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Subject: RIFC 2007: Draft Rationales #1 (Round 1-6)

Posted by: I_AM_CANADIAN - Donor [1361448] Thu, Aug 16, 2007, 22:46

This thread will be for managers in the 2007 RotoGuru Invitational Football Challenge to provide the rationale for each pick. (copy/pasted from previous years threads)

Here are the ground rules:
1. Only managers in this league should post here. If you want to provide feedback (either from other league managers, or from those not in the league), put it in the discussion thread. (Non-conforming discussion in this thread will be deleted.)

2. Try to keep the pick rationales in the same order as the draft. We'll attempt to keep this thread 2 rounds behind the actual draft. With the lag, most comments should not have an impact on the draft in progress. However, if there are aspects of your pick that you feel need to be kept under wraps, feel free to protect that information. In particular, please avoid mentioning the names of any players who are still undrafted at that time of the post.

If possible, please post your (2 round lagged) comments at the time you make each pick. For example, you should post your comments for your round 1 pick when you make your round 3 selection. If you are not ready to post at that time, then create a "placeholder" so that the next person is able to go ahead in sequence. When your post is ready, simply post it in the draft discussion thread and a moderator can copy it over.

If your rationale is due and intervening placeholders have not been inserted, please insert them before posting your rationale.

3. Once the draft is over, each manager is also encouraged to provide a general draft recap, at which time you can discuss your overall strategy, mention any undisclosed factors, comment on what worked out well and what didn't, etc.

The general format should be:
1.01 Priest Holmes - RB, KC
Several sentences of rationale.

As part of your first round rationale, please comment on your selection of draft sequence.

I_AM_CANADIAN
Donor
ID: 1361448
Thu, Aug 16, 2007, 22:51

1.01 LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, SD
I was amazed I was lucky enough to start out with the #1 choice for drafting spots this year. I felt, in comparison to years past, that with a lot of the other slots, I end up "overthinking" them, and I'm not capable of setting a "target" in stone for that pick. With LT2 however... that's not a problem. I never thought for a second that there was another player who I'd rather take with this slot. He's a Fantasy BEAST, fun to watch, and most importantly, can almost single handedly WIN you a matchup any given week. Who knows what type of record he could set this year... Also, picking from an "end" spot gives me the opportunity, to focus less often on the draft. This is relatively important, because I don't have the same "access" to the draft, as I once did. It seems so awefully long between picks though!

PS... My "Best/Stretch" picks are just the way "I" saw things.

Best Pick of Round 1: LJ @ 1.07
Stretch of Round 1: Bush @ 1.10

The Beezer
Dude
ID: 191202817
Thu, Aug 16, 2007, 23:23

0.02 – Odd.02, Even.13

My original desire before the picks came up was to be able to grab the #4 slot, but Gore’s hand injury made that too risky for my liking (which was good since Gore didn’t last to 1.4 anyway). Since I along with everyone else felt there were only two sure things in this draft, I figured I should get whichever one IAC didn’t. Also, I didn’t like anyone I had projected in round 2 enough to think that an early pick was worth more risk in round 1. Another benefit is getting to play the squeeze on the turns – we’ll see how that works out. The negative is that I knew that I’d have really tough picks to make at 2.13 and 3.02, but last year gave me a lot of confidence in making good decisions when they’re required. We’ll see if that’s still warranted at the end of the season.

1.02 – Steven Jackson, RB, StL

This pick was made when the draft slot was chosen. Yeah, I would have preferred LT2, but SJ isn’t a bad second choice at all. Let’s run through the positives: he just turned 24, he’s very talented, Orlando Pace is healthy again, all the offensive weapons are back, #3 scorer last year in just his third season, played every game, stable coaching staff, gets to play a lot of games on turf, and he’s very talented. Did I mention the talent?

Even though he was a workhorse last year, he did a lot of his damage in the receiving game, which doesn’t tend to correlate with wear and tear like pounding the ball every down does (see: Johnson, Larry). Although the new TE may reduce his catches slightly, it shouldn’t make a huge difference and it will hopefully help him get some extra yards on his catches. The foundation for this team is in as good a shape as can be.

holt
ID: 41512278
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 07:39

1.03 Frank Gore, RB, SF

Can't say I'm real happy with the third pick. For some reason, when I took #3, I was thinking I could get Steven Jackson there. I had him last season. Wanted him again. No dice. I remember taking some quick looks at mock drafts and cheat sheets and I guess I though Larry Johnson would go #2. Now, I don't mind having Gore, but going #3 means I don't have a chance at a tier 3 RB in rd 2.

Frank Gore. He was the #5 RB last year in points, #8 overall, 5.4 ypc, gained over 130 yds rushing in 6 of the last 8 games of the season. Also had 485 receiving yards. Overall the Niners will be better, so he should get more carries and more scoring opportunties.

49ers head coach Mike Nolan confirmed Wednesday that Frank Gore will handle carries in short-yardage situations this season.

That was very important news (and well-timed). No more losing TD's to Robinson. That is huge. I really felt Larry Johnson was the obvious pick here, but concerns about the Chiefs dropping off the map, workload, and his holdout scared me off (was pretty surprised to see him drop to #7 though!).

Smith32
ID: 2103514
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 07:53

0.4 – I chose draft position #4 because I felt there was a slight drop-off after #4. It seemed like opinions among the so-called experts varied between whether LJ or Frank Gore should go #3, but I decided I would be fine taking either of them. And I think drafting near the top in a 14 team league gives you the opportunity to get a decent RB2 and a solid WR1 in Rds 2 and 3. (I wrote this when we picked our draft position)

1.4 – Joseph Addai, IND, RB – When I chose my draft position, I intended to choose Gore or LJ with this pick (assuming LT and SJ went 1-2). However, in the weeks following the draft order selection, I’ve read so much negative about Larry Johnson (O-line, 2006 workload, QB situation, etc.) that I decided to pass on him. In the most likely scenario, I think Addai will be comparable to LJ and Shaun Alexander, and I don’t see a lot of downside when an RB is in an offense as potent as the Colts. Addai put up amazing numbers last year when you consider the limited playing time he saw.

GoatLocker
Sustainer
ID: 060151121
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 10:35

for Bags 1.05 Shaun Alexander, RB, SEA

My initial thought in picking #5 was to land one of the up and coming backs in Gore or Addai and be in a position to take a solid RB in a good position or a top flight WR. Gore and Addai go with the two pick just before me. Left with the choice of LJ or Shaun, I took Shaun for these reasons. With the issue of a holdout, a weakened offensive line, and a potential starter at QB who has no experience, LJ has too many question marks to take this early in the draft. He will also be facing one of the harder schedules against the run this year.

Thanks to the Madden Curse Shaun had the worst year of his career, I think a healthy Shaun will have a bounce back year. I don’t expect another 28 TD performance like 2005 but the 17.5 TD per season average from 2001-2004 would be nice.

