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2014 Fantasy Football Standard Rankings

2014 Fantasy Football Standard Scoring Rankings

Standard Scoring

Believe it or not people still play in leagues that use standard scoring.  I know that seems hard to believe, and you may picture them as baby-boomers waiting for their AARP insurance reply, but that’s not necessarily the case.  Some proponents of standard scoring like the fact that it rewards owners for having players that actually score touchdowns.  Some of these fantasy players are younger than you would think and think doing some standard leagues gives them some advantage over players who are only used to PPR scoring.

Without anymore build up here are my standard rankings as of June 1st, 2014 as they look on FantasyPros.com.


Fantasy Football Rankings powered by FantasyPros
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David Wilson: I Just Can’t Quit You

Last night I had the pleasure of joining my old Co-host from Trick Plays, Micah James (The FFMagicman), on his new show on FFToolBox Radio.  I had a blast with my old running mate, but one discussion really stuck in my craw all night

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An audience member asked us to discuss the New York Giants’ roster and their fantasy prospects for 2014.  I gave my best assessment of what I think the Giants have to offer for fantasy football players, but when it came to discussing David Wilson I was really at a loss. In reality I am not expecting anything from Wilson in fantasy football this season.  I desperately hope I’m wrong and that he grows as a football player exponentially this summer, but the reality is there isn’t much time for him to heal physically (fused neck) and make up for all the short comings in his game. (Pass-blocking, fumbling, and timing as a runner) I have to admit that I was a huge supporter of David Wilson last off season.  His athleticism is the stuff that fantasy dreams are made of.

If the measurables weren’t enough to keep your interest then the news that his direct competition for touches in the Giants backfield last season, Andre Brown, breaking his leg in the preseason may have swayed you to reconsider.  These factors plus the fact that I was covering the Giants for BigBlueView.com and got to see David Wilson in person at the Giants’ training camp had me hook-line-and sinker. I watched as he exploded all over the field.  He was returning kicks, flying through the line of scrimmage on runs and making leaping one-handed grabs in the passing game. (yes Eli was a little inaccurate even in the preseason)  If I could have pawned my wife’s wedding ring to buy more shares in David Wilson I may have done it.

The big issue ended up being that I was too close to the situation.  I was right up in there, drinking the cool-aid and writing it for everyone to see.  If I had just taken a step back I may have not been so bullish on the situation. Here’s the reason why: The Giants’s offensive line in the preseason showed all the signs of an aging unit that could fall off the cliff at any moment.  Center David Baas had been riddled with injuries since he became a Giant.  Former-All-Pro Guard Chris Snee was playing on a hip that was operated on and compensating with the other one that was just as injured.  David Diehl was a warrior for the Giants in the late 2000’s, but his best games were clearly behind him and he was still going to be a big contributor.

The only true hope was a rookie tackle that had short arms and was more of a technician than a mauler when it came to the running game.  The depth behind the aging lineman was where the Giants really faltered.  They didn’t have anyone that could actually come in and get the job done.  They had instead tried to fill those roles with projects like James Brewer. Besides an offensive line that was showing signs of cracks the Giants had one of the worst blocking tight ends in the league, Brandon Myers, penciled in as their new starter.  The bulked up former work-out warrior Adrien Robinson was supposed to be the key blocker at the tight end position, but he ballooned up to over 285 pounds and injured his foot in the preseason.

The fumbles by David Wilson against the Dallas Cowboys in week 1 were actually a culmination of mistakes that he had continued to make in the preseason.  The pressure was on the young man and he really struggled with it.  In redraft leagues I panicked right away.  I was not buying low as some were in the first few weeks of the season.  Instead I was selling him for a sliding scale from Frank Gore to Ryan Matthews.  By the end you were lucky to get Mark Ingram for him. In dynasty leagues it was tough to become a seller.  His value had taken a dip, but his potential was just so high that actually pulling the trigger on a deal was difficult.

All of these bad memories had me file David Wilson away as a cautionary tale in the back of my mind, but then after talking to Micah that file was reopened. I had to look at David Wilson for the opportunity and the player that he is THIS season. Wilson suffered a fractured vertebra in his neck last season and had spinal fusion in the off-season.  The Giants were pretty tight-lipped about his recovery, but then around the NFL draft Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reece started saying that they believed Wilson would be cleared to play this season and that he was in fantastic shape. I teased a few of my friends on Twitter with tweets about Wilson being back, but they were all in jest.

I mean, the Giants had already moved on and signed their work-horse back in Rashad Jennings. The same Jennings that is 29 years old and has never rushed for over 750 yards in a season.  The same Rashad Jennings who’s career totals look like a down season for Adrien Peterson.  ( 1677 rushing yards and 13 TOTAL TDs) Well if Jennings isn’t the answer then it must be the running back the Giants drafted in the fourth round of this year’s NFL Draft.  Right?  Andre Williams is a gifted runner with some very surprising explosion numbers for a running back that is over 230 pounds, BUT he has smallish hands (9 Inches) and has never shown the ability to catch the football.  He really hasn’t shown the leg drive that would make him a short yardage back either, but he is a very good running back to add to a rotation. If Jennings can’t stay healthy, as he’s often showed in his career, then David Wilson is right back in the mix.  If he can somehow learn how to pass block to go with his pass catching skills then he could even slide right into Jennings role as lead back.  There’s a lot to get excited about and that’s why my former Co-host was so adamant that he will take a flier on Wilson late in some drafts because of the upside. So what else does David Wilson have going for him this year? First of all he’s back on the field.

Second, he has a brand new offensive line blocking for him. The Giants spent a lot of money in the off season getting quality bodies to either start of be key back ups.  They signed one of ProFootballFocus’s favorite offensive lineman in Geoff Schwartz from Kansas City.  They signed J.D. Walton and John Jerry to be key back ups on the interior of the offensive line.  They drafted the best Center available in the NFL Draft in Weston Richburg to potentially start and they signed Charles Brown to be a swing tackle. Third, he has a brand new offense.

Kevin Gilbride’s running game was built on slow developing running plays that really weren’t the best way to use David Wilson.  Ben McCadoo’s new West Coast Offense should be just what the doctor ordered.  Screens, Speed Draws, and quick fullback leads will get Wilson in open space quicker.  My excitement for the new offense is tempered by the fact that he has to learn a whole new blocking scheme with new responsibilities.  He will be learning this new offense all while coming back from a major injury. While he was clearly off my radar before last night he is back in my bag of late round darts at this point.

Even if he never becomes the fantasy star I thought he was destined for he can be a big contributor to a turn around for a Giants offense that was a fantasy wasteland last season.

Updated 8/4/2014:  David Wilson has been told by New York Giants team doctors that his career is over. After suffering a burner in practice the week before many people around the organization feared the worse when thinking of David Wilson’s football playing days.  Sure enough, the doctors confirmed that it was just too dangerous for Wilson to go back on the field.  Tom Coughlin told the media that the smile never left Wilson’s face, even when hearing the career ending news.  David Wilson’s quote put in perspective the fact that he still lived his dream, no matter how fleeting it was, and looks forward to dreaming a new dream and living that one as well.  While I am sad today as a Giants fan as a fantasy football owner who dreamed of his potential, most of me is just so happy that we get to see him walk away from the game instead of suffering another major injury on the field.

