This is your recap, your story, your chance for fame. This is where your hope to take the trophy from me begins and to maybe make yourself the new champion.
You know guys, we've been doing this for quite a long time. With 6 years recorded in the history of our ESPN league, there were years before that. I'm believing that we have 8 years before this, making this year 9. Before I start waxing poetic though I'm just going to jump right in.
Welcome to the first timer here, Chris Pender. I hope you enjoy the weekly write ups and may even be so enchanted by them you decide to send something in every once and a while.
DRAFT RECAP!
Yuriy Yedinak (Mixon up her face)
Maybe a name we can call unfortunate, there is no Mixon on his team and even if there was, Mixon is not a good RB.
QB: Jimmy Garappolo SF, Kirk Cousins MIN
- Jimmy G looked like the second coming last season taking the absolutely awful 49ers and leading them to a final stretch where they won (I believe) 7 games in a row. However during this time Jimmy didn't exactly light up the fantasy world. With a full offseason with Kyle Shanahan's under his belt, will Jimmy finally show he's got more than just the best smile in the league?
- If Jimmy doesn't show that up though, you'be got Kirk Cousins right behind him ready to take the helm. Weird situation that, as Minnesota did wonderful last season but decided that instead of keeping Keenum, or Bradford, or Bridgewater, they would go and sign Cousins. I do worry with Cousins that he isn't all that he is cracked up to be and his penchant for gun slinging might kill some drives for the Vikes. However, what are the chances either Jimmy G or Cousins don't show up?
RB: Le'Veon Bell PIT, Lamar Miller HOU, Ty Montgomery GB, Mark Ingram III NO, Adrian Peterson WAS, Devontae Booker DEN, Ronald Jones TB
- You got Bell, and that's huge make no mistake. Or wait, you've made a mistake already, I don't see James Connor on your team. Hope Bell shows up for practice soon.
- Mark Ingram III is a fun one, he's suspended now but destroyed the league last year. Will he come back the same person and still do well, or will it be like Doug Martin and come out the gates a lame duck?
- After that your most notable RBs are Peterson and Miller. Miller is wholly unexciting but that is what also makes him an okay pick. Peterson can either show his dominance of the early games or show he has nothing left in the tank. I think with Peterson you hope for the first few weeks to be great because last year showed he can't do it for a whole season.
- If any of your depth pans and and Le'Veon doesn't hold out significantly into the season then this RB squad could look real good.
WR: AJ Green CIN, Mike Evans TB, Devin Funchess CAR, Tyler Lockett SEA
- As we all can see, this squad is much smaller than his RB squad.
- AJ Green has been a premier wide receiver for quite a long time now, but are his best days behind him? That Bengals o-line is still really really bad. AJ is a receiver that will probably make you remember why you drafter him for half the season, and then turn your WR1 slot into a black hole the other half.
- Mike Evans scares the crap out of me. The dude disappeared without Winston last year, and now Winston is suspended for the first 4 games and TB won't come out and say he'll be the starter when he does come back. Let's see if Fitzmagic can play well enough for Evans to get TDs because I think that's a big part of the hope for him.
- Funchess and Lockett could both be solid. Neither screams star to me, but Funchess just has to compete with CMC and DJ Moore. Lockett is competing with Doug Baldwin. I could see fine WR3s, just nothing that will take your team over the top.
TE: Evan Engram NYG, Cameron Brate TB
- Engram looked like a heck of a talent in the last year. He has to compete in target share with OBJ and Barkley but if that offense can create opportunities this year it's better for everyone. Let's just hope the preseason injuries don't hang around.
OVERALL:
- The team you seem to have the most faith in is TB, with 3 players on your squad. Now aside from Mike Evans I know they aren't marquee players but for your depth to work TB has to do pretty well. Good luck with that.
- Your RB corp looks good, your WR corp has pieces but is shallow as all hell.
- Team you will rely on most: Tampa Bay with 3 players.
- DRAFT GRADE: C+
Andrew Gomez (1'Tree Hill)
The only one in our division that hasn't won a championship, you can say that Andrew has had good and completely annoying teams without ever being able to dominate. Will this be the year?
QB: Ben Roethlisberger PIT
- I find it to be a wise decision to only roster one QB, but I've also had the frustrating experience that is owning Roethlisberger. He is great when he is great, and before it was easy to tell when he was going to be bad: on the road. Last season (for the starting half) that seemed to go by the wayside and it got a little less predictable which is unfortunate for fantasy. I do think the Bell holdout should give you a lot of pause too, Bell kept that offense clicking.
RB: David Johnson ARI, Peyton Barber TB, Chris Carson SEA, Jordan Wilkins IND, Doug Martin OAK
- David Johnson could be amazing, with a new coach and QB it sounds a bit scary but people forgot just how good David Johnson actually was.
- Barber and Carson could be solid, they both might lose their jobs to rookies that looked poor in preseason though. Once the schemes and real defenses start playing the rookies could come back, so be ready to pivot.
- Doug Martin is on your team.
