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The New York Giants Dynasty Darlings

Jay BuhnerThe entire reason I was drawn to fantasy sports as a child was a growing frustration with the New York Yankees shortsighted view during the 1980s. The Yankees were world famous for giving away their best talent while trying to recapture the glory of the late 70s during my formative years. The names read like an 1980s All-Star roster as they traded away the likes of Willie McGee, Fred McGriff, Jose Rijo,Doug Drabek, and my all time favorite (because of Seinfeld) Jay Buhner.

Meanwhile in the swamps of New Jersey George Young and Bill Parcells were putting together an organization and a team that would rival the greats of the 1980s. Building through defense and ball control offense the Giants slowly gained momentum until they were perennial Super Bowl contenders and the envy of all New York franchises during that time period. Bill Parcells got all the accolades and made for good sound bites, but it was George Young and his scouting department that made it possible for Parcells to work his magic.

The man in the funny glasses on the phone on draft day is who I always wanted to be. Unfortunately for me, my career and passions took me in another direction, but I am able to scratch that inner GM itch by playing Dynasty and Keeper league fantasy football. Dynasty leagues aren’t for everyone. They are for that true fantasy football fanatic that never wants the season to end. I equate dynasty leagues versus redraft leagues to when Madden and NCAA football made dynasty mode available. Some people could have cared less, because it was a purely social bragging rights thing for them to play with their friends and others went crazy playing month after month by themselves just to get Rutgers to the Fiesta Bowl on expert level. (Took me four excruciating seasons)

Anyone can win from year to year in Re-Draft leagues if you know what you are doing and everyone else in your leagues make the same mistakes continuously, but in Dynasty it takes a special kind of patience and foresight to make a continuous winner. If you have a keen eye for undervalued talent and players that may emerge in a year or two then dynasty and keeper leagues are for you. If you buy a draft guide the day of your draft and don’t keep up with the league after the Super Bowl then I would stick to Re-draft leagues if I were you.

As a Giant fan this is a very interesting year to be in Dynasty and Keeper leagues.David Wilson’s draft stock will rise and fall with every blurb from training camp in Re-draft leagues, but in Dynasty his talent is harder to overlook. In a start up Dynasty League mock draft I did with some writers in June, David Wilson went at the 16th overall pick. I was bummed I didn’t get him because of what he showed at the end of last year. Yes Tom Couglin and Kevin Gilbride like to use two backs, but they also can produce excellent fantasy backs while rotating the touches. David Wilson is a rare back that combines speed and toughness when he gets the ball in his hands. If he is able to become the lead back the sky is the limit. The comparisons to C.J. Spiller will continue to get louder until you are thinking they are one and the same by draft day.

 

Here Dynasty Football Warehouse’s Leo Paciga (AKA @FFHoudini) shows an interesting side by side of both C.J Spiller and David Wilson’s stats during their rookie years.C J Spiller

Spiller’s stats as a rookie

74 rushes, 283 yards, 0 TD’s
24 receptions 157 yards, 1 TD
44 KO returns, 1014 yards 1 TD (23.0 yard avg)

Wilson’s stats as a rookie

71 rushes, 358 yards, 4 TD’s
4 receptions, 34 yards, 1 TD
57 KO returns, 1533 yards, 1 TD (26.8 yard avg)

Currently C.J. Spiller is going in the top 5 of dynasty drafts just to give you a frame of reference to where David Wilson could be being drafted next year in startup dynasty leagues. I think his mid 2nd round ADP is still a value and could be tempted to take him at the 1-2 turn in leagues.

In Leo’s article that was written in March the Giants wide receiver situation was still in flux as both Cruz and Nicks looked to be potential training camp hold outs. What he wrote then still hold true today as Rueben Randle is an excellent dynasty draft pick at his current ADP. Randle has been going in the 9th to 10th rounds of startup dynasty leagues and very well could be a contributor this year. That’s the key with guys like Wilson and Randle. They can help you win now and may be in a position next year to help you dominate. With Nicks health always being a question Randle could see his value skyrocket if Nicks comes up lame again. Thinking forward to next year he would be a starter if the Giants let Nicks walk. Anyway you look at it Randle is an excellent pick in the 9th round range.

