Remember when the Jags had this as their slogan until the punter tried to chop himself up so he could go on the IR and avoid those rigorous practice routines? I do to. This now pertains to my venture back into fantasy baseball. To say the season for both my squads got off to a slow start would be an understatement. In my head-to-head I started out 0-4! In my roto I bounced around the bottom three for the first few weeks as well. I am now happy to say that the ship has righted. I am on my way to my 4th consecutive victory to even the record at .500. I always knew this wasn't an 0-4 squad and realized that having the most points scored against you each week can crush your fantasy baseball dreams just as fast as it does in football.
The roto squad is a different story. Due to time zone differences we changed from a live draft to an auto-draft. This sucks for me since I like to draft more than I like to play. It is especially hard since my rankings are generally way different than those of Yahoo! or ESPN or sportsline. I just didn't have the patience to go in and make any wholesale changes. The only three guys I wanted were Hamilton, Verlander and Hamels, but where to rank them? So, I just didn't bother.
I hated the look of my squad right out of the gate and started to relentlessly pursue trades and scower the waiver wire. Since opening day I lead the league in transactions....have to lead the league in something right, and I have only three players remaining from the squad I "drafted". Those three being Cano, Hamilton and John Maine. Well, I am happy to say I have climbed all the way back up to second place thanks in part to FA wonders Nate McClouth, Carlos Quentin and Edinson Volquez. My pitching stafff has really started to heat up and considering Johan Santana is statistically my worst pitcher, the future looks bright. I have a mountain to climb to catch the guy in first, but it's a long season and his ridiculously hot team will start to cool off at some point...right?
I'm sure none of this will matter because as fall rolls around my obsession with fantasy football will kick in and I will forget my baseball teams even exist. I guess we'll just enjoy the ride and see what happens. Next time I may even write an article about my views on players and who will turn it around and who will fade away through the long, hot summer. Until then, Mark Schlereth sucks!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The mocking nevers stops - 3/4
ROUND 3:
21. Steve Smith - When he has a QB, he is right with Moss as the most unstoppable WRs in the league. With a backfield that can light it up on a weekly basis I can afford to go after Smith and live with the weeks he'll disappear. projection - 1200 yds, 11 TDs, 80 receptions
22. Laurence Maroney - what a difference a year makes. Maroney was a sexy first round pick in most drafts last year. Now I contemplate him or a WR in the third. Ultimately had to go with the guy who might see the most 6 man fronts in history. Projection 1200 yds, 10 TDs, 30 receptions.
23. TJ Houshmandzadeh - I thought about Greg Jennings and Plaxico Burress but TJ catches a ton of passes. 1300 yds, 9 TDs, 95 receptions.
24. Reggie Bush - I can hear everyone in the draft room laughing but I have LT and TO so I can afford to take the guy who plays WR and occasionally RB. He's like his own flex position. Projection - 1300 yds, 10 TDs, 65 receptions
25. Marques Colston - After a slow start last year he went on to produce some decent numbers. And this is that year three crap that fantasy experts continue to spew even if it has not been accurate for decades. projection - 1200 yds 9 TDs, 85 receptions.
26. Plaxico Burress - None of the RBs excited me as much as having Andre and Plax as my WR corp. He was hurt all year and still put up good numbers so i expect bigger things this year. Projection - 1300 yds, 12 TDs, 65 receptions.
27. Maurice Jones-Drew - I panicked! I looked at the rankings over and over until everyone at the draft started yelling at me, next thing you know I have Jones-Drew. Oh man, I hope he catches some passes. Projection. 1400 yds, 9 TDs, 50 receptions
28. Anquan Boldin - I wanted to vomit as I saw all the WRs get drafted since my last pick. I forgot everyone in this league thinks the same when it comes to drafting. I need a WR and there are a couple guys that would be good #1 guys if the #1 guy on their team was gone. Ultimately I went with the guy that wants a new contract and ran angry even before he was angry. Projection - 1300 yds, 9 TDs, 80 receptions.
29. Torry Holt - Any RB i take at this point has a chance to produce the same points as someone I take later so I'm going with big game to have a nice little year. He was top level for so long it's nice to get him this late under the radar. projection - 1300 yds, 12 TDs, 80 receptions.
30. Greg Jennings - So I get two straight picks before I hibernate on the PS3 until next round. Favre is gone and Rodgers is unknown but all Jennings does is catch TDs. projection - 1100 yds, 11 TDs, 60 receptions.
Round 4:
31. ernest graham - I hate this pick so I wrote it in all lowercase. Man the RB core is unsexy this year. He is the top guy in Tampa so here's to hoping he can come close to last year. Projection - 1200 yds, 9 TDs, 45 receptions.