WR: TY Hilton IND, Tyreek Hill KC, Chris Hogan NE, Michael Crabtree BAL, Keelan Cole JAX, DeVante Parker MIA, Mike Wallace PHI
- TY Hilton and Tyreek Hill are both burners with questions at QB. The QB situation could 100% play out in their favor, but there are still questions. Will Luck be as good as he was? Can Luck throw downfield? Will Mahomes be able to sustain drives? Can he hit Hill without throwing picks?
- Hogan and Crabtree seem to be on that border between good and great. Upside without significantly low floors. With that said I don't much trust Crabtree this year because Flacco is his QB. Flacco is and has looked awful. Hogan should be okay, at least until Edelman finally returns and we see what is left of him.
- Cole, Parker, and Wallace all seem like slightly smart dart throws. I wouldn't be surprised if all of them worked out for you. I also wouldn't be surprised if none of them did. One thing I can tell you is be prepared to be annoyed by Parker.
TE: Kyle Rudolph MIN, Benjamin Watson NO
- Solid and wholly unexciting. Rudolph apparently does okay, Watson might because Brees is throwing to him. Just a standard unimaginative TE position.
OVERALL:
- I'm wary of your RBs after Johnson, I see many scenarios where they fail. Your WRs will either carry you to huge things or boom/bust you to death. You gotta take that gamble.
- Team you will rely on most: Indianapolis with 2 players.
- DRAFT GRADE: B
Jacob Yorke (DonSeans Underdogs)
The other two time champ in the league. Your teams have a penchant for looking like things I would never draft and proving that I don't always know everything. Which is cool. I know you're looking for that number 3 win so you can once again have the most championships, but good luck.
QB: Matthew Stafford DET, Alex Smith WAS
- During the draft you stated that you had never owned Stafford before, and you sounded somewhat excited about the chance to. Well I will tell you this, it's not all candy and sunshine with Stafford. It just is not exciting. Then you backed him up with someone that typically manages to be even less exciting in Alex Smith. Oh well, gotta get that Jamison/Golladay stack in any way you can.
RB: Melvin Gordon LAC, Christian McCaffrey CAR, Alex Collins BAL, Jay Ajayi PHI, Latavius Murray MIN, CJ Anderson CAR, Austin Ekeler LAC
- Looks good on paper. Couple stars and their handcuffs, chances for those to be top RBs do exist, I'd say moreso for Gordon than McCaffrey but what do I know. Aside from that Collins and Ajayi provide depth to the position that can help you either trade or play matchups all year round. That looks good.
- McCaffrey does have a poor o-line to run behind, and if CJ Anderson ends up vulturing TDs instead of just being the handcuff that could hurt a bit.
- Alex Collins brings you back into a RB situation that you were all over last year and somehow managed to miss. Welcome back to Baltimore's backfield.
- Ajayi could be a stud on a great offense or just a guy-i. The only letter in Jay Ajayi's name that isn't a vowel is a J. Your first name starts with J. Could be a sign.
WR: Amari Cooper OAK, Jamison Crowder WAS, Randall Cobb GB, Kenny Golladay DET, Calvin Ridley ATL
- It's somewhat obvious to see what happened to your WR depth after drafting all those RBs.
- If Cooper plays like he did last season, I believe you are going to have some serious issues winning any matchup with another team at WR. Hope (I know I do as a Raiders fan) that Cooper gets his act together because on this list he is your only real shot at a WR1.
- Crowder might catch a lot of balls if him and Smith get on the same page. He seems like one of these guys that is consistent and having a good career but is really a non-issue in terms of fantasy.
- Cobb is on the trading block, Golladay looks good sometimes but disappears mightily during others, Ridley is a rookie that's going into a good spot for himself. I can't see WR1 because Julio is there but he may have some opportunities for WR2 or 3.
TE: Delanie Walker TEN
- I think if Corey Davis does break out this hurts Walker, but Walker is a good player. He'll get on the field because of all the little things he does, and Mariota seems to like him. This is a huge difference from last year when you went with Kelce and Graham. I think I like this a little more.
Overall:
- Your RBs look set for the long haul. Your WRs look unhealthily propped on the chance that Cooper swings the pendulum back from last year. I hope he does, but if he doesn't I see some necessary trades happening and I don't think that you can upgrade a ton without losing that awesome RB depth you have.
- It's good but the structure worries me a ton, seriously.
- Team you will rely on most: Washington, Detroit, Carolina, Los Angeles Chargers with 2 players each.
- DRAFT GRADE: C+
Daniel Smith (Run N Hyde)
Daniel Smith, 1 time champ. Before I even jump into your draft grades I want to say, congrats on the successful move and I hope it brings you happiness man. Getting that sort of independence is scary and wonderful, I've done it myself now and wouldn't trade it for anything, it lets you know you can make it through adversity and a rough spot. Which you'll need for this team.
QB: Cam Newton CAR
- Rolling into the season with the high scoring Cam Newton. Sure he might get three concussions each game but it seems like he rarely misses time, and despite him looking awful in almost every game I've seen him play, he somehow manages to score in the top 5 QBs. I also understand this pick as Cam's the guy who took you to the championship. So good for you, get your guy.
RB: Marshawn Lynch OAK, Dion Lewis TEN, Giovani Bernard CIN
- I thought I made a mistake at least twice in seeing that you only had 3 RBs. I did not. WHEW that's terrifying.
