Thoughts, musings and unintentional comedy...live from Apple Valley, OH where ACE and I are drafting on computers 5 feet away from each other.
First off, I thought we had to keep three players. So I kept Brees and Moss as no-brainers. Brees is Brees and Randy is Randy when he's in a contract year. I was left with feeling like my third keeper had to be a RB rather than my only other option which was Dallas Clark. My two RBs with any chance of starting were Jonathan Stewart and LaSean McCoy. Stewart is coming off surgery and is platooning with DeAngelo Williams still. We all know how I love young talent, so I went with Shady. Meanwhile, some guys in the league kept nobody.
Also keep in mind this league is going to be dominated by ACE this year because he kept Adrian Peterson, Steven Jackson and Chris Johnson.
He could start me at QB and walk through this league.
Round 1
First draft pick was made by someone who had no keepers...best available RB = Frank Gore. Easy pick.
Aaron Rodgers goes #2...everyone else had at least one keeper so that is the end of round 1.
Round 2
Peyton Manning goes 13 and Shonn Greene goes 14. Here's what I don't get...why is the rest of the draft a snake draft but the first three rounds aren't? If I was someone who kept one player and had a late keeper pick in the first round and was expecting to make an early pick in round 2, I would be [censored]ed. Instead, Shooter gets the top pick in each of the first three rounds and then the snake starts. Did I mention he's our commissioner? This thing is rigged. Anyways, I had hoped to pick up Greene but knew the odds were slim he would be around in the 4th round when I finally get to pick.
One guy in our league kept Eli Manning, Greg Jennings and Visanthe Shiancoe. We are going to have his team name changed to "Thanks for the $100".
Calvin Johnson and Ryan Mathews join Greene and Manning as the only live picks in round 2.
Round 3
Shooter goes with Miles Austin to start round 3.
Non-keeper RBs are flying off the shelves...Beanie Wells, Knowshow Moreno and Jerome Harrison all go in round 3.
Austin, Beanie, Steve Smith, Moreno and Jerome Harrison are the only manual picks in round 3...everyone else was a keeper. So in the end seven teams including myself kept three players. I feel better.
Round 4 ? 47th
Good guys are up...picking 47th overall. I am picking 11th in even rounds and 2nd in odd rounds. So basically I get two picks almost back to back and then sit around with my thumb up my butt.
Guys I target that are taken: Jahvid Best (#40), Felix Jones (#42) and Matt Forte (#44). I go with Joseph Addai and quickly tell ACE I would be a lot more excited with this pick if this were the 2008 draft. It was either Addai or try to pick one of the two Miami RBs. I always pick wrong in those situations. The good news is Stewart went at #39 and I feel like I got better value with this pick.
ACE adds Matt Schaub to his stable of RBs. The league title inches further out of reach for everyone else.
Now is a good point at which to compare my strategy with that of someone who kept nobody. The guy who got to pick 2nd in each of the first three rounds and then 2nd again in the 4th ended up with a QB, 2 RBs and a WR...same as me. He got Rodgers, Shonn Greene, Beanie Wells and Marques Colston. I am sitting with Brees, Moss, McCoy and Addai. McCoy and Greene could lose touches to Mike Bell and LT respectively so I feel okay there. I like Addai for receptions and red zone carries...and Brees and Rodgers are practically a wash. I like Moss over Colston so I am feeling pretty good at this point.
Round 5 ? 50th
The pick everyone in the league knew was coming. I take CJ Spiller at #50. Yes I know how bad the Bills are and yes I got a little suckered by his 2 TD performance against the Bengals the night before. And yes no one loves the rookies like I do. Marshawn Lynch will supposedly play some in week 1 and Fred Jackson is a complete unknown injury-wise but is coming off a 1,000 yard season. Lynch appears to be the odd man out at this point. But I still think Spiller was my best option for getting a third RB. He catches the ball, may run some Wildcat and is electric. I was also looking at Arian Foster but he went at #49. Guys I passed on included Marion Barber, Justin Forsett, Ricky Williams (Brown went at #48...would have taken him if he were still available) and then it gets into straight backups from there.