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Episode 002: The Fantasy Coach Podcast

Episode 2 of The Fantasy Coach Podcast

Featuring: Shane P. Hallam of DraftTV.com

2014 NFL Draft Recap and Fantasy Football Outlook

About My Guest: 

Shane Hallam of DraftTV.com

Shane Hallam of DraftTV.com

 Shane has been analyzing the NFL Draft for a decade. He is currently President and Owner of www.DraftTV.com and previously was an NFL Draft Analyst for www.draftcountdown.com writing scouting reports and articles for the site since 2010.  He is also a member of the Football Writer’s Association of America and Fantasy Sports Writers Association.  He has attended the Senior Bowl in Mobile since 2011 and was the color commentator of the local radio broadcast in 2014. Be sure to follow him on twitter @ShanePHallam Summary:  Shane and I discuss the 2014 NFL draft and try and hit as many high lights (The Raiders?) and low lights as we can fit in a one hour show.  We discuss everything from teams changing their draft philosophy to which palyers you should target in Fantasy Football. Episode Breakdown:

  • Intro
  • We talk about which teams had the best drafts and which teams seemed to not have the best approach to this draft.
  • We discuss if some of the top NFL QB’s should be happy how their teams drafted.
  • We’ll discuss the running backs drafted and how they could change the way the touches are handed out where they landed.
  • We touch on a possible Seattle find that may slip under the radar in your fantasy drafts.
  • Addition by Omission: which players benefit from their teams not drafting competition for them.
  • We give our top 10 Rookie draft picks for Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues and one sleeper we will be targeting late in drafts.

ITunes

One Important note is that the Original Intro music is provided by my good friend C-Quel or The Mighty Siek as he’s also known.  I can’t thank him enough for stepping into the studio and nailing an intro that will get everyone excited for the new podcast.

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2014 NFL Mock Draft Round 2

2014 NFL Mock Draft Round 2

2014 NFL Mock Draft Round 2

Pick Overall Team-Player Picked-Position
1 33 Houston Texans- Teddy Bridgewater-QB
2 34 Washington Redskins-Antonio Richardson-RT
3 35 Cleveland Browns-Jason Verrett-CB-Slot CB
4 36 Oakland Raiders-Dominique Easley-DT
5 37 Atlanta Falcons-Ryan Shazier-WLB/ILB
6 38 Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Austin Seferian-Jenkins-TE
7 39 Jacksonville Jaguars-Joel Bitonio-RT
8 40 Minnesota Vikings-Louis Nix III-DT (too good to pass up here)
9 41 Buffalo Bills-Jace Amaro-TE
10 42 Tennessee Titans-Deone Bucannon-S
11 43 New York Giants-Kelvin Benjamin-WR (He fits what the Giants need-A big outside target)
12 44 St. Louis Rams-Jordan Matthews-WR
13 45 Detroit Lions-Antonio Richardson-RT
14 46 Pittsburgh Steelers-Cody Latimer-WR
15 47 Dallas Cowboys-Scott Crichton-DE
16 48 Baltimore Ravens-Demarcus Lawrence-OLB
17 49 New York Jets-Allen Robinson-WR
18 50 Miami Dolphins-Ja’Wuan James-OT
19 51 Chicago Bears-Daquan Jones-DT (Bears continue to beef up the D-Line with this pick
20 52 Arizona Cardinals-Jack Mewhort-RT (competition for Bobbie Massey)
21 53 Green Bay Packers-Weston Richburg-OC
22 54 Philadelphia Eagles-Jimmie Ward-S
23 55 Cincinnati Bengals-Trai Turner-OG
24 56 San Francisco 49ers (from Kansas City) – Kyle Van Noy-OLB
25 57 San Diego Chargers-Marcus Martin-OC
26 58 New Orleans Saints-Jarvis Landry-WR
27 59 Indianapolis Colts-Stan Jean-Baptiste-CB
28 60 Carolina Panthers-Davante Adams-WR
29 61 San Francisco 49ers-Jackson Jeffcoat-DE
30 62 New England Patriots-Troy Niklas-TE
31 63 Denver Broncos-Lamarcus Joyner-CB/Slot-CB
32 64 Seattle Seahawks-Keith McGill-CB
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NFL Mock Draft 2014

NFL Mock Draft 2014

NFL Draft

Well it’s time for me to throw my hat into the ring of NFL Draft prognosticators.  While there are many, many Draft analysts that I have my utmost respect for, I always like to put my thoughts on paper and see how it shakes out versus the pros when it comes time for the actual draft.  I am going to mock the first three rounds based on perceived needs and glaring situations where value would dictate the pick. (Value to me is where I rank the individual player)  I am not going to include trades and therefore some QB picks may look funny because they will more than likely go earlier because of some trade scenario.

Round 1
Pick Overall Team
1 1 Houston Texans

Jadeveon Clowney- I’ve been waiting to see Clowney be drafted first overall since he was in high school.  Truly a once in generation talent that can now team up with J.J. Watt to make one of the best defensive line tandems since Reggie White and Jerome Brown.

2 2 St. Louis Rams (from Washington)

Greg Robinson- I have a feeling St. Louis won’t stay here and make this pick, but if they do Robinson makes a lot of sense as he could play RT for a few years and then slide over to the left when he’s coached up at the NFL level.  Even if he completely bombs as an NFL tackle he would be unbelievable (like Larry Allen) at Guard.
3 3 Jacksonville Jaguars

Sammy Watkins-  I’m a big believer in Watkins talent and believe that he SHOULD be the pick here, but you never know what an NFL team is thinking.  They need to get more talented across their roster and look like they want to ground and pound by signing Toby Gerhart to take over at RB.  I think Robinson is a great fit here as well.
4 4 Cleveland Browns

Taylor Lewan- This pick is a tough one for me.  If they didn’t pick Mingo and invest in Kruger last year then Khalil Mack would be hands down the pick, but alas they have those two already.  Mitchell Schwartz has a long injury history (Back issues) and struggled early last year.  They could bump Schwartz down to guard and have two bookends at tackle in Thomas and Lewan that could rival any tackle tandem in the league.
5 5 Oakland Raiders

Khalil Mack- The Raiders need to take a young quarterback in this draft, but Reggie Mckenzie needs to protect his job and put a quality product on the field THIS year.  A young QB at this pick with this much talent on the board at other positions would be a job killer.
6 6 Atlanta Falcons

Jake Matthews- The Falcons would be extremely lucky to have Matthews fall to them here.  I do think there could be a scenario where the Rams trade back and take Matthews before this could take place.
7 7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Evans- Evans is going to be picked by this pick one way or another.  I can definitely see another team trading up to acquire this unique talent at this spot in the draft.  For me, this is the spot where the tier in this draft drops off.
8 8 Minnesota Vikings

Blake Bortles- My buddy Arif Hasan has to be happy about getting a new young arm to groom behind Matt Cassel. Hey if Bortles doesn’t work out you will at least get to see pictures of his girlfriend plastered all over the Twin Cities.
9 9 Buffalo Bills

