The Portis Strategy (1 Viewer)

[The_Man]

CBS Sportsline is having a live experts mock 10-team draft right now -- they're through 3.07 with Portis still on the board.

Other mid-level RB picks:

2.08 Benson

3.02 R.Brown

3.03 Edge

3.04 Deuce

Edited to add later RB picks

4.4 Jacobs

4.9 AP

4.10 Ahman Green

5.1 Jackson - GB

5.4 Portis

5.6. C. Williams

5.7 Lynch

5.9 TBell

5.10 Barber III

 

[Verbal Kint]

This strat failed me 1.05 Bush (PPR League)2.08 Owens3.05 A-Pete (Portis went at 3.02)boo

I've convinced myself if Henry isn't available at 2.04, I'm taking Portis there. We start 3 RBs, so I'm guessing there's no way he's there at 3.09.

 

[jdh79]

That "experts" league seems way off, with Portis falling that far and even Brown falling to round 3. The only way I can see that happening is if an unusual amount of QBs and WRs are taken early.

It does seem to show that Portis sliding into rd 3+ is not a "shark league thing", because even the current FBG rankings have Portis as 26th overall, which equates to pick 3.2.

For the teams with LT or SJax trying this, I am wondering why you would go RB-RB-RB the first 3 picks. This would seem to cripple you, especially since you won't pick until the end of round 4, when 15 WR are likely to be off the board. The only way I can see that making sense is if you are in a non-PPR league that allows you to start a 3rd RB.

 

[nygiants56]

The Portis Strategy is simple:

don't draft him.

 

[FBGPoker]

The Portis Strategy is simple:don't draft him.

Curious what round you would pull the trigger on Portis in? Where would you take Betts?Also from here on out i can take care of the Portis posts for you. I have your posts about his tendinitis not being the real issue and how the bum shoulder will blow up once he takes his first hit copied so i can post it on your behalf in any pro-Portis threads i see come up.I figure that will leave you time to do other things.

 

[jdh79]

With the August 30 ADP update, Portis' current ADP has actually fallen from 3.2 to 3.3. So, it does not appear that the news of him returning to practice this week is having any impact on how he is being drafted. This strategy looks like it still has a very good chance of working in many leagues that are drafting this weekend.

 

[vikingsguy22]

I think Portis is pure GOLD to those drafting in the top 3 of your league. Last night my draft worked out this way for me:

1.2- SJax

2.11 - Portis

3.2 - TO

4th - Driver

5th - A. Johnson

6th - Betts

7th - J. Jones

8th - Cutler

I'm excited about going to war with SJax, Portis and TO, Driver and A. Johnson.

I do think it is ESSENTIAL for a Portis owner to have Betts though if you are going with him as your RB2

 

[Resident A]

I've got #4 in a 12-teamer & the Portis strategy has been my plan all along.

I think LJ will drop to 4, he's mine. Then I take TO or Wayne, then Portis in the 3rd. I've done about 6 mocks from that spot & Portis has been there at 3.4 every time except 1.

We just need to pray that he keeps quiet if he gets in the last preseason game.

 

[Wally Cleaver]

The Portis Strategy is simple:don't draft him.

Because of his bum shoulder, the one he played with last year....

 

[jdh79]

I do think it is ESSENTIAL for a Portis owner to have Betts though if you are going with him as your RB2

I think Betts is highly desirable, but only if you can get him in round 7 (or possibly reach in round 6 if there isn't a QB or WR you like available at that point). The key is mainly to get a 3rd startable RB in round 5 (maybe round 4), and that pool is very deep this year, and you probably will see one of Julius Jones, Jamal Lewis, Ahman Green, Deuce McAllister, DeAngelo Williams (startable in PPR leagues even if he doesn't overtake Foster), etc there to be taken. When you think about it, is Portis' injury/overall risk really that much more risky than some of the other RBs who will go above him:LJ: no one has ever come off that many carries before, and history of other guys with similar workloads is not prettyAlexander: hitting 30, when most RBs fall off the map, and it may have started last yearGore: very injury prone throughout his college career, and getting through 16 gms last year may have been an aberrationAddai, Benson, Jacobs: can they handle being full time backs? You already know Portis canMaroney: coming off surgery and only just getting back into TC work/preseason about the same time as Portis is. Also, can he carry the load?Westbrook: 0 16 game seasons in his career and coming off career high workloadBush, MJD, Barber: all will be part of a committee and how consistent can their production be? With MJD and Barber, their TD totals from last year may be flukey and impossible to repeat without emerging as the sole backEdge: was his terrible performance last year a fluke or becuase he always was a product of the Indy system?Henry: team move and Shanahan's typical impatience with the position is a risk, as is his questionable character and off field activitiesAll of these situations seem to carry as much risk as Portis'; but the fact that fantasy nation seems to be running with the Portis hate-fest this offseason, the opportunity to win your league by getting him is huge. The best similar example I can think of was this time 3 years ago, when Tiki Barber was coming off a bit of a down season (at least in TD total), and Coughlin was hired as HC. The assumption was that Tiki would lose all kinds of value because Coughlin would not tolerate his fumbles, and he was dropping to the 3rd and 4th round in drafts. He responded with a top 5 overall performance that probably won many leagues. This could be the same thing.

