Forum: foot
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Subject: RIFC - Draft Rationales (6-10)

  Posted by: Guru - [330592710] Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 00:37
This thread is only for rationales for RIFC picks in round 6-10.

Rationales - first 5 rounds
 
1Goatlocker
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 00:38 		6.01 Charlie Garner - RB, TB
The funny comment here is that what Guru wrote for pick 6.02 applies for this pick. Was looking at Suggs or Garner here (can talk about him now, he is gone). Both are in strange RB situations, but let's see what will happen.

My gut instinct is that Gruden will go more with his heart, which should be good for Garner.

Like his fit into this system and think he will produce just fine as long as he gets the touches.

 
2Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 00:39 		6.02 Lee Suggs – RB, Cle
This could be a great pick, or it could blow up in my face. The RB situation in Cleveland is unsettled at best, although many of the pundits seem to think that Suggs has the inside track. I hope they're right. The RB pool is thinning, and I still needed a second one.
 
3Motley Crue
ID: 58736522
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 02:23 		6.03 Chad Pennington - QB, NYJ
Like TB, I don't love taking players from my favorite team (the Jets). That didn't stop me from taking Pennington, who I had ranked right above Garcia as the last 2 "very good" QB's. I really, really like Jeff Garcia this year. He is a great QB with excellent mobility, and I wanted him badly. But I had Pennington ranked higher because I view him as more of a sure thing. When healthy, Pennington is a very good QB statistically. He averaged 214 pass yards and 1.5 TD's per game last year. I can win with that. Garcia has the potential to blow those numbers out of the water with all of the skilled players he has surrounding him in Cleveland. I worry about the risk of injury for Garcia, though, and that's why I had him knocked down in my rankings. Whoever winds up with him should be pleased if he stays healthy this season.

At this point, I still haven't picked any defensive players, but I am definitely starting to eyeball a few. There are several "head and shoulders above the rest" type guys I want to give myself a shot to grab, so I'm hoping they'll stick around for late round 7.

 
4deepsnapper
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 07:44 		6.04 Jeremy Shockey- TE, NYG

I knew it was a risk taking Shockey at this point in the draft considering his history with injuries. But the reward if he is able to stay healthy is incalculable. Having witnessed the impact Jay Novacek had on Troy Aikman with the Cowboys from 2000-2204, I’d expect no less of impact on Eli from Shockey if they’re able to stay on the field and develop a trust and rapport with each other. There's nothing like a huge TE running free down the middle on a skinny post with a LB chasing him to make a young QB relax in the pocket a little easier (and the head coach too).

When I read earlier that Jeremy was able to practice in two-a-days this week for the first time since off season surgery on his ankle, I decided to go ahead and gamble on the possibility of getting a stud TE this late in the draft. And believe me, Shockey is a STUD when healthy, that being the operative word and he needs to be on the field to be able to contribute to the success of the NYG and growth of Eli Manning. I also wasn’t ready to take any defensive players with this pick and didn’t have any WR or RB who jumped off the board at me the way Shockey did which was another reason for the gamble. This one will be a great pick or a real dud come December. There’s no middle ground with Jeremy – just ask him. lol
 
5CanEHdian Pride
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 07:48 		6.05 Champ Bailey, DB, Den

The only player that I really wanted with this pick went at 6.04. With Shockey off the board I didn't really see an offensive player that got me too exited. With the run on LBs that happened in the early stages of Round 5 I thought I'd take the best DB in the league. It looks like I moved a bit early on Champ seeing as there hasn't been another DB taken however I am happy with the pick because I still landed Crumpler in the next round who was my second choice after Shockey. IDP still has me a little baffled, not really having the time to research prior to the draft, so I'm muddling along the best I can. DB is a tough position to find consistancy year over year. I'm confident that Champ will deliver exactly what I expect.
 
7Ender
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 11:37 		6.06 Carolina Panthers Defense
I have been in leagues where I had 2 mediocre defenses and had to play matchups each week. It was frustrating. I intended to draft New England in this spot then I realized they were already off the board! I took the next best thing in Carolina and should be able to rest easy nearly every week.
 
8Taxman
ID: 475323018
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 12:12 		6.07 David Givens - WR, NWE
Givens is another 3rd year receiver with break out potential underscored by his playoff performance for the Super Bowl champs. Brady sprays the ball too much to allow a Moss/Harrison stud receiver type to emerge, but Givens is the tallest of the NE pygmy receivers making him the prime red zone target.

Down side to this pick (77th) is that Givens is a classic sleeper, mostly unknown and could easily have slid into rounds 8-12. I thought Hall would be available at this slot.

 
9Mike V
ID: 475323018
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 12:12 		6.08 T.J. Duckett - RB, ATL
If Vick stays healthy for any length of time I see Atlanta scoring a lot of TDs with Duckett getting the bunch of them. He certainly isn't a great source of yardage, but I don't see anyone left on the board that will be.
 
14Challenger
Donor
ID: 481126818
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 12:29 		6.09 Isaac Bruce - WR, STL


I've held off long enough on filling my wide receiver slots. Plan was if I wasn't able to draft any of the top tier receivers then I would fill some other positions first with the top ranked at those positions, thus Ray Lewis and the Patriots being drafting sooner than most expected. With the abundance of available receivers basically ranked about the same this allows me to concentrate in filling those other positions.

