Getting ready for my draft...

[medford]

Got my live draft on Wednesday evening. I've got the 5th pick in a 12 man league.

Right now I'm leaning towards Ronnie Brown assuming that LJ, LT or SA don't fall to me. I'd love to have Clinton Portis if not for his shoulder. Its probably a tad bit too early to take Rudi. Edge is certainly a possibility.

As I'm just starting to prepare, I don't have a real good handle on the sleepers, 3rd year wideouts, etc.... Anyone have any insight that they'd care to share? Any injuries I should know about outside of Portis & TO?

I generally like to make my mark by picking 3 RB in the first 5 picks, 1 QB and 1 WR. Then try to scratch later for a 4th RB, additional WRs, TE, back up QB, kicker & Defense. Anyone to keep an eye in the 2nd half of the draft, potentially a late round pickup?

Depending on how he looks tonight, I'm thining of taking Carson in round 2 (assuming that he's available and depending on which RBs are still around). If I did that, I'd force my self to take a RB in rounds 3 &4/5. If I go RB in round 2, I'd probably take my 3rd string back in round 5. Anyone think a guy like Frank Gore/Kevin Jones will be available in rounds 4/5?

Thanks for any advice.

Thanks for any help.

[medford]

I should probably add that this is a pretty standard league, 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 K, 1 Def. I think 14 total players, so 5 bench players.

[Buckeye33]

As I'm just starting to prepare, I don't have a real good handle on the sleepers, 3rd year wideouts, etc.... Anyone have any insight that they'd care to share? Any injuries I should know about outside of Portis & TO?

If I go RB in round 2, I'd probably take my 3rd string back in round 5. Anyone think a guy like Frank Gore/Kevin Jones will be available in rounds 4/5?

3rd year WRs:

Mark Clayton (TB)
Fitzgerald
Jenkins (could be a late round sleeper)
Wilford

As far as Gore and Jones being around in the 4th round (they won't be there in the 5th) I would say K. Jones has a better chance to be there then Gore. Gore is now going much higher than early drafts since the trade of Barlow.

If you could get:

Rnd 1 - R. Brown or Edge (5)
Rnd 2 - Palmer (20)
Rnd 3 - Gore or Bush (30)
Rnd 4 - D. Jackson, A. Johnson, or Driver (45)
Rnd 5 - Foster or D. Davis (55)
Rnd 6 - M. Clayton (TB), L. Evans, or Galloway (70)
Rnd 7 - Crumpler or H. Miller (80)
Rnd 8 - Kennison, Bruce, Culpepper, or Bledsoe (95)

I personally would not take Palmer in the 2nd round. QBs have the smallest seperation in fantasy points from #1 to #15 than any other position. I'd say you'd be better off taking a RB with the 20th pick and your QB1 at #30. At #20 I would target W. Parker or McGahee and at #30 I would target Brady or Hasselbeck.

If all the above players I listed were available at those picks, my team would be:

QB1 - Brady
RB1 - R. Brown
RB2 - Parker
RB3 - Foster
WR1 - D. Jackson
WR2 - L. Evans
WR3 - Kennison
TE - Crumpler

In a 12 team league I would be very very happy with that team. Obviously picking up a K, DEF, QB2, WR4 after these 8 rounds.

Good luck.

[medford]

Thanks for the info, I like the ideas.

I'm not 100% sold on Palmer (or really any QB in round 2). It kind of depends on what RB options are still there. Pick #2 will be #19. Then it is only 9 additional players left after that till my next pick at #29. Odds are I'll be going RB in 2, then QB in either 3, 4 or 5 depending on how things shake out.

If I go RB in round 2, and Palmer is available in round 3, then I'll take him. However I pretty sure someone will snap him up before me in round 3, if not earlier.

I like Jenkins or White out of Atlanta as a late sleeper. I'll have to check some preseason stats to see whose getting more looks. I think Mike Clayton is poised for a bounce back off his injury plagued season last year. Mark Clayton could be a late round steal. D Foster has a history of injuries, DeAngelo Williams could be a good late pickup.

If I could get the team you described above, I'd be very happy.

[Johnny Footstool]

I'm a big fan of taking RBs with your first two picks.

The big question is who do you go with in your first round pick. I'm also picking 5th, and I've hoping for Edgerin James, because someone just might be silly enough to let him slip. If not him, it's Brown or Rudi for me.

If Willie Parker is available for your second round pick, snatch him up and start clearing a spot in your trophy case.

[medford]

Well's here's my team. I kind feel like its OK. But perhaps I could have done better. Thoughts?

QB - McNabb

RB - R Brown
W McGahee
C Taylor
J Lewis
M Jones-Drew

WR - A Boldin
P Burress
Micheal Clayton
E Wilford
Roddy White
Devery Henderson

TE - D Clark

K - M Vanderjack

Def - Cincy

[Buckeye33]

Well's here's my team. I kind feel like its OK. But perhaps I could have done better. Thoughts?

QB - McNabb

RB - R Brown
W McGahee
C Taylor
J Lewis
M Jones-Drew

WR - A Boldin
P Burress
Micheal Clayton
E Wilford
Roddy White
Devery Henderson

TE - D Clark

K - M Vanderjack

Def - Cincy

I'd say your season will come down to McNabb rebounding and being the QB1 he is capable of. You have tremendous depth at RB, especially if J. Lewis is healthy. Your 3 starting WRs are good, and you have 2 3rd year receivers who could blow up.

I would say that you could go ahead and drop Henderson and try to pick up another TE or a good backup QB. Henderson will get less balls because Bush will pretty much be the Saints #2 WR.

To have 3 starting RBs in a 12 team league will come back to help you later in the year. You should be able to trade one of your RBs for an upgrade elsewhere.

Good luck.

[medford]

I assume that Chester Taylor is slated to start in Minney? I hope so, both of my prime 2 are on bye week 8 (opps, should have paid slightly better attention). I wanted Daunte instead of Donavon, but Daunte is on bye week 8, and I couldn't afford to have another prime guy.

I expect Dallas Clark to blow up this year, and I plan to only carry a 2nd TE during his bye week unless someone slips thru the cracks. Right now, D Henderson is my 1st player to cut when someone blows up week 1 that I can pick up or when I need a backup kicker/defense/QB during bye weeks. Still as the 2nd WR in New Orleans, and as a third year wide out, I could see him blowing up. Joe Horn & Bush will command a lot of attention. If they split Bush out in a 3 reciever set, it wouldn't surprise me to see opposing defenses put a corner on him, leaving Henderson to be defender by a safety.

We'll see. I'm not exactly thrilled w/ my team. Didn't really like my draft slot. We'll see, there's potential for this team to do well, but I could also see it struggling to win many weeks. A lot will depend on Donavon & willis.