 

[kensat30]

I'm a gambling man. I drafted Portis in two leagues this year and have Betts in neither. I'd rather go with a 3rd WR, TE, QB, or even another RB before I have Betts sitting on my bench as insurance.

IF anything, I will wait for Portis to play 4 or 5 weeks straight and THEN pickup Betts on the cheap. If I thought I needed so much insurance to cover for Portis in the first place, I would have skipped him an just drafted Betts. A non Portis owner drafting Betts in the 8th round is just STUPID to me, but hey it's happening.

 

[jdh79]

I'm a gambling man. I drafted Portis in two leagues this year and have Betts in neither. I'd rather go with a 3rd WR, TE, QB, or even another RB before I have Betts sitting on my bench as insurance.IF anything, I will wait for Portis to play 4 or 5 weeks straight and THEN pickup Betts on the cheap. If I thought I needed so much insurance to cover for Portis in the first place, I would have skipped him an just drafted Betts. A non Portis owner drafting Betts in the 8th round is just STUPID to me, but hey it's happening.

By the 8th round, you are looking at picking guys like Droughns, Rhodes, Buckhalter, etc so I don't think Betts is that much of a reach if you want a RB. However, you may be better off getting a top notch backup QB, TE, or sleeper WR like Hackett at that pick.

 

[proninja]

This strat failed me 1.05 Bush (PPR League)2.08 Owens3.05 A-Pete (Portis went at 3.02)boo

If you want him, he's still value at 2.08. As I said earlier, I'd imagine the WR you'd get in round 3 isn't that different from TO - though I am a huge fan of TO this year.

 

[proninja]

Am I the only one that thinks reaching a little bit for Portis is a good idea, because the WR that you get in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th all seem very similar?I had a draft last weekend with a bunch of dudes from the huddle - 1RB, 2WR, 1Flex and here's how my draft started:1. Parker2. Edge3. Portis4. Walker5. DriverI took Portis in 3 as a bench player over WR's I could start. I'm perfectly ok, however, starting Walker/Driver, though admittedly they were at the ###-end of a tier and if they hadn't fallen, I'd have had a much different looking team. I like Housh (best available WR @ my 3rd round pick) better than Walker/Driver, but Walker/Driver are perfectly good starters, and I've got a potential top 5 RB in the 3rd round. I love options. Also, I can lose any of my RB's and still be absolutely fine. Basically, I have Portis/Driver instead of Housh/Ahman, and I'll take that all day and twice on Sunday when the RB listed is a backup. I don't need slow and steady from that spot.Not that any of you give a crap, but here's how it went after that.6. Shockey7. Calvin8. Hasselbeck9. Foster10. Vikings11. Favre12. Crayton13. Battle14. Tennessee (I'd been drinking tequilia, and I think that kicked in here)15. Graham 16. GotzkowskiQB - Hasselbeck, FavreRB - Parker, Edge, Portis, FosterWR - Walker, Driver, Calvin, Crayton, BattleTE - Shockey, GrahamD - Minnesota, TenneseeK - Gotzkowski

Which slot did you draft from?

A bunch of different ones - we draw for draft spots in all odd rounds, so it changes. I had 1.10, 3.05, 4.02, 5.01. I was when Parker fell, got Portis with 3.05.

 

[Nigel]

I've got #4 in a 12-teamer & the Portis strategy has been my plan all along. I think LJ will drop to 4, he's mine. Then I take TO or Wayne, then Portis in the 3rd. I've done about 6 mocks from that spot & Portis has been there at 3.4 every time except 1.We just need to pray that he keeps quiet if he gets in the last preseason game.

