superdeluxe

My Draft in a 14 team league


1: Drew Brees QB
2: Alshon Jeffery WR
3: Arian Foster RB
4: Jason Witten TE
5: Luke Kuechly LB
6: Emmanuel Sanders WR
7: Giovanni Bernard RB (Keeper)
8: Brandin Cooks WR
9: Demarcus Ware DL
10: Morgan Burnett DB
11: Alec Ogletree LB
12: Matt Prater K
13: Austin Sefarin Jenkins TE
14: Ryan Tannehill QB
15: Browns D/ST

davidh777

Having never played in a league with individual defensive players, I find it interesting that yours requires three individuals plus a team.

Austin Sefarian Jenkins was a realy force for the Washington Huskies at times. I'm interested to see what he does as a pro.

Deftones

why the heck would you draft an IDP in the 5th round? Sure, Kuechly gets a ton of tackles, but so do about 40 other defensive players. I am in a league that does IDP, and I usually wait until round 11 or so before I even think of IDP. I don't care who gets taken before that. There are a ton of defensive players who consistently score points. Plus, you are giving up the option of drafting potentially better offensive players than you already got.

B.A.

My league set the draft order several days in advance for the first time in its fourteen year history. I have the 11th pick out of 12 in a snake draft. We will also be picking a week earlier than normal. Blah.


Also - CBS Sports redesigned their fantasy page for the second year in a row, and it is fucking awful. Has anyone figured out how to tweak it and move things around.

I hates it. I hates it good.

kenbuzz

I've been doing research on using a QBBC setup for my teams this year... after you get past the top 3 QBs the next dozen or so QBs are of such equal quality that there's no much point in being the guy to pick QB4, QB5, etc. So this past week, as a test, I've participated in several mock drafts using basically the same experimental strategy:

#1 - Wait until everybody else has a QB, or if someone's already picked a backup, wait until the total # of QBs is 1 less than the # of teams.
#2 - Keep waiting for one of these three QBs to be picked: Wilson, Cutler, or Romo - these guys represent the "better" of the 2nd tier QBs, and their selection indicates that QBs 13-24 are now starting to go.
#3 - Use my next two picks to get a QB. The first one will be the best available (don't give a shit about bye weeks). The second will be the higest-rated QB who has a grade of B- or better from this matrix:

Source: The 2014 Quarterback By Committee (QBBC) Matrix
(Spoilered for size):
Alas, every time I do this, I end up with Kaepernick as my first QB (look at the chart above, only Palmer (B-), Tannehill (B+), Bradford (B-), Locker (B+), and Griffin (B) have schedules that compliment Kaepernick's, Griffin is usually gone, and I typically end up with Tannehill. The only time I didn't have Kaepernick at the top of my chart when it came time to take my late QB, I got Cutler and Roethlisberger.

So, let me just ask straight-up... is anyone else actively pursuing a QBBC strategy in their drafts this year? I would prefer to have two proven middle-of-the-road QBs that I can swap based on matchups than to play QBBWW (QB By Waiver Wire) this year.... and try as I might, I just can't justify spending a pick in the first 4 rounds on a Cam Newton or Andrew Luck when I can jump in in round 8 and still get a nearly-as-good QB.

fujishig

A healthy Gronk? When is that happening?

davidh777

I should do some mock drafts. For years I've been in an in-person league with coworkers, and while that's had some turnover, I still basically know how it's going to go. Last year I did my first online draft and my head was spinning so I should practice.

As far as QB, I traditionally go for second-tier guys like Cam--never had a Manning-Brees type. In my online draft, though, I decided to wait and got really stuck. When I was trying to make a choice, the system autodrafted me Michael Vick and then I went for Big Ben as a backup. I ended up having to trade for Russell Wilson just so I had someone.

So annoying. I've had him for three of the past four years, and he dominates when he's there, but is totally unreliable.

fujishig

QBBC usually really scares me, but this year does seem to have a combination of an exceptionally deep QB pool and a clearcut drop from the top 3 (and I'm assuming Manning is going to go earlier than I'd draft him, given his historic year, even if he's not likely to completely replicate it, so he's basically off my draft board).