- Lynch and Lewis are both good backs, they have talent and seem to be coming into a year where their talents are recognized. For them to be your only two though I have serious worries. Lynch is 32, he's coming into a year where he wants to win a Super Bowl for Oakland but at the same time just had his coach trade the most talented player on the team. He came on strong in the second half, and Gruden comes from a time where workhorse RBs were a thing. If that offense can't step up from last year though then Lynch is still gonna run right into 8 defenders.
- Lewis, I love Lewis. He was a huge part of my success last season. He goes from NE to TEN though and now he has to contend with Derrick Henry. I think Lewis is a much better talent than Henry, but Henry's size is probably gonna mean he gets the goal line carries. Lewis can still have a strong season, but I also don't think defenses will respect Mariota even half as much as they respect Brady.
- Minivan Bernard is depth, might have some good PPR games.
WR: Antonio Brown PIT, Larry Fitzgerald ARI, Sterling Shepard NYG, Kelvin Benjamin BUF, Allen Hurns DAL, Mohammed Sanu ATL, Willie Snead BAL, Ted Ginn Jr. NO
- I probably would have reached for some RBs over a few of these guys.
- Antonio Brown I would have made pick 1 if I had it. Brown is something else and can string together 40 point games in PPR. Can carry a WR corp on his own, but that's not the problem I see with your team.
- Fitzgerald is a sure fire hall-of-famer, spoke at John McCain's funeral, and is catching passes from a QB that has never once had a 1000 yard receiver. That's right, Sammy Sleeves has never had a 1000 yard receiver and now he is matched up with the WR that gets 1000 yards with his eyes closed. Interesting combination honestly.
- Shepard and Benjamin are two receivers that I doubt their capabilities. With Shepard its opportunity with Barkley, OBJ and Engram taking the majority of that offenses targets. With Benjamin its Buffalo as a whole and how much skill he really has. I do like Benjamin on your team though because it repairs Newton and him, despite their differences and Benjamin straight dissing Newton.
- Ted Ginn Jr helped you get a championship. While I don't believe he'll do anything this year, I understand the pick.
- The rest are non-factors or players I simply don't know/care enough to analyze in any meaningful way.
TE: Rob Gronkowski NE, Tyler Eifert CIN, Antonio Gates LAC
- This reminds me of my team after the draft, Gronk and Brown are a strong pairing.
- If Gronk stays healthy all season then I love him on any team. In the TE slot he is a force and can win you games.
- Eifert is a glass cannon, good luck playing him during that one game he blows up before he stubs his toe and sits out a whole season. As a backup, you'll probably need another backup and 3 TEs makes for a rough team.
- Speaking of 3 TEs, Antonio Gates the million year old guy that played with Tomlinson is back. Can he still run?
Overall:
- Your team has incredibly strong pieces but such a strange structure and build its scary. Brown and Gronk are wonderful, but can they make up for the deficit you have at RB? You will have to go strong at the wire and now that its FAAB you'll have to pick right. If you do pick right this team will be a force, if you don't then you may have Giovani Bernard as your RB2 at some point. Yikes.
- Team you will rely on most: Cincinnati with 2 players.
- DRAFT GRADE: C-
Valeriy Shishkin (Greenbowl Packers)
Val now has more children than championships. Val, if you win a championship this year and then have another child on the way I just ask that you name it after your favorite player from this year. DeAndre Shishkin? Devonta Shishkin? I can dig it.
QB: Andrew Luck IND, Mitchell Trubisky CHI
- I didn't even know someone drafted Trubisky. You know his nickname online is titty kisser, and I have zero idea why that is.
- Luck looked both good and bad this preseason. He has all the potential in the world to be a top QB, but he hasn't played for 2 years. If he comes out and looks awful you're going to have to pivot, and if your pivot is Trubisky well... lol.
RB: Devonta Freeman ATL, Derrick Henry TEN, Chris Thompson WAS, Theo Riddick DET, Corey Clement PHI
- Freeman appears to be a solid low end RB1, safe and secure it's not a bad pick. If Atlanta's offense can kick it up a notch he might look even better.
- Henry is poised (as he is forever and always) to become a top RB in the league. Except now he has Dion Lewis next to him. So a similar situation all of a sudden. The dude's got measurables but when has he actually done anything? Maybe he can make his way into a 3 down back situation, but I more likely see him losing carries to Dion Lewis as the season goes along.
- Chris Thompson is electric. If he can survive and look healthy then the pairing of him and Alex Smith could be huge. He could also get hurt or run a little more scared and become something of an afterthought. It's an interesting pick and I like it.
- Riddick always seems to provide some PPR value. Kerryon could take it from him, but I doubt it.
WR: DeAndre Hopkins HOU, Robert Woods LAC, Sammy Watkins KC, Rishard Matthews TEN, DeSean Jackson TB
- Hopkins is a stud. If Watson stays healthy that's a good pick.
- Robert Woods looked brilliant last season but got hurt. Now the Rams have Cooks in there also, and honestly the TD upside with Woods is pretty low. Hard to pin him, but I can dig it.
- Watkins is forever bad and KC probably won't make him play any better. What better pairing for a fast guy that can run routes then being next to a guy that does it even better? He'll bounce around a bit more in the league I bet, but I don't see any true value in Watkins.
