LEAGUE PARAMETERS
- 12 teams
- 20 roster spots
- Starting Lineup
- 1 quarterback
- 2 running backs
- 2 wide receivers
- 1 tight end
- 2 flex (either a running back, wide receiver, or tight end)
- 1 place kicker
- 1 team defense
LEAGUE SCORING
- Offensive Players
- 4 points - passing touchdown
- -1 points - interception thrown
- 6 points - rushing/receiving touchdown
- 0.05 points - passing yard
- 0.1 points - rushing/receiving yard
- 1 point - receptions (QB/RB/WR)
- 1.5 points - receptions (TE)
- Place Kickers
- 3 points - field goal up to 30 yards
- 0.1 points - each additional yard beyond 30
- 1 point - each extra point
- Team Defense
- 6 points - touchdown
- 2 points - turnover forced
- 5 points - safety
- 1 point - sack
- 12 points - shutout
- 8 points - 1-6 points allowed
- 5 points - 7-10 points allowed
THE DRAFT ORDER
The draft order was randomly generated. After the first round, the draft continues in a regular serpentine manner. Click here for the Full Draft, pick by pick.
- Chris Feery
- Phil Alexander
- Bear Heiser
- Stephen Holloway
- James Brimacombe
- Jeff Haseley
- Ari Ingel
- Devin Knotts
- John Norton
- Jason Wood
- Keith Roberts
- Daniel Simpkins
Starting with Chris Feery from the 1.01 spot, we will go over each person's selections in the mock draft.
Chris feery - SLOT 1
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.01 | 1 | Johnson, David ARI RB |
2.12 | 24 | Cooks, Brandin NEP WR |
3.01 | 25 | Reed, Jordan WAS TE |
4.12 | 48 | Cook, Dalvin MIN RB (R) |
5.01 | 49 | Pryor, Terrelle WAS WR |
6.12 | 72 | Gillislee, Mike NEP RB |
7.01 | 73 | Thomas, Julius MIA TE |
8.12 | 96 | Rivers, Philip LAC QB |
9.01 | 97 | Cobb, Randall GBP WR |
10.12 | 120 | Prescott, Dak DAL QB |
11.01 | 121 | Matthews, Jordan PHI WR |
12.12 | 144 | West, Terrance BAL RB |
13.01 | 145 | James, Jesse PIT TE |
14.12 | 168 | McFadden, Darren DAL RB |
15.01 | 169 | Austin, Tavon LAR WR |
16.12 | 192 | Giants, New York NYG Def |
17.01 | 193 | Gostkowski, Stephen NEP PK |
18.12 | 216 | Steelers, Pittsburgh PIT Def |
19.01 | 217 | Goff, Jared LAR QB |
20.12 | 240 | Catanzaro, Chandler NYJ PK |
Overall Strategy
Post-Draft questions
Phil Alexander - Slot 2
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.02 | 2 | Bell, Le'Veon PIT RB |
2.11 | 23 | Bryant, Dez DAL WR |
3.02 | 26 | Mixon, Joe CIN RB (R) |
4.11 | 47 | Hyde, Carlos SFO RB |
5.02 | 50 | Bryant, Martavis PIT WR |
6.11 | 71 | Doyle, Jack IND TE |
7.02 | 74 | Snead, Willie NOS WR |
8.11 | 95 | Peterson, Adrian NOS RB |
9.02 | 98 | Mariota, Marcus TEN QB |
10.11 | 119 | Enunwa, Quincy NYJ WR |
11.02 | 122 | Roethlisberger, Ben PIT QB |
12.11 | 143 | Witten, Jason DAL TE |
13.02 | 146 | Williams, Jamaal GBP RB (R) |
14.11 | 167 | Davis, Corey TEN WR (R) |
15.02 | 170 | Clay, Charles BUF TE |
16.11 | 191 | Panthers, Carolina CAR Def |
17.02 | 194 | Golladay, Kenny DET WR (R) |
18.11 | 215 | Janikowski, Sebastian OAK PK |
19.02 | 218 | Prater, Matt DET PK |
20.11 | 239 | Cowboys, Dallas DAL Def |
Overall Strategy
Running Back-Heavy, Swing for the Fences
Best Pick(s)
Ben Roethlisberger (11.02, QB15) Roethlisberger is a great value in the 11th round and adds a lot of upside for Phil behind Marcus Mariota. The pick of Roethlisberger is also a nice strategic move for an owner who has already rolled the dice on Martavis Bryant. We often talk about QB-WR “stacks” in daily fantasy, but the strategy also works well in best ball formats with top-heavy payouts. If Bryant has a big enough season to out-perform his draft cost of 5.02, then Roethlisberger also probably has a big fantasy season. These types of correlation plays are an ideal way to get your team out of the middle of the pack (one way or the other).
Worst Pick(s)
Willie Snead (7.02, WR30) Phil had a strong draft with some calculated risks that could pay off big, which is exactly what you want in this format. The upside with the first five picks is through the roof. Snead was a decent pick at the top of the 7th round, so this is nitpicking a bit. The negative for Snead in best ball is that he isn’t much of a big-play threat and hasn’t been very involved in the red zone (just seven career touchdowns on 206 targets). The big bump in targets many expect after the departure of Brandin Cooks may not materialize either. Ted Ginn, Jr. will pick up many of those targets and Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara will also pick up some of the slack.
Evaluation
Phil swung for the fences in the 3rd through 5th rounds with Joe Mixon, Carlos Hyde and Martavis Bryant. These three picks will be the key for this team. Mixon is a rookie with plenty of competition for touches. Hyde is in a brand new system and isn’t a lock to be the lead back. Bryant is fresh off of a year-long suspension and one mistake away from another long banishment. However, each of these three guys is very talented and in favorable situations where if things click, they could put up huge fantasy seasons. Taking these sort of calculated risks is a strong strategy in this format.
Post-Draft Questions
1. People have mixed feelings about drafting Carlos Hyde this year. You drafted him as the 17th running back off the board. Share your thoughts on why you like Hyde this year.
Before the 49ers drafted Joe Williams and San Francisco beat writers began claiming he was a poor fit for new head coach Kyle Shanahan's outside zone scheme, you had to draft Hyde in the second round. Taking Hyde as an RB1 in the second was scary. The 49ers -- even with Shanahan calling the shots -- are a bad team on both sides of the ball. Surrounding talent and the potential for negative game scripts are much scarier than Hyde's ability to adapt to a different blocking scheme or beat out a fourth-round rookie for carries.
But I didn't have to spend a second round pick on Hyde or draft him as an RB1. He's my RB3 on this roster (behind Le'Veon Bell and Joe Mixon), and I was able to get him below his current ADP at the 4-5 turn. At that price, I like Hyde for quite a few reasons.
- He overcame negative game scripts and a poor offensive setup (including arguably the worst offensive line in the league) last year to finish as the RB10 on a per game basis. The 49ers can't be worse than they were last year.
- Hyde had never been asked to catch passes as a pro, but last year he set career highs in every major receiving category while catching 82% of his targets. Those soft hands could be helpful in Shanahan's scheme, as evidenced by Devonta Freeman's back-to-back 50+ reception seasons the last two years in Atlanta.
- Maybe Hyde isn't a perfect fit for outside zone blocking but it's too early to say he won't excel in it. Hyde is extremely talented, and even Shanahan himself said scheme fit is overrated when it comes to great running backs. If Shanahan can make fantasy stars out of Steve Slaton and Ryan Torain, I trust he can do the same for Hyde -- the best player on his roster,
- Most scouts gave Williams a 6th-7th round grade. He's not a threat to Hyde on third downs, in short yardage, or at the goal line. If he carves out a role, it will be on base downs where he might see about eight carries per game. Shanahan's offenses have ranked in the top half of the league in rushing attempts every year since 2011. There's room for Williams to poach a few carries without capping Hyde's ceiling, and it may even be a good thing for another back to take some of the load off the oft-injured Hyde.
2. You waited until 6.11 to select a tight end (Jack Doyle) in a league that rewards 1.5 PPR for tight ends. Explain why this strategy could pay off for you.
I gave some thought to going with Tyler Eifert or Martellus Bennett early in Round 5, but I was swayed by Martavis Bryant's weekly upside in the best ball format. While I'm not quite as high on Doyle as many in the industry, I did feel fortunate to see him still on the board at my next turn.
Doyle profiles as a chain mover and red zone option in one of the league's better offenses. He managed a low-end TE1 finish (TE12) in 2016 despite splitting snaps with Dwayne Allen and particularly excelled when Allen missed time. In the two games Allen missed last year, Doyle averaged 14.2 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues. I expect backup Colts tight end, Erik Swoope, to make an impact as a downfield playmaker for Andrew Luck this season, but Swoope doesn't threaten Doyle's role. Anything less than a top-10 finish for Doyle would be somewhat surprising.