32. Michael Turner - I guess it's time to grab a RB. would have been nice to see Turner end up somewhere else but he is the #1 guy and will have a chance to get both TDs this year. Projection - 1400 yds, 10 TDs, 40 receptions
33. Brandon Marshall - As long as he is healthy this pick is money. I know have a bigger version of Anquan and BMarsh has a lot to prove this year. With Cutler knowing what was ailing him these two could be even better together. Projection - 1300 yds, 10 TDs. 85 receptions.
34. Wes Welker - I almost crapped my pants when I thought Marshall was going to fall to me. I thought about taking him last round. I know having teammates is a no no but hopefully Welker continues to grab more balls than Jenna Jameson. projection - 1200 yds, 8 TDs, 100 receptions.
35. Tony Romo I usually wait for a QB but the next few picks will be QB and WR heavy so I think I can wait for my RB next round. Romo is awesome until December so I will ride that to the playoffs. Projection - 3900 yds, 31 TDs (2 rushing)
36. Roy Williams - I am not excited about this pick but I am hoping he has that once a year monster week early so I can unload him for someone I really want. He is trade bait and that could hamper him all season. still, he is a WR prototype so if he can stay healthy he has giant upside. It took Plax some time to get it figured out. 1100 yds, 9 TDs, 70 receptions.
37 Chad Johnson - Someone had to be that guy. Johnson was the 500 lb gorilla in the draft room. My last two picks are high risk, high reward but my first two picks give me that luxury.
Projection????- 1400 yds, 10 TDs, 85 receptions
38. Roddy White - Imagine the thought of this just one year ago. the largely undrafted Fa last year has worked his way up into rd four without the presence of an NFL QB on his team. projection - 1200 yds, 9 TDs, 70 receptions.
39. Santonio Holmes - I thought about someone in particular and if this draft was in August I may have gone a different route but Holmes benefits from the more open offense they now have in Pittsburgh and it looks like big Ben learned that he is supposed throw to the guys in gold and black. projection - 1200 yds, 9 TDs, 65 receptions.
40. Kellen Winslow - I didn't intend on being the guy that drafted the first TE but at this point he is a better option than any of the WRs remaining. I hate this guy so I fully intend on tryin to trade him later. projection - 1100 yds, 8 TDs, 70 receptions.
As I look back, this draft is pretty terrible. Not because I made a lot of bad picks but because the lack of talent at the RB position is at it's lowest in a long time. Gone are the days of Alexander and Rudi putting up big numbers. Willie Parker's 15 minutes appear to be up and Fred Taylor is a mystery that appartly I was shying away from up to this point. The main issue is that these aging RBs have yet to be replaced by premiere players. Arrington? Watson? Who will step forward with Peterson and Addai as the next generation of stud fantasy RBs. Maybe round 5 has the answer.
21. Steve Smith - When he has a QB, he is right with Moss as the most unstoppable WRs in the league. With a backfield that can light it up on a weekly basis I can afford to go after Smith and live with the weeks he'll disappear. projection - 1200 yds, 11 TDs, 80 receptions
22. Laurence Maroney - what a difference a year makes. Maroney was a sexy first round pick in most drafts last year. Now I contemplate him or a WR in the third. Ultimately had to go with the guy who might see the most 6 man fronts in history. Projection 1200 yds, 10 TDs, 30 receptions.
23. TJ Houshmandzadeh - I thought about Greg Jennings and Plaxico Burress but TJ catches a ton of passes. 1300 yds, 9 TDs, 95 receptions.
24. Reggie Bush - I can hear everyone in the draft room laughing but I have LT and TO so I can afford to take the guy who plays WR and occasionally RB. He's like his own flex position. Projection - 1300 yds, 10 TDs, 65 receptions
25. Marques Colston - After a slow start last year he went on to produce some decent numbers. And this is that year three crap that fantasy experts continue to spew even if it has not been accurate for decades. projection - 1200 yds 9 TDs, 85 receptions.
26. Plaxico Burress - None of the RBs excited me as much as having Andre and Plax as my WR corp. He was hurt all year and still put up good numbers so i expect bigger things this year. Projection - 1300 yds, 12 TDs, 65 receptions.
27. Maurice Jones-Drew - I panicked! I looked at the rankings over and over until everyone at the draft started yelling at me, next thing you know I have Jones-Drew. Oh man, I hope he catches some passes. Projection. 1400 yds, 9 TDs, 50 receptions
28. Anquan Boldin - I wanted to vomit as I saw all the WRs get drafted since my last pick. I forgot everyone in this league thinks the same when it comes to drafting. I need a WR and there are a couple guys that would be good #1 guys if the #1 guy on their team was gone. Ultimately I went with the guy that wants a new contract and ran angry even before he was angry. Projection - 1300 yds, 9 TDs, 80 receptions.