- Matthews was just taken off the PUP, and Jackson won't even have Winston throwing to him for the first four games. Middling at best.
TE: Zach Ertz PHI, Charles Clay BUF, Vance McDonald PIT
- Ertz was one of the top 3 tight ends in the draft, and as you had him last year I know I don't need to tell you he deserves that spot.
- When using that sort of draft capitol on a TE, do you ever see yourself playing Charles Clay? Vance McDonald might have a big year but surely Charles Clay is just a piece on your team that you drafted because you knew his name. Honestly my least favorite pick on your team, even when you have Mitch Trubisky.
Overall:
- Team structure is balanced, but there's too many TEs on this squad. Further than that, where's the upside? Ertz, Hopkins and Thompson are the largest pieces that could provide "over-the-top" points and other than that I see a middling squad that won't break 110 super often. It's safe, and safe loses. Safe is different than consistency and I think if Thompson doesn't work out for you it'll hurt bad. Okay but not great ya know?
- Team you will rely on most: Tennessee and Philladelphia with 2 players each.
- DRAFT GRADE: B
Matt Burke (Dickson Bells)
Well you autodrafted Matt. I won't be too harsh on your picks and instead will just try and tell you of any holes I perceive. Of course, trust your own judgement. I know that you have won the league before and always somehow end up with good performances out of players no one else would trust.
QB: Tom Brady NE, Dak Prescott DAL
- Unless this is the year that Brady finally falls off, it looks like you won't be wanting at QB. He's considered the GOAT by many, and the second QB off the board after Rodgers.
- Dak has finished as a QB1 both the last years, and Dez is gone who was honestly a black hole of production. He's your backup so it's probably not worthwhile to think about Dak too much.
RB: Kareem Hunt KC, Dalvin Cook MIN, Duke Johnson Jr. CLE, Rashaad Penny SEA
- Strong on names light on depth. Will you get early season Kareem from last year or late season Kareem? If he shows up like he did in the first half that's gonna feel great, but now Spencer Ware is back from injury and the safe Smith is gone. Will Reid actually run the ball consistently or will he fall off?
- Cook looked wonderful in the first few weeks of the season before exiting with an ACL tear early on. Murray is behind Cook and figures to at least get some carries. I figure it this way, Cook will probably do well if Cousins does, but my main worry would be Murray vulturing all of the TDs once they get in close. Now it doesn't have to be that way because Cook looks completely capable of being a 3 down back, but Murray is getting paid pretty well to be a backup.
- Duke Johnson and Penny are both not starters on their teams. Johnson should have PPR value, but he's on Cleveland and that might totally cap his upside. Penny was an early draft pick by the Seahawks but all signs point to Carson. If I were you I'd get a bit more depth at the RB position.
WR: Doug Baldwin SEA, Allen Robinson CHI, Alshon Jeffery PHI, Josh Doctson WAS, Danny Amendola MIA, Chris Godwin TB, Anthony Miller CHI, James Washington PIT
- Angry Doug Baldwin is a good start to this WR corp that has a ton of potential only matched by the amount of question marks.
- Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller are both going to rely on Mitch Trubisky to throw them the ball, and who knows how good he is? Allen Robinson has shown off with Blake Bortles before so his ceiling being capped by a QB isn't anything new and he definitely showed well.
- Alshon Jeffery is out at least the first two weeks, and he didn't really light the world on fire for a WR working with the forerunner for MVP last year. Will he be worth holding out through his injuries? It's a good bet that he'll be okay at least, but anything more? That might be hopeful.
- Doctson, Godwin, Washington. These guys could all become solid weekly starters with big upside. Or they could just stay mired in depth charts and score 5 points a game. If one of them breaks out your WR corp could be okay, if two or more break out your WR corp could be great.
TE: Jordan Reed WAS
- Autodraft certainly played a joke on you here and picked up Jordan Reed without a backup. Reed is an awesome player but is ALREADY going through an injury scare. Backup TE is pretty necessary when this guy is your number 1.
Overall:
- Your RB corp is certainly top heavy which could provide you points but has to make you feel worried about injuries. Your WR corp is potential waiting to be, but hopefully some of your players will become more than sleepers. There's a strong chance you have a great team, but many things need to go well for you.
- Team you will rely on most: Chicago, Seattle, and Washington with 2 players each.
- DRAFT GRADE: B-
Orest Yaslinskiy (Mustard Tigers .)
During the draft you called yourself a "trend setter." I'd agree with you a bit, but when setting trends that also means you're probably reaching a lot. You might consider it getting your pick of the bunch, it could just also be called settling for bad value.
QB: Matt Ryan ATL
- You certainly reached a bit for him considering the other QBs on the board. Two years ago he was the MVP. Last year he was the chump of the league. He could blow up again, but it just depends on how that team operates with their OC (Sarkisian I think his name is). Julio Jones getting some TDs would probably help too.
RB: Saquon Barkley NYG, Jordan Howard CHI, Carlos Hyde CLE, Tarik Cohen CHI, Jeremy Hill NE
- The risk of Barkley is huge. But he's the highest rated athlete since Adrian Peterson. His offense features Evan Engram and Odell Beckham so that should give him space to run, but his o-line is supposedly god awful. His athleticism could mean it doesn't matter, and we certainly saw a flash on his first carry against Cleveland but there is some bust potential here. How many years in a row does a rookie RB come out and show up?
