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Posted 8/24 by Staff, Exclusive to Footballguys.com

On August 6th, ten Footballguys got together for a Ten-Team Survivor Draft. At the conclusion of the draft, we asked each participant a series of questions. Hopefully their insight will help you in your ten-team draft.

Anthony Borbely

Generic Questions

How does your approach differ for a ten-team league vice a twelve-team league?
I try to get better starters and am less concerned with depth because everyone in a ten-team league should be able to get decent starters without sacrificing depth. I may look to RB backups before starters at other positions in twelve-team leagues, because of the RB scarcity, but in ten-team leagues, I prefer as many weekly stud starters as possible. In twelve-team leagues, the RB depth tends to disappear a lot earlier in the draft because of scarcity. It simply is easier to get depth later, although RB depth is still more important than other positions. I also feel WR depth is a lot easier to get in ten-team leagues compared to twelve-team leagues.

What did you do differently in this draft because of the Survivor format?
One major thing you have to do is pay closer attention to bye weeks. One bad week can eliminate you in a survivor league. In regular leagues, you play all year, so it's not a big deal to have one week, but a survivor league is more like multiple sprints than one big marathon. The early bye weeks are more important than later ones because you have fewer teams later in the season. I also make sure to get backup kickers and defenses. In regular leagues, I usually take one of each, and often late. In the survivor format, I wanted at least one kicker and one defense that was a top 10, plus a backup for each.

What were your best picks?

4.10 Antonio Gates. How he fell to pick 40 is beyond me. He is a real weapon in a survivor league because he will almost always be one of the high scorers, plus there are bonuses for over 100 yards. I feel he gives me a head start every week.
6.10 Donovan McNabb. I feel getting an elite QB in a ten-team league is a big advantage, and would rather have the advantage at QB than WR3, or RB3. He put up numbers comparable to Manning when he played last year. There is risk because of injury concerns, but I felt the potential reward is worth the risk.

What were your worst picks?

My answers are related to each other. I should not have taken Calvin Johnson at 7.01 in a survivor format because his best games are more likely to be later in the year as he gains experience and that is not optimal in survivor leagues. It will not do me any good if he does well late in the year and I am already out. Also, my WR2 (Evans) and Calvin are both on byes in week 6. Not a smart pick all the way around.
Once I already had him, I made a mistake at the 8/9 turn. I should have taken a WR there, instead of two RBs. I liked the RB picks of Lamont Jordan and LenDale White, but I should have taken a proven WR because of taking Calvin Johnson. I then would have been better protected earlier in the year by having a proven WR, just in case Calvin starts off slow.

Including your team, who has the three best teams? Why?

I rarely like to vote for my own team, but I feel my team is very strong across the board. LT is the biggest reason, of course, but I have several elite players at their respective positions, including Gates, Owens and McNabb, with solid support from Benson, Evans and two solid defenses in the Charger defense and the Cowboy defense. I feel having so many elite starters will make it tough for my team to have a really bad week, because I think the odds of a lot of the elite players having really bad weeks all at once are relatively small.
David Dodds has the most well rounded team and the best depth. He seems unlikely to have many low scoring weeks. I feel he got the best value throughout the draft. He has the best group of backups in the league and combined with great starters, I feel he is the team to beat.
Cathy Fazio has a balanced team, and did very well minimizing bye week problems. She really has very few weaknesses. Her starters are solid and she has good backups across the board. It helps having a week-to-week beast like LJ in this format.

What are the worst teams?
This is the toughest question to answer. I hope I can at least outlast the teams that I am not as high on.

Jeff Tefertiller, who I think has the best team in the twelve-team survivor league, didn't do as well in this one. I feel taking four RBs in the first four picks was overkill, even though we start a flex. Reggie Wayne would have been a great pick in round four. He also took a kicker too early. His WRs and TEs are below par. He took only one kicker…and although it was Vinatieri, it will hurt getting a zero, especially since he loses the Bears defense, Parker and Ward, among others in that week. Any kicker score could have made a big difference. Week six will be the undoing in my opinion.
Mark Wimer lacks depth at QB behind Leinart, and a lot of questions at RB. Addai should be fine, but after him are Norwood (RBBC) and Green. Norwood was taken much too early at 3.06. Green may be OK, but this is not a PPR league and Green at 6.05 in a non-PPR is also early. The weeks that Leinart struggles will be your downfall, as you have to count on Schaub and Harrington.
Cecil Lammey had a rough draft. I think having Manning, Henry, Vernon Davis and the Pittsburgh defense all out in week 6 will hurt. I also think taking four rookie RBs was a mistake. The week Henry is out, he will have Julius Jones and four rookie RBs. Coupled with no Manning, that week will be tough. I think lack of quality RB depth will be the thing that gets him.

What will need to happen for you to win this league?
The main things for me are to have McNabb stay healthy, and to survive week 7, when LT and Gates will be on my bench. If those two things happen, I feel I have as good of a chance as anyone.

What were the three biggest steals in the whole draft? Why?

Rudi Johnson at 2.04. How he went 14th in a non-PPR survivor format was a steal. He never misses a game and should have been a top ten pick.
Reggie Wayne at 4.08. A top five caliber WR going 38th overall was shocking. For a minute, I thought he was going to fall to my pick 40. That was a key in Dodds having such a great draft.
Antonio Gates at 4.10. I was very lucky having Gates fall into my lap at pick 40. In a survivor format, getting a player who is so much better than anyone at his position was surprising. He is a real weapon with the 100-yard bonuses, because he is capable of those any week. The Gates owner has a head start almost every week on most teams.

Team Specific Questions

You were the only drafter to select three kickers. Explain why you went this direction?
I considered doing this if there was nothing exciting at my last pick, but I did not decide to do this right away. After I got two excellent starters in Gates and McNabb, at that point I was going to take a serious look at doing this when the time came. The reason is I feel my starters are the best in the league, and I wanted to minimize my chances of getting a bad score from my kickers. I feel having three kickers is an advantage over every other team, and it really didn't cost me much. There is a negative having one less position player than everyone else, but I think that having an extra kicker offsets that.

You selected TO as the 2nd WR off the board. Tell us what you like about his prospects this season?
I have Owens as my number two WR, and this was an easy choice for me. He has had 13 or more TDs in six of the last nine years, and he finished fourth or better in WR scoring in all six of those years. No other WR can match that consistency. The Cowboys are lining him up a lot in the slot, trying to take advantage of the mismatches he creates. I am expecting a huge season from him.

You grabbed the consensus #1 TE in Gates. Was this your plan going predraft? Do you believe this is a key to winning this type of league?
Taking Gates was not part of my strategy because I never thought he would make it to pick 40. I gladly threw the strategy out the window to take him. I think studs like Gates are a huge advantage in the ten-team survivor leagues. Gates gives me a huge advantage with the 100-yard bonuses. He is a threat to get that every week, where most TEs will rarely get it.