ACE takes Wes Welker and his surgically repaired ACL and MCL. When does he come back? Can he work the middle like he used to? Maybe ACE's only real questionable decision of the day...that and hitting a 3-wood from 150 yards at the 18th hole at Apple Valley which he almost hit into the clubhouse.
Round 6 ? 71st
Sitting around until the 11th pick...71 overall. I am either going with a #2 WR or a TE. Guys I am looking at like Pierre Garcon, Dwayne Bowe and Michael Crabtree have gone off the board in rounds 5 and 6 so I am starting to look at the TEs available. TEs off the board are Shiancoe, Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates, Vernon Davis, and Jermichael Finley. There was a little bit of a run on TEs in rounds 5 and 6 so I go with Brent Celek...passing on Tony Gonzalez and Chris Cooley. In retrospect Cooley would have been a smart pick with McNabb in Washington. I go with the theory that Celek was unstoppable down the stretch and seems like he will be Kolb's security blanket when Jackson or Maclin are covered. Plus he and Celek room together on the road.
I actually had Jason Witten in the queue but ACE snagged him at #70...dick.
Round 7 ? 74th
Now WR is a must. Best available as I see it is Mike Wallace from Pittsburgh. Problem is he will probably have either Dennis Dixon or Charlie Batch throwing him the ball the first 4-6 games. I passed on Santonio Holmes (suspension), Jeremy Maclin (couldn't bring myself to draft back to back guys who will be competing for balls in Philly), Dez Bryant (WADE passed on a rookie?), Vincent Jackson (holdouts/headcases scare me) and Santana Moss (maybe the one guy of this group I regret not going after instead). Oh, and Braylon and his beard are still on the board.
The 3-4 guys on auto-pick are getting slaughtered.
Round 8 ? 95th
Waiting...waiting...waiting...
I start looking at what's left at RB. I was thinking about Ahmad Bradshaw but he goes at #87. Michael Bush and his broken hand go at #91. Darren Sproles goes at #92 and LT at #93 (would have loved to have him). I quickly read that Bush is having surgery on his hand and although he could be back in time for the opener, I decide I am ready to give Darren McFadden one last chance. I might even start McFadden over Spiller in the first couple of weeks.
ACE has since added Terrell Owens and Santonio Holmes. All he is missing is Ron Artest to do the team laundry. Meanwhile his top two WRs (Holmes and Welker) will not be suiting up in weeks 1 through 4. Let me remind you why that doesn?t even matter:
Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, Steven Jackson...
Round 9 ? 98th
This is the point at which I remember always reading about handcuffing RBs. Donald Brown is still available so I decide to take him to go with Addai rather than waste a pick on a WR who will probably only get spot starts at best. I really was close to taking Derrick Mason (who ACE promptly drafts right after my pick...smart pick considering the guy who plays opposite Anquan Boldin usually does OK). I also looked at Montario Hardesty (did the Browns trade up to watch this kid sit? I doubt it) and Tim Hightower (had success with him vulturing goal line carries in the past).
The first defense is off the board (J-E-T-S, JETS! JETS! JETS! [thank you auto-pick]...prompting several Antonio Cromartie and his 6 three-year olds jokes).
Round 10 ? 119th
I am committed to waiting on a defense.
Backup QB options are aplenty.
There are a few sneaky RB picks still available.
Then I remember I still only have 2 WRs so I go with Kevin Walter. Lee Evans, Devin Aromashodu, Steve Breaston, Bernard Berrian, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson, Malcolm Floyd and Kenny Britt all went before me in rounds 9 and 10.
Passed on Jacoby Jones, Johnny Know and Austin Collie. The only guy in that group that could come back to haunt me is Jones.
Round 11 ? 122nd
Screw it...give me a defense. Options include Eagles, 49ers, Cowboys, Packers, Vikings and Steelers. I go with America's defense and immediately hate myself.
