Join the Footballguys Daily Update
Start your morning with our roundup of the most important stories in football - with the fantasy insight you need to make league-winning decisions. Delivered straight to your inbox, 100% free.
LEAGUE PARAMETERS
- 12 teams
- 20 roster spots
- Starting Lineup
- 1 quarterback
- 2 running backs
- 3 wide receivers
- 1 tight end
- 1 flex (either a running back, wide receiver, or tight end)
- 1 team defense
LEAGUE SCORING
- Offensive Players
- 4 points - passing touchdown
- 6 points - rushing/receiving touchdown
- 0.04 points - passing yard
- 0.1 points - rushing/receiving yard
- 1 point - reception
- Team Defense
- 6 points - touchdown
- 2 points - turnover recovered
- 2 points - safety
- 1 point - sack
- 10 points - Offensive points against: 0-0
- 7 points - Offensive points against: 1-6
- 3 points - Offensive points against: 7-14
- 0 point - Offensive points against: 15-20
- 0 points - Offensive points against: 21-99
- 6 points each - Number of Defensive and Special Teams Touchdowns
AUCTION DETAILS:
- $200 of auction dollars were available to all 12 teams
- Players were nominated in a rotation cycle beginning with team 1 through team 10 and back to team 1 repeating the rotation again until all 12 teams filled their 20-man roster.
- 15 second timer upon nomination was used to determine the winning bid. The timer was also 15 seconds for each subsequent bid
- Teams had 40 seconds to nominate a player when it was their turn in the rotation.
THE ROTATION ORDER
1. Jeff Haseley
2. Andy Hicks
3. Matt Bitonti
4. Bear Heiser
5. Scott Bischoff
6. Jeff Tefertiller
7. Aaron Rudnicki
8. Cian Fahey
9. Danny Tuccitto
10. Stephen Holloway
11. BJ Vanderwoude
12. Daniel Simpkins
Starting with Team 1, we'll go over each team's winning bids
Jeff Haseley
Player | Winning Bid |
Robinson, Allen JAC WR | $36.00 |
Ingram, Mark NOS RB | $26.00 |
Landry, Jarvis MIA WR | $25.00 |
Hyde, Carlos SFO RB | $19.00 |
Rawls, Thomas SEA RB | $19.00 |
Floyd, Michael ARI WR | $14.00 |
Jones, Marvin DET WR | $13.00 |
Luck, Andrew IND QB | $10.00 |
Roethlisberger, Ben PIT QB | $10.00 |
Barnidge, Gary CLE TE | $7.00 |
Langford, Jeremy CHI RB | $6.00 |
Foster, Arian FA* RB | $3.00 |
Wheaton, Markus PIT WR | $3.00 |
Hogan, Chris NEP WR | $2.00 |
Cook, Jared GBP TE | $2.00 |
Thompson, Chris WAS RB | $1.00 |
Crowder, Jamison WAS WR | $1.00 |
Tye, Will NYG TE | $1.00 |
Catanzaro, Chandler ARI PK | $1.00 |
Panthers, Carolina CAR Def | $1.00 |
Overall Strategy
Disciplined budget; Emphasis on Wide Receivers ($94 out of $200 budget); light expenditure on Tight Ends ($10)
Best Buy
Jared Cook, $2.00 - Cook is penciled in as the lead tight end for the Packers, even though he had foot surgery in early June - the team called it a 'preventative' measure. Cook missed the rest of the Packers' OTAs and minicamp as a result. Packers' head coach Mike McCarthy said on June 6 that Cook's foot injury isn't a long-term issue. McCarthy said doctors feel good about his return, though no timetable had been established at that time. As of mid-July, Cook is expected to participate in training camp, but the uncertainty caused by the injury rehab allowed Haseley to buy into the Packers' high-octane passing attack at virtually no cost. If Cook becomes a favorite target of Aaron Rodgers (a distinct possibility), Jeff's $2 buy will pay off handsomely.
Worst Buy
Mark Ingram, $26.00 - Ingram is the clear lead back for the Saints, but the guy has played a full slate of 16 games just once in his five-year career, and averages 12.4 games played per year so far. He did show a spike in receptions during 2015, but the arrival of Coby Fleener as the new lead tight end might whittle down Ingram's PPR impact. In any case, $26 seems like a large chunk of change for a guy who has never scored double-digit TDs during his career.