The Seahawks were 10th in the league in rushing attempts last year with 30.2 rushes per game. While I don’t expect Shaun to get 30 rushes per game, he clearly will have opportunities. SEA also has a favorable schedule against the run

GoatLocker
Sustainer
ID: 060151121
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 10:44

Draft Selection #6
I had from the beginning after the order came out assumed I would end up anywhere from 10 to 14 in the draft order and was looking at potential pairings of RBs based on that.
When I suddenly had the opportunity to take slot 6, I had to go back and relook even though I was pretty sure who I thought would be there and who I would want.

Was sitting with one name on the top of my list, Addai, and was fairly surprised when he went #4.

1.6 Brian Westbrook, RB, PHI
Will say more about who I didn't pick than who I did.
But, I think others have already done a good job in explaining why they didn't go with LJ.
Quite a cunundrum in trying to figure out if he was worth the risk or not.
Bottom line became that I really saw a group of RBs that should all perform just fine for the 6th pick.

Once I had decided not to go with LJ, Westbrook really became the easy choice.
Every RB in the league comes with a certain amount of risk, but I really like the gain potential here.
One thing he has proven year in and year out, is that he is one of the top RBs in the game.

As with all, has to stay on the field, but like the Risk/Reward.

Nerfherders
ID: 501035289
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 13:41

for beastiemiked
7th selection
After looking at the RB's this year I decided there were about 8 or so I'd like to have as 1st round pick. The 7th pick would allow me to get one of them.

1.07 Larry Johnson, KC, RB
I was very excited to see LJ slip to me. He's a high risk guy but there's a lot of reward as long as he shows up sometime before the season starts. This pick will definitely be my easiest of the draft.

Nerfherders
ID: 501035289
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 13:49

Draft Selection #8

I had the option of taking the 6th, 7th or 8th spot in the draft, and after a quick study of who I thought would go in the top 5, I concluded that the 3 spots following would be Addai, Westbrook, and Parker in some order. I thought they were all about the same level so I decided to take the 8th spot. Now it seems to me to be a big mistake.

1.8 Fast Willie Parker

The draft was already turned upside down as one manager after another passed on LJ. I thought for a brief moment I might actually be able to land him, and then realized I had a chance to get him if I had taken the 6th or 7th spots instead of the 8th.

So I ended up with the player that I thought I was going to end up with in the first place. He had a great 2006 and should be better this year. I consider Parker the last of the stud RB's, and I don't think he will dissappoint.

Greybear
ID: 3751268
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 13:53

Pick No. 9
I chose this slot in an attempt to achieve a balance between being late enough to get a good quality RB ib round 2 while still being early enough to get a second tier RB in the first round. At no. 9, I was crossing my fingers and hoping that either Addai or Westbrook would fall to me, but that didn't happen, hence...

1.09 Rudi Johnson, RB, CIN

For several years now, Rudi Johnson has been one of the best first-round running back selections of fantasy football. He is durable (has not missed a game since 2004... I should knock on wood) and consistent. Rudi has rushed for approx. 1,400 yards and has scored exactly twelve rushing touchdowns in each of the last three seasons.

Kenny Irons was drafted to spell him, but is now lost for the season with a torn ACL. The Bengals also relied heavily on WR Chris Henry in the redzone and will be without his services for the first half of the season. This could give Johnson even more opportunities to score TDs in close.

All in all, Rudi is not a sexy pick, but it's a stable pick that should keep me from cursing at the television on Sundays.

Guru
ID: 3751268
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 13:53

1.10 Reggie Bush, RB, NO

When selecting picks, I chose 10th thinkink that I could get someone like Bush or Jones-Drew, and then possibly another serviceable RB in the 2nd round. I didn't see a lot of difference in the RBs ranked from about 3-12

As expected, Bush was available at this pick. I have him ranked in the same vicinity as a handful of other RBs, excluding potential return yardage. If he gets the same punt return yardage as last year, I think that makes him the cream of this group.

I almost took Bush in round 2 last year, but opted for a presumably “safer” choice who was a great disappointment. I regretted it all year. This year, I figured I’d get him.

youngroman
ID: 3751268
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 13:57

draft selection: #11
I had the choice of either 6th or 11th+ and took the 11th pick because I think that I can get the last 3rd-tier RB with my 2nd pick and a upper 3rd-tier RB with my 1st pick

1.11 Laurence Maroney, RB, NE
When I took the 11th pick I calculated my options and thought that Rudi Johnson may be the man. that was at a time where they thought in Cincy that they could reduce Rudi's workload with the additional depth at RB. Kenny Irons went down for the season and so Rudi's attempts should stay.
I also thought that Peyton would be off the table but I never thought that Guru would take Reggie Bush, so it was back to my initial options that are selectable at 1.11: T Henry, R Brown, E James, L Maroney, W McGahee.
I like Maroney the most and think that at least 1 of the others has a chance to be still there at 2.04. with "still undrafted" in New England the field should be more open than last year and with Dillon gone he is the #1 and should get 300 attempts for 1250 yards and around 10TD. sounds promising

leggestand
ID: 217571412
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 15:43

Pick 12

I didn't have much of a choice here; just 12, 13, or 14. I had a group of 11 guys I wouldn't mind having at RB in Round 1, and took 12 just in case one would slip. No one did, and I got stuck with the first pick of my next tier. In hindsight, I would've chosen 14; but if Bush or Maroney would of fell to 12 and I had pick 14, I would of been kicking myself. So, 12 it is.

1.12 Willis McGahee, RB, BAL

Once my pick was up, the consensus group of players I would be picking from were McGahee, Manning, Ronnie Brown, Travis Henry, and Jones-Drew. I wasn't overly excited about any, and took the guy I was the least not excited about.

I eliminated Manning because I figured I'd get a strong QB at 3.12 or 4.03.

I eliminated Travis Henry because since 2004 I have vowed never to take a Denver RB in the first 3 rounds. Shanahan drives me crazy, and it seems that all it takes is a two fumble game to be benched for multiple games. I understand that all RB's are successful there, but that also makes me wary, as [undrafted] and [undrafted] also look good in the system and I don't see any reason why they won't start at some point in the season (other than Henry's contract).

I eliminated Jones-Drew because I think his TD's were abnormally high last year and can't be replicated.

The only two I couldn't eliminate were McGahee and Brown. I took McGahee because I thought Brown at least had a chance to make it back to me (he didn't).

Why I like McGahee? He is still young. He has been on a bad team and done pretty well as a weak RB1 or strong RB2. Going to Ravens' run first offense is a positive. And given that I think the Ravens will win the AFC North, I think there will be lots of yards for him to gobble up. One of McGahee's knocks is that he is an "injury concern." I don't buy that concern, as he's played in 46 of 48 regular season games the last three years...looks pretty durable to me.

Overall, I am fine with taking McGahee. I don't think I could of done much better unless I had a higher pick.

Best Value Pick: LJ at 1.07.
Stretch Pick: Gore at 1.03 (whoever had the 3 pick in this draft was going to get the stretch pick...3-7 are fairly even and could've of gone a ton of different ways)

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 599142218
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 15:44

1.13 Peyton Manning, QB, Colts

When it came to my draft pick selection - only 13 and 14 were available... I just took the higher one - luck 13.