But looking at some ADP boards, it looks like after the top three go in the first two or three rounds, the next ones up are Stafford, Brady and Luck around round 5, then Ryan, Foles, RGIII, Newton, Cutler, Kaep, Rivers, Wilson, and Romo in some order. That's 15 QBs, and while they each have their risks, I wouldn't mind being stuck with one of them if the rest of my draft is good. In a 12 team, 1 QB league you can probably get a couple of them with that strategy if you don't wait too long (and depending on how far apart your pics are). Still scary, though, since I don't like taking leftovers.

kenbuzz

^ According to the most recent ADP update at FFToday.com for a 12-team 1-QB standard scoring league, your QBs are going:

1.08 Manning (DEN)
2.06 Brees
2.07 Rodgers
4.06 Stafford
5.01 Luck
6.02 Brady
6.09 Ryan
7.03 Foles
7.08 Griffin
7.10 Newton
8.03 Cutler
9.01 Kaepernick
9.02 Romo
9.12 Rivers
10.08 Wilson
11.03 Dalton
11.05 Roethlisberger
12.10 Palmer
13.09 Manning (NYG)
13.12 Tannehill
14.03 Flacco
14.04 Bradford
14.05 McCown
14.07 Smith (KC)

So by using the QBBC strategy spelled-out a few posts ago (let 11 QBs go, then wait for a trigger to indicate that the 2nd wave has started and immediately take 2), Cutler is the 11th pick, Romo is the trigger, so you'd be looking at Rivers as your QB1 and the schedule grades for the next few QBs after Rivers are:

C- Wilson
A- Dalton
C- Roethlisberger
C- Palmer
C+ Manning (NYG)
B+ Tannehill
D Flacco
B- Bradford
C McCown
A- Smith (KC)

Looks like Dalton for QB2.

nickdawgy

Is it safe to assume you'll see AP, McCoy, Charles, Forte, Peyton Manning, Rodgers, Megatron, Graham or something similar for the 8 or so picks? It seems like RB's are always first then someone picks the best QB followed by someone thinking he better pick a QB, followed by someone saying he will pick the best WR and the next guy grabs the best TE since the best WR was just snagged.

davidh777

Did three mock drafts today to get used to it and to test the software and apps for however I might be drafting: ESPN web, ESPN phone, and Yahoo phone. I found Yahoo the clunkiest. Some of the stuff was minor, like the app not being clear about how many rounds the mock was, and not e-mailing the final results like ESPN. I found I disagreed with their rankings more than ESPN's, though (no surprise since I listen to the ESPN podcast and don't really read the Yahoo site info), and the rankings significantly influence the draft. And yes, I could manually manipulate them if I wanted to take the time....

It was very useful, though. I have the #2 pick in the DVDTalk league so I practiced in that slot. In one of the odd rounds, I took my third RB (Bishop Sankey) before my third WR, and then I had to wait a l-o-n-g time for my pick (#11 in the following round) to roll around again.

I wouldn't put Rodgers in that group. If someone goes QB in that range, it's most likely Peyton, with Rodgers and Brees later (people always have preferences, of course).

Lynch and Lacy are below the four you mention but could be taken in that range. I definitely see Megatron and Graham going before people start dipping into the next tier of running backs.

Deftones

Here's my main league's (IDP) outcome. I hated taking Ball, but I think he dropped far enough that he was a good enough value. I also think my WRs aren't solid overall, but I think I have several guys with high upside.

1. (7) Calvin Johnson (Det - WR)
2. (14) Montee Ball (Den - RB)
3. (27) Alfred Morris (Was - RB)
4. (34) Julius Thomas (Den - TE)
5. (47) Frank Gore (SF - RB)
6. (54) Tom Brady (NE - QB)
7. (67) Julian Edelman (NE - WR)
8. (74) Percy Harvin (Sea - WR)
9. (87) Emmanuel Sanders (Den - WR)
10. (94) DeMeco Ryans (Phi - LB)
11. (107) DeMarcus Ware (Den - DE)
12. (114) Stevan Ridley (NE - RB)
13. (127) Barry Church (Dal - S)
14. (134) Stephen Tulloch (Det - LB)
15. (147) Fred Jackson (Buf - RB)
16. (154) Greg Hardy (Car - DE)
17. (167) Mason Crosby (GB - K)

davidh777

^Ridley is dropping like a stone. I've taken him in a few mocks.

I have two drafts coming up in which I'm #7 and #8, which looks like solidly Jimmy Graham territory. I've also decided from the mocks that if I'm not in that Graham position, I'm not ready to take Gronk or Julius Thomas in the high rounds, and I have trouble resisting Stafford-Cam-Luck after I've taken two RBs and two WRS, even though I know I could get better value by waiting a little longer. Brady in particular has been there fairly late, though as I said earlier, that system's pre-rankings will heavily influence the selections.