Evaluation
Haseley has a well-balanced team across the board, but he's going to need to have positive health outcomes at the running back position (Thomas Rawls, Mark Ingram, Carlos Hyde) to stay competitive. IF everything breaks right for him at running back, the rest of the team is powerful enough to make the playoffs - but that is a big IF considering his running back stable.
Andy Hicks
Player | Winning Bid |
Peterson, Adrian MIN RB | $45.00 |
Gronkowski, Rob NEP TE | $39.00 |
Martin, Doug TBB RB | $29.00 |
Mathews, Ryan PHI RB | $16.00 |
Wilson, Russell SEA QB | $14.00 |
Murray, DeMarco TEN RB | $12.00 |
Sanders, Emmanuel DEN WR | $12.00 |
Treadwell, Laquon MIN WR | $9.00 |
Ebron, Eric DET TE | $7.00 |
Bridgewater, Teddy MIN QB | $4.00 |
Cutler, Jay CHI QB | $2.00 |
Garcon, Pierre WAS WR | $2.00 |
Texans, Houston HOU Def | $2.00 |
Funchess, Devin CAR WR | $1.00 |
Kearse, Jermaine SEA WR | $1.00 |
Matthews, Rishard TEN WR | $1.00 |
Wallace, Mike BAL WR | $1.00 |
Witten, Jason DAL TE | $1.00 |
Gano, Graham CAR PK | $1.00 |
Jaguars, Jacksonville JAC Def | $1.00 |
Overall Strategy
"Studs and Duds", allocated $110 of $200 cap to four players (his first-string QB, RB, WR, TE), Very Running Back heavy budget ($102 spent on four running backs), punted on wide recievers ($27 spent on six wide receivers)
Best Buy
Rob Gronkowski, $39.00 - As Hicks was going all in on his top players, he secured the very best tight end in the NFL with this purchase. The gap between Gronkowski and the rest of the crowd at his position is glaringly obvious, and provides an anchor for this club.
Worst Buy
DeMarco Murrray, $12.00 - Murray is in a time-sharing arrangement in Tennessee this year, after sulking his way off the field in Philadelphia last season. Murray was not impressive behind an average offensive line in Philadelphia last year, and the Titan's offensive line doesn't remind anyone of the unit that built Murray's reputation in Dallas. The money committed to Murray could have been spent better elsewhere.
Evaluation
Hicks will need at least two of his $1.00-$2.00 "bargain" wide receivers to elevate their game during 2016 in order to be competitive (Devin Funchess; Pierre Garcon; Jermaine Kearse; Rishard Matthews; Mike Wallace) and his top two receivers (Emmanuel Sanders, $12.00; and Laquon Treadwell, $9) look more like #2 and #3 fantasy wide receivers as of mid-July. His team is stacked at quarterback, running back and tight end but the wide receivers look like a problem spot for this franchise.
Matt Bitonti
Player | Winning Bid |
Elliott, Ezekiel DAL RB | $38.00 |
Hopkins, DeAndre HOU WR | $38.00 |
Allen, Keenan SDC WR | $35.00 |
Benjamin, Kelvin CAR WR | $15.00 |
Walker, Delanie TEN TE | $13.00 |
Murray, Latavius OAK RB | $12.00 |
Gordon, Melvin SDC RB | $8.00 |
Stafford, Matthew DET QB | $7.00 |
Coleman, Tevin ATL RB | $7.00 |
Graham, Jimmy SEA TE | $5.00 |
Jets, New York NYJ Def | $3.00 |
Perkins, Paul NYG RB | $2.00 |
Osweiler, Brock HOU QB | $1.00 |
Allen, Javorius BAL RB | $1.00 |
Ginn Jr., Ted CAR WR | $1.00 |
Gordon, Josh CLE WR | $1.00 |
Randle, Rueben PHI WR | $1.00 |
Janikowski, Sebastian OAK PK | $1.00 |
McManus, Brandon DEN PK | $1.00 |
Bengals, Cincinnati CIN Def | $1.00 |
Overall Strategy
"Studs and Duds"; $111.00 of $200.00 cap allocated to three players (one running back and two wide receivers); Emphasis on wide receivers ($91.00 devoted to wide receivers)
Best Buy
DeAndre Hopkins, $38.00 - Hopkins is a young, rising superstar in the NFL with no competition for his #1 wide receiver role on the Houston squad. He should be worth every penny Bitonti spent to acquire his services.