Although Bruce is the No. 2 receiver on the Rams, I feel Bruce is equal in rank to other teams number 1 receivers. With the amount of passing the Rams do, it is not unreasonable to expect him to catch around 80 passes for over 1000 yards and 6/7 td's this year.

Since I drafted Bruce, I have been reminded thru email newsletters that the Cardinals have been hit with injuries in the offensive line and are scrambling to find quality replacements even to the point of bringing a NFL Europe coach in. Geez!
 
15Culdeus
ID: 9649128
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 13:04 		6.10 Jamie Sharper, LB, Hou
7.01 Donnie Edwards, LB, SD

Well, dangit Bruce is off the board and there goes the last of the semi-reliable WRs. Time to move the focus to IDPs.

Dual writeup. The same logic holds for both picks. I decided to hold off on the third WR spot and take my chances. The system is setup to value LB's well above any of the other IDP posistions out there and the #2 and #3 IDPs were still left on the board.

1st tier LBs will score roughly in the ballpark of a 1600 yard WR and very few rack up as many tackles as these two top flight guys.

I would expect at least 130 tackles and 25-35 assists and the rare pick from these two. ldeus

 
16Sludge
ID: 475323018
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 13:06 		6.11 Donte' Stallworth - WR, NO
I was tempted to go with my first IDP here, but my typical strategy in a draft is to wait until I've got the big three (RB, WR, QB) filled with starters before looking elsewhere. Of course this rule is flexible, and I will pick a real difference maker (i.e. Gonzo or Baltimore D) if available at this point. I didn't really see any of these difference makers available, so I went with Donte' hoping that he stays healthy and catches plenty of the balls that opposing defenses will deny Horn.

Of course being a Saints fan, this is also a bit of a homer pick.
 
17TB
Leader
ID: 031811922
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 13:07 		6.12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers DEF TAM

The top three defenses were off the board and I wanted to go into the season with a strong defense. I am hoping team defense is a position I can just lock in and won’t have to concern myself with.
 
18leggestand
ID: 9649128
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 13:54 		Perm Dude: 6.13 Mark Fields, LB, Carolina

At this point I decided that I didn't want to let the top guy on my "sleeper list" drop any further. Fields, of course, was a monster on the field before a shocking diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease caused him to miss the entire 2003 season. He's looked very good so far, with a good instinct and hard hitting. I was worried about his strength and conditioning, but so far, so good. I'm hoping, of course, for a return to his 2002 form, and so am predicting 125 tackles and 8-9 sacks along with the usual assortment of forced fumbles, knocked down passes, and all the other things Carolina's defense will throw at their opponents. As I mentioned in the draft thread, with Fields and the Baltimore defense, I either assured myself of a top third place on defensive stats or really put myself into a hole. But that's what it means to take a shot, right?
 
19leggestand
ID: 9649128
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 13:56 		6.14 Jeff Garcia, QB, Cle

When my pick finally came around, I was extremely happy to see Garcia still there. Two years ago Garcia was a top 10 QB due to his passing and rushing combination threat. Last year he started off slow, but ended the season with a flurry. By the end of the year he had 7 rushing TD's, more than many RB's. I do not expect him to get 7 rushing TD's again, but the possibility is always nice.

I also think Garcia's change of scenery to a Browns team with multiple weapons will be a benefit to him. He is an injury risk, but compared to the remaining QB's, IMO, he is head and shoulders above the rest.

The best part about landing Garcia was that it allowed me to focus on RB and WR for the first 5 rounds, and still end up with a good quarterback.

Projected:
3200 Pyds, 24 Ptds, 250 Ryds, 3 Rtds, 15 Ints
 
20Culdeus
Leader
ID: 031811922
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 14:27 		7.01 Donnie Edwards LB SDG
See post 15
 
21Perm Dude
Leader
ID: 031811922
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 14:28 		7.02 Tatum Bell RB, Denver

With the seventh round I realized that while I had a top running back with Tomlinson, I had seen a blizzard of A list RBs go the previous round and didn't want to dig a hole there. Bell is not huge (5-11) but has good hands and appears to be quite willing to bang heads when needed. He'll be eased into it (especially with his hurt finger) but an early schedule against mostly soft teams against the run will help build his confidence. It's hard not to try to compare him to Portis, but I think 900-1000 yards and 14 tds aren't out of the question for the youngster.
 
22TB
Leader
ID: 031811922
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 14:29 		7.03 Keith Brooking LB ATL

I wanted a solid LB with this pick and I think I got him in Brooking. Three straight seasons with over 100 tackles. Brooking is on the right team and in the right position to get plenty of opportunities to make some plays and score for my fantasy team. Projections have him getting 120 tackles, 20 assists, 3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, and seven pass deflections.
 
23Sludge
ID: 475323018
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 15:09 		7.04 Zach Thomas - LB, MIA

Having filled the big three with starters, I would normally go for TE or D/ST at this point. Unfortunately Gonzo, Baltimore, and New England are long gone (not that I ever thought for a moment that they would make it this far). Looking at the defensive players, I have Thomas right up there in the 2nd tier (Lewis is in the 1st tier all by himself), and above most of the remaining offensive players.