- I'm glad you liked Howard enough last year to reach for him in the second this year. You pulled the trigger early, but I get it. That was your chance to get him and Howard is just heck of a runner. I also see you took Cohen, which while not exactly a backup or handcuff, should help you solidify your hold on Chicago's backfield. If their defense is as good as it sounds to be this could be a heck of a running game, otherwise you gotta hope Trubisky plays well to give them space to operate.
- Hyde has looked solid, but why did Cleveland draft Chubb so early? Is it just another dumb thing that Cleveland does, because I will buy that completely. Hyde should provide value regardless of what Duke Johnson does, his biggest enemy is going to be Tyrod running the ball and whether or not the Browns can actually get into the redzone.
- Hill is a Belichick back. He could be awesome or he could not do anything at all for the entire season. Good luck.
WR: Adam Thielen MIN, Josh Gordon CLE, Corey Davis TEN, Julian Edelman NE, DJ Moore CAR, Courtland Sutton DEN, Dez Bryant FA
- The question that hits me first looking at this squad is, will Thielen be able to replicate the performance and charisma that he had with Keenum. Keenum and Thielen was grade A, Thielen and Cousins? The potential is certainly there but I'd also worry that in Washington Cousins almost never had a strong WR1 for fantasy. He spreads the ball around a lot.
- Gordon could be great he's certainly shown. But after all this time he has been in the league, I still have to ask the question on if it will work or not? If he relapses in the middle of the season, will it end the whole thing? That's a potentially active bomb sitting on your roster, better hope it doesn't blow.
- Corey Davis is being drafted so high based on something that hasn't happened. It gives me vertigo. Can Mariota even make a WR1 work?
- Julian Edelman is suspended and when he comes back he has to hope he can retake the role as Tom Brady's favorite scrappy receiver. Or his favorite "lunch pail" kinda guy. Or his favorite white receiver. Whatever you call it, it has been a long time since Edelman has actually played and Hogan is now hanging out and enjoying all those targets.
- Moore and Sutton are both rookies that have big potential. Moore is already a starter and is simply held back by Cam's accuracy, Sutton is not a starter yet but has all the measurables you'd hope for. Lotto picks really, but fairly strong ones.
- Dez isn't on a team, and after all his tweets his may not make it on a team. He might be trying the Trump strategy and just throwing dumbass tweets out there so all teams have to see his name twice a week and remember that he exists.
TE: Trey Burton CHI, Austin Sefarian-Jenkins JAX
- Trey Burton is a real hot commodity for some reason. Is it because Trubisky is gonna use his TE? Is it because of those couple games that Philly fed him? A combo of the two? He has some upside but I could see this failing pretty significantly too.
- At least if it doesn't you have the heir apparent to Marcedes Lewis, ASJ. ASJ with Bortles is a combo that on paper looks bad, but in actuality could provide useful every once and a while.
- Middling with some upside is my final verdict on this less-than-dynamic duo.
Overall:
- RB depth is suspect, but what is there seems pretty good. The WRs are a continuous series of question marks for me, and while it could be worse and you could be holding absolutely no one with upside, it still seems a bit terrifying.
- Let's say I believe your season rests on two players, Barkley and Thielen. If they show up I think your team will probably be pretty good, if not well... Don't think about it.
- Team you will rely on most: Chicago with 3 players.
- DRAFT GRADE: C+
Chris Pender (Dog Don't Mind)
Chris, you gotta change your name. The dog did mind at the end of last season and it cost him his spot. Welcome to the league! This is your draft report card.
QB: Patrick Mahomes KC, Marcus Mariota TEN
- Mahomes has huge upside in an offense that absolutely killed it last year. He's got Reid as his coach and a big arm so he can throw it way downfield. This is however his first year playing as a starter and how much can you learn from Alex Smith if your main skill is arm strength? As a Raiders fan I'm bias and expect many many interceptions when he takes those risks throwing it downfield.
- Marcus Mariota makes sense a lot from you here. You've been living in Eugene for how long? Of course Mariota is someone you want on your team, even if its subconsciously. Mariota looked pretty awful last season, but he does have upside. If Corey Davis is to be a strong wide receiver he needs someone to throw him the ball, and this Mighty Duck is the guy.
RB: Alvin Kamara NO, LeSean McCoy BUF, Isaiah Crowell NYJ, James White NE, LeGarette Blount DET
- Alvin Kamara, the human joystick. He looked absolutely wonderful last season but was basically on an efficiency rate that if repeated will be historic. He has an opportunity at the beginning of this season to work out of that backfield without Mark Ingram, and this could be a real make-it-or-break-it sorta thing. We'll see right away if he can keep this thing going.
- McCoy is a great talent with many good years behind him. He has some issues though. First, he's right around 30 that huge decline year for RBs. Second, did he pay someone to beat up his ex that was living in his house and specifically steal only jewelry that Shady gave her? Third, the Bills look awful. If he can overcome those three simple obstacles he can probably be a high end RB2.