Worst Buy
Jimmy Graham, $5.00 - Even at this pedestrian price, investing in Graham is an extremely risky proposition this year. Patellar tendon injuries are very difficult for NFL players to overcome, and this particular injury has seriously degraded/ended many NFL careers (witness Victor Cruz's struggles to get back to action for the Giants as a case in point). Graham should have been left to other bidders.
Evaluation
The core of Bitonti's team (Ezekiel Elliot, Keenan Allen, and Hopkins) is formidable, and the quarterbacking duo of Matthew Stafford and Brock Osweiler forms an inexpensive committee with upside potential for this squad. Depth at running back is problematic behind Elliot and Latavius Murray, with various junior members of NFL running back committees forming the bench at this position (Melvin Gordon; Tevin Coleman; Javorius Allen; Paul Perkins). Bitonti will need both Elliot and Murray to stay healthy for the full slate of 16 games if he is going to stay competitive.
Bear Heiser
Player | Winning Bid |
Gurley, Todd RAM RB | $41.00 |
Johnson, David ARI RB | $39.00 |
Jeffery, Alshon CHI WR | $31.00 |
Hurns, Allen JAC WR | $20.00 |
White, Kevin CHI WR | $17.00 |
Rodgers, Aaron GBP QB | $15.00 |
Abdullah, Ameer DET RB | $12.00 |
Bortles, Blake JAC QB | $6.00 |
Ellington, Bruce SFO WR | $4.00 |
Miller, Zach CHI TE | $3.00 |
Seahawks, Seattle SEA Def | $3.00 |
Carey, Ka'Deem CHI RB | $1.00 |
Spiller, C.J. NOS RB | $1.00 |
Adams, Davante GBP WR | $1.00 |
Agholor, Nelson PHI WR | $1.00 |
Williams, Terrance DAL WR | $1.00 |
Wright, Kendall TEN WR | $1.00 |
Clay, Charles BUF TE | $1.00 |
Aguayo, Roberto TBB PK | $1.00 |
Barth, Connor NOS PK | $1.00 |
Overall Strategy
"Studs and Duds"; ($111.00 of $200.00 cap invested in top three players, plus the second-highest salary for a quarterback in this league at $15.00 for Aaron Rodgers) - emphasis on running backs ($82.00 spent on this position) and quarterbacks ($21.00 invested)
Best Buy
Blake Bortles, $6.00 - Bortles tore up the league with 35 TD passes last year, and this Jaguar's offense is improving rather than regressing - Heiser may well end up starting Bortles as much as he does Rodgers during 2016.
Worst Buy
Kevin White, $17.00 - White is as green as spring grass after missing his entire rookie season due to a fractured shin. He hasn't proven anything at the NFL level yet, so $17.00 on pure speculation looks like a potential waste of almost 10% of Heiser's salary cap. Also, Heiser has invested $51.00 in the Bears' passing attack between White, Alshon Jeffery, and tight end Zach Miller - a quarter of his cap - this looks like a questionable strategy given the mercurial nature of Jay Cutler.
Evaluation
Heiser has a squad that is tied to the Bears' offensive team, and he also has depth issues at wide receiver (Davante Adams and Nelson Agholor are both in unfavorable situations on their repective squads, for example). This team looks like a candidate for also-ran during 2016.