Hopefully he will recover nicely from his surgery and be his old self.
 
24leggestand
ID: 9649128
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 15:35 		7.05 Keith Bulluck, LB, Ten

I didn't want a LB here, but the Donnie Edwards pick at 7.01 started an avalance of LB's being picked, with 3 LB's going in 4 picks. I knew I had to jump on one now, or I would risk seeing many more get picked before it got to me again.

I rate Bulluck right above Brooking and Sharper, and below Lewis and Edwards, with those as my top 5 LB's. Bulluck has started all 32 games the past two seasons, and gets 100+ tackles a season. He also will get some "miscellaneous" stats, as he should be good for about 3 sacks, 2 Int's, 5 forced fumbles, and 7 passes defensed.

I originally targeted Reggie Wayne with this pick, but with LB's flying off the board, I had to hope Wayne would make it back to me on my next pick...which he did not.
 
25Challenger
Donor
ID: 481126818
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 15:50 		7.06 Keyshawn Johnson - WR, DAL


Cowboys #1 receiver who has been successful in a) a Bill Parcels system and b) with Vinny Testaverde at QB. With Keyshawn coming off a nice little rest due to his 2003 in-season vacation, hopefully will provide motivation for Keyshawn to prove he is a team player.

With Keyshawn the Cowboys are getting a possession receiver, one who will get the team a lot of 1st downs. Hopefully this will eventually turn into touchdowns.

If all goes well, I'm hoping for a 2000 yard season through at least 140 catches and several hundred touchdowns. Have I mentioned I'm a Cowboys fan?!!?
 
26MikeV
SuperDude
ID: 25924115
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 15:59 		7.07 Brian Urlacher, LB, CHI

I was going to take the Cowboys with this pick but reacted to the run on LBs. Five out of the nine previous picks cleared out my top 5 choices and I didn't want to drop down any farther. I'm hoping that Urlacher has something to prove after last year. But this is one pick I think I'll regret as the Cowboys went next.
 
27Taxman
ID: 0442215
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 18:39 		7.08 Dallas Cowboys Defense

Cowboys are not the Doomsday Defense of yesteryear, but they can flat shut people down. Led the league in total yrds and passing yrds allowed, were 2nd in fewest poits/game and 3rd in Run defense. But their fantasy scoring sucked by finishing 20th in turnovers, 21st in sacks. That said, chose the Boys on potential shutouts and shutdowns, not for the sack and turnover potential. This probably requires me to pick and carry a second defense.
 
28Ender
ID: 0442215
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 18:43 		7.09 Maichael Strahan, DL, NYG

I missed out on the big LB run and decided to grab the best DL IMO. I had him on a team last year and was very happy. I didn't see a 3rd WR or RB that stood out and I had a chance to grab the #1 guy at a position. Early? Maybe, but the majority felt like it was time to grab IDP's and I followed suit, but went a little out of the box. The last thing I wanted to was be guessing which IDP's to start in a given week. I also didn't want to be scouring the waiver wire for a hot DL. Strahan prevents all of that aggravation.
 
29CanEHdian Pride
ID: 58736522
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 20:13 		7.10 Alge Crumpler, TE, Atlanta Falcons

A bit of a reach? Perhaps. However, Crumpler is quietly becoming an upper tier fantasy TE and after missing out on Shockey I wanted to make sure that I got my second choice. Crumpler is a big, strong target that works down the field and with a healthy Vick causing havoc with his feet Crumpler should be able to sit down in coverage and take advantage of his size and speed. Most great quarterbacks have had quality TEs and Vick will be no different. If he truly wants to reach the elite status that he has potential to achieve he will have to find Crumpler early and often, 10 TDs isn't out of the question.
 
30deepsnapper
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 20:13 		7.11 Plaxico Buress - WR, PIT

I was happy to see Plaxico fall to me in the end of the 7th round. I know there’s been a lot of controversy about his off-season participation in the Pittsburgh conditioning program, but he’s young and healthy, so that wasn’t a big issue with me. He did make all the required mini-camps & he was in Training Camp on time which was the important issue to me in order to get ready for the season. Pittsburgh changed their Offensive Coordinator in the off-season, but they really just replaced one Cowart guy with another IMO as they stayed in-house when they promoted Whisenhunt to OC. I mean Cowart is the man who calls the shots in Pittsburgh and everyone knows that.

It’s my belief that 2003’s drop in production was an aberration caused by several factors of which Plaxoco’s poor performance did admittedly play a part. However, the lack of running game brought on by the incredible number of injuries to O-linemen experienced early on last year was something they never recovered from. Pittsburgh as a team ranked dead last in yards per attempt last year. I’m amazed Cowart’s head didn’t explode over that one. It is a statistic that will certainly improve this year with a healthy O-line and an emphasis on the running game featuring Deuce Staley. (As a Dallas fan I am glad to see that pickle juicer out of Philly & the NFC East.)