Victor Cruz & Hakeem Nicks

With Victor Cruz being relatively young and staring in an excellent passing offense he will be looked at at least a round earlier in Dynasty leagues. Cruz is valued in round two in dynasty leagues where he usually goes in the bottom of the third round in redrafts.Hakeem Nicks is the wildcard wide receiver for the Giants. His dynasty league fantasy value is depressed because of the injury history, but in a contract year you may hit the jackpot when you take him. If he resigns with the Giants and stays healthy he is an excellent dynasty WR capable of being a top 10 WR for years to come. If he decides to sign somewhere else you better hope for your sake as a dynasty owner that its somewhere that throws the ball. I have a feeling he could be in Carolina next season, but that’s purely speculation on my part.

One more key to Dynasty versus Redraft is the amount of trades that happen. A reader from our community contacted me with questions about dynasty leagues and the first thing I told him was there will always be trade talk. If you are like me and put talking trades right at the top of the list of reasons why fantasy sports are great than you have to think about joining a dynasty or keeper league. The season literally never ends and it actually is great for friendships as you talk to your league mates way more than you would if you were only in a redraft league together.

Please join the summer fantasy football conversation on Twitter by following me@Coachesser and visit me on Facebook and give my page CoachEsser’s Playbook a like if you want be the first to hear about any new articles or happenings in the fantasy sports world. Also visit me at www.coachesser.com to get all of my pre-season rankings and view my other articles featured around the web.

Note when I talk about drafts it is always based off of 12 team leagues and PPR scoring.

This article originally appeared at www.bigblueview.com on Sunday July 28th, 2013

Fantasy Football Mock Draft Recap: Rds 9-16

Let’s face it folks, we’re not getting any younger. I used to be able to sit at a poker table in Atlantic City for 24 hours and was as sharp on the last hand as I was on the first. Now, I’m lucky to see the board flush if it’s past my bedtime. I noticed a few years ago that my concentration at live fantasy football drafts started to lag. I used to be computer-like and remember drafts almost pick for pick. If there was a problem transcribing the draft into our website I was the commissioner’s back up.

That all changed the summer before my children were born. I was going to be a forever distracted man from then on. On draft day I was worried about my pregnant wife. I was worried about getting the house ready. I was worried about getting a mini-van and the right car seats. You get the picture. I was worried about everything and was not in the right frame of mind for a draft. I actually did the unthinkable and tried to draft a player that was already taken … three rounds before.

Needless to say it was regroup time for this fantasy owner. I needed to get back into the Zone when I was drafting and not let the outside world affect my focus. The end of drafts is where that focus is most needed. I am one of the few in my home leagues that put a lot of effort into the bottom end of a draft. While the other guys are starting to drink the domestic cans after all the good stuff is gone, I’m putting together my late draft target list and trying to finish up on a solid note.

While drafting defenses and kickers is a real let down at the end of a draft, it is still important to get the ones that will help you win week in and week out. This is where I tell you not to draft a kicker before the last two rounds. If you do you are wasting a very valuable pick. And please don’t draft a D/ST and K before everyone else just because you believe in filling out your starters and having a “set it and forget it” end of your lineup. Your fifth wide receiver or running back are much more important than the difference between having Seattle’s defense or Cincinnati’s defense. If you don’t believe me look over at the owner in your league stroking last year’s trophy after he took Alfred Morris in the 14th round while you were drafting the best kicker possible.

I saw a few complaints about the earlier recaps in regards to how low the quarterbacks were going. I have to say I agree that they were definitely going well below where you will see them in your home league drafts. While already participating in early off-season real money league drafts I have seen about a two-round difference for the middle quarterbacks and the top three quarterbacks (Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, and Peyton Manning) are all going at least a round earlier than expert mock drafts. With all that being said you might get 30 touchdowns and 4,500 yards from a backup QB this year so I wouldn’t waste an early round pick on the top guys. I will have much more on this year’s quarterback depth as we get closer to the season.

Mock Draft

9.01 97 @bhucks83 Kaepernick, Colin SFO QB

9.02 98 @KVHehateMe Jeffery, Alshon CHI WR

9.03 99 @aidendrakesdad Richardson, Daryl STL RB

9.04 100 @Fantasytaz Stafford, Matthew DET QB

9.05 101 @coachesser Boldin, Anquan SFO WR

9.06 102 @rpm1010 Tate, Ben HOU RB

9.07 103 @Moondog2410 Givens, Chris STL WR

9.08 104 @Brayden581Tony Michael, Christine SEA RB (R)