I don't think I did terribly at tight end outside of Doyle either. Jason Witten (12th round) is boring and in decline, but he still has a high reception floor. Charles Clay (15th round) has been consistently under-utilized in Buffalo but has managed six top-5 weekly tight end performances since 2015, which trails only seven other players.
3. Is there any specific strategy that you use when you draft at or near the turn?
Not particularly, although drafting near the turn sometimes requires you to reach for the players you like ahead of their ADP. Mixon and Bryant are examples of players I was targeting in this format that I paid a slight premium for since I knew they wouldn't make it all the way back to me.
Bear Heiser - Slot 3
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.03 | 3 | Brown, Antonio PIT WR |
2.1 | 22 | Gurley, Todd LAR RB |
3.03 | 27 | Fournette, Leonard JAC RB (R) |
4.1 | 46 | Adams, Davante GBP WR |
5.03 | 51 | Eifert, Tyler CIN TE |
6.1 | 70 | Marshall, Brandon NYG WR |
7.03 | 75 | Martin, Doug TBB RB |
8.1 | 94 | Carr, Derek OAK QB |
9.03 | 99 | Jackson, DeSean TBB WR |
10.1 | 118 | Murray, Latavius MIN RB |
11.03 | 123 | White, Kevin CHI WR |
12.1 | 142 | Bortles, Blake JAC QB |
13.03 | 147 | Fiedorowicz, C.J. HOU TE |
14.1 | 166 | Broncos, Denver DEN Def |
15.03 | 171 | Conner, James PIT RB (R) |
16.1 | 190 | Treadwell, Laquon MIN WR |
17.03 | 195 | Bailey, Dan DAL PK |
18.1 | 214 | Ross, John CIN WR (R) |
19.03 | 219 | Bills, Buffalo BUF Def |
20.1 | 238 | Dawson, Phil ARI PK |
Overall Strategy
Balanced, Talent over Situation at Running Back
Best Pick(s)
Tyler Eifert (5.03, TE6) TE6 is right where Eifert belongs. He has averaged nearly a touchdown per game over the past two seasons and should have plenty of room to operate in the middle of the field with the speed of A.J. Green and John Ross demanding extra Safety attention. Bear also gets credit for timing the tight end run well and kicking off a big run in the fifth and sixth rounds. Between this pick in the 5th and Bear’s pick in the 6th round, seven tight ends went off the board. If Bear had gone in a different direction here in the 5th, by the time his 6th rounder rolled around, he’d have been looking at 12 tight ends off the board and been locked out of having a TE1. Judging when positional runs like this occur and not getting left out is a big key to putting together a balanced team without any major weaknesses.
Worst Pick(s)
Brandon Marshall (6.10, WR29) The risk/reward doesn’t add up for drafting Marshall as a top-30 receiver. He was awful last season despite seeing 129 targets and enters his age-33 season with real question marks about whether he is still a top receiver. We have seen big-bodied receivers in Marshall’s mold (like Andre Johnson and Roddy White) go from top producers to washed up very quickly in their early 30s. There is major age-related risk here. Plus, the potential reward in the 6th round is questionable. Odell Beckham, Jr. is going to see a massive share of the targets. Talented youngsters Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram are going to be very involved as well. Marshall is highly unlikely to see the 125+ targets he’d likely need to see to justify this ADP.
Evaluation
The key for this team will likely be the performance of his second and third round picks. Bear is betting on talent winning out over situation with Todd Gurley and Leonard Fournette. If the two impressive young backs can transcend what will probably be mediocre (or worse) offenses, this team can be a contender.
post-draft questions
1. Name a player that you are particularly high on this season, where others may have different feelings? Explain your reasoning.
Pierre Garcon - I love the coast-to-coast move for Garcon. He's been a borderline WR2-3 over the past few seasons but now has a chance to really stand out in an office with which he's somewhat familiar. While Garcon might not ever be one of the top pass-catchers in football, he most certainly can be a relevant fantasy producer for a team that doesn't have many offensive options. Garcon has been projected as a sleeper, but the masses could shy away because he's on the 49ers.
2. Who's a player that you are avoiding in drafts this year. Explain your answer.
Cameron Meredith. Meredith was a stud last season for the Bears. He ended up being the most reliable pass-catching option on the team. While the hope is that he continues to progress in his role in Dowell Loggains offense, it's hard to see him playing up to some of his draft projections. There's too much unknown at quarterback with Mike Glennon set to take over and Mitch Trubisky lurking in the background. Alshon Jeffery now is an Eagle, and the Bears didn't do much to replace him atop the depth chart, meaning Meredith, who will be coming off a thumb injury, will attract a lot of defensive attention in the secondary, and it's no certainty that he's ready to be a No. 1 or No. 2 option in an NFL offense.
3. Which player on your roster do you fel you received the best value?
DeSean Jackson. Jackson's arrival in Tampa Bay is a huge addition for the Buccaneers' offense. With Mike Evans drawing the lion's share of the defensive attention, Jackson will see countless single-coverage opportunities. Speed is Jackson's game, and there's no reason to think he can't put up monster numbers catching passes from Jameis Winston, who now enters his third season in the league. Expect Jackson to put up career-high numbers in yards and yards per catch (and maybe even touchdowns) this season.
Stephen Holloway - Slot 4
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.04 | 4 | Elliott, Ezekiel DAL RB |
2.09 | 21 | Baldwin, Doug SEA WR |
3.04 | 28 | Miller, Lamar HOU RB |
4.09 | 45 | Fitzgerald, Larry ARI WR |
5.04 | 52 | Rudolph, Kyle MIN TE |
6.09 | 69 | Wilson, Russell SEA QB |
7.04 | 76 | Benjamin, Kelvin CAR WR |
8.09 | 93 | Parker, DeVante MIA WR |
9.04 | 100 | Riddick, Theo DET RB |
10.09 | 117 | Coleman, Corey CLE WR |
11.04 | 124 | Manning, Eli NYG QB |
12.09 | 141 | Lee, Marqise JAC WR |
13.04 | 148 | Fuller, Will HOU WR |
14.09 | 165 | Williams, Joe SFO RB (R) |
15.04 | 172 | Texans, Houston HOU Def |
16.09 | 189 | Tucker, Justin BAL PK |
17.04 | 196 | Seferian-Jenkins, Austin NYJ TE |
18.09 | 213 | Thompson, Chris WAS RB |
19.04 | 220 | Raiders, Oakland OAK Def |
20.09 | 237 | Davis, Vernon WAS TE |
Overall Strategy
Solid Veterans
Best Pick(s)
Austin Seferian-Jenkins (17.04, TE31) Seferian-Jenkins could be one of the steals of this draft and is exactly the type of relatively high-upside (especially in TE-premium) player to target in the late rounds. Seferian-Jenkins has always been an impressive physical specimen with the talent to be a fantasy TE1. However, off-field demons have derailed his career to this point. He seems to have turned a corner and if he can stay clean, he could surprise in a Jets offense that is desperate for a pass catcher to emerge. Josh McCown loves to target his tight ends and helped Gary Barnidge emerge as a legitimate fantasy factor in Cleveland. Seferian-Jenkins could be next in line.
Worst Pick(s)
Russell Wilson (6.09, QB5) Wilson is fine as QB5, but Stephen could have waited a few rounds and still nabbed a similar top quarterback. It may be worth it to take an elite quarterback like Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, or Drew Brees early. However, once the top few passers are gone, it probably makes sense to wait and try to time the quarterback run to still get a top-12 quarterback as late as possible. If there had been a run on quarterbacks after this pick, it would have been fine. But the QB1 run didn’t happen until a couple rounds later. Hindsight is 20/20, but Cam Newton was still available at Stephen’s pick in the 9th round and would have been a better value than Wilson in the 6th.
Evaluation
Veterans like Doug Baldwin, Lamar Miller, Larry Fitzgerald and Kyle Rudolph aren’t the most exciting guys to pull the trigger on in the early rounds. However, they provide proven production (Rudolph scored 250 points in this scoring format in 2016) and allow for some risk taking in later rounds with higher upside youngsters. If mid-round picks DeVante Parker and Corey Coleman have breakout seasons, this team has a great chance to compete.
post-draft questions
1. Which player drafted in the 10th round or later on your roster are you most excited about? Explain your answer.
I really like my trio of wide receivers drafted in the 10th (Corey Coleman), in the 12th (Marque's Lee) and into the 13th (Will Fuller) to provide some boom weeks in the best ball format and add strength to my overall wide receiver corps. That strength was rather poor as I had only drafted two by the end of round six and needed some punch. I am not certain that any of these three guys will produce enough to be considered starters in traditional leagues, but I like their opportunities in best ball to post several solid scoring weeks.