I expect Plaxco in a contract year (which surprise, he is in), for his production to bounce back to more along the lines of 2001-2’s numbers rather than what he achieved last season. In the 2001-2002 seasons, Plaxico averaged 72 receptions - 1166 yards - 6 TDs. His 2003 Season totals were 60 receptions - 880 yards - 4 TDs. It makes you think there's something to that "rushing to set up the passing game" strategy Lol
 
31Motley Crue
ID: 58736522
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 20:14 		7.12 Tyrone Wheatly - RB, OAK
The linebacker run began about 16 picks before this one, and I refused to get caught up in it. That’s the best way to reach for players and miss the value of the individual picks. Believe me, there is someone valuable at every pick in the draft. At this point, it wasn’t the 9th ranked LB, in my mind.

Wheatley was not the highest guy on my list at this point. But the indications so far are that he will be the starter in Oakland this season. To me, it is entirely necessary to have a third RB that you can start any week if need be. If Tyrone does get the bulk of the carries this season in Norv Turner’s offense, this pick could be a huge value here in round 7.

And he was very good over the last 7 games of 2003: 4.36 ypc, 77 yards per game, and 3 TD’s over that span. I will take those numbers from the #3 RB position. If all goes well, I should only need to play him twice this season anyway.

 
32Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 21, 2004, 20:49 		7.13 Reggie Wayne – WR, Ind
I was thinking about Wayne 2 rounds ago, so when he was still available, I decided to fill my 3rd WR slot. I've seen a variety of projections for him, ranging from 750-950 yards, and 3-9 TDs. I guess I'll settle for something in the middle.
 
34GoatLocker
ID: 205472715
Sun, Aug 22, 2004, 18:31 		7.14 MIAMI, Def, MIA
Decided to switch things around and jump earlier here than I typically would.

Like the secondary and def front and think they become a good fit for me at this point in time.

 
35GoatLocker
ID: 205472715
Sun, Aug 22, 2004, 18:35 		8.01 Kellen Winslow, TE, Cle
Well, what I consider to be my first reach.
Not too sure if this is early for him or not, but did not expect him to be around by the time it got back to me.
Not sure if I'm making this pick based on his skills, or his dads.

Has a real chance of having a big impact.
 
36Guru
ID: 330592710
Sun, Aug 22, 2004, 19:40 		8.02 Jason Taylor – DL, Mia
We need one defensive lineman, and there are a handful who look to be a cut above the rest. Jason Taylor is one. With my starting offensive slots (other than kicker) filled, it's time to start working on defense, and I thought the marginal benefit of grabbing a top tier DL at this point was better than at the other defensive slots.
 
37Motley Crue
ID: 58736522
Sun, Aug 22, 2004, 19:47 		8.03 Simeon Rice - DL, TAM
I refused to jump into the LB fray when they were coming off the board last time, but when I saw Strahan and Jason Taylor picked right before my 8th round choice, I knew it was either grab Rice or be stuck with a middle-of-the-road starter at DL. The DL run didn’t quite play out, but I am still happy to have this sack machine to anchor my defense.

Rice is one of Gruden’s imports in Tampa, and those are the guys that are getting the numbers (as opposed to the leftover players from the Dunge era). He annually reaches the mid-teens in sacks, and I am expecting him to repeat that performance this season. Throw in 50-60 tackles for good measure, and you have the makings of a stud D-lineman.

 
38deepsnapper
Sustainer
ID: 017103420
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 10:39 		8.04 Roy Williams - DB, DAL

After making my first 7 picks all offense, I thought I’d better start paying a little attention to the defense so who better to start with than the most active and feared hitter at safety since Ronnie Lott, but one of my favorite Dallas Cowboy’s - Roy Williams. This is somewhat of a “homer” pick, but at the same time Roy is one of the best young strong safeties in the NFL. Entering his 4th year In the NFL out of Oklahoma, Roy’s exceptional in run support and can blitz the quarterback like a linebacker. He also has the speed to cover most slot receivers so he’s on the field almost every defensive play in the game. All this speed & power while weighing in at 8’ 0” & 235lbs. is simply amazing to watch.

My expectations are a Pro Bowl for Roy this year. He played at that level last year and the recognition should come this season. With Woodson out the first 2-4 games of the season recovering from offseason back surgery, Roy will be the “quarterback” of the defense to start 2004 and it may be a job he doesn’t relinquish from now on. The passing of the torch may have just quietly happened in Dallas w/o a lot of fanfare. It couldn’t be passed to a nicer guy. And he’s even engaged to one of the girls in Destiny’s Child. And he gets to hit people for a living! Life is good.
 
39cEHp
Donor
ID: 481126818
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 11:58 		8.05 Takeo Spikes - LB, BUF
I had almost decided to hold off on a linebacker for awhile when some of the top tier studs had been cleared off the board. Then I noticed Spikes was still out there and I had to move. Spikes is the total package and raised the level of his game when he went to Buffalo. He will go to the Pro Bowl once again and solidify his position among the elite linebackers in the NFL with another strong season anchoring the tough Bills defense.
 
40Ender
Donor
ID: 481126818
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 11:59 		8.06 Rodney Harrison - DB, NWE
I could almost write the same thing for this pick that I wrote for the Strahan pick. The difference is Harrison is not as separated from the pack as Strahan. I probably reached a bit here because we don't start a true DB and had other needs to fill. Time will tell, but I am happy to have Harrison and enjoy watching guys who hit as hard as he does.
 
