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Subject: RIFC AAA #1 Draft Recap
Posted by: Trip
- Leader [13961611] Wed, Aug 30, 2006, 09:09
RIFC AAA #1 Managers - You are each invited (although 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
Leader
ID: 13961611
Wed, Aug 30, 2006, 09:25
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1 - Draft Strategy
Before the draft, I decided that I would go ahead and pass on RBs in the first two round and target the WR position. There just didn't seem to be enough value for at the RB position in that pick range. Peyton being available with the made the decision to ignore the RB position made it easier to pull the trigger on the strategy. There also seemed to be a large number of RBs who could be viable options in the later rounds than in previous years.
Only time will tell if my decision not to draft an RB until the 4th round will come back to haunt me. However, I feel that I have the potential to have drafted backs with the potential of more than compensating for this decision. I am wondering what you guys think of this decision as well.
I also decided to do something a little different this year. I did not make up a draft cheatsheet. Instead, I targeted players whom I wanted to land and drafted them where I thought necessary. Overall, I landed 13 of my targeted players and feel like it was successfull, at least in its implementation. Other draft selections were made by 1st deciding on a position, and then looking at the players available at that position.
Again I made a conscious decision not to move for the IDP positions early. I am beginning to see the falue in selecting one from the 6-10th rounds, but after that, they really all do begin to look the same. I felt like I needed to address the RB position in those rounds and ended up filling out the IDP positions late in the draft. I feel like I really did well with my late-round DB selections, who should really be able to stand out due to their return yardage factor.
Overall, I am very happy with my draft. I feel like I did exactly what I planned to do given my first round selection. Had I landed one of the first 8 draft slots, I am sure that my draft would have been completely different.
Players I targeted
QBs
Peyton Manning *
RBs
Joseph Addai*
Deshaun Foster x
Dominic Rhodes x
Mike Bell x
Tatum Bell*
Laurence Maroney x
Deangelo Williams *
Lendale White *
T.J. Duckett *
Musa Smith x
Wali Lundy x
DBs
Ed Reed x
Terrence McGee x
DeAngelo Hall *
Pacman Jones x
Phillip Buchanon *
Justin Miller *
DL
Jason Taylor *
WRs
Chris Chambers x
Lee Evans x
Derrick Mason x
Antwaan Randle El *
Braylon Edwards x
Travis Taylor *
Troy Williamson x
LBs
AJ Hawk x
Cato June x
Dan Morgan x
TEs
Antonio Gates x
Randy McMichael *
Vernon Davis x
2 - Picks I like/don't like
Like - Randle El (14.02), DeAngelo Williams (9.13), Jerious Norwood (12.02), Travis Taylor (21.13), and all my DBs: Justin Miller (20.02), DeAngelo Hall (22.02), Phillip Buchanon (23.13)
Don't like - Cedric Benson (6.02), because I saw Mike Bell play a few hours later and he looked great, Al Wilson (16.02) because he probably could have waited
3 - Teams I like, other than my own:
Beastiemiked, solid squad from top to bottom, only weakness is RB depth.
Tree - Another solid squad, excellent RB depth but poor IDP upside.
4 - Surprises
none
5 - What would I have done differently
Drafted earlier than 13th : (
Remaining rationales
13.13 - Tedy Bruschi, LB, NE
As much as I hate the patriots, you have to like brewski. If healthy he could put up the same stats as a similar player to him - Zach Thomas.
14.02 - Antwaan Randle El, WR, WAS
Antwaan's KR/PR duties push him way above the rest of the WRs being taken around this point in the draft.
15.13 - Marty Booker, WR, MIA
I am playing favorites here, but Booker sgould see a nice boost to his numbers now that they finally have someone with the name Fiedler, Frerotten, or Feeley throwing him the ball.
16.02 - Al Wilson, LB, DEN
"Big" Al Wilson was a favorite of mine when he was at Tennessee and am glad to see he has had a pro bowl nfl carrier as well. He had 105 tackles in 2oo4, but dropped to 73 last year. While happy with this pick, it is disappointing to see that he hasn't even been drafted in the RIFC yet. OTOH, Kendrell Bell was taken in the 10th RIFC and hasn't been selected in this league yet.