29. Torry Holt - Any RB i take at this point has a chance to produce the same points as someone I take later so I'm going with big game to have a nice little year. He was top level for so long it's nice to get him this late under the radar. projection - 1300 yds, 12 TDs, 80 receptions.
30. Greg Jennings - So I get two straight picks before I hibernate on the PS3 until next round. Favre is gone and Rodgers is unknown but all Jennings does is catch TDs. projection - 1100 yds, 11 TDs, 60 receptions.
Round 4:
31. ernest graham - I hate this pick so I wrote it in all lowercase. Man the RB core is unsexy this year. He is the top guy in Tampa so here's to hoping he can come close to last year. Projection - 1200 yds, 9 TDs, 45 receptions.
32. Michael Turner - I guess it's time to grab a RB. would have been nice to see Turner end up somewhere else but he is the #1 guy and will have a chance to get both TDs this year. Projection - 1400 yds, 10 TDs, 40 receptions
33. Brandon Marshall - As long as he is healthy this pick is money. I know have a bigger version of Anquan and BMarsh has a lot to prove this year. With Cutler knowing what was ailing him these two could be even better together. Projection - 1300 yds, 10 TDs. 85 receptions.
34. Wes Welker - I almost crapped my pants when I thought Marshall was going to fall to me. I thought about taking him last round. I know having teammates is a no no but hopefully Welker continues to grab more balls than Jenna Jameson. projection - 1200 yds, 8 TDs, 100 receptions.
35. Tony Romo I usually wait for a QB but the next few picks will be QB and WR heavy so I think I can wait for my RB next round. Romo is awesome until December so I will ride that to the playoffs. Projection - 3900 yds, 31 TDs (2 rushing)
36. Roy Williams - I am not excited about this pick but I am hoping he has that once a year monster week early so I can unload him for someone I really want. He is trade bait and that could hamper him all season. still, he is a WR prototype so if he can stay healthy he has giant upside. It took Plax some time to get it figured out. 1100 yds, 9 TDs, 70 receptions.
37 Chad Johnson - Someone had to be that guy. Johnson was the 500 lb gorilla in the draft room. My last two picks are high risk, high reward but my first two picks give me that luxury.
Projection????- 1400 yds, 10 TDs, 85 receptions
38. Roddy White - Imagine the thought of this just one year ago. the largely undrafted Fa last year has worked his way up into rd four without the presence of an NFL QB on his team. projection - 1200 yds, 9 TDs, 70 receptions.
39. Santonio Holmes - I thought about someone in particular and if this draft was in August I may have gone a different route but Holmes benefits from the more open offense they now have in Pittsburgh and it looks like big Ben learned that he is supposed throw to the guys in gold and black. projection - 1200 yds, 9 TDs, 65 receptions.
40. Kellen Winslow - I didn't intend on being the guy that drafted the first TE but at this point he is a better option than any of the WRs remaining. I hate this guy so I fully intend on tryin to trade him later. projection - 1100 yds, 8 TDs, 70 receptions.
As I look back, this draft is pretty terrible. Not because I made a lot of bad picks but because the lack of talent at the RB position is at it's lowest in a long time. Gone are the days of Alexander and Rudi putting up big numbers. Willie Parker's 15 minutes appear to be up and Fred Taylor is a mystery that appartly I was shying away from up to this point. The main issue is that these aging RBs have yet to be replaced by premiere players. Arrington? Watson? Who will step forward with Peterson and Addai as the next generation of stud fantasy RBs. Maybe round 5 has the answer.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Remember yesterday
Woke up to the sound of pouring rain
The wind would whisper and I'd think of you
And all the tears you cried, that called my name
And when you needed me I came through.
Skid Row
When I look back at the first round of last years fantasy draft I cringe. Many of the picks definitely did not come through and that stirs up the debate about if it's really necessary to get RB in the first two rounds. I for one have never been a believer in that strategy but I know most fantasy purists swear by it. Let s look back at the top RBs that presumably went in the first round and think about their production.
In my main league last year RBs went in this order:
1- LT
2- SJax
3- Westbrook
4 - LJ
6 - Rudi
7 -Gore
8 - Bush
9 - Parker
10- Maroney
Only one pick in the first round was not a RB and only one RB (Westbrook) exceeded or lived up to preseason expectations. Yes LT still had a good year and Parker was good in yardage only leagues, if people still play in those, but no other back produced at a first round level. Most of you are still going to go out and draft RB in the first two rounds because it is what you are supposed to do. Sort of like wiping your ass after you shit. You don't have to wipe your ass, but you do because you are supposed to. On a side note, please wipe your ass. The guy behind me on the bus yesterday smelled like manure. No exaggeration. Every time he adjusted I would get a dose of noxious gas wafting in my general vicinity. I know the girl next to me thought I smelled like shit and I could not let this slide so I made a point to turn sigh and cover my nose. Yep, that should do it. now everyone knows that I smell like flowers and its the guy behind me that rolled around in a shit blanket. Where was I? Oh yeah, do not feel obligated to follow the social norms of fantasy drafting. Every year countless "experts" write articles about changing your draft strategy and every year people really want to but it's easier to fall back on old habits.