2. What was your strategy heading into this draft?
I have frequently drafted toward the end of the round in all of the mocks that I have drafted in to date and focused on wide receivers early and often waiting till late to piece together running backs. With the 4th selection in this draft I was hopeful to be able to build strength at runners my back early and then take best available at other positions. This actually occurred as I drafted Ezekiel Elliott at 4th overall and paired him with Lamar Miller in the third round. I like my team overall, except I continued to miss mid-round tight ends I liked and wound up waiting too late to back up Kyle Rudolph. I drafted two in the last four rounds and went solo at kicker to accommodate the weak duo backing up Rudolph.
3. How much importance to do place on bye weeks during the drafting process?
I am not so concerned with minimizing overlap in bye weeks early as I prefer to take the players that I value the most early. The point where I look more closely at this will depend on how badly the overlap is early. In this draft my first two players both had week 6 byes, but I was still able to draft my preferred player without bye consideration through round six when I selected my first quarterback Russell Wilson. That pick left me with all three of my top players at QB, RB and WR on bye week 6. I avoided week 6 byes after that.
James Brimacombe - Slot 5
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.05 | 5 | Jones, Julio ATL WR |
2.08 | 20 | Kelce, Travis KCC TE |
3.05 | 29 | Crowell, Isaiah CLE RB |
4.08 | 44 | Jeffery, Alshon PHI WR |
5.05 | 53 | Ware, Spencer KCC RB |
6.08 | 68 | Ebron, Eric DET TE |
7.05 | 77 | Perkins, Paul NYG RB |
8.08 | 92 | Garcon, Pierre SFO WR |
9.05 | 101 | Newton, Cam CAR QB |
10.08 | 116 | Stewart, Jonathan CAR RB |
11.05 | 125 | Taylor, Tyrod BUF QB |
12.08 | 140 | Stills, Kenny MIA WR |
13.05 | 149 | Cook, Jared OAK TE |
14.08 | 164 | Flacco, Joe BAL QB |
15.05 | 173 | Sanu, Mohamed ATL WR |
16.08 | 188 | Patriots, New England NEP Def |
17.05 | 197 | Falcons, Atlanta ATL Def |
18.08 | 212 | Nelson, J.J. ARI WR |
19.05 | 221 | Aguayo, Roberto TBB PK |
20.08 | 236 | Sturgis, Caleb PHI PK |
Overall Strategy
Two Starting TEs, Light on Receivers
Best Pick(s)
Eric Ebron (6.08, TE12) Ebron has real upside in TE-Premium leagues. He caught 61 passes in 2016 despite missing 3 games (75 reception pace). He just turned 24-years old and could be primed for a breakout season. The departure of Anquan Boldin (who was amongst the league leaders in red zone targets) could really open the door for Ebron to get more premium targets.
Worst Pick(s)
Roberto Aguayo (19.05, PK11) This was one of my favorite drafts overall and filled with solid picks, so I’ll have to nitpick a bit. When you are doing a best ball draft, targeting a pair of kickers who are near locks to make their teams is a very important. Aguayo was one of the worst kickers in the league last season and will face stiff competition from Nick Folk in training camp. If Aguayo gets cut, James will lose points over the course of the season relying on just one kicker.
Evaluation
James landed a solid trio of wide receivers in Julio Jones, Alshon Jeffery and Pierre Garcon early and didn’t take his fourth receiver until the 11th round. By going light on receivers in the first 10 rounds, James was able to build strong depth at running back and snag a tight end duo (Ebron and Travis Kelce) that could put up big numbers and make this squad a strong contender. He did a great job of snagging value when players fell.
post-draft questions
1. You drafted two tight ends in the first six rounds of the draft. Explain why you chose this strategy?
You never know what type of strategy you are going to take with each best-ball draft you play in. With this league TE had a premium with the 1.5 points per reception so that was in the back of my mind. Going with Travis Kelce at 2.08 might seem early in most leagues but I didn't feel there was a RB at that point that deserved the selection and grabbing Julio Jones in Round 1 the only logical pick for me was Kelce. Kansas City just let Jeremy Maclin go in the offseason and that in itself opened up even more targets in the passing game and could vault Kelce into that Gronkowski territory at the position. Going with Eric Ebron at 6.08 was probably a reach but there was very little top end talent left at the position and not only could I block another owner at the position I could also potentially own two top-5 fantasy players at the position.
2. You selected Paul Perkins with pick 7.05 in the draft. Explain why you are high on him this season.
When ever I fail to land one of the top three running backs because of draft position I automatically look to get a back like Paul Perkins in the Rounds 7-10 range. As a rookie Perkins averaged 4.1 yards per carry for 456 yards and added 15 catches for 162 yards through the air. With Rashad Jennings out of the picture, Perkins has a direct path to a heavier workload and likely will only have to out perform Shane Vereen early in the season to get even more touches. With the Giants bringing in Brandon Marshall and Evan Engram everyone is focusing in the passing game when in fact it should open things up in the running game for Perkins. I feel Perkins is being overlooked and being under drafted right now and I have been looking to draft him in every league that I am in, in rounds 7 or 8.
3. What one piece of advice would you give to someone who is drafting in a best ball league?
I have participated in 50+ best-ball drafts in the last couple of months and that alone is the best advice I could give to others playing in this format. You have to do about 5-10 of these drafts and then you really get a good feel for the players that you like most and can start to learn what type of players will fall to you in the later rounds. Some examples from this particular draft were Jonathan Stewart (10.08), Kenny Stills (12.08), Mohamed Sanu (15.05), and J.J. Nelson (18.08). We all know who the guys are at the top of the draft but after you get into Rounds 10+ you have to have some targets picked out that can help win you your league.
The great thing about Best-Ball is that there is no wrong way to play. You can develop new strategies depending on the draft position you are assigned at the start of the draft and make the best of it. If you happen to get one of the top two picks you basically lock in David Johnson or LeVeon Bell and can focus on the other skill positions over the next few rounds. If you fail to land one of those top two picks you can land a top WR and go from there.
Jeff Haseley - Slot 6
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.06 | 6 | Beckham, Odell NYG WR |
2.07 | 19 | Hilton, T.Y. IND WR |
3.06 | 30 | Olsen, Greg CAR TE |
4.07 | 43 | Brees, Drew NOS QB |
5.06 | 54 | McCaffrey, Christian CAR RB (R) |
6.07 | 67 | Ingram, Mark NOS RB |
7.06 | 78 | Diggs, Stefon MIN WR |
8.07 | 91 | Crowder, Jamison WAS WR |
9.06 | 102 | Gore, Frank IND RB |
10.07 | 115 | Hunt, Kareem KCC RB (R) |
11.06 | 126 | Britt, Kenny CLE WR |
12.07 | 139 | Hill, Jeremy CIN RB |
13.06 | 150 | Gates, Antonio LAC TE |
14.07 | 163 | Matthews, Rishard TEN WR |
15.06 | 174 | Hoyer, Brian SFO QB |
16.07 | 187 | Watson, Ben BAL TE |
17.06 | 198 | Crosby, Mason GBP PK |
18.07 | 211 | Chargers, Los Angeles LAC Def |
19.06 | 222 | Jaguars, Jacksonville JAC Def |
20.07 | 235 | Forbath, Kai MIN PK |
Overall Strategy
Upside Down Drafting, Zero RB
Best Pick(s)
Kareem Hunt (10.07, RB41) Loading up at receiver, quarterback and tight end in the early rounds can be a winning strategy if you are able to hit on a couple of running backs with decent upside in the middle rounds. Jeff gave himself that opportunity by grabbing a trio of backs (Christian McCaffrey, Mark Ingram and Hunt) in somewhat murky situations who each have the potential to emerge as top fantasy options. Hunt will have to compete with veteran Spencer Ware for touches, but Hunt has more burst and could emerge as the lead back by mid-season. Getting this type of upside in the 10th round makes the early round selections at other positions look good. This team is a good example of a well-executed “upside down drafting” strategy.
Worst Pick(s)
Antonio Gates (13.06, TE23) Jeff may have had the best start to the draft through the first 10 rounds, but made a couple questionable picks in the late rounds that left him with subpar options at QB2 and TE2. While that’s not a major issue after grabbing top starting options early in the draft, it still would have been nice to have done better than Brian Hoyer and Antonio Gates as the top backups. All indications out of San Diego are that the torch has been passed from the 37-year old Gates to Hunter Henry and Gates will be relegated to a small part-time role off the bench. Jeff’s 16th round selection, Ben Watson, should outproduce Gates this season.