Colin Dowling

Generic Questions

How does your approach differ for a ten-team league vice a twelve-team league?
In 10 team leagues, I worry a lot less about filling particular roster spots until the second half of the draft. With this being a best ball format, a 10 team league means every team is going to have a lot of talent. Missing out on that talent to fill a specific position early on is a mistake in my opinion. There are starting caliber receivers and ends in the mid-to-late rounds.

What did you do differently in this draft because of the Survivor format?
Very little, actually. I didn't pay much attention to bye weeks (although I probably should have). The only real thing I did differently was draft extra starting quarterbacks to make sure that I would always have a solid score from that spot. I find that in Survivor, you can paralyze yourself by trying to analyze every matchup and bye-week as you try and balance everything. Too much can happen in football; injuries, bad games, etc. One little wrinkle can make a complex Survivor strategy dead on arrival. Draft the best talent possible. Always.

What were your best picks?
Getting Fred Taylor so late was a steal. He's sharing touches, not sitting on the bench. Getting such a solid 5th rusher helped me avoid having to draft filler and backup running backs in the later rounds. I also was amazed that Matt Hasselbeck was available so late.

What were your worst picks?
As much as I was excited at the time, I probably would have past on Vince Young if I'd known I'd get such good value at QB later. I love JP Losman this season, and as I said before, Hasselbeck should be a good QB option as well. I also would not select Edgerrin James again. I wanted Cedric Benson and was counting on him making it to me in round 3. Not that I think James is a bad player, I just expect Cedric Benson to outperform him. I tried to get cute and it bit me.

Including your team, who has the three best teams? Why?

At present, David Dodds' team is going to be tough to beat. He has two top-5 WRs in Johnson and Wayne with Santana Moss and Braylon Edwards right in there. Gore, Portis, and the savvy Dunn pick mean that RB is good and becomes great if LT2 misses time and Turner gets in. Brady and Eli are solid fantasy options, and Winslow and Crumpler are both top notch tight end options. I'm a little shocked he has so much talent, even in a 10 teamer.
I like Jason Wood's team too. His RBs are rock solid in Alexander, Jacobs, Barber and Brown. His receivers aren't as strong as David's, but if Moss plays great, it might not matter since he also drafted Marvin Harrison. Love the Derrick Mason pick late. Mason is still a good receiver and if McNair can remember how to throw, he could offer great value.
I also like my team. I think I have the deepest, most quality stable of running backs in the league as I boast 5 guys that should easily get more than 200 touches each. My quarterback depth is similarly deep. I have 3 solid B+ receivers in Boldin, Jackson, and Johnson and my other receivers all have tremendous upside. I like the value I got at tight end in Watson and McMichael. The worst thing I can say about my team is that my defenses don't excite me. So be it.

What are the worst teams?

Looking at Mark Wimer's team, I don't get the feeling he'll be around long. Steve Smith and Larry Fitzgerald in the first 4 rounds created a chain reaction wherein he ended up with some real hit-or-miss guys in the backfield like Chris Brown and Jerious Norwood and unproven quarterbacks like Matt Leinart and Matt Schaub.
Cecil's team is a little thin in my opinion. I loved the early Manning pick, but the selection of Houshmandzadeh with Reggie Wayne on the board was a head-scratcher, and the selection of Marques Colston with Brandon Jacobs and Marshawn Lynch available and only one RB on the roster was surprising. That said, Manning may keep him in this all by himself.
Cathy Fazio's team has some nice pieces like LJ, Brees, and Holt, but other then that, I'm not sure who is supposed to score. Guys like Clayton and Jackson at receiver could be great value, but they're largely unproven so far. I think it's good that Brees has an early bye week (4) because I don't expect Delhomme and Green to be starters all season for their teams.

What will need to happen for you to win this league?
I need some of my receivers to play a bit better then expected. Boldin, Jackson, Johnson, and even Boston have the ability to be 1250 and 10 kinds of receivers. I'm going to need a couple of them to get near that range if I'm going to have any chance.

What were the three biggest steals in the whole draft? Why?
Reggie Wayne as the 9th receiver off the board seems downright criminal to me. Similarly, if we hold this draft tomorrow, Warrick Dunn is going about 40 spots higher.

Team Specific Questions

You were the only drafter to select 4 QBs. Explain why you went this direction?
I realize that the "QB Squeeze" is a hard strategy to implement, especially in a 10 teamer. That said, I thought Jason Campbell was far and away the best player available at the time. My other options were backup running backs, receivers needing to have career years to be effective in this format, or quarterbacks that have long since peaked as fantasy producers. I didn't intend to choose 4 quarterbacks, but I am glad that is how it ended up because I happen to think all 4 of these guys will play well this season.

You pulled the trigger quickly on rookie RB Adrian Peterson. What kind of production do you see from him this season?
This was a big mistake on my part. My strategy when selecting Edgerrin James in the 2nd round was to take Benson in the 3rd. Jason Wood even made a comment about that as I have been a huge Benson supporter. He didn't last the turn, so I selected Peterson who I think will have a great year as well. The next three rushers taken were Thomas Jones, Jerious Norwood, and Deuce McAllister; I am confident Peterson will out-produce all of those guys. Given the chance to do over, I'd have taken Benson in round two and grab Peterson or James (whoever was left) in Round 3.

You waited until the 12th round to select your first TE. Was this a designed strategy? Why do you think waiting late for your TEs is a winning strategy in this format?
I know who the stud tight ends are out there, and I don't have one of them. That said, McMichael in the Rams offense and Watson in the Patriots offense should be able to produce well enough to keep me in it. If I'd ended up with Owen Daniels and Zack Miller, the "wait on a tight end" strategy would have been foolish. But I got two better then average guys who should be just fine. On a side note, I was all set to draft Kellen Winslow in the 8th and Dodds stole him, which was the 2nd of 3 times he'd do that in the draft as he selected Reggie Wayne, Winslow, and Eli Manning when I was set to pounce. With that in mind, I didn't intend to wait on a tight end; the guy I wanted was sniped out from under me.

David Dodds

Generic Questions

How does your approach differ for a ten-team league vice a twelve-team league?
My approach in ten-team leagues is to try and grab elite talent at all of the positions. People like Peyton Manning, Antonio Gates actually become more valuable because quality RBs and WRs will last much longer in these drafts.

What did you do differently in this draft because of the Survivor format?
I try to minimize the number of "flier" picks. Zeroes in these types of leagues can kill you quickly. My goal was to build a team with players that had very defined roles.

What were your best picks?
I liked Reggie Wayne at 4.08, Baltimore's defense at 10.08 and Warrick Dunn at 14.08 offer a lot of upside with minimal risk. Backing up the often injured Brian Westbrook with the two backs that would fill his role (if injured) could also yield huge dividends.