Coming into the draft, I had already told myself that I would take Manning if he were available with this pick; my assumption was that he would be taken on the turn if I didn't act here. When it did come to my selection, I looked briefly at the available backs to see if one stood out above the rest. And, although Jones-Drew has tremendous upside, I wouldn't say he's a lock like the first 6-8 picks. As far as Manning, it looks like this may be another high-powered year for the Colts offense. They even looked offense with their first couple picks in the draft despite their decimated defense. So, maybe it's back to a good offense is the best defense, and the Colts'll be in many shootouts this season. Plus, as a diehard Colts fan (and #3014 on the season ticket waiting list...), I'll get my homer pick out of the way right of the bat.

s R
ID: 861898
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 16:13

The same old #14... and the same old two RB strategy:

1.14 Travis Henry, RB, Den

The running back heaven: Denver. Whenever Henry has started at least 13 games, which he's done three times in his career, he's rushed for at least 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns. He should post very solid numbers.

2.01 Ronnie Brown, RB, Mia

Brown should be the centerpiece of the Cam Cameron's offense. Fine runner and receiver. "Potential steal in the second round." :)

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 599142218
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 17:26

2.02 Maurice Jones-Drew , RB, Jax

The 2 backs who were 'surer' picks of the 4 I had listed prior to my first round pick were chosen in the interim. MJD isn't technically the starter and will be returning kicks it looks like (which counts..) But, I'm happy to get Jones-Drew here with his breakout potential. Surely the way he dominated the Colts last year at least portends for two monster games this year at minimum.

leggestand
ID: 217571412
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 18:01

2.03 Marvin Harrison, WR, IND

I sat, researched, and mocked for 1 hour when my 2nd roundpick came up. Portis and Edge were there, but I didn't want them. Benson was typed into kafenatid, but I couldn't pull the trigger. The more and more I looked at what WR would make it to me in round 3, the more sure I was that I had to take WR here (good thing I did...my #1 would of been Andre Johnson or Donald Driver). I figured, "why go with a 2nd class WR/unproven RB combo when I can have a first class WR/unproven RB if I just go RB in the 3rd round?" I just didn't see much of a difference at the RB's here than the RB's in the 3rd round, but there was a big difference in WR's.

Why Harrison? My choices were between Harrison, Chad Johnson, Steve Smith, and Holt. Looking at CJ last year, he wasn't consitant at all. He had two MONSTER games, but that doesn't help you except for those two weeks. Steve Smith I just didn't want very much. So, it was between Holt and Harrison. With all the new weapons in St. Louis, I didn't know if that would affect Holt positively or negatively. So, Harrison it is. Mr. Consistancy. Only missed two total games in the past 8 years. 82+ catches, 1100+ yards, and 10+ TD's the past 8 seasons. I'd take 82/100/10 as my minimum any day, but I have to imagine it will look more like 90/1300/12, as the Colts D is pretty putrid this year and should allow many shootouts.

Best 2nd Round Value: Holt at 2.12
Biggest 2nd Round Stretch: Thomas Jones at 2.07

youngroman
ID: 3751268
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 18:21

2.04 Edgerrin James, RB, ARI
he is the last available running back of my 3rd-tier. Thanks to leggestand for picking the first WR. my other option here was Steve Smith. with a healthy Jake Delhomme he should be the #1 receiver again.

back to Edge. he might be old but he is still good and Arizona wants to run the ball more this season which means more yards for their running backs, which means more yards for Edge. he should once again top 1200 yards with around 8 TDs. nice value for the early 2nd round.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 17, 2007, 21:35

2.05 Cedric Benson, RB, Chi

My choice came down to a 2nd tier RB or a top WR. Steve Smith and Chad Johnson were strong considerations. At RB, Clinton Portis had the same bye week as Bush, so that made him less attractive. I wasn’t completely thrilled with the Benson pick, but I think it is a solid one at this stage and preserves flexibility in the next few rounds.

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 06:46

for Greybear
2.06 - Clinton Portis, RB, WAS

I am obviously thinking that Clinton will be in tip top shape by the beginning of the season. Although he has not been playing exhibition games, he is participating in training camp and has been spotted running well and making cuts. He has had three out of his 5 years with 1,500+ yards, with a dip in 2004 @ approx. 1,300 yards (his first year with Washington, thus it is understandable that he did not get "Denver RB numbers"). At over 500 yards and 7 TDs in 8 games last year, I believe he was on pace for another solid year. If healthy, I consider him a first round pick. In sum, I thought he was good value at this spot in the draft.

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 06:47

for Nerfherders
2.07 Thomas Jones, RB, NYJ

This was a really tough pick when I wanted to stick with my RB-RB strategy. I considered a few different RB's but Jones seemed the most solid. He had a good year last year sharing time with Benson in Chicago, and he will be more the feature back with the Jets. The only concern is his ankle sprain suffered earlier this week. Hopefully it is nothing too serious.

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 06:47

for bmd
2.08 Chad Johnson, Cin, WR

This was a really tough pick for me. I thought about trading down but realized an early 3rd round pick would leave me in the same limbo spot I'm in right now. The only RB left that I really liked was Jacobs but I thought it was a little early for him(of course he immediately gets picked so who knows). Lots of question marks surrounding a guy that has yet to carry the load for the year. I chose Johnson over Holt as Johnson just seems a little more durable. I don't care for the guy but I'll gladly take his numbers. Palmer was also considered but I thought it would've been too early for him as well.

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 06:48

for GoatLocker
2.09 Brandon Jacobs, RB, NYG
As always, I knew I would go RB, RB.
Actually thought about a WR here, but felt the drop-off was much more in RB.
Really happy with the pair of RBs that I managed to get drafting in this slot.
I think Jacobs goes a long way toward complementing what I will get out of Westbrook. Yes, he will share carries with Droughns, but I'm banking on him getting all of the Red Zone carries and his share in the open field also. Would love to see 20 carries per game, but expecting about 15 or so.

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 06:48

for Bags
2.10 Marshawn Lynch, RB, BUF

This was a tough pick for me. I had Smith and Holt available at WR or Lynch. Both of the WR’s are great and I might regret not picking one of them. I’m always a sucker for upside and with the situation Lynch is in I felt need to reach a bit here for a RB with a more stable situation

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 06:56

2.11 Steve Smith, WR, CAR

Both Guru and youngroman said they considered picking Smith much earlier in Rd 2, so that makes me feel better about this selection. Plus it was appropriate that I took Smith and Holt took Holt.

Smith certainly has the potential to be the top scoring WR. I think he has less competition for targets than Holt and Wayne, which had me give him a slight edge. You know Carolina will find ways to get him the ball.

I didn't really seriously consider an RB here. Cadillac was next on my list, and I didn't think he had more value than the top tier of WRs.