Before you start thinking I am going to draft WR, QB, WR, D, K in the first five rounds, understand that the WR was good but the top level didn't necessary live up to the hype either. The first two WRs that went in my main league were Steve Smith and Marvin Harrison. now we all know that Harrison was all but invisible last year but if you had Smith, you had to hope your league was 3 weeks long and that the playoffs waited until week 16 to get started. In between he was the picture of mediocrity getting outscored by the likes Nate Burleson and Bobby Engram. But what you will see is more consistency because the top WRs drafted tend to have more years of proving it on their record. Andre Johnson is an absolute stud. Huge body, lightning fast and the #1 target on his team. Yet he slipped to rounds 5 and 6 in most drafts. If he was a RB he may go in rd 1 or 2 because everyone would fall in live with his huge upside. But as a WR he fell because he hadn't really proven it yet in the pros. Why do we let ourselves get infatuated with RB upside? Look at me. Peterson only has one year under his belt but I have him going 2nd in a mock draft. Why? Because I live in MN and I saw him live last year and I realized with my own two eyes that this guy is a once in a lifetime type of RB. Much the way Randy Moss was a once in a lifetime WR when the Vikings took him and he burst on the scene as a rookie. Incidentally, Moss and Peterson are two of 3 quality first round picks the Vikings have made since 1998. No, I don't count McKinnie and Culpepper and if you had to watch Vikings games, you wouldn't either.
My point to this endless drivel is to create your own strategy. If you only have 5 1st round quality RBs in your rankings, don't reach for one because you are supposed to. I have never been scared to buck tradition in my drafts and this year especially, seems to be thin with 1st round talent. If you can build your team around Moss or Brady or Manning and search for this years Ernest Graham or Ryan Grant or Justin Fargas, do it. The RB position has more people emerge from nowhere than any other position on a yearly basis but how many times does a WR come off the waiver wire to lead you to a championship? I thought so.
Go Patriots
The wind would whisper and I'd think of you
And all the tears you cried, that called my name
And when you needed me I came through.
Skid Row
When I look back at the first round of last years fantasy draft I cringe. Many of the picks definitely did not come through and that stirs up the debate about if it's really necessary to get RB in the first two rounds. I for one have never been a believer in that strategy but I know most fantasy purists swear by it. Let s look back at the top RBs that presumably went in the first round and think about their production.
In my main league last year RBs went in this order:
1- LT
2- SJax
3- Westbrook
4 - LJ
6 - Rudi
7 -Gore
8 - Bush
9 - Parker
10- Maroney
Only one pick in the first round was not a RB and only one RB (Westbrook) exceeded or lived up to preseason expectations. Yes LT still had a good year and Parker was good in yardage only leagues, if people still play in those, but no other back produced at a first round level. Most of you are still going to go out and draft RB in the first two rounds because it is what you are supposed to do. Sort of like wiping your ass after you shit. You don't have to wipe your ass, but you do because you are supposed to. On a side note, please wipe your ass. The guy behind me on the bus yesterday smelled like manure. No exaggeration. Every time he adjusted I would get a dose of noxious gas wafting in my general vicinity. I know the girl next to me thought I smelled like shit and I could not let this slide so I made a point to turn sigh and cover my nose. Yep, that should do it. now everyone knows that I smell like flowers and its the guy behind me that rolled around in a shit blanket. Where was I? Oh yeah, do not feel obligated to follow the social norms of fantasy drafting. Every year countless "experts" write articles about changing your draft strategy and every year people really want to but it's easier to fall back on old habits.
Before you start thinking I am going to draft WR, QB, WR, D, K in the first five rounds, understand that the WR was good but the top level didn't necessary live up to the hype either. The first two WRs that went in my main league were Steve Smith and Marvin Harrison. now we all know that Harrison was all but invisible last year but if you had Smith, you had to hope your league was 3 weeks long and that the playoffs waited until week 16 to get started. In between he was the picture of mediocrity getting outscored by the likes Nate Burleson and Bobby Engram. But what you will see is more consistency because the top WRs drafted tend to have more years of proving it on their record. Andre Johnson is an absolute stud. Huge body, lightning fast and the #1 target on his team. Yet he slipped to rounds 5 and 6 in most drafts. If he was a RB he may go in rd 1 or 2 because everyone would fall in live with his huge upside. But as a WR he fell because he hadn't really proven it yet in the pros. Why do we let ourselves get infatuated with RB upside? Look at me. Peterson only has one year under his belt but I have him going 2nd in a mock draft. Why? Because I live in MN and I saw him live last year and I realized with my own two eyes that this guy is a once in a lifetime type of RB. Much the way Randy Moss was a once in a lifetime WR when the Vikings took him and he burst on the scene as a rookie. Incidentally, Moss and Peterson are two of 3 quality first round picks the Vikings have made since 1998. No, I don't count McKinnie and Culpepper and if you had to watch Vikings games, you wouldn't either.