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix-  This pick is tough.  With everyone who went off the board before this spot Clinton-Dix became the right pick here.  I felt it was too early for Ebron and any offensive lineman here would be a reach with Clinton-Dix on the board. Most teams need three capable safeties now a days and Clinton-Dix’s talent is top notch.
10 10 Detroit Lions

Darqueze Dennard- Dennard is my pick at corner for the Lions, but they could easily like Gilbert more.  I think he is ready to step in and play right away and the Lions do face the Packers and Bears a total of four times every year.
11 11 Tennessee Titans

C. J. Mosley- The Titans are going to a 3-4 and they will need all the athletic-playmaking linebackers that they can get their hands on.  Mosley is a little undersized, but should become a fan favorite for the Titans.  I also would have liked Anthony Barr here.
12 12 New York Giants

Zach Martin- The rebuilding of the Offensive-line is officially on for the G-Men.  Martin is a Pro Bowl guard fresh out of the box and a tough as nails smart Right Tackle if need be.  With Chris Snee’s hips being a question mark, Martin’s versatility will be paramount for the Giants.  I see no scenario where Mike Evans or Taylor Lewan make it to this pick.
13 13 St. Louis Rams

Aaron Donald-His talent changes plans here for the Rams.  You put him next to either of the Rams sack hunting defensive ends and an offensive line will have it’s hands full.  Make a strength stronger is what I would do if Donald was available here.
14 14 Chicago Bears

Timmy Jernigan- Why does it feel like I’m making this pick because I still wish Tommie Frazier was in Chicago?  Even if it’s because I see a little of the old healthy Frazier in Jernigan, it still doesn’t change the fact that the Bears need to keep adding talent to that defensive line that was gashed over and over again last season.
15 15 Pittsburgh Steelers

Justin Gilbert- The Steelers need to get younger in the secondary and Gilbert is fast and has the ideal build to be a top corner in the NFL.  It’s not a sexy pick, but it’s a necessary pick.
16 16 Dallas Cowboys

Odell Beckham Jr.-  obviously this doesn’t fit an immediate need for the Cowboys, but I think this is where he will be picked.  Ideally the Cowboys would trade back from this spot if Donald, Jernigan, and Mosley were all off the board.
17 17 Baltimore Ravens

Morgan Moses- The Ravens offensive line was abysmal last season.  Michael Oher has since left in free agency and the Right Tackle spot is currently manned by Ricky Wagner who looked out classed when he played last season.  I think Yanda would be able to take the VERY talented Moses under his wing and make the right side of the Ravens line a strength.
18 18 New York Jets

Eric Ebron- I’m not in love with this pick for the Jets because I really like Jeff Cumberland, but they could make quite a tandem for whoever ends up taking the snaps under center.  Ebron is a big time talent, but the Jets could really use an upgrade at the wide receiver position so if Beckham slips he could be the pick.
19 19 Miami Dolphins

Kyle Fuller- Corner is not a glaring need for the Dolphins, but Fuller would be a very good value here.  Fuller has excellent closing speed in coverage and seemed to play the trail technique at a pro level while in college.  The Dolphins need a Right Tackle, but it would have been a reach here.
20 20 Arizona Cardinals

Derek Carr- The Cardinals took Ryan Lindley as a developmental quarterback a few years ago, but Carr gives them a quarterback that is used to having a defense tell him where to throw the ball and being able to put the ball where he wants it.  Carr is not a finished product and will do well to watch Palmer keep the chains moving with traffic all around him.
21 21 Green Bay Packers

Anthony Barr- It’s hard for me the believe that Anthony Barr would last this long in the draft, but in this scenario he does.  Barr is a little raw as far his pass rushing skills, but his athleticism and first step are top notch.  There would be many meetings at the QB for Barr and Matthews if this actually happened.
22 22 Philadelphia Eagles

Calvin Pryor- The Eagles are desperate for a safety falls right in their lap.  With Pryor manning the back of their defense the Eagles can be even more aggressive to try and get the ball back in the hands of their dynamic offense.

23 23 Kansas City Chiefs

Marqise Lee-  The Chiefs need a better compliment to Dwayne Bowe then Donnie Avery and they get it in Lee.  I think Lee will make a lot of fans in Kansas City with his personality and his skills.  Last year was tough on Lee, as he fell off from the previous year, but he has all the skills needed to be a star.
24 24 Cincinnati Bengals

Kony Ealy- The departure of Michael Johnson and the fact that Margus Hunt isn’t ready to be an NFL starter makes this the pick for the Bengals.
25 25 San Diego Chargers

Jeremiah Attaochu- The Chargers have a big need at Outside Linebacker and Attaochu is going to be a very good outside linebacker in the NFL.  He’s a little raw, but man when he locks on the ball carrier or quarterback he explodes.  I wouldn’t be surprised by a trade back here with a team trying to trade up to this spot to take a quarterback.
26 26 Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis)

Johnny Manziel- In this scenario the Browns would be able to get Manziel 22 picks after most people have them taking him.  I doubt he makes it this far in the draft, because believe it or not, he IS really good at football.  He’s a ton of fun to watch and man would it be cool to watch him scramble around and then throw it down field for Greg little to drop it.  Just kidding.
27 27 New Orleans Saints

Dee Ford-  Call me crazy but Dee Ford playing Outside Linebacker in a Ryan defense seems pretty exciting.  Ford would bring a new dimension to this defense and could be key in getting the ball back in Drew Brees’ hands quicker.
28 28 Carolina Panthers

Brandin Cooks-  Carolina is weaponless when it comes to the wide receiver position.  Cooks immediately upgrades the talent level of the Panthers’ wide receiver corps and should be able to contribute right away either from the slot or the outside.
29 29 New England Patriots

Ra’Shede Hageman- Hageman is a beast and probably will go higher on draft day, but in this scenario he doesn’t become a great fit until this spot in the draft.  Hageman will make Chandler Jones that much better by taking up blockers and wreaking havoc.
30 30 San Francisco 49ers

Bradley Roby- Roby is a bit of a project at corner, but he has all the tools to be a great corner in the NFL.  He has the perfect build, great speed and leaping ability and yet Jared Abbrederis of Wisconsin made him look like fool this season.  His tape screams coach me up, but his workouts scream pick me.
31 31 Denver Broncos

Stephon Tuitt- Tuitt can play defensive end or defensive tackle for the Denver Broncos and would be a great pick down here.  With Derek Wolfe’s health being a concern I think the Broncos have to address the defensive line early in the draft.
32 32 Seattle Seahawks

Xavier Su’a-Filo- The Seahawks have the luxury of just tweaking an already stacked roster.  The glaring weakness last year was the right side of the offensive line and Su’a-Filo would be an upgrade over J.R. Sweezy.  He can even bump out to tackle and hold his own.
Round 2 will be posted May 2nd – feel free to make fun of the picks in the comment section below. Wow did I make a mistake with the first pass at this mock draft by leaving Aaron Donald off the board.

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NFC East Wide Receiver Movement

NFC East Free Agency and Wide Receiver Movement

Rueben Randle warms up.