41Challenger
Donor
ID: 481126818
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 12:00 		8.07 Mike Vanderjagt - K, IND

Placeholder
 
42Mike V
Donor
ID: 481126818
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 12:01 		8.08 San Francisco - DEF, SFO
I didn't like this pick when I made it and I don't like it now. I was a pick late on Carolina and the Cowboys and fear of ending up with Washington prompted me to take the best still available. Blah.
 
43Challenger
Donor
ID: 481126818
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 12:02 		8.09 Jeff Wilkins - K, STL


Two different draft projection sheets projected Wilkins at 8.09. I only targeted 2 kickers early, Taxman's Vanderject & Wilkins. Taxman forced my hand.

With Wilkins I getting a kicker whom regained his confidence in 2003 and regularly put up consistent fancy numbers in each game last year. I had him in 2 leagues last year and will continue to this year with an expectation of at least 35 field goals.
 
44leggestand
ID: 330592710
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 12:14 		8.10 Travis Minor - RB, Mia
I had two good RB's already, but decided to jump on Minor, who is the starting RB in his offense with no competition (for the time being). I thought many people shied away from him because of his 1st poor preseason showing, so, I took him before his 2nd preseason game...because I knew if he played great. he would be snapped up by whoever's pick it was. Needless to say, he played crappy again, but right now it does not look like the Dolphins have a replacement. He should only have to play for my team for two weeks (knock on wood), so, he should be a good filler.

Projected: 1100 total yards, 7 TD's

 
45Sludge
ID: 54692111
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 13:14 		8.11 Eddie George - RB, DAL
I figured that I would need a 3rd RB to fill in for byes and to play matchups w/ Jones, and time was getting short. There were only a couple of starters (or projected starters) left. If George stays healthy and gets a few yards and TDs the weeks I use him, I'll be happy.

There was a TE that I considered taking, but it would put me with two starting receivers from the same team, and I try to avoid that. Besides, I didn't want him that bad. There's going to be a decent defense available on the turn, so I decided to go RB now before they're all gone and grab a D when the draft comes back to me quickly.
 
46TB
Leader
ID: 031811922
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 14:16 		8.12 Rich Gannon, QB, My Oakland Raiders

This is a homer pick, but we are talking about a player who is one year removed from earning the league MVP award and leading his team to the Super Bowl. I targeted Gannon as my starting QB as the draft unfolded and after I missed out on the more consensus top picks. I continue to hear great news from Raider Camp and decided the potential from Gannon was as good as most of the remaining QB's left on the board. Holding off two rounds allowed me to lock in a starting LB and my starting team defense. I probably could have waited to grab him even further down, but I was losing sleep worrying that someone else might snag him or that a run on back-up QB’s could start. That would have left me scraping the bottom of the barrel, as the last team to draft a starting QB.

Rich Gannon and the entire Raiders offense were horrible last year. Injuries had everything to do with it. Four of the five starting lineman and every running back were injured at one point in the season. The receiving corps was banged up and didn’t have Porter, their only deep threat, for most of the season. And, oh yeah, Gannon was hurt too. Early news from camp suggested that rehab from right shoulder surgery made him a slightly stronger thrower and I think we saw that in his first preseason game. From 1999 to 2002, his first four years with the Raiders, he averaged 3900 yards passing, 26 TD’s, and 11 Int’s. He has also been good for a couple hundred rushing yards and a couple TD’s.

I am completely jazzed about the upcoming season for my Raiders. The offense is younger and faster. I have read every Raider news story on the web and Gannon is very motivated to lead this team and prove his critics wrong. His health is my main concern. With the improvement to the offensive line, a new offensive scheme, and the influx of youth and enthusiasm to the offense, I am expecting big things from my team and from Gannon this season.
 
49Perm Dude
ID: 2343587
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 15:04 		8.13 John Abraham, DL, NYJ

Abraham was a nice surprise for me a couple of years ago, and he looks to have regained his form after his severe groin injury last year (he started on a real tear, with 6 sacks in the 6 games he played). But he looks completely healed and ready to ravage more this season than ever.

Abraham is variously listed as a DE and LB; he's a guy who can stuff the run as well as mobile enough to chase down a QB. I certainly think 10 sacks are not out of the question for him, along with 60-70 tackles.
 
50Culdeus
Leader
ID: 031811922
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 16:13 		8.14 Brandon Lloyd WR SFO
Wow, I was prepared to offer both these next two picks for the chance to get up to get this guy if a minor WR run started. I guess what ended up happening was a minor IDP rush started by me going LBLB spaced out by 6 picks.

Someone has to catch passes in SF, don’t they? Rattay may be somewhat overrated but look at the WR lineup on that team. Lloyd coming off injury is as close to a first WR as they have and should at least get the targets if nothing else.

Projection 850 yards 9 TD

 
51Culdeus
Leader
ID: 031811922
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 16:13 		9.01 Mike Rucker DL CAR
I really wanted to get a third RB here but for the most part all the decent backup RB’s with upside are gone. So it goes. And coming to think of it I probably should have gone for the third RB with my fifth round pick even if it was Deuce Staley the curse upon all those who draft him.

Rucker gets the sacks at the DL position which can makeup half a decent DLs points in a given week, plus nobody seems to be going hard for the DB’s so I am gonna grab a DL here. While this could easily be the lowest scoring spot for me the strong dropoff means this position represents some value here at the 9th round.