- Crowell, White and Blount don't strike me as guys that are gonna be at the top of any lists come next season. They might be good bye week plug ins or a low end flex play, but don't expect more than that. Alright floors to go along with some potentially high ceilings.
WR: Davante Adams GB, Jarvis Landry CLE, Pierre Garçon SF, Emmanuel Sanders DEN, Taywan Taylor TEN, Christian Kirk ARI
- I'm a big fan of Davante Adams, a very solid WR1 pick.
- Man the rest of these wide receivers sound like a squad from 3 years back. Landry is a hot commodity in Cleveland and has a chance to show that he can do more than just possession receiving. He wants to be the TD machine that Cleveland has needed for so long now. That speech sure made it look possible.
- Garçon and Sanders are in positions to have very good years. Garçon has Jimmy G trying to show off what he is worth, and only has to worry about Marquise Goodwin stealing targets. Sanders now has Keenum which, who knows how big, is indeed an upgrade over Paxton Lynch and Siemian. Sanders had some really great years in Denver, and he may be able to get back to that.
- Taylor and Kirk are a hope and a prayer. I believe Kirk could have a really nice season but I'm not particularly sold on Mariota supporting more than just one good receiver.
TE: Jimmy Graham GB, David Njoku CLE
- Jimmy Graham is probably the biggest risk with the most upside in fantasy at the TE position. The guy that argued with the Saints that TEs should be paid as much as receivers now goes to be the big basketball man in Rodgers offense. I like it even if I can see a scenario in which he doesn't work out.
- Njoku was your guy all along and you got him. Enjoy rooting for him even if he's on your bench. At least now you know you don't have to worry about him being on the opposing team.
Overall:
- Davante Adams, Alvin Kamara, and Jimmy Graham are plus starters at the 3 skill positions in fantasy. Your WR depth looks pretty dang good but your RBs past the first two don't excite me. They seem like solid floors with absolutely no ceiling and if Shady goes out of the game that could be a big deal.
- Team you will rely on most: Green Bay, Tennessee, and Cleveland with 2 players on each team.
- DRAFT GRADE: B+
Alex Gomez (The Implication)
Picking first for the second year in a row, Alex has taken pretty awful squads to the playoffs. Let's see if you're gonna need to work your magic again or if the team can actually do some of the heavy lifting for you this time.
QB: Philip Rivers LAC
- By far the worst QB I've ever watched be consistently good every single season. I'm a little disappointed Matt didn't get him, but even more disappointed in how he throws the ball like a shot put. Rivers can't actually move his shoulder above his head is my guess, and will probably have more children than TDs by the end of the year.
RB: Todd Gurley II LAR, Joe Mixon CIN, Jamaal Williams GB, Marlon Mack IND, James Connor PIT
- Todd Gurley did okay last season, I do also really hope you don't have some weird curse where your picks get injured because that team was pretty fun to watch.
- Taking Joe Mixon from Yuriy was good, one it makes him have to change his team name and two I'm really happy you didn't pick up another good running back. Can you imagine if you had Gurley and someone actually decent as your RB2? I can't either and now I'm happy I don't have to. Mixon hasn't proven a single thing in this league except that you can hit your girlfriend and get away with it if its before youre actually drafted.
- Jamaal Williams and Marlon Mack have starting roles going into the season, and I could see it potentially working out for both of them. The Colts haven't had a worthwhile RB since Edgerin James, and Mack doesn't really scream talented enough to turn that around especially if he is dealing with injuries before the season starts. Williams on the other hand can be the starting RB in a high powered offense and has shown reasons to believe that he can hold on. The hard part really will be if Ty Montgomery or Aaron Jones show him up, I don't think GB cares which is the RB they'll go with whoever looks best.
- Connor might be a steal for you, even if its just for a couple weeks. Enjoy that, now your sniping someone else's first round pick problems.
WR: Marvin Jones Jr. DET, Juju Smith-Schuster PIT, Robby Anderson NYJ, Nelson Agholor PHI, Kenny Stills MIA, Geronimo Allison GB, Tyrell Williams LAC
- One of the few teams where I understand why you went with each pick but the bottom of your lineup brings me more hope than the top of it.
- Marvin Jones is a disappearing act sometimes. He can blow up but he can also let Golladay and (INSERT TE HERE) take all his work. He's like the less fun version of Julio Jones.
- Juju is the highest drafted WR2 there is. There can't be a huge amount of upside here, he's behind Brown and behind Bell in the pecking order. I don't necessarily see him doing huge things and think his ceiling is super capped, but that's my opinion. He can be solid but I don't think he'll be extraordinary.
- Robby Anderson will greatly depend on how Darnold treats him. Gone are the days of McCown gunslinging around and here are the days of Darnold making short accurate passes like a 21st century Chad Pennington.
- Agholor, Stills, Williams should all be okay. Okay is really where I'd leave their value. Good bye week plays but I don't see anything huge happening out of this trio.
- Allison may actually be good, but I'll believe it when Cobb is completely off the team. Until then I expect a boom/bust to the highest degree that is completely TD dependent.
TE: Travis Kelce KC
- Good draft pick. I can root against your team and this jerk at the same time. Kelce is such a baby. He's gonna score you points but you have to agree to sell your soul to the fantasy devil for them.
