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Subject: RIFC 2008: Draft Rationales #1 (Rounds 7-13)

Posted by: Guru - [330592710] Wed, Aug 20, 2008, 16:24

Continuing for the next six rounds.

Rationales for rounds 1-6

Smith32
Leader
ID: 017103420
Wed, Aug 20, 2008, 17:01

7.01 Donovan McNabb QB PHI

This was the Skins fan "homer-hedge" pick. McNabb has struggled with injuries, and his best receiver is a RB. But the Eagles offense is still pretty potent, and I think McNabb has one more good year in him. If not, good news for the Skins. I also considered Chris Johnson here, but decided to gamble and hope he made it back to 8.14 (which he didn't). I also considered Joey Galloway, but decided he is really old, he has the same bye week as Moss, and I'm convinced his middle initial is "Q" because there's a big "Q" next to his name every week, and that drives me nuts when making lineup decisions.

da Bomb
Leader
ID: 017103420
Wed, Aug 20, 2008, 17:02

7.02 Chester Taylor RB MIN
Insurance for Adrian Peterson. If Peterson were to go down, I might not even lose that much as Taylor is very productive in his own right. However, it is of course my hope that Taylor won't start any games for me this year.

Bags
Leader
ID: 017103420
Wed, Aug 20, 2008, 17:03

7.03 Chris Cooley TE WAS

I drafted Cooley here over some WR’s I had rated ahead of him because I didn’t really like the TE’s rated after him. I wanted to have a TE who is going to be involved in the offense. The last three years he has finished 4th, 5th, and 6th in fantasy points for TE’s. That is what I want out of my TE position, plug him in and forget about him.

I_AM_CANADIAN
Leader
ID: 017103420
Wed, Aug 20, 2008, 17:04

7.04 Devin Hester WR CHI

The most prolific returner in the NFL. He like Ginn, is going to be featured more in the offence this year… so even if he can attain the same level of production as last year, then I'm more than happy. Last year he ranked 11th WR in our league... for the 34th WR drafted, that's exceptional value.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Wed, Aug 20, 2008, 17:10

7.05 Patrick Crayton WR DAL

I thought Crayton would make it back to me. I wasn't sure if I wanted to take 2 Cowboys back-2-back, but I decided he was the best option available IMO so I went ahead and grabbed him. The pickings are getting a little slim at starting WR at this point and Patrick will see plenty of balls from Romo this year as teams try to shut down TO & Witten.

Having to start 3 WR in this league requires you to have at least 4 on your team to cover bye weeks and getting starters is imperative to scoring points every week. Now if only I can keep at least 3 of them healthy at a time.

holt
ID: 425869
Wed, Aug 20, 2008, 18:10

7.06 Rashard Mendenhall RB PIT

Another roll of the dice. Has a good chance at getting the goal line carries. Will probably gain more playing time as the season goes along, and if FWP goes down he could be huge. Good hands, quick feet, ability to make em miss or run em over. Only question is playing time but hey, it's the 7th rd, not the 2nd.

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 425869
Wed, Aug 20, 2008, 18:16

7.07 David Harris, LB, NYJ

Well, once again surprised that it almost already made it back to me, I started doing some last-minute research. (of all places, I was doing this at work at 11pm as I had to come back in to work on this project that's killing me..) I had decided to get Rashard Mendenhall who of course holt picked when I refreshed kafenatid. I then spent 20 minutes flip-flopping on who to pick. Felt the available RB's and WR's weren't going to be much better than guys I might get in a round or two. (It turned out these guys went soon thereafter -Ricky Williams, Joey Galloway, Shockey) So I went a completely different direction with Harris. I actually picked him up last year off the waivers, so he gets quite the promotion to rejoin my squad.... Hopefully he'll continue averaging 8-10 tackles a game.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Wed, Aug 20, 2008, 20:18

7.08 Joey Galloway, WR, TB
I not thrilled with getting a 37 year old for my WR2, but I’m doing it anyway. Hopefully, I get consistent performance without too much dropoff from the last couple of years.

I remember stewing over Galloway as a potential pick last year, and ended up going elsewhere. I also remember having a pitiful receiving crew last year, and wishing on several occasions that I had taken Galloway. So I guess I won’t look the gift horse in the mouth this year.

If David Harris had lasted to this pick, I might have taken him. But probably not. I really wanted to get a better receiving corps than I had last year, and yet I’m the last team to take my second WR. Some teams already have 4. So I felt like I had to grab the best WR on the board at this point, and Galloway is my choice.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:50

for Slowhand
7.09 San Diego Chargers DEF
Had Crayton or Mendenhall dropped to me here I would have happy but I did have San Diego ranked #1 in team defense and was very happy to get them here.

One of the top 3 defenses (#1 in takeaways IMO the most important team def. stats) in any scoring system last year they return 10 of 11 starters and Weedle is a definate upgrade at saftey. To top it all off a pretty easy schedule should add up to a top defensive scoring year.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:50

for letterj
7.10 Todd Heap TE BAL
Over the course of his seven-year career, Heap has played 16 games four times. And in each of those seasons, he has been a top four fantasy football tight end. Ergo, WHEN healthy, Heap is an elite TE.