My point to this endless drivel is to create your own strategy. If you only have 5 1st round quality RBs in your rankings, don't reach for one because you are supposed to. I have never been scared to buck tradition in my drafts and this year especially, seems to be thin with 1st round talent. If you can build your team around Moss or Brady or Manning and search for this years Ernest Graham or Ryan Grant or Justin Fargas, do it. The RB position has more people emerge from nowhere than any other position on a yearly basis but how many times does a WR come off the waiver wire to lead you to a championship? I thought so.
Go Patriots
Friday, May 9, 2008
Stop mocking me - Round 1/2
Now that the NFL draft is complete a person like myself wages a full out attack on fantasy rankings. I have scaled back my number of leagues the past couple years and I now focus specifically on my PPR leagues so any rankings you see moving forward are specific to that scoring format.
The draft brought us many things this year. We got another RB that was drafted too early by an NFL team and will subsequently be over drafted in fantasy leagues and not live up to the hype. On a side not I was one of 3 people in the world that said the Texans should not and would not draft Reggie Bush but we'll save that pat on the back for another day. Today we are going to explore the first two rounds of the fantasy world and do a mock draft. Mock drafts are posh and yours truly wants to jump on the bandwagon before it gets too full. What I won't do is become some pompous ass like Kiper and McShay become when they parade around on ESPN like they have any clue as to what is going to happen. Do you think one year they will just realize that a shit load of trades will occur and realize that their mock drafts are total crap? No, instead I will look at each slot like that is my slot and my team that I am building. As a disclaimer, even though no one is actually reading this, I am higher on drafting WR than most others because they are harder to find than RBs. Anyone that drafted TO, Boldin, Andre Johnson or Randy Moss and then picked up Ryan Grant or Ernest Graham can attest to that point. So here we go.
ROUND ONE:
1) Steven Jackson - WHAT??? I have to be kidding right. Nope. LT is one more boo boo away from dancing like Shaun Alexander. I love LT but I think this year he relinquishes the title of best RB in fantasy football. Linehan is in serious trouble so if you were in his shoes wouldn't you ride your horse? prediction(guess) - 2100 total yards, 18 TDs, 61 receptions
2) Adrian Peterson - Now I must be crazy. Where the fu(k is LT? Control yourself, he's coming. All day is ready for the big stage. As a timeshare last year he went absolutely bananas. Only 10 guys attacking the line of scrimmage at the end of the year could slow him down. I don't see the Vikings aerial assault breaking any records but it should be improved enough to loosen up defenses. Besides, the Vikings have built a pretty good looking defense on paper and teams like that love to control the clock and the ball. prediction 1900 total yards, 20 TDs, 25 receptions
3) Brian Westbrook - Now you think I am just trying to be ridiculous. Maybe, but I had Westy in my PPR league last year and guess who led all scorers in avg PPG? Not Brady, not Moss, but Westy. I used to have him on my do not draft list and lost my mind when he went third overall last year. But when I decided it was time to sell high on Ronnie Brown, Westy became my target and the apple of my eye. He is a PPR machine and I think he slows down a bit but he still will produce more points that LT. Prediction 1900 yards, 14 TDs, 70 receptions
4) LT - If you had the fourth pick in your draft and LT fell to you I would guess you would have to tuck your semi under your belt. LT is still a huge force in fantasy but we have all seen what happens when an elite RB gets his first taste of injury and starts to become soft. The way he was sulking on the bench in the playoffs sent off so many alarms I would consider trading out of this spot if I could. IF Tomlinson is still the same he will help carry your team to many victories. If he is only half of himself you'll wish you drafted the next guy. Prediction - 1700 yards, 15TDs, 40 receptions
5) LJ - I'm serious. Pull the trigger. If you think Jamaal Charles is an issue you're probably a UT grad. Herm Edwards was brought in to win. Unfortunately half the O-lone retired and he ended up with no QB. Much like Linehan, Edwards will turn to the one weapon he has. With the emergence of Bowe on the outside, teams will have to at least consider the threat of pass. The Chiefs had a good draft and I don't think Albert will pay off as quickly as Thomas did for Cleveland, but he will definitely help. LJ was worn down two years ago, he is fresh after last year. I see big numbers from him once again...even though I would hate to have to draft him because I think he is a d-bag. Prediction - 1800 yds, 16 TDs, 60 receptions (yes, that is more points than LT)
6) Joseph Addai - Remember when Peyton Manning had the TD record? So does he. His gigantic ego is the only thing keeping Joey from a monster year. Manning will throw red zone TD after red zone TD because he is worried people think Brady is better than him. Since most of those red zone TDs will not be thrown to Addai, his TD numbers will suffer like Edge's did last time Peyton never called a running play. And as the video from his sideline meltdown proves, Peyton doesn't know how to call running plays. Prediction - 1800 yds, 14 TDs, 38 receptions.