Projection: 70 Tackles 10 sacks smattering of other stuff

 
52Perm Dude
Leader
ID: 031811922
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 16:14 		9.02 Terry Glenn WR DAL

Glenn had a decent year in 2003 (15 games, 754 yards, 5 tds) and appeared to have little upside with a scrambling QB like Carter (scramlers take away from good route runners like Glenn. They are best at broken plays, and, ironically, often break plays down themselves bt running far too soon). With Vinny at the helm, Glenn will be able to get more looks as a second receiver. I predict about 1000 yards and 10 tds for him at least.
 
53TB
Leader
ID: 031811922
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 16:16 		9.03 Byron Leftwich QB JAX

Leftwich gives me the flexibility to pick starting spots based on match-ups and is good insurance in case Gannon falters (or gets cut...lol). This guy is a dynamite athlete and did pretty good last year (2800 yards, 14 TD’s) for being tossed into the fire. He is a threat to throw the ball deep or tuck it in and break out a long run. With a year’s worth of experience under his belt, I expect a solid season and feel pretty good about having two decent QB's.
 
54Sludge
ID: 54692111
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 16:55 		9.04 Philadelphia Eagles - DEF, PHI
I view picking a defense or a tight end like cleaning the garage. It's something that has to be done, but I just don't like doing it. With a couple of exceptions, the high week-to-week variability (relative to RB, QB, and WR - in that order) makes it hard to judge value.

That being said, I picked Philadelphia because I see them as the last of the top defenses remaining.
 
55leggestand
ID: 9649128
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 20:57 		9.05 Dwight Freeney, DL, Ind

I had originally targeted Mike Rucker with this pick, but he went at 9.01. I only had one DL (Freeney) in my top tier left, so, I decided to take him because all my other available positions did not have such a significant drop off. Freeney is a freak, very fast, and playing on turf at least 8 games a year gives him a big advantage over offensive lineman. Plus, with the Colts having such a high powered offense, many opposing teams are forced to throw passes to catch up, thus increasing his sack opportunities. In two years in the league he has average 12 sacks.

Projected: 13 sacks, 50 tackles.
 
56Challenger
Donor
ID: 481126818
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 22:00 		9.06 St. Louis Rams - DEF, STL


I'm choosing my backup defense now because I feel that this position most allows you to play matchup each and every week if a manager was so inclined. With the Rams being in the top 5 rankings in most fantasy projections whether it be individual team stats or overall, I feel safer with this pick than most remaining. I actually have St. Louis projected to have more turnovers and sacks than both the Eagles and Cowboys whom were drafted before the Rams. Only thing about the Rams defense that scares me is they allowed around 20 points per game in 2003. While that scoring average will not hurt me fantasy points wise, it would not help me either.
 
57MikeV
SuperDude
ID: 25924115
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 22:04 		9.07 Julius Jones, RB, DAL

Trying to get back to my original plan, I wanted to get my 3rd RB with this pick. The available list wasn't overwhelming so I decided to go with a rookie with a reasonable chance to succeed. What better place than the Cowboys. I can't envision George making it through the season and there is a possibility he won't even begin the season as a starter. Jones is far from a complete back but could break enough long runs to make him a good pick at this point.
 
58Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Mon, Aug 23, 2004, 23:55 		9.08 Andra Davis LB Cleveland

In need of IDP, I looked initially at teams I project to be offensively challenged resulting in more snaps for the defense and then looked for potential break out players on those teams. Andra was the closest to meeting my criteria and became the choice.
 
59Ender
      ID: 0442215
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 08:10 		9.09 Peter Warrick, WR, Cin

I decided to pick up a 3rd WR here. Warrick had 800+ yds and 7 TD's last year. If he can duplicate those numbers I'll be satisfied, but I do believe he has a chance to improve on them a bit if all goes well. I am a tad concerned about offseason knee surgery, but by the time the season starts I believe he will be fine. I had also hoped for some return yardage, but the knee may take him away from that duty, but that was a make or break factor, just a bonus.
 
60cEHp
      Leader
      ID: 439372011
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 08:29 		9.10 Denver Broncos - DEF, DEN
I'm not completely confident with my defensive selections as I've had limited time to research them. The Broncos have alot of talented players and the addition of Champ Bailey should help them immensely. They will rely on a veteran presence at each level, Trevor Pryce on the line, Al Wilson with the linebackers and Champ Bailey in the secondary. All 3 are elite players and a strong supporting cast including first rounder D.J. Williams should hold up well against any offense.
 
63deepsnapper
      Sustainer
      ID: 017103420
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 09:51 		9.11 Sean Taylor - DB, WAS

It's my personal opinion the safety position records more fantasy points than the cornerback in leagues that count tackles as a point along with passes defensed. I mean, let’s face it – cornerbacks don’t tackle very well if at all when they can avoid it. That why they call them covers corners and safeties are well, just that - your last line of defense your Safeties.

Having said all that, (big whoop huh), I stayed on the defensive side this time around and decided to grab Sean to lock up my 2 starting defensive backs. I didn’t want to take a chance on Guru or Goatlocker grabbing him this time around and I knew he'd be gone by the Round 11. Knowing whing Gold woul be available then for Round 10, I went ahead and drafted Sean now to lock him up. He’s already had an impact on the Washington secondary scoring a TD on one of two INT in his first preseason game and the publicity only made him that much more enticing. (dang it!)

