July 24, 2014.
This is a 3-WR 2014 Fantasy Football Mock Draft I took part in with 11 other members of the forum and followers on Twitter. As usual, I’ll have analysis of my picks, as well as the best and worst selections from each two rounds. In a new addition this year, David Wipperman (forum member Ragnarok, a.k.a. Rags) will break down the best and worst teams from the mock draft.
Just a heads up that we have 2014 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts every Wednesday evening. Check out the fantasy mock draft thread for details.
MY PICKS, ROUNDS 1-2: This is a three-receiver league (no flex) and standard scoring. I’m in such a league, and I wanted to practice with the ninth pick because I’m somehow always drafting in the 8-11 range. I did win the championship in that league last year, however, so I guess I can’t complain about my bad luck too much.
Under normal circumstances, I would have chosen Arian Foster at 1.09, but I held out for a running back because I assumed the top four wideouts would all be gone by 2.04. I was correct. I couldn’t get Foster there, but Montee Ball is almost as good. I don’t like having a running back and receiver from the same team, but the Broncos have such a high-powered offense that it shouldn’t really matter.
BEST PICKS, ROUNDS 1-2: Foster, obviously, is a steal at 2.02. Doug Martin was also obtained for good value.
WORST PICKS, ROUNDS 1-2: I can’t get behind Peyton Manning in the first round, especially in a 3-WR league. He won’t be able to match last year’s numbers, so Wesside is buying high.
The worst choice of the first two rounds was at 1.08. Marshawn Lynch is atop my Fantasy Football Busts list.
MY PICKS, ROUNDS 3-4: I would have preferred to go receiver at 3.09, but the three wideouts I was considering all went off the board before I picked. Besides, Zac Stacy was a steal there. Larry Fitzgerald wasn’t a bad consolation prize in the fourth frame. There’s some buy-low potential there.
BEST PICKS, ROUNDS 3-4: I mentioned the three receivers, who are all good bargains in this sort of format.
WORST PICKS, ROUNDS 3-4: Reggie Bush was benched on multiple occasions late last season, so I think the third round is way too early for him, especially given that running backs are so plentiful in a 3-WR league. Bush at least has some upside though. Toby Gerhart has none.
Rashad Jennings was also a poor selection. With David Wilson getting cleared and looking good, Jennings will share his carries.
MY PICKS, ROUNDS 5-6: Marques Colston can be inconsistent, but he’s a fine WR3 and fits the range in the fifth round. As for Steven Jackson, I feel like he’s going to be on many of my teams this year. Jackson was awful last year, so it might be a good time to buy low. Remember, Michael Turner had a dozen touchdowns one year for the Falcons when he was washed up, and Jackson is better now than Turner was then.
BEST PICKS, ROUNDS 5-6: I would’ve had a tough choice deciding between Colston, Roddy White and Michael Crabtree, so I liked the picks Wolfe and Token made. I’m also a fan of Darren McFadden, as I’ve stated many times this summer. Meanwhile, there’s good value with Tom Brady at the end of the sixth round, especially in the wake of Rob Gronkowski getting cleared.
WORST PICKS, ROUNDS 5-6: The fifth round is too early for Nick Foles. There’s bound to be a regression with him, and he’s not proven enough to warrant such an early pick. Foles isn’t as bad as Frank Gore, Chris Johnson and Ray Rice though. Gore was awful last year and will lose touches to the young running backs. Johnson is terrible, while Rice will be suspended for a while.
MY PICKS, ROUNDS 7-8: Here’s the thing about 3-WR leagues: You don’t need to be top-heavy, but it’s important to have depth. Five quality wideouts are needed for byes and injuries. That’s why I took my WR4 so early. I normally would have gone with a quarterback at that spot, but I was fine with either Cam Newton or Tony Romo, and only VVV didn’t have a signal-caller.