My draft last night went just like your hypothetical above, but from the 5 spot in a 12 teamer:1.5 LJ2.8 Owens3.5 Portis4.8 Burress5.5 A. Peterson6.8 Chambers7.5 D. Foster8.8 Santonio Holmes9.5 RothlesbergerI was thinking of taking Betts in the 6th but someone grabbed him before he got to me. Just as well, we are limited to 4 RBs so carrying a backup is tough. I happened upon this thread yesterday just before I left for my draft - definitely influenced how I went about it. I like how it worked out.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

The Portis Strategy is simple:don't draft him.

This is a great alias. Keep up the good work!

 

[ImTheScientist]

The Portis Strategy is simple:don't draft him.

This is a great alias. Keep up the good work!

 

[Grahamburn]

I'm a gambling man. I drafted Portis in two leagues this year and have Betts in neither. I'd rather go with a 3rd WR, TE, QB, or even another RB before I have Betts sitting on my bench as insurance.IF anything, I will wait for Portis to play 4 or 5 weeks straight and THEN pickup Betts on the cheap. If I thought I needed so much insurance to cover for Portis in the first place, I would have skipped him an just drafted Betts. A non Portis owner drafting Betts in the 8th round is just STUPID to me, but hey it's happening.

I'd rather spend my second on Portis swinging for the fences thinking he's going to be healthy than waste a sixth or seventh rounder reaching for Betts who would be worthless on my bench. I grabbed Ahman Green in the fifth and Fred Taylor in the eighth as my insurance for a Portis injury. IF Portis stays healthy, then I'm very deep at running back. If I have Betts and Portis is healthy, Ladell is a waste of a pick. I hate handcuffs.My league has a FLEX, so I can't really use Betts if Portis is getting the majority of the carries.

 

[((Morpheus))]

I've got #4 in a 12-teamer & the Portis strategy has been my plan all along. I think LJ will drop to 4, he's mine. Then I take TO or Wayne, then Portis in the 3rd. I've done about 6 mocks from that spot & Portis has been there at 3.4 every time except 1.We just need to pray that he keeps quiet if he gets in the last preseason game.

My draft last night went just like your hypothetical above, but from the 5 spot in a 12 teamer:1.5 LJ2.8 Owens3.5 Portis4.8 Burress5.5 A. Peterson6.8 Chambers7.5 D. Foster8.8 Santonio Holmes9.5 RothlesbergerI was thinking of taking Betts in the 6th but someone grabbed him before he got to me. Just as well, we are limited to 4 RBs so carrying a backup is tough. I happened upon this thread yesterday just before I left for my draft - definitely influenced how I went about it. I like how it worked out.

Your team looks a lot like mine.AddaiCJPortisA. JohnsonPetersonMossFosterYoungRoethlisbergerI figure if I'm going to swing for the fences with Portis, I might as well go for it with Peterson as well.

 

[laughinboy_2000]

The Redskins have a very hard schedule this year. They have QB issues with Campbell hurt and playing his first full season. I think defenses are just going to stack 8 in the box and dare the Skins to pass with Campbell in the pocket. Portis is injury prone and although I do like Betts, he does not score enough for me. I'd be very careful taking any Redskins this year.

 

[redman]

The operative word for Portis in redraft is "upside". There is no player with as much upside as he has who will be drafted from the late 2nd round onwards. During the draft, you're playing a strange game of chicken with the other owners - if you really want to get him, use your 2nd rounder but if you've got the first 4-5 picks in a serpentine draft, I believe the "shark move" is to try to use that 3rd rounder on him.

You're probably not going to win your championship from that draft position anyway if your league is at all competent, so why not?

 

[ImTheScientist]

I'm a gambling man. I drafted Portis in two leagues this year and have Betts in neither. I'd rather go with a 3rd WR, TE, QB, or even another RB before I have Betts sitting on my bench as insurance.

IF anything, I will wait for Portis to play 4 or 5 weeks straight and THEN pickup Betts on the cheap. If I thought I needed so much insurance to cover for Portis in the first place, I would have skipped him an just drafted Betts. A non Portis owner drafting Betts in the 8th round is just STUPID to me, but hey it's happening.

I'd rather spend my second on Portis swinging for the fences thinking he's going to be healthy than waste a sixth or seventh rounder reaching for Betts who would be worthless on my bench. I grabbed Ahman Green in the fifth and Fred Taylor in the eighth as my insurance for a Portis injury. IF Portis stays healthy, then I'm very deep at running back. If I have Betts and Portis is healthy, Ladell is a waste of a pick. I hate handcuffs.