Evaluation
Jeff was one of two drafters who didn’t select a running back in the first four rounds. By doing so, he was able to snag an elite quarterback (Drew Brees), top tight end (Greg Olsen) and two elite receivers (Odell Beckham and T.Y. Hilton). This strategy can pay off in a big way if the mid-round running backs hit. Jeff was able to land some high upside guys in McCaffrey, Ingram and Hunt. If two of the three backs are able to emerge from committees to put up big numbers, Jeff will be a favorite in this league.
post-draft questions
1. Would you rather have trusted veterans or rookies with high upside in a best ball format? Explain your answer.
If I had to decide on one or the other, I would choose trusted veterans. MFL10 leagues require consistency to be successful and that's exactly what a trusted veteran would give you. For example, I would rather have Jonathan Stewart over an upstart running back like Alvin Kamara. There's bound to be several rookies who breakout but I would rather hitch my wagon to a player who has a highr probability of consistency week to week.
2. Which player on your roster drafted in the 10th round or later do you feel you received the most value?
For me that player is Rishard Matthews at 14.07 with honorable mention to Ben Watson at 16.07. Yes, the Titans are a run first team and yes they aded some firepower in their wide receiver corps in Corey Davis and Eric Decker. However, Matthews and Marcus Mariota developed good chemistry last year, which won't just go away. Matthews tied Delanie Walker for the most receptions (65) on the team last year and his 9 touchdowns were the most on the team. I am not expecting to see similar numbers this season, but it's clear that he was a favorite target for Mariota and for me to get him in the 14th round is a low risk, decent reward pick.
3. What is a critical error that people should try to avoid when drafting in a best ball league?
Pay attention to the bye weeks, especially players that are projected to score the most points on your roster. Definitely avoid selecting quarterbacks and defenses with the same bye, because that greatly reduces your point total for that week. One or two low-scoring weeks can kill your chances of being the top scoring team at the end of the year.
Ari Ingel - Slot 7
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.07 | 7 | Green, A.J. CIN WR |
2.06 | 18 | Gronkowski, Rob NEP TE |
3.07 | 31 | Allen, Keenan LAC WR |
4.06 | 42 | Montgomery, Ty GBP RB |
5.07 | 55 | Abdullah, Ameer DET RB |
6.06 | 66 | Sanders, Emmanuel DEN WR |
7.07 | 79 | Anderson, C.J. DEN RB |
8.06 | 90 | Moncrief, Donte IND WR |
9.07 | 103 | Cousins, Kirk WAS QB |
10.06 | 114 | Stafford, Matthew DET QB |
11.07 | 127 | Dixon, Kenneth BAL RB |
12.06 | 138 | Wallace, Mike BAL WR |
13.07 | 151 | Williams, Jonathan BUF RB |
14.06 | 162 | Allen, Dwayne NEP TE |
15.07 | 175 | Barnidge, Gary FA TE |
16.06 | 186 | Seahawks, Seattle SEA Def |
17.07 | 199 | Eagles, Philadelphia PHI Def |
18.06 | 210 | Vereen, Shane NYG RB |
19.07 | 223 | Gano, Graham CAR PK |
20.06 | 234 | Novak, Nick HOU PK |
Overall Strategy
Balanced, Late-Round QB
Best Pick(s)
Keenan Allen (3.07, WR13) Injuries in each of the past two seasons will scare many drafters away from Allen, which provides an opportunity to get a top potential top-15 producer outside of the top-30 picks. Especially in best ball (where a “first or last but not the middle” is ideal), Allen is a strong target. All the news out of San Diego is extremely positive when it comes to Allen’s recovery from a torn ACL that ended his 2016 season in Week 1. He should be the clear top target in San Diego and could go right back to putting up 20+ points per game.
Worst Pick(s)
Donte Moncrief (8.06, WR35) Moncfief is a solid young talent and certainly has decent upside as Andrew Luck’s WR2, but there were better options on the board at this point in the draft. Moncrief hasn’t topped 65 receiving yards in a game wince Week 12 of the 2015 season. Jamison Crowder and Pierre Garcon (who went off the board with the next two picks) both have higher weekly floors and may have higher upside as well.
Evaluation
Ari put together one of the strongest drafts top to bottom. He took advantage of positional runs to find value with nearly every pick. Ari showed the benefit of waiting at quarterback in best ball leagues. He was the last to draft a quarterback, but still was able to put together a strong duo of Kirk Cousins and Matthew Stafford after loading up at other positions. He did gamble on some injury prone players early (Rob Gronkowski, Keenan Allen and Ameer Abdullah) and that could be a potential pitfall of this roster. But if this team stays healthy, it should have what it takes to be one of the top contenders.
post-draft questions
1. What specific preparation would you recommend to someone who is drafting in an FFPC best ball league?
2. Pick two players on your roster and explain why you like them this year.
3. Which player on your roster are you most apprehensive about? Explain your answer.
Devin Knotts - Slot 8
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.08 | 8 | Evans, Mike TBB WR |
2.05 | 17 | Thomas, Michael NOS WR |
3.08 | 32 | Rodgers, Aaron GBP QB |
4.05 | 41 | Graham, Jimmy SEA TE |
5.08 | 56 | Hill, Tyreek KCC WR |
6.05 | 65 | Ertz, Zach PHI TE |
7.08 | 80 | Woodhead, Danny BAL RB |
8.05 | 89 | Blount, LeGarrette PHI RB |
9.08 | 104 | Meredith, Cameron CHI WR |
10.05 | 113 | Fleener, Coby NOS TE |
11.08 | 128 | Kelley, Rob WAS RB |
12.05 | 137 | Ginn Jr., Ted NOS WR |
13.08 | 152 | Washington, DeAndre OAK RB |
14.05 | 161 | Bryant, Matt ATL PK |
15.08 | 176 | Tannehill, Ryan MIA QB |
16.05 | 185 | Vikings, Minnesota MIN Def |
17.08 | 200 | Gallman, Wayne NYG RB (R) |
18.05 | 209 | McManus, Brandon DEN PK |
19.08 | 224 | Richard, Jalen OAK RB |
20.05 | 233 | Packers, Green Bay GBP Def |
Overall Strategy
Zero RB
Best Pick(s)
Ted Ginn, Jr. (12.05, WR53) Devin loaded up at tight end and receiver. With four strong options already rostered at receiver, Ginn was a perfect late-round pick for the best ball format. Ginn has proven his big-play ability and fantasy upside in recent years. He caught four touchdowns in a five-game stretch late last season and racked up 10 touchdowns in 2015. He steps into a starting role in the Saints high-octane offense and his speed should play well on the fast track in the Superdome.
Worst Pick(s)
Coby Fleener (10.05, TE17) Devin already had a pair of top tight ends in Jimmy Graham and Zach Ertz. With the position in good shape, there was no need to take a low-upside tight end like Fleener who has never caught more than 54 passes in a season. With depth at running back a major concern, a back like Kareem Hunt would have been a better fit on this roster.
Evaluation
Devin nabbed a lot of talented pass catchers early and found nice value with veteran backs Danny Woodhead and LeGarrett Blount in the mid-rounds. It would have been nice to have grabbed a couple more upside backs in the mid rounds. But if young receivers like Mike Evans, Michael Thomas and Tyreek Hill play to their potential, it should cover up some down weeks at running back.
post-draft questions
1. Explain what makes a perfect type of wide receiver to target in best ball leagues.
In a best ball format, Antonio Brown is the perfect wide receiver as he has a high ceiling and a high floor. However, only one team is going to be fortunate enough to get Brown, so what you can do is you can re-create him using multiple picks. Look at a player like Michael Thomas in the second round who has a very high floor each week, and then later in the draft pair him with Tyreek Hill who has high upside but a low floor on a week to week basis. Far too often I see wide receiving groups on best ball formats where the players are all upside players and while some weeks it will work out, others it can destroy your team when they all miss.
2. You selected your first running back in the 7th round (Danny Woodhead). What is needed in order for zero-running back strategy to be successful?
Anyone who goes into the draft with a zero-running back strategy and advocates in any format outside of 10 team leagues is at a disadvantage. If you go with the zero-running back strategy you need luck to be successful. Your margin of error is so much smaller as your depth is so much less at the running back position. If one of Rob Kelley, Danny Woodhead, or LeGarrette Blount lose their job or get injured, my team is in a lot of trouble unless one of the speculative running backs gets a full-time job. So why did I do it? Value and opportunity cost, I am a big believer in exploiting the inefficiencies in your draft for the first 4-5 rounds and then start worrying about positions. If this draft was wide receiver heavy I would have went running back heavy as that's where the value would have been.
3. You selected Matt Bryant in the 14th round. Explain why you think it's important to draft a top flight kicker in a best ball league.