New head coach John Harbaugh has said that Heap will be even more involved in the Ravens offense this year than he has been in the past.

I have had success drafting TEs in later rounds in the past in the RIFC qualifying leagues. However, coming off the injuries last year, I thought Heap was undervalued (as the seventh TE to be drafted this year) and decided to take a swing for the fences. Later on, I will draft another TE with high upside due to Heap's injury history.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:51

for fugazi
7.11 New England Patriots DEF
I hate the Patriots but I wanted a top defense that I wouldnt have to play matchups up with. They are top 3 on any cheat sheet you look at this year.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:51

for Tree
7.12 Jeremy Shockey TE NOR
I had decided to fill the WR/TE flex spot at this point, and looking around, there weren’t any WRs i really wanted to take here. There were some decent WR3s still out there, but i felt the production potential of Shockey with Brees throwing to him outweighed any of the other WRs left. Also – both of the guys picking between this and my next pick had 3 WR and zero TE, so i felt that a TE was more apt to go to one of them.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:51

for Nerfherders
7.13 Ricky Williams RB MIA

About a minute before submitting my queue for this round I had read that Williams was named the regular season starter in MIA. Considering 36 RB’s were off the board at this point, finding a starting RB is quite an accomplishment. He should be a solid fill-in and perhaps an every week starter should one of my other RB’s fail.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:52

for Electroman
7.14 Vernon Davis, TE, SF
Looking at the tight ends that were left on the board, I figured that I would go with one here. I was actually hoping to get Shockey here, but to my surprise he was taken a few picks earlier. Davis was a second choice, because of Martz going to SF. Martz should use him a lot in his offense. He is also in his third year, a year that receivers come into their own.

8.01 Brian Urlacher, LB, Chi
This was the point in the draft that I was looking to draft my first IDP. Looking over the available players, I decided to go with Urlacher. One of the top LB’s in the NFL, has big play capability. He preformed well for me last year, scored high points quite often. Contract demands are behind him also, so that won’t be a distraction.<

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:53

for Nerfherders
8.02 Keith Bulluck LB TEN

Last year I waited to take LB’s and they struggled all season. I did not want to do that this year, and since my main positions had been taken care of it was time to work on the defense. Bulluck is a very consistent performer at LB and should provide more of the same this year.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:53

for Tree
8.03 Anthony Gonzalez WR IND
As fast as WR were going, i felt i had to grab someone for my bench. I had looked at Gonzalez with my previous pick, but went TE for the reasons above. Since he was still available here, it seemed a no brainer.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:53

for fugazi
8.04 Matt Hasselbeck QB SEA
Pretty good numbers last year. Im a little concerned about his receivers but who knows. I also have Delhomme so I dont have all my eggs in the Seahawk basket.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:54

for letterj
8.05 Jon Beason LB CAR
"The Beast" is a tackling machine, having posted 120 combined tackles last year despite not being a starter at the beginning of the season. In past years, Dan Morgan has, when healthy, posted huge tackle numbers playing the same position as Beason.

Seven LBs have now been drafted, so it is right around when I had, pre-draft, decided to plunge into IDPs. In my opinion, Beason is the best left on the board, as he is most likely to finish among the Top 10 IDP LB this year.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:54

for Slowhand
8.06 Chris Johnson RB TEN
This will go down as my first "sleeper" pick. Although I had stashed (thinking rnd 9) him at the back of my queue 5 of the 7 picks before me were in my queue and he was selected. Not that I'm unhappy with having him.
I've never been a Lendale White fan and with Chris Henrys "issues" I was not surprised to see Ten. go RB with their 1st pick. And while I don't hold alot of stock in pre-season games Johnson has gotten a fair amount of work ( his 8.8 ypc did slip to 6.3ypc) and seems locked in as #2 RB. With his abilty I think he will be getting a lot of early down carries and while White may still see more goal line touches, Johnson has tremendous upside.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 10:58

8.07 London Fletcher, LB, Was

Time to turn to the defensive side of the ball.

Seven IDPs have been selected so far – 6 LBs and one DB. At this point, it looks to me like the next 15 LBs are projected to be within 1 fantasy point per game of each other. DB offers a bit more differentiation at the top, but I still have the next half dozen relatively comparably projected. At DL there is one name that stands out out at the top, and he seems to be the consensus #1 DL across the various sites that I review. And frankly, I was all set to take him. It wasn’t until I was almost done drafting the rationale that I convinced myself to go elsewhere. And when I get around to picking a DL, I’ll tell why (if I remember).

So I’m left with a choice of a LB or a DB. By the logic in my opening paragraph, you’d think I’d take a DB. But in general, LBs outpoint DBs, and since 3 of our IDP slots are flex, we can (and many times do) start as many as 4 LBs with only one DB. And if I’m going to look for as many as 4 LBs, I have to get started sooner than later.