New York Giants: The Giants let Hakeem Nicks walk this off season and brought back an old Super Bowl hero as a sort-of replacement. The Giants had no designs on keeping Hakeem Nicks in the fold so it came as no surprise when he signed a prove-it deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Nicks’ declining health and skills wore on the Giants’ brass and fans alike. His Fantasy Football stock is at an all-time low even being paired with one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, in Andrew Luck.

The sort-of replacement is none other than Mario Manningham. The Giants former third-round pick is back after spending two injury-plagued years in San Francisco. While having Manningham back in the fold feels nice as a fan of the Giants, I don’t expect him to start or to be an asset in Fantasy Football next season. Instead of replacing Hakeem Nicks on the Giants’ roster he is essentially replacing Louis Murphy, who had a very forgettable tenure with Big Blue.

The Giants should and probably will look to fill the void Hakeem Nicks’ exit has created by starting Rueben Randle and getting Jerrel Jernigan more involved in the offense. I do look for the Giants to draft an outside wide receiver this year, and could even see them taking Mike Evans if he ever fell to them. If Evans doesn’t fall to the Giants at 12 there will be a lot of talent at the wide receiver position available at their slot in the second round. Davante Adams or Donte Moncrief would be excellent second round picks.

Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys have had a quiet off season as they are right up against the cap and have done some foolish things with their money lately. While Dez Bryantdidn’t quite take the leap to 1B to Calvin Johnson’s 1A as a fantasy wide receiver as many thought he might, he did put up solid numbers last season. Ninety-three receptions for more than 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns is nothing to sneeze at, but did leave some fantasy owners wanting.

The lack of a clear cut second option in the passing game hurt Dez Bryant last season.Jason Witten was another year older, and slower, and Miles Austin once again spent most of the season rehabbing his forever-pulled hamstrings. The only bright spot was they appeared to hit on their third round pick in Terrance Williams from Baylor. Williams had 44 receptions for over 700 yards and 5 TD’s in a rookie campaign that saw him grow. Williams is definitely a player to keep on your radar as a potential wide receiver 3 in 12-team leagues next year. In fact, if he has a good offseason you should target him.

Philadelphia Eagles: Can I just say wow! I knew DeSean Jackson had a high salary cap number, but after the season he had last year I was fully expecting the Eagles to extend him or at least have him play it out. Well, in today’s NFL you never know. Don’t get me wrong I know Jackson is tough to deal with, I often compare him to some of the prima-donna strikers you see in the English Premier League, but I didn’t think they would let their second-best player walk.

With Jackson gone the Eagles will feature Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin at the wide receiver position and Zach Ertz at the tight end position. I don’t think Chip Kelly realizes how much ackson helped the Eagles last year with his ability to make a secondary respect his deep speed, but Kelly will find out quickly if teams are able to stack the box to try and stop LeSean McCoy.

Obviously Cooper and Maclin get a big jump in value with Jackson gone, but the one who may benefit the most is Ertz. Ertz quietly had a very nice rookie campaign as he caught 36 passes for 469 yards and 4 TD’s. Even with Brent Celek getting some of the targets from the tight end position I am moving Zach Ertz up my fantasy rankings. I currently have him 12th before the NFL Draft. Maclin’s return from injury could have been a nice buy-low, but with Jackson leaving you may have to pay a premium to see if Maclin’s knee is really healed. He is currently the 37th wide receiver going off the board in my Fantasy League Drafts. Cooper will be a wide receiver 4 next season with the same volatility he had this year. He’s the perfect guy to take in best ball leagues or to play when you really need a high ceiling play.

DeSean Jackson Signs With The Redskins

Washington Redskins: The Redskins last year featured Pierre Garcon and…..well no one. The thinking was Fred Davis would finally come into his own well…..that didn’t happen. (He is currently suspended from the league indefinitely, oh and making really terrible rap albums.) The Redskins decided to address this lopsidedness in free agency and have been very active in free agency. They signed David Gettis, the former promising wide receiver from the Carolina Panthers. They signed the versatile Andre Robertsfrom the Arizona Cardinals. Roberts can play inside or outside and has always been a bit under rated.

I thought the Redskins may have been done there and assumed Garcon would still get the lion’s share of targets and production, but low and behold Dan Snyder saw Jackson hitting the street and he pulled out that big check book. Jackson had a career year last season with the Eagles with 82 receptions for more than 1,300 yards and 9 touchdowns. His numbers will probably never come close to those again, but he can still be a useful fantasy wide receiver.

The Redskins’ new head coach, Jay Gruden, is a west coast offense disciple. He will use the tight end, Jordan Reed. He will get the ball out quickly to wide receivers that can run after the catch, Jackson and Garcon profile as excellent west coast wide receivers, and he will will stretch the field with built in deep shots. Gruden’s Bengals last season relied on the deep ball a little too much and I think he will get back to a more ball control offense in Washington. Garcon and Jackson are both wide receiver twos with this move, but with them also sharing the ball with the gifted Jordan Reed I move them down to the bottom of the wide receiver two list. Garcon still holds more value for me in PPR leagues and I would still be comfortable with him as a solid wide receiver two there.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, @Coachesser and connect with me on Facebook. You can also read all of my articles on everything fantasy at Coachesser.com.

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Free Agent Rashad Jennings

This week I will take a look at how free agency has affected the New York Yankees, oops, I mean the New York Giants.

I’m sure you can understand my confusion with all the money flying at the players who have been visiting Met Life Stadium.

Rashad Jennings Running

Rashad Jennings made a name for himself in Fantasy Football when he was a backup to Maurice Jones-Drew in Jacksonville. You see Fantasy Football crazies love to imagine what a running back will do if he is just given the chance to get the bulk of the carries. The infatuation with Jennings started in 2010 when he began to flash in games as he filled in for MJD. In a 2010 games against the Giants Jennings rushed 7 times for 57 yards and a touchdown. The following two weeks he carried the ball 15 times for a total of 153 yards and two touchdowns. He finished 2010 with a 100-yard game and scored another rushing touchdown against the Houston Texans. Injuries turned 2011 into a lost season and then 2012 was underwhelming.

After 2012 Jennings looked to be just another backup running back who would always be more hope of potential then actual talent. Well in 2013 he signed with the Oakland Raiders and was put in a position where he could back up one of the most injury-prone running backs in the league, Darren McFadden. In the preseason he was battling the dynasty fantasy darling Latavius Murray before Murray was injured and lost for the season. Jennings then played special teams and waited for the inevitable injury to McFadden.

For the first few weeks of the season Jennings just had to bide his time and stay healthy and then from weeks 10 to week 15 of the 2013 NFL season Jennings showed what he could do when given a full workload. He got 113 carries over that six-week period and used those carries to rumble for 539 yards. He also caught 19 passes for 160 yards in that span. Those six games made some fantasy owners very happy. Those six games made Jennings a lot of money as he signed a four-year, $10 million deal with the Giants.

