I signed up for another online championship today, not a live-stream, not a Beat Chris Liss/Mock Jeff Erickson, just a regular paid entry. I drew the six slot.
Here are the results:
1.6 Amon-Ra St. Brown — I made sixth my fourth choice after the top three because I knew at worst I’d get JSN or ARSB, but someone took Jonathan Taylor fifth, so I actually had to choose. It was 50/50, almost clicked JSN, but I have him in one BCL, and decided to mix it up.
2.7 A.J. Brown — It’s funny, I bought both players last night in the Steak League auction, and they’re my first two picks the next day. Brown (this one, not Amon-Ra) is a bit of a head case, but he’s a great player, and he’s never had a QB like Drake Maye and so little competition for targets.
3.7 Rashee Rice — I initially picked Tet McMillan, but the guy at 3.6 had them pause the draft and change his pick from Rice to Waddle, so I had the option to take Rice, and I did. That might have been a mistake — McMillan looked good as a rookie, and he’ll be better this year, but Rice is a PPR machine in KC, and they didn’t bring in anyone new.
4.6 Kyren Williams — I wasn’t in love with my choices here. I considered Jameson Williams for the Lions stack, but it seemed reachy. Williams was almost a round below ADP, and I needed a running back. I had been targeting Josh Jacobs, but today the Packers GM said they were bracing for a potential suspension.
5.7 Cam Skattebo — Once Christian Watson went, the receivers weren’t good values here, and Skattebo was the obvious pick. He’s healthy for now.
6.6 Chris Godwin — Once Jadarian Price went off the board, I was more or less set on Godwin. I don’t trust Emeka Egbuka with the nagging toe problem, and even if Ebuka is fine, Godwin will get regular targets for as long as he can hold up.
7.7 Kyle Pitts — I love Pitts this year. Last year he showed he was more or less who we thought, and tight ends are often late bloomers. And he and Drake London are the entire passing game. If Pitts were gone, I was set on Blake Corum, but I passed on locking up the Rams backfield to get my TE.
8.6 Blake Corum — This was where my draft peaked. Corum made it all the way back, giving me some Kyren Williams insurance. I had four WR, three RB and a TE, and when you spend most of your resources on WR, you need more depth at RB.
9.7 Chuba Hubbard — Another depth pick at RB. I don’t know whether Jonathon Brooks can hold up, but even if he does, he’s not going to be a workhorse.
10.6 Dalton Kincaid — Actually this is where my draft peaked. Another below-ADP upside play, some Pitts insurance and even a possible bye-week flex. I was playing it perfectly, and there were still so many good QBs left I didn’t even consider Jayden Daniels, Dak Prescott or Jalen Hurts, all of whom were available.
11.7 Cyrus Allen — This is where my draft went off the rails. Using recent ADP, I was sure I could wait until Round 12 to grab several of my potential targets. Allen has reportedly had a great camp, was Rice insurance and made for a nice pairing with Patrick Mahomes if I liked.
12.6 Baker Mayfield — He’s not terrible, and he pairs with Godwin, but between the Allen pick and Mayfield, Bo Nix, Matthew Stafford, Brock Purdy, Jared Goff (ARSB pair), Mahomes, Jaxson Dart and Kyler Murray flew off the board, a run of seven QBs in 10 picks. I would’ve liked Mayfield as my backup, but in a six-point per passing TD league, he can still be fine.
13.7 Aaron Jones — The Cowboys kicker was gone, and Jones had fallen a good deal. I still needed a backup QB, but none of the guys drafting in the front half needed one (they all had two), so I figured I take one on the way back.
14.6 Kimani Vidal — No QBs went, and I decided to play chicken for another round, figuring at least one of my targets would be there (per ADP) on the way back. I really like Vidal who already proved he could play last year, and I don’t expect Keaton Mitchell to hold up.
15.7 Seahawks Defense — Tyler Shough went one pick ahead of me, but the real wrench was Team 10 taking Malik Willis, his third QB. Once those two were gone, no point in reaching for a QB here.
16.6 Daniel Jones — He was the last QB you could trust to keep the job. Maybe I could have just not bothered, but if Alec Pierce gets back, Jones has enough weapons to be useful in a pinch.
17.7 Nick Singleton — I have him in every league including the Staff Keeper where I discovered him. I have no idea if he’ll even play, but if he does somehow become that surprise rookie breakout, my entire portfolio is getting a big boost. I kind of like the idea of drafting one almost random guy everywhere in the late rounds, just in case.
18.6 Isaac TeSlaa — I know he’s good, he just doesn’t have a role, but injuries and opportunities are unpredictable in the NFL.
19.7 Oronde Gadsden — People have left him for dead because he’s been practicing with the backups in camp, but he was a rookie sensation for a few weeks on a team with injury prone Ladd McConkey, inconsistent Quentin Johnston and unproven Tre’ Harris.
20.6 Harrison Butker — he just drilled a 69-yarder the other day, and he’s based af.
Roster By Position
QB Baker Mayfield
RB Kyren Williams/Cam Skattebo
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown/A.J. Brown/Rashee Rice
TE Kyle Pitts
FLEX Chris Godwin
K Chiefs
D Seahawks
B Blake Corum/Chuba Hubbard/Dalton Kincaid/Cyrus Allen/Aaron Jones/Kimani Vidal/Daniel Jones/Nick Singleton/Isaac TeSlaa/Oronde Gadsden
I think this team sucks, which means it will be your best squad.
I like Pitts too, but Dalton Kincaid is a perennial over hype. He'll be mid again. But I like the Baker and Godwin pair. They will probably have a big year. And Singleton doesn't have to beat out any hall of famers to take over the job!