The top LBs available include Fletcher and Barnett. Seems like a coin flip to me. Even though he’s the older of the pair, I’m going with Fletcher because of his later bye week (10) which should help roster flexibility, and because I’ve had good luck with him in past seasons.

Smith32
ID: 25751421
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 17:29

for Slackjawed Yokel
8.08 Alge Crumpler, TE, TEN
After seeing all the guys I convinced myself it was too early to pick in the last round go off the board, I remembered that you can't do that in this league. I liked Crumpler here better than the WR options on the board. Rather than wait a round and risk missing him like I did Shockey, I grabbed Crumpler here hoping in his new environs he harkens back to his glory days in Atlanta.

Smith32
ID: 25751421
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 17:29

8.09 Heath Miller, TE, PIT
Was hoping I could land Vernon Davis but he had just gone. Miller doesn't have the high ceiling that Davis has but he is serviceable, which is more than you can say of most of the TE's that were left at this point. I'm not expecting a lot of yards from Miller but he is a fair TD target and I can feel ok about starting him each week.

deepsnapper
ID: 25751421
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 17:30

8.10 DeSean Jackson, WR, PHI

I wanted to take a fourth WR here and given how well DeSean Jackson has been playing this preseason, I decided to take him here. Part of my decision was based on the injury problems that have beset the Eagles receivers which thrust Jackson into a starting spot instead of a slot position.

I was happy seeing his production at the slot. I hope he does as well split out. The recent sports hernia surgery of Kevin Curtis may keep him in the starting lineup for quite some time.

Smith32
ID: 25751421
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 17:31

For I_A_C
8.11 Pittsburgh Steelers, DEF

At this point in the draft, I have 3RB, and 4WR. I was starting to consider IDP for this pick, then thought it'd be better to aim for a solid TeamD instead. I figure I should be able to rely on them for a fair bit of conistency from week to week.

Smith32
ID: 25751421
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 17:31

for Bags
8.12 Maurice Morris, RB, SEA
As a Cowboy fan that has been spared to death by Julius Jones, I don’t have any doubt that as this season goes forward Morris will be the most productive back the Seahawks have this year. I think that Morris can get close to 1,000 yds rushing and 10 td’s.

Smith32
ID: 25751421
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 17:32

for Da Bomb
8.13 Jared Allen, DL, MIN
Like McGee, I feel Allen stands out significantly as the best player at his position, thus warranting this selection even if he is a DL. I've also read that Allen has lined up as a TE in some goal line situations, so the couple TDs he might accumulate make him all the more attractive.

Smith32
ID: 25751421
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 17:32

8.14 Ray Rice, RB, BAL

The "must-have insurance" for McGahee owners like me. After drafting McGahee, I learned a little more about why he fell out of Rd 2 - in addition to his knee surgery, apparently he showed up out-of-shape, management doesn't care for his work ethic, and Fanball had a nice little blurb about the Ravens potentially cutting him at some point. I think all of that is premature and McGahee may even be ready for Week 1. Rice has been impressive in the pre-season, and as long as these 2 don't split the carries 50/50, I should be ok.

9.01 Reggie Brown, WR, PHI

I'll confess I had Brown in the queue before I learned of Kevin Curtis's sports hernia, so this pick turned out better than I originally thought. I expected that Brown would compete with DeSean Jackson this season, and he probably still will, but hopefully that situation will sort itself out while Curtis is out. He is fighting a hamstring injury, which could be an issue if it lingers, but oh well, it's the 9th round. Two years ago Brown had 8 TDs, so hoping for a return to that form from a relatively young player doesn't seem like a bad gamble. More homer-hedging from the Skins fan.

Bags
ID: 23412218
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 18:01

for Da Bomb
9.02 Javon Walker,WR,OAK
Despite his struggles so far in camp, injuries, talk of retirement, and shaky QB, (anything else?) I feel Walker has enough upside to justify this late of a pick as my WR3. If healthy, Walker has studly talent but I don't expect studly numbers from him, though a man can dream, right?

Bags
ID: 23412218
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 18:02

9.03 Kirk Morrison, LB, OAK

I just wanted to stick with my plan of drafting a defensive player every other round. As everyone knows that LB position offers the highest potential for IDP points. I had him ranked in my top 5 for LB’s so I was glad to see him still available.

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 425869
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 20:46

for I_AM_CANADIAN
9.04 Jerious Norwood, RB, Atl
Norwood represented for me, the best player on the "board". I decided to forgo filling missing roster spots for taking him, so I hope I don't end up getting burned too bad; just over 1/3 of the way through the draft, I'm happy with what I got so far.

deepsnapper
ID: 425869
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 20:48

9.05 Eddie Royal, WR, Den

It was a fast turnaround and I guess my mind was stuck on WR so I punched the ticket again. Carrying 5 WR on a roster isn't that difficult when you conider you start 3 every week. Bye weeks are the killer. The word is out of Denver is Royal heeps the job at Split End even when Brandon Marshall comes back.