Overall:
- Let's say Joe Mixon is actually good for a tiny thought experiment here. Your team is gonna be stacked, sure Jamaal Williams and Marlon Mack may lose their starting jobs but your RB1 and 2 slots are held down. Kelce is a strong TE, and with the loss of Alex Smith there could be some regression for him, but I doubt it will be a huge amount. Your WRs probably won't be in the top 12 but could be some WR2s and 3s. Really Gurley could provide you with enough cushion that it doesn't matter. I wouldn't rest on this lineup though if I were you, some holes could become obvious quickly if Mixon does disappoint.
- Team you will rely on the most: Pittsburgh, Los Angeles Chargers, and Green Bay with 2 players on each.
- DRAFT GRADE: A-
Gary Meyer (Rip Lips)
Each year your team consists of players that should make a good team. This year doesn't seem to be any different. One thing I'll give you going into it, you have much less 49ers than before. I want you to make the playoffs, so stay on it.
QB: Aaron Rodgers GB, Eli Manning NYG
- First off, Rodgers will probably be fun for you because you can listen to Chicago's media talk about how unfair it is they have to go against him two times a year. What really is there to say about Rodgers? If he stays healthy you should have a clear advantage every single week in the QB slot which is absolutely huge.
- Eli Manning as a back up is pretty much the opposite of Rodgers. But if we are to expect every single weapon on the Giants to do well, it would follow logically that Eli must do well also. Probably a non-factor on your squad.
RB: Ezekiel Elliott DAL, Royce Freeman DEN, Bilal Powell NYJ, Kerryon Johnson DET, Sony Michel NE, Buck Allen BAL
- You picked Elliott which means at some point you'll be rooting for the Cowboys to do well. That sounds pretty dang funny. I hope you like watching a guy pretend to eat through a helmet because if he doesn't that means you're not scoring any points.
- Freeman was named the starting back in Denver. This could be a very useful position but, as we saw with CJ Anderson, Denver might like to handicap their own effectiveness with terribly timed substitutions to Devontae Booker. He's still there too.
- Kerryon and Sony have to carve out a role on their team. If they do they're both pretty talented backs on teams that have pretty high powered offenses. If they do not carve out those roles then you'll have to get used to watching Blount plod forward while Kerryon cheers for him on the sidelines.
- Bilal Powell and Buck Allen are mediocre at best and might provide some security in case something happens to your teams, but you should hope they don't become absolutely necessary because that is resigning a spot to mediocrity.
WR: Michael Thomas NO, Stefon Diggs MIN, Cooper Kupp LAR, Michael Gallup DAL, Mike Williams LAC
- Thomas sure is a safe bet at this point. I never consider him great but then I look at the numbers and they prove me wrong. He might have even more volume this year too if the teams playing against the Saints start selling out for the run.
- Stefon Diggs looks the part of an elite WR but seems to have some injury issues. Cousins could really help elevate his game, or Cousins could spread the ball around like he did in Washington and bring him down to a WR2. A lot will have to be seen by what the o line in Minnesota allows for.
- Cooper Kupp and Jared Goff have a bromance. He got targeted a ton in the redzone, but he also drops a lot of those passes and fails to get in correct positions to make a play. The opportunity is very clearly there, but Kupp sometimes has a hard time taking advantage of it, and its just frustrating to watch. Especially when Robert Woods does some mystical move right afterwards.
- Gallup and Williams will each have opportunities. Either could be huge for you, but I wouldn't rely on it. If they do show up thought this could be a deceptively deep WR corp.
TE: Greg Olsen CAR, Austin Hooper ATL
- Olsen was injured last year but he still really did not put up any stats in the games he played. He has had an absolutely fantastic career but if last year was an indication this might be the final downturn. With that said, he had such a good run of 1000 yard season for a TE and Benjamin is gone now so he could come back with a vengeance.
- Hooper is a non factor for me. Good luck guessing what weeks he has a long TD in.
Overall:
- You took a Defense and Kicker early. Jax D was wonderful for me last year but defenses change so quickly its hard investing that draft capitol into them and coming out ahead. I think your team has clearly strong pieces but also a lot of risk. Three rookie RBs in a position that at least 1 has to pan out for your RB corp to be strong outside of Elliott. Your WRs could be either dominant or underperforming as outside of Thomas there are changes and uncertainty abound. Olsen sounds safe but the numbers last year, even in health games, have to be alarming. Rodgers has to stay healthy for this team, but if he does you can know that you'll win 1 position every week.
- Team you will rely on the most: Dallas with 2 players.
- DRAFT GRADE: B+
Chris Cone (Fresno Facecleaters)
Autodraft made your team makeup a little interesting. As a former champ I believe in your ability to pull together this squad into something resembling utility.
QB: Russell Wilson SEA, Deshaun Watson HOU, Carson Wentz PHI, Jared Goff LAR
- All of these guys are good, but simply put theres too many of them. This is one of those places I think you really need to be proactive and send out trades. People will send you trades first, but you might want to take control of the market. This is a lot of points that are gonna waste away on your bench, and playing the matchups you will always feel like you are losing when one of these guys go's off and your started QB scores less. Get rid of this headache and trade some of them away (and yes, they are valuable).
