Fantasy Football Redraft League

Fantasy Football Redraft League Summery

     The Redraft League is always exciting.  You can start fresh every year.  The moment you get the draft order you spend the rest of the time preparing for your perfect picks.  You get everything lined up, your research on each player you want, injury and hold out reports, stat projections and opinions from fantasy footballers from around the country.  Then the draft starts and you throw all that hard work out the window....  Oh yeah, and 5 minutes before the first pick we decided to add a flex position for the first time ever.

     My name got pulled out of the hat for the 8th overall pick.  We do a snake draft, so my first 2 picks would be the 8th and 13th overall.  Important because between my next pick, there would be more than a dozen players drafted.  Our league is pretty basic as far as scoring.  You have to decide what position you want to load up on.  If you try to spread the picks around you can end up one good player and a bunch of duds around each position.  Not every star player will put up home run numbers every week.  I try to draft players that will be consistent and get me points every week and give me a chance to win games.  Which positions are thin or have the steepest drop off?  All this comes into play once the draft starts and owners start making their picks.  You can never predict what will happen in our league.  In most leagues, running backs will come off the board before other positions.  Out of our first 5 picks, 3 of them were quarter backs.  By the time my first pick came around, the second highest rated running back was still available.  Totally catching me off guard and throwing my draft strategy in the toilet...again.  So, of course, when my second pick came around, another high ranked running back was still available. 

     Knowing that there are a lot of really good quarterbacks right now, I could wait and pick up a really good one and not have to spent a first or second round pick on one.  I took a QB with my 3rd pick.  Didn't get the top guy on my list, but I'm happy with what I got.  I took a rookie running back with my next pick.  Rookies don't usually play a big role in our league, but this guy already won the starting role on his team and starting running backs can be great when they get most of the work load. 

     Out of the first 4 picks I got 3 starting running backs and a top rated QB.  Time to grab some pass catchers.  This means wide receivers and tight ends.  I try to target guys on pass heavy teams and guys that get thrown to a ton.  Guys listed as a #1 or #2 on a team are at a premium.  My next 4 picks were all pass catchers.  3 #1 wide receivers and a #2 tight end.  Not too shabby. 

     After having the basic building blocks for my team I wanted to load up on players that will have potential for the coming year.  I decided to grab, what I figured, was the best available at the wide receiver and running back positions for the next few picks.  That paid off with a few more rookies and #1 wide receivers.  I'm not one to draft many back up positions for my team.  I think a back up QB is the only one I target.  Anything else I will pick up scraps off the waiver wire if I need to.  I picked up a back up QB who just won the starting gig on his team.  He can pass and run, but I will only use him for a bye week. 

     During the late rounds of any draft, you get to a point when you have your starters and just want to take a few chances.  Here you can also take players you don't want or need, but you know other teams need them.  Sure, you might have 5 wide receivers already.  But you look at the draft board and see the guys drafting around you still need them.  I am not above snaking a good position player and sitting him on my bench.  This league, you can trade, but I cannot remember if there has ever been a trade.  If my starters can score a bunch of points for me and I leave a bunch of points on the bench, that's less points for my opponents to have.  There are only so many yards and touch downs and if I can keep a few away from other teams every week, I sure as heck will!

     I'll do a quick run down of my team for this league, I will list them in the order drafted and provide a short reason for the pick.  Let me know what you think.  Any mistakes?  Keep in mind, the first 3 players off the board were the top 3 quarter backs.  Our starting line ups need to have 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE 1 FLEX, 1 K and 1 DEF.  Don't mind my spelling of first names.

#1 - RB Ray Rice.  I was very surprised to have him at this pick.  The Ravens do pass but not a ton and Rice does catch a bunch of those passes.  He will get a lot of yards and TDs.  He is a star player and not only a #1 RB but probably the best offensive player on his team.

#2 - RB Demarco Murray.  Again, having the chance to grab another top RB, this was a no brainer for me.  Murray might have a slight injury risk but I think the positives will out weigh the negatives with this pick.  He will run to a bunch of yards and TDs.  The Cowboys will score a bunch and Murray will be a big part of that.

#3 - QB Matt Ryan.  I think the Falcons are going to be a really good team this year.  Their receivers getting better and better, Ryan will be throwing passes all day long.  It won't matter to me who catches them.  Ryan will be a top rates QB this year. 