Watching the Cowboys scrimmage & play Denver last weekend allowed me to see how well Royal ran routes and caught the ball in traffic. If I've got 4-5 starting & productive WR out of the draft then I'm more than satisfied with my selections. They all can't be TO's or Randy Moss's

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 425869
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 20:48

for holt
9.06 Chris Perry, RB, Cin
Sweet timing on this one. The news that Rudi had no grip on the starting job came out shortly before this pick, and I was in dire need of more RB depth. I didn't have to ponder it very long. I've had Perry on my roster quite a few times in the past. If the poor guy can just stay healthy he'll be a solid starter.

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 425869
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 20:53

9.07 Dallas Cowboys, Def

The Cowboys look to be one in the top 5 or so of team defenses. I didn't want to be stretching later for a defense so I locked them down here. With some of their offseason additions they should put some additional pressure on their opponents.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Aug 21, 2008, 21:32

9.08 Nick Barnett, LB, GB
My second IDP. Barnett was on my short list last round, and now I have two top-10 linebackers locked up.

I considered a top DB, but decided to continue to emphasize the more productive LB position for now.

On the offensive side, I still lack a WR3, but am content to wait for now.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 09:41

for Slowhand
9.09 David Garrard QB Jac.
I was very tempted to make a def. player pick here but with only a couple of QBs I felt comfortable with I took Garrard. I've had very good luck drafting QB's in later rounds ;I grabbed Farve last year about this spot and that turned out well ;). A bit of a hunch pick, Garrard played quite well last year and while his recieving corp doesn't thrill me; a great running game, another year of experiance with his health issues behind him, and his very low interception rate does.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 09:41

for letterj
9.10 Chicago Bears DEF CHI
It seems that every year two or three defenses are predicted to be really bad and end up playing great. Thus, defenses are, by and far, are crapshoot. That said, when healthy as a unit, Da Bears' defense is stout.

I am satisfied with this pick where it is made...although I will draft another defense soon.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 09:41

for fugazi
9.11 Tony Scheffler TE DEN
A lot of TE's were already off the board. Scheffler has a lot of talent as a receiver. Unfortunately he plays for Shanahan and you never know how he will be used -- as in, on the sideline watching some bigger TE run and pass block.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 09:42

for Tree
9.12 Ahmad Bradshaw RB NYG
Perhaps a huge stretch here, but i was feeling desperate for a bye week RB, and there wasn’t anyone left. That’s all this was – a desperation pick, and i hope i don’t regret it.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 09:42

for Nerfherders
9.13 Sean Jones DB CLE

A pure tackling type DB, he should be a good scorer in this system, especially if teams continue to put the balls up in the air against them. In my eyes he was the best available player at this spot.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 09:43

for Electroman
9.14 Justin Fargas RB OAK
Figured that it would be about time to grab a third RB. Fargas is among a group of talented RB’s in Oakland. He is from what I have read, #1 on the depth chart. So he should be an integral part of the offense.

10.01 Donte' Stallworth WR CLE
Wasn’t really wanting to draft a WR here, but with the injury to Curtis, and Smith already missing two games to start the year, I had to draft one. Stallworth won’t attract as much attention as his other teammates, so he should be a more open target for the QB. I expect him to put up similar stats to last year.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 09:43

for Nerfherders
10.02 Vincent Jackson WR SDG

The #2 WR for SD, Jackson is a pretty good play-maker with some upside.A pretty safe pick for a #4 WR at pick #128. Considering about 6 WR in a row went in the early half of this round, I figured I did pretty well.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 09:44

for Tree
10.03 Seattle Seahawks DEF
Nearly half the teams had defense at this point, and while i was looking at who was left, i saw Seattle was still available. I don’t think they get much recognition, but i also think that’s going to change this season. I think they’re going to be one of the top Defenses available, so i snagged them.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 09:45

for fugazi
10.04 Derrick Mason WR BAL
Like Ward I was surprised Mason made it back to me. Some hills are younger than him but you wouldnt know it by the 1100 yards and 5 td last season. A nice WR4 behind Moss, Edwards, and Ward.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 12:49

for letterj
10.05 Bryant Johnson WR SFO
This offseason, Johnson, a former first-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals, who was stuck behind Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, signed a one-year, incentive laden, free-agent contract with the 49ers. While in Arizona, Johnson had more than 40 catches, four years in a row, and now he gets a chance to catch balls in a Mike Martz offense - an offense that throws the ball a LOT.

