Grade the draft thread

[FutureRedsGM]

Everyone should have already drafted or be drafting soon so I thought I would start a thread where we can share opinions on each other's draft results.

Here are my results from my 12 team league. I drafted 4th overall in a serpentine draft that went 14 rounds:

QB - Jay Cutler (Round 5)
QB - Jason Campbell (Round 11)

RB - Joseph Addai (1)
RB - Sevlin Young (4)
RB - Jonathan Stewart (7)
RB - Chris Johnson, TEN (9)
RB - DeAngelo Williams (10)

WR - Reggie Wayne (2)
WR - Andre Johnson (3)
WR - Steve Smith (6)
WR - Vincent Jackson (12)

TE - Tony Scheffler (8)

K - Taylor Mehlhaff (14)

D - Raiders (13)

[Johnny Footstool]

Excellent team for a 12-team league. Your D is a little weak, but that's usually OK.

[Tornon]

I decided to try fantasy football for the first time since this was my first year doing fantasy baseball & it was a lot of fun. However, I don't know nearly as much about football as I do baseball. I thought I had a pretty good draft, but I'm curious to see other's opinion that know more than I do:

It's a 12-team draft & I picked 4th

QB - Ben Roethlisberger (3)
QB - Tarvaris Jackson (14)

RB - Brian Westbrook (1)
RB - Fred Taylor (7)
RB - DeAngelo Williams (10)
RB - Rudi Johnson (12)

WR - Reggie Wayne (2)
WR - Roy Williams (4)
WR - Joey Galloway (8)
WR - Santana Moss (11)
WR - Kevin Walker (13)

TE - Tony Gonzalez (5)

K - Mason Crosby (9)
K - Josh Brown (16)

DEF - Chicago (6)
DEF - Buffalo (15)

[Johnny Footstool]

I decided to try fantasy football for the first time since this was my first year doing fantasy baseball & it was a lot of fun. However, I don't know nearly as much about football as I do baseball. I thought I had a pretty good draft, but I'm curious to see other's opinion that know more than I do:

It's a 12-team draft & I picked 4th

QB - Ben Roethlisberger (3)
QB - Tarvaris Jackson (14)

RB - Brian Westbrook (1)
RB - Fred Taylor (7)
RB - DeAngelo Williams (10)
RB - Rudi Johnson (12)

WR - Reggie Wayne (2)
WR - Roy Williams (4)
WR - Joey Galloway (8)
WR - Santana Moss (11)
WR - Kevin Walker (13)

TE - Tony Gonzalez (5)

K - Mason Crosby (9)
K - Josh Brown (16)

DEF - Chicago (6)
DEF - Buffalo (15)

First question: why two kickers?

Second question: why two defenses?

If they aren't required by your league, dump Josh Brown and Buffalo. Pick up Chris Perry and Jon Stewart if they're available -- they're better long-term options than Rudi and DeAngelo.

[FutureRedsGM]

Tornon,

I'd say you're a little light on RB depth, but other than that, you're team looks great!!! Excellent first draft. You'll just need to pay extra attention to the amount of carries that Rudi, Williams, and Talyor receive. Each of them will at least be sharing carries and may become the back-up. If you see them declining, be prepared to offer a trade or check the waiver wire for a starter.

Also, I agree with Johnny Footstool completely regarding the 2 defenses and 2 kickers, as well as his suggestions for replacements. I hope Jonathan Stewart becomes the beast that a lot of "experts" are projecting him to be.

[Tornon]

Ok, I was just making sure I had two of everything possible (for bye weeks). I did not know how much my team would suffer the week I don't have a defense & the week I don't have a kicker. So thank you for your analysis guys, & I will try to improve my depth elsewhere :)

[Redsnake]

12 Team league
My players:

QB: Favre (4 Rd)
QB: Troy Smith (15) Don't know why??

RB: S.Jackson (1)
RB: Grant (2)
RB: Sel. Young (7)
RB: Chris Johnson (14)

WR: Chad Johnson (3)
WR: Calvin Johnson (5)
WR: Lee Evans (9)
WR: Desean Jackson (13)
WR: D.Mason (10)

TE: Cooley (6)

K: Kaeding (11)

Def: Seattle (8)
Def: Balitmore (12)

[Johnny Footstool]

Ok, I was just making sure I had two of everything possible (for bye weeks). I did not know how much my team would suffer the week I don't have a defense & the week I don't have a kicker. So thank you for your analysis guys, & I will try to improve my depth elsewhere :)

You never, ever need a second kicker. You can usually find a suitable replacement on the waiver wire.