I’d been my hope Taylor would fall to Dallas in the Rookie draft this year and along with Williams give the Cowboys a potential HOF pair of safeties for the next decade, but the hated redskins snatched him up right before Dallas’ pick. That didn’t happen, so maybe this will serve as my manna in that regard

I don’t like to predict fumbles, interceptions and the like because they’re somewhat predicated on whether teams are playing the game at you or away from you depending upon the strengths of your game. I will predict a NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year Award for him. He is simply an outstanding football player (even if he is a redskin).

 
64Motley Crue
      ID: 330592710
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 10:07 		9.12 William Green – RB, CLE

Why the heck did I take my fourth RB of the draft in round 9? Simple: he who has the best RB’s usually does pretty well. I won’t say you always win with the best RB’s, but you need good ones to win in fantasy football. It’s possible that Green will never see the light of day in Cleveland’s (or my) crowded backfield. Ah, but the potential alone made this pick worth it.

This former first-rounder has been relegated to fantasy football backup status, first because of off the field problems last season, and now because Lee Suggs looks like a wildman when he plays (and he scores like a wildman, too). If Suggs somehow doesn’t win the starting RB job or is injured this season, I will come off of this pick smelling like roses. I believe Green has 1200 rushing yard potential over a full season. It all comes back to that improved Cleveland offense, and Jeff Garcia running the show, instead of the former QB.

It’s certainly possible I missed out on someone better at this pick, and that I will regret it at some point during the season when my starting defensive players are performing uninspiringly. If Green winds up starting for Cleveland, though, you can bet some of the other managers will be interested in trading for him. I look forward to such an instance.
 
65Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 10:08 		9.13 Tennessee defense
My first team defense, and Tenn. generally seems to be the best of those still available. In fact, I've seen them ranked as high as 4th, and not lower than 11th – although I'm sure if I looked around more, I could find some lower rankings. Last year, they ranked #7 using our scoring formula.
 
66Goatlocker
      ID: 330592710
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 10:33 		9.14 Tyrone Calico - WR, TEN
Time to grab another WR and liked him the best of the group that was left at the time. Also gives me a match with McNair throwing to him.

I see him getting 5-7 TDs and 600 - 800 yards. Could do better than that and would love to see it.

10.01 Lavar Arrington - LB, WAS
Time to make an IDP move and felt he was the best LB left. Will start with him and build my IDPs from there. Expect good solid numbers out of him, and a chance for some big numbers.

 
67Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 10:34 		10.02 London Fletcher - LB, Buf
One of the best linebackers remaining, and I still have 2 IDP slots to fill. He won’t get a lot of interceptions or sacks, but should get plenty of tackles.

My only other starting vacancy was at kicker, and I just didn’t think I needed to grab one yet. I considered backups for other slots as well, but decided to fill a starting slot at this point.
 
68Motley Crue
      Leader
      ID: 439372011
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 10:39 		10.03 Nick Barnett – LB, GNB

Hey, alright, time to dive into the linebacker pool. This guy was the best LB the Packers had last year as a rookie, and I think it’s reasonable to expect improvement. I’m looking for Top 15LB performance from him, and considering he was a Top 15 LB pick, that’s not out of the question. If he can get up to 100 tackles, that would be great. And doubling his sack total from last year would give him 4. I’m sure he’ll wind up with various other points based on turnovers and what not.

I had Barnett among a handful of LB’s on a list that I wanted to choose from. I think his youth and the way he played last year make him the best of those remaining at this spot. There are a few others I will be looking at with my next couple of picks.
 
69deepsnapper
      Sustainer
      ID: 017103420
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 10:47 		10.04 Ian Gold - LB, TAM

Sticking with the defensive theme for the third pick in a row, I jumped out an decided to take a gamble on someone who was playing at a Pro Bowl level prior to injury. Gold is the first actual “risk” pick that I believe I’ve made in the draft Shockey is somewhat of risk, but barring a major injury, he’ll play and play well this year. Others may have a different opinion, but I have mine. lol He’s recovered from a devistating knee injury suffered last year while playing for Denver and this is his chance to prove he’s all the way back and healthy from that.

I could have probably taken Gold later in the draft, but I didn’t want to take a chance of someone grabbing him when I didn’t see any real need at any position at this time. I only plan on carrying a limited number of defensive players and to miss out on the ones that I want when they’re available is something I’ve allowed to happen in past drafts by letting the player “slide one more round”. With this bunch, that’s not a real good strategy to try and employ. Taking Gold now allows me to concentrate on other players in the draft. Only time will tell if this is a bad risk or huge reward pick.
 
70cEHp
     
      ID: 029463114
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 20:23 		10.05 Donald Driver WR GNB
A value pick, his stock has plumetted following a disappointing 2003 season however these are the players I salavate over. Players, once overrated who have fallen so far that they are now severely underrated (read Duce Staley). Driver is a talented wideout and should see a lot of touches with the young receiving corps in Green Bay. He may have fallen behind Javon Walker on the depth chart but Favre will always be looking to Driver when he needs a play to be made. Very happy with this pick, could return to Pro Bowl form in 2004.
 