What were your worst picks?
When we drafted Larry Johnson's contract status looked much bleaker. If he signs soon, Larry Johnson should have been selected over Frank Gore.

Including your team, who has the three best teams? Why?
I like Borbely's team the best and think Wood and I will also contend. Borbely started with the best player, but got even stronger by grabbing many elite players along the way. Outside of his Benson pick in round 3 he avoided RBs until the later rounds which yielded quality WRs. Many of the players he selected are having great camps and continue to rise up the draft boards. His team looks to be the clear favorite right now. Wood's team has no noticeable weaknesses and should be among the high scorers every week.

What are the worst teams?
I don't think any of the teams look very bad. I think Herman made a mistake grabbing his 2nd QB in the sixth round that could hurt his RB and WR strength. I think Wimer has very risky QBs that will likely determine his fate (good or bad). I think Tefertiller taking just 1 kicker (even the best projected kicker) is taking a very unnecessary risk in this format. Injuries to kickers are uncommon, but they can happen. Vinatieri also could have some low weeks that will hurt his roster.

What will need to happen for you to win this league?
I think the easiest way for to win would be an early injury to Westbrook. If that doesn't happen, I likely will need Warrick Dunn to be ready to go in week 1.

What were the three biggest steals in the whole draft? Why?
Demetrius Williams could be a starting WR and was selected in the 19th round. Both LenDale White (9th round) and Chris Brown (14th round) were value picks. If one gets the bulk of carries, he will be a huge steal. Anthony Thomas in the 15th round offers all upside.

Team Specific Questions

You were one of two drafters that selected just two QBs? Explain your logic here?
I opted to use extra picks on grabbing both of the Eagles backup RBs. I also preferred grabbing 7 WRs in this format. I think my selections of Tom Brady and Eli Manning are in very safe situations where they won't be benched regardless of performance this season.

Explain selecting backup Philadelphia RBs Correll Buckhalter and Tony Hunt. What are your expectations with these two players?
It was a gamble that Brian Westbrook gets injured. I also could see Westbrook getting lifted more near the goal line as the team attempts to preserve him (in an effort to keep him healthy deep into the season).

After selecting two RBs, you neglected the position until the 13th round and then selected RBs for 5 rounds straight. What was the logic behind this?
It's called gambling. I hoped to snag Warrick Dunn late and figured he would slide in a ten team league where people were able to have quality depth at the position. I almost took RBs in rounds 7, 9 and 10, but felt the value play was elsewhere. This is a risky strategy though as an injury to Gore or Portis could absolutely derail this team. But if I do get production from any of my RBs I selected late, this team could be among the best.

Cathy Fazio

Generic Questions

How does your approach differ for a ten-team league vice a twelve-team league?
I approach all drafts no matter the number of teams in them in a similar manner. Looking to fill out my starting lineup early in the draft and balance it out with bench players that I believe to have potential. In a ten team league, the pool of players is greater making this an easier task to accomplish.

What did you do differently in this draft because of the Survivor format?
I was more careful with watching bye weeks to make sure that when I was drafting I had a well balanced team with regard to byes. This is not a strategy that I normally employ when drafting in a regular league. In a regular format, I ignore bye weeks for my wide receivers and running backs.

What were your best picks?

4.07 Javon Walker
5.04 Drew Brees
7.04 Todd Heap

What were your worst picks?

11.04 Donte Stallworth
19.04 Peerless Price
21.04 Neil Rackers

Including your team, who has the three best teams? Why?

Colin Dowling
Dowling has the corner market on quarterbacks. And he was able to balance out his running backs and wide receivers. I like the duos of Steven Jackson and Edgerrin James as well as Anquan Boldin and Andre Johnson.
David Dodds
Dodds has a solid team across the board. I don't see a weak link there at all.
Mark Wimer
What I like about Mark Wimer's team is that he thinks outside the box when it comes to drafting and he drafted a very good team. I like the combination of the Jets' receivers. And the handcuffing of DeDe Dorsey to Joseph Addai.

What are the worst teams?

Mike Herman
Anthony Borbely
Jason Wood

What will need to happen for you to win this league?
I drafted two players with question marks surrounding them early in the draft, Larry Johnson and Torry Holt. I think what happens with them this season will be a major factor in how long I last in the league.

What were the three biggest steals in the whole draft? Why?

1.03 Frank Gore
After Gore the remaining running backs have a number of question marks surrounding them. Dodds was able to make the cornerstone of his team a solid stud running back with that pick.
18.05 DeDe Dorsey
Mark Wimer was able to get a backup running back with potential to see some time in relief of Joseph Addai very late in the draft.
14.06 Alex Smith
I like Smith's potential this season and think that at this point in the draft he represented a lot of value.

Team Specific Questions

You drafted Leon Washington a lot earlier than his ADP. What are your expectations for him this season?
It was not so much about my expectations for him this season that caused me to draft him at this point, but looking at the depth charts and the running backs that were available. As a third down running back, with the potential for some goal line carries he represented value to me at this point.

You waited until the 12th round to select your second QB. Was this your strategy going into the draft? Do you believe this is a key to winning in this format?
No this was not a planned strategy, I had a determined strategy for the opening of the draft and my plan was to treat the later rounds with an amount of fluidness depending on the availability of players. Choosing quarterbacks is one of my historical weaknesses in drafting and I did not want to take my backups too early when I could have been filling out other positions. I was looking at Matt Leinart and J.P. Losman as backups but they were drafted right before me at those spots, so I waited a couple of rounds.

What expectations do you have for Maurice Jones-Drew in his second season?
If Jones-Drew simply maintains the pace that he established last season, I will be very pleased with him as my second running back. Even behind Fred Taylor on the depth charts and only starting in one game, he scored 13 rushing touchdowns and 2 receiving touchdowns. Barring an injury to Taylor which would thrust him into a starting role, I am expecting similar things from him this season.

Jeff Tefertiller

Generic Questions

How does your approach differ for a ten-team league vice a twelve-team league?
In a 10 team league, there is more dependence on having "studs" at every position. I tried to get a top player at every position except WR since it was a non-PPR league. Also, RBs are more of a need since good WRs will fall in the draft.

What did you do differently in this draft because of the Survivor format?
I loaded up with four backs in first four rounds because of the non-PPR scoring. RBs should have consistent yardage with some big weeks for TDs, And, with no waivers, RB depth is very important. I decided to skimp at WR and rely on the RB position and trying to get as many players at top positions since I expect those players to have some huge games. I have a top QB, the top kicker and the top defense.

What were your best picks?
Thomas Jones in the 3rd round, Terry Glenn in the 10th and Chester Taylor in the 11th round. All should have some big games, which is key for survivor drafts.