My league has a FLEX, so I can't really use Betts if Portis is getting the majority of the carries.

Why waste the roster spot

 

[parrot]

Portis is injury prone

16, 13, 15, 16. Those are the numbers of games Portis played in prior to last year. Yes, he had a bad year. That doesn't make him "injury prone".

 

[Redsox fan]

Drafted last night - 14 team league had the 9th overall pick. Went with portis in the 3rd rd. (37th overall). I was very hestitant in taking him, but I didn't want to take R. Brown, Jamal Lewis, Barberr II, or Norwood ahead of him - feel Portis hads way more upside.

I read this today though and have a knot in my stomach. From anohter fantasy site & the Washington Post;

Clinton Portis went through pre-game warmups Thursday night, but was declared inactive by the Redskins.

He ended up practicing roughly five times in camp and never took a preseason carry. The Washington Post's Jason LaCanfora goes so far as to predict Ladell Betts will get the majority of the touches early in the season. Portis remains a risky third-round pick if your draft is this weekend.

:X

 

[One]

Drafted last night - 14 team league had the 9th overall pick. Went with portis in the 3rd rd. (37th overall). I was very hestitant in taking him, but I didn't want to take R. Brown, Jamal Lewis, Barberr II, or Norwood ahead of him - feel Portis hads way more upside.

I read this today though and have a knot in my stomach. From anohter fantasy site & the Washington Post;

Clinton Portis went through pre-game warmups Thursday night, but was declared inactive by the Redskins.

He ended up practicing roughly five times in camp and never took a preseason carry. The Washington Post's Jason LaCanfora goes so far as to predict Ladell Betts will get the majority of the touches early in the season. Portis remains a risky third-round pick if your draft is this weekend.

That's okay, he didn't want to. Not to worry, you just won your championship.

 

[dgreen]

The Redskins have a very hard schedule this year.

They have QB issues with Campbell hurt and playing his first full season.

I don't think he's hurt anymore.

 

[blacklager]

Clinton Portis (3.12)Adrian Peterson MIN (6.01)

yea, nice league

I got Portis in the 6th round in my league at work.

 

[-jb-]

I've made it a point to grab Portis at the beginning of the 3rd round, but in my next draft I MAY wait and take two stud WRs, or if Palmer is there, grab him. I can't believe that the guy will actually fall that low, though.

 

[Verbal Kint]

I've got #4 in a 12-teamer & the Portis strategy has been my plan all along. I think LJ will drop to 4, he's mine. Then I take TO or Wayne, then Portis in the 3rd. I've done about 6 mocks from that spot & Portis has been there at 3.4 every time except 1.We just need to pray that he keeps quiet if he gets in the last preseason game.

My draft last night went just like your hypothetical above, but from the 5 spot in a 12 teamer:1.5 LJ2.8 Owens3.5 Portis4.8 Burress5.5 A. Peterson6.8 Chambers7.5 D. Foster8.8 Santonio Holmes9.5 RothlesbergerI was thinking of taking Betts in the 6th but someone grabbed him before he got to me. Just as well, we are limited to 4 RBs so carrying a backup is tough. I happened upon this thread yesterday just before I left for my draft - definitely influenced how I went about it. I like how it worked out.

Your team looks a lot like mine.AddaiCJPortisA. JohnsonPetersonMossFosterYoungRoethlisbergerI figure if I'm going to swing for the fences with Portis, I might as well go for it with Peterson as well.

Finished our draft last night. If anyone's interested, my team looks like this:1.09 Henry2.04 Portis3.09 TO4.04 McNabb5.09 Foster6.04 Calvin Johnson7.09 BALT8.04 Vernon Davis9.09 Hackett10.04 Cutler11.09 Chris Brown12.04 Brandon Marshall13.09 Reuben Droughns14.04 Wilford15.09 Chris Henry (WR)16.04 David BostonAfter the draft, I took a straw poll and no one else was going to take Portis before the end of the 3rd, but I still feel OK, I got TO in the 3rd, who is what I would have taken in the 2nd if not for Portis anyway. (The RBs that were left on the board at 2.04 were Edge, Ronnie, Caddy, Benson & Deuce)

 

[jdh79]

The Redskins have a very hard schedule this year. They have QB issues with Campbell hurt and playing his first full season. I think defenses are just going to stack 8 in the box and dare the Skins to pass with Campbell in the pocket. Portis is injury prone and although I do like Betts, he does not score enough for me. I'd be very careful taking any Redskins this year.

