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Keeper league question: Chase, Etienne, or another move? (1 Viewer)

wheeleke

Footballguy
I play in a 12-team keeper league. We can keep anywhere from 4-6 players from year to year. Our draft starts at the "5th round" and so if you only keep 4 players, and have a 5th round pick available, essentially you have a first-round pick. If you keep 5 players, then you wouldn't pick until the 6th round. If you keep 6 players, then you wouldn't draft until round 7, which is the 3rd-round of picks.

I've shed a few players that I don't plan to keep or trade, but some of the remaining players on my roster are:

QB - Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow

RB - D'Andre Swift, Ronald Jones

WR - Calvin Ridley, Odell Beckham, Jr., D.J. Moore, Jarvis Landry, Laviska Shenault

I'm a team that went through a pretty hard rebuild starting two years ago, but built up my roster a bit through the draft and a couple of trades last year and want to become a contender this year.

I draft at the 2nd pick overall (I traded Evans and my 7th pick for OBJ and the 2nd pick). Leaning towards just keeping Swift, Ridley, Beckham (or Jackson), and Moore. Other than Mahomes and one or two other quarterbacks no one tends to keep players at that position so I will likely drop Burrow and Jackson and may try and draft them later. I would love to trade Jackson for a 6th round pick but his value is hard to determine in our league.

Here are some of my thoughts: 1) Draft Etienne so I have two young starting RBs, 2) Draft Chase - do I then trade Ridley for a young stud RB so I still have two starters at the RB position and still have good young WRs to build around? 3) Draft Chase, keep Ridley, and take whatever RBs fall to me in the draft? 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 
Don't complicate things.  Rookie draft picks are all about hitting on the pick.  Make a combined draft board and take the guy at the top when it is your turn.  Roster need shouldn't be a concern when drafting rookies and should only come into play if you have two guys tied in your rankings.  The only way a rookie pick is valuable is if it hits so take the player you think is better to give you the best chance of doing that. 

Those comments are based on the assumption that most of the 5th round is essentially a "rookie draft" and not a typical 5th round type situation in most re-drafts.  That being said with there only being 4 - 6 keepers each year you may be better served by not taking a rookie depending on what players drop into the draft.  Based on your roster I would assume that Swift, Ridley, and maybe Moore will be keepers for years to come so is taking a rookie a wise pick?  They have a lot more risk than a proven player and since you really only have a couple spots that are even available for keepers you may bet better off forgetting about rookies and taking guys that will be better this year.  Remember the point is to win the league and with this few keepers it may be better to treat it like a redraft.  

 
Don't complicate things.  Rookie draft picks are all about hitting on the pick.  Make a combined draft board and take the guy at the top when it is your turn.  Roster need shouldn't be a concern when drafting rookies and should only come into play if you have two guys tied in your rankings.  The only way a rookie pick is valuable is if it hits so take the player you think is better to give you the best chance of doing that. 

Those comments are based on the assumption that most of the 5th round is essentially a "rookie draft" and not a typical 5th round type situation in most re-drafts.  That being said with there only being 4 - 6 keepers each year you may be better served by not taking a rookie depending on what players drop into the draft.  Based on your roster I would assume that Swift, Ridley, and maybe Moore will be keepers for years to come so is taking a rookie a wise pick?  They have a lot more risk than a proven player and since you really only have a couple spots that are even available for keepers you may bet better off forgetting about rookies and taking guys that will be better this year.  Remember the point is to win the league and with this few keepers it may be better to treat it like a redraft.  
Running backs are few and far between. Essentially, the first 4 rounds of keepers are 48 players and many are running backs. I can't wait to see what will be there because our keeper deadline is 2 weeks before the draft. So it's hard to project when people don't pick their keepers early. 

I did get an offer of me sending Ridley for Josh Jacobs. But feel hesitant about that offer. That leaves me with Moore, OBJ at WR, and Swift and Jacobs at RB. I'd feel good about drafting Chase or Etienne with the 2nd pick in the draft. Their upside will be better than most that's left.

 
Running backs are few and far between. Essentially, the first 4 rounds of keepers are 48 players and many are running backs. I can't wait to see what will be there because our keeper deadline is 2 weeks before the draft. So it's hard to project when people don't pick their keepers early. 

I did get an offer of me sending Ridley for Josh Jacobs. But feel hesitant about that offer. That leaves me with Moore, OBJ at WR, and Swift and Jacobs at RB. I'd feel good about drafting Chase or Etienne with the 2nd pick in the draft. Their upside will be better than most that's left.
I generally want early picks to be safe as you need them to hit what you expect out of them to compete (especially in redraft - which is how I would handle this league).  Again, I suggest making a combined draft board and taking the guy at the top of it.  Don't force a position or rookie as that could derail your season before it even starts.  

