First of all, this was BY FAR the best "slow draft" I have ever been a part of. It was extremely rare for us to wait for extended periods of time to make a selection. All 12 owners averaged less than one hour per pick, which is unheard of in this type of draft. I know the others will agree that it made drafting a lot more fun and much easier to keep our focus.
As for the draft, my general plan was pretty basic. I know the bye weeks are a factor, and also know that we lose two teams every two weeks, except for losing one team in week 1. Example is losing two teams in week 6 based on the cumulative scores from weeks 5 and 6. So I focused on bye weeks in pairs of weeks. The week 4 bye is the only bye by itself because we lose two teams in week 4 based on the total cumulative points from weeks 3 and 4. Weeks 5 and 6 go together, and 7 and 8 go together. I worried about bye weeks in pairs. I did not overly worry about bye weeks except for not wanting to have too many on byes at any position and trying to make sure to have a respectable number of players in the 2 week blocks. Week 4 I have a lot on bye, but many others do too because of 6 teams on a bye that week including some teams with elite offensive players. So I'm not too worried about it.
With the 1.06, I was definitely taking a RB in round 1 and then see what happened. I wanted to wait on QBs, but make sure to get 3 QBs who were definite starters. I planned to hammer offense early and then look to draft the IDPs I liked later. I felt I could find quality IDPs late.
I generally do not make a great deal of plans before drafting. I try to have some ideas, but I have found over the years that the draft changes so much that it pretty much nullifies a lot of the plans anyways. I like to draft on the fly, just making sure to keep my mind ahead in the draft.
One thing I had etched in stone was the position breakdown. I wanted 3 QBs, 4 RBs, 7 WRs, 2 TEs. 2 Ks, 2 DTs, 4 DEs, 6 LBs, 4 CBs and 4 S. I did not want to have an injury happen, then realize I had nobody to cover for a bye week, not to mention someone having a bad game.
This is what my team looks like:
10.06 QB Aaron Rodgers 8
11.07 QB Eli Manning 4
19.07 QB Trent Edwards 6
I had planned all along on waiting for a QB unless one of the studs dropped to me. None did. I was happy to get Rodgers and wanted to follow him right up with a safe QB like Eli. It was important to me to have a solid QB2 since I waited so long. I added Trent Edwards later because I wanted 3 QBs and also because it gave me no bye week conflicts. I have 2 QBs or more every week.
Overall, middle of the road, but since I waited so long, I think the value was solid.
1.07 RB Frank Gore 9
2.06 RB Larry Johnson 6
4.06 RB Jamal Lewis 5
21.07 RB Sammy Morris 4
Gore was a no brainer in a PPR. I was glad to see Brady go at 1.06 because I thought there was a drop after Gore. LJ at the 2.06 is an absolute steal. I have taken him in round 1 in some drafts and getting him this late gives me a strong 1-2 punch. I was not planning on taking a 3rd RB for a while, but when Jamal Lewis fell to the 4.06, I had no choice but to take him. How a 300 carry RB with no competition on a great offense can fall to the mid 4 is mind boggling to me. Sammy Morris was a good pick before Jordan signed. Now it's up in the air, although I think he still gets goal line work. I have no bye week issues.
Overall, no team can match my RBs.
3.07 WR Chad Johnson 8
5.07 WR Calvin Johnson 4
8.06 WR Santana Moss 10
9.07 WR Hines Ward 6
25.07 WR Laurent Robinson 7
26.06 WR Arnaz Battle 9
38.06 WR Deion Branch 4
I felt fortunate to get Chad with the 3.07, ensuring myself of a proven stud. Calvin is one of my breakout players this year and he will outperform the 5.06 pick. Adding Santana Moss and Ward as WR3-4 gives me a great top 4. After that, I decided to wait as long as possible for the rest. I didn't realize I would wait as long as I did, but I'm happy with how it turned out. Laurent Robinson should be a solid WR5 and Battle is a great player in PPR in this format. Martz slot WRs put up some big numbers, but not consistently. In this format, that is fine with me. Branch was my last pick and since I did not like anyone else, I decided to swing for the fences. Even if he goes on PUP. I will have him for weeks 6-8 and that is the worst case. No bye week issues.
Overall, I like my top 4 a lot, depth is fair after, but Robinson and Battle were great value picks. If Calvin breaks out like I think he will (top 10), then I hit a home run here. If not, with Chad on top and Calvin, Moss and Ward behind him, I'm still pretty solid.