17.13 - Eagles, DEF, PHI
If the Eagles return to their 2004 form they could be a top 5 DEF, this year. I think the squad suffered a little bit last year because of their offensive struggles as well. I was hoping to draft the 'Fins D in the 15-16th round, but this may work out better as it leaves me with fewer bye week struggles. I selected them over the Patriots only because I liked their first game better (vs. Houston).
18.02 - Patriots, DEF, NE
I wanted to grab 2 defenses to allow me to play matchups, moreso to avoid bad ones, but the Pats offer a lot of upside with their weak NFC east matchups this season.
19.13 - Cedric Houston, RB, NYJ
Since the starting RB job hasn't been announced yet for the Jets and Houston was/is? still in the mix, I figured this was a good upside play here. I also stuck with my 'homer' strategy here, selecting another Tennessee guy. This is my pick most likely to be dropped before the season starts, but I still have plenty of IDPs left in my queue and am sure more than a few will be available after the draft is complete.
20.02 - Justin Miller, DB/KR/PR, NYJ
Miller should be a top 10 as he has landed the starting KR/PR duties as well as CB for the Jets. The Jets should also spend plenty of time on DEF unless their offense has dramatically improved from last year.
21.13 - Travis Taylor, WR, MIN
With KoRo being released, Taylor is a 1/2 receiver with a quarterback who has shown preference to him over the other option in MN, Troy Williamson. Taylor is a great value at this point in the draft without much upside, but he should be consistent.
22.02 - DeAngelo Hall, DB, ATL
Hall is being considered as a 3rd WR in Atlanta, which could explain his drop to this point in the draft. However, he has also returned punts in the past and is being considered for the job to provide the team a spark. I have had him on my radar since the 16th round but have been waiting for someone to pull the trigger in the RIFC to give me an idea of when to select him.
23.13 - Phillip Buchanon, DB/KR/PR, HOU
Buchanon is slated for kick and punt return duties this year in Houston and due to injuries, he has also landed a starting CB job in Houston. Insert the rationale for Miller here.
24.02 - Lawrence Tynes, K, KC
A kicker in a high scoring offense is all you can hope for, and Tynes is that. I've got 5 bucks that says Rackers won't attempt more than 35 FGs this year. He may be good, but he still plays for the Cardinals, and the Cardinals are still the Cardinals.
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| 2 | StLCards
Leader
ID: 31010716
Wed, Aug 30, 2006, 10:25
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plan/strategy/execution
Last year my team didn't do so well but I was able to do just enough near the end to qualify for this league again. I felt like a real weakness last year was at WR where my top players were major busts. I also had a dismal TE. These were two areas I planned on addressing this year. Going into the draft I decided not to pick a QB until well into the draft. I also decided that TE wouldn't have to be taken early either as there was such depth at that position this year.
Choosing 9th I could have either moved down in the draft or pick 7th. I opted for 7th to be in the middle of the draft and not be as affected by runs.
Overall, I didn't like my draft. I drafted my QB and TE too high, drafted a RB with injury concerns that are proving worse than I expected, and drafted my TE too high.
favorite picks/do over
I don't know that I can say I really have a favorite pick. I have players that I like including Palmer at QB and Shockey at TE, but I got them by drafting those positions too soon. I also really like the Panthers D, but again drafted them high.
A pick I would do over is taking Domanick Davis with my 3rd pick, or at least I would have taken both Morency and Lundy to back him up. Instead I took Morency only despite having seen Lundy look impressive vs the Rams in preseason and hearing he was the favorite. I let the current articles of the day sway me towards Morency. I'm not sure who I would have taken here instead, but maybe Reggie Wayne or Javon Walker or even Gates would have been a better move.
teams I like the most
Last year it seems I liked teams that drafted near the end of the draft, however, this year I really like the teams that drafted at the top. I think all 4 of the top drafting teams are good and like BMD's and Taxman's teams the best.
4. What surprised you most about the draft?
Nothing really surprised me too much. Lack or people posting rationales in a timely manner was expected based on last year, although still frustrating to post 8 or so placeholders when it was my turn to draft.