Three reasons kickers are important particularly in best ball leagues. The first is disparity amongst their peers. In the average league, 60 running backs will go before round 14, and at that point running back 61 and 68 are generally going to be the same player with the same upside as you're basically relying on one or sometimes two running backs to get hurt for this player to play. So the theory behind drafting a kicker is that Matt Bryant scored 14 more fantasy points than the next closest kicker last year and 34 more points than the 12th ranked kicker. In the 14th round, you will not get a player that has more value than over one point per week on average. The second is that you have to take two kickers in a best ball format and a kicker in a high powered offense such as Atlanta has the ability to have huge weeks similar to what we saw last season which in a Best Ball format can win you the league. The third is job security, as we mentioned you are likely going to take two kickers in a best ball league without free agency, and the further down in the kicker list you go the more likely it is that the kicker loses his job. If your kicker were to have a higher risk of losing his job you now may only have two kickers for the first 6-8 weeks of the year and one kicker the rest of the year.
John Norton - Slot 9
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.09 | 9 | Gordon, Melvin LAC RB |
2.04 | 16 | Howard, Jordan CHI RB |
3.09 | 33 | Lynch, Marshawn OAK RB |
4.04 | 40 | Crabtree, Michael OAK WR |
5.09 | 57 | Bennett, Martellus GBP TE |
6.04 | 64 | Coleman, Tevin ATL RB |
7.09 | 81 | Williams, Tyrell LAC WR |
8.04 | 88 | Winston, Jameis TBB QB |
9.09 | 105 | Decker, Eric TEN WR |
10.04 | 112 | Engram, Evan NYG TE (R) |
11.09 | 129 | Jones, Marvin DET WR |
12.04 | 136 | Dalton, Andy CIN QB |
13.09 | 153 | Hurns, Allen JAC WR |
14.04 | 160 | Charles, Jamaal DEN RB |
15.09 | 177 | Chiefs, Kansas City KCC Def |
16.04 | 184 | Shaheen, Adam CHI TE (R) |
17.09 | 201 | Santos, Cairo KCC PK |
18.04 | 208 | Buccaneers, Tampa Bay TBB Def |
19.09 | 225 | Vinatieri, Adam IND PK |
20.04 | 232 | Boyd, Tyler CIN WR |
Overall Strategy
Old School RB-Heavy
Best Pick(s)
Andy Dalton (12.04, QB19) John timed the QB run well and the duo of Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton is a high-floor, high-ceiling combination. Dalton is a sneaky pick for strong QB1 fantasy production. He has quietly been amongst the league leaders at quarterback in rushing touchdowns in recent years. And when he has had a full stable of receiving weapons at his disposal, he has put up big fantasy numbers. In 2013, he had 35 total touchdowns and was on pace to beat that number in 2015 before a thumb injury sidelined him the final four games. With the healthy return of A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert and the draft additions of John Ross and Joe Mixon, this is the strongest supporting cast Dalton has ever had.
Worst Pick(s)
Tevin Coleman (6.04, RB23) There are only two ways Coleman is worth a pick at the top of the 6th round: (1) an injury to Devonta Freeman or (2) another historically great season from the Atlanta offense that allows the backup RB to put up RB2 numbers. Neither seems likely. Adding another TE1 like Zach Ertz with this pick would have been a better strategy and backs with similar upside were available much later. I’d much rather have Ertz (6.05) and Kareem Hunt (10.07) over Tevin Coleman (6.04) and Evan Engram (10.04).
Evaluation
John has the strongest top-3 at running back in the league with Melvin Gordon, Jordan Howard and Marshawn Lynch. The trio projects to score a bunch of touchdowns in 2017. Though he lacks a true #1 receiver, John did a nice job of stacking up solid receivers that should combine for nice production in the best ball format. If Mike Williams isn’t able to get healthy, Tyrell Williams is going to be a steal in the 7th round. Eric Decker and Marvin Jones were nice picks in the 9th and 11th rounds.
post-draft questions
1. You selected three running backs in the first three rounds. Explain why you decided to go with this approach?
Running backs generally give you the most consistency since they are always going to get their touches. In this particular league we have two flex spots which means we can have up to four running backs in any given week. I actually went into the draft thinking RB in round one and best available player in round two. Keeping in mind the consistency factor, I felt good about Jordan Howard over the remaining receivers when my second pick came up. In round three I really wanted to go receiver but simply couldn't pass on Marshawn Lynch who was the best available on my list. All the great receivers were obviously long gone at that point and Lynch was the last back in my second tier. There were a slew of receivers I considered to be pretty even so I felt comfortable I could still get a couple of them in the next few rounds. I ended up with three top shelf backs that will all catch 30+ passes on top of being their team's feature backs.
2. Which player on your roster drafted in the 10th round or later do you feel you received the most value? Explain your answer.
I would say Evan Engram on the safe side and Jamal Charles on the up side. The one thing Eli Manning has been missing in recent years is a big physical red zone target. Now he has two of them in Engram and Brandon Marshall. We have seen the Giants give some pretty average tight ends fantasy relevance over the past several years. I think Evans will become a safety net for Manning whenever he needs a first down or a short score.
If Charles is finally healthy he may well be the best running back on that team. He is a boom or bust pick I was happy to get in round fourteen just ahead of the defense and kicker runs. Hitting on high upside players like Charles in the late rounds is often the difference between a championship season and a near miss. I always like to take a swing or two at the fences late in drafts. In this format there is nothing to lose. If he has some big runs he is in my lineup, if he never sees the field he is not, I'm out nothing that late in the draft.
3. How important is bye week management when crafting your best ball team?
Funny you should ask me this question. I was asking myself the same thing after round ten when I realized both my tight ends and half my other players were off the same week. I'm not sure how important it is in the grand scheme of things. If all your players are off in one or two weeks you take a beating those weeks but your squad is basically full strength the rest of the way. I will admit I was looking at bye weeks after round ten and picked up Adam Shaheen in the sixteenth just to make sure I could field a full team in week eight. I'll say it is more important to take the best available players than to worry about bye weeks over the first ten rounds but I do think it's important to at least be able to field a full squad each week. I noticed several drafters only took one kicker, I think that could come back to haunt them.
Jason wood - Slot 10
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.10 | 10 | Freeman, Devonta ATL RB |
2.03 | 15 | Ajayi, Jay MIA RB |
3.10 | 34 | Hopkins, DeAndre HOU WR |
4.03 | 39 | Brady, Tom NEP QB |
5.10 | 58 | Tate, Golden DET WR |
6.03 | 63 | Henry, Hunter LAC TE |
7.10 | 82 | Brown, John ARI WR |
8.03 | 87 | Perine, Samaje WAS RB (R) |
9.10 | 106 | Thielen, Adam MIN WR |
10.03 | 111 | White, James NEP RB |
11.10 | 130 | Brate, Cameron TBB TE |
12.03 | 135 | Wentz, Carson PHI QB |
13.10 | 154 | Bernard, Giovani CIN RB |
14.03 | 159 | Woods, Robert LAR WR |
15.10 | 178 | Perriman, Breshad BAL WR |
16.03 | 183 | Mack, Marlon IND RB (R) |
17.10 | 202 | Rams, Los Angeles LAR Def |
18.03 | 207 | Anderson, Robby NYJ WR |
19.10 | 226 | Boswell, Chris PIT PK |
20.03 | 231 | Dolphins, Miami MIA Def |
Overall Strategy
Old School RB-RB Start, Balanced Throughout
Best Pick(s)
Tom Brady (4.03, QB2) Brady has proven capable of the type of massive fantasy games that make a major impact in the best ball format. His stable of weapons is deeper than ever before with the addition of Brandin Cooks and Rob Gronkowski entering the season fully healthy for the first time in years. Brady’s high floor and sky-high ceiling make him well worth a fourth round pick.
Worst Pick(s)
Samaje Perine (8.03, RB32) Jason started off his draft with a pair of RB1s in Devonta Freeman and Jay Ajayi. Part of the allure of this strategy is that locking in a pair of top runners early allows you to take advantage of the incredible depth at wide receiver in the 6th-8th rounds. Receivers like Jamison Crowder and Pierre Garcon would have been better options and are likely to outscore Perine in 2017. Perine will enter camp as the backup behind Rob Kelley. Even if he is able to beat out Kelley, his upside is still limited due to Chris Thompson having a solid hold upon the third-down role.
Evaluation
Jason put together a strong roster with a nice mix of high-floor veterans (Tom Brady, Golden Tate, etc.) and high-upside young players (like Hunter Henry and John Brown). If Devonta Freeman and Jay Ajayi both stay healthy and Tom Brady has a big season, this team will be a definite contender
post-draft questions
1. Pick a running back and wide receiver (not necessarily on your roster) and explain why they are a perfect fit for a best ball league.
The first rule of best-ball is drafting the best players available. In many ways, the best players at each position are the same regardless of whether you have to set a lineup or not. The second rule of best-ball is to embrace variance. Players prone to boom-or-bust weeks are more valuable in best ball formats since you are guaranteed to get the "booms" without worrying about the "bust." On my roster, a guy like James White is fantastic for best ball but far less compelling in traditional leagues. The Patriots vary their offensive game plan week to week and have a deep running back corps. Yet, we know White will have a handful of weeks that are dominant, akin to what he did in the Super Bowl. Rounding out your receiving corps with home-run hitters is essential to winning best ball leagues. Players like Brandon LaFell or Travis Benjamin or Cordarrelle Patterson are terrific options in this format but would be fringe roster options in traditional leagues.