What were your worst picks?
I wrestled with taking Bulger so early when good receivers were still on the board. I think I regret that decision now. I waited a long time for TE and have the injured LJ Smith as my TE1. That might have been too risky. Also, I probably could have waited a round on Vinatieri and the Bears defense, but really wanted both.

Including your team, who has the three best teams? Why?
Borbely has a very good team. Starting with Tomlinson helps, but he followed it up with strong QBs and good WRs (Evans and Owens). Wood had a good draft with Alexander slipping to him. He also has Brown, Barber and Jacobs at the RB position. I think my team will do well with the QB and RB depth since it is a non-PPR league.

What are the worst teams?
Herman had a tough draft. The corner was not kind to him. He will have a tough time with RB and WR depth. Lammey had a good draft but may be left a little short at RB depth. Survivor leagues have no waivers so having depth at RB is huge.

What will need to happen for you to win this league?
I need my WRs to produce. I took a large number of receivers hoping to catch some breaks and have some WRs emerge. I will need steady production from my RBs each week and good weeks from my three QBs.

What were the three biggest steals in the whole draft? Why?
Antonio Gates at 4.10 was a huge steal. He should have a stellar year this season. I know Darrell Jackson has injury concerns, but the ninth round is a steal. He has the ability to have some huge games. Michael Turner in the thirteenth round was absolute thievery. He could have a great season.

Team Specific Questions

You only drafted one PK, but got the consensus best kicker in Adam Vinatieri. Take us through your logic why you think drafting an 8th WR was more valuable than a backup PK in this format.
I like taking a top kicker and defense for this flexibility. Also, I took my first WR in the sixth round. Since I sloughed WR, I needed to make up for quality with quantity. I wanted a RB-heavy team, but knew I needed WRs each week. SO, the quantity of WRs should help offset not having a couple of top receivers.

You have your top RB (Willie Parker), your top WR (Hines Ward), your only kicker (Vinatieri) and a few role players off on week 6. Can this team survive the week 5 cut?
Parker is my only RB with a week six bye and Ward is my only top WR with that bye week. On Vinatieri's bye, I made sure to get a defense with a different bye week. Week six is a bad week for byes and I think I mitigated the exposure well drafting around the issue of having my best RB, best WR, and only kicker off the same week.

You were the first to take defenses and kickers (having them both by round 9). Why do you think this is a smart strategy in this format?
I think the top defense and top kicker are the most consistent and can have huge games. The Bears defense will have some huge games this year and I expect the Indy offense to kick a ton of field goals this season. At that point in the draft, I saw the drop-off at those two positions as the highest.

Mark Wimer

Generic Questions

How does your approach differ for a ten-team league vice a twelve-team league?
In a ten-team league survivor league, there is a lot more depth at each position than in a twelve-team league. In my draft position (in the middle of the draft), I was able to act in order to start runs (I took the first WR at #15) or to minimize my exposure to runs (selecting Jason Witten at #75), while still being confident that there would be quality RBs/QBs available later than usual in a 12 team league. In my opinion, this allowed me to be more flexible in the 10 team format than I would have been in a 12 team league - I doubt I would have been able to draft Ahman Green at pick #55 in a 12 team format simply due to relative scarcity driving up the price of RBs.

What did you do differently in this draft because of the Survivor format?
Drafting both Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery was purely a Survivor format play. I know that I'll get the best score among the starting Jets' WRs each week (or both of them, if Pennington has a monster game or two) without having the headache of deciding which to start and which to bench.

What were your best picks?
I was really pleased to scoop Ahman Green up at 6.05/#55; I'm pleased with the Smith/Fitzgerald combo to headline my WR corps; and I think that Joey Harrington could surprise (especially in the survivor format where I don't have to actually select him as a starter) some weeks - he was dirt cheap at 17.06/#166.

What were your worst picks?
Rob Bironas. I didn't realize he was struggling in his rehab of two offseason surgeries - I hadn't heard negative news about Bironas prior to the draft, only to read about his range being suspect a few days after the draft. My PK position may be thin if Bironas doesn't make it back to 100% by regular season. Matt Schaub was underwhelming in his first preseason game, so he looks like a shaky QB#2 at this time - but with 3 QBs on the roster if he tanks it won't kill my survivor roster.

Including your team, who has the three best teams? Why?

Mine, Mike Herman, Cathy Fazio. I have a stocked team with 3 solid starting RBs (Addai, Norwood, Green) and 2 interesting speculative backs (Betts, Brown) + Addai's backup (DeDe Dorsey), 2 top-5 receivers (Smith, Fitzgerald) plus a block of nice second and third-tier guys. Leinart is a solid QB#1 who may be poised to break out. Witten and Clark at TE is a nice duo.
Herman has a knockout QB combo with Kitna/Palmer (2 possible top-10 starters); Bush/Maroney/Lynch is a great trio and it looks like Foster is a lock for being the starter in Carolina, giving Mike 4 starting-caliber fantasy backs. Burress/Galloway/Porter/Henderson all look like solid starting WRs this year, with upside potential for Porter and Henderson. Cooley is solid at TE.
Fazio's gamble on Larry Johnson appears to be paying off as the negotiations are moving in a positive direction, and combining him with Jones Drew and Droughns forms a very solid base group at RB. DeAngelo Williams will get chances to make big plays as the junior partner of the Carolina tandem, and Leon Washington is only one "aggravation" of Thomas Jones' calf injury away from starting for the Jets. Holt/Walker/Clayton is an outstanding trio to headline the WRs, and Stallworth//Jackson should be good for some boom-type games, while Toomer provides a steady stream of FP each week for this squad should one of Holt/Walker/Clayton go down.

What are the worst teams?

It's not politic to criticize the boss, but I don't like David Dodds' team. Portis is struggling with knee tendonitis, and both of his TEs (Crumpler, Winslow) have a current history of knee problems. There is little depth behind Gore and Portis (Betts is on my team, and Dodds didn't draft Michael Robinson to back up Gore). Dunn has a bad back, Buckhalter has chronic knee problems, and Michael Bennett can't stay healthy for a 16 game slate. Behind his stud WRs Chad Johnson and Reggie Wayne, we have another injury-challenged player in Santana Moss. Braylon Edwards is solid, but he may have to suffer through 10+ games with Brady Quinn (who missed a ton of training camp) as the starting QB - even if he doesn't have to work with a rookie QB, Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson don't excite me - Edwards has little upside potential this year, in my opinion.
The other team I have reservations about is Anthony Borbely's. His #1 QB Donovan McNabb is a stud when healthy, but has publicly stated in recent weeks that his surgically repaired knee is 75-80% healed - a lot of his fantasy stud status derived from his rushing ability, which will be curtailed if the knee is suspect this year. Pennington and Leftwich as backups if McNabb goes down don't excite me. Obviously, LaDainian Tomlinson can carry many a fantasy squad, but behind him there are a lot of question marks: Can Cedric Benson elevate his game to elite status? Can Lamont Jordan stay healthy this year - and will it matter with the ugly cast of characters at QB in Oakland (Jordan is likely to see a lot of 8-man fronts this year, in my opinion). Will LenDale White's slacker attitude get him benched in favor of Chris Brown? Terrell Owens and Lee Evans are a solid basis for the WR corps, but behind these two are a lot of unproven youngsters (Calvin Johnson, Brandon Jones, Demetrius Williams) and an aging ex-stud (Muhsin Muhammad).