Scott Bischoff
Player | Winning Bid |
Nelson, Jordy GBP WR | $36.00 |
Charles, Jamaal KCC RB | $33.00 |
Newton, Cam CAR QB | $27.00 |
Gore, Frank IND RB | $15.00 |
Blount, LeGarrette NEP RB | $13.00 |
McKinnon, Jerick MIN RB | $11.00 |
Riddick, Theo DET RB | $11.00 |
Aiken, Kamar BAL WR | $9.00 |
Austin, Tavon RAM WR | $7.00 |
Jackson, DeSean WAS WR | $7.00 |
Bennett, Martellus NEP TE | $7.00 |
Fleener, Coby NOS TE | $7.00 |
Green-Beckham, Dorial TEN WR | $4.00 |
Eagles, Philadelphia PHI Def | $3.00 |
Flacco, Joe BAL QB | $2.00 |
Hightower, Tim NOS RB | $2.00 |
McDonald, Vance SFO TE | $2.00 |
Cardinals, Arizona ARI Def | $2.00 |
Crosby, Mason GBP PK | $1.00 |
Tucker, Justin BAL PK | $1.00 |
Overall Strategy
Disciplined Budget, Balanced Team ($63.00 of $200.00 cap allocated to five wide receivers; $85.00 to six running backs; $16 to three tight ends; $29 to two quarterbacks)
Best Buy
Vance McDonald, $2.00 - McDonald grew into a top target for Blaine Gabbert during the second half of the 2015 season, and all reports out of Santa Clara indicate that Gabbert is going to be the starter for new head coach Chip Kelly. In the uptempo attack that Kelly deploys, McDonald may see a LOT of targets and receptions (during 2014, the last full year that Kelly coached Philadelphia, their three tight ends Zach Ertz, Brent Celek and James Casey handled 143 targets for 93/1,101/6 as a group).
Worst Buy
Jerick McKinnon, $11.00 - Paying double-digits for Adrian Peterson's backup (when you don't have Adrian Peterson on your team) looks like a very questionable allocation of resources. It may be that Bischoff was trying to drive up the price of McKinnon but he wound up overpaying for a guy who is not too likely to play a role in the Viking's offense while Peterson is around.
Evaluation
Bischoff has built in a lot of 'boom' potential to this squad. Cam Newton can score fantasy points in bunches, and Jordy Nelson, Jamaal Charles and Coby Fleener all look like key pieces to their respective team's offensive puzzles. The wide receiver depth behind Nelson and DeSean Jackson is a little shaky, but this team has the look of a contender as of mid-July.
Jeff Tefertiller
Player | Winning Bid |
Evans, Mike TBB WR | $32.00 |
Watkins, Sammy BUF WR | $32.00 |
Freeman, Devonta ATL RB | $30.00 |
Hilton, T.Y. IND WR | $27.00 |
Marshall, Brandon NYJ WR | $25.00 |
Cobb, Randall GBP WR | $22.00 |
Matthews, Jordan PHI WR | $15.00 |
Mariota, Marcus TEN QB | $2.00 |
Drake, Kenyan MIA RB | $2.00 |
Starks, James GBP RB | $2.00 |
Carroo, Leonte MIA WR | $2.00 |
Smith, Alex KCC QB | $1.00 |
Taylor, Tyrod BUF QB | $1.00 |
Booker, Devontae DEN RB | $1.00 |
Draughn, Shaun SFO RB | $1.00 |
Boldin, Anquan FA* WR | $1.00 |
Brate, Cameron TBB TE | $1.00 |
Walford, Clive OAK TE | $1.00 |
Boswell, Chris PIT PK | $1.00 |
Patriots, New England NEP Def | $1.00 |
Overall Strategy
Wide Receivers front and center, roll the dice on running backs and quarterbacks. Tefertiller spent $156.00 of his $200.00 cap on eight wide receivers.
Best Buy
Brandon Marshall, $25.00 - Worries over whether the Jets will sign Ryan Fitzpatrick must have depressed Marshall's cost, as he finished as the third-best fantasy wide receiver in the land last year, but was the 15th-most expensive wide receiver in this draft (tied with Jarvis Landry). Tefertiller got Marshall at a hefty discount compared to the premium paid for, say, Odell Beckham Jr. ($45.00).
Worst Buy
Sammy Watkins, $32.00 - Paying such a premium for a player currently rehabbing a broken foot (remember Dez Bryant's struggles during 2015?) seems like a bad allocation of resources - Watkins may not participate in training camp/preseason at all, and the beginning of regular season is in doubt, too. Even if he makes it back for Week One, his timing will likely be off with Tyrod Taylor due to a lack of reps together this year.