It's not a horrible idea to carry two defenses, but generally you can find a decent matchup on the waiver wire, so you're better off using that roster spot for an extra RB or WR.

[HumnHilghtFreel]

I'll get in the action. This is my Redszone league team:

QB: Brees
WR: Randy Moss
WR: Roddy White
RB: Larry Johnson
RB: Michael Turner
TE: Owen Daniels
WR/TE: Patrick Crayton
WR/RB: Jonathan Stewart
Bench: Felix Jones, David Garrard, Derrick Mason

K: Mason Crosby

DEF: San Diego
Bn: Minnesota

[joshnky]

I decided to try fantasy football for the first time since this was my first year doing fantasy baseball & it was a lot of fun. However, I don't know nearly as much about football as I do baseball. I thought I had a pretty good draft, but I'm curious to see other's opinion that know more than I do:

It's a 12-team draft & I picked 4th

QB - Ben Roethlisberger (3)
QB - Tarvaris Jackson (14)

RB - Brian Westbrook (1)
RB - Fred Taylor (7)
RB - DeAngelo Williams (10)
RB - Rudi Johnson (12)

WR - Reggie Wayne (2)
WR - Roy Williams (4)
WR - Joey Galloway (8)
WR - Santana Moss (11)
WR - Kevin Walker (13)

TE - Tony Gonzalez (5)

K - Mason Crosby (9)
K - Josh Brown (16)

DEF - Chicago (6)
DEF - Buffalo (15)

As has already been touched on doubling up on defense and kickers was unnecessary. Also, taking a defense with your 6th pick when you hadn't even picked your RB2 wasn't the best idea. Most people suggest taking a kicker with your last pick and defense with the second to the last pick. The reasoning is that in a 12 team league you can probably pick a similar defense/kicker at the end of the draft that you could have picked earlier assuming that most teams only take one of each. There likely won't be a huge difference between the defense picked first and the defense picked last. I followed this strategy in the 10 team redszone league and ended up with Josh Brown and Tampa Bay both of whom should score well.

Also dump Tavaris Jackson if you only start 1 QB. He is pretty much worthless and you can pick up him or another FA the week that Roethlisberger is on a bye.

[freestyle55]

Ok, here's mine...

10 team league, start 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 W/T, 1 K, 1 DEF. Points are 6 for any TD (run, pass, catch, return for D), 1 pt per 20 pass yd, 1 pt per 5 yd run/catch, etc...not a PPR league

QB's and WR go higher than you'd expect due to high scoring for QB's and needing to play 3 WR each week...had the 6th pick.

QB-Carson Palmer (3) - only top 5/6 QB left at the time
QB-Jake Delhomme (11) - has best matchup on Palmer's bye week

WR - Braylon Edwards (2) - top WR left at the time
WR - Santonio Holmes (6)
WR - Santana Moss (10) - 4th receiver
WR - Reggie Brown (12) - 5th receiver
WR - Bobby Engram (13) - didn't like available RB's, figured he's expendable if a good one opens up

RB - Frank Gore (1) - didn't like the pick, but it was him, LJ, or Brady, and I got burned picking Manning in the 1st round last year, and needed at least 1 top RB
RB - Lawrence Maroney (5) - think he'll bounce back this year and be healthy most of the year
RB - Fred Taylor (8) - 3rd back, seems to always have 1000 yds...

TE - Tony Gonzalez (4) - got caught in a run, top 3 already gone, has been a position that hurt me last 2 years
TE - Ben Watson (9) - good backup in case Gonzalez falters

W/T - Laveranues Coles (7) - basically a #3 WR, has Brett Favre throwing to him this year

K - Neil Rackers (15) - last pick, no penalty for missing big FG, bonus for making the long ones

DEF - Indianapolis Colts (14) - 2nd to last pick, seemed to be best available


I'm reasonably happy with it, wish someone would have grabbed Brady early and left me with a Steven Jackson or Joseph Addai, but guess that didn't happen...