The Beezer
ID: 221092219
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 07:02

for holt
2.12 Torry Holt WR, StL

It's nice to start out going RB RB but when you draft at the top it doesn't really make sense. The top RB's available here were Cadillac and Deuce. Hard to take one of them over a tier 1 WR when you can get usable RB's later in the draft. looking for 1300 yds, 10 TD's.

The Beezer
ID: 221092219
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 07:04

2.13 – Cadillac Williams, RB, TB

I was trying to trade up when I saw Steve Smith fall down the board, but it was not meant to be. Oh well. That left a lot of headaches in this slot – a non-top 3 receiver, Gates, or an RB with a lot of question marks. As much as I disliked taking an RB here, I liked taking RB2 later much less, as the pool was just about empty as far as I’m concerned. Plus, IAC has a history of taking RBs so I wasn’t comfortable hoping for a good one to make it back to 3.02. So I decided to go RB and lock that down for good.

The two guys I looked at here were Cadillac and Jamal Lewis. The ultimate decider was that I liked Cadillac’s schedule better, he’s younger, and I think he’s got a better line than Cleveland does. Other deciders were that I like Cadillac more, he shares my last name, and my buddy the Auburn alum says I won last year because I had Rudi on my team and that AU guys are good luck for me.

Last year I wrote in my 1.06 rationale “Injuries wore him down a bit too much last year for my liking, and I don't like his projected numbers as much as others on the list. Also the line worries me (it's at least stable and has better depth, but it could be a lot better)”. It pretty much was on the mark. This year, I think the line has improved and will help him out. The big worry is injuries and I’ll probably need a third RB in the next few rounds to really feel comfortable here. For an RB2 this year, that’s about all you can ask and expect to get.

I_AM_CANADIAN
Donor
ID: 1361448
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 08:12

2.14 Reggie Wayne, WR, IND & 3.01 Terrell Owens, WR, DAL
I was heavily considering taking either 1WR/1RB here, or 2WR. The rest of the managers made up my mind, by taking off all my targeted RBs before it got to my pick. (It seemed to me that more RBs were sellected through the first two rounds than last year?) Overall, I think this is a "better case scenario", than taking a questionable starting RB at this point. What that leaves me with is two of the Top six WRs in the game. I really like both picks, Wayne appearing to be one of the "saffer" wrs, and Owens to being such a TD machine.

Best Pick of Round 2: 2.11 Steve Smith
Stretch of Round 2: 2.10 Marshawn Lynch
Best Pick of Round 3: 3.14 Tom Brady
Stretch of Round 3: 3.13 Marques Colston

FYI - I'm noticing that in my "self-analysis" of the which picks I thought were "reaches"... so far, all three are either first or second year talents. Thus, in my mind, not as "established", and a little bit higher risk.

The Beezer
ID: 221092219
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 08:23

3.02 – Antonio Gates, TE, SD

I thought I might end up pondering the same choice as last year – Wayne or Gates. IAC fixed that with his receiver bookends, so that left Gates vs a mess of WRs (Housh, Colston, Fitzgerald, Driver) that I had rated about the same. My thinking is that the WR pool in this draft is pretty deep in that I dislike a lot of guys about equally. I’m optimistic that I can grab two guys at 4/5 that will be within a point a game of anyone I can take now.

So, why not get the best TE in football and lock this slot down? Although trying that idea two years ago wasn’t a great move for me, Gates is in his prime and his supporting cast is all the same except for Norv. Here’s hoping Norv is smart enough not to screw this up.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 12:43

for holt
3.03 Larry Fitzgerald WR ARI

Again, Deuce was the highest RB option here. I think all RB's available are a reach at this pick. I also don't want to be the one to start a run on tier two QB's. The tier 3 QB's are acceptable to me. Still some awesome game-breaking WR's available. Fitzgerald and Roy Williams were the two I ended up debating (Williams went next pick). I'm looking for Fitzgerald to bounce back to 2005 form (1400 yds, 10 TD). The main thing that made me choose Fitz over Williams is his bye week. Williams has bye week 6, same as Gore. also, Kitna (didn't get), Vernon Davis (got), and Calvin Johnson (got) were all on my radar and are also bye week 6. So Fitzgerald's bye week 8 was valuable to me.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 12:44

for Smith32
3.04 Roy Williams WR DET

I had buyer's remorse on this pick about 3 minutes after I made it. I was so focused on the RB or WR decision that I totally overlooked the fact that Carson Palmer was still on the board. I think Palmer is probably a better value that Williams at this spot.

However, Roy Williams is one of the league's rising stars, playing in a Mike Martz offense on a team that will be trailing a lot. The addition of Calvin Johnson should keep defenses honest, and I think there are plenty of yards to go around so Johnson shouldn't steal too many points from Williams.

I really didn't see anyone at the RB spot that offered much value. I could have taken Deuce, but I didn't think he was much different from who I would be able to get in Rd 4/5 (ultimately DeAngelo and J. Jones), and knowing the run on WRs that was coming, I thought Williams was a tier above what would come back to me (ultimately H. Ward, R. Brown, S. Moss).

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 12:44

for Bags
3.05 Carson Palmer, QB, CIN

While Lynch might been seen as a reach by some, Palmer was too good of a value to pass up here. Manning is by far the best QB out there but I feel if some one were to pass him it would be Palmer. This was an easy choice for me.

GoatLocker
Sustainer
ID: 060151121
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 14:26

3.06 Anquan Boldin, WR, ARI
Well, if it wasn't for IAC going WR, WR on the turn, I would have gotten a Tier one WR in the 3rd round.
But, that is OK.
I'm actaully happy with Boldin, as I won't be surprised if he doesn't come really close to matching Fitzgeralds production, or posibly surpassing it.

Hoping for 92 receptions, 1300 yards, 5 or 6 TDs

Nerfherders
ID: 64532914
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 14:30

for beastiemiked
3.07 Deuce McAllister, NO, RB

When I passed on the RB's in round 2 it was with the intention of picking one up in the round 3. I had my eye on Deuce hoping he'd somehow manage to make it back to me and he did. I guess everyone is scared that Bush will take too many touches and TD's away from Deuce. However, if healthy I don't see any reason why Deuce's numbers will drop off. Would've had a tough decision of Palmer came back to me. Also, considered Ahman Green but I already have a question mark back.

Nerfherders
ID: 64532914
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 14:33

3.8 TJ Houshmandzadeh, WR CIN

Another tough choice in round 3. The top 8 or so WR flew off the board so it was up to me to decide who would finish out the top 10. For some reason I really like the Housh this year. He's going to get more TD looks without Henry there, and he just seems to get better and better every season. Driver and Walker would have been great picks here too but I couldnt get past the Housh.