Evaluation
Tefertiller went with a strategy that emphasized wide receiver at the expense of every other position. With just $4.00 invested in Marcus Mariota, Alex Smith and Tyrod Taylor, the squad has a lackluster quarterback-by-committee, while behind starting running back Devonta Freeman there are the likes of Shaun Draughn, Kenyon Drake, Devontae Booker, and James Starks. For this club to be competitive one of the backup running backs will have to step into the starting lineup for his respective NFL team to give this squad a ghost of a chance at a playoff berth.
Aaron Rudnicki
Player | Winning Bid |
Bell, Le'Veon PIT RB | $41.00 |
Cooper, Amari OAK WR | $30.00 |
Forte, Matt NYJ RB | $19.00 |
Hill, Jeremy CIN RB | $14.00 |
Olsen, Greg CAR TE | $14.00 |
Brown, John ARI WR | $11.00 |
Kelce, Travis KCC TE | $9.00 |
Jackson, Vincent TBB WR | $8.00 |
Benjamin, Travis SDC WR | $7.00 |
Carr, Derek OAK QB | $6.00 |
Manning, Eli NYG QB | $6.00 |
Williams, DeAngelo PIT RB | $6.00 |
Smith, Steve BAL WR | $6.00 |
Crowell, Isaiah CLE RB | $5.00 |
Dixon, Kenneth BAL RB | $4.00 |
Powell, Bilal NYJ RB | $4.00 |
Ryan, Matt ATL QB | $3.00 |
Sanu, Mohamed ATL WR | $3.00 |
Gostkowski, Stephen NEP PK | $2.00 |
Broncos, Denver DEN Def | $2.00 |
Overall Strategy
Balanced Roster, Disciplined Budget
Best Buy
Matt Forte, $19.00 - Forte has the ability to be a PPR monster, and he is the clear lead back for the Jets entering 2016. The other three $19.00 backs in this auction (Thomas Rawls; Carlos Hyde; Duke Johnson) have health issues (Rawls, Hyde) or are stuck in a committee (Johnson). Forte is an outstanding RB #2 for Rudnicki's team and he also had the foresight to win Bilal Powell's auction so Rudnicki has a hammerlock on the Jets' likely starting lineup for the foreseeable future (2016).
Worst Buy
Rudnicki's team is solid and deep - I don't think he overspent on any player or position in this draft. The $6.00 spent on 37-year-old Steve Smith is probably the 'riskiest' player on the roster, considering that Smith is coming off a torn Achilles tendon and his advanced age.
Evaluation
Rudnicki did an outstanding job in this auction - he has LeVeon Bell AND DeAngelo Williams; Matt Forte AND Bilal Powell; with Jeremy Hill and Isaiah Crowell as bye week starters/injury stand-in options. Greg Olsen and Travis Kelce are a fine 1-2 tandem at tight end, while Matt Ryan, Eli Manning and Derek Carr are a great trio of starting quarterbacks. I also like Rudnicki's six-deep wide receiver position headlined by Amari Cooper, John Brown and Travis Benjamin. This is a team that should be challenging for the league championship come December.
Cian Fahey
Player | Winning Bid |
Anderson, C.J. DEN RB | $28.00 |
Sproles, Darren PHI RB | $21.00 |
Johnson, Duke CLE RB | $19.00 |
Stewart, Jonathan CAR RB | $16.00 |
Diggs, Stefon MIN WR | $12.00 |
Lockett, Tyler SEA WR | $12.00 |
Eifert, Tyler CIN TE | $12.00 |
Decker, Eric NYJ WR | $10.00 |
Smith, Torrey SFO WR | $10.00 |
Green, Ladarius PIT TE | $10.00 |
Shepard, Sterling NYG WR | $8.00 |
Prosise, C.J. SEA RB | $7.00 |
Thomas, Michael NOS WR | $7.00 |
Forsett, Justin BAL RB | $6.00 |
Tannehill, Ryan MIA QB | $5.00 |
Doctson, Josh WAS WR | $5.00 |
Allen, Dwayne IND TE | $5.00 |
Henry, Derrick TEN RB | $3.00 |
Hauschka, Steven SEA PK | $2.00 |
Rams, Los Angeles RAM Def | $2.00 |
Overall Strategy
Disciplined Budget; Dominate the middle and late portions of the auction; Balanced Roster
Best Buy
Justin Forsett, $6.00 - Forsett went for significantly less than Jerick McKinnon ($11.00), Adrian Peterson's backup, and Theo Riddick ($11.00), the Lions' third-down/pass-catching back. Forsett is atop the depth chart in Baltimore and is a dual-threat back who can stay on the field for all three downs - he should be vastly more valuable than McKinnon or Riddick during 2016.