Bill Needle

Ugh, predictably I have Sunday morning post auction draft hatred for my team. I have a two-headed monster in an eight-headed monster fight. I always end up getting too conservative when people start wayyy overbidding for the studs. Then I have plenty of money left but no one worth spending it all on. So I get maybe one stud (Brees this year), then a roster full of RB2and WR2. I have a strong bench but few no-brainer starters so choosing a lineup is a giant PITA each week. So I end up spending my whole season trying to trade RB2/WR2s up for a RB1 or WR1. Once injuries kick in and teams get desperate for depth that can work, but I dig myself an early season hole and play from behind in the standings seemingly all year. Last year I thought my team was crap but I pulled out a couple of nice mid-season trades and won the league. So I know the strategy can work, but it takes a lot of effort and I always end up envying the owners who can set their starting lineup week 1 and barely touch it other than for byes.

Red Dog

Drew 1 in my draft league (with limited keepers). Already have Shady for a high price in my cap/auction league. Now do I double down on him or go Charles or AP at 1. I always fuck up at 1 in this league....18 years old. This league skews toward distance TD and 100/150/200 bonus yardage.

LorenzoL

My draft is this Thursday and can't really strategize since it's usually a live draft and we find our draft position at that time.

DaveWadding

Here's a draft I did in a 10 team ESPN standard league (I decided to aim for entertaining players above everything else to try to keep my interest).

QB: Cutler, Rivers
WR: Megatron, Fitz, Cordarrelle, Watkins
RB: Stacy, Morris, Ellington, Pierce, C. Michael, T. West, D. Freeman
TE: Cameron
K: Dawson
DEF: Chiefs

fujishig

Did a 10 teamer, non PPR, QB/WRx2/RBx2/Flex/TE/K/Def, with flex being WR or RB. I found out I was woefully unprepared, especially when others started making non-ADP picks and I was left scratching my head in the middle to lower rounds, doing research on players on the spot. Number 2 pick:

QB: Nick Foles (7.2), Tom Brady (9.2)
WR: Julio Jones (2.9), Andre Johnson (4.9), Percy Harvin (6.9), Mike Wallace (8.9), Marques Colston (10.9), Dwayne Bowe (14.9), DeAndre Hopkins (15.2)
RB: Jamaal Charles (1.2), Zac Stacy (3.2), CJ Spiller (5.2), Steven Jackson (11.2)
TE: Martellus Bennet (12.9)
K: Shayne Graham (16.9)
Def: Cincinatti (13.2)

Keep in mind that it's a shallow league, so everyone has better players than a standard 12 teamer. You can see starting at the Spiller pick, I fell into taking they guy who had fallen too far to pass up (I'm not exactly high on Spiller or Harvin). The next pick, Foles, was an autopick because I was busy researching, and Brady was one where there wasn't anyone super compelling and I wanted to play keep away from people who hadn't picked QBs yet.

Every time I wanted to pick a TE, I didn't want to reach, and that turned out badly. In fact, I was prepared to go to a, for me, non traditional early round TE or QB but got turned away every time.

Deftones

why take 2 QBs? in a shallow league, there should be plenty of WW guys to fill in if you need one for injured QB. seems like wasted pick by taking 2 QBs

Rob V

I like this team a lot... Brady and Edelman are steals that late.

Deftones

I wouldn't say they are steals as they both are pretty close to their ADP in Yahoo leagues. I think they are great pick ups though, I'm not overpaying for a QB early, but I still get a guy who performs at a high level.

I just hope Edelman still gets targets if Gronk is healthy and Harvin stays healthy.

fujishig

Oh, it almost certainly was, but two things: I'm worried about Foles regressing (though Brady obviously has concerns too) and I didn't want someone taking Brady as their starter that late... stupid, I know.

It didn't help that the guys drafted after... Edelman, Lamar Miller, Chris Johnson, Ridley, etc. didn't exactly call out to me as being really valuable, at least not at that spot.

lwhy?

I received a trade request this morning from a member of one of the dvdtalk leagues asking for me to trade him Terrance West in return for nothing! Seriously? I didn't know you could propose a trade like that....

fujishig

Maybe he already traded the player he was offering, and the system screwed up?

B.A.

I had the 11th out of 12 picks in my league.

14-round snake draft:

QB; RB; RB/WR; WR; WR; TE; K; D

It's a PPR-league, and passing TD's are still worth six points - blah.

11) Demaryius Thomas: WR-DEN
14) Eddie Lacy: QB-GB
35) Nick Foles: QB-PHI
38) Victor Cruz: WR-NYG
59) Frank Gore: RB-SF
62) Jordan Reed: TE-WSH
83) Torrey Smith: WR-BAL
86) Cam Newton: QB-CAR
107) Ben Tate: RB-CLE
110) Martellus Bennett: TE-CLE
131) Ryan Tannehill: QB-CLE
134) Danny Amendola: WR-NE
155) Packers D
158) Adam Viniatieri: K-IND

I tried to fill out my starting line-up first, aside from my Defense and Kicker.