2. Who would be your tight end of choice in a best ball FPC league after the Top 4 are off the board? Explain your answer.
Jimmy Graham deserves to be mentioned alongside the "Top 4" as you describe them; it should really be the Top 5. Graham seemed a lost cause after a torn patellar tendon but bounced back last season with nearly 1,000 yards. He could easily have 70+ receptions and 1,000+ yards this year in a Seattle offense that only has one proven wide receiver. If you aren't lucky enough to land Graham, I've been waiting a few rounds and grabbing Hunter Henry. The young tight end overtook Antonio Gates last year and could be the centerpiece of the Chargers passing attack.
3. What is the biggest change of draft strategy for an FPC draft vs. an MFL10 draft?
MFL10s eschew place kickers, which is something I didn't think enough about on draft day. I ended up drafting just one kicker, which is suboptimal unless I happen to end up with one of the top three at the position. Beyond the need for two kickers (which I screwed up), the FPC utilizes two flex positions and 1.5 points per tight end reception. Those changes create an environment where you should almost always draft the "best player available" and worry less about positional needs.
Keith Roberts - Slot 11
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.11 | 11 | McCoy, LeSean BUF RB |
2.02 | 14 | Nelson, Jordy GBP WR |
3.11 | 35 | Thomas, Demaryius DEN WR |
4.02 | 38 | Landry, Jarvis MIA WR |
5.11 | 59 | Walker, Delanie TEN TE |
6.02 | 62 | Edelman, Julian NEP WR |
7.11 | 83 | Powell, Bilal NYJ RB |
8.02 | 86 | Ryan, Matt ATL QB |
9.11 | 107 | Maclin, Jeremy BAL WR |
10.02 | 110 | Johnson, Duke CLE RB |
11.11 | 131 | Doctson, Josh WAS WR |
12.02 | 134 | Shepard, Sterling NYG WR |
13.11 | 155 | Beasley, Cole DAL WR |
14.02 | 158 | Howard, O.J. TBB TE (R) |
15.11 | 179 | Cardinals, Arizona ARI Def |
16.02 | 182 | Palmer, Carson ARI QB |
17.11 | 203 | Lutz, Wil NOS PK |
18.02 | 206 | Sproles, Darren PHI RB |
19.11 | 227 | Foreman, D'Onta HOU RB (R) |
20.02 | 230 | Titans, Tennessee TEN Def |
Overall Strategy
Veteran-Heavy
Best Pick(s)
Matt Ryan (8.02, QB6) and Carson Palmer (16.02, QB24) For the bargain price of 8th and 16th round picks, Keith was able to put together a very solid quarterback duo. Even if Ryan comes back to earth a bit from his monster 2016 numbers (4,944 passing yards and 38 touchdowns), he still profiles as a top fantasy option. He has a deep group of targets and he will play over half of his games indoors. Palmer is a great backup option in the 16th round who has proven capable of the type of big fantasy games that are absolutely ideal in the best ball format.
Worst Pick(s)
Jarvis Landry (4.02, WR18) Over the final 14 weeks of the 2017 season, Landry topped 20 fantasy points in just one game. His upside is limited in a Dolphins offense that found success once implementing a run-heavy scheme on the shoulders of Jay Ajayi. Landry won’t see the massive target numbers he has in recent years with the more run-focused offense and the emergence of DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills as solid options in the passing game. Landry has never scored more than five touchdowns in any season, which further caps his weekly upside.
Evaluation
Aside from Landry, each of Keith’s first nine picks are at least 29-years old. He has a lot of proven commodities and didn’t take many risks early. While that limits his bust risk, he could see some age-related production declines from players like Jordy Nelson (32-years old) and Delanie Walker (33-years old).
post-draft questions
1. In a best ball, FPC league, would you rather have an elite running back, wide receiver or tight end? Explain your answer.
3. Who is a player that you often find yourself targeting in drafts this year? Explain your answer.
Daniel Simpkins - Slot 12
PICK | OVR | SELECTION |
1.12 | 12 | Cooper, Amari OAK WR |
2.01 | 13 | Murray, DeMarco TEN RB |
3.12 | 36 | Robinson, Allen JAC WR |
4.01 | 37 | Watkins, Sammy BUF WR |
5.12 | 60 | Luck, Andrew IND QB |
6.01 | 61 | Henry, Derrick TEN RB |
7.12 | 84 | Hooper, Austin ATL TE |
8.01 | 85 | Lacy, Eddie SEA RB |
9.12 | 108 | Prosise, C.J. SEA RB |
10.01 | 109 | Kamara, Alvin NOS RB (R) |
11.12 | 132 | Forte, Matt NYJ RB |
12.01 | 133 | Rawls, Thomas SEA RB |
13.12 | 156 | Lockett, Tyler SEA WR |
14.01 | 157 | Njoku, David CLE TE (R) |
15.12 | 180 | Booker, Devontae DEN RB |
16.01 | 181 | Gabriel, Taylor ATL WR |
17.12 | 204 | Smith, Alex KCC QB |
18.01 | 205 | Ravens, Baltimore BAL Def |
19.12 | 228 | Hopkins, Dustin WAS PK |
20.01 | 229 | Bengals, Cincinnati CIN Def |
Overall Strategy
Young Receivers and Locking up Backfields with Multiple Picks
Best Pick(s)
Sammy Watkins (4.01, WR17) Daniel did well to grab the last of the receivers in the top tier with realistic WR1 upside. While Watkins does carry some injury concerns, he has more than enough upside to make the reward outweigh the risks in the fourth round.
Worst Pick(s)
Demarco Murray (2.01, RB7) and Derrick Henry (6.01, RB22) Henry only makes sense at the top of the sixth round (and ahead of almost a dozen starting running backs) if you are betting heavily against Murray. Taking a handcuff this early may reduce your risk a little bit, but it also caps your upside in a significant way having your two highest-drafted running backs on the same NFL team.
Evaluation
The foundations of this team are very solid. Daniel’s top three wide receivers are all 24-years old or younger. We may not have seen the ceilings yet for any of these guys. Sammy Watkins and Amari Cooper are especially intriguing and capable of breaking out in a big way. The strategy of using five picks to lock up the Tennessee and Seattle backfields is interesting and should guarantee two solid starting backs. But the high cost of using five picks to do so took away opportunities to improve other areas of the team and limits the overall upside somewhat.