5. If you could start over, would you do anything differently?
If I could do it over I would probably have moved down in the draft as the players I wanted just weren't available when I wanted them.
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| 3 | Letter_J
ID: 33501914
Wed, Aug 30, 2006, 15:00
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What was your plan/strategy entering the draft? Were you able to execute as you had planned?
I had several strategies in mind when we began the draft.
First, I planned on foregoing IDP’s (as I felt that there was good value to be had later in the draft). Kicker and Team Defense would, of course, be put on the back burner unless real value (and only as far as Team Defense went) emerged as we went along. These strategies are always easy to implement.
As I was unsure of how the top 12 picks would play out, I had an open mind as to how to implement strategy through the course of the draft. I was of the view that the position that I selected in the first round would alter the rounds shortly thereafter. All of these strategies were, however, dependent on what happened at the 1.12 spot. All strategies involved absolutely avoiding Peyton Manning in the first round, as I felt that I could secure a worthy fantasy quarterback later in the draft and the cost of taking Manning at 1.12 was just too high.
When I was able to select Cadillac Williams at 1.12, I immediately turned my attention to WR, thinking that a run of WR was about to begin. It happened…somewhat. I had “mock drafted” several times from the 12 hole and was surprised to see the dearth of RBs that were available in the third and fourth rounds. It was for that reason that I went WR in rounds 2, 3 and 4; nobody really stood out at RB IMHO. The rest of my draft was basically VBD.
What were your favorite picks? Which do you wish you could do over?
I will equate favorite picks with value picks, as this is fantasy football: Vick at 8.03; Watson at 10.03; and Fred Taylor at 6.03 (now that Greg Jones is not going to steal goal line carries). All in all, I am pleased with my team for the spot that I drafted from. I really don’t have any picks that I would do over but see If you could start over, would you do anything differently?
Looking over all of the teams, which ones do you like the most (other than your own)?
Taxman and Smith 32 look solid at the money positions: QB, RB and WR. I also like holt’s depth at RB. With so many questions this year surrounding so many players, it is really hard to answer this question.
What surprised you most about the draft?
It seemed that Toral and I were, in almost every round, on the same page. It made it extremely difficult, as we drafted back to back.
My brother (IAC in the RIFC) and I had discussed the importance of IDP’s this year. Time will tell, but with so many players still on the board at the money positions when the first IDP run started, I never imagined that I would be left with Will Witherspoon as my #1 LB (He may very well post numbers that reflect a #1, but I expected him to be my #2 (I had him circled on my draft sheet)).
If you could start over, would you do anything differently?
I believe that I waited one round too long on IDP’s. It may work out, but I had to take some big chances on LBs who I believe will break out (or stay healthy), rather than established LBs. Other than that, I pleased with the way that my team looks.
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| 4 | Smith32
ID: 356192015
Wed, Aug 30, 2006, 17:23
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1. What was your plan/strategy entering the draft? Were you able to execute as you had planned?
Last year I took Moss / J. Jones with my first two picks and suffered at RB. So I built my queue (I was on vacation for rds 1-4) to go RB-RB in the first 2 rds as long as someone decent was left in Rd 2. I was happy with Jordan and Dunn, especially with Duckett being traded.
I wanted to make sure I got some top LBs since we have to start 3 flex IDP and I think LBs will best fill those spots. I waited until a few had gone, and then got what I thought were 3 of the top 15, and 4 of the top 25 in Thomas, Tatupu, Brooks, and Marshall.
I hadn't planned to punt the QB position, but I never felt like the QB I would get would be much better than any member of the 3 headed monster that I eventually got, so I participated in the game of "chicken". The Packers and Skins look horrible on offense, so I'd better hope that Brees throws 15 screens to Bush each week.
Given the number of picks made by queue, especially the first 4, I think my team is respectable with no big weaknesses other than maybe QB.
2. What were your favorite picks? Which do you wish you could do over?
Favs - Zach Thomas (7.09), Stallworth (9.09), Jacksonville (12.06 - 5 rds after Tampa), Odell Thurman (24.06) if he gets his job back in Week 6.
Do-Overs - Leftwich instead of Favre at 14.06, Will Smith instead of James Allen (21.09):), somebody other than Gonzo in Rd 5 (if I had known I could get Winslow at 18.06), and I probably jumped the gun on Doug Gabriel.