7) Randy Moss - He will not duplicate last year but the Patriots are angry and they will still air it out quite a bit to exact their revenge. Teams can focus on Moss all they want, the Patriots will show a little more balance this year and as Pats fan I think the other side of the field is better off with Gaffney and a healthy Chad Jackson. Stallworth just disappeared too many times and with Randy getting double and triple coverage, someone besides Welker has to get open. Randy wants to show people that he's still got it and that he's not ready to watch trucks race on a permanent basis yet. prediction - 1600 yds, 17 TDS, 90 receptions
8) Peyton Manning - There are no RBs or WRs I like in this spot so I am going to take the guy out to prove he is still the best. yeah, Harrison is a shadow of himself but what better way for Manning to prove superior to Brady than to have a huge year without his boy Marvin doing a majority of the damage. I don't see 50TDs, but 40 is a definite possibility. Prediction - 4400 yds, 41 TDs (one rushing)
9) Tom Brady - 50 TDs??? Not gonna happen. I see him in the high 30s this time around. The guy still has Moss and Welker, but it's a copy cat league and with the atrocious play of the o-line in the Superbowl, teams will bring the pressure. This is where the health of Maroney becomes key as the Pats will need more balance this year. Regardless, this guy tells Chuck Norris what to do. Prediction 4000 yds, 38 TDs, 1 knocked up super-model, 3 keys to the city, 4 magazine covers, 4th SB ring.
10) Frank Gore - Before you laugh...or cry, depending on if you drafted Gore early last year, remember that in PPR format, he was pretty darn good in the second half of the season. I should know, I drafted him last year and he was a borderline start most of the time. But if last year taught me anything, it's that PPR is a different animal and points in fantasy are different than being an all-pro. Prediction 1300 yds, 11 TDs, 50 receptions
ROUND TWO:
11) Reggie Wayne - It is going to be a long time before I get to pick again and the WR core remaining when it snakes back to me will not hold any elite WRs. I like to build my team on being strong at every position and with Peyton throwing more TDs this year, Wayne will assume the role that Harrison played so nicely for many years. Prediction - 1500 yds, 17 TDs, 95 receptions.
12) Braylon Edwards - Still not a big fan of the RBs so in this slot I will try a do the opposite approach. The run of WRs should happen before it gets back to me so I take the guy with the biggest chance to duplicate and exceed last years numbers. Prediction - 1300 yds, 16TDs, 90 receptions.
13) Marshawn Lynch - I hate myself for this pick but I wanted a RB and all the others just make me feel gross. Will I look back at the end of the year and regret this pick? Maybe, but I can't take Portis or Barber here because they will both split carries or get hurt. It's Lynch's job period. prediction - 1450 yds, 13TDs, 35 receptions.
14) Ryan Grant - It pains me to have a Packer on my team but I had to get a RB because they are about to drop off significantly soon. He probably won't repeat last year but I can expect good numbers and he fits nicely next to Randy. prediction - 1500 yds, 13 TDs, 30 receptions.
15) Andre Johnson - I'm glad Wayne was already taken because I didn't wants to go with teammates with my first two picks. When he's healthy, Johnson is one of the best there is. I think this year he plays all 16 games and goes huge. I am stoked that he is my #1 guy and I want to rub it in the face of the people laughing that I didn't take the ancient Owens. prediction - 1300 yds, 15 TDs, 95 receptions
16) Willis McGahee - I had intended on taking a WR but when McGahee was still on the board I decided to cross my fingers that I get one of my targets on the way back. When a RB has a job all to himself that makes a huge difference. prediction - 1600 yds, 12 TDs, 25 receptions.
17) Terrell Owens - When LT fell to #4 I was floored. That 4 WRs went before TO shocked me too. Yeah, I may be tempting the Gods with this pick but if you told me my team was anchored by LT and TO I would be pretty damn happy. Incidentally, the guy that got 2nd last year had these two. prediction - 1300 yds, 14 TDs, 80 receptions
18) Clinton Portis - I don't think Portis will get back to me in the third but i think I will still get one of my WRs so that made this pick pretty simple. yes he has injury issues so I may need to reach for Betts later. 1400 yds, 12 TDs, 25 receptions
19) Larry Fitzgerald - It was Fitz or Smith and I ultimately went with the red zone guy. I know that the QB situation in AZ in tricky but Fitz has excelled no matter who is under center. if Leinart wins the job, he tends to target Fitz more than Boldin. Prediction 1100 yds, 16 TDs, 80 receptions.
