. The scary thing about Jackson is he put up those numbers with 65 catches. The guys upside is off the charts, no other WR in the league is as dangerous with the ball in his hands.

That's precisely my point.. a regression to average. How many times you think he's gonna continue to score 50yd. TD's catching 65? He had around 9 from that range. You won't be seeing that again. Not that either is a "red zone" guy but go look how many times DJax was targeted inside the 20. Maclin is more of the threat then he is. He topped out with those TD numbers on such small rec. amount which is my other red flag. Number 1 WR on a pass happy team with 65...somethings not adding up. With Celek and Maclin improving his TD's only figure to decrease. he also was targeted LESS when Kolb QB'd

 

[GSWarriors]

team drafted from the 9th spot. Also acquired an additional 2011 1st, and 2011 devy pick

QB - Flacco/VYoung/Vick

RB - Stewart/Wells/Hightower/Maroney/Larry Johnson/Danny Ware

WR - Maclin/Harvin/Meachem/A.Bryant/Chaz Schilens/Knox/Laurent Robinson

TE - Finley/Jimmy Graham/Shawn Nelson/Pitta/G.Graham

DEF - Miami Dolphins (with MIke Nolan as DC)

 

[Invictus~Bronte]

Fire away..

This is the team from the 10 hole, though I traded up to 1/1 to draft " Every Coach's Dream"

QB

P Manning

J. Campbell

RB

C Johnson

Toby Gerhart - r

Anthony Dixon - r

Andre Dixon -r

Thomas Jones

WR..Hold your hat

Austin Collie

Devin Aromashodu

Steve Johnson

Golden Tate - r

Brandon LaFell- r

Denario Alexander -r

Mardy Gilyard- r

Eric Decker- r

Riley Cooper - r

Mike Williams - r

TE.. 1.5 PPR

Vernon Davis

Tony Gonzalez

Dorin Dickerson - r

Ed Dickson - r

Def..

SF

Will certainly need to address future QB, and the RB turnover of course but I don't see Manning drop off for at least 3 years

 

[kremenull]

I won the top pick in the draft and did some maneuvering. That's why you won't see my team with a 1st round pick. The big one is below:I gave:1.01/2.14/7.01I got:1.10/2.05/3.10After the trades, that gave me 6 picks in the first 38. That was huge in this format, where depth is so, so valuable.

Chris Johnson (or Peterson) is worth a lot more then that. When you have the luck to get the top pick this year you don't trade it for depth let alone add a top 30 players (2.14).

Exactly the opposite.....This was very savvy, "Shark-esque" manuevering by doowain to assemble the team he has. Got excellent value with all the key selections. He mastered this draft the way the board shook out.....not a huge fan of all the players he did select, but u can't argue the value where he got them.......

 

[ConstruxBoy]

Also, the burners have a step to lose whereas the possession guys don't.

I have my doubts about this. I don't think guys like DeSean Jackson and Steve Smith would be very effective without their speed. Speed is the only thing that allows them to excel at their diminutive size. Take it away and you have Josh Reed. At any rate, I never intended to start a discussion about longevity. I was just pointing out that speed and explosiveness are often equated with upside, when in reality many of the top WRs in FF aren't exceptional in these categories. One thing I've been noticing over the past year of evaluating football prospects is that a lot of people exaggerate the importance of flashy physical qualities like speed and underestimate the importance of blue collar qualities like strength and instincts. I would say that people who rank Maclin above Crabtree are falling prey to this phenomenon.

As is the difference between Spiller and Mathews

and again....

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Also, the burners have a step to lose whereas the possession guys don't.

I have my doubts about this. I don't think guys like DeSean Jackson and Steve Smith would be very effective without their speed. Speed is the only thing that allows them to excel at their diminutive size. Take it away and you have Josh Reed. At any rate, I never intended to start a discussion about longevity. I was just pointing out that speed and explosiveness are often equated with upside, when in reality many of the top WRs in FF aren't exceptional in these categories. One thing I've been noticing over the past year of evaluating football prospects is that a lot of people exaggerate the importance of flashy physical qualities like speed and underestimate the importance of blue collar qualities like strength and instincts. I would say that people who rank Maclin above Crabtree are falling prey to this phenomenon.