What will need to happen for you to win this league?
I need Ahman Green to return to some semblance of his top form with the Texans. Joseph Addai needs to be able to handle 75% of the rushing load in Indianapolis without breaking down under the pounding. Matt Leinart needs to make the leap into, ideally, the elite ranks (1-5) or the next tier of NFL QBs (6-10) in his first full season as a starter.

What were the three biggest steals in the whole draft? Why?

I really like getting Ahman Green at #55 - his reunion with current Texans' OC Mike Sherman (Green's old head coach in Green Bay) in Houston should boost him back into the top 10 at his position, in my opinion. Sherman knows how to utilize Green's talents. Green was the #15 fantasy RB in Green Bay last year on an offense that was disappointing.
Donald Driver at pick #47 (16th WR off the board) for Will Grant was a big steal - the guy has been 5th, 13th, and 10th best at his position over the last 3 years, and should easily land among the top 10 again this year.
Mike Herman scooping up Joey Galloway at #70 (27th WR off the board) - he was 15th among fantasy WRs last year and 5th the year before, and got an upgrade at QB with Jeff Garcia during the offseason

Team Specific Questions

You took Jerious Norwood a lot earlier than his ADP. What do you see in his game that justifies his 3rd round selection?
I think that Norwood's ADP is a reflection of the assumption that he'll be in a RBBC with Warrick Dunn. However, with Dunn suffering from a herniated disk/back surgery right before training camp, Norwood has been handling the vast majority of carries with the first team during the Falcon's 2007 training camp. I think we're witnessing a changing of the guard in Atlanta. Also, the team brought in FB Ovie Mughelli to lead block in a more power-running oriented offense this year - Norwood (6'0', 204) is cast more in the mold of a power back than the 5'8", 180 pound Dunn. Given the above, I expect Norwood to crack the top 20 at his position this year. Norwood has the talent to succeed, the shift in running philosophy favors him over Dunn, and Dunn has a bad back to boot - it looks like opportunity is knocking for Norwood and I wanted to have his production on my team. I'm very comfortable with him as my #2 in this format.

You grabbed Bobby Wade in the 12th round well ahead of ADP. Do you see him as the #1 WR in Minnesota? And if so, what are your expectations for him for this season?
Somebody has to catch the passes in Minnesota, and given that I had Troy Williamson on more than one fantasy team last year (meaning I watched him fail to produce multiple weekends), I think that guy is going to be Bobby Wade, despite the offseason vision correction for Williamson. As of the start of training camp, Wade was widely reported to be firmly atop the depth chart and a definite starter, while Williamson is battling Sidney Rice for the 2nd spot on the team. Also, Wade was the 6th and final wide receiver that I added to my team (Steve Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, Laveranues Coles, Jerricho Cotchery, Arnaz Battle, Bobby Wade) - I like to roll the dice with a bench position in this format, hoping to land a guy that vastly out produces his roster slot. I think Wade has a realistic shot to land somewhere among the top 24-36 WRs this year - somewhere between 850-950 yards and 3-6 TDs, if last year is any guide - not bad for a WR #6 on a fantasy team. A final factor in Wade's favor was that Wade has a week 5 bye, which is not shared with any of my other 5 WRs - important due to my Coles/Cotchery selections thinning my WR corps week 10.

You waited until the last two rounds to grab your kickers. Explain why you think this is a winning strategy in this format?
I think it is a winning strategy in any format excepting some bizarre league where kickers are somehow skewed to be overvalued. Kickers are simply too unpredictable from year to year to expend even a mid-round pick upon them, in my opinion. Adam Vinatieri is one of the very best kickers in the NFL, but finished 12th among fantasy kickers after joining the high-powered Colts offense last year. Why? Because the Colts tend to score TDs when faced with a scoring opportunity, which means Vinatieri kicked a lot of extra points, but not a whole lot of FGs. Robbie Gould, last year's #1 fantasy place kicker, was 29th fantasy PK during 2005 and played on a 2006 Bears' team that featured a grind-it-out power running attack - yet he still got 36 field goal attempts in addition to 47 extra point kicks. Vinatieri, in contrast, saw 28 attempts and completed 25 (with 38 extra points). Who would have dreamed that the Bears - with Rex Grossman at the helm - would score the same # of points (427, 26.7 points per game) as the Colts prior to the 2006 season? Even though both teams scored an identical number of total points, the place kickers were spaced widely on the PK leader board at the end of the year. I'd guess that Vinatieri was selected way ahead of Gould in 99.9% of fantasy drafts last year

Will Grant

Generic Questions

How does your approach differ for a ten-team league vice a twelve-team league?
In general, I like to wait on a QB until the middle rounds. In a ten-team league, you can really afford to wait on a position like that because there is always going to be some level of talent there for you to choose from. Even if every team in the league took three QBs, you'd still have three starting QBs on your team each week. That's a big advantage over twelve-team leagues where if you don't grab a good QB or TE early, you could be stuck with two really lousy guys and have to hope for a little luck to get you by.

What did you do differently in this draft because of the Survivor format?
Survivor format is really about two things: 1) Bye week management and 2) Big Week potential. Bye weeks are critical in a survivor format because if you have a bad week, you are really setting yourself up to be eliminated. In a redraft format, you can load yourself up on one or two bad weeks, eat the loss and win the Super Bowl with a 14-2 record. In survivor, one bad week might mean you're out of the game. Making sure that you have adequate coverage for bye weeks is critical. Big Week potential is also an important factor because you are always starting your best players. It doesn't really matter if two of your three QBs are rookies or guys who might not do so well. If one of them gets lucky against a week pass defense and throws for 300 yards and 2 TDs, you're going to benefit. You want WR who can turn in big games and RBs who churn out the points. A big week from a sleeper pick can keep you in the game for another two weeks.

What were your best picks?
Philip Rivers and Jay Cutler at 9 and 10. Young QBs who will start every game possible for their teams and at least one of them should turn in a solid performance each week. I also like Bernard Berrian in the eighth round because he can really in the big games in Chicago, and I think he's going to be the #1 WR there by the end of the season. In this format, a guy like Berrian can really add a lot of power to your team.