3. Looking over all of the teams, which ones do you like the most (other than your own)?
BeastieMikeD and holt.
4. What surprised you most about the draft?
The quality - I saw very few picks that I thought were suspect or out of place. I am also always surprised by the number of backup RBs people draft. I don't like using 5 mid-round picks to try to find a super-sleeper RB. But that is my strategy, and having said this, Dunn and Jordan will be on IR and Bush will be the full-time RB in NO by Week 3.
5. If you could start over, would you do anything differently?
Rig the draft order selection so that I could get one of the top 3 slots. It is hard to make up the 100+ pt head start they'll probably get with those guys.
I probably should have spent a little more time researching DBs who return kicks. I had PacMan last year, so I am familiar with the point bonanza you can get when they break one for a TD and also rack up a few tackles.
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| 5 | Toral
ID: 52621719
Sat, Sep 02, 2006, 16:48
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1. What was your plan/strategy entering the draft? Were you able to execute as you had planned?
My plan was to take the 11th best RB (or better) in the first round, take a top-tier WR in the 2nd round, grab a starting running back in the 3rd round, and then select WR/RB for 3 rounds or so. A QB pick was to come shortly thereafter, with a backup to be picked within a round or so. The rest of the draft would go as value dictated, stopping to handcuff one or more of my running backs. Not being sure how the move to 6 IDPs would play out, the plan for IDPs was to start picking them when a third to a half of the league had drafted at least one, and concentrate on grabbing 3 or more linebackers quickly.
The first third of the draft went more or less as planned. I had good luck in round three when the supply of running backs with starting jobs just stretched to me, picking up Jamal Lewis at 3.11, the latest he went in the 4 RIFC drafts. I reached to grab Bledsoe in round 6 because my rankings had him at the top of the third tier of QBs, and picks of QBs by other teams could leave me shut out of that tier. That turned out looking pretty foolish when Da Bomb, smith32 and fugazi not only didn't pick QBs immediately, but continued to go blank at those positions until round 11. My IDP picking started in round 8, and Fletcher and Barnett put me off to a fast start.
A number of things happened in the last two-thirds of the draft to distort the workings of the draft as I had imagined them. Players kept being snatched up a round before I was going to grab them, leaving me in a position of filling 4 starting positions -- TE, DEF, DL, and K -- with my last 4 picks. As I said, my plans for the late rounds were vague, but that definitely wasn't in them. At TE, I kept putting off picks because a tier of TEs had just been exhausted at my time to choose.When the first 9 had gone, I said, fine, I'll wait till very late and grab one of the next 5, who are indistinguishable. A wrench was thrown in that plan when fugazi, letter_j, and smith32 each picked up a second tight end, finishing off the third-level tight ends before I had taken even one. Jermaine Wiggins was my fallback plan but he too went in round 22. The demand for 2nd tight ends still surprises me but it threw my draft out of whack and left me with a bottom-of-the-barrel choice who has since lost his starting job. The same pattern occurred with team defences. I had 3 defences picked out as likely good values where they were likely to be drafted. Tampa went suprisingly early, in the 8th round. Nothing I could do about that. Then my next two, Seattle (12.14) and Miami (15.10) each went a round or 2 before I expected them to fall. I had little preference among those remaining and, with managers also doubling up on defences, ended up being saddled with the San Diego Chargers, my 17th-ranked defence.
I was a day late and a dollar short with my handcuffs as well, though I did snag Travis Henry, who might be the right backup for Brown after all.
2. What were your favorite picks? Which do you wish you could do over?
Favourites: Jamal Lewis 3.11; Chris Brown 5.11 (although that's the earliest he was picked in the RIFC leagues), Rod Smith 7.11 (the latest he was picked in RIFC leagues); Kurt Warner 10.04; Kawika Mitchell 14.04;
Do-overs: T. J. Houshmandzadeh 4.04 (should have opted for a higher upside pick); Michael Pittman 16.04; Madieu Williams 18.04 (this was actually a queueing mistake; the draft moved incredibly and unexpectedly fast and I had left open a queue with 2 DBs on top); Brian Calhoun 19.11. Pittman and Calhoun were OK picks but there were other positions to be filled.