Greybear
ID: 447421813
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 14:50

3.09 Javon Walker, WR, DEN

The WR run started a bit earlier than I thought it would. I was going to draft "Houshmazili" while uttering the word "Championship" but he went right before my turn. So I turned my attention to Mr. Walker. I expect strong numbers from Javon this year. He was back from reconstructive knee surgery last year, learning a new offence and going through a few QB's, and still managed 69 receptions and over 1,000 yards. He should be back to full form this season (some scar tissue detached from his knee yesterday, which is a good thing) and will have a better understanding of the offence. He is the undisputed No. 1 receiver there. In sum, this was a relatively easy pick given the fact that some other choices were eliminated for me by then.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 15:50

3.10 Lee Evans, WR, Buf

I wanted to grab my first WR here. Coming into the pick, my short list also included Javon Walker, Houshmanzadeh, Driver, & Boldin. I’d have been satisfied with any of them.

youngroman
ID: 3751268
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 16:03

3.11 Donald Driver, WR, GB
after RB-RB the 3rd round is usually WR-time, unless Gates is still available.

the options left were: D Driver, R Moss, D Branch, P Burress and M Colston. all of them can be big but also have their issues (age, injury, wrong team, unproven).

I took Driver because he has a good track record. he may get older (like his QB), but old does not mean bad when I look at his stats of the last few years. with not many other options in Green Bay I see Driver seeing a lot of looks and being a permanent TD-threat. 1200yds with 10TD are not out of reach.

I also thought about the available QB of tier 2 (Brady, Bulger, Brees). until my next pick only 2 managers need a QB so I will get one of them in the 4th round.

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 599142218
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 16:43

for leggestand
3.12 Jerious Norwood, ATL, RB

With only one RB in the first two rounds, I felt like I had to go RB here. I started salivating a little as McAllister started dropping, and thought he was an ideal pick, but he was snatched up a couple picks before me. That left me with a couple options: Adrian Peterson, Ahman Green, Marion Barber, and Jerious Norwood. I thought long and hard about Ahman Green, but I just couldn't get over his age and how much he has burned owners in the past. I probably would of taken Peterson had I seen Friday's preseason game before my pick.

I thought taking Norwood would be a reach at 3.12, but he is "the guy" for me this fantasy football year. I am targeting him in all my leagues because I think he is a star in the making and I am willing to overpay for him. With a new coach and the QB "situation," I expect the Falcons to pound the ball 30 times a game. Even if Norwood splits carries, which I don't think he will be doing for the majority of the season, I think he should still get 15+ touches per game. It's also good that his main competition for the job is aging and had offseason back surgery.

Best 3rd Round Value: Deuce McAllister
Biggest 3rd Round Reach: Jerious Norwood

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 599142218
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 16:48

3.13 Marques Colsten, WR, NO

Since the team with the two intermediate picks already had two rb, I wanted to get my first receiver here knowing I would still have my pick of available rb's. Was really eyeing Javon Walker but he got snagged several ahead of me. Saw Colston was still available and was pretty highly ranked. I then did my due diligence and checked the latest news on him (see my Nick Johnson pick this year in RIBC AAA...) and he's been performing well this spring. So, pretty happy to get him here if he does anything close to what he did per game last season.

s R
ID: 861898
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 23:16

3.14 Tom Brady , QB, NE

I'm very happy with that pick. Always among the elites, this should be a big year for Brady with all of the new acquisitions at WR.

4.01 Andre Johnson, WR, Hou

I need some WR! Last year, Andre set career-highs in catches (103) and yards (1,147) to go with five touchdowns. That's ok.
He has a new QB this year, so hopefully will continue to improve.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 23:28

for Slackjawed Yokel
4.02 Marion Barber, RB, DAL

I needed my second RB here. Thought about Adrian Peterson and Jamal Lewis in addition to Barber. Barber's numbers from last year convinced me to go with him. Each of the guys has their question marks at this point, but Barber's a touchdown fiend. So, both of my running backs (Jones-Drew the other one) are not the primary backs, but stand to get most of the goal-line chances. And, hopefully since they're not getting all the carries, this'll help keep them healthy.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 23:28

for leggestand
4.03 Drew Brees, QB, NOR

Easy pick for me. My QB rankings were (1) Manning, (2) Palmer, (3-5) Brees, Brady, Bulger. Given the drop off in my mind between the 5th QB and the 6th, I knew I had to go QB. I thought the last three were pretty interchangable, and once Brady was taken by s R, I only had to decide between Brees and Bulger.

I really think that if both players stay healthy, Brees and Bulger will be within a couple points of each other by seasons end. They both play on turf, both have explosive offenses, and both have pretty bad defenses allowing for high scoring games. I took Brees simply for the possible injury risk with Bulger.

Best 4th Round Value: Randy Moss
Biggest 4th Round Reach: Jamal Lewis

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 23:28

for youngroman
4.04 Marc Bulger, QB, STL

for me Brady, Brees and Bulger are very very close this season. thats the reason why I waited until this pick and took the QB that was left.

Bulger is always good for 4000+ yards and 25 TD. his supporting cast improved in the off-season with a new WR and TE in town who both can catch passes. with an emerging Steven Jackson in the backfield I see the Rams putting up 30+ points every game. they will battle the Colts offense for most points scored and also their defense for most points allowed. this will be the year where the Rams bring back the greatest show on turf.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 18, 2007, 23:30

4.05 Donovan McNabb, QB, Phi

A pick with risk and upside. If we get the McNabb that started last season, he could be a top 3 QB. But can he finish a season?

The other QB I seriously considered was Vince Young. He was tempting – but that Tennessee offense is hard to evaluate. When McNabb goes down, I’ll wish I’d taken Young.

The other consideration was the Bears defense. I actually thought they might offer the best value at this pick, but figured they would still be around in round 5.

Greybear
ID: 43710116
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 09:37

4.06 Ahman Green, RB, HOU

I struggled with this pick... a lot! I was considering Bulger right around here for the reasons cited by his owner, and strength of schedule. Since he was gone by the time I picked I decided to address the RB situation again. My aim was getting a reliable substitute/backup. I would have preferred Adrian Peterson, but at this time, I was not sure how quickly he would get the starting job; If Friday night's game is an indication, he has it already. I wanted someone who would definately be starting weeks 4 and 5 (bye weeks) and AP could not be that guy (unfortunately). Ahman has had his share of probelms in the past with not completing full seasons, but my needs with respect to him are - hopefully - short term. I expect that he has at least one good season left in him.

Nerfherders
ID: 64532914
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 14:44

4.7 Randy Moss, WR NE

wow.. I had McNabb penned down for this spot even before the draft started. And even after Bulger and Brees went early in the round I thought for sure nobody else would take a chance on him in round 4. Alas! So I had to come up with a backup plan quickly, and I took a pick that was risky and a value pick all at the same time. Randy Moss has a QB to throw at him for the first time in 2 seasons, and if he overcomes his hubris and learns to play as a teammate, he will do extremely well.

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 15:35

for bmd
4.08 Vince Young, QB, TEN

Young was one of the guys I was targeting at the beginning of the draft. Everybody is so tainted by how bad Vick sucked as a fantasy QB that I think it causes Young to slip in drafts. I'm hoping Young does something that Vick never did, help fantasy managers win their league. Even when Young only throws for 100 yards his rushing yards should help him from putting up a complete stinker. Young was the only guy I considered. If he was gone I would've probably picked another WR but would've hated the pick.