What were your worst picks?
Kevin Jones at 11.07. This was a pick relating back to the mistake that I made taking two RBs from the same off week. Jones might start the season on PUP and that's going to really hurt me if he's still not able to play by week 5 when my starters are off. Another quality WR like Kevin Curtis or Jerry Porter would have been a better choice now. Tarvaris Jackson was a position pick because I wanted three QBs He might surprise me and turn in a quality game here or there, but I should have taken my third QB earlier when there was a bit more depth. Jackson is good, but I should have had a better #3. Matt Jones at 14.04 was a stupid pick. I wanted Reggie Williams and Cecil took him right before my pick. I looked at the projections for the two, considered my team and took Jones because I wanted another WR This would have been a good place for another RB like Chris Brown or a QB like Alex Smith.

Including your team, who has the three best teams? Why?

Anthony Borbely has to be the favorite. The #1 overall pick in a twelve team league is hard to beat because you have such a drop in talent after that. In a ten team league, that's even more true because the gap between your first and second picks is a lot shorter as well.
Jason Wood's team is pretty stacked. Three solid QBs who can all light it up, excellent depth at RB with good solid starters. Excellent WR and TE and defenses are not bad given where they were taken. An excellent club.
I do like my team. I like Roy Williams and think that he has the potential to be a top five WR this season. Maybe even #1. I love the balance that I have at all of my positions, and if I can get by the week five issue, I really like my chances.

What are the worst teams?

Mike Herman has some great depth at RB and taking Palmer at 4.01 overall was a pretty good move. But his first WR didn't come until 5.10 (Plaxico Burress) and his next two were 7.10 (Joey Galloway) and 9.10 Isaac Bruce). I think this will hurt him in the long run because a big game from a WR can really pull you out of a jam.
My buddy Cecil is an excellent pod cast host, and taking Peyton Manning allowed him to forget about a QB for awhile. But taking his second RB at 5.08 left him with weaker depth at the RB position. Irons being lost for the year was a tough break as well. Wes Welker at 12.03 seems like a big reach at this point.

What will need to happen for you to win this league?
If Kevin Jones can return to form, or Vernand Morency proves that he can be the feature back in Green Bay, I like my chances. I've put a lot of faith in Michael Westbrook and Rudi Johnson, and I think I will do well if I can field a third RB that can perform each week (especially #5).

What were the three biggest steals in the whole draft? Why?

Amani Toomer at 22.07 is an interesting pick. People forget that Toomer is a solid target and if the New York Giant offense struggles without Tiki Barber, they are going to throw the ball a lot more. Toomer could be a nice value pick that late in the game.
Reggie Williams is going to have a good year. He's certainly going to have a few very solid games. Cecil has a nice sleeper pick at 14.03 value.
Michael Turner at 13.03 was an excellent pickup by Dodds. Turner broke some long games when giving LT2 a breather last season. If he can turn in a couple solid games in relief or even in mop-up duty, he'll be a great pick at 13.03.

Team Specific Questions

Your top two RBs have a week 5 bye. Any concerns that this could lead to a week 5/6 boot off? How did you approach the rest of the drafty after these selections?
While I would love to claim that this was all part of my drafting scheme or that I took the guys that I wanted, bye week be damned, the simple fact of the matter was that I wasn't paying attention right out of the gate. A big part of the Survivor format is bye week management and having my first two picks be off the same week was just careless on my part. It forced me to take a RB in the 3rd when a WR might have been a better choice given me a better core team. I took Kevin Jones in 11 to compensate, and even took Vernand Morency in 13 because I needed him for at least the first five weeks. I think that I covered it well, and with two weeks per elimination week, I should be OK At least I hope that I will be.

You selected your first QB in round 9 and then chose QBs with back-to-back picks. Why do you think this is a key to winning in this format?
In general I don't like taking a QB early. There are plenty of mid-tier talented guys that can get you just as many points if you play the matchups right. In a survivor format, where you always start your best guy, there are usually two schools of thought: 1) Take a big name QB early and forget about QB for a long time or 2) Take a couple 'above average' QBs in the mid rounds, add one later in the draft, and take advantage of the automatic QBBC. I'm going to start out with option #2 and alter the plan only if I see a QB that is two or three rounds below their ADP.

You drafted RBs with your first three picks. Explain the goal of this strategy?
I mentioned above that taking two RBs that were off the same week forced my hand to take a third. Had I drafted two RBs from two different weeks, this pick might have taken Marques Colston at 3.07. However, there is a good chance that I'd have taken McAllister anyway simply because of the ability to start three RBs each week. The beauty of a Survivor format is the 'automatic start' of your best players. RBs are consistent and on a week where a WR might underperform, having three solid RBs can really boost your overall score.

Cecil Lammey

Generic Questions

How does your approach differ for a ten-team league vice a twelve-team league?
There is more top talent available, so you can take a few more chances. If you reach for a guy a little early, you can make up for it in the later rounds.

What did you do differently in this draft because of the Survivor format?
Survivor is all about explosive capability. I looked for players that I believed have the ability to blow it up on any given week. I also looked for players that could emerge as the starters in case of emergency, and perform well.

What were your best picks?
Julius Jones should have a bigger role in the Cowboys offense. He is running with more authority than we've seen in a long time from him. Tatum Bell represents great value where I got him. I like the pick of Wes Welker, and he will be on most all of my fantasy teams.

What were your worst picks?
Now that he's out for the year, Kenny Irons was a wasted pick.

Including your team, who has the three best teams? Why?

Jeff Tefertiller put together a great team again. I like his depth at RB, with Parker, McGahee, and Tjones leading the way. Will Grant had a good draft. I like his WR corps. I think that Matt Jones will be a bum, but Grant has a bunch of other great talent that will help carry him. Jason Wood is always solid. His RBs are a little shaky, but with good WR depth and Tony Gonzales heading up his TEs, Wood will be there in the end.

What are the worst teams?

Mark Wimer clowned me for drafting Rex Grossman in the 11th round to back up Peyton Manning. Yet, he himself drafted Matt Leinart, Matt Schaub, and Joey Harrington. I am not a fan of Rex, but behind Manning he should be my best QB only one week (Manning's bye week). I'm just bitter. LOL Cathy Fazio drafted a ton of potential, but I don't like her RBs. Other than a couple of stars, her WR corps is weak as well. Borbely had a weak draft because of 2 things: drafting TJ Duckett, and taking LenDale White from me when I was poised to pick him! I told you I was bitter.

What will need to happen for you to win this league?
My RBs will have to hit. Manning is a super stud at QB, my WRs are young but explosive. My RBs could be the best part of my team if Julius Jones, Tatum Bell, and Brandon Jackson play like they can.

What were the three biggest steals in the whole draft? Why?

Demetrius Williams at the 19.01
Malcolm Floyd at the 17.10
Marty Booker at the 20.05

Team Specific Questions

Your top QB (Manning), top RB (Henry), Top TE (Davis) and top defense (Pittsburgh) all have a week 6 bye. Any concerns here?
There are plenty of concerns. I usually don't draft more than 2 players with the same bye week, and certainly never more than 2 players from the same position with the same bye week. I believe that I have enough punch at the other positions to carry me through past that one week. We shall see, it could be the week that I'm eliminated, however, I doubt it.