Yes, they have a very difficult schedule by the charts from last year and are rated by the FBG SOS as the 32nd easiest RB schedule. However, they have obviously the same divisional games as last year, and alot of the out of division opponents they face (DET, GB, ARI, TB, BUF, TB, NYJ) do not look particularly intimidating. I think its a case of the numbers not really telling the whole story. Plus, that is offset by the great offensive line. SOS stats are among the most overrated and useless fantasy stats anyway, because they are largely based on last year's numbers, and defenses fluctuate greatly year to year, and you don't really have a sense of the strength of a particular defense until a few games into the season anyway. Yes, Campbell is a shaky QB. He did start and look healthy last night, so the injury shouldn't be a concern. However, they suceeded in running the ball very well last year despite having terrible QB play (Brunell just totally lost it all year and then Campbell in his first time starting later in the season). If Campbell improves at all, it will be an improvement over the mess at QB last year. As well, because of his inexperience, they probably will wind up running more. Bottom line, is I see no reason to be concerned about WAS RB production. They have the line, the system, and the coach methodology to put up excellent fantasy RB stats. It's just a matter of who will play to accumulate them.

 

[jdh79]

I'm a gambling man. I drafted Portis in two leagues this year and have Betts in neither. I'd rather go with a 3rd WR, TE, QB, or even another RB before I have Betts sitting on my bench as insurance.IF anything, I will wait for Portis to play 4 or 5 weeks straight and THEN pickup Betts on the cheap. If I thought I needed so much insurance to cover for Portis in the first place, I would have skipped him an just drafted Betts. A non Portis owner drafting Betts in the 8th round is just STUPID to me, but hey it's happening.

I'd rather spend my second on Portis swinging for the fences thinking he's going to be healthy than waste a sixth or seventh rounder reaching for Betts who would be worthless on my bench. I grabbed Ahman Green in the fifth and Fred Taylor in the eighth as my insurance for a Portis injury. IF Portis stays healthy, then I'm very deep at running back. If I have Betts and Portis is healthy, Ladell is a waste of a pick. I hate handcuffs.My league has a FLEX, so I can't really use Betts if Portis is getting the majority of the carries.

But, is Fred Taylor really going to be startable for you at any point? Basically, his absolute upside is the numbers he posted last year which were a low end #2 RB. With his age, injury history, and the emergence of MJD, it's almost certain that his value declines either through injury or getting a smaller portion of the offensive pie. I also have typically seen Taylor going much earlier than round 8; usually he goes in the 6th or 7th round. I would far rather lock up both parts of a great RB situation and take Betts with that pick because it guarantees you have 1st round production from your #2 RB slot. Yes, it could be a waste of a roster space, but I think one of the shark strategies that is flat out wrong is that you shouldn't bother with handcuffs/solid backup plans because it could waste resources. That is all fine and good if everything goes your way and your whole lineup stays healthy all year, but honestly how often have you had that happen? And how many teams in your league will have that happen? Depth wins over the course of a season 90% of the time.

 

[Johnny Ryall]

Clinton Portis (3.12)Adrian Peterson MIN (6.01)

yea, nice league

My league really sucks then. I drafted 2nd - 10 team PPR (start 2RB - 3WR, no flex). Here was my "Portis Strategy": JacksonHarrisonOwensBradyPortisPetersonBranchMBIIIJenningsV Davisand so on...

 

[Sheriff66]

It really depends on your competition. Portis should not leave the 2nd round if you are in a shark league.

 

[kensat30]

I'm a gambling man. I drafted Portis in two leagues this year and have Betts in neither. I'd rather go with a 3rd WR, TE, QB, or even another RB before I have Betts sitting on my bench as insurance.IF anything, I will wait for Portis to play 4 or 5 weeks straight and THEN pickup Betts on the cheap. If I thought I needed so much insurance to cover for Portis in the first place, I would have skipped him an just drafted Betts. A non Portis owner drafting Betts in the 8th round is just STUPID to me, but hey it's happening.

By the 8th round, you are looking at picking guys like Droughns, Rhodes, Buckhalter, etc so I don't think Betts is that much of a reach if you want a RB. However, you may be better off getting a top notch backup QB, TE, or sleeper WR like Hackett at that pick.

