2007 Fantasy Football Draft Review

2007 Fantasy Football Draft Review


Last year I thought it would be fun to do a round by round analysis of my Fantasy Football league’s draft.  Three hours later I was halfway done and I realized that fun was a little bit generous in my assessment, but it was too late to stop then.  This year I’m just going to list the teams in the league, their picks and maybe a few comments on bad they are.  More than anything its just a chance to make fun of the other members of the league.

Before I start I should point out that each team will play the following positions:  QB,RB,RB,WR,WR,TE,K,D and we get two bench players.  That’s right two.  We previously had played with a two WRs and a WR/TE slot, and this year I suggested adding a full TE since there seem to be more TE actually contributing offensively these days.  After some discussion, we converted the WR/TE to just a TE and removed half of our already small bench.  All I can say is I hope the two teams that pushed for that format get a key player injured while they have other big players on a bye week, so they have to drop them.

I should also mention that I spent about an hour prepping for this years draft, unlike previous years where I spent months ahead of time doing research.

So here we go.

Drunken Pirates:

Last year the Pirates choose Brian Westbrook with their number one pick, which is why they are picking first again this year.  They did a bit better this year in taking Shaun Alexander.  I would have gone with Larry Johnson, but what do I know?  It’s not like I won the league last year or anything.  Oh wait.  I did.   Here’s his picks:

• Alexander, Shaun


• Palmer, Carson


• Boldin, Anquan


• Lewis, Jamal


• Bears  D


• Galloway, Joey


• Witten, Jason


• Delhomme, Jake


• Maroney, Laurence


• Tynes, Lawrence

Shaun Alexander’s production will cover up a lot of draft mistakes. The Pirates are lacking a Strong second RB and WR which is what happens when you take a defense in the fifth round.  Of coarse it is the Bears D, so he might just win most of his games based on their production.

Hoosierbucks

I don’t know the manager of the Hoosierbucks outside of this league, but our commissioner has certainly talked him up in years past as the man to beat based on other leagues that are in together.  He employs a unique strategy that ether works out really well or really poorly.  I think he won the league a few years ago, but based on the fact that he’s drafting second this year, last year must have been a one of the not-so-good years.  Larry Johnson at #2 overall is a no brainer.  I think Willie Parker will be a pretty decent second back, and he managed to get a QB in the 7th round, and sooner or later Vick has to live up to his potential.  Or not.

• Johnson, Larry


• Harrison, Marvin


• Parker, Willie


• Heap, Todd


• Ravens D


• Akers, David


• Vick, Michael


• Muhammad, Mushin


• Foster, DeShaun


• Mason, Derrick

Dad’s Dynasty

Dad is our commissioner’s father.  He finished the regular season in first place during our inaugural season, before I knocked him out of the playoffs on route to my first league championship.  I think that was his best year.  Apparently that’s what makes Dynasty these days.  Speaking of dynasties, he picked up the quarterback of the dynasty that is the Indianapolis Colts with his number one pick.   Conventional wisdom says to take a RB with your first pick, especially when it’s the third pick overall, but what do the experts know?  And before you tell me how many TDs he might pass for, I should point out that passing TDs are only worth four points while rushing and receiving TDs are worth 6

• Manning, Peyton


• Jones, Julius


• Gates, Antonio


• Jackson, Darrell


• Panthers D


• Taylor, Fred


• Stallworth, Donte


• Feely, Jay


• Rhodes, Dominic


• Benson, Cedric

He did manage to steal Antonio Gates from my. I was hoping to get him with my 3rd or 4th round pick.  Other than that, I’m thinking Dad is going to be hitting the waiver wire hard once the season starts.  

Menace to Sobriety

Menace gets a gift in Tomlinson, and does pretty well for himself after that.  He looks to have a pretty solid team and if I had to pick a winner right now this would be my choice.

• Tomlinson, Ladanian


• Holt, Torry


• Westbrook, Brian


• Wayne, Reggie


• Shockey, Jeremy


• Dillon, Corey


• Bledsoe, Drew


• Indy D


• Gore, Frank


• Graham, Shayne

Salsicciakings

What the kings lack in fantasy football skills he makes up for in trash talking.  He’s had some of the funniest exchanges with other members of the league that I’ve ever seen, but those exchanges will probably be the highlight of his season.  There’s also a good chance that by halfway through the season he will have forgotten his user name and password and he’ll be starting half his team on their bye weeks.  Not that he hasn’t won games in years past by doing that.  