As is the difference between Spiller and Mathews

and again....

At least i'm consistent.

 

[Ernol]

Here's my team and dynasty thoughts.

Overall Strategy: I typically favor stockpiling WR talent, normally to an extreme (often going WR-WR-WR-WR in the first 4 rounds of dynasty startups). But in a 14 team league that requires 2 RB but allows 4, and where college players are drafted at the startup stage, I believe RB will be the most scarce and valuable position in this league. Accordingly, this was as good a time as ever to change my colors and go RB heavy. The trick though is to be able to take advantage of the setup without taking on excessive risk.

Like in other leagues, I still would rather have two stud WRs as the mainstay of the team. But by using the first two rounds to draft stud WRs, stockpiling RBs thereafter would normally mean rostering players like Pierre Thomas, Joseph Addai, Ryan Grant, etc. All fine RBs for any given year, but the type of players that if made the foundation of a team, would result in a team that ages fast. But, with the particular college rules in this league, I could have my cake and eat it too (i.e., draft my usual stud WRs and still stockpile RBs without taking on excessive risk).

The team (2010 starters in bold):

QB:

Eli Manning (9.12)

Chad Henne (11.13)

Brett Favre (13.13)

Main goal at QB was to grab a serviceable long term QB with potential upside (Eli Manning in this case). At 14 teams, its possible to get caught without one. Brett Favre is potential trade bait later (an upgrade for most teams in a 14 teamer) or a key piece in a 2010 run should I decide to go for it.

RB:

Lesean McCoy (3.12)

Mark Ingram, College (4.03)

Trent Richardson, College (5.12)

Ryan Williams, College (6.03)

Dion Lewis, College (7.12)

Tashard Choice, College (10.03)

Jason Snelling (22.03)

Correll Buckhalter (23.12)

Stockpiling young RBs, normally a risky thing to do. However, I consider the consensus top flight RBs in college an exception to that rule. Given the easier competition in college, its much harder for these players to get “exposed” like they could as rookies or vets in the NFL. As a result, at least for a while, their value will continue to appreciate without much risk. At some point, their value will be high enough where it will make sense to trade one or more to reduce the total risk profile of the team, while keeping the others for their upside. Greatest risk I took here was taking McCoy at 3.12, but at that draft position, the upside is worth the risk. Bottomline, I could have a potential 4 starting RBs by 2011 (that includes Choice) and a potential of 6 starting RBs by 2012. For 2010, this is obviously the weak point of the team, but I think the WR corp will be strong enough to make up for the weakness (and think that Choice will surprise in 2010).

WR:

Greg Jennings (1.12)

Roddy White (2.03)

Julian Edelman (11.07)

Hines Ward (11.12)

Donald Driver (15.10)

Jacoby Jones (16.05)

Bernard Berrian (20.05)

Jordan Shipley, Rookie (21.12)

Chris Chambers (23.04)

Devery Henderson (23.14)

Got my two stud WRs for the foreseeable future. The rest are suspect for the long term, but Edelman, Ward and Driver can either be used as trade bait or make a very nice WR3-5 in a 14 teamer for 2010. Edelman has potential long term upside, and I expect Ward and Driver to remain useful, at minimum, as backups in 2011. After that, I can either start 4 RB or trade a young RB for a stud WR later.

Future Picks:

Three additional Dev picks for 2011 for a total of 4 Dev picks and 1 rookie pick. I hope to hit the jackpot on at least one of the picks for an early selection in 2011, but even the later dev picks can be useful to replenish the farm system as Ingram and R.Williams enter the NFL. If I decide to trade Edelman and/or the ancients (Favre, Driver, Ward) rather than going for it in 2010, I would look to pick up another dev pick or two. If I decide to keep those players for a 2010 run, I have the comfort of knowing that I have plenty of reserves for the future.