BEST PICKS, ROUNDS 7-8: I really liked some of the picks made in these two rounds. Kyle Rudolph, Terrance Williams, Stevan Ridley, Bernard Pierce and Robert Griffin were all players I was considering at 7.09. I also mentioned Romo, who was a huge steal at the end of the eighth frame.
WORST PICKS, ROUNDS 7-8: VVV going with an old tight end and a declining running back is curious – especially when he didn’t have a quarterback on his roster. Romo would have been a great choice at 8.02. Jones-Drew is not considering the circumstances.
Other poor choices include Riley Cooper, who did nothing at the end of last season, and Darren Sproles, who doesn’t have much use in non-PPR leagues.
MY PICKS, ROUNDS 9-10: Again, it’s important to have great receiving depth in 3-WR leagues, so I took Anquan Boldin earlier than initially planned. You’ll have trouble finding good wideouts on the waiver wire in this sort of format, so make sure you draft appropriately. As for Charles Clay, he’s a decent, Round 10-11 fallback option if you can’t land some of the top tight ends.
BEST PICKS, ROUNDS 9-10: I strongly considered Dwayne Bowe, Kendall Wright and Marvin Jones to be my fifth wideout, so I liked those picks. Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick were also taken later than they should have gone.
WORST PICKS, ROUNDS 9-10: No way you should ever take a defense in the ninth round under any circumstances. Also, I’d stay away from Knowshon Moreno, who may not make the final roster.
MY PICKS, ROUNDS 11-12: A sixth receiver. Aaron Dobson has upside. However, I didn’t want him at 11.09. I actually planned on taking Ben Roethlisberger, but I was eating dinner (spaghetti and cheese-filled hot dogs) and I got distracted. The plan was to go Roethlisberger then Dobson, but I clicked the latter by accident. Oh well. Josh McCown’s not a bad backup.
BEST PICKS, ROUNDS 11-12: I was really hoping for David Wilson, but Zachary Price snagged him seven picks earlier. I also liked the Andre Brown and Zach Ertz picks. And I guess I can’t forget about Roethlisberger.
WORST PICKS, ROUNDS 11-12: Speaking of quarterbacks, VVV: What the hell are you doing? Eric Ebron and Kelvin Benjamin over your starting quarterback? Are you on crack?
MY PICKS, ROUNDS 13-15: A running back with some upside; Ahmad Bradshaw could conceivably start. Then again, he may not make the final roster, but he’s my last skill-position pick. The Bengals, meanwhile, get the Ravens in Week 1. Baltimore could be distracted with a Thursday night matchup against Pittsburgh looming.
BEST PICKS, ROUNDS 13-15: Chris Ivory could easily start more games than Chris Johnson. I wanted him at 13.09. Jarrett Boykin is a pick with upside as well.
WORST PICKS, ROUNDS 13-15: VVV finally ends up with a quarterback, and he only takes one… who may not start. Derp dee doo.
My Fantasy Team:
QB – Cam Newton, Panthers
RB – Montee Ball, Broncos
RB – Zac Stacy, Rams
WR – Demaryius Thomas, Broncos
WR – Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
WR – Marques Colston, Saints
TE – Charles Clay, Dolphins
K – Mason Crosby, Packers
DEF – Bengals Defense
BN – Steven Jackson, RB, Falcons
BN – Reggie Wayne, WR, Colts
BN – Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers
BN – Aaron Dobson, WR, Patriots
BN – Josh McCown, QB, Buccaneers
BN – Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Colts
Not bad. Some talented running backs fell to me early, and I was able to round out my roster with veteran receivers (save for Demaryius Thomas and Aaron Dobson), most of whom are looking to make a comeback of sorts. I’m not crazy about Cam Newton being my starting quarterback – which is why I wanted Ben Roethlisberger – but it’s impossible to be strong everywhere in a 3-WR league.
Best and Worst Fantasy Teams:
By David Wipperman (Rags)
Not available this week.
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Fantasy Football Rankings
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