ACE responds with the 49ers defense. I remember thinking I should ask him if he is going to try to trade Witten for Vernon Davis to go along with Singletary and the 49ers defense.
Round 12 ? 143rd
Start looking for late RB steals. Leon Washington, Fred Taylor, Willis McGahee and Correll Buckhalter all go in round 12 before me. I go with Bernard Scott in case Cincinnati decide to run Cedric Benson straight into the ground. He looked great in his two starts last year.
ACE and his Notre Dame t-shirt take Golden Domer Golden Tate. I resist the urge to make obvious yet hilarious maple bar jokes.
Round 13 ? 146th
Still trying to figure out how to fill my bench...I know I need a kicker, a backup QB and the rest will be WR filler. I like Early Doucet but go with Josh Morgan instead. Jerricho Cotchery and Jabar Gaffney were also available. Probably could have done better with this pick.
ACE has a savy three rounds starting hear. He makes two professional picks in Toby Gearhart (handcuffed to Adrian Peterson) and Javon Ringer (handcuffed to Chris Johnson) and then snatches up Dexter McCluster, who could be Jamaal Charles' backup in Kansas City over Thomas Jones but has WR eligibility.
Round 14 ? 167th
I was really torn between Morgan and Doucet in round 13. Doucet is still available in round 14. This makes me nervous (I know he has a slight injury but why is everyone passing on him?). I take him anyways...if he can't beat out Steve Breaston then I'll find someone who can.
Round 15 ? 170th
Finally take a backup QB in Mark Sanchez. I hope he eventually nails Mark Brunell's college-aged daughter.
Round 16 ? 191st
The kicker round. Ace is rambling on about Shayne Graham. I wish I was picking in front of him instead of directly behind him in this round because I totally would snag him just to spite Ace. Instead I go with Matt Bryant because the Falcons should score a lot of points and play half their games in a dome. That only helps me if Matt Bryant is the team's kicker. That is to be determined (same with Graham)...
Wrapping things up?my team is:
QB ? Drew Brees
RB ? Joseph Addai
RB ? LeSean McCoy
WR/RB ? CJ Spiller
WR ? Randy Moss
WR ? Mike Wallace
TE ? Brent Celek
DEF ? Cowboys
K ? Matt Bryant
Be ? Mark Sanchez
Be ? Darren McFadden
Be ? Donald Brown
Be ? Bernard Scott
Be ? Josh Morgan
Be ? Kevin Walter
Be ? Early Doucet
And Ace is still going to run away with this league...
Worst manual draft goes to the East Cost Douchebags...
1 ? Andre Johnson
2 ? Calvin Johnson
3 ? Steve Smith
4 ? Jonathan Stewart
5 ? Antonio Gates
6 ? Brett Favre
7 ? Reggie Bush
8 ? Ahmad Bradshaw
9 ? Steve Breaston
10 ? Lee Evans
11 ? Packers
12 ? Correll Buckhalter
13 ? Marshawn Lynch
14 ? David Akers
15 ? David Garrard (maybe THIS is the year!)
16 ? John Carlson
And [correct me if I'm wrong Shooter or ACE] he was at the draft?that can't be right. Why would his first three picks all be WRs?
Honorable mention goes to SRQ Whale Sharks and his [courtesy of auto-pick] three kicker squad:
1 ? Aaron Rodgers
2 ? Shonn Greene
3 ? Beanie Wells
4 ? Marques Colston
5 ? Mike Sim-Walker
6 ? Vernon Davis
7 ? Vincent Jackson
8 ? Santana Moss
9 ? Bernard Berrian
10 ? Robert Meachem
11 ? Vikings
12 ? Willis McGahee
13 ? Rob Bironas
14 ? Joey Galloway
15 ? Jay Feely
16 ? Robbie Gould
First four picks are solid (as I mentioned earlier). After that it's a train wreck...
Did I mention we are etching ACE's name on the trophy already?