#4 - RB Doug Martin.  This rookie has already won the starting role for the Bucks.  They do have a good QB, but I believe they will be a run first team.  Martin can run and catch.  He will most likely be used at least 50/50, if not more.  Ton of upside with this pick.  Might have another Ray Rice here. 

#5 - WR Percy Harvin.  The Vikings will be a little better than they were last year, but not much.  Harvin has potential to be the #1 player on this team.  He will catch a lot of passes and he plays a big role in the running game.  With Peterson recovering from a major injury, I believe they will lean on Harvin early and often. 

#6 - TE Aaron Hernandez.  He might be the #2 tight end on his team but that is more than enough for a #1 on any other team.  He will play a big role and get his catches.  We have to start a tight end and I hate having one that only catches 1 or 2 passes a week.  Good pick here.

#7 - WR Antonio Brown.  The Steelers can and will throw the ball, especially with their #1 RB on the shelf for atleast the first half of the season.  Mike Wallace is a drama queen.  Brown will catch a lot of passes in this offence.  Even if he stays as the #2 on this team, he will get a lot of chances to score.  Good upside.

#8 - WR Jeremy Maclin.  He had a bad illness to start last season and battled a leg injury late in the year.  Even with that, he had better stats then (another drama queen) Jackson.  He should be the #1 receiver on the Eagles this year.  Vick should be throwing more to try and stay healthy (HA) and that will help Maclin's upside a ton.

#9 - RB Kevin Smith.  Someone has to start a RB for the Lions and Smith will be that guy, at least for a while.  The lions are turning into a pass first team, but they also run the ball a lot.  Smith has potential if he can stay healthy.  I really only picked him up because he will be a starter on a good team.  With my other top picks, I might not start him.  But you never know.  My first big upside and big injury risk pick.  A starting running back on my bench is one less I'll have to worry about other owners starting.

#10 - WR Pierre Garcon.  I took a chance here.  Garcon should be the go to WR for the Redskins.  I repeat, for the Redskins.  Not known as a top offence.  BUT, with their new rookie QB that will take a lot of heat from defences, that could open up the field for the wide outs.  His upside will depend totally on what Griffin can bring to the table.  Griffin can throw and when he does, hopefully Garcon will be the guy.

#11 - RB David Wilson.  Took a rookie RB here.  He will be the Giants #2, but if history has taught us anything is that the Giants use 2 running backs to great effect.  He has huge potential here.  By a show of hands, who here thinks Bradshaw will stay healthy and start every game this year?  Didn't think so.  Not if, but when Bradshaw misses time, Wilson will step up and be the #1.  Big upside. 

#12 - WR Justin Blackmon.  I took another WR on a team that typically does not have a very good offence.  But this rookie has plenty of upside.  Jags second year QB should improve a lot and they run the ball first.  Blackmon is a play maker that should end up as the #1 on this team.  He might not see much of the field for my team but I'm taking a chance here.  With picks in the late rounds, you are not getting too many #1's anyways.  I feel just OK about this pick. 

#13 - K Sebastian Janikowski.  I only draft 1 kicker so I try to take a good one.  The Raiders have potential but they always do almost nothing with it.  Old QB, fragile starting RB.  I see a lot of unfinished drives ending with lots of field goals.  He is accurate and can kick far.  It adds up for me.  Other owners started grabbing kickers at this point.  I didn't want to end up with a guy that only gets PATs. 

#14 - DEF Green Bay.  Everyone knows that the Packers offence is the star of the show and the defence was bad last year.  But in this league we don't get a penalty for giving up points or yards.  The Packers get lots of take aways and should be a lot better at getting sacks this year.  With Cobb returning kicks they have a lot of potential for scoring.  With the average DEF scoring around 5 or 6 points a week, I like the upside here.

#15 - WR Randall Cobb.  I know that the Packers are a pass first team, but the main reason I took Cobb here was for his special teams upside that will also count towards the DEF scoring.  He won't get a huge amount of passes thrown his way so he might not see much of the field for my team.  But who knows?  The potential is there.  He will be a bench warmer for now. 

#16 - QB Jake Locker.  The QB position is usually the only one I will draft a back up for.  The Titans named Locker their starter already.  He can run and throw so he can rack up points for fantasy teams.  He won't come close to Matt Ryan type scoring, but I don't need him to.  He will average a few points less every week, but for a bye week fill in, what more can you ask for?  I don't see Ryan getting hurt but if he does, I feel I have a very nice back up plan.