It's time to look for a #3 receiver (provided I hit earlier with Fitzgerald and Harrison!), and to add a WR to the roster with the size, speed and skill set to be a true #1 receiver in the 10th round is, IMHO, a low risk, high upside pick.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 12:49

for Slowhand
10.06 Isaac Bruce WR SF
Probably the biggest mistake I always make in RIFC leagues is postpone Def. player picks too long but even with Defensive players flying off the board I couldn't pass on Bruce reunited with Martz.
Much of the 49ers recieving corp is banged up and while some younger players have looked good in pre season;to get a veteren #1 WR this late in the draft; even on a poor team was too good to pass up.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 12:55

10.07 Muhsin Muhammad, WR, Car

Hmmm... I really would rather wait on a third WR, but they’ve been flying off the board lately, and like me, three other teams also have only two WRs – and all of them pick before my next pick.

Muhammad is admittedly a speculative pick, and not even assured of a starting role. Yet he will enjoy a much improved passing attack in Carolina (vs. his last few years in Chicago), and for at least the first two weeks, won’t be competing with Steve Smith for receptions. After that, we’ll see how things shake out. Maybe he can rekindle his Halcyon days with Delhomme.

If he doesn’t work out, maybe I can then nab someone like Marques Colston off the waiver wire, like I did a couple of years ago. (My Halcyon days!)

Adding Muhammad to other vets like Fred Taylor, Galloway, and London Fletcher probably gives my team a leg up on the “old guy” title. I’m not sure that’s such a good thing.

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 425869
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 13:19

10.08 EJ Henderson, LB, Min

I was all set to take Deuce McAllister here. I had marked off his name of on my spreadsheet, and was ready to put him into Kafenatid when I decided to be clever. I looked at what the first 7 teams had and saw they each had at least three running backs. So, I thought I could wait until my next pick to pick him up and could solidify my IDP's with another top LB. Immediately I started to have second thoughts and was afraid I had outsmarted myself. But, I do like EJ here - I'm expecting another 110+ tackles and 2-3 sacks.

holt
Leader
ID: 017103420
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 13:53

for holt
10.09 Will Witherspoon LB STL
Well, I needed to start on my IDP's, and I'm a big Rams fan. Not many Rams worth owning on the offensive side of the ball, and come to think of it, not many worth owning on the defensive side either. Here's one of em. Just crossing my fingers that the pain in his groin (yes) isn't anything to worry about.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 14:04

10.10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers DEF TAM

I thought I'd better turn my attention to defense for a change and I wanted to start with a defense and Tampa Bay not only offers a strong D, but an advantage in schedule with a week 10 bye.

Any Monte Kiffin defense is going to rely on pressure and the cover 2 to force you to be patient to beat them and that's where they've been successful in past as most QBs aren't patient enough to dint them to death. I'm hoping the same formula for success if still there for Tampa this year. Secret to Bucs success

I_AM_CANADIAN
Leader
ID: 017103420
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 17:29

for I_AM_CANADIAN
10.11 Matt Schaub QB HOU

Every year it seems I hold off before taking my 1st QB. I really like Schaub here because he runs a little, and I think he'll get a fair bit of yardage playing for a bad team. Hopefully his O-line will protect him better this year.

Bags
Leader
ID: 017103420
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 17:44

for Bags
10.12 Owen Daniels TE HOU
I still needed a #3 WR but didn’t see any available with the up side that I think Daniels has. He had 795yds and 4 tds without a healthy Schaub last year. A healthy and productive Schaub could give me a TE who I could use at my WR/TE flex position.

Da Bomb
Leader
ID: 017103420
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 17:45

for Da Bomb
10.13 Paul Posluszny LB BUF

Posluszny is my first LB and I think he's in for a big year after his rookie season was cut short as a result of injury. I think rotowire says it best with "as long as he stays healthy, he’ll be a tackling beast."

Smith32
Leader
ID: 017103420
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 17:46

for Smith32
10.14 Chris Brown RB HOU
This is one pick I wish I had to do over. Brown now has multiple injuries, and according to one source, he might get cut. I drafted him thinking he was more likely to start at RB for Houston than Ahman Green, and I hadn’t heard much of Steve Slaton when I did my preparation. Oh well. He was just a flier / bye-week fill-in anyhow.

Smith32
Leader
ID: 017103420
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 17:47

for Smith32
11.01 Lofa Tatupu LB SEA
I think Tatupu has been on my team the past 3 seasons. I like his consistent tackle numbers. He’s averaged 112 total tackles over the past 3 years, with some glory stats thrown in. And he’s only 25 years old.

Da Bomb
Leader
ID: 017103420
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 17:49

for Da Bomb
11.02 Jerry Porter WR JAX

Pretty good upside with Porter this year. Always had solid potential but it never seemed to work out in Oakland. Now he's the unquestioned #1 in Jacksonville so perhaps this is the year he puts in all together. If not, I could do worse for a WR4

Bags
Leader
ID: 017103420
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 17:50

for Bags
11.03 DeMarcus Ware LB DAL
If I didn’t draft Ware here I felt deepsnapper would get him at some point. Sorry.

I had Ware on my team last year and was pleased with his production. While he will have games where he disappears, more times than not Ware will produce double digits in points.