 
I generally want early picks to be safe as you need them to hit what you expect out of them to compete (especially in redraft - which is how I would handle this league).  Again, I suggest making a combined draft board and taking the guy at the top of it.  Don't force a position or rookie as that could derail your season before it even starts.  
I understand. I will do the combined draft board after keeper picks are due on July 12th because I can see who all is available, which is before our draft at the end of that month.

At the moment, I'm trying to set myself up for the draft and my keepers. I did get an offer of Josh Jacobs for Calvin Ridley. That would put me at Jacobs, Swift, Moore, OBJ as my keepers. Because I want to try and win now (I really think I'm a year away), I see your point but I also want to build a roster for some longevity so that I'm not completely tearing down and rebuilding year after year and have some foundational pieces to construct my roster around (which I know is like a moving target). That puts together a lineup that can win now and then I can work through the draft but I would still be remiss to let a Chase or an Etienne pass me by.

 
I understand. I will do the combined draft board after keeper picks are due on July 12th because I can see who all is available, which is before our draft at the end of that month.

At the moment, I'm trying to set myself up for the draft and my keepers. I did get an offer of Josh Jacobs for Calvin Ridley. That would put me at Jacobs, Swift, Moore, OBJ as my keepers. Because I want to try and win now (I really think I'm a year away), I see your point but I also want to build a roster for some longevity so that I'm not completely tearing down and rebuilding year after year and have some foundational pieces to construct my roster around (which I know is like a moving target). That puts together a lineup that can win now and then I can work through the draft but I would still be remiss to let a Chase or an Etienne pass me by.
With that few keepers you will always be building year after year.  You don't have enough players not to do that.  That's why i was saying I would go after the best player for the current year (which is likely not a rookie) because you basically start over every year with that few keepers.  

I wouldn't trade Ridley for Jacobs as I am high on Ridley and low on Jacobs.  I think you have two for sure keepers for the foreseable future in Ridley and Swift so you are really only talking about two spots (or four if you really find some overachievers).  I also think DJ Moore could fall into that category if he progresses this year so now you are down to 1.  Because of that going with a BPA approach and not targeting rookies only seems like a better approach to win now (which is what you should try every year).  

 
Gally said:
With that few keepers you will always be building year after year.  You don't have enough players not to do that.  That's why i was saying I would go after the best player for the current year (which is likely not a rookie) because you basically start over every year with that few keepers.  

I wouldn't trade Ridley for Jacobs as I am high on Ridley and low on Jacobs.  I think you have two for sure keepers for the foreseable future in Ridley and Swift so you are really only talking about two spots (or four if you really find some overachievers).  I also think DJ Moore could fall into that category if he progresses this year so now you are down to 1.  Because of that going with a BPA approach and not targeting rookies only seems like a better approach to win now (which is what you should try every year).  
Okay. I moved Ronald Jones and Beckham, Jr. for Kenny Golladay. I have 5 potential keepers in Lamar Jackson, D.J. Moore, D'Andre Swift, Calvin Ridley, and Kenny Golladay. One thought would be to just keep 4 so that I can draft in the "first round". I'm also considering trading away the 2nd pick for two lower 5th round picks, then I can keep 5 and still pick someone in that first round (or keep 4 and draft two in the first round). I see your thinking regarding drafting best player available.

 
Okay. I moved Ronald Jones and Beckham, Jr. for Kenny Golladay. I have 5 potential keepers in Lamar Jackson, D.J. Moore, D'Andre Swift, Calvin Ridley, and Kenny Golladay. One thought would be to just keep 4 so that I can draft in the "first round". I'm also considering trading away the 2nd pick for two lower 5th round picks, then I can keep 5 and still pick someone in that first round (or keep 4 and draft two in the first round). I see your thinking regarding drafting best player available.
I am a big fan of Lamar and love his difference making ability in FF.  He does come with risk so if you can stomach that risk I don't mind keeping those 5.  I also like the idea of turning 5.02 into two other 5th rounders.  I would definitely go that route. That being said I have no idea how quick QB's go in the draft and you may be better served just reaching a round early on Lamar if QB's last until the 8th so that you can get that extra 5th rounder.  Worse case scenario you just draft Lamar with one of those 5th rounders at your turn if you don't like anything better.  

 
I am a big fan of Lamar and love his difference making ability in FF.  He does come with risk so if you can stomach that risk I don't mind keeping those 5.  I also like the idea of turning 5.02 into two other 5th rounders.  I would definitely go that route. That being said I have no idea how quick QB's go in the draft and you may be better served just reaching a round early on Lamar if QB's last until the 8th so that you can get that extra 5th rounder.  Worse case scenario you just draft Lamar with one of those 5th rounders at your turn if you don't like anything better.  
I have been reading this conversation that you are having with Gally, and I think Gally's suggestions are spot on.  I would have not kept Beckam at all.  So, getting Golladay to me was a solid move.  Keeping Ridley, Swift, Moore and Golladay are a solid 4.  After reviewing the other teams roster potential, do you think there would be other potential players better than Jackson?  If not, I would hang onto him especially with the 2 picks that you have in round 5.