Worst Buy
Darren Sproles, $21.00 - Sproles is a 33-year old, pass-catching back/gadget back/returner for the Eagles at this point in his career. It seems spendthrift to invest over 10% of the salary cap on a mere role player for the Eagles (and an aged role player, at that).
Evaluation
Fahey was very careful in his allocation of salary cap, not spending more than $28.00 on any one player. He was able to amass a lot of $5.00 to $12.00 players in the auction, some of whom will do very well this season (Eric Decker; Tyler Lockett; Torrey Smith). His tight end position is touch-and-go entering training camp, though, with Tyler Eifert likely to miss at least a few games to start the season; and perennial under-achiever Ladarius Green the other backup. If Dwayne Allen misses time for any reason early in the season, Fahey may be left with no other viable option. This is a solid, deep fantasy team that has a good shot at the postseason.
Danny Tuccitto
Player | Winning Bid |
Beckham, Odell NYG WR | $45.00 |
McCoy, LeSean BUF RB | $27.00 |
Baldwin, Doug SEA WR | $18.00 |
Tate, Golden DET WR | $15.00 |
Maclin, Jeremy KCC WR | $14.00 |
Fitzgerald, Larry ARI WR | $13.00 |
Brees, Drew NOS QB | $10.00 |
Snead, Willie NOS WR | $8.00 |
Jennings, Rashad NYG RB | $6.00 |
Howard, Jordan CHI RB | $5.00 |
Ertz, Zach PHI TE | $4.00 |
Gates, Antonio SDC TE | $4.00 |
McFadden, Darren DAL RB | $3.00 |
Washington, DeAndre OAK RB | $3.00 |
Marshall, Keith WAS RB | $2.00 |
Williams, Karlos BUF RB | $2.00 |
Walsh, Blair MIN PK | $2.00 |
Fitzpatrick, Ryan NYJ QB | $1.00 |
Gabbert, Blaine SFO QB | $1.00 |
Forbath, Kai NOS PK | $1.00 |
Overall Strategy
"Studs and Duds"; Emphasis on wide receiver ($113.00 of $200.00 salary cap devoted to six wide receivers) and quarterback ($10.00 for elite Drew Brees); Punted on running back #2
Best Buy
Jeremy Maclin, $14.00 - Maclin is (as of July 18) the 21st-ranked fantasy wide receiver in the PPR paradigm on Footballguys.com's wide receiver board, a veteran talent who is the clear #1 wide receiver in Kansas City, yet he was priced at 29th-best receiver in this draft, behind two players (Breshad Perriman, $20.00; Kevin White, $17.00) who have yet to play a down during regular season/prove themselves at the NFL level. Tuccitto took advantage of the perennial disrespect of the Kansas City passing game to steal a top-shelf receiver at #3 wideout pricing.
Worst Buy
Darren McFadden, $3.00 - It seems like a waste of cap space to purchase McFadden's services when A). Tuccitto doesn't own Ezekiel Elliot and B). McFadden is rehabbing from an elbow surgery and may miss all of training camp.
Evaluation
This team is stacked at wide receiver and quarterback, but behind LeSean McCoy there is a howling void - Jordan Howard is battling for playing time in a messy situation up in Chicago; Rashad Jennings has been trapped in a running-back-by-committee for years; Karlos Williams wasn't allowed on the field during minicamp due to showing up to practices very overweight, and then garnered a four-game suspension for substance abuse on July 15 (he's DEEP in Rex Ryan's doghouse); and DeAndre Washington and Keith Marshall are buried on their team's respective depth charts. McFadden we already talked about. Jennings looks like the best bet for a servicable #2 running back, but he's scored just four TDs in two consecutive seasons with the Giants and won't provide much 'boom' potential. Tuccitto will need to get lucky and have a break-through into the starting lineup by one of his backup running backs in order to stay in contention with this roster (Howard is likely the best bet to accomplish a break-through).