post-draft questions
1. What is your philosophy on drafting rookies vs. veterans in a best ball league?
Full Draft Pick by Pick
PICK | OVR | FRANCHISE | SELECTION |
1.01 | 1 | Chris Feery | Johnson, David ARI RB |
1.02 | 2 | Phil Alexander | Bell, Le'Veon PIT RB |
1.03 | 3 | Bear Heiser | Brown, Antonio PIT WR |
1.04 | 4 | Stephen Holloway | Elliott, Ezekiel DAL RB |
1.05 | 5 | James Brimacombe | Jones, Julio ATL WR |
1.06 | 6 | Jeff Haseley | Beckham, Odell NYG WR |
1.07 | 7 | Ari Ingel | Green, A.J. CIN WR |
1.08 | 8 | Devin Knotts | Evans, Mike TBB WR |
1.09 | 9 | John Norton | Gordon, Melvin LAC RB |
1.10 | 10 | Jason Wood | Freeman, Devonta ATL RB |
1.11 | 11 | Keith Roberts | McCoy, LeSean BUF RB |
1.12 | 12 | Daniel Simpkins | Cooper, Amari OAK WR |
2.01 | 13 | Daniel Simpkins | Murray, DeMarco TEN RB |
2.02 | 14 | Keith Roberts | Nelson, Jordy GBP WR |
2.03 | 15 | Jason Wood | Ajayi, Jay MIA RB |
2.04 | 16 | John Norton | Howard, Jordan CHI RB |
2.05 | 17 | Devin Knotts | Thomas, Michael NOS WR |
2.06 | 18 | Ari Ingel | Gronkowski, Rob NEP TE |
2.07 | 19 | Jeff Haseley | Hilton, T.Y. IND WR |
2.08 | 20 | James Brimacombe | Kelce, Travis KCC TE |
2.09 | 21 | Stephen Holloway | Baldwin, Doug SEA WR |
2.10 | 22 | Bear Heiser | Gurley, Todd LAR RB |
2.11 | 23 | Phil Alexander | Bryant, Dez DAL WR |
2.12 | 24 | Chris Feery | Cooks, Brandin NEP WR |
3.01 | 25 | Chris Feery | Reed, Jordan WAS TE |
3.02 | 26 | Phil Alexander | Mixon, Joe CIN RB (R) |
3.03 | 27 | Bear Heiser | Fournette, Leonard JAC RB (R) |
3.04 | 28 | Stephen Holloway | Miller, Lamar HOU RB |
3.05 | 29 | James Brimacombe | Crowell, Isaiah CLE RB |
3.06 | 30 | Jeff Haseley | Olsen, Greg CAR TE |
3.07 | 31 | Ari Ingel | Allen, Keenan LAC WR |
3.08 | 32 | Devin Knotts | Rodgers, Aaron GBP QB |
3.09 | 33 | John Norton | Lynch, Marshawn OAK RB |
3.10 | 34 | Jason Wood | Hopkins, DeAndre HOU WR |
3.11 | 35 | Keith Roberts | Thomas, Demaryius DEN WR |
3.12 | 36 | Daniel Simpkins | Robinson, Allen JAC WR |
4.01 | 37 | Daniel Simpkins | Watkins, Sammy BUF WR |
4.02 | 38 | Keith Roberts | Landry, Jarvis MIA WR |
4.03 | 39 | Jason Wood | Brady, Tom NEP QB |
4.04 | 40 | John Norton | Crabtree, Michael OAK WR |
4.05 | 41 | Devin Knotts | Graham, Jimmy SEA TE |
4.06 | 42 | Ari Ingel | Montgomery, Ty GBP RB |
4.07 | 43 | Jeff Haseley | Brees, Drew NOS QB |
4.08 | 44 | James Brimacombe | Jeffery, Alshon PHI WR |
4.09 | 45 | Stephen Holloway | Fitzgerald, Larry ARI WR |
4.10 | 46 | Bear Heiser | Adams, Davante GBP WR |
4.11 | 47 | Phil Alexander | Hyde, Carlos SFO RB |
4.12 | 48 | Chris Feery | Cook, Dalvin MIN RB (R) |
5.01 | 49 | Chris Feery | Pryor, Terrelle WAS WR |
5.02 | 50 | Phil Alexander | Bryant, Martavis PIT WR |
5.03 | 51 | Bear Heiser | Eifert, Tyler CIN TE |
5.04 | 52 | Stephen Holloway | Rudolph, Kyle MIN TE |
5.05 | 53 | James Brimacombe | Ware, Spencer KCC RB |
5.06 | 54 | Jeff Haseley | McCaffrey, Christian CAR RB (R) |
5.07 | 55 | Ari Ingel | Abdullah, Ameer DET RB |
5.08 | 56 | Devin Knotts | Hill, Tyreek KCC WR |
5.09 | 57 | John Norton | Bennett, Martellus GBP TE |
5.10 | 58 | Jason Wood | Tate, Golden DET WR |
5.11 | 59 | Keith Roberts | Walker, Delanie TEN TE |
5.12 | 60 | Daniel Simpkins | Luck, Andrew IND QB |
6.01 | 61 | Daniel Simpkins | Henry, Derrick TEN RB |
6.02 | 62 | Keith Roberts | Edelman, Julian NEP WR |
6.03 | 63 | Jason Wood | Henry, Hunter LAC TE |
6.04 | 64 | John Norton | Coleman, Tevin ATL RB |
6.05 | 65 | Devin Knotts | Ertz, Zach PHI TE |
6.06 | 66 | Ari Ingel | Sanders, Emmanuel DEN WR |
6.07 | 67 | Jeff Haseley | Ingram, Mark NOS RB |
6.08 | 68 | James Brimacombe | Ebron, Eric DET TE |
6.09 | 69 | Stephen Holloway | Wilson, Russell SEA QB |
6.10 | 70 | Bear Heiser | Marshall, Brandon NYG WR |
6.11 | 71 | Phil Alexander | Doyle, Jack IND TE |
6.12 | 72 | Chris Feery | Gillislee, Mike NEP RB |
7.01 | 73 | Chris Feery | Thomas, Julius MIA TE |
7.02 | 74 | Phil Alexander | Snead, Willie NOS WR |
7.03 | 75 | Bear Heiser | Martin, Doug TBB RB |
7.04 | 76 | Stephen Holloway | Benjamin, Kelvin CAR WR |
7.05 | 77 | James Brimacombe | Perkins, Paul NYG RB |
7.06 | 78 | Jeff Haseley | Diggs, Stefon MIN WR |
7.07 | 79 | Ari Ingel | Anderson, C.J. DEN RB |
7.08 | 80 | Devin Knotts | Woodhead, Danny BAL RB |
7.09 | 81 | John Norton | Williams, Tyrell LAC WR |
7.10 | 82 | Jason Wood | Brown, John ARI WR |
7.11 | 83 | Keith Roberts | Powell, Bilal NYJ RB |
7.12 | 84 | Daniel Simpkins | Hooper, Austin ATL TE |
8.01 | 85 | Daniel Simpkins | Lacy, Eddie SEA RB |
8.02 | 86 | Keith Roberts | Ryan, Matt ATL QB |
8.03 | 87 | Jason Wood | Perine, Samaje WAS RB (R) |
8.04 | 88 | John Norton | Winston, Jameis TBB QB |
8.05 | 89 | Devin Knotts | Blount, LeGarrette PHI RB |
8.06 | 90 | Ari Ingel | Moncrief, Donte IND WR |
8.07 | 91 | Jeff Haseley | Crowder, Jamison WAS WR |
8.08 | 92 | James Brimacombe | Garcon, Pierre SFO WR |
8.09 | 93 | Stephen Holloway | Parker, DeVante MIA WR |
8.10 | 94 | Bear Heiser | Carr, Derek OAK QB |
8.11 | 95 | Phil Alexander | Peterson, Adrian NOS RB |
8.12 | 96 | Chris Feery | Rivers, Philip LAC QB |
9.01 | 97 | Chris Feery | Cobb, Randall GBP WR |
9.02 | 98 | Phil Alexander | Mariota, Marcus TEN QB |
9.03 | 99 | Bear Heiser | Jackson, DeSean TBB WR |
9.04 | 100 | Stephen Holloway | Riddick, Theo DET RB |
9.05 | 101 | James Brimacombe | Newton, Cam CAR QB |
9.06 | 102 | Jeff Haseley | Gore, Frank IND RB |
9.07 | 103 | Ari Ingel | Cousins, Kirk WAS QB |
9.08 | 104 | Devin Knotts | Meredith, Cameron CHI WR |
9.09 | 105 | John Norton | Decker, Eric TEN WR |
9.10 | 106 | Jason Wood | Thielen, Adam MIN WR |
9.11 | 107 | Keith Roberts | Maclin, Jeremy BAL WR |
9.12 | 108 | Daniel Simpkins | Prosise, C.J. SEA RB |
10.01 | 109 | Daniel Simpkins | Kamara, Alvin NOS RB (R) |
10.02 | 110 | Keith Roberts | Johnson, Duke CLE RB |
10.03 | 111 | Jason Wood | White, James NEP RB |
10.04 | 112 | John Norton | Engram, Evan NYG TE (R) |
10.05 | 113 | Devin Knotts | Fleener, Coby NOS TE |
10.06 | 114 | Ari Ingel | Stafford, Matthew DET QB |
10.07 | 115 | Jeff Haseley | Hunt, Kareem KCC RB (R) |
10.08 | 116 | James Brimacombe | Stewart, Jonathan CAR RB |
10.09 | 117 | Stephen Holloway | Coleman, Corey CLE WR |
10.10 | 118 | Bear Heiser | Murray, Latavius MIN RB |
10.11 | 119 | Phil Alexander | Enunwa, Quincy NYJ WR |
10.12 | 120 | Chris Feery | Prescott, Dak DAL QB |
11.01 | 121 | Chris Feery | Matthews, Jordan PHI WR |
11.02 | 122 | Phil Alexander | Roethlisberger, Ben PIT QB |