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 15:36

for GoatLocker
4.09 Plaxico Burress, WR, NYG

Figured I'd give everybody heart failure by going RB, RB, WR, WR.
Thought for a little bit that Randy Moss was going to make it back to me as that is who I was targeting with this pick.

Not a huge fan of Burress, but was still in my second tier, and hopefully he will get a lot of looks this season.

Hoping for right around 60 receptions and 8-10 TDs.

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 15:36

for I_A_C
4.10 Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN

Trying to get this guy almost gave me a heart attack! I'd been watching him slip since early in the 3rd round, and really doubted that he'd make it to me. By the time 4.09 came arround I was actively looking to move up. I knew that Smith32, and Holt both needed a 2nd RB, and that he wouldn't make it back to me. To make things worse... Peterson goes and has a great game (in limited play) for Minny tonight, and I realize that the buzz would only add to his value. If Peterson keeps on performing through preseason, he'll probably be the Vikes #1 RB by week 1. Tallent+Opportunity+A great running O-Line, and a Team that thinks run first = My "Steal of the Draft". IMHO of course.

Best Pick of Round 4: 4.10 Adrian Peterson
Stretch of Round 4: 4.02 Marion Barber III

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 15:41

4.11 DeAngelo Williams, RB, CAR

After going RB-WR-WR, I felt I needed to solidify my team at RB before the pool of available RBs really dried up. Williams is somewhat of a speculative pick since he appears to have competition for the starting job, but I think he has enough talent to be serviceable. And if he becomes the feature back (via injury or success) I think he'll outperform this draft position. I didn't really consider anybody else here - I thought he was the obvious choice, given the roster I had at the time.

The Beezer
ID: 221092219
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 16:03

for holt
4.12 Jamal Lewis RB, CLE

Pretty disappointed that Adrian Peterson didn't make back around. Really wanted to draft him this year. Just 2 picks too late. I should have tried to trade up, especially after the performance he put on that night (bad timing). I'm an Oklahoma fan so I've been well aware for years of his skills. IAC, when I saw you traded up and took him, I wanted to punch you. You and Bags both.

Oh yeah. Jamal Lewis. He claims his legs are in much better shape this year. Seems like he's been around forever, but he's only 28 yrs old. He's expecting to even get in on the passing game. There's no one else in Cleveland to challenge his playing time. It's pretty much his team, and I've heard the Browns are a little more fiery this year. They'll still lose a lot, but maybe they'll suck less.

I'm very thankful that Lewis was available. He's great value at 4.12, and there was no other RB left that I could have drafted at this spot. Too early to take any committee members.

The Beezer
ID: 221092219
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 16:09

4.13 Hines Ward, WR, Pit

Definitely time to grab a WR, although if one of the QBs taken in the 3rd/4th round had fallen, I might have taken one of them instead. I identified Ward a half dozen picks before now as really the only player that I felt comfortable with as a #1 receiver at this point, so I was greatly relieved when he made it to me.

Ward is an unquestioned #1 in Pittsburgh, and I'm hopeful that Tomlin will carry through on his promise to open up the offense a bit. Also, I'm hopeful that the QB will not be as much of a screwball this year as last.

Getting Ward at this slot makes me feel a lot better about grabbing Gates in the third.

The Beezer
Dude
ID: 191202817
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 20:26

for Bags
4.14 Reggie Brown, WR, PHI
5.01 Deion Branch, WR, SEA

I could have drafted Peterson here; he was the player at the top of my queue when I offered to trade with I_A_C. Coming up on my pick at 14.10 I had a feeling that Beezer would be taking two WR’s. I had Ward, Brown, and Branch left before my next WR drop-off. I traded to move between Beezer to guarantee two of the three WR that I wanted.

I like both Brown and Branch because of their solid QB situation and that both of them will be the #1 WR on their team. Both have the potential to score 10 TD with about 1200 yards receiving.

The Beezer
Dude
ID: 191202817
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 20:38

5.02 Santana Moss, WR, WSH

Nothing compelling has changed at QB or RB that made me want to pull the trigger, as I expect my next RB pick would slide a bit more. That meant my next WR on my board was the pick here.

Expectations last season in many quarters were that the 700-page playbook Al Saunders was bringing to D.C. would hamper the offense for a year before they would really get used to it. That's exactly what happened, but for some reason many seem to have forgotten all about that when it comes to evaluating the Washington passing offense. With the QB situation settled for now and a year's experience in the new offense, I expect Moss to return to the form he showed in 2005 and be a great WR2 for my team.

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 21:02

for holt
5.03 Calvin Johnson, WR, DET

Went for my 3rd WR here. Coles, Edwards, and D.Jackson were available, along with a few other 2nd tier guys, but I like the upside of Calvin Johnson. He's a phenomenal athlete with a great work ethic in the most pass happy offense in the NFL. I think 1000 yards and 8 td's are a very safe bet, while numbers like 1400 yds/14 td's are within the realm of possibility. So yeah, I drafted Johnson as an upside pick.

from wiki:
Johnson has a rare combination of size (6 ft. 5 in., 239 lb), speed (4.35 sec 40-yard dash), strength, leaping ability (more than 45" (114 cm) vertical),[1][2] body control and hand-eye coordination. It is often mentioned that he is also a very humble and well-behaved person, exemplified by his building trip (see below), and his refraining from showing off or getting into confrontations on the field.

Johnson ultimately allowed the 4.35 to speak for itself and wowed scouts with his jump drill results, his receiving skills, and his 11 ft 7 in (3.53 m) broad jump, which is "best broad jump I can ever remember an NFL prospect having," according to Gil Brandt.

The contract that Johnson signed made him the highest paid player in Lions history. It also made him the highest paid (in guaranteed money) receiver in the NFL. So yeah, he's goin to play and be a major part of the Lion offense right away. It's hard to describe how relieved I was when he was still available.

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 21:03

5.04 Julius Jones, RB, DAL

My queue was JJ, Baltimore, Chicago. I probably should have taken one of those defenses, but I thought the RBs really went downhill after JJ. I think Jones will get plenty of touches in a decent offense, and even if Barber takes the goal line carries, I think Jones can put up enough points to have fantasy value.

Here's what Rotoworld posted on Jones's page from the Dallas Morning News:

"Julius Jones has been getting more carries inside the red zone and catching more passes on third downs during Cowboys training camp."

"Those duties were Marion Barber's under Bill Parcells. While no one is likely to dominate carries in Dallas' backfield, Jones should wind up with more touches than Barber. If Jones starts swiping some third-down/goal-line duties, he's seriously undervalued in fantasy leagues."

I hope they're right.

