Rate my Fantasy Football draft

Eight-team league, I drafted last. I think I did pretty well in getting Peyton Manning and Brian Westbrook.

Notes: Tony Gonzalez is my favorite player, but was the second TE drafted. ... Draft went 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. ... Last four picks I figure are interchangeable with bye weeks and such causing me to "rent" players, so don't read much into them.

1. QB Peyton Manning (Ind)
2. RB Brian Westbrook (Phi)
3. WR Hines Ward (Pit)
4. RB Brandon Jacobs (NYG)
5. TE Tony Gonzalez (KC)
6. WR Anquan Boldin (Ari)
7. RB Adrian Peterson (Min)
8. DEF Chicago Bears defense
9. WR Joe Horn (Atl)
10. K Jason Hanson (Det)
11. RB LenDale White (Ten)
12. QB Eli Manning (NYG)
13. DEF Kansas City defense
14. K Jason Elam (Den)

 

OK, don't rate my Fantasy draft, then. :-[

 

Your 6, 7, 8 picks are better than your 3, 4, 5 picks, IMO.

 

That's what I wanted -- opinions.

FWIW, I may have my numbers off one or two, but I think I was pretty close. Shoulda wrote 'em down.

 

Harley, you're in an 8-member league. It hardly matters who you draft. You'll have your choice of free agents to choose from throughout the season. When you get to 12- and 14- member leagues, it's slim pickings and the draft is a whole lot more important.

 

OK, mind-numbingly slow day at work, so here goes:

If your league give 6 points for passing TDs, getting Manning at 8 is a steal. If it's just 4 points per passing TD, it's still a good pick.

As for Westbrook, despite having a hell of a year last year, he scares the hell out of me. I just can't see him carrying the load for another season and remaining injury-free. I've been wrong before, though.

I'm not sure Ward is even the best receiver, from a fantasy standpoint, on his team.

I have no idea what to think of Brandon Jacobs.

Gonzales is in the twilight of his career and doesn't have anyone throwing to him.

If you did get Boldin at 6, that's a steal. He'll have some huge games with Fitzgerald drawing attention away from him. Slight injury concern.

I think (as well as hope) that Peterson will be the rookie of the year. Ya, he was injury-prone in college, but he's a bull with breakaway speed. He'll make people forget about Chester Taylor in a hurry.

With Hester returning kicks, the Bears D/STs will be automatic points each week and will occasionally be the highest-scoring spot on your roster.

 

For an eight-team league, you've got incredibly weak running backs.

 

I agree with Pallister on Ward. He's a reach in the third round. Since you got Boldin at No. 6, though, they pretty much cancel out. Good job on Manning and Westbrook. That's the beauty of picking last in that type of draft. Hope I get that lucky in my draft tomorrow.

 

As for having weak running backs, someone told me the same thing in 2001 when I drafted Ahman Green before his first big season, a rookie named Tomlinson and a new Chiefs running back named Priest Holmes. Of course, had I had those guys two years later I would likely have gone undefeated. But my point is that you can't always tell at first glance how weak (or strong) a roster may be. I think by midseason Peterson will be getting 20 carries a game, and if Westbrook stays healthy, he's fine. Jacobs probably won't be a stud, but I doubt Ruben Droughns steals many carries from him. I'd be more worried about receiver. Ward and Horn are past their prime.

 

To be fair, Harley, I'll throw my latest team out there for analysis and/or ridicule.

12-team league with the fourth overall pick
Peyton Manning
Cedric Benson
Reggie Wayne
Adrian Peterson
Deuce McAllister
Santonio Holmes
DeAngelo Williams
Bernard Berrian
L.J. Smith
Vikings defense/ST
Matt Schaub
Patrick Crayton
Owen Daniels
Stephen Gostkowski
Jason Hanson
Texans defense/ST

 

I was in a 12-team league once and that was brutal. I think I picked third overall, got LJ, but nothing else.

I hated picking eighth (for the second year in a row, too), but was happy with who I got.

I went with Westbrook because he was a surprise waiver pick a year ago and my other surprise waiver pick, Frank Gore, was taken.

Agree on Peterson. And Ward.

I'm not a Boldin fan, but figure he'll get lots of passes on a bad team with a good-armed QB.

 

Recent 12-team, 12 roster spots draft ... got third pick. We score only TDs; no yardage.

Tony Romo

Steven Jackson
Willis McGahee
Ahman Green
Lendale White

Marques Colston
Andre Johnson
Hines Ward
Vincent Jackson
D.J. Hackett

Jason Elam

Chicago Bears defense