Overall, I have a team that should, in theory, only keep getting better over the next few years while, if I choose to go for it, has a chance to make the playoffs and do some damage in 2010.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

Also, the burners have a step to lose whereas the possession guys don't.

I have my doubts about this. I don't think guys like DeSean Jackson and Steve Smith would be very effective without their speed. Speed is the only thing that allows them to excel at their diminutive size. Take it away and you have Josh Reed. At any rate, I never intended to start a discussion about longevity. I was just pointing out that speed and explosiveness are often equated with upside, when in reality many of the top WRs in FF aren't exceptional in these categories. One thing I've been noticing over the past year of evaluating football prospects is that a lot of people exaggerate the importance of flashy physical qualities like speed and underestimate the importance of blue collar qualities like strength and instincts. I would say that people who rank Maclin above Crabtree are falling prey to this phenomenon.

As is the difference between Spiller and Mathews

and again....

At least i'm consistent.

I'll give you that. But could you please stop polluting threads with this when neither of them is even the subject? I'm sure you're league mates all know where you "stand" by now.

 

[doowain]

As is the difference between Spiller and Mathews

and again....

At least i'm consistent.

I'll give you that. But could you please stop polluting threads with this when neither of them is even the subject? I'm sure you're league mates all know where you "stand" by now.

Agreed. It's all getting a bit tiresome.

 

[Sinrj]

I won the top pick in the draft and did some maneuvering. That's why you won't see my team with a 1st round pick. The big one is below:I gave:1.01/2.14/7.01I got:1.10/2.05/3.10After the trades, that gave me 6 picks in the first 38. That was huge in this format, where depth is so, so valuable.

Chris Johnson (or Peterson) is worth a lot more then that. When you have the luck to get the top pick this year you don't trade it for depth let alone add a top 30 players (2.14).

Exactly the opposite.....This was very savvy, "Shark-esque" manuevering by doowain to assemble the team he has. Got excellent value with all the key selections. He mastered this draft the way the board shook out.....not a huge fan of all the players he did select, but u can't argue the value where he got them.......

You are confusing pick value and actual players value. The end result is terrible. He gave up CJ3 AND Vernon Davis (16th overall and 3rd among WR/TE last year) to do some manuevering?

 

[doowain]

I won the top pick in the draft and did some maneuvering. That's why you won't see my team with a 1st round pick. The big one is below:I gave:1.01/2.14/7.01I got:1.10/2.05/3.10After the trades, that gave me 6 picks in the first 38. That was huge in this format, where depth is so, so valuable.

Chris Johnson (or Peterson) is worth a lot more then that. When you have the luck to get the top pick this year you don't trade it for depth let alone add a top 30 players (2.14).

Exactly the opposite.....This was very savvy, "Shark-esque" manuevering by doowain to assemble the team he has. Got excellent value with all the key selections. He mastered this draft the way the board shook out.....not a huge fan of all the players he did select, but u can't argue the value where he got them.......

You are confusing pick value and actual players value. The end result is terrible. He gave up CJ3 AND Vernon Davis (16th overall and 3rd among WR/TE last year) to do some manuevering?

I don't think you are fully understanding the end result. You see I gave up CJ3 and VD. I see that it allowed me to then trade the 1.10 for the 2.07 (Desean for VJax - who I like better anyway) and 6.14 (Matt Ryan) for 3.08 (Mendenhall). Also, from the earlier trade, 7.01 was Tony Gonzalez and 3.10 was Dwayne Bowe.So, if you look at the overall picture, it's:Matt Ryan CJ3VDGonzalezfor ColstonVJaxMendenhallDBoweI make that trade every time and don't think twice about it.

 

[JPeso]

I loved that trade for Doowain. That's not something that comes along every day. It's such a huge advantage in a start-up dynasty to get that 1.1, unless the leagues use third-round reversal (I'm a huge proponent of this as it levels the playing field a ton and takes out the luck of the top of the draft).