I_AM_CANADIAN
Leader
ID: 017103420
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 17:51

for I_AM_CANADIAN
11.04 Leon Washington RB NYJ

Another player that I didn't want to see slide any more. With an improved offence in NY, and a lot of talk of giving Leon more reps, I think he'll be one of the best RB5's (Post 10th round) taken.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 18:00

11.05 Shawne Merriman LB SDG

Shawne is my first foray into IDPs and I wanted to take a rush LB for the sack point potential. I was hoping Ware would come back to me, but knowing Bags' nickname in Kaffenatid is Dallas Homer, I should have known better and taken him in the 10th and not exposed him to Bags. Live and learn.

I'd hoped for a good season from Merriman, but today they announced on ESPN that he's got a PCL tear in his left knee and he's not sure if he's going to play. Surgery is a 7 month rehab so that's the season if he opts for that route. The team is encouraging rehab first so I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I word - UGH.
Merriman says he has ligament damage

holt
ID: 15621316
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 18:34

11.06 Mark Clayton WR BAL

Still only had 2 WR's. Had to start taking more. As an OU fan I've seen plenty of what he has to offer. Still waiting for it to translate over to the NFL. We'll see, or maybe we won't.

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 425869
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 19:39

11.07 Deuce McAllister, RB, NO

Phew, I would have been ticked off if I had missed out on Deuce. My scheme of skipping him last pick (see my 10.8 rationale) could have easily backfired seeing as 2 rb's were taken in the span since my last pick. After failing to pull the trigger on Ricky Williams and Mendenhall, I hadn't been enthralled with any of the backups that were out there my previous picks. I didn't want to wait too much longer to get my 3rd RB... and Deuce has a lot of potential upside depending on how he comes back from his injuries.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 19:48

11.08 Adrian Wilson, DB, Ari
Coming back from an Achilles injury. If healthy – and that’s the report – he should be a top tier DB once again, producing at a point level similar to the top LBs that are currently available.

I looked at three different rankings of DBs, and all had him listed #1. Not much more to it than that.

Slowhand
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:03

11.09 Karlos Dansby, LB, ARI

I really needed to get going on my IDPs at this point. I loaded up my queue and hoped for the best. I really hoped for Tatupu or maybe even Merriman (with the recent injury news I'm glad he didn't; sorry deepsnapper) with this pick. Dansby is another "potential" pick. He's had problems with injuries the last couple of years, but if he can stay healthy he may end up a top 10 LB.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:10

for letterj
11.10 Philip Rivers QB SDG
I am usually patient while waiting for QBs as well as TEs...but this year I waited a little too long, got burned and I am left to roster Rivers.

Rivers does, however, have lots of weapons at his disposal in the Chargers offense. And Drew Brees blossomed in his third year starting in San Diego. I've got my fingers crossed that Rivers does the same. Picking Rivers also means I will take a second QB pretty quickly.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:11

for fugazi
11.11 Jake Delhomme QB CAR
Can't be too sure of Hasselbeck, and I really think Delhomme is a great QB. OK, I think he's decent at least. 112 passer rating in 3 games last year. He wont do that this year of course but 25 TDs could happen.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:11

for Tree
11.12 Michael Boley LB ATL
It was at this point that i really needed to start getting some IDPs, because they were going quick. In fact, i was surprised at how quickly many of them had been drafted, so i knew i would be grabbing some LBs for this pick and the next, and I would get the best available. Here, it was Boley.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:12

for Nerfherders
11.13 L.J. Smith TE PHI

So this was the point I could not wait any longer to grab a TE. They seemed to be flying off the board way ahead of their value and I could not stand to take one earlier than this. If Smith is healthy he will be solid, as McNabb likes to go to the TE, especially in the red zone. Last year I picked Crumpler in the 7th round and it was a waste of a pick. He was barely better than replacement value. I wasnt going to get burned like that again, nor buy into a TE run.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:12

for Electroman
11.14 Mario Williams DL HOU
Wanted to start looking at IDP’s a bit more at this point of the draft. Having strong IDP’s are an important part of winning from week to week. I already had a LB, so I wanted a DL. Williams had a breakout year last year. He is turning into the stud DL that warrented the #1 overall pick. Over the last 7 games of the year, he picked up 10 of his 14 sacks. It shows that he progressed a lot last year. Here looking forward to another year of progression.

12.01 Bob Sanders DB INDI decided to gp back to back IDP here because of what I stated in the other rationale, IDP’s can help carry a team. So I picked another player from the team I love to hate. Sanders had a wonderful year last year, earning him DPY. He is an injury risk, but one worth taking.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:13

for Nerfherders
12.02 Green Bay Packers DEF

I really wasn't sure what to do with DEF this year as it doesnt seem any team can consistently be a top defense year after year, and there is always one team that comes out of nowhere to be good. Oftentimes a good DEF can be found on the waiver wire. That being said, I went with a defense here that was good last year, is oppurtunistic, plays against suspect offenses, and has some nice young players on it.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:13

for Tree
12.03 Thomas Howard LB OAK
No different than the previous rationale. I just knew i had to go with who i felt was the best one. Hopefully, Howard fits that bill…