Here’s the play that will be remembered above all others from Rashad Jennings in 2013:

 

My fantasy take right now is inconclusive. I am excited as a Giants’ fan that Jennings is here to help anchor the running back position, but what makes a running back really excel in fantasy is a dominant offensive line and an offensive game plan that will feature that back in multiple ways. For now I have to reserve judgment as I think the Giants are on the right path of upgrading their offensive line with the signing of Geoff Schwartz (eighth-ranked OG by PFF) and the further development of last season’s first-round pick Justin Pugh, but there still are a lot of question marks.

 

Geoff Schwartz vs. Zane Beadles Courtesy of @PFF_Pete (Pete Damilatis):

 

 

 

J.D. Walton was rated as the worst center in the league by Pro Football Focus his last full season in the league in 2011. That doesn’t exactly stoke my confidence as he looks to be in line to be the starting center as of right now. Chris Snee’s hips didn’t cooperate last year and there is no guarantee that he will be able to hold up this year. The injury-plaguedDavid Baas has been jettisoned, but the versatile Kevin Boothe has been signed away by the Oakland Raiders. While Boothe had a down year last season (46th-ranked) he was rated as the 20th-best guard in 2012 by PFF and could even slide over and play center.

 

On the bright side, Will Beatty can always bounce back after last season’s nightmare. He went from the 11th-ranked offensive tackle in the NFL by PFF in 2012 all the way down to 58th under players with one foot out of the NFL door like Jeremy Trueblood and Ryan Harris. The big offseason contract obviously had a major impact on Beatty as he tried to live up to the money he was making, but now he has to get back to work and try and play like he did in 2012.  I’m positive he will bounce back next season and think he will benefit with Schwartz lined up next to him.

The other wild card is new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, who has never called plays before. McAdoo has said that his offense will contain west coast elements that should have me excited about Jennings in the passing and screen game, but again it’s hard to put last year out of my mind.  I think one of the Cowboys is still running back one of the Giants’ screen passes from last year.

To wrap up I do like Jennings’ fantasy value in New York a lot more than I would have liked him if he had signed a one-year deal to stay in Oakland.  He may have to deal with a hopefully healthy David Wilson stealing some carries and an offensive line that may need some time to gel, but with McAdoo calling the plays I think he can be a legitimate running back 2 in Fantasy Football next season.

Check back next Friday when I go over the signing of (Super) Mario Manningham and what to expect of former Giant Hakeem Nicks in Indianapolis.

For all of your off season Fantasy Football news stop over at Coachesser.com for my current rankings as well as league wide articles.  You can also get ahead of the competition in Fantasy Baseball by checking out my rankings which are also now featured at FantasyPros.com.  You can also Mock Draft right on my site with help from the Pros.

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Cordarrelle Patterson Returns

If you won a few fantasy football leagues last year you more than likely had either Josh Gordon or Alshon Jeffrey on your roster to thank.  While they didn’t lead the percentages among NFL players to be on fantasy championship rosters, that belonged to Jamaal Charles with Peyton Manning close behind, they were by far the best “value draft picks” of the season.  Alshon Jeffrey may have even slipped through the cracks in some 10 team league drafts where you don’t have an opportunity to start three wide receivers and made some waiver wire troller extremely happy.

The reason I think you should thank Gordon or Jeffrey before patting Charles or Manning on the back is because of value.  The value that comes with massively out performing your average draft position.  This massive value spike is hard to contend with for an entire season.  It was even harder to contend with in daily fantasy football on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings where Gordon and Jeffrey were playing so far above the invested value that you couldn’t win any money without them in your lineups.

I’m not the first to talk about Gordon and his massive value last season.  Here Michael Fabiano wrote about Josh Gordon’s value in his season ending awards on NFL.com.

Draft value of the year

Josh Gordon, WR, Cleveland Browns:
Gordon wins his second Guru Award, as he was a steal in 2013 drafts. Remember, he was suspended for the first two weeks of the season due to off-field issues — that made his stock fall in most leagues (ADP: 132.68). Gordon would finish the fantasy season tied with Calvin Johnson for the most fantasy points among wideouts.

While I wasn’t the first to talk about his value last year, I may be the first to talk about the fact that he may not come close in 2014 to hitting his ADP value. Don’t get me wrong Gordon is a supremely talented wide receiver, but he is currently going off the board in the middle of round one in fantasy football drafts. He’s going in the right spot based on last year’s production, but can he really match or outplay last year’s league leading numbers. I am not willing to bet on it with the situation in Cleveland.

Gordon is going in the top tier of fantasy wide receivers right now, Alshon Jeffrey is not too far behind him going in the third to fifth round of drafts. Jeffrey started slow last year, but really came on and became a huge fantasy football weapon. His ability to high point the ball always made him an intriguing pick, but his polished route running coupled with his run after the catch ability made him a break out star. Jeffrey even gets consistent carries as a runner on short reverses that keep his stat ticker climbing in the right direction.

Jeffrey wasn’t Jay Cutler‘s favorite target early on in the season and didn’t really get on track until Josh McCown took over for the injured Jay Cutler in the middle of the season. McCown and Jeffrey’s chemistry was magical to fantasy owners as Jeffrey quickly went from a fantasy bench warmer to a must start. His record breaking performances haven’t gone unnoticed as you can see by my aforementioned ADP for him at this point in the off season. His ADP is only going to climb over the off season as other wide receivers may be hurt by free agent moves (Eric Decker) or draft picks.  Speaking of climbing, a buddy of mine on Twitter, Matt Lane, and a writer for FakePigSkin.com took Jeffrey in the first round of one of the early off season Draft Masters @FantasyTaz has put together.  While I told him that was too early for my liking I can completely understand falling in love with him based on his upside.

The traits that Jeffrey and Gordon share are that they are huge physical receivers that can run, Gordon can run fast more-so than Jeffrey.  Those physical traits used to be very rare to come by, but the wide receiver class of 2012 had quite a few receivers that fit that body type.  In contrast the wide receiver crop from the 2013 NFL Draft was missing those big, physical, speed receivers.  There was plenty of short speed receivers like Tavon Austin, the first wide receiver taken in the first round by the St. Louis Rams, but the big outside marquee guys were few and far between.

[soliloquy id="968"]

The only wide receivers taken in the 2013 draft that came close to fitting the bill of the big, fast, physical wide receiver prototype in my opinion were DeAndre Hopkins and Cordarrelle Patterson.  Hopkins had made his name lining up on the opposite side of the field from Sammy Watkins at Clemson University and tearing through tough defensive backfields like LSU.  While Patterson was a junior college phenom that moved on to Tennessee and became the most explosive offensive football player in the SEC.  Hopkins hand size was discussed more than when Hakeem Nicks was coming out of the University of North Carolina, while Patterson was described as a raw play-maker that was as far from a polished wide receiver that had been considered for the first round in a long, long time.

Hopkins had a few nice games to start the year in Houston as Matt Shaub looked to have plenty of confidence in the rookie, but after week number three the rest of the season was pretty much un-ownable in fantasy leagues.  The resurgence of Andre Johnson and the unpredictability of the quarterback position in Houston pretty much soured the back end of his rookie year.  Hopkins didn’t score a touchdown after week number seven and didn’t top one-hundred yards after week two.  I think the continued presence  of Andre Johnson and the tailspin of a second half of a season should be able to keep him as a good value pick for next year.  I believe he has the ideal skills set to out play his draft position if the right quarterback ends up in Houston.

