| 0 |
Subject: RIFC AAA#1 Draft Recap
Posted by: Trip
- Sustainer [13961611] Thu, Sep 01, 2005, 21:11
AAA #1Managers - You are each invited (though not required) to post your general reflections on the completed draft. Comments may be as detailed or as general as you wish. As a catalyst, free free to comment on any of the following:
1. What was your plan/strategy entering the draft? Were you able to execute as you had planned?
2. What were your favorite picks? Which do you wish you could do over?
3. Looking over all of the teams, which ones do you like the most (other than your own)?
4. What surprised you most about the draft?
5. If you could start over, would you do anything differently?
Non-managers are also welcome to post general comments on the draft, and to raise questions |
| 1 | Trip
Sustainer
ID: 13961611
Thu, Sep 01, 2005, 21:36
|
Here's my quick and dirty. I am packing to go on vacation and may expand later, but wanted to recap my initial thoughts.
1. I picked 14 assuming that Moss and Peyton would go in the top 13, giving me two top 12 running backs. Moss fell to me, which I am thinking is a good thing as this seemed like it was a deep RB year. I wanted to solidify my core offensive players before filling the IDP slots. Overall, I think I did well. I have a solid core, with backup at all offensive positions except K and TE, but managed to get the #1 kicker and a top 10 TE.
2. It's funny that none of my core offensive players are my favorites, but I do think I got good value with Moss. I like that I got a great kicker, and landed on of the two quarterbacks I had targeted before the draft. I missed on Collins, but did get Harrington to back up Plummer. Bengals defense has an awesome schedule (Browns 2x, Houston, Pittsburgh 2x, Baltimore 2x) and their games paired up well with Philly's tough contest. I will probably play them more than my #1 D. Randle El at 13.14 was a good value as was . I also feel like I won't be missing too much with my IDP's. Arrington, Suggs and Archuleta made it worth putting off the IDPs for offensive players.
3. I like Beezer's team, but he is lacking a true #1 WR. Deepsnapper's and StLCard's teams would have to be my favorite.
4. I thought more people would grab IDP's in the 1st 10 rounds. Nothing out of the ordinary.
5. I would have selected an earlier draft position and paid more attention to my bye weeks.
|
| 2 | The Beezer
Leader
ID: 191202817
Thu, Sep 01, 2005, 23:24
|
Love doing recaps because it's so entertaining to read them at the end of the season. Here's one quote from some idiot that did these last year:
6.05 - I was elated that Garcia made it back around and picked him up with no hesitation.
Oh, wait, that was me. So, take these with a grain of salt.
1. Strategy/plan:
I didn't have many options as far as draft slots go, so I picked 12 thinking a top 10 RB would fall and it would hopefully be easier to guess who the guys on the turn would take when the odd round picks came up. I wanted to grab 2 great RBs with the first two picks, get a solid RB3 early for bye/injury coverage and trade deadline bait, then just grab value at other positions as it came up. For my late picks, I wanted to carpet-bomb the WR position since I'm lousy with picking WRs. If one of my 4 sleepers can come through, I like my chances.
2. Favorite/non-favorite picks
I really like all of my picks the first 8 rounds - I felt I was getting the best available player at each point. To pick one, I think Vick could be the steal of the draft if he can get any semblance of a passing attack going. IDPs were where I expected them to be and are solid. My least favorite pick was Keyshawn at 9.12. If Housh or Rogers had fallen to that pick, I really wouldn't have a complaint with any of my first 16 picks. I hope not picking Betts doesn't come back to haunt me, but my RB depth should allow me to weather losing one of my top two guys decently. WRs are mediocre at best barring a miracle - no question that's the weakness on my team. I've got a lot of byes week 8 and 9 that will require some work, but by then sleepers should be sorted out to where roster spots will be free to cover them.
3. Favorite teams
Slowhand's team has the best starters in the league IMO with the Ten handcuff being a solid RB2. His depth will hurt him if anyone goes down other than Brown/Henry. coldwater coyotes has a nicely-rounded team and will be a threat to win it all if Brees plays like he did last year. I think the trade market and waiver wires will be VERY active as there aren't any teams that have the total package - I see at least one area of weakness on every team.