What positions are the 2 5th round picks you have?

 
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I have been reading this conversation that you are having with Gally, and I think Gally's suggestions are spot on.  I would have not kept Beckam at all.  So, getting Golladay to me was a solid move.  Keeping Ridley, Swift, Moore and Golladay are a solid 4.  After reviewing the other teams roster potential, do you think there would be other potential players better than Jackson?  If not, I would hang onto him especially with the 2 picks that you have in round 5.

What positions are the 2 5th round picks you have?
Yeah, the QB scenario is interesting. The only QBs that will be kept are Mahomes, Josh Allen, and "maybe" Deshaun Watson but I doubt it. QBs will start going in the 8th round usually. Guys like Rodgers, Brady, Dak will be available. I like the idea of if I don't keep Lamar, that I draft guys like Hurts, Prescott, and draft a guy like Justin Fields in the later rounds as a potential QB stash down the road a la Patrick Mahomes.

If I traded away the 5.2, the 5th rounders would be 5.8 and 5.10. Unfortunately the owner needs at least one 5 because he'll have at least 5, if not 6 keepers. His roster is Watson (QB), Kamara, Aaron Jones, A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, Irv Smith, Jonathan Taylor, Robert Woods, and two more guys that won't matter. If I were able to trade him my 5.2, for his 5.10 and one of his RBs, I would not keep Jackson, just keep 5 and wouldn't get a pick in that 5th round because I would keep 5 (Swift, Jones, Golladay, Ridley, Moore) and that would be a pretty good solid foundation to build my team from this year.

 
Yeah, the QB scenario is interesting. The only QBs that will be kept are Mahomes, Josh Allen, and "maybe" Deshaun Watson but I doubt it. QBs will start going in the 8th round usually. Guys like Rodgers, Brady, Dak will be available. I like the idea of if I don't keep Lamar, that I draft guys like Hurts, Prescott, and draft a guy like Justin Fields in the later rounds as a potential QB stash down the road a la Patrick Mahomes.

If I traded away the 5.2, the 5th rounders would be 5.8 and 5.10. Unfortunately the owner needs at least one 5 because he'll have at least 5, if not 6 keepers. His roster is Watson (QB), Kamara, Aaron Jones, A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, Irv Smith, Jonathan Taylor, Robert Woods, and two more guys that won't matter. If I were able to trade him my 5.2, for his 5.10 and one of his RBs, I would not keep Jackson, just keep 5 and wouldn't get a pick in that 5th round because I would keep 5 (Swift, Jones, Golladay, Ridley, Moore) and that would be a pretty good solid foundation to build my team from this year.
That would work!!!  

 
Yeah, the QB scenario is interesting. The only QBs that will be kept are Mahomes, Josh Allen, and "maybe" Deshaun Watson but I doubt it. QBs will start going in the 8th round usually. Guys like Rodgers, Brady, Dak will be available. I like the idea of if I don't keep Lamar, that I draft guys like Hurts, Prescott, and draft a guy like Justin Fields in the later rounds as a potential QB stash down the road a la Patrick Mahomes.

If I traded away the 5.2, the 5th rounders would be 5.8 and 5.10. Unfortunately the owner needs at least one 5 because he'll have at least 5, if not 6 keepers. His roster is Watson (QB), Kamara, Aaron Jones, A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, Irv Smith, Jonathan Taylor, Robert Woods, and two more guys that won't matter. If I were able to trade him my 5.2, for his 5.10 and one of his RBs, I would not keep Jackson, just keep 5 and wouldn't get a pick in that 5th round because I would keep 5 (Swift, Jones, Golladay, Ridley, Moore) and that would be a pretty good solid foundation to build my team from this year.
Why in the hell would the guy keep Watson?  If those QB are available as you stated keeping Watson and his risk is a terrible idea.  

 
Why in the hell would the guy keep Watson?  If those QB are available as you stated keeping Watson and his risk is a terrible idea.  
I understand that. That's his call. I could see him keeping Woods rather than Watson, or at least that's what I would do if I were him.

 
After all of that, my keepers are:

RB: Aaron Jones

RB: D'Andre Swift

WR: Calvin Ridley

WR: D.J. Moore

WR: Kenny Golladay

I don't have a 6th round pick (which means I can't keep 6) so I'll keep trying to move Lamar Jackson for a 6th rounder. Thanks everyone for your help/suggestions!

 

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