Stephen Holloway
Player | Winning Bid |
Miller, Lamar HOU RB | $36.00 |
Bryant, Dez DAL WR | $36.00 |
Thomas, Demaryius DEN WR | $31.00 |
Perriman, Breshad BAL WR | $20.00 |
Brady, Tom NEP QB | $10.00 |
Yeldon, T.J. JAC RB | $9.00 |
Crabtree, Michael OAK WR | $9.00 |
Dorsett, Phillip IND WR | $9.00 |
Sims, Charles TBB RB | $7.00 |
Rivers, Philip SDC QB | $6.00 |
Ivory, Chris JAC RB | $6.00 |
Vereen, Shane NYG RB | $5.00 |
Thomas, Julius JAC TE | $5.00 |
Cousins, Kirk WAS QB | $2.00 |
Fuller, Will HOU WR | $2.00 |
Seferian-Jenkins, Austin TBB TE | $2.00 |
Bills, Buffalo BUF Def | $2.00 |
Henry, Hunter SDC TE | $1.00 |
Bailey, Dan DAL PK | $1.00 |
Raiders, Oakland OAK Def | $1.00 |
Overall Strategy
Disciplined Budget, Emphasis on wide receivers ($107.00 of $200.00 cap spent on six receivers); Premium Quarterback (Tom Brady, $10.00)
Best Buy
Kirk Cousins, $2.00 - Cousins is on a one year prove-it contract with Washington, and he has a wide array of quality targets to throw the football to - he could easily better last year's ninth-place finish among fantasy quarterbacks during 2016. Holloway got a lot of bang for his two bucks here.
Worst Buy
Tom Brady, $10.00 - Brady is one of the all-time greats, but he will miss the first four games of this season plus the Week Nine bye - this amounts to 36% of most fantasy league's 14-game regular season. Fortunately, Holloway has Kirk Cousins on tap to cover for Brady's many absences, but Holloway's $10.00 could have bought the services of a different elite quarterback (like Drew Brees, who also went for $10.00) that will potentially play the entire regular season.
Evaluation
Holloway cornered the market on Jacksonville running backs (Chris Ivory, $6.00 and T.J. Yeldon, $9.00) which should pay dividends at the #2 running back position and I like his backup stable behind starter Lamar Miller ($36.00) with pass catching backs Shane Vereen ($5.00) and Charles Sims ($7.00). The trio of tight ends (Julius Thomas; Austin Seferian-Jenkins; Henry Hunter) has upside potential, while the wide receivers are a high-ceiling, low-floor group that could go off any week, but which also has the potential to leave Holloway with some goose-eggs on any given week. I particularly worry over green-as-grass Breshad Perriman, who was expensive ($20.00) for a player with no experience at playing during NFL regular season. Holloway has assembled a squad which could be dominant or which could wind up scraping along the bottom of the barrell come playoff time. He's not likely to be in the middle of the league standings.
B.J. Vanderwoude
Player | Winning Bid |
Brown, Antonio PIT WR | $48.00 |
Jones, Julio ATL WR | $46.00 |
Lacy, Eddie GBP RB | $28.00 |
Reed, Jordan WAS TE | $22.00 |
Edelman, Julian NEP WR | $20.00 |
Woodhead, Danny SDC RB | $15.00 |
Romo, Tony DAL QB | $4.00 |
Dalton, Andy CIN QB | $3.00 |
West, Charcandrick KCC RB | $2.00 |
Chiefs, Kansas City KCC Def | $2.00 |
Johnson, Chris ARI RB | $1.00 |
Smallwood, Wendell PHI RB | $1.00 |
Amendola, Danny NEP WR | $1.00 |
Boyd, Tyler CIN WR | $1.00 |
Conley, Chris KCC WR | $1.00 |
Janis, Jeff GBP WR | $1.00 |
Sharpe, Tajae TEN WR | $1.00 |
Rudolph, Kyle MIN TE | $1.00 |
Folk, Nick NYJ PK | $1.00 |
Packers, Green Bay GBP Def | $1.00 |
Overall Strategy
"Studs and Duds", Spent heavily on elite wide receivers ($114.00 of $200.00 cap spent on top three wide receivers; $119 total on eight wide receivers), Value quarterbacks
Best Buy
Antonio Brown, $48.00 - Worth every penny, Brown is a dominant force in PPR leagues. His production justifies even this heavy level of expenditure, as Brown has the potential to break open games with huge weekly performances, and yet has a high floor due to the multitude of targets/receptions he enjoys each week.