Cordarrelle Patterson of the Minnesota Vikings is the type of wide receiver that makes fantasy players drool.  He can score when ever he touches the ball.  He scores on kick offs, he scores on hand-offs, and he scores on receptions.  The only way he doesn’t score is when the Vikings decide not to give him the ball, which happened a lot last season.  The #FreePatterson chanting on Twitter was almost becoming a grass roots effort to make the Vikings fun to watch.

The only excuse for the Vikings not to use Patterson more has to be the fact that he was as raw as advertised when coming out.  If you look at Patterson’s numbers through out the year his one big performance as a wide receiver came in a bit of an outlier type game as his production was in the snow against a shell shocked Baltimore Ravens’ Defense.  Beyond that one game that really was a product of a missed tackle that led to a huge catch and run touchdown, Patterson was not all that impressive as a pass catcher.  His return skills and ability to run the ball once in possession of it was off the charts.

The reason I look beyond his receiving tape from last season is because of his after the catch running skills and his build.  Patterson is 6’2″ 220 pounds and is a nightmare to try and tackle in the secondary.  He measures up well to last year’s break out wide receivers Josh Gordon who is 6’3″ and 225 pounds and Alshon Jeffrey 6’3″ 216 pounds (that must be typo from the Bears.)  and actually is a more explosive runner than Jeffrey.  This off season is huge for Patterson because that’s where Alshon Jeffrey did all the work that led to his breakout 2013 season.

While Jeffrey had Brandon Marshall pushing him day in and day out in the off season, I’m not sure Greg Jennings is doing the same for Patterson.  I hope Jennings is taking Patterson under his wing and showing him how a top level wide receiver works, but at this point I just don’t know if that’s the case.  If not, hopefully he hired the right coaches for the off season.

Either way I’m betting on Patterson to make the leap to almost elite this season.  He should easily outplay his draft position as long as your league doesn’t get too smart in the off season.  I am willing to take him as my second wide receiver in drafts at this point as long as I have a strong back up plan in place with some high floor-type receivers as my WR3 and WR4.  If you nab Patterson any where after the fourth round you should be able to collect excellent returns on your investment.

 

 

 

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Draft Master 1 Review

DraftMaster 1 Logo

Well Super Bowl Sunday may seem a little too early for the average Fantasy Football player, but for me and my friends it was perfect timing.  The Fantasy Taz, Jim Day, invited some of his buddies in the industry to participate in his 1st Draft Master of 2014 and I was lucky enough to get an invite.  Even though I was busy making Baked Rigatoni for buddies Super Bowl party and chasing my little ones around, I wasn’t going to let that stop me from seeing where this year’s break out stars may end up in next year’s drafts.  Without further build up here’s each roster and a link to each GM followed by some draft notes that are my opinion as we drafted Super Bowl Sunday.

@GrantGurtin
(1 – RB1)Charles, J
(12 – WR12)Brown, A
(1 – RB11)Murray, D
(12 – RB22)Gore, F
(1 – RB23)Moreno, K
(12 – TE5) Davis, V
(1 – WR32)Edelman, J
(12 – WR42)Blackmon, J
(1 – WR43)Williams, T
(12 – Def1)Seahawks, S
(1 – TE13)Walker, D
(12 – RB50)Davis, K
(1 – QB20)Flacco, J
(12 – QB23)Manuel, E
(1 – WR62)Givens, C
(12 – PK12)Gould, R

Grant was drafting directly in front of me and behind me in every round so I had to pay close attention to his roster construction to see who he may let slide to me.  Charles seems to be the consensus 1st overall pick in all the conversations I have had in the off season and Grant made that official here.  DeMarco Murray at the top of the 3rd was a nice pick.  Without rookies being involved all you can do is project O-lines that are going to be solid and the Cowboys have a nice base with Frederick and Smith.  Gore has been “SLOW” and steady the last few years, but this could finally be the off season he is usurped in the 49ers backfield.  If he isn’t then that pick is solid.  The same goes for Moreno who is a free agent after having a career year for the Broncos.  Vernon Davis at the bottom of the 6th is nice value, but Blackmon at the bottom of the 8th is a bit of a gamble.  You figure Blackmon’s ADP was around the 10th round with a 4 game suspension last off season.  With his suspension not yet lifted it’s tough to spend more than a 10th right now.  At the bottom of the 10th the Seahawks were the first D/ST taken.  No problem taking them in this format, but as you will see later other fine D’s went a few rounds later.

@coachesser
(2 – RB2) McCoy, L
(11 – WR11)Jones, J
(2 – QB2)Rodgers, A
(11 – RB21)Richardson, T
(2 – WR23)Wright, K
(11 – TE4)Gronkowski, R
(2 – RB30) Miller, L
(11 – TE8) Pitta, D
(2 – WR44)Williams, M
(11 – WR50)Hunter, J
(2 – RB43)Jennings, R
(11 – WR55)Jones, J
(2 – WR56)Streater, R
(11 – Def4)Panthers, C
(2 – PK1)Gostkowski, S
(11 – QB26)Bradford, S
LeSean McCoy is 1-B for me to start the year and there was no passing him up here.  At the bottom of the 2nd round I got my number 4 rated WR, Julio Jones, who happened to slip because MFL has his ADP way low.  I actually had to look him up alphabetically so that’s a heads ups he may slip in early MFL 10s.  At the top of the 3rd I got hand-cuffed by the clock and took Aaron Rodgers.  Again I was looking for an injured player whose ADP was low.  I couldn’t find Doug Martin fast enough so I went with Rodgers who I think is going to have a huge season after getting injured in 2013.  In the bottom of the 4th I had to take a gamble on T-Rich.  Gronk at the bottom of the 6th was a gamble, but I had a back-up plan with Pitta only two rounds later.  Pitta with Kubiak as OC should be fun.  Hunter in the 10th is one of those 2nd year wide receivers I expect to break out.  11-13 was all about value for me.  James Jones, Rashad Jennings, and Rod Streater are all guys that I expect to go much higher later in the year.

Jason Weiler – MidwestXpress
(3 – RB3) Peterson, A
(10 – WR10) Nelson, J
(3 – WR13) Garcon, P
(10 – WR22) Welker, W
(3 – WR24) Bowe, D
(10 – RB29) McFadden, D
(3 – QB8) Brady, T
(10 – WR41) Amendola, D
(3 – RB36) Ivory, C
(10 – RB42) Ridley, S
(3 – RB44) Wilson, D
(10 – TE19) Fleener, C
(3 – TE20) Cook, J
(10 – Def3) Rams, S
(3 – TE23) Pettigrew, B
(10 – PK11) Janikowski, S

Jason took AP with the third pick and I can’t argue much with that.  Last season it was tough to pass up on him at 1st overall and this year it looks like the 3rd overall pick is where it will be tough to pass on him.  Jason decided to go on a wide receiver run in rounds 2 through 5 that may leave him very vulnerable at RB.  McFadden in round 6 was his 2nd RB and there is no guarantee he starts any where next year.  Fleener, Cook and Pettigrew were all tight ends I was looking to avoid this early in the off-season.