7.07 TE Tony Gonzalez 6
15.07 TE Todd Heap 10
Gonzalez in round 7 in a PPR is a steal. He has been a top 3 TE in 8 of the last 9 years and shows no signs of slowing down. He is the most undervalued TE in drafts this year by far. I was not planning on another TE until late, but Heap in the 15th round is insane value. He is a top 5 TE in all years he is healthy. There is some risk, but for the 15th round, it was one worth taking. He is healthy now. Gonzo is durable, so at worst I still have him.
Overall, the best TE combo in the league and also helps a ton because of the flex, which is another reason I waited on a 5th WR.
27.07 K Nate Kaeding 9
29.07 K Adam Vinatieri 4
I had no idea I would take a kicker this early, but I thought I could still find late value and still get at least one great kicker. I wanted a top 5 K with a late bye and Kaeding fit the bill. I was not planning on Another kicker till late, but changed my mind and took Vinatieri.
Overall, it's only kickers, but I have the best tandem in the league here too. It might make a difference in this format.
34.06 DT Pat Williams 8
35.07 DT Cory Redding 4
I knew this would be the last position I would worry about and since we only start one, I knew I could at least find some respectable players. Pat Williams consistently puts up solid tackle numbers. Redding had a bad year last year after holding out, but he was a beast in 2006 and I'm hoping a full camp will help him return to form.
Overall, nothing special, but not too bad.
12.06 DE Julius Peppers 9
20.06 DE Tamba Hali 6
24.06 DE Dewayne White 4
33.07 DE Marques Douglas 10
I wanted to land Peppers in this format because of his all or nothing type games. Those huge weeks will help. Hali has put up mid 40s tackles in each of his two years and I think his sack numbers go up playing RDE. Even if they are pedestrian, his tackle numbers make him a solid DE2. White had a great first half last year before a serious arm injury. He is also moving to the right DE spot and should be solid. Great value as a DE3. Douglas is another DE who puts up solid tackle numbers and he is very undervalued in this scoring system.
Overall, middle of the road. Great when Peppers puts up numbers, below average when he doesn't.
6.06 LB Nick Barnett 8
13.07 LB Angelo Crowell 6
16.06 LB Shawne Merriman 9
18.06 LB Freddie Keiaho 4
22.06 LB Matt Wilhelm 9
28.06 LB Omar Gaither 7
Barnett is a stud and I was happy to grab him in round 6. Crowell is solid every year. Merriman, see Peppers, although add some consistency. Keiaho was on pace for mid 90 tackle numbers before being hurt and if healthy, he is a great value pick. Wilhelm should be decent as a LB5. Gaither was the best of the late lot.
Overall, Barnett is a stud. The rest are average at best. I'm pretty happy with value since I waited so long.
23.07 CB Ronde Barber 10
31.07 CB Leon Hall 8
32.06 CB Terence Newman 10
37.07 CB Chris Houston 7
Barber should be solid. I think last year was an aberration for him. Hall is a physical CB who should put up solid tackle numbers playing for that porous defense. Newman is solid for a 32nd round pick. Houston is another CB on a bad team and he should also see plenty of tackles.
Overall, average at best, but not too bad since I waited.
14.06 S Gibril Wilson 5
17.07 S Bob Sanders 4
30.06 S Ken Hamlin 10
36.06 S Antoine Bethea 4
Wilson is a stud and I can't believe he was available in the 14th round. A steal. Sanders is a stud too, but comes with an injury risk. Since I already had Wilson, I thought it was a risk worth taking, especially in round 17. I took Hamlin knowing his numbers would be pedestrian. But there is a chance that Roy Williams gets cut due to his salary. If that happens, Hamlin moves to strong safety and his value skyrockets. Either way, he is ok for the 30th round and he has a late bye. Bethea is solid and even though he and Sanders play for the same team and have the same bye, I still took him. If Sanders gets hurt, his value goes up, and even if he doesn't, Bethea is still pretty solid. Another late pick that should have been gone.
Overall, my top 2 are as good as anyone's, but there is a risk with Sanders always getting hurt. Depth is average at best.
I really like this team, especially my RBs, TEs and top IDPs. I don't think I am really weak anywhere, although like every team, there are areas that are not as strong as I would like. I don't have any major bye week issues and I think I have a great chance to advance.
), D Landry out for season, Tye Hill benched, Big Ben getting hammered, Holt stinks(St Lou stinks), I'm glad I had a big week 3. Troubled times are coming.