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:14

for fugazi
12.04 Mike Peterson LB JAX
My first IDP this draft. Been burned a few times taking IDP too early. As long as he is on the field -- knock on wood -- hes a top 10 LB.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:14

for letterj
12.05 Ray Lewis LB BAL

I cannot believe RayRay is still on the board. Nineteen LBs have been drafted and Lewis is not one of them!I cannot believe RayRay is still on the board. Nineteen LBs have been drafted and Lewis is not one of them! WHEN HEALTHY, he is a tackling machine that generates steady points from the IDP position. It cannot be denied that the 33-year old Lewis has a lot of miles on him, and comes with some injury risk, but IMHO he's not done yet and will easily finish in the top 10 IDP-wise, IF he says healthy. WHEN HEALTHY, he is a tackling machine that generates steady points from the IDP position. It cannot be denied that the 33-year old Lewis has a lot of miles on him, and comes with some injury risk, but IMHO he's not done yet and will easily finish in the top 10 IDP-wise, IF he says healthy.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:15

for Slowhand
12.06 Brett Favre QB NYJ
I fully intended to make another Defensive pick here but I couldn't get away from Farve in the 12th. I picked him late last year and he almost single handedly got me in RIFC. I certainly don't expect that same type of year but he has some good recievers and I feel good with him as my back-up. And who knows....maybe lighting can strike twice.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 13:16

12.07 Bobby Engram, WR, Sea
The entire Seattle receiving situation is an enigma. Two of the leading receivers are recovering from injuries with uncertain return dates, and uncertain effectiveness when they do return.

On the other hand, I’m getting a reasonable discount Engram in round 12, and I don’t need a bye-filler until week 6, by when he should have returned. At that point, if he seems back to normal, he could easily be one of my starting three for the balance of the season.

Last year, Engram ranked #18 in total points at WR. He’s not a big play receiver, but he tends to get his fair share of points week by week, with four or more catches in 14 of 16 games. Receivers with similar production last season were drafted in the 5th and 6th rounds this year, so I think the discount is relatively attractive for a WR4 in round 12 who I can afford to warehouse during September.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 14:16

for Slackjawed Yokel
12.08 Reggie Williams WR JAX

Williams actually had 10 TD receptions last year, is only 25 years old, and is playing with an up-and-coming QB in David Garrard. All signs point to yes. (not that my magic eight ball is my only guidance…)

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 14:17

for holt
12.09 Rashied Davis WR CHI
At this point, I still need a lot of IDP, but I really think they are a dime a dozen. My WR3 spot is still way way open for competition. It just so happens on the evening of this pick that the Bears were playing on TV and Rashied has a huge game. It was confirmed during the game that he was probably going to be WR2, and there was basically just a bunch of garbage available at WR in our draft. Had it not been for that televised game I would have put off drafting him til rd 20, but I've been "robbed" of players a few times in the past because of big pre-season games so I erred to the side of caution and picked him up. He really did look smooth in that game, and his timing with Orton seemed to be right on. Just gives me another option at WR3 week to week.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 14:22

12.10 Barrett Ruud LB TAM

I wanted a tackle type linebacker ad Ruud fits the bill. He was the best choice IMO from about a half dozen in the same range for point totals. I liked him both for the scheme he's in and the hope a years more work in it should allow for less thinking and more reacting this season. Ruud can be a force if he just lets go and plays. I'm for letting go. lol

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 22:19

for I_AM_CANADIAN
12.11 Eli Manning QB NYG

Soooo…. Lemme get this right. The guy goes and wins a SuperBowl, and everybody is saying that he's now a fully developed NFL calibre QB, and yet, he's slipped to QB2 and going about 6 rounds later than he did in most drafts last year? Sounds like there is a lot of angry Patriots fans out there doing the rankings to me. With Eli/Schaub combination, I think I got myself a full-fledged QB committee going on, and should be able to play the matchups.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 22:19

for Bags
12.12 Zach Thomas LB DAL
Back to back Cowboys, someone might begin think I am a homer or something.

Before Zack was concussed last year he was averaging over 10 pts per game. I don’t expect him to be that productive this year (it would be nice) but I think he can be productive enough as my #3 IDP.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 22:21

for Da Bomb
12.13 Vince Young, QB, TEN

So I'm the last team to select a QB and a couple even have 2. Young took a step back last season after a decent rookie campaign. With Norm Chow out as OC, perhaps Young will be able to play more to his game this season. Young also runs a good amount, which is something that is favorable in this scoring format.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 22:24

for Smith32
12.14 Jacksonville Jaguars DEF JAX
Jacksonville was the last remaining team in my top tier of defenses. I don’t know what else to say about them. They have the last remaining rookie holdout, so hopefully he’ll get on the field and contribute before too long.