[freestyle55]

12 Team league
My players:

QB: Favre (4 Rd)
QB: Troy Smith (15) Don't know why??

RB: S.Jackson (1)
RB: Grant (2)
RB: Sel. Young (7)
RB: Chris Johnson (14)

WR: Chad Johnson (3)
WR: Calvin Johnson (5)
WR: Lee Evans (9)
WR: Desean Jackson (13)
WR: D.Mason (10)

TE: Cooley (6)

K: Kaeding (11)

Def: Seattle (8)
Def: Balitmore (12)

Seems solid with RB and WR, if Favre is closer to Favre of last year than the year before, that should be pretty solid. I agree with most posters so far (on other teams, granted) that the Defense and Kickers went too early, but overall should be a decent team. Bye weeks seem pretty manageable as well.

[FutureRedsGM]

12 Team league
My players:

QB: Favre (4 Rd)
QB: Troy Smith (15) Don't know why??

RB: S.Jackson (1)
RB: Grant (2)
RB: Sel. Young (7)
RB: Chris Johnson (14)

WR: Chad Johnson (3)
WR: Calvin Johnson (5)
WR: Lee Evans (9)
WR: Desean Jackson (13)
WR: D.Mason (10)

TE: Cooley (6)

K: Kaeding (11)

Def: Seattle (8)
Def: Balitmore (12)

I really like the value you got with Selvin Young in round 7. I am hoping for a big year from him. WR depth could be an issue if Ocho Cinco's injury causes him to miss time. Cooling and Kaeding might have been a bit of a stretch in their perspective rounds.

[Redsnake]

thanks for the info guys!!

[Matt700wlw]

I'm in an autodraft league with some buddies....this is my first time doing playing FF.

QBs - Carson Palmer, Marc Bulger

WRs - Calvin Johnson, Jerry Porter, Javon Walker, Reggie Brown, Brandon Marshall (who is suspended for the first game), Steve Smith (who I think is suspended, too)

RBs - Steven Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Jamal Lewis, Edgerrin James

TE - Dallas Clark, Donald Lee

K - Nate Keading, Ryan Longwell

Defense - Giants, Seattle.



Still reading up on the odds and ends of the league, but that's what we have right now. We'll see how I do!

[Buckeye33]

I'm in an autodraft league with some buddies....this is my first time doing playing FF.

QBs - Carson Palmer, Marc Bulger

WRs - Calvin Johnson, Jerry Porter, Javon Walker, Reggie Brown, Brandon Marshall (who is suspended for the first game), Steve Smith (who I think is suspended, too)

RBs - Steven Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Jamal Lewis, Edgerrin James

TE - Dallas Clark, Donald Lee

K - Nate Keading, Ryan Longwell

Defense - Giants, Seattle.



Still reading up on the odds and ends of the league, but that's what we have right now. We'll see how I do!

Holy crap! How many teams are in this league? 4? 18 players is a lot of players. If somehow this is a 10 team league, you will win it.

[Matt700wlw]

Looks like 8 teams in our league.

[Buckeye33]

Here is my results from earlier today. 12 team league, start QB-RB-RB-WR-WR-W/T-TE-K-DEF-6 BN Non PPR, 25 yd passing/pt 10 yd rushing-receiving/pt. Return TDs count towards the individual players ...

1. (3) Adrian Peterson
2. (22) Maurice Jones-Drew
3. (27) Larry Fitzgerald
4. (46) Carson Palmer
5. (51) Roy Williams
6. (70) Jonathan Stewart
7. (75) Lee Evans
8. (94) Donald Driver
9. (99) Selvin Young
10. (118) Todd Heap
11. (123) Vincent Jackson
12. (142) Kurt Warner
13. (147) Josh Scobee
14. (166) Chris Henry
15. (171) Philadelphia

I love my RB depth, and will be looking to move one of my backups for a upgrade at TE or WR3.

Thoughts?

[HumnHilghtFreel]

Here is my results from earlier today. 12 team league, start QB-RB-RB-WR-WR-W/T-TE-K-DEF-6 BN Non PPR, 25 yd passing/pt 10 yd rushing-receiving/pt. Return TDs count towards the individual players ...