I got my starting QB in round 8+ in several drafts this year. The tail end of the TE1s can be found about that range in most drafts. And one of my favorite "later" RB picks this year is Leon Washington, who is ALWAYS available after the 8th round. WR, I'll take Santonio Holmes in the 8th. Several others guy with WAY more value than a "handcuff" RB as well.If you believe in Portis enough to drop a 3rd round pick on the guy, do you really need to back him up? I don't see Torry Holt owners drafting Drew Bennett in the 8th round. It just doesn't make sense to make a move like that to me. Maybe my brain is wired differently than other people. You have to make bold moves to win championships IMO. I can afford to lose a 3rd rounder, but I can't afford to waste my middle round picks.

 

[kensat30]

The Redskins have a very hard schedule this year. They have QB issues with Campbell hurt and playing his first full season. I think defenses are just going to stack 8 in the box and dare the Skins to pass with Campbell in the pocket. Portis is injury prone and although I do like Betts, he does not score enough for me. I'd be very careful taking any Redskins this year.

8 in the box opens things up for Santana Moss. Funny, I just noticed that I have S.Moss in every league that I have Portis. That guy is just falling way too far especially considering what he did 2 years ago.

 

[Grahamburn]

I'm a gambling man. I drafted Portis in two leagues this year and have Betts in neither. I'd rather go with a 3rd WR, TE, QB, or even another RB before I have Betts sitting on my bench as insurance.IF anything, I will wait for Portis to play 4 or 5 weeks straight and THEN pickup Betts on the cheap. If I thought I needed so much insurance to cover for Portis in the first place, I would have skipped him an just drafted Betts. A non Portis owner drafting Betts in the 8th round is just STUPID to me, but hey it's happening.

I'd rather spend my second on Portis swinging for the fences thinking he's going to be healthy than waste a sixth or seventh rounder reaching for Betts who would be worthless on my bench. I grabbed Ahman Green in the fifth and Fred Taylor in the eighth as my insurance for a Portis injury. IF Portis stays healthy, then I'm very deep at running back. If I have Betts and Portis is healthy, Ladell is a waste of a pick. I hate handcuffs.My league has a FLEX, so I can't really use Betts if Portis is getting the majority of the carries.

But, is Fred Taylor really going to be startable for you at any point? Basically, his absolute upside is the numbers he posted last year which were a low end #2 RB. With his age, injury history, and the emergence of MJD, it's almost certain that his value declines either through injury or getting a smaller portion of the offensive pie. I also have typically seen Taylor going much earlier than round 8; usually he goes in the 6th or 7th round. I would far rather lock up both parts of a great RB situation and take Betts with that pick because it guarantees you have 1st round production from your #2 RB slot. Yes, it could be a waste of a roster space, but I think one of the shark strategies that is flat out wrong is that you shouldn't bother with handcuffs/solid backup plans because it could waste resources. That is all fine and good if everything goes your way and your whole lineup stays healthy all year, but honestly how often have you had that happen? And how many teams in your league will have that happen? Depth wins over the course of a season 90% of the time.

Injuries are definitely a part of the NFL, but they can't be predicted. I don't want to go into a fantasy season with a player on my roster (Ladell Betts) that may or may not produce for me at some time in the year just as an insurance policy. Clinton Portis is going to be the ball carrier in Washinton this season. He's simply the more talented back. I'm going with the notion that he will be healthy. A healthy Clinton Portis will make my team very solid and tough to beat. I was able to get Fred Taylor in the eighth round, this may or may not be indicative of his value in your league, but I believe Fred is still a very serviceable back in the NFL. He averaged over five yards per carry just last season, and is playing the easiest run schedule in the league this season. MJD is a very special talent, but Fred will still be getting the bulk of the carries in my opinion. With the FLEX position in my league, he would be a much better play than Ladell Betts if there is a healthy Clinton Portis on the field. I'm willing to take the risk of passing on Betts and drafting Ahman Green in the fifth and Fred Taylor in the eighth because it makes my team deeper overall.I guess the point is if I draft Portis and Betts, and Portis gets hurt or is ineffective, I may have a solid back in Betts but I don't think that overall team will lead me to a championship considering the lack of depth I'll end up having at the running back position. If I draft Portis and grab Jon Kitna in the sixth, Mark Clayton in the seventh, and Fred Taylor in the eighth as I did, instead of using one of those picks on Betts, I have the makings of a championship team with depth barring any injuries to Portis.My league is .5 PPR and pretty standard scoring after that with a Flex position.1.8 Reggie Bush2.5 Clinton Portis3.8 Reggie Wayne4.5 Lee Evans5.8 Ahman Green6.5 Jon Kitna 7.8 Mark Clayton8.5 Fred Taylor9.8 Vince Young10.5 Heath MillerThat's pretty much my squad. I added Leon Washington, Isaac Bruce, Ronald Curry, Visanthe Shiancoe, Dallas D, and Josh Brown.