You selected Patrick Crayton well head of ADP. What do you like about his game and situation this season?
There's plenty to like about Patrick Crayton. Terry Glenn is banged up, and one must wonder if he'll be the same now that Bill Parcells is gone. Crayton has proven that he can get the job done as a starter in the past, and I was quite shocked that the Cowboys only extended his contract by one year. He will be a solid player to get me points every week, even when/if Glenn comes back.

You drafted more RBs than any other squad. Do you think that gives you an advantage in this format?
Certainly. My WRs were pretty strong, so I decided to stock up on RBs that will be the engine for my success. In addition to compiling some great talent, I was also preventing other teams from stocking up at the position. In survivor leagues it's all about making it to that next week. Every week is up in the air, so giving yourself the advantage of having some great backs will only help you last longer than everyone else.

Jason Wood

Generic Questions

How does your approach differ for a ten-team league vice a twelve-team league?
Obviously scarcity of positions is less of a concern, particularly at the QB position. With only 10 teams, and having 2 QBs count each week, you are pretty much guaranteed a solid shot at 3 starters unless either a) you really wait until the very last rounds or b) someone else screws up their draft by taking too many QBs

What did you do differently in this draft because of the Survivor format?
If you look at the team's who win Survivor drafts, it's rarely the team that people flag as having the best draft. Why? Because it's a battle of attrition. This isn't about putting a team together that can win a head-to-head matchup each week, it's about putting together a team that won't be the worst team in a given week. BIG DIFFERENCE. For me, that gives more credence to mediocre but predictable veterans over much hyped rookies and 2nd year guys who may or may not see any PT.

What were your best picks?
I LOVED that I landed Big Ben and Tony Romo despite waiting until the 10th and 8th rounds, respectively. I have Romo as a surefire top 5-7 QB and Big Ben should slot into the top 10, as well. I'm also expecting big things from Marion Barber so landing him in the 6th round made me all sorts of giddy.

What were your worst picks?
I value enforced with Ronnie Brown and Shaun Alexander, but I don't necessarily love either of them as my franchise cornerstones. If healthy they won't hurt me, but I'm not sure either will give my top 5 RB numbers even if things come to pass as expected.

Including your team, who has the three best teams? Why?

Mike Herman's team sticks out to me. Three solid QBs, and his RB stable is surprisingly solid for a guy who wasted picks on Priest Holmes and Cecil Sapp. I don't like his choice of 3 defenses in this scoring format (Ds barely differentiate from one another), but he's got depth and high quality depth, at that.
I'm definitely a contender if my team stays healthy, so count me as one of the top three.
Last, but certainly not least, is Colin Dowling. Normally I would hate the 4 QB roster but somehow he managed to draft a killer set of skill players. He could have five legitimate 1,200-yard rushers if things pan out with Adrian Peterson and some of his deep reaches at WR (Craig Davis, Troy Williamson, David Boston) look like they were prescient.

What are the worst teams?

Much love to my boy Cecil Lammey but not much love for his squad. Cec is a die hard college scout and it showed with his penchant for grabbing rookies at high risk spots. Kenny Irons is already out for the year (not Cec' fault obviously) but Lorenzo Booker was a reach as was Kolby Smith. Neither are likely to be their team's RB2 much less get significant PT. In redrafts you can take risks like that because the waiver wire can salvage a poor choice, in Survivor you don't have that luxury. Also, his decision to draft only two QBs was risky, but when the 2nd QB is Rex Grossman, you're asking for failure.
Will Grant has me scratching my head, too. I wonder if my league mates looked at the defensive scoring rules because, if so, I don't see how anyone justified taking three of them. Defenses are the one slot you're guaranteed not to have to worry about losing for the season. Although he took 3 QBs, Tarvaris Jackson is very questionable to play the full season in my view. His RB stable is tough to get behind, as Kevin Jones might start the year on the PUP, Vernand Morency is injured and in a committee, Adrian Peterson in Chicago is a 3rd stringer, and Deuce McAllister is in a committee with Reggie Bush.
The last spot was tough, as I like most of the other teams to be competitive. I'll give the nod to Dodds, for two reasons. One, he only drafted two QBs Two, he took way too many backup RBs including two Philly backups (Hunt and Buckhalter), Michael Turner, and Michael Bennett. Meanwhile his main starters, Clinton Portis, Frank Gore and Warrick Dunn are all injured as I type this.

What will need to happen for you to win this league?
Avoid that inevitable week where byes put my team in a vulnerable state. Stay healthy. Rinse. Repeat.

What were the three biggest steals in the whole draft? Why?
Herman grabbing Foster in the 10th is impressive; and I'm partly to blame as I keep waiting for DeAngelo Williams to emerge; but it looks like Foster will once again be the lead dog at least to start the season. I think Cathy Fazio (Vincent Jackson) and Mark Wimer (Ladell Betts) grabbed potential stars that their positions in the 9th round; solid work. Personally, I love my choices of Barber in the 6th and Romo in the 8th. Can't believe I'm happy about rostering Cowboys, but this Eagles fan knows no allegiances when it comes to fantasy football.

Team Specific Questions

You drafted RBs in the first three rounds. Why do you like that strategy in this format?
This is a non-PPR league so WRs really don't hold as much relative value. Also, since it's 2 RB/3 WR/1 Flex format, it makes no sense to not have a 3rd RB in your lineup any week that you can afford it. But most of all, it came down to value. I didn't have my sights set on 3 RBs in the first three rounds, but when Brandon Jacobs was there for the taking I couldn't pass him up. He'll get close to 300 carries and 10+ TDs this year.

You waited until very late to grab both your kickers and your defenses. Do you believe that is a key to winning in this format?
I think the keys to winning this format are luck, health and more luck. Honestly, everyone in this league is savvy and knows fantasy football. The keys are not losing any of your studs to injury and hoping one of your backups ends up playing a huge role at someone else's expense. My decision to draft kickers and defenses late was twofold. One, in this scoring system there is very little difference between them. Two, it's really hard to predict PK and DST performance from year to year.

You got your guy Marion Barber at a great price. Tell us what you like about his skills and situation this year.
Barber outperformed Julius Jones in virtually every category last year, save for the all important one; number of touches. With a new coaching staff on hand, I can't see how Barber won't at least gain parity (i.e., 50%) of the touches once they see what we already know; Barber is a better player. At worst, he's the team's goal line and 3rd down back, both roles he flourished in last year. To land him as my 4th RB is an absolute steal.