13.01 Benjamin Watson TE NWE
I figured I couldn’t go too much longer without a TE. I got caught in a backup TE run in another league and ended up with some real scrubs. I’ll take my chances with Watson in the high-powered NE offense. It is hard to make a case for him being much more than “serviceable”, but that’s all I’m looking for in a Rd 13 TE.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 22:25

for Da Bomb
13.02 Warrick Dunn RB TAM

Perhaps I could have grabbed him later, but I wanted to make sure I had him as insurance for Earnest Graham.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 22:26

for Bags
13.03 Kevin Walter WR HOU
At this point I am in dire need of a #3 WR. Whether or not I use Walter as a #3 WR or go with Daniels at TE/WR flex I haven’t decided. No matter what I still needed bye week coverage. Porter and R. Williams had come off of my queue and didn’t want to wait 28 picks to see players I had targeted go off the board.

I was trying to decide here between Walter and Rice (MIN). I was ultimately swayed by the fact that HOU could struggle to run the ball and might have to pass more to stay in games. I felt the opposite of that was true for MIN.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 22:27

for I_AM_CANADIAN
13.04 Steve Breaston WR ARI

Too early? Probably. I think I could have drafted him in the 15th + rounds, but I didn't want to take the chance. Should one of Boldin/Fitz go down, he becomes WR2 in a pass happy offense… and this guy has wheels. Now that Bryant Johnson has left for SF, he should have no problem breaking his WR41 ranking from last year.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 22:39

13.05 Lance Briggs LB CHI

I dipped into the linebacker pool for a 3rd time in a row to get Lance Briggs. He's in a contract year and I expect him to play well. It's funny how it contract season's players tend to put a little more effort into their play than in other years.

The best example of that was the season RB Sean Alexander had in 205 when he was the NFL MVP in his contract year and was awarded a $60M contract by Seattle in the offseason. He never was the same after that and is out of the league now. Contract seasons are important. I hope so in this case.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 23:09

for holt
13.06 D.J. Williams LB DEN
108 solos, 33 assisted last season. Just a solid MLB to help fill out my IDP's.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 23:10

for Slackjawed Yokel
13.07 Nate Clements DB SFO

Trying to fill out my starting lineup now. With DB being one of the thinner positions, Clements stands out with his ability to get tackles. Last season he had 92 to go along with 4 picks.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Aug 23, 2008, 23:10

13.08 Jonathan Vilma, LB, NO

My 3rd LB and 4th IDP.

I had Vilma on my 2005 RIFC team which won the championship, so the karma is good. Since that year, he’s been thorough a change in system and a knee injury, and his results have not lived up to the 2005 standard. Now on the Saints, I’m hoping that a change in system and a return to health can help us both relive 2005. His bye week fits nicely with the rest of my IDPs as well.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sun, Aug 24, 2008, 14:52

for Slowhand
13.09 Antonio Cromartie DB SDG
As always I feel I'm behind in defensive players, I thought Cromartie was a real value here. Last year as a 2nd year player he had 10 INT. in the 8 games he started. 16 starts = 20 INT. and a few TDs.??? I hope so. His tackle totals were not too great,but if Merriman is out for the year those totals may rise too. Going into his 3rd season; as the starter, I think his upside is tremendous.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sun, Aug 24, 2008, 14:53

for letterj
13.10 Indianapolis Colts DEF IND
As stated in my 9.10 rationale, defenses are a crapshoot. I felt that I needed another potential difference maker at the position and I am of the view that the Colts have the POTENTIAL to be a top-5 defense. I had a similar feeling last year about the Steelers and that worked really well. I have my fingers crossed...

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sun, Aug 24, 2008, 14:54

for fugazi
13.11 James Harrison LB PIT
The 2007 Steelers MVP will once again be a destructive force on the field. Tackling and sacking and knocking footballs into the air.

I apologize in advance if he accidentally kills anyone on any of your rosters.

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sun, Aug 24, 2008, 14:55

for Tree
13.12 Kerry Rhodes DB NYJ

[placeholder]

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sun, Aug 24, 2008, 14:56

for Nerfherders
13.13 Ernie Sims LB DET
As I said previously, I did not want to get left behind on LB this year and I figure Sims was a good candidate to get lots of tackles and be a solid contributor. IDP's are generally pretty boring picks so I dont get too excited over them. Just filling out the IDP slots!

deepsnapper
Leader
ID: 017103420
Sun, Aug 24, 2008, 14:58

for electroman
13.14 Washington Redskins DEF WAS
Third straight defensive pick. Wasn’t sure what to do here, so I looked over what was available. I was going to pick a DEF here if there was one that I liked. With the addition of Taylor, the defense took a step forward. Being an Eagles fan, I wasn’t happy about it, but in fantasy football, we have to take the best option. That is why I chose them.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Aug 25, 2008, 21:18

Rationales for rounds 14-18

Forum: footPage 5117Subject: RIFC 2008: Draft Rationales #1 (Rounds 7-13)

Forum: foot
Page 5117
Subject: RIFC 2008: Draft Rationales #1 (Rounds 7-13)