@The_Street_FA
(4 – WR1) Johnson, C
(9 – QB1) Manning, P
(4 – RB12) Spiller, C
(9 – RB20) Stacy, Z
(4 – TE2) Thomas, J
(9 – WR31) Wallace, M
(4 – RB31) Tate, B
(9 – WR40) Maclin, J
(4 – RB37) Brown, A
(9 – TE12) Green, L
(4 – QB16) Manning, E
(9 – WR54) Moore, D
(4 – RB51) Greene, S
(9 – WR61) Tate, G
(4 – Def5) Bills, B
(9 – PK10) Tucker, J

The Street Free Agent went with my personal favorite Calvin Johnson at 4 overall.  I simply love that guy in Best Ball full point PPR leagues.  Manning in the 2nd slightly influenced my later pick of Rodgers.  Stacy in the fourth was huge value based on what we saw from Stacy last season.  i like the picks of Tate and Maclin in the 7th and the 8th.  Depending on where they end up they could be very valuable assets.  Ladarius Green in the 10th was one of those picks where the draft room groaned.  Many of us were targeting him just a few rounds later.  Golden Tate in the 14th could prove to be a great pick as well.  If he ends up in the right situation he could out play his draft position by leaps and bounds.

@RoadWarrior_FFO
(5 – WR2) Green, A
(8 – RB10) Bush, R
(5 – WR14) Johnson, A
(8 – QB3) Brees, D
(5 – RB24) Jackson, S
(8 – TE3) Witten, J
(5 – RB32) Woodhead, D
(8 – WR39) Nicks, H
(5 – WR45) Stills, K
(8 – RB41) Thomas, P
(5 – WR51) Wheaton, M
(8 – TE18) Gates, A
(5 – QB21) Palmer, C
(8 – RB58) Helu, R
(5 – Def6) Cardinals, A
(8 – PK9) Bailey, DDave went AJ Green at 5th overall and this could be a trend come later in the off season.  Reggie Bush is a tough one for me to figure out right now.  He could lose a lot more carries to Bell or the starters job all together, but if he plays like last year than he’s a great pick.  Brees at that spot in the 4th makes me feel like this was a true late off season mock draft.  Woodhead in the 7th was a little early for me, ut you can’t argue with his production in a full point PPR league.  Wheaton in the 11th round could be a break out 2nd year WR candidate.  That was a nice upside pick.

@ShanePHallam
(6 – TE1) Graham, J
(7 – RB9) Bell, L
(6 – RB13) Martin, D
(7 – RB19) Foster, A
(6 – WR25)Crabtree, M
(7 – WR30) Smith, T
(6 – QB9) Stafford, M
(7 – WR38) Harvin, P
(6 – RB38) Ellington, A
(7 – WR49)Sanders, E
(6 – WR52) Woods, R
(7 – RB49)Robinson, K
(6 – TE21) Ertz, Z
(7 – Def2) 49ers, S
(6 – PK2) Prater, M
(7 – QB24) Smith, GShane started off with Jimmy Graham at the 6th pick and that should be right around where he goes if he fully recovers from his foot injury this season.  The rest of Shane’s draft was awesome.  It was like he was working off his own list.  Value in every round.  I mean Harvin in the 8th round.  I guarantee he’s going in the top of the 3rd come late off season.  Ellington in the 9th.  Some of us were asleep at the wheel to let him pick off all this talent.  Good for Shane and hopefully this will help me set up some of my early off season MFL 10 drafts on myfantasyleague.com.

@AndrewMiley
(7 – RB4) Forte, M
(6 – WR9) Cobb, R
(7 – RB14)Bernard, G
(6 – RB18)Mathews, R
(7 – WR26)Patterson, C
(6 – WR29) Floyd, M
(7 – WR33)Shorts, C
(6 – QB11)Kaepernick, C
(7 – TE9) Olsen, G
(6 – QB15) Rivers, P
(7 – TE14) Allen, D
(6 – RB48)Michael, C
(7 – RB52)Stewart, J
(6 – WR60) Bailey, S
(7 – Def7)Buccaneers, T
(6 – PK8) Sturgis, CI really liked Andy’s draft as well.  There was value all over the place starting with Matt Forte in the 1st round.  Some of my favorite picks were Bernard in the 3rd, Patterson in the 5th, and Allen in the 11th.  I really like Bernard this season with Hue Jackson as his OC, and Patterson showed enough raw ability to make him look like a future top 6 receiver.  Allen is a guy I love and hope bounces back from a major hip injury.  Two potential top 10 QBs in the 8th and the 10th is nothing to sneeze at either.

@JDBeckler
(8 – WR3)Bryant, D
(5 – WR8)Fitzgerald, L
(8 – WR15)White, R
(5 – RB17)Vereen, S
(8 – RB25)Sproles, D
(5 – WR28)Colston, M
(8 – WR34)Austin, T
(5 – QB10)Griffin III, R
(8 – QB12)Wilson, R
(5 – RB40)Jackson, F
(8 – TE15)Eifert, T
(5 – TE17)Fauria, J
(8 – WR57)Smith, S
(5 – RB57)Richardson, D
(8 – Def8)Bengals, C
(5 – PK7)Bryant, MJohn definitely had a plan when he came into this draft. WR-WR was the way for him, and I like that plan down here, BUT I am not a huge fan of Fitzgerald over some of the WRs that were left on the board.  After going WR again in the 3rd, Beckler decided to go PPR RB back to back with Vereen and Sproles.  Vereen I love, but Sproles worries me.  He played injured last year and he needs to be healthy to perform.  In the 11th and 12th 2nd year TE were his guilty pleasure.  Eifert and Fauria are both guys that could make huge strides next year.  Nice gambles.

@FatKat52
(9 – RB5)Lynch, M
(4 – WR7)Decker, E
(9 – WR16)Jeffery, A
(4 – WR21)Hilton, T
(9 – RB26)Jones-Drew, M
(4 – QB7)Foles, N
(9 – RB33)Brown, D
(4 – WR37)Hartline, B
(9 – RB39)Blount, L
(4 – WR48)Cooper, R
(9 – TE16)Clay, C
(4 – WR53)Holmes, A
(9 – QB22)Tannehill, R
(4 – WR59)Jernigan, J
(9 – PK3)Dawson, P
(4 – Def11)Colts, IBruce went with Lynch in the 1st round and that’s a very solid pick.  Decker in the 2nd was a bit of a reach for me.  Jeffrey in the 3rd made up for it though.  Foles in the 6th was very nice value for a potential top 5 QB.  Donald Brown in the 7th and Blount in the 9th are two guys that need to wind up in the right spot in the off season to make them worthy of being drafted before the 10th round.  They could pan out though if put in the right situation.