RB: Rex Burkhead NE, Tevin Coleman ATL
- This corp is very very thin. Burkhead might already be hurt although it looks like he'll be playing. I think there is some upside here as both backs are better in PPR but I think this needs to be your first priority. Get some RBs up in this, and don't worry about getting the best of the best, you just need some warm bodies that actually score a bit of points.
- Coleman I think is a pretty good piece. He's a play on his own and a handcuff to Freeman that could become a really strong scorer if he is the only back in Atlanta. He is not good as your only RB2, get someone else.
WR: Julio Jones ATL, Keenan Allen LAC, Demaryius Thomas DEN, Golden Tate DET, Paul Richardson WAS, Cameron Meredith NO, John Brown BAL, Dante Moncrief JAX
- Depth to rival your QB position. Julio, Keenan, Demaryius, and Golden Tate are a strong corp for WR. You can start 4 WRs so this isn't too bad.
- When making a trade for an RB, I'd recognize the actual value you have in Keenan and Julio, they are elite and can carry your squad. After those two trading Demaryius or Golden Tate would probably be the better options.
- Richardson and Meredith look good to me and I believe that one of them will actually show up, that could provide your WRs with even more depth. Don't be afraid to trade one of them for a RB2/3.
- There's a ton of value in this WR lineup, so attempt to make your team more balanced with WRs and QBs in trade.
TE: Jack Doyle IND
- Luck is back, and Jack Doyle did pretty well without him. I wonder if Luck will use the TE as much as Brissett did especially now that Ebron is in town. If rolling with 1 TE it could be worse though and at least some production has been shown as a possibility.
Overall:
- Did I mention that you gotta trade for some RBs? If I didn't, I am now. Get on in and get on it quick. One injury and suddenly you won't be able to start any. You have the depth at WR to trade someone lower on your list with a good QB for an upgrade. Don't be shy about it, don't accept less than you can get but also don't wait so long unless you go hard on the waivers.
- Team you will rely on the most: Atlanta with 2 players.
- DRAFT GRADE: D (dude you gotta get RBs)
Nicholas Meyer (12 Bar Bruisers)
Your champ, working towards getting a number 3. You guys know the drill, I'm unbiased when I say I clearly have the best team with the most upside and the highest floor. Good luck guys.
QB: Drew Brees NO
- Yeah he's a million years old, but he's still Drew Brees. Dude still has Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and even the elusive Ted Ginn. You know Brees wants an MVP finally, and this could be the year.
RB: Leonard Fournette JAX, Kenyan Drake MIA, Alfred Morris SF, Matt Breida SF, Aaron Jones GB, Frank Gore MIA
- Leonard Fournette had some injuries to his ankle last year. To mitigate the risks a bit Fournette lost some weight and is said to be much more agile now. You know who else said this after their rookie year? Le'Veon Bell. Fournette is about to be the next Bell, you heard it here first.
- Kenyan Drake has comparable stats to the first year that Jamaal Charles played. His explosive abilities are rivaled only by prime Charles.
- Alfred Morris or Matt Breida, whoever gets the start in Shanahan's new and improved San Francisco (which looks a lot like Santa Clara) will be a bonafide RB1. I don't like guesswork so I get rid of it.
- Aaron Jones is much better than Jamaal Williams, it's just a matter of waiting out a suspension.
- Frank Gore is already off my team, I don't want 6 points a week.
WR: Odell Beckham Jr. NYG, Brandin Cooks LAR, Marquise Goodwin SF, William Fuller V HOU, Jordy Nelson OAK, John Ross CIN, Quincy Enunwa NYJ
- Beckham and I are re-united in fantasy for the first time since his rookie year. I'm thinking that Barkley takes some TDs but the offense will click so much better that even more opportunities will arise. Could be in for a career year.
- Brandin Cooks has had nothing but 1000 yard seasons and now goes to the highest powered offense from last year. "Oh but he's just replacing Sammy Watkins!" Wrong, Watkins is a bum and Cooks is good. Plus I had to get him on my team after him beating me in the last 30 seconds of a game last year.
- Marquise Goodwin will be a stud if Jimmy G proves that his skills match his looks. Which he probably will, congrats all you SF fans.
- Fuller is going to score those 28 TDs, I've never see regression and Fuller in the same room so there's no reason to believe they'll be together ever.
- Jordy Nelson might take over that Crabtree role in Oakland's offense or, even better, he might make up his own new role that is better. Jordy might be slower but he has still thrown up wild numbers in his career.
- John Ross rhymes with Boss and he broke some ankles in the preseason. The dude ran the fastest 40 in combine history but has yet to play more than 15 snaps in a season. This is his make or break season, either he shows up or he fades into obscurity. As the number 9 overall pick in last years draft I'm hoping for a bit of pride from this dude.
TE: Jared Cook OAK
- Jake kinda called this pick, but that's fine. Cook did pretty well last year and was Oakland's leading receiver. Suddenly one offseason where Gruden is amazed by his abilities and doesn't even have him play in the preseason and he falls off draft radars. Who knows why? But I am happy about it.
Overall:
- A balanced and happy team with upside and a high floor. Great team really.
- Team I will rely on the most: San Francisco with 3 players.
- DRAFT GRADE: A+
Alright, that is it. Good luck this season guys!