Mike Herman

Generic Questions

How does your approach differ for a ten-team league vice a twelve-team league?
My general approach remains the same, although the results may occasionally shift. During the course of the draft, it's still a matter of monitoring the same things: what's filled and what's open in my roster, what's filled and what's open in everyone else's roster, what does the remaining player pool look like at each position, what does the remaining player pool look like for the current tier of players being drafted. Since the player pool is spread less thin, there may be occasions where I can land two players in the same tier at a given position, whereas in a twelve team league I may have only been able to draft one. If so, I can then move other priorities upwards. Of course, all the other drafters have the same advantage, so it isn't really an advantage.

What did you do differently in this draft because of the Survivor format?
I definitely tried to avoiding selecting players with the same bye weeks at the same position, in order to maximize the number of contributors each week. The only duplicates I ended up with were two out of six players at both RB and WR In a typical redraft head-to-head format I pay attention to byes, but don't consider it essential. I also selected two kickers and three defenses. In a typical league with some form a weekly waiver wire, I often only draft one player at those positions, and then work the waiver wire based on weekly matchups. I tried to avoid drafting players that although they would be starters to begin the season, might end up on the bench later in the year due to a veteran returning from an injury or a promising rookie eventually getting the start.

What were your best picks?
I like TE Chris Cooley a lot this year. I consider him just as safe and with just as much upside as the handful of tight ends that go before him, however he can usually be drafted a round or two later (and several rounds later than Antonio Gates). I also like DeShaun Foster as my RB4. He's being drafted as if he'll be the lesser of a committee situation in Carolina, although I can see him out producing DeAngelo Williams.

What were your worst picks?
Priest Holmes. There were definitely better choices available with greater potential to contribute. Not sure what I was thinking. I'm going to blame it on the fact that when the last round of the draft came around, it was well past my bedtime.

Including your team, who has the three best teams? Why?

Borbely: His team is very solid at every position, whereas most teams have a weak position or two. His non-Tomlinson running back group is average, but with Tomlinson that should be fine. I deducted a point for his team name, but added a point back for being the only team to draft a third kicker.
Tefertiller: Very strong at QB and RB, which is where the big points lie. That should more than offset his one weak spot, the tight end position. He'll have to hope that he doesn't get burned in week 6, when his only kicker has his bye. If he misses the cut by a few points, maybe he'll think twice about disrespecting kickers in the future.
Dodds: Definitely has the strongest batch of wide receivers. Baltimore is great by themselves on defense, and Green Bay is a nice compliment. My only concern would be whether his boatload of running backs can put up the points when he needs them. Kaeding and Mare both play for high powered offenses, so he should be solid at kicker.

What are the worst teams?

Lammey: Love the Audible, but his team… not so much. Love Peyton Manning, but Grossman… not so much. His team has plenty of depth at both RB and WR, but many of them need circumstances to fall into place to put up points. I guess there are too many gambling picks for my cautious nature. He does have an excellent pairing of kickers, but that probably won't be enough to carry his team.
Fazio: I'd be very worried with her set of running backs, even if Larry Johnson wasn't holding out. The other positions should score well, but not enough to offset that. Elam is as close to a guarantee of kicker production as it gets, but Rackers already had his career year.
Wimer: I don't see significant upside for any of his QBs this year. If Portis misses significant time, then his RB group would improve quite a bit with Betts, but that's a big IF. Both Nedney and Bironas are both at the lower end of the-middle-of-the-pack, which gives him the lowest grade at kicker of anyone in the league.

What will need to happen for you to win this league?
I need my quarterbacks to carry more than their fair share of the load, since I took a calculated risk in drafting them early. I need RB Laurence Maroney's shoulder to be fine. I need WR Jerry Porter to be the opposite of what he was last year. Similar to the QBs, but to a lesser degree, I need my power trio of defenses to coordinate their schedules and have one of them provide a big game every week.

What were the three biggest steals in the whole draft? Why?
I typically think of steals as the younger players taken in late rounds that emerge from seemingly out of nowhere to join the established stars. I'm assuming most of my league mates' answers will be along those lines, so I'll answer in reverse… naming three old guys that are supposed to start fading away, but that I think will still have very good years. Let's start with Brett Favre as the 17th QB drafted. I can't see his production dropping that far, regardless of whether the coaching staff tells him to drop off. He's been a top ten fantasy QB in 13 of the last 15 years, including 8th last year. The offensive line returns intact, and the running back position is in flux. Favre should be slinging the ball around as usual. Old guy at running back? Warrick Dunn was the 44th RB off the board. Obviously his current injury caused him to tumble in drafts, plus Jerious Norwood could see an expanded role this year. Nonetheless, it's hard to imagine Dunn not out-producing his draft slot before the year is over. His fantasy rank has been between 12th and 27th every year of his career. I was set to draft him with my next pick had he still been available. At wide receiver, David Boston isn't actually old, although he already faded (big time). If he actually lands a starting spot, which appears to be a possibility, he'll easily be a steal having been taken in the next to last round. Stranger things have happened.

Team Specific Questions

Despite knowing everything possible about every kicker in the league, you drafted only two for your team. Where's the love?
Keep in mind that we are three decades removed from the 70s. We now know that when it comes to love, quality is far more important than quantity. I presently have Scobee and Brown as the 5th and 6th ranked kickers this year. I was confident that they (or a few others in my top ten) would still be available late in the draft, while others were drafting the usual kicker culprits and the kickers that finished at the top last year.

You were the first to have two QBs (having Palmer and Kitna locked up by round 6). Explain why you think this is a key to winning in this format?
I initially considered going this route since passing TDs are worth six points, which further inflates the relative scoring of QBs to other positions. There are no guarantees in fantasy football, but by drafting a stud QB early and the QB in Mike Martz's system several rounds later, I feel I come as close as possible to guaranteeing really big QB points every week. The obvious sacrifice for this was the WR position, where others were drafting the stud receivers while I was unconventionally grabbing two QBs The only reason I was willing to do that was because my WR rankings look different from most other FBG rankings. I utilize my situation-based WR Matrix to rank WRs, and had a handful of players highly ranked that would still be available further into the draft. For example, I have Plaxico Burress and Joey Galloway ranked higher than Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

You picked up Isaac Bruce well ahead of ADP. What are your expectations for him this year?
I expect him to be a very solid number two receiver for a strong Rams offense, just like last year. I agree with everything that was written in FBG's Value Plays article regarding Bruce. Why did I reach for him? At the point I drafted him, he was my highest ranked wide receiver still available. Since I was drafting at the turn, I decided not to gamble on waiting until the next turn nearly two full rounds later. I know that's not the value thing to do, however, I had already veered off the value path early in the draft.

BONUS INFO

Taking a look at six random weeks for last year's results in this scoring format, following are the average number of players that scored 20+ points in a given week:

Position	Number
QB	10.5
RB	7.7
WR	2.3
TE	0.5
PK	0.0
Def	2.5