4. Surprises
I was surprised to see 8 DTs go off the board in the first 130 picks. I was not surprised to see much closer selection of IDPs to my cheatsheet compared to last year - a year of practice has given us all a better feel for where IDPs compare to offensive players.
5. My only change would have been to explore more trade opportunities between rounds 9-12 or so - I think I could have made some gains there. Otherwise I'm satisfied with my draft until the games start.
I'm pleased to see that 15 of my 21 picks went earlier in the RIFC than my selections, averaging over a round later per pick. At least if it blows up I'll be able to point to that when the guys with the straitjackets come to take me away.
|
| 3 | youngroman
ID: 298482214
Fri, Sep 02, 2005, 08:35
|
1. What was your plan/strategy entering the draft? Were you able to execute as you had planned?
strategy was as always to get the best player available that fits my team at this point. I picked to draft 3rd to get Holmes. I think he is over his injury and may be a steal at 1.03 if he is back to his old self and dominating other defenses on ground and in the air. I also hoped that a worthy 2nd starting RB would be available at 2.12 but that didn't happen. this was the moment I had to decide which way I wanted to go. I did get what I thought would be a starting RB in round 4 (Bennett). I added some other potential starters in the mid-rounds of the draft in case something happens with Priest/Bennett. That did work out very well getting Larry Johnson and also Duce Staley and Stephen Davis. I should be solid at RB altough I don't know if I will have 1 or 3 starting RB in week 1.
I also waited for IDPs longer than others. DL is not worth to draft earlier than the last few rounds to get a top-tier man there. since a lot of you reached here early I had also to use an earlier pick (16.12) than I wanted. I don't know if I drop Taylor for the round 4 bye or if someone different has to go to keep him on my roster. my initial plan was to pick up a backup-TE, K, DL and DB for the byes I have at this positions. Now I am not sure if that will work as planned. We will see.
the late rounds were some gambles that at the moment look good (Galloway a starting receiver and return man?, Parker a starting receiver and return man?, Nugent a valuable rookie kicker)
2. What were your favorite picks? Which do you wish you could do over?
I am happy with all picks except Seattle at 10.12. I had no idea whom to take with this pick and thought that they might be a lot better than last year. We'll see if that is true. I added the Miami defense later as an insurance for some weeks.
3. Looking over all of the teams, which ones do you like the most (other than your own)?
I have not looked much into other teams. I see a weakness in at least 2 spots out of the 7 offensive starting spots on every team (mine included: Bennett, Muhammad)
4. What surprised you most about the draft?
I don't know if I was suprised this year, but I thought with that many RB battling for starting jobs, coming off injuries or simply rookies, that I thought more of the elite players at QB and WR go earlier this year. (Holt at 3.01, Owens at 3.05).
I was also a bit surprised how many IDPs went that early. with only 4 starting spots compared to 7 on offense (without O-lineman) is not much. there is a lot decent talent left in the FA-pool during the season. I would only take IDPs that early if we need to start at least 2 IDPs more every week. this may be an option for next year.
5. If you could start over, would you do anything differently?
maybe I should have taken a later draft position (somewhere around 6-9) to get a better RB in round 2 and also to have not to wait 22 picks for my next selection. I guess the reason for this was that I had to pick my draft position too early. I want the luck during the season and not before the draft even started.
personal situation
I am still waiting for a confirmation of my local tv stations here in Austria what amount of NFL coverage I can get this year. Only the season opener next Thursday and 4 playoff games are confirmed yet (on Austrian TV). the last years we also got 2 Sunday afternoon matches, Monday Night Football and all playoff-games (on German Pay-TV). I hope this coverage gets continued this year.
Have fun!
|
| 4 | StLCards
ID: 527501213
Sat, Sep 03, 2005, 19:27
|
Preparing for the draft I looked at the scoring options and then looked at the playoff teams from last year' RIFC league and looked at how they drafted. A couple of things I decided was that I needed a top Defense no matter what, a top QB, some solid RB's and a couple of dependable LB's.