3. Looking over all of the teams, which ones do you like the most ?
Taxman and holt.
4. What surprised you most about the draft?
As I mentioned , the number of teams willing to play chicken at QB and the doubling up on tight ends.
5. If you could start over, would you do anything differently?
I'd pick a 2nd D and a TE in place of my on-spec late-round RB picks.
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| 6 | Da Bomb
ID: 487112814
Sun, Sep 03, 2006, 04:58
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1. What was your plan/strategy entering the draft? Were you able to execute as you had planned?
I didn’t have a set in stone draft strategy. I just wanted to pick the best value in the first few rounds then focus on needs later. I also wanted 2 solid RBs who are definite starters on their teams. After taking Ronnie Brown in the first, I decided to pass on taking a RB in the second as I felt TO was too good of a value there. I was able to execute my original plan by taking Dillon in the third. Although an injury risk, he was one of the last definite starters available, so I’m satisfied with that. I also didn’t want to take my third RB early, as I like having a guy who can help you out now, rather than just picking a backup for your team in case an injury happens. In turn, I have crappy RB depth, but hopefully the IDP guys I picked makes up for it.
2. What were your favorite picks? Which do you wish you could do over?
Likes – I don’t know, I liked getting Dillon at 3.08 (see above) and Stephen Davis (23.08) is an interesting pick. He had an awful YPC last year but did score double digit TDs. SJax should still get the goal line carries, but if his Achilles acts up…
Dislikes – Jason Witten (8.07). I remember not being thrilled picking him, as I feel he was more of a forced pick. I see his numbers going down with the presence of TO, but I needed a TE and would rather have a guy who has proven himself rather than take a TE with potential, such as LJ Smith or Heath Miller.
3. Looking over all of the teams, which ones do you like the most (other than your own)?
Taxman and Smith32.
4. What surprised you most about the draft?
The speed. By far the fastest rotoguru draft I’ve been involved in.
5. If you could start over, would you do anything differently?
Not much. I might’ve gotten a little too IDP happy in the middle rounds and maybe would have been better off picking different positions there, but only time will tell if those were good moves.
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| 7 | Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Sun, Sep 03, 2006, 05:13
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1. What was your plan/strategy entering the draft? Were you able to execute as you had planned? My plan for the draft was to take a laid back approach in selecting players, specifically trying to not reach for players or positions. Holding the first pick, I figured planned on selecting 2RBs and 3WRs in the first 5 rounds, looking to fill QB and LB's in the middle rounds, ending up with filler for TE, Defense and K. The plan worked maybe better than I I'd hoped when D Foster and Moss fell to me at the first turnaround, then 2 more W/R with quality potential fell at the 2nd turn around and a deecent QB and top LB at the 3rd turnaround. At that point I felt that I lost focus and started scrambling some by taking home boy picks Barber and Glen before a nice recovery with two quality DBs. I was disappointed to see my "sleeper" picks such as Morency and Winslow go off the board several rounds before I had them targeted, as well as wy handcuff for D. Foster. All in all, I was able to execute on paper a quality line up at most positions except TE (I share Toral's observation about TE's which was the most shocking and unplanned for event in the draft) and DL. Surprisingly, I was not losing my queued players to the manager drafting in front of me, but to Wolfer, drafting at the 4 slot and 3 picks before me in the even numbered rounds, 4 times incuding the TB defense, Abrahms, and TE's Davis and Smith (sigh).
2. What were your favorite picks? Which do you wish you could do over? Favorite picks: Glen @9, Seattle and Dallas def @ 12th and 14th and Koenen at 23. Do overs: only round 5, where Jax WR M Jones was a reach based on potential, not proven production (not solid thinking on a second year receiver) when several attractive QB's and RB's were still on the board.
3. Looking over all of the teams, which ones do you like the most (other than your own)?Slowhand, StLCards and Holt all seem well balanced and having solid to spetacular starting skill position players.
4. What surprised you most about the draft?
TE's falling off the board so early and then taken as backups before many stalwart IDP players were drafted along with the general ignoring quality IDP players by managers drafting 5th and 6th RB's and WR's.