9.09 105 @paultheoret Olsen, Greg CAR TE

9.10 106 @SundaysRule Maclin, Jeremy PHI WR

9.11 107 @AdamRonis Williams, DeAngelo CAR RB

9.12 108 @RotoRankings Manning, Eli NYG QB

Greg Olsen is a great example of an undervalued player. He finished last year as the fifth best tight end, but his ADP is still in the ninth round of drafts. He is the number two target on a team that throws the ball down-field and will be a steal if he lasts to the ninth round at the end of August. Colin Kaepernick and Mathew Stafford are two great examples of players who would never last that long in real life. Both should be off the board by round seven. The news on Jonathan Stewart’s ankles doesn’t look good so look for DeAngelo Williams to see a little bit of a bump. Daryl Richardson was announced as the projected starter in St. Louis, but that should shake out closer to drafts.

10.01 109 @RotoRankings Rodgers, Jacquizz ATL RB

10.02 110 @AdamRonis Floyd, Michael ARI WR

10.03 111 @SundaysRule Wright, Kendall TEN WR

10.04 112 @paultheoret Tannehill, Ryan MIA QB

10.05 113 @Brayden581Tony Patterson, Cordarrelle MIN WR(R)

10.06 114 @Moondog2410 Hillman, Ronnie DEN RB

10.07 115 @rpm1010 Jackson, DeSean PHI WR

10.08 116 @coachesser Jackson, Fred BUF RB

10.09 117 @Fantasytaz Rice, Sidney SEA WR

10.10 118 @aidendrakesdad Cook, Jared STL TE

10.11 119 @KVHehateMe Blackmon, Justin JAC WR

10.12 120 @bhucks83 Franklin, Johnathan GBP RB (R)

11.01 121 @bhucks83 Broyles, Ryan DET WR

11.02 122 @KVHehateMe Bennett, Martellus CHI TE

11.03 123 @aidendrakesdad Moore, Denarius OAK WR

11.04 124 @Fantasytaz Daniels, Owen HOU TE

11.05 125 @coachesser Sanders, Emmanuel PIT WR

11.06 126 @rpm1010 Finley, Jermichael GBP TE

11.07 127 @Moondog2410 Thomas, Pierre NOS RB

11.08 128 @Brayden581Tony Eifert, Tyler CIN TE(R)

11.09 129 @paultheoret Cameron, Jordan CLE TE

11.10 130 @SundaysRule Ballard, Vick IND RB

11.11 131 @AdamRonis Stacy, Zac STL RB(R)

11.12 132 @RotoRankings Moreno, Knowshon DEN RB

Justin Blackmon is a gamble who doesn’t cost you much down this low. He has WR2 potential, but because of his early season suspension and being a Jaguar he will slide. Not a bad gamble as your fourth wide receiver. Ryan Broyles will be talked about as much this year as Titus Young was last year. I can only hope for better results. Both Eagles’ receivers are being drafted very low until everyone sees how Chip Kelly is going to run his offense. I like Maclin more than Jackson, but they are both good gambles if you have an early draft. (I know they’re Eagles) Emmanuel Sanders could be a steal late in drafts as the Steelers expect big things from this little receiver. Just look at this article posted at http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/7/18/4534040/steelers-emmanuel-sanders-expectations-contract.

12.01 133 @RotoRankings Roethlisberger, Ben PIT QB

12.02 134 @AdamRonis Allen, Dwayne IND TE

12.03 135 @SundaysRule Dalton, Andy CIN QB

12.04 136 @paultheoret Bradford, Sam STL QB

12.05 137 @Brayden581Tony Wheaton, Markus PIT WR (R)

12.06 138 @Moondog2410 Gates, Antonio SDC TE

12.07 139 @rpm1010 Williams, Ryan ARI RB

12.08 140 @coachesser Sanu, Mohamed CIN WR

12.09 141 @Fantasytaz Hartline, Brian MIA WR

12.10 142 @aidendrakesdad Leshoure, Mikel DET RB

12.11 143 @KVHehateMe Heyward-Bey, Darrius IND WR

12.12 144 @bhucks83 Randle, Rueben NYG WR

13.01 145 @bhucks83 Randle, Joseph DAL RB (R)

13.02 146 @KVHehateMe Manuel, E.J. BUF QB(R)

13.03 147 @aidendrakesdad Myers, Brandon NYG TE

13.04 148 @Fantasytaz Greene, Shonn TEN RB

13.05 149 @coachesser Gresham, Jermaine CIN TE

13.06 150 @rpm1010 Flacco, Joe BAL QB

13.07 151 @Moondog2410 Rivers, Philip SDC QB

13.08 152 @Brayden581Tony Pettigrew, Brandon DET TE

13.09 153 @paultheoret Murray, Latavius OAK RB (R)