@Fantasytaz
(10 – RB6)Lacy, E
(3 – WR6)Thomas, D
(10 – WR17)Cruz, V
(3 – RB16) Ball, M
(10 – RB27)Bell, J
(3 – QB6)Newton, C
(10 – WR35)Boldin, A
(3 – WR36)Jennings, G
(10 – TE10)Bennett, M
(3 – WR47)Jones, M
(10 – RB45)Lattimore, M
(3 – QB19)Romo, T
(10 – RB53)Rodgers, J
(3 – TE22)Daniels, O
(10 – PK4)Hauschka, S
(3 – Def10)Bears, CJim picked two of my favorite players in the 1st and 2nd rounds.  Eddie Lacy is a beast and the only thing that caps his potential is all the touchdowns that Aaron Rodgers wants to throw. Thomas was a steady force at the WR position in 2013 and I don’t see him slowing down any time soon with Manning still under center.  Victor Cruz was picked right around that same spot late in the off season last year, but injuries and the Giants O-line woes killed his year.  Big time candidate for a bounce back.  Ball was a bit of a gamble in the 4th, but if he gets to be the lead back in Denver then that’s a steal.  Newton in the 6th is an almost automatic.

@tequilability
(11 – WR4)Gordon, J
(2 – WR5)Marshall, B
(11 – RB15)Johnson, C
(2 – WR20)Allen, K
(11 – QB4)Ryan, M
(2 – RB28)Todman, J
(11 – RB34)Ingram, M
(2 – TE7) Reed, J
(11 – QB13)Cutler, J
(2 – QB14)Roethlisberger, B
(11 – QB17)Dalton, A
(2 – RB47)Hunter, K
(11 – RB54)Mendenhall, R
(2 – RB56)Brown, B
(11 – WR63)Patton, Q
(2 – PK6) Walsh, BDish went WR-WR and I love who he came out of the first two rounds with.  Gordon and Marshall can be a fantasy championship back bone.  Allen in the 4th might be a steal come later in the off-season.  Jordan Reed in the 8th was a nice pick, but I can’t explain or support taking four QBs in this format.  That’s just craziness when only 1 scores each week.

@bro1ncos
(12 – RB7)Rice, R
(1 – RB8)Morris, A
(12 – WR18)Jackson, V
(1 – WR19)Jackson, D
(12 – WR27)Hopkins, D
(1 – QB5)Luck, A
(12 – TE6)Cameron, J
(1 – RB35)Pierce, B
(12 – WR46)Randle, R
(1 – TE11)Wright, T
(12 – RB46)Williams, D
(1 – QB18)Smith, A
(12 – RB55)Rainey, B
(1 – WR58)Johnson, S
(12 – Def9)Chiefs, K
(1 – PK5)Zuerlein, G

@Bro1ncos went RB-RB at the bottom of the first and I didn’t love the picks.  Morris proved to not be worthy of a high top 14 pick in full point PPR leagues because he was so TD dependent his rookie year.  Rice is blaming injury for his lack of production, but it was a bit of that coupled with a very poor Baltimore O-line that held him back.  Rueben Randle in the 9th was an interesting pick because he could (and should) be the WR2 for the Giants after they let Nicks walk.  Vincent and DeSean Jackson were nice high variance WRs in the 3rd and 4th, but he should have come back with a consistent WR in the 5th instead of gambling on Hopkins.

Who Do You Think Rocked DraftMaster 1?
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Fantasy Football Draft Prep

Wes Unseld

I finally am starting to realize how my father felt when his kids started to beat him at basketball.  My father was a proud man.  In his younger days he was a very athletic burly individual who loved to play basketball in the yard with his boys.  He was a street kid from the Bronx who played a rough and tumble form of basketball. He played in the local Catholic Athletic League as an adult and sent many a friend’s father to the floor with his Wes Unseld like physicality.  

My father would play the same way against us, his kids, as he did any full grown adult.  Body blocks, broken fingers and road rash were regular occurrences.  He even dislocated a colleague’s elbow with a hard foul one Saturday afternoon.  The man probably thought he was going to shoot some friendly hoops with the boss and found out the hard way there was no such thing as friendly hoops in the Esser’s back yard.

My father’s skills started to diminish as we started to grow up.  He could no longer block my brother Frank’s shots because Frank had managed to perfect a high release jump shot with his long 6’3″ frame.  My brother Tom had started doing his best Pistol Pete impressions while running circles around the heavier and slower version of my father.  My father didn’t exactly take this turning of the tide in stride.  He quit.  Never to lose a game to his sons on the court he had built.

I recently started to realize my advantage in Fantasy Football keeper and dynasty leagues had started to slip like my father’s basketball skills.  My first round rookie picks were no longer sure things much like my father’s patented unblockable hook shot had become less automatic.  My leagues were getting better and more competitive just like the way my brothers developed their basketball games as they grew up.  My leagues that were once cake walks had become filled with stronger more determined competitors.  I could have retired with the belt like my father did, but I chose another path.

The tide has been turning the last few years in my fantasy football leagues.  I haven’t been as sharp at identifying rookies or realizing the potential of some second year players.  I found myself struggling to keep up with some of my younger foes who seemed to have the inside skinny on every drafted rookie and even the undrafted free agents that could be assets down the road.  I felt the floor shifting beneath me and realized I needed to take stock and focus on what I was missing.

I looked back at how I used to evaluate rookies and second year players.  I was a huge fan of college football and the draft process for as long as I can remember.  I would watch, and a lot of times bet, every game that was televised.  I was betting Fresno State and Middle Tennessee State while my friends thought the only teams that existed played in the Big East.  I would do mock drafts and big board the entire draft on notebook paper.  I eventually graduated to Excel sheets that my wife would help me build.

All that work paid off with a huge advantage in my keeper and dynasty leagues.  My knowledge of rookies would help me on draft day and was an even bigger advantage when it came to trades.  What looked like an even trade when it was made, would look like an all time steal just a few short years later.  The last few years my juggernaut teams have started to show some holes.  I was still winning and doing well, but clearly I was missing more than ever in rookie drafts.  In truth I felt like the Patriots of my dynasty leagues where some of my drafts were just a waste, yet I still managed to stay near the top.

I realized that I was never going to be able to be the college football/draft guy I was for a number of reasons.  The main reason was my Saturdays were now reserved for spending time with my wife and kids.  Saturdays are the days we go to pumpkin patches, petting zoos, Grandma and Grandpa’s house, and every other place you can think of.  My wife works long hours during the week and all she wants is to spend some time with me and our beautiful girls on the weekends.  How can I deny that and say that I need to watch Rutgers play Houston or Northern Illinois play Akron?  I can’t.

Tea-Party-Daddy-Girl-Tea-2

Not me-But you get the point

While I accepted that fact that I was going to have some limitations for the foreseeable future, I didn’t accept the fact that I couldn’t be as informed as I once was.  Luckily for me there is a wealth of knowledge and tools available on the internet.  Whether it’s a premium subscription to DLF or just listening to some more podcasts while my kids are napping I was going to figure out a method that got me back on my game.

The key for me was time management.  I needed to create or subscribe to the best Twitter list I could find.                      (@SigmundBloom’s NFL Draftniks is a great place to start.)  Once I had a list of writers and draft minds that I thought looked at prospects the same way I did, I narrowed down my focus.  If they tweeted they were high on a prospect I would add that prospect to my list of draft prospects and then go to work reading as much as I could and watching as much game film as I could get my hands on.

Example:

 

 

 

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