Worst Buy
Julian Edelman, $20.00 - Not only will Edelman have to put up with Jimmy Garappolo for four games to open the season, Edelman is currently rehabbing a troublesome foot injury that required another corrective surgery during the offseason. As usual, the Patriots are being coy about Edelman's status regarding training camp, which adds to the uncertainty around this player.
Evaluation
Vanderwoude has a solid starting lineup. Tony Romo/Eddie Lacy/Danny Woodhead/Antonio Brown/Julio Jones/Amendola-Edelman/ Jordan Reed should provide him with a reliable stream of fantasy points from week to week. However, the depth behind these front-liners is shaky. If Vanderwoude's team has good luck in avoiding suspensions/injuries, he'll be in the thick of the hunt come December. If he is relying on backups in December, though, this team is in trouble.
Daniel Simpkins
Player | Winning Bid |
Green, A.J. CIN WR | $38.00 |
Lewis, Dion NEP RB | $24.00 |
Cooks, Brandin NOS WR | $22.00 |
Moncrief, Donte IND WR | $22.00 |
Ajayi, Jay MIA RB | $20.00 |
Bernard, Giovani CIN RB | $18.00 |
Jones, Matt WAS RB | $15.00 |
Parker, DeVante MIA WR | $12.00 |
Winston, Jameis TBB QB | $9.00 |
Palmer, Carson ARI QB | $5.00 |
Coates, Sammie PIT WR | $4.00 |
Coleman, Corey CLE WR | $2.00 |
Hooper, Austin ATL TE | $2.00 |
Ferguson, Josh IND RB | $1.00 |
Lasco, Daniel NOS RB | $1.00 |
Zenner, Zach DET RB | $1.00 |
Cameron, Jordan MIA TE | $1.00 |
Watson, Ben BAL TE | $1.00 |
Vinatieri, Adam IND PK | $1.00 |
Vikings, Minnesota MIN Def | $1.00 |
Overall Strategy
Balanced Lineup; Disciplined budget; Quality quarterbacks
Best Buy
Brandin Cooks, $22.00 - Cooks finished 2015 as the 14th-best PPR receiver; he's improved his performance year-on-year during his two years in the league, and he plays for one of the elite passers in the league in Drew Brees. Yet, he was available in this draft as the 18th-most expensive player at his position. Simpkins got a potential top-10 fantasy wide receiver at a steep discount in this auction. Corey Coleman at a mere $2.00 for a guy projected to be the #1 wide receiver in Cleveland is also a great buy.
Worst Buy
Devante Parker, $12.00 - Parker definitely has potential entering his second season in Miami, but $12.00 seems like a high premium for a player who hasn't crossed 500 yards receiving in a season so far in his short career. In comparison, Tyler Lockett and Emmanuel Sanders both went off the board in this auction at $12.00, the same price Simpkins paid for Parker. Either of the latter two players seems like a better bet at this salary.
Evaluation
Simpkins assembled a nice blend of veteran experience and youthful potential on this roster, anchoring his team with solid veterans like A.J. Green, Carson Palmer, and Ben Watson. He also has potential superstars in youngsters like Corey Coleman, Parker, Donte Moncrief, and Sammie Coates. Running back is the one potential trouble spot depending on how Dion Lewis bounces back from last season's ACL injury, but overall this is a deep and high-ceiling sort of fantasy team. Simpkins should be in contention for the playoffs come December.
Winning Bids By Position
Quarterback
Running Back
Wide Receiver
Tight End
Kicker
Defense
Questions, suggestions and comments are always welcome to haseley@footballguys.com