I_AM_CANADIAN
Donor
ID: 1361448
Sun, Aug 19, 2007, 21:33

5.05 Baltimore Ravens, DEF, BAL
Ravens Defense finnished last year as the 4th highest ranking "player" in our league (ahead of Peyton Manning). It avg'd 19.5ppg. From what I could see in Pre-season… they look like there still going to be among the best this year. I only had "da Bears", ranked within there tier as well, but felt that they had lost of a lot more pieces to the puzzle in this off-season. That said, GreyBear I think also realized just how important TeamD was last year, and went and grabed Chicago before anyone else could.

Best Pick of Round 5: 5.05/5.09 Baltimore/Chicago DST
Stretch of Round 5: 5.07 Mark Clayton

beastiemiked
ID: 65112917
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 02:48

for GoatLocker
5.06 Laveranues Coles, WR, NYJ

Wow, the earth just stopped spinning and started going backwards.
I just hope my changing up this much doesn't kill me.
RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, who kidnapped GoatLocker.
Really liked this pick at this point in time.
Had been looking at taking a QB in the 4th or 5th, but when the front end all stayed away from QBs, I felt like I could wait til round 6 and still get my pick of several QBs I wanted. So, the best WR I saw at the time was Coles. Think he still has a real good shot at having another real good season.

beastiemiked
ID: 65112917
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 02:54

5.07 Mark Clayton, WR, Bal

I've had Clayton on just about every fantasy team I've had since he was a rookie. He's got the potential to be a stud #1 WR but he's stuck in a lackluster offense. He's entering his magical 3rd season which is when it seems all WR's bustout. I thought about the Bears D here but decided I really needed to get a 2nd WR.

Greybear
ID: 43710116
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 08:46

for Nerfherders
5.08 Matt Hasselbeck, QB, SEA

This might have been from not getting my man in the 4th round but I really didnt want to wait on QB any longer. Hasselbeck suffered greatly from his receivers last year and hopefully they get a more solid catching group to support him. He's a solid QB - He could probably produce as high as top 4 but I would be happy with top 10.

Greybear
ID: 43710116
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 08:54

5.09 Chicago Bears, DEF, CHI

Two out of the top ten fantasy players last year were defences. I_A_C liked the Ravens (thank goodness), and it just so turns out that I prefer da Bears. I feel that the Raven's D centres around a certain player a lot, and that he is not getting any younger. As you get older, usually, your skills erode.

Frankly, I was hoping to start a bit of a defensive run going so that certain players such as Darrel Jackson or Braylon Edwards would still be available to me on the way back up in 6th round: Wishfull thinking. However, I saw myself having to choose between good but average players at WR while I could go out and get myself a stud D. I chose the D.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 09:48

5.10 DeMeco Ryans, LB, Hou

I had hoped to get the Bears defense here, and was bummed when they were snapped up one pick ahead of me. Of course, that happens a few times in every draft. But it always hurts. In retrospect, I probably should have nabbed them in round 4, and then settled for a QB here.

No other defenses make sense here (with Baltimore also gone), so I went through a deeper look at each position. I don’t like any of the remaining RBs as my 3rd RB in round 5. At WR, there are a lot of comparable receivers, and I think I can get decent relative value later on. Still too early for a TE, with only Gates off the board.

That leaves IDP. It may be a tad early, but with 6 slots, we have to start sometime soon. Last year, Ryans ranked 2nd in total points for linebackers, with a gaudy 126 solo tackles – as a rookie. There may be a few other LBs who will put up comparable total points, and maybe Ryans shouldn’t even be the first LB taken, but what if he gets even better in his sophomore year?

Maybe he would have slipped another round or two, but I already played that risk with the Bears and got burned. Fool me once, shame on you…

youngroman
ID: 3751268
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 13:49

5.11 Braylon Edwards, WR, CLE
as my pick came due I hoped that the Chicago Defense would fall. it didn't. I have my starters at QB and RB filled and the talent at TE or IDP isn't worth a 5th round pick.
so it was time for a 2nd receiver. my list came down to (in that order): Coles, Clayton, Edwards, Galloway, Jackson, Glenn, Holmes, Chambers, [undrafted]. the first 2 were gone so Edwards was my choice. he has the same bye as my #1 receiver but who cares. I have a few weeks time until week 7 to take care of that problem.

Edwards is on his way to 1100 yards and 7 TD this year. the only problem I see is the QB situation in Cleveland, but I don't think that this should affect Edwards performance too much.

leggestand
Leader
ID: 451036518
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 14:15

5.12 Tatum Bell, RB, DET

I am still sitting pretty light at RB with Norwood and McGahee, so, I need to get a third. Right now, Bell is likely the starter in Detroit, and the previous starter has an injury that usually takes 12 months to heal (injury happened in December of last year). Going into week 1, Bell will probably be my RB2 over Norwood and has a chance to stay as my RB2 if he can finally reach the "expectations" people have been talking about since he was drafted by Denver. In the Detroit offense, the RB is a big piece of the system, so, assuming [undrafted] doesn't come back for a while, I expect good things from Bell.

Best 5th Round Value: Julius Jones at 5.04
Biggest 5th Round Steal: Vincent Jackson at 5.14

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 599142218
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 14:46

5.13 Darrell Jackson, WR, SF

I was definitely targeting another offensive skill position here. Unfortunately, no one out there really stood out for me. None of the RB seemed a sure bet, and I already have two. With only one WR at this point, I looked through who was out there. I looked seriously at Jackson and Joey Galloway; because of the uncertainty in the QB situation in TB, I opted for Jackson. He should be the main guy in SF, and if he stays reasonably healthy should have another 1000 yard season. Picking very near the end, I also recognized it might be time to get one of the top TE's, but figured I'd get one in three picks.

s R
ID: 861898
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 15:05

After using my 3rd pick for Brady I felt I needed to go for some relievers:
5.14 Vincent Jackson, WR, SD
Vincent is entering his third season in the NFL, which is typically the breakout year for WRs. The Chargers are counting on Jackson to be their No. 1 WR. (I count on him No. 3 after LT and Gates.)

6.01 Joey Galloway, WR, TB
He is pretty much the Bucs' only reliable receiver. His solid conrtibutions over the last two seasons combined with the upgrades the Bucs made at QB and O-line, Galloway should be good enough for another year.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 15:57

for Yokel
6.02 Tony Gonzalez, TE, KAN

Last year in AAA, I drafted Shockey early in the fifth round, and having a stud TE in a 14 team league was huge. As I saw it, the second tier of TE consists of Gonzalez, Shockey, and Heap. Gonzalez is essentially the main target in KC - he gets 900 yards year-in year-out. I left a one-man queue of TG - had he been picked I probably would have taken Shockey again. After the fact it was good to see a TE run of sorts happen.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 15:58

for leggestand
6.03 Chris Chambers, WR, MIA

Wow, Chris Chambers really stunk last year. I have to imagine his numbers will be better this year with a more consitant QB, but he does still have a case of the dropsies. I just got to believe that a guy with the raw skills of Chambers will have a solid year like 2005 and will get over last season's debacle.

It sounds like he should be able to beat the DUI charge against him, but that does give me a little concern with Goodell at the helm.