20) Marion Barber - Having Jackson and two straight picks gives me flexibility. i thought about two WRs here but Marion is solid and in a contract year. Felix Jones may steal some carries but when they reach the 20s, no one has been better than Marion the past few years. Prediction - 1100 yds, 16TDs, 25 receptions.
Rounds 3-4 will be coming soon.
The draft brought us many things this year. We got another RB that was drafted too early by an NFL team and will subsequently be over drafted in fantasy leagues and not live up to the hype. On a side not I was one of 3 people in the world that said the Texans should not and would not draft Reggie Bush but we'll save that pat on the back for another day. Today we are going to explore the first two rounds of the fantasy world and do a mock draft. Mock drafts are posh and yours truly wants to jump on the bandwagon before it gets too full. What I won't do is become some pompous ass like Kiper and McShay become when they parade around on ESPN like they have any clue as to what is going to happen. Do you think one year they will just realize that a shit load of trades will occur and realize that their mock drafts are total crap? No, instead I will look at each slot like that is my slot and my team that I am building. As a disclaimer, even though no one is actually reading this, I am higher on drafting WR than most others because they are harder to find than RBs. Anyone that drafted TO, Boldin, Andre Johnson or Randy Moss and then picked up Ryan Grant or Ernest Graham can attest to that point. So here we go.
ROUND ONE:
1) Steven Jackson - WHAT??? I have to be kidding right. Nope. LT is one more boo boo away from dancing like Shaun Alexander. I love LT but I think this year he relinquishes the title of best RB in fantasy football. Linehan is in serious trouble so if you were in his shoes wouldn't you ride your horse? prediction(guess) - 2100 total yards, 18 TDs, 61 receptions
2) Adrian Peterson - Now I must be crazy. Where the fu(k is LT? Control yourself, he's coming. All day is ready for the big stage. As a timeshare last year he went absolutely bananas. Only 10 guys attacking the line of scrimmage at the end of the year could slow him down. I don't see the Vikings aerial assault breaking any records but it should be improved enough to loosen up defenses. Besides, the Vikings have built a pretty good looking defense on paper and teams like that love to control the clock and the ball. prediction 1900 total yards, 20 TDs, 25 receptions
3) Brian Westbrook - Now you think I am just trying to be ridiculous. Maybe, but I had Westy in my PPR league last year and guess who led all scorers in avg PPG? Not Brady, not Moss, but Westy. I used to have him on my do not draft list and lost my mind when he went third overall last year. But when I decided it was time to sell high on Ronnie Brown, Westy became my target and the apple of my eye. He is a PPR machine and I think he slows down a bit but he still will produce more points that LT. Prediction 1900 yards, 14 TDs, 70 receptions
4) LT - If you had the fourth pick in your draft and LT fell to you I would guess you would have to tuck your semi under your belt. LT is still a huge force in fantasy but we have all seen what happens when an elite RB gets his first taste of injury and starts to become soft. The way he was sulking on the bench in the playoffs sent off so many alarms I would consider trading out of this spot if I could. IF Tomlinson is still the same he will help carry your team to many victories. If he is only half of himself you'll wish you drafted the next guy. Prediction - 1700 yards, 15TDs, 40 receptions
5) LJ - I'm serious. Pull the trigger. If you think Jamaal Charles is an issue you're probably a UT grad. Herm Edwards was brought in to win. Unfortunately half the O-lone retired and he ended up with no QB. Much like Linehan, Edwards will turn to the one weapon he has. With the emergence of Bowe on the outside, teams will have to at least consider the threat of pass. The Chiefs had a good draft and I don't think Albert will pay off as quickly as Thomas did for Cleveland, but he will definitely help. LJ was worn down two years ago, he is fresh after last year. I see big numbers from him once again...even though I would hate to have to draft him because I think he is a d-bag. Prediction - 1800 yds, 16 TDs, 60 receptions (yes, that is more points than LT)
6) Joseph Addai - Remember when Peyton Manning had the TD record? So does he. His gigantic ego is the only thing keeping Joey from a monster year. Manning will throw red zone TD after red zone TD because he is worried people think Brady is better than him. Since most of those red zone TDs will not be thrown to Addai, his TD numbers will suffer like Edge's did last time Peyton never called a running play. And as the video from his sideline meltdown proves, Peyton doesn't know how to call running plays. Prediction - 1800 yds, 14 TDs, 38 receptions.