13.10 154 @SundaysRule Miller, Heath PIT TE

13.11 155 @AdamRonis Edelman, Julian NEP WR

13.12 156 @RotoRankings Davis, Fred WAS TE

For now I decided to take Sanu over Randle in this redraft mock. I probably won’t when it comes down to the real Rueben Randlething in late August, but for now I did. While I like Sanu and his potential if he wins the WR2 job in Cincinnati I really like Rueben Randle and his skill set, especially with Hakeem Nicks not exactly the healthiest of wide receivers. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that the Giants have produced fantasy relevant third receivers in the past, which makes me start to love Randle even more. Brandon Myers has been drafted as one of the first back-up tight ends off the board at this point in the summer. Andy Dalton was great last year against everyone, except Pittsburgh and Baltimore. The new weapons in Cincinnati should help increase his yardage and TD output. If you can get him as your back up I suggest you grab him.

14.01 157 @RotoRankings Seahawks, Seattle SEA Def

14.02 158 @AdamRonis Palmer, Carson ARI QB

14.03 159 @SundaysRule 49ers, San Francisco SFO Def

14.04 160 @paultheoret Streater, Rod OAK WR

14.05 161 @Brayden581Tony Broncos, Denver DEN Def

14.06 162 @Moondog2410 Bell, Joique DET RB

14.07 163 @rpm1010 Bears, Chicago CHI Def

14.08 164 @coachesser Freeman, Josh TBB QB

14.09 165 @Fantasytaz Keller, Dustin MIA TE

14.10 166 @aidendrakesdad Cutler, Jay CHI QB

14.11 167 @KVHehateMe Ravens, Baltimore BAL Def

14.12 168 @bhucks83 Schaub, Matt HOU QB

15.01 169 @bhucks83 Texans, Houston HOU Def

15.02 170 @KVHehateMe Prater, Matt DEN PK

15.03 171 @aidendrakesdad Vick, Michael PHI QB

15.04 172 @Fantasytaz Gostkowski, Stephen NEP PK

15.05 173 @coachesser Bengals, Cincinnati CIN Def

15.06 174 @rpm1010 Bryant, Matt ATL PK

15.07 175 @Moondog2410 Browns, Cleveland CLE Def

15.08 176 @Brayden581Tony Lattimore, Marcus SFO RB (R)

15.09 177 @paultheoret Dobson, Aaron NEP WR (R)

15.10 178 @SundaysRule Walsh, Blair MIN PK

15.11 179 @AdamRonis Cardinals, Arizona ARI Def

15.12 180 @RotoRankings Dawson, Phil SFO PK

16.01 181 @RotoRankings Rams, St. Louis STL Def

16.02 182 @AdamRonis Bailey, Dan DAL PK

16.03 183 @SundaysRule Packers, Green Bay GBP Def

16.04 184 @paultheoret Patriots, New England NEP Def

16.05 185 @Brayden581Tony Steelers, Pittsburgh PIT Def

16.06 186 @Moondog2410 Janikowski, Sebastian OAK PK

16.07 187 @rpm1010 Giants, New York NYG Def

16.08 188 @coachesser Zuerlein, Greg STL PK

16.09 189 @Fantasytaz Buccaneers, Tampa Bay TBB Def

16.10 190 @aidendrakesdad Tucker, Justin BAL PK

16.11 191 @KVHehateMe James, LaMichael SFO RB

16.12 192 @bhucks83 Tynes, Lawrence TBB PK

As you can see the the first defense didn’t go until the 14th round in a 16-round draft. Truth be told it only was drafted because the timer ran out. The guy’s power went out and he was forced to take a defense. I don’t mind defenses in the third to last round. If the one you want is there go ahead and get it, but if all the acceptable ones are gone take the next position player on your board. The only position players worth talking about in these last few rounds are Aaron Dobson and Dustin Keller. Dobson has great tools, but who knows at this point what the Patriots are going to look like coming out of training camp. Tom Brady has lost so many receivers over the off-season that we really won’t know much until after the first few preseason games. Knowing Belichick we may not know anything after those either, so Dobson is a good late round gamble just based on athleticism. Back-up tight ends like Dustin Keller are really where you can see players outplay their average draft position. An athletic tight end going to a downfield passing offense may see Keller put up career high numbers. He seems to be a target of a lot of experts late in drafts and is worth a flier as a backup late in drafts. Jay Cutler is another name that has been coming off boards late, but might pick up steam in August. Marc Trestman, the new Bears coach, has produced excellent quarterback play where ever he has gone and may be just the man to finally get Cutler over the hump. The added weapons of a healthy Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett can only help Cutler’s fantasy draft stock. Great back-up material for a running quarterback that might get injured ala RG III or Colin Kaepernick.