• Barber, Tiki


• Fitzgerald, Larry


• Brady, Tom


• Bush, Reggie


• Walker, Javon


• Davis, Domanick


• Houshmandzadeh, T.J.


• Vinatieri, Adam


• Crumpler, Alge


• Washington D

Rabid Danimals

Perennial winners of the losers bracket, Danimals Animals are Rabid this year.  Scary.   They traded their 6th and 15th picks for my 10th and 11th.  If his team stays healthy I think the trade worked out better for him.

• Portis, Clinton


• Williams, Carnell


• Owens, Terrell


• Williams, Roy


• Jones, Kevin


• Bulger, Marc


• Johnson, Andre


• Winslow, Kellen


• Jax D


• Warner, Kurt

No one wanted TO after last year.  I think he’ll end up being one of the steals of the draft going late in the third round.  I also think Kurt Warner is a good pickup with the last pick.  Now that they have a solid RB, I would think Arizona’s offense could start doing something.  And if not, then he’ll be passing a lot which should work out well.

Vikings

How someone growing up in Chicago, whose parents have season tickets for the Bears can become a Vikings fan I’ll never know.  Despite such poor decision making skills, he usually does pretty well in fantasy football. He was running away with the league last year until TO screwed him, and Priest Holmes went down, letting me play Larry Johnson for rest of the season to catch up.  

• Jackson, Steven


• Johnson, Chad


• Dunn, Warrick


• Moss, Santana


• Hasselbeck, Matt


• Smith, LJ


• Horn, Joe


• Glenn, Terry


• Elam, Jason


• Green, Ahman

He stole Chad Johnson from me in the second round.   I think he’s going to end up being the most productive receiver this year, and I’m pissed I missed him.   Overall the Vikings have a pretty solid team.  

No Talent Ass Clowns

The esteemed commissioner of our league finished in third place last year.  I’m not real impressed with his team so far so I don’t think he’s going to be repeating his trip to the post season this year.  Of course if history is any indicator I just jinxed myself and he’ll end up winning the league while I’m looking up from the opposite end.

• Brown, Ronnie


• McGahee, Willis


• Manning, Eli


• Ross, Randy


• Burress, Plaxico


• Cooley, Chris


• Pittsburgh D


• Bell, Mike


• Bell, Tatum


• Vanderjagt, Mike

Pig in a Poke

Last years second place finisher also has a pretty strong team again.  I had Rudi Johnson the last two seasons and almost took him again this year, but I was planning on getting Chad Johnson in the next round so I passed.  I also had Chris Chambers last year, and I think he’ll do real well this year with an actual offense to work with.

• Johnson, Rudi


• Jordan, Lamont


• Chambers, Chris


• Mcnabb, Donovan


• Gonzalez, Tony


• Driver, Donald


• Taylor, Chester


• Smith, Rod


• Seattle D


• Kasay, John

Remember Last Year

Usually my team name is Wait Til Next Year, because I’m a Cubs fan and that’s what we do.  I changed it up a bit this year because I’m funny like that.  Enjoy it because that’s about as creative as I get.

I really hate my draft.  I had planned on taking the best RB available with my #10 overall pick and the Chad Johnson with #11.  I was then going to hope Antonio Gates would survive through the third round, where I would also pick up a second WR or RB.  That was about the extent of my planning.  At the last minute I traded with the Danimals and ruined any plan I might have had.

I took Edge with my first pick hoping that with a decent back the Cardinals offense won’t suck.  I have a feeling I’ll regret that.  I then took Steve Smith with my second pick because the Vikings stole Johnson from me the pick before.  I think Smith will do OK this year, but nowhere near as good as last year.  He doesn’t warrant a 15th overall slot, but there were no running backs left that I would rather have, so I took him.  Oh, yeah, and he has the same bye week as my number one pick, so if I have any injuries I’m screwed.  

I desperately need another RB because I don’t think Reuben Droughns is going to do much in Cleveland’s offense. I like McMichael as my TE except that he’s on the same team as my QB who I took with the very next pick.  Which means once again if I have any injuries the week they are on a bye I’m screwed.   I also like my kicker, except that his bye week is the same as my first two picks, so one of them will have to go.  Guess who.  

• James, Edgerrin


• Smith, Steve


• Ward, Hines


• Droughns, Reuben


• McMichael, Randy


• Culpepper, Daunte


• Rackers, Neil


• Tampa Bay D


• Kennison, Eddie


• Jones, Thomas

The one thing I wanted to do  with this draft was avoid bye week overlaps, and I couldn’t have messed that up more if I tried.  I’m still going to win.   Can’t wait for football to start.