7) Randy Moss - He will not duplicate last year but the Patriots are angry and they will still air it out quite a bit to exact their revenge. Teams can focus on Moss all they want, the Patriots will show a little more balance this year and as Pats fan I think the other side of the field is better off with Gaffney and a healthy Chad Jackson. Stallworth just disappeared too many times and with Randy getting double and triple coverage, someone besides Welker has to get open. Randy wants to show people that he's still got it and that he's not ready to watch trucks race on a permanent basis yet. prediction - 1600 yds, 17 TDS, 90 receptions
8) Peyton Manning - There are no RBs or WRs I like in this spot so I am going to take the guy out to prove he is still the best. yeah, Harrison is a shadow of himself but what better way for Manning to prove superior to Brady than to have a huge year without his boy Marvin doing a majority of the damage. I don't see 50TDs, but 40 is a definite possibility. Prediction - 4400 yds, 41 TDs (one rushing)
9) Tom Brady - 50 TDs??? Not gonna happen. I see him in the high 30s this time around. The guy still has Moss and Welker, but it's a copy cat league and with the atrocious play of the o-line in the Superbowl, teams will bring the pressure. This is where the health of Maroney becomes key as the Pats will need more balance this year. Regardless, this guy tells Chuck Norris what to do. Prediction 4000 yds, 38 TDs, 1 knocked up super-model, 3 keys to the city, 4 magazine covers, 4th SB ring.
10) Frank Gore - Before you laugh...or cry, depending on if you drafted Gore early last year, remember that in PPR format, he was pretty darn good in the second half of the season. I should know, I drafted him last year and he was a borderline start most of the time. But if last year taught me anything, it's that PPR is a different animal and points in fantasy are different than being an all-pro. Prediction 1300 yds, 11 TDs, 50 receptions
ROUND TWO:
11) Reggie Wayne - It is going to be a long time before I get to pick again and the WR core remaining when it snakes back to me will not hold any elite WRs. I like to build my team on being strong at every position and with Peyton throwing more TDs this year, Wayne will assume the role that Harrison played so nicely for many years. Prediction - 1500 yds, 17 TDs, 95 receptions.
12) Braylon Edwards - Still not a big fan of the RBs so in this slot I will try a do the opposite approach. The run of WRs should happen before it gets back to me so I take the guy with the biggest chance to duplicate and exceed last years numbers. Prediction - 1300 yds, 16TDs, 90 receptions.
13) Marshawn Lynch - I hate myself for this pick but I wanted a RB and all the others just make me feel gross. Will I look back at the end of the year and regret this pick? Maybe, but I can't take Portis or Barber here because they will both split carries or get hurt. It's Lynch's job period. prediction - 1450 yds, 13TDs, 35 receptions.
14) Ryan Grant - It pains me to have a Packer on my team but I had to get a RB because they are about to drop off significantly soon. He probably won't repeat last year but I can expect good numbers and he fits nicely next to Randy. prediction - 1500 yds, 13 TDs, 30 receptions.
15) Andre Johnson - I'm glad Wayne was already taken because I didn't wants to go with teammates with my first two picks. When he's healthy, Johnson is one of the best there is. I think this year he plays all 16 games and goes huge. I am stoked that he is my #1 guy and I want to rub it in the face of the people laughing that I didn't take the ancient Owens. prediction - 1300 yds, 15 TDs, 95 receptions
16) Willis McGahee - I had intended on taking a WR but when McGahee was still on the board I decided to cross my fingers that I get one of my targets on the way back. When a RB has a job all to himself that makes a huge difference. prediction - 1600 yds, 12 TDs, 25 receptions.
17) Terrell Owens - When LT fell to #4 I was floored. That 4 WRs went before TO shocked me too. Yeah, I may be tempting the Gods with this pick but if you told me my team was anchored by LT and TO I would be pretty damn happy. Incidentally, the guy that got 2nd last year had these two. prediction - 1300 yds, 14 TDs, 80 receptions
18) Clinton Portis - I don't think Portis will get back to me in the third but i think I will still get one of my WRs so that made this pick pretty simple. yes he has injury issues so I may need to reach for Betts later. 1400 yds, 12 TDs, 25 receptions
19) Larry Fitzgerald - It was Fitz or Smith and I ultimately went with the red zone guy. I know that the QB situation in AZ in tricky but Fitz has excelled no matter who is under center. if Leinart wins the job, he tends to target Fitz more than Boldin. Prediction 1100 yds, 16 TDs, 80 receptions.
20) Marion Barber - Having Jackson and two straight picks gives me flexibility. i thought about two WRs here but Marion is solid and in a contract year. Felix Jones may steal some carries but when they reach the 20s, no one has been better than Marion the past few years. Prediction - 1100 yds, 16TDs, 25 receptions.
Rounds 3-4 will be coming soon.
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