Drafting Football for Real? Get Ready.

One of the fun things about being a member of the fantasy industry is to be invited to play in a lot of leagues. The issue is since many of these leagues are open for the public to scrutinize and judge, the tough part is drafting four-to-five months before the start of any given season.

For example, we draft the Xperts Fantasy League as part of First Pitch Arizona, the first weekend in November, three-and-a-half months before pitchers and catchers even report.

Same with the Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA), where we draft for football in June, and baseball in January. This past week I was in Minneapolis for the summer FSTA conclave, so I did indeed get to draft in the illustrious FSTA B-League, which includes the likes of Inside Injuries, Rotoballer, the Fantasy Sherpa, and CBS Sports, drafted this week.

That means I was there, and though we are still a bit off from Training Camps going full bore, certainly football will be here before we know it.

I drafted in a 14-team PPR league, from the #5 slot, and with some help from my CreativeSports/Fantasy Football Advice mate, Dare Maybury, here is what we landed, and why. Remember though: this is no mock. It counts!

To see the full draft board, look here.

1. Antonio Brown (WR, Steelers): I knew having the #5 slot, that Todd Gurley, David Johnson, Le’Veon Bell, Ezekiel Eliot, or Brown would fall my way. I have never had Antonio in a full season before, so I hope he can keep it up!
2. Alex Collins (RB, Ravens): Weird. I knew with the #5 I would get someone good, and I took my chances with Brown, but, knowing I needed to now fill the RB slot, it did not occur to me  just how decimated the slot would be by the time my next pick, 18 players later, would arrive. So, rather than go humdrum. I took a gamble on Collins, who grabbed 343 of his 973 total yards the final month of the 2017 season hoping he is indeed the incumbent #1 RB.
3. Ronald Jones II (RB, Buccaneers): Since RB was thin, I gambled upside with this pick as well, nabbing the former USC rookie, hoping he gets the play and makes the contributions we anticipate.
4. Devin Funchess (WR, Panthers): Funchess has had an increasing role on this team, registering 113 targets last year, converting 63 into 840 yards and eight scores. I have to think that now a seasoned vet, the WR will maybe see the same number of targets, but nab another 10-15, bumping all his numbers accordingly.
5. Chris Hogan (WR, Patriots): My hunch–and that of Dare–is that Hogan is now the fave target of Tom Brady and that means a lot of chances. I am assuming by the handful of groans in the room when I drafted Hogan, that others feel the same way.
6. Kyle Rudolph (TE, Vikings): Truth is I was thinking elsewhere–WR and RB–and Dare asked if Rudolph was still out there. Once I looked, and realized he was, this became a no-brainer. It means, hopefully,  no more scrounging through the Tight Ends each week, streaming them like I do defenses.
7. Tarik Cohen (RB, Bears): I love this guy, who catches passes, and seriously, every time he touches the ball, has a chance to explode down the field. Cohen is exciting to have on the team. Now, if he can improve upon that rookie season!
8. Aaron Jones (RB, Packers): Coming off a respectable rookie season, I am hoping Jones role increases and he thus becomes a good hedge against the depth at RB I currently posses. And, along with Cohen, keeps the youth theme going, hopefully successfully.
9. Tyler Lockett (WR, Seahawks): Another guy who can break it every time he touches the ball, Lockett goes into his fourth season as a veteran with a pretty steady average of 47 catches and 615 yards. I expect his targets to increase and numbers accordingly as a seasoned vet.
10. Corey Clement (RB, Eagles): Yet an additional second-year player who had a bigger and bigger role as 2017 elapsed. The youth movement for this team mostly ends here, but again, ideally there is some upside here as well and if my kids are indeed undervalued, well woo hoo.
11. Philip Rivers (QB, Chargers): QB is so deep, and I just drafted one. For now that is Rivers, who is steady and has a boatload of fine weapons to use.
12. Bilal Powell (RB, Jets): I am hoping more RB support this late is just that much more depth. But, Powell rushed for 773 yards and sneaked in 23 receptions last year, making the 12th round pick a value.
13. Latavius Murray (RB, Vikings): Murray will have a lesser role in Minneapolis as long as Dalvin Cook can stay healthy and deliver, but, he is not a bad guy to keep in the back pocket. And, the Murray slot may turn into my Bye week taxi squad free agent slot.
14. Kansas City Chiefs (Defense): Dare has his concerns for the aging Chiefs, but they always play tough defense at home and my plan is to stream defense anyway. In fact, KC might be gone from my squad come Opening Day.
15. Danny Amendola (WR, Dolphins): He’s aging, but still caught 61 balls last year and is a clutch receiver of the highest order, and well, this is crapshoot time, right?
16. Robbie Gould (PK, Niners): We had to draft a kicker, and the Niners did a lot better moving the ball up and down the field once Jimmy Garoppolo took the reigns, and that means either extra points or field goals. Gould was a great and accurate kicker for the Bears, so no reason for me to think he will tail off in 2018.

Tune into the Tout Wars Hour on the FNTSY network, hosted by me, with Justin Mason and featuring Lord Z every Sunday, 2-4 PM ET/11 AM-1 PM PT, and you can follow me @lawrmichaels.