Best Value in 6th Round: Tony Gonzalez at 6.02
Biggest Stretch in 6th Round: Pretty solid round overall, but if I had to choose I would say Fred Taylor at 6.14

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 15:59

for youngroman
6.04 Todd Heap, TE, BAL
as this pick came due there were only a few positions to go
a) 3rd RB - I want no bench player in the 6th.
b) 3rd WR - there are a few options still out there
c) Defense - Ravens and Bears are gone. after this 2 there is a dropoff. no need to get one now
d) IDP - I thought about it but with only Guru getting one until this pick and a huge depth I have no need to pick one early. I don't think that an IDP is worth a 6th or even a 7th round pick this year. I guess more managers will draft one until my next pick is up but that is their problem, not mine.
e) TE - I saw a few options too

that leaves me with either WR (Galloway, Chambers, Holmes) or TE (Heap, Shockey, Gonzalez). both in that order. I see all of them score 7-8 points per game. Galloway was my first choice because he is the best player, then Heap and Shockey simply because they are tightends. it turned out to be Heap.

Heap is a master of consistency, so he should get me around 800 yards and 6TD, like he did on average in the last 5 years.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 16:00

6.05 Jeremy Shockey, TE, NYG

Second time in a row that my target was snapped up one pick ahead on me!

I had preferred Heap, but Shockey should put up similar numbers. I had him last year, and after a slow start, he was a decent contributor most weeks, in spite of frequent appearances on the injury report.

I could have gone with a 2nd WR here, but Shockey should put up points almost as good as those expected from the top WRs on the board, so it would seem to make sense to go with the more difficult position now. I don’t think I’m getting great value with this pick, but I am getting fair value.

I’m already feeling like this draft has gotten the better of me. If I had decided before pick #5 that I would be taking a TE in round 6, I probably would have taken my preferred TE (either Gonzo or Heap) in round 5 rather than waiting, as I suspect Ryans would have still been around now. I’m also second guessing my decision to wait until #5 for the Bears instead of grabbing them in round 4. Unfortunately, I’ve been left in a reactive mode, rather than a proactive mode. Hopefully that will change soon.

In any event, I feel like I have a reasonable foundation from which to build. Last year I survived what turned out to be a pretty dismal opening few picks – so I’m still upbeat about this year.

Greybear
ID: 43710116
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 17:02

6.06 Keith Bulluck, LB, TEN

All of the WR that I had targeted for this round went a few picks ahead of me. So I thought I was better off going with a stud LB than an average WR or above average - yet not tier 1 - TE. With respect to projected points, Bulluck should get me more points than anyone else I could have picked at the TE and WR position. I felt that I could hold off on WR and get better value in my next round (which, in my humble opinion, turns out to be true with Berrian at 7.09). I felt that it was time to pick a LB as one already went off the board in the previous round and I thought a run might start. Personally, I like Bulluck better than Ryans so why not go get the guy I like. I also wanted to generate somewhat of a run on them so some of my other much needed positions would be left alone. It kind of worked.

Nerfherders
ID: 501035289
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 17:30

6.7 Alge Crumpler, TE ATL

The TE run started earlier than I thought - it seems all the runs have gone within 4-6 picks of my upcoming pick. I wish I could start a run instead of finishing one. Anyways, I went with Crumpler here because after the 2-5 TE's, there is a huge dropoff in production. Crumpler is good but not spectacular, and I'll be banking on some more endzone looks to make up the difference.

Bags
ID: 2500120
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 20:22

for beastiemiked

6.08 Chris Cooley, TE, WAS

Really happy to get Cooley here. I really don't see any drop off between him and the other TE's taken just before I picked. This was another spot where if Cooley didn't fall to me I'd be left clueless on who to pick.

Bags
ID: 2500120
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 20:23

for GoatLocker

6.09 Jon Kitna, QB, DET

Well, was time to get a QB, as I really didn't feel comfortable about trying to wait until the 7th round.

There were two QBs I was looking at with this pick. Kitna and Romo. I sure hope I went the right way.
Just not sure Romo is for real yet.
Really think Kitna has a shot at scoring in the top 2 or 3 for QBs, so felt real good about getting him in the 6th round.

Bags
ID: 2500120
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 20:27

6.10 London Fletcher-Baker, LB, WAS

He is right there with Bullack and Ryans as the best. Changing teams and schemes will not hurt him; the man simply tackles the guy with the ball.

I was planning on taking a TE, but the run on TE emptied the well. I decided to get in on the beginning of a run instead of the end.

Smith32
Sustainer
ID: 139592519
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 20:41

6.11 Tony Romo, QB, DAL

Romo was the last remaining member of a tier of QBs on my cheatsheet containing Kitna, Young, and Hasselbeck, and I knew that everyone drafting behind me still needed a QB. So I took a chance on Romo. He certainly has a good supporting cast around him, so hopefully he can build upon the success he had last year (sans the N.O. game and the botched hold in the playoffs). If TO can hold onto the ball, that will help too. I don't think he's a bad value as the 9th QB taken, but hopefully Vernon Davis doesn't make me regret this pick.

The Beezer
Dude
ID: 191202817
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 21:34

for holt
6.12 Philip Rivers QB SDG

Already had 2 rb and 3 wr. Set my queue for Kitna, Rivers, Romo. I really wanted Kitna, Rivers I'm ok with, glad I didn't get Romo.

Not a lot to say about Rivers. Had a solid year in his first time around as a starter. 61.7%, 3388 yds, 22 TD, 9 INT. Good offensive team. I'll be happy if he reproduces those numbers.

The Beezer
Dude
ID: 191202817
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 21:40

6.13 Donte' Stallworth, WR, NE

I tend to favor a shotgun approach to the wide receiver position, as I have never been very good at predicting who will do well at the position. It's not terribly difficult even in this league to find serviceable WR3s on the waiver wire that can score 5 points a week and fog a mirror, so I tend to swing for the fences at this point of the draft.

Stallworth is moving on to his third team in four seasons, yet he's been fairly consistent the last 3 years, averaging about 9 FPs/game. I think he's in a great situation this season and feel there is a good chance that he and Moss turn our to be more equitable than most think by the middle of the season. Or not - as I said, shotgun approach.

I_AM_CANADIAN
Donor
ID: 1361448
Mon, Aug 20, 2007, 21:43

6.14 Fred Taylor, RB, JAX
RBs being important as they are, I decided to back them up at least once before I continue on filling out my starters. I'm far from being sold on "Fragile Fred", but as long as he's the #1, he'll get plenty of touches and yards for the Jags. Apparently he's seen a little goal line work recently too, which is a nice surprise. I doubt he'll be sole option in the red zone, but even a piece of the pie could be good for the team that runs the ball so much.

Best Pick of Round 6: 6.09 Jon Kitna
Stretch of Round 6: 6.07 Alge Crumpler

Forum: footPage 4893Subject: RIFC 2007: Draft Rationales #1 (Round 1-6)

Forum: foot
Page 4893
Subject: RIFC 2007: Draft Rationales #1 (Round 1-6)