 

[jpaul34]

jdh, that was a well written and well thought out post. I ended up using the Portis strategy by accident in two Antsports leagues (one is a "loose" $50 league and the other is a pretty sharp $250 league). Both are 1 RB, 2 WR, 1 flex with a HP PPR format. Here are the two rosters:

$250

Manning (1.10) - didn't like any of the RBs/WRs available

Portis (4.03)

Deuce (5.10)

Chad Johnson (2.03)

Javon Walker (3.10)

Vernon Davis (6.03)

Betts (7.10), M. Clayton (8.03), Henderson (9.10)

In retrospect, I think I'd rather have Steve Smith at 1.10 and draft Big Ben in the 8th or 9th, running 3 WRs (CJ, Smith, Walker) out there with Portis.

$50

Westbrook (1.06)

Portis (4.07)

Wayne (2.07)

Evans (3.06)

This is the loose league, so the core looks better from the start.

I fell into this strategy by taking a WR in the second round of both drafts when the RBs available weren't appealing. Same thing happened in the 3rd...there were a number of good RBs available, but there was a dropoff at WR, so I went with Walker and Evans, knowing that one of those backs (Benson, Jacobs, Portis, etc.) would make it back to me.

 

[simsarge]

Drafted #1 with Portis on my radar. Rb's were flying off the board and I really thought he'd be gone in the 2nd or 3rd. Bu there he was at 4.12.

12 Team redraft. PPR, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 Flex (any position)

LT 1.1

S.Smith 2.12

TO 3.1

Portis 4.12

Edge 5.1

Yada, yada, yada...

Betts 10.12

Notables still on the board were:

A. Peterson, Andre Johnson (Mistake, I know), Driver, D. jackson, Benson

ETA specifics

 

[Shermanator]

Drafted #1 with Portis on my radar. Rb's were flying off the board and I really thought he'd be gone in the 2nd or 3rd. Bu there he was at 4.12.LT 1.1S.Smith 2.12TO 3.1Portis 4.12Edge 5.1Yada, yada, yada...Betts 10.12

This is a REALLY good team. Excellent draft

 

[Craig]

I drafted in a 12 team re-draft yesterday. We start 3 RB's. My 1st four picks were all running backs. I got the following

1.10 - Parker

2.3 - Mc Gahee

3.10 - PORTIS

4.3 - Ronnie Brown.

My wr's are pretty weak though, Santonio Holmes, Darrell Jackson, Santana Moss & Issac Bruce.

Kitna is my QB.

Starting lin-up:

Jon Kitna

Willie Parker

Willis Mc Gahee

Clinton Portis

Darrell Jackson

Santana Moss

Heath Miller

Robbie Gould

Miami - Defense (if they have one?)

I am not happy with this team, but too much beer is to blame. Oh well. Let the games begin.

Craig

 

[jabarony]

The Portis Strategy is simple:don't draft him.

This is a great alias. Keep up the good work!

A lot of Portis love in this thread, but most of it is saying he will remain healthy this year. Am I missing something, though? Isn't he hurt at this point?I'd agree, if he's healthy now, definitely draft him. However, I was under the assumption that his knee (and possibly shoulder) have kept him off the field all preseason. Drafting an Already Injured RB seems kind of odd to me.Convince me he's not hurt so I can draft him! TIA.

 

[Dark Matter]

The Portis Strategy fell into my lap and I have mixed feelings about it. Picked 3rd of 10 (standard non PPR), here's how it went:

3-LJ

18-Larry Fitz(S. Smith,CJ,TO,Roy gone in an early WR run)

23-Mcgahee

38-Brady (Maybe should have taken Gates here and hoped TB came back.....)

43-Portis

58-Caddy

63-S. Holmes

78-D. Stallworth

83-Cotchery

98-Heap

103-Betts

118-Roethlisberger

123-Miami DST

138 L. Washington

143-J. Brown

Obviously, I'm in need of WR but I have enough RB leverage to find that hidden gem for WR2 once the season gets underway.