1. (3) Adrian Peterson
2. (22) Maurice Jones-Drew
3. (27) Larry Fitzgerald
4. (46) Carson Palmer
5. (51) Roy Williams
6. (70) Jonathan Stewart
7. (75) Lee Evans
8. (94) Donald Driver
9. (99) Selvin Young
10. (118) Todd Heap
11. (123) Vincent Jackson
12. (142) Kurt Warner
13. (147) Josh Scobee
14. (166) Chris Henry
15. (171) Philadelphia

I love my RB depth, and will be looking to move one of my backups for a upgrade at TE or WR3.

Thoughts?

Definitely sitting pretty with all those RB's. Gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of a trade. I'd probably have to give the team an A- with the possibility of becoming an A after a trade to upgrade.

Here's my second team that I drafted, standard public league:

QB:Hasselbeck
WR: Terrell Owens
WR: Steve Smith
WR: Roy Williams
RB: Brian Westbrook
RB: Darren McFadden
TE: Dustin Keller
K: Mason Crosby
DEF: Green Bay
Bench: Eli Manning, Hines Ward, Derrick Mason, Jonathan Stewart, Selvin Young, Ricky Williams

By the time I picked my TE, I didn't have much to choose from on the board, so I'm hoping Keller sees some looks, but I also have a bit of RB depth to try to make a trade there. Other than that I liek my team once Steve Smith is back in the lineup.

[RedEye]

I'm in an autodraft league with some buddies....this is my first time doing playing FF.

QBs - Carson Palmer, Marc Bulger

WRs - Calvin Johnson, Jerry Porter, Javon Walker, Reggie Brown, Brandon Marshall (who is suspended for the first game), Steve Smith (who I think is suspended, too)

RBs - Steven Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Jamal Lewis, Edgerrin James

TE - Dallas Clark, Donald Lee

K - Nate Keading, Ryan Longwell

Defense - Giants, Seattle.



Still reading up on the odds and ends of the league, but that's what we have right now. We'll see how I do!

This is a great team and you should be very happy.

Your RBs are VERY strong with Jackson and Lynch and you gotta like Palmer at QB -- he is very undervalued in drafts this year IMO.

You got great value at WR thanks to a couple of suspension slides. I think Marshall (along with Braylon Edwards) could be the best young WR in the NFL. Steve Smith is a great value, too. The first few weeks will be tough, but Calvin Johnson is a great #3.

Clark should be fine at TE and your K and DST look okay, too (I never worry about these positions that much anyway since TEs not in the top 3 are almost always equally mediocre and there are tons of Ks and DSTs on the waiver wire every year).

Nice work! Your team should compete all year.

[RedEye]

Okay, just finished a 10-team league draft. We start 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 DST, 1 K and 1 Flex. I was fortunate enough to land the #1 overall pick. Right after the draft, I then traded Carson Palmer and Santonio Holmes for Drew Brees and Braylon Edwards. While I hate to trade CP, I couldn't turn down that deal.

So, here's what I ended up with at the end of the night:

QB Drew Brees
RB LaDainian Tomlinson
RB Darren McFadden
WR Braylon Edwards
WR Brandon Marshall
TE Tony Gonzalez
RB/WR/TE Reggie Bush
K Neil Rackers
DST Eagles

QB Matt Hasselbeck
RB Matt Forte
RB Selvin Young
WR James Hardy
WR Vincent Jackson
DST Eagles

I think my team is pretty solid. A lot depends on whether McFadden and/or Bush reach their upside. If one of them does, I think this team could really contend.

What do you think?

[nate]

Here's mine, fresh from last night. 12-team Yahoo league.

WeeklyDisappointment
1. (6) Steven Jackson
2. (19) Maurice Jones-Drew
3. (30) Chad Johnson
4. (43) Anquan Boldin
5. (54) Donovan McNabb
6. (67) Hines Ward
7. (78) Vernon Davis
8. (91) San Diego
9. (102) Stephen Gostkowski
10. (115) DeAngelo Williams
11. (126) Isaac Bruce
12. (139) Deuce McAllister
13. (150) Bobby Engram
14. (163) Ben Utecht

My first pick came down to Steven Jackson and Brady. It seems like the past couple of seasons I haven't had a strong RB corps so I focused on getting the best available RBs in the first couple rounds.