71Ender
     
      ID: 029463114
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 20:26 		10.06 Moe Williams - RB, MIN
I needed a 3rd RB and pickings were slim. Williams got plenty of looks last year in goal line and short yardage situations. He should also see increased opportunities early in the season when I need him most.
 
72Taxman
      SuperDude
      ID: 029463114
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 20:45 		10.07 David Thorton - LB, IND

Hmmm. I seem to be stuck on the Colts who previously were in Baltimore having relocated from Dallas in 1952 after the Dallas Texans Football Club, Inc. (my father was the majority owner) went broke. But back to Thorton. Coach's name...Dungy; Coach's game...defense Thorton topped the century mark last year in his first year as a starter. He is young and fast, but has not shown much play making ability. Best pure tackle IDP left on the board.
 
73MikeV
      SuperDude
      ID: 25924115
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 20:45 		10.08 Boo Williams, TE, NO

After the top 4 TEs are gone the pickings at that position get real slim. I wouldn't have selected a TE this early if there wasn't someone with a huge upside. Boo, everyone should have a Boo on their roster, is a converted wide out that would generate 900+ yards and 10 TDs if you project his last 6 games last year. He won't do that but even having a chance make him a definite maybe sometimes.
 
74Challenger
      Donor
      ID: 481126818
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 21:03 		10.09 Willis McGahee - RB, BUF


I waited to long to draft a backup running back. Only one definite starter is remaining, Emmitt Smith, the all-time leading NFL rusher. I passed this time around. Since Wheatley went off the board, I had been mulling over whom to draft as the backup. With this pick I had made up my mine to take DL Julius Peppers. While going through my fantasy football newsletters this AM, I found that McGahee had to take over for Henry Saturday due to bruised ribs he had suffered. Small glimmer of hope for a decent backup solution has appeared.

As everyone should know, McGahee is coming of a career threatening knee injury. Everything coming out of the Bills camp about Willis has been nothing but positive. It appears that Henry will remain the starter but McGahee will get significant playing time.
 
75leggestand
      ID: 9649128
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 21:12 		10.10 Andre Davis, WR, Cle

Someone has to catch the passes in Cleveland, right? Andre Davis has always been a good route runner, but with Cleveland's multiple good WR's and struggling QB, his stats ended up suffering the past two years. Now that he is a bona fide starter and has Garcia throwing him the ball, he should put up numbers that a teams #1 WR should be proud of. Being the team's best route runner, and with Garcia at the helm, who is known not to take too many chances forcing a throw, Andre Davis should benefit of always being where he is supposed to be. Davis is my fourth WR, and will probably only play during bye weeks, or if he is having a huge year. He can also be used as trade bait if he plays like a #1 WR.
 
76Sludge
      ID: 24914721
      Tue, Aug 24, 2004, 22:48 		10.11 Rod Gardner - WR, WAS
I was going to pick Boo Williams here if he made it down to me. If I hadn't picked Stallworth in round 6, I would have picked Boo in round 8. But he was taken 3 picks ahead of me, so I decided to look to a reserve WR and a defensive player for my next two picks.

Looking at the draft board, I saw that everybody above me had exactly 3 WR and that all but one had a DL and at least one LB. For no reason in particular, I decided to pick a WR first then a defensive player next.

I was trying to decide between Booker and Gardner. I see Gardner's situation as a little more stable than Booker's, so I went with him.
 
77TB
      Leader
      ID: 031811922
      Wed, Aug 25, 2004, 00:08 		10.12 Jake Plummer QB DEN

The euphoria of drafting Rich Gannon has worn off and I’ve realized that I could be in big trouble if he gets cut or injured. Every starter is going to end up on somebody’s roster and having three middle-of-the-pack QBs is better than having one MOTP and one 3rd or 4th tier guy. I don’t like Jake. Even though he was the highest remaining QB on my boards when I took Gannon, I skipped him twice. This was a frustrating pick because I really wanted McGahee, who Challenger stole from me three picks earlier. I was almost convinced that I needed to grab my 3rd RB with this pick, but I didn’t see the value. The best value, IMO, still on the board was at QB, WR, and LB. I was pretty certain I would get Foreman with my next pick, so I grabbed the highest rated player I had left.
 
78Perm Dude
      ID: 330592710
      Mon, Aug 30, 2004, 13:31 		10.13 Greg Wesley DB KAN
placeholder
 
79culdeus
      ID: 330592710
      Mon, Aug 30, 2004, 13:31 		10.14 Darren Sharper DB GB

WHOOOOOOPPSSSS

Somewhere in my back and forth drafting with the poli group and this and setting up another draft I missed the fact we were starting 3 IDPs not 5 including 2DBs. At least I caught it now instead of later. Hopefully I can bail out of this pick to someone later...He should still have more value than most if not all the LBs remaining.

I love doing these guru drafts for this reason, it helps you get the kinks out for $$ leagues, work leagues, etc.

Well, worst case I have a backup to run in 2 weeks to spell my LB core and it looks like I mainly just put more pressure on myself to pick sleeper misc. players in the PK/TE/D/ST categories.
 
80Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Mon, Aug 30, 2004, 13:32 		Rationales for rounds 11-15