11.03 | 123 | Bear Heiser | White, Kevin CHI WR |
11.04 | 124 | Stephen Holloway | Manning, Eli NYG QB |
11.05 | 125 | James Brimacombe | Taylor, Tyrod BUF QB |
11.06 | 126 | Jeff Haseley | Britt, Kenny CLE WR |
11.07 | 127 | Ari Ingel | Dixon, Kenneth BAL RB |
11.08 | 128 | Devin Knotts | Kelley, Rob WAS RB |
11.09 | 129 | John Norton | Jones, Marvin DET WR |
11.10 | 130 | Jason Wood | Brate, Cameron TBB TE |
11.11 | 131 | Keith Roberts | Doctson, Josh WAS WR |
11.12 | 132 | Daniel Simpkins | Forte, Matt NYJ RB |
12.01 | 133 | Daniel Simpkins | Rawls, Thomas SEA RB |
12.02 | 134 | Keith Roberts | Shepard, Sterling NYG WR |
12.03 | 135 | Jason Wood | Wentz, Carson PHI QB |
12.04 | 136 | John Norton | Dalton, Andy CIN QB |
12.05 | 137 | Devin Knotts | Ginn Jr., Ted NOS WR |
12.06 | 138 | Ari Ingel | Wallace, Mike BAL WR |
12.07 | 139 | Jeff Haseley | Hill, Jeremy CIN RB |
12.08 | 140 | James Brimacombe | Stills, Kenny MIA WR |
12.09 | 141 | Stephen Holloway | Lee, Marqise JAC WR |
12.10 | 142 | Bear Heiser | Bortles, Blake JAC QB |
12.11 | 143 | Phil Alexander | Witten, Jason DAL TE |
12.12 | 144 | Chris Feery | West, Terrance BAL RB |
13.01 | 145 | Chris Feery | James, Jesse PIT TE |
13.02 | 146 | Phil Alexander | Williams, Jamaal GBP RB (R) |
13.03 | 147 | Bear Heiser | Fiedorowicz, C.J. HOU TE |
13.04 | 148 | Stephen Holloway | Fuller, Will HOU WR |
13.05 | 149 | James Brimacombe | Cook, Jared OAK TE |
13.06 | 150 | Jeff Haseley | Gates, Antonio LAC TE |
13.07 | 151 | Ari Ingel | Williams, Jonathan BUF RB |
13.08 | 152 | Devin Knotts | Washington, DeAndre OAK RB |
13.09 | 153 | John Norton | Hurns, Allen JAC WR |
13.10 | 154 | Jason Wood | Bernard, Giovani CIN RB |
13.11 | 155 | Keith Roberts | Beasley, Cole DAL WR |
13.12 | 156 | Daniel Simpkins | Lockett, Tyler SEA WR |
14.01 | 157 | Daniel Simpkins | Njoku, David CLE TE (R) |
14.02 | 158 | Keith Roberts | Howard, O.J. TBB TE (R) |
14.03 | 159 | Jason Wood | Woods, Robert LAR WR |
14.04 | 160 | John Norton | Charles, Jamaal DEN RB |
14.05 | 161 | Devin Knotts | Bryant, Matt ATL PK |
14.06 | 162 | Ari Ingel | Allen, Dwayne NEP TE |
14.07 | 163 | Jeff Haseley | Matthews, Rishard TEN WR |
14.08 | 164 | James Brimacombe | Flacco, Joe BAL QB |
14.09 | 165 | Stephen Holloway | Williams, Joe SFO RB (R) |
14.10 | 166 | Bear Heiser | Broncos, Denver DEN Def |
14.11 | 167 | Phil Alexander | Davis, Corey TEN WR (R) |
14.12 | 168 | Chris Feery | McFadden, Darren DAL RB |
15.01 | 169 | Chris Feery | Austin, Tavon LAR WR |
15.02 | 170 | Phil Alexander | Clay, Charles BUF TE |
15.03 | 171 | Bear Heiser | Conner, James PIT RB (R) |
15.04 | 172 | Stephen Holloway | Texans, Houston HOU Def |
15.05 | 173 | James Brimacombe | Sanu, Mohamed ATL WR |
15.06 | 174 | Jeff Haseley | Hoyer, Brian SFO QB |
15.07 | 175 | Ari Ingel | Barnidge, Gary FA TE |
15.08 | 176 | Devin Knotts | Tannehill, Ryan MIA QB |
15.09 | 177 | John Norton | Chiefs, Kansas City KCC Def |
15.10 | 178 | Jason Wood | Perriman, Breshad BAL WR |
15.11 | 179 | Keith Roberts | Cardinals, Arizona ARI Def |
15.12 | 180 | Daniel Simpkins | Booker, Devontae DEN RB |
16.01 | 181 | Daniel Simpkins | Gabriel, Taylor ATL WR |
16.02 | 182 | Keith Roberts | Palmer, Carson ARI QB |
16.03 | 183 | Jason Wood | Mack, Marlon IND RB (R) |
16.04 | 184 | John Norton | Shaheen, Adam CHI TE (R) |
16.05 | 185 | Devin Knotts | Vikings, Minnesota MIN Def |
16.06 | 186 | Ari Ingel | Seahawks, Seattle SEA Def |
16.07 | 187 | Jeff Haseley | Watson, Ben BAL TE |
16.08 | 188 | James Brimacombe | Patriots, New England NEP Def |
16.09 | 189 | Stephen Holloway | Tucker, Justin BAL PK |
16.10 | 190 | Bear Heiser | Treadwell, Laquon MIN WR |
16.11 | 191 | Phil Alexander | Panthers, Carolina CAR Def |
16.12 | 192 | Chris Feery | Giants, New York NYG Def |
17.01 | 193 | Chris Feery | Gostkowski, Stephen NEP PK |
17.02 | 194 | Phil Alexander | Golladay, Kenny DET WR (R) |
17.03 | 195 | Bear Heiser | Bailey, Dan DAL PK |
17.04 | 196 | Stephen Holloway | Seferian-Jenkins, Austin NYJ TE |
17.05 | 197 | James Brimacombe | Falcons, Atlanta ATL Def |
17.06 | 198 | Jeff Haseley | Crosby, Mason GBP PK |
17.07 | 199 | Ari Ingel | Eagles, Philadelphia PHI Def |
17.08 | 200 | Devin Knotts | Gallman, Wayne NYG RB (R) |
17.09 | 201 | John Norton | Santos, Cairo KCC PK |
17.10 | 202 | Jason Wood | Rams, Los Angeles LAR Def |
17.11 | 203 | Keith Roberts | Lutz, Wil NOS PK |
17.12 | 204 | Daniel Simpkins | Smith, Alex KCC QB |
18.01 | 205 | Daniel Simpkins | Ravens, Baltimore BAL Def |
18.02 | 206 | Keith Roberts | Sproles, Darren PHI RB |
18.03 | 207 | Jason Wood | Anderson, Robby NYJ WR |
18.04 | 208 | John Norton | Buccaneers, Tampa Bay TBB Def |
18.05 | 209 | Devin Knotts | McManus, Brandon DEN PK |
18.06 | 210 | Ari Ingel | Vereen, Shane NYG RB |
18.07 | 211 | Jeff Haseley | Chargers, Los Angeles LAC Def |
18.08 | 212 | James Brimacombe | Nelson, J.J. ARI WR |
18.09 | 213 | Stephen Holloway | Thompson, Chris WAS RB |
18.10 | 214 | Bear Heiser | Ross, John CIN WR (R) |
18.11 | 215 | Phil Alexander | Janikowski, Sebastian OAK PK |
18.12 | 216 | Chris Feery | Steelers, Pittsburgh PIT Def |
19.01 | 217 | Chris Feery | Goff, Jared LAR QB |
19.02 | 218 | Phil Alexander | Prater, Matt DET PK |
19.03 | 219 | Bear Heiser | Bills, Buffalo BUF Def |
19.04 | 220 | Stephen Holloway | Raiders, Oakland OAK Def |
19.05 | 221 | James Brimacombe | Aguayo, Roberto TBB PK |
19.06 | 222 | Jeff Haseley | Jaguars, Jacksonville JAC Def |
19.07 | 223 | Ari Ingel | Gano, Graham CAR PK |
19.08 | 224 | Devin Knotts | Richard, Jalen OAK RB |
19.09 | 225 | John Norton | Vinatieri, Adam IND PK |
19.10 | 226 | Jason Wood | Boswell, Chris PIT PK |
19.11 | 227 | Keith Roberts | Foreman, D'Onta HOU RB (R) |
19.12 | 228 | Daniel Simpkins | Hopkins, Dustin WAS PK |
20.01 | 229 | Daniel Simpkins | Bengals, Cincinnati CIN Def |
20.02 | 230 | Keith Roberts | Titans, Tennessee TEN Def |
20.03 | 231 | Jason Wood | Dolphins, Miami MIA Def |
20.04 | 232 | John Norton | Boyd, Tyler CIN WR |
20.05 | 233 | Devin Knotts | Packers, Green Bay GBP Def |
20.06 | 234 | Ari Ingel | Novak, Nick HOU PK |
20.07 | 235 | Jeff Haseley | Forbath, Kai MIN PK |
20.08 | 236 | James Brimacombe | Sturgis, Caleb PHI PK |
20.09 | 237 | Stephen Holloway | Davis, Vernon WAS TE |
20.10 | 238 | Bear Heiser | Dawson, Phil ARI PK |
20.11 | 239 | Phil Alexander | Cowboys, Dallas DAL Def |
20.12 | 240 | Chris Feery | Catanzaro, Chandler NYJ PK |
Questions, suggestions and comments are always welcome to haseley@footballguys.com