[Slyder]

I posted this in another thread and thought maybe this was a better place to get it noticed by people:

10 team Yahoo basic league (round):
QB
Peyton Manning (2)
Brett Farve (11)

RB
Joseph Addai (1)
Willis McGahee (3)
Len Dale White (10)

WR
Marvin Harrison (5)
Chris Chambers (6)
Anthony Gonzalez (7)
Derrick Mason(12)
Darrell Jackson (14)

TE
Jason Witten (4)
Zach Miller (13)

K
Nate Kaeding (9)

Def
Pittsburgh (8)
Arizona (15)

[thatcoolguy_22]

I posted this in another thread and thought maybe this was a better place to get it noticed by people:

10 team Yahoo basic league (round):
QB
Peyton Manning (2)
Brett Farve (11)

RB
Joseph Addai (1)
Willis McGahee (3)
Len Dale White (10)

WR
Marvin Harrison (5)
Chris Chambers (6)
Anthony Gonzalez (7)
Derrick Mason(12)
Darrell Jackson (14)

TE
Jason Witten (4)
Zach Miller (13)

K
Nate Kaeding (9)

Def
Pittsburgh (8)
Arizona (15)


I would drop Arizona and pick up another RB. Overall fairly decent draft though. Witten plays like another WR. Also for your sake I hope Harrison returns to pre 2007 form



I'm in a 12 team Keeper league that has been running for about 3 years

We keep 20 out of 25 players every year and only have a 5 round draft. Heres the roster for 2008

QB
Jay Cutler
Derek Anderson
Vince Young
Drew Stanton

RB
Larry Johnson
Rudi Johnson
Brandon Jacobs
Darren McFadden
Matt Forte
Chris Perry (I got him in the 4th round of our draft 2 weeks before the Rudi Johnson release!)
Jamaal Charles
Chester Taylor

WR
Reggie Wayne
Torry Holt
Braylon Edwards
Nate Burleson
Early Doucet
Robert Meacham

TE
Antonio Gates
Ben Utech

K
Phil Dawson
Jason Hanson

Def
Indianapolis
Oakland


What do you guys think my chances are for the year??

[Caveat Emperor]

Did my draft last night -- I intentionally bucked conventional wisdom in a few places, just because following conventional wisdom has guided me to two consecutive bottom-feeder squads in this league. Plus, I also had the misfortune of picking 8th and missing any running back worth taking:

12 Team league -- pass TDs (5pt), rush/rec TDs (6pts), pass yds (25y=1pt), rush/rec yards (10y = 1pt)

QB: Tom Brady (NE)

RB: Reggie Bush (NO)
RB: Earnest Graham (TB)

WR: Reggie Wayne (IND)
WR: Hines Ward (PIT)
WR: Nate Burleson (SEA

TE: Dallas Clark (IND)

K: Josh Brown (SEA)

DEF: Jacksonville (JAX)

BN: Kevin Curtis (WR-PHI)
BN: Limas Sweed (WR-PIT)
BN: Matt Forte (RB-CHI)
BN: Chris Johnson (RB-TEN)
BN: Jon Kitna (QB-DET)

[Danny Serafini]

I'm in a 12 team keeper league. You can keep as many players as you want, for up to five years, but we have a salary cap and the price on saved players goes up each year, so it becomes a balancing act. Here's what I've got:

QB
Tom Brady*
Kurt Warner
Troy Smith
Matt Leinart

RB
Steven Jackson*
Frank Gore*
Chris Johnson
Antonio Pittman
Ahman Green

WR
Andre Johnson*
Greg Jennings*
Wes Welker*
Reggie Williams
Steve Smith (NYG)
Chris Henry
Sam Hurd

TE
Jeremy Shockey*
Donald Lee

K
Mason Crosby
Jason Hanson

D
Steelers
Colts

*Saved from last year

I'm uncomfortably thin at RB, but I knew going into the draft it would be that way. The bad teams threw all their players back and then gobbled up the few worthwhile RBs that were available in the first couple of rounds, before I had a pick. Last year I had the best record and got to the title game, I figure I should have a fighting chance to get back there this year.