5. If you could start over, would you do anything differently?I would change my round 5 pick, but otherwise, I'm comfortable with the squad I assembled in this deep deep draft.
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| 8 | holt
ID: 22726517
Fri, Sep 08, 2006, 18:56
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1. What was your plan/strategy entering the draft? Were you able to execute as you had planned?
here's my strategy. flow like water. become the draft. listen to the wind. don't draft Culpepper in the 2nd rd. don't take chances on early picks, make em count. taking chances is fine later on, but not in the first few rounds. avoid dudes like D.Davis, Portis, C.Palmer, Owens, Branch, etc. Use google news liberally. triple-check every pick. don't place much faith in pre-season performances.
Every exit is an entry somewhere else. there are only a few IDP you can be sure of. if you don't get one of those top IDP's, don't go crazy taking 2nd-3rd tier IDP. take offensive talent when it is there. It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end. Take Rams. Take Steelers. Don't take players who don't flow like water.
did I follow that strategy? maybe I jumped the gun taking E.Manning in the 4th, but I like to be solid at all offensive positions and QB's were starting to drop like dominoes. I did research all my picks. I may have taken IDP a little early but I think I filled out all my offensive spots OK. I didn't get any of the great IDP's but I got a bunch of em with high ceiling. If you want to climb a mountain, begin at the top.
2. What were your favorite picks? Which do you wish you could do over?
hmmm. I like that I took Harrison in the 2nd rd and S.Moss in the 3rd rather than an RB. I got T.Jones, in the 5th, M.Bell in the 6th, Lundy in the 18th. I feel as good about those guys as I would have with any of the RB's that were left in the mid 2nd rd and 3rd rd. I think Bruce in the 11th and Caldwell in the 19th were pretty good bargains.
the only do-over that comes to mind is Volek in the 17th. who would have known that K.Collins would swoop in and take his job? oh well. Accept the anxieties and difficulties of this life. Without hindrances the mind that seeks enlightenment may be burnt out. Attain deliverance in disturbances.
3. Looking over all of the teams, which ones do you like the most (other than your own)?
I can tell you what I like and don't like about other teams, but I can't tell you who is gonna win and who has no chance. a draft will only take you so far. there is also vigilance, experience, luck. remembering to set your lineup helps. telling someone that they have no chance is an ignorant and immature thing to do and you probably only make things harder for yourself (those comments are not directed at anyone in this league btw).
if I had to swap my roster for anyone else's, based on my personal preferences, I would choose... I don't know, but I guess I will pick smith32:
depth at all offensive positions and also some of the top IDP's. nice draft. no huge exclamation points on this team, but still, looks like a team that will consistently score well from week to week.
with pretty much every team I was able to find something that bugged me. something that I would feel compelled to fix if I took over the team. mostly RB depth issues or crappy WR squads. but, since so many teams have these issues, there will obviously be teams that make the playoffs with poor RB depth and poor WR's, or maybe a crap QB or crap TE.
the impact of the extra starting IDP's remains to be seen, but it's likely that some of these offensive shortcomings can be overcome with strong IDP's (something that I can't make any predictions on).
4. What surprised you most about the draft?
uhhhhhhhh, nothing really, but I'll come up with something.
LenDale White dropping to 11.13 surprised me. not that he is necessarily worth more than that, but he went much higher in all the other RIFC drafts.
hmmm. I can't think of anything else.
oh wait. Trip's bizarre strategy of drafting 8 RB's, and not a single one of them a starter (at this time). the pay-off: Peyton Manning, Chad Johnson, Reggie Wayne. the cost: not only is he in trouble at RB, but all those mid-round picks also hurt him at WR3 and IDP's. not trying to give you a hard time trip. it's just amusing. if I wasn't in this league I'd be rooting for ya.
5. If you could start over, would you do anything differently?
nahh. I did my best. This magnificent butterfly finds a little heap of dirt and sits still on it, but man will never on his heap of mud keep still.
REALLY PUMPED FOR THIS FOOTBALL SEASON! REMOTE CONTROL, LIVE SCORING, COLD BEER, ENEMIES TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT! GOTTA LOVE IT!
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