Even though I read that QB probably scored the most per position, the depth at RB vs QB led me to favor taking two RBs first and then QB, although I really wasn't sure what would happen during the draft.
I drafted 11th by default. That is my typical luck in drafts and I don't recall ever having a top 5 draft pick. Even still I really liked getting the 11th pick. Figured that would give me lots of options based on what was going on in front of me. I really wasn't sure whether QBs would go in the first two rounds or not and seeing 10 teams draft in front and then 3 behind me at the start of round two would tell me what to do.
As it turned out there was an incredible run on RBs. I had already decided to take two RB's unless Manning made it to me. With Manning off the board I anxiously waited to see whether the 3 teams behind me would take 2 RBs, or a QB. When no QBs went off the board I figured I was safe to get a top QB in round 3 or even 4 so I took my 2 RBs. I was happy to get Lewis #1 and thrilled to get Jackson as my #2. I think people were scared by Faulk, but living in St. Louis I am confident that Jackson is the main man and will have a great year as long as he stays healthy.
When round 3 started coming back down and still hardly any QBs being taken I decided I had to have a top receiver so took Burleson who also looks to have a good year. On the way back up I grabbed my QB Kerry Collins, who I had ranked just behind Bulger and Green, so again I was happy.
After the 4th round I figured was when it would be more of a best player pick by position. The draft really went pretty much as I expected and I felt like I was able to make good selections by watching needs of other teams and guessing what positions would be drafted ahead of and behind me.
I was very happy to get the Balt. D, and felt like I got tow very solid LBs which was my goal all along. I also decided that a long kicker was the way to go and got Elam who I had ranked as the 3rd kicker so I was happy there as well.
Teams I like other than mine would be the 4 teams that drafted 10-14. I really think they have the most balanced teams with solid players at all key positions.
What surprised me about the draft was the straight RB draft approach by all the teams. Things seemed to be pretty predictable and I think it was a good draft.
If I started over I would probably have drafted my 3rd WR a bit earlier. I really don't like my WR group as much as other teams, but if Burleson lives up to his hype then I might be OK. I'm also not at all sure about my drafting strategy of IDP's. I went very minimal there and figured I would find good value during the year since so many IDP's miss games. I did read a comment, I think by Sludge, that based on his last year's strategy he was going to get depth at IDP. That comment made me worry since he was in the playoffs.
|
| 5 | Pancho Villa
ID: 197552915
Mon, Sep 05, 2005, 10:23
|
My strategy was to get as many top players in as many categories as possible, and to have a bench that could cover in the all-important areas of QB and RB, if injuries were to occur, as they always do.
Bulger/Warner accomplished that at QB
Rudy/CMart/Mewelde most likely accomplished that at RB
Mason/Kennington/Housh looks a bit weak at WR, but Gates has to be figured into the equation. Consider that Mason would have easily been a top 10 WR had he not signed with the team where receivers go to vanish.
On defense, the Bills were the top point team last year(depending on scoring), Harrison the #2 DB behind Reed,and Berry the #2 sack man last year.
My linebacking corps is a weak spot.
Overall, I think I have a team that will be competitive and well-rounded.
The team that looks very solid to me, at least offensively, is Deepsnapper.
QB - Brooks/Leftwich - better than people expect
RB - Edge/Carnell - always risky with a rookie, but he covered himself well with Brown's Droughns/Green - only a Suggs domination could wreck that strategy, which is unlikely.
WR - Dominant, especially when you add Whitten to Owens/Fitz/Moulds and Toomer, rookie sleeper Williams on the bench. Very nice.
Defensively, the team is weak and 2 Cowboys screws up the bye week, but the Skins D, taken after the Vikings, should see the starting roster most weeks.
Deepsnapper is the team I least want to face.
|
|
|
|
Post a reply to this message: (But first, how about checking out this sponsor?)
|
|