 

[lowman2]

This is how it turned out for me:This is a 9 year old 10 Team(Money league) 1ppr Rush/Rec yards 20=1 point, all other scoring pretty normal. Start 1QB,2RB,2WR,1TE,1Flex,K,D. And only 4 bench spots.I used the Aug.31st VBD application from the site. And this is how it played out.

1. (3) Reggie Bush RB (This pick was tough on me but I went with the VBD Sheet,"come on 100 rec.")

2. (18) Chad Johnson WR

3. (23) Marvin Harrison WR

4. (38) Clinton Portis RB ( I was praying for him to come back around)

5. (43) Ahman Green RB

6. (58) San Diego DEF

7. (63) Philip Rivers QB

8. (78) Kellen Winslow TE

9. (83) Ben Roethlisberger QB

10. (98) Tatum Bell RB

11. (103) Leon Washington RB

12. (118) Bernard Berrian WR

13. (123) Stephen Gostkowski K

I didn't take Ledell Betts due the small bench.

 

[((Morpheus))]

^ Great team.

 

[Lemmiwinks]

I did this strategy in an auction league. My goal: secure LT and Portis at any cost, let the chips fall where they may. Standard scoring, 0.5PPR.

$150 Auction Budget

QB (Start 2)

Rivers $5

Alex Smith $1

Tavaris Jackson $1

Byron Leftwich $1

RB (Start 3)

LT - $60 (yes I spent over 1/3 of my budget on him, and I don't care, I would have gone higher)

Portis $16

Thomas Jones $18

Marion Barber $11

Ladell Betts $3

Michael Turner $2

WR (Start 3)

Housh $14

Driver $10

Mark Clayton $1

Santonio Holmes $1

Brandon Marshall $1

TE

LJ Smith $1

Auctions rule! I got LT because I wanted him the most, not because some computer put me at 1.01. Much much more fair to everyone.

 

[RJS113]

I went in with the Portis strategy in my 12 team 1st year keeper league. However, I almost wish I went WR in the 3rd when Edge fell to me in the 4th. Here's how it went:

1.5- Shaun Alexander

2.8- Chad Johnson

3.5- Clinton Portis

4.8- Edgerin James

5.5- Jon Kitna (Maybe a reach, but had him ranked QB4 and 6 QBs were already gone)

6.8- Santana Moss

7.5- Ladell Betts

ect.

Jon Kitna

Jeff Garcia

Shaun Alexander

Clinton Portis

Edgerin James

Kevin Jones

Ladell Betts

Michael Turner

Chad Johnson

Santana Moss

D. J. Hackett

Vernon Davis

Alge Crumpler

Matt Jones

Ted Ginn Jr.

Shayne Graham

Denver Defense

 

[hammerd]

I inadvertently used the Portis strategy lasy night from the 7th hole of a 10-team high performance PPR league:

We start 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 Flex RB/WR/TE, 1 K, 1 D/ST

Westbrook

McGahee

Portis

J Walker

Santana Moss

S. Holmes

L Betts

M Bulger-keeper counting as an 8th round pick

T Heap

T Glenn

L Washington

V Morency

J.P. Losman

Kaeding

Panthers

 

[faux_bear]

I had Portis slip to me in the bottom of the 4th round in a 12 player league.

The problem was that someone took Betts in the 6th before my turn, and I wasn't going to take him in the top of the 5th.

I don't know what you can do in such situations.

 

[Resident A]

My Portis strategy went as planned:

1- LJ

2- TO

3- Portis

4- Driver

5-A Green

6- Julius Jones

7- Rivers

8- Curtis

9- D Henderson

etc...

Very pleased. I was willing to take Betts if he fell to the 9th, but somebody nabbed him in the 7th or 8th. I'd rather have A Green or JJ as a potential starter than a handcuff anyway.

 

[ShadowMaster]

I recently snagged Portis in the 5TH round of the guppy work league.

Drafting 8 of 10

1.08 T.Henry

2.03 M.Harrison

3.08 C.Benson

4.03 T.Houshmandazah

5.08 C.Portis

Feeling really good about my chances to take on the LT2 and SJax owners with that core group.

HOWEVER

My shark draft is tonight, I'm also 8 of 10, and I would not expect Portis to make it back to me at 3.08 in this group.