This is only the first of many midsummer mock drafts you will see at various sites leading up to your drafts. Try and take in the information for what it is. A baseline for how the fantasy football world feels about these players at this particular time. There will be many ebbs and flows between now and September, but at least we have a baseline to work from.

This article originally appeared at www.bigblueview.com on July 19th, 2013

Ryan Braun Problems

Well folks, we are headed into the All Star break and it’s time to take stock of the first half of the fantasy baseball season.  I am currently leading or in second place in all of my leagues, but I am in no mood to celebrate.

Why, you ask?

His name is Ryan Braun.

Ryan BraunI was unlucky enough to pick third or fourth in four different leagues this year, and you guessed it…I drafted Braun across the board.  I reassured myself with every draft that Braun is a beast.  “Don’t worry Dennis, even if anything comes of this PED stuff it won’t be until after the season,” I said to myself.  My mutterings became like white noise in the background as I was walking out of drafts with an ACME sized anvil hanging over my head.

You are probably saying, “Hey buddy you knew the risk.  Why should I listen to you complain?”

You don’t have to listen.  You can go back to your cozy beds filled with the Miguel Cabrera’s of the world.  I’ll just be tossing some of my worthless Barry Bonds 1987 Fleer Rookie cards on the fire and reminiscing about times gone by when fantasy owners didn’t have to also be labor lawyers in their spare time.

It’s true that I knew the risk when I drafted him, but who can blame me?  I’m a gambler at heart and I have the ATM receipts from Atlantic City to prove it (NOTE: I seem to have misplaced the massive deposit slips I promised my wife though).  I saw a mark and I took it down.  How could I turn down the clear cut 2nd or 3rd best player at #3 or #4 overall in every draft?  It’s like Braun and I were destined to be together.

That last part scares me a little.

The entire reason I stopped doing fantasy baseball back in the late 1990’s in the first place was because of guys like Bret Boone and Barry Bonds.  Drafting back then was like playing a dart toss carnival game at the Jersey shore.  You would show up to a draft and toss a dart and hope the balloon (player) was filled with juice.  Your eighth round pick might break records that were set during the Deadball era.  They were wild times.

Now you have to check in Vegas’s black book as well as your draft day cheat sheets just to make a pick.  (I think only NBA players are in that actually – see Charles Barkley and Antoine Walker).

I wouldn’t even be sweating the Biogenesis stuff so much if Braun could just play.  When he was playing early in the season he wasn’t himself, but he was still very useful.  Since then he’s been on every list possible.  The disabled list, the bereavement list, the cheating-lying scumbag list.  Oh wait that list hasn’t been announced yet, but has been leaked more times than if Pam and Tommy did another sex tape.

Braun has his injured thumb for an excuse, but it’s his head I’m worried about.  How do you stare down a 90 MPH fastball when you know your entire legacy and life’s work hangs in the balance of an ongoing investigation?  If it is proven that he cheated, Braun will face the biggest backlash the sport has ever seen, hands down.  The common fan will never forgive Braun for going after his specimen collector Dino Laurenzi, Jr at a press conference when he happened to win his appeal.

I am more worried about the Brewers than my own fantasy baseball teams.  It’s not like they can whip out a Yankee-sized checkbook and replace him.  The way their farm system looks makes Mets’ fans pump out their chests.  A season-long suspension might single-handedly kill baseball in Milwaukee.  The Brewers chose to make him the face of the franchise.  He rewarded them with an MVP and they rewarded him with the biggest contract in their history.  Now he may kill their playoff hopes for the next ten years.

Don’t cry for me Argentina!  Oops, I meant fantasy baseball gods.  My fantasy teams won’t be in as bad a shape as the Brewers if Braun gets suspended.  I made back-up plans.  I even made back-up plans for my back-up plans and should at least keep my head above water.  I traded for Chris Davis in the leagues that I could get him early and at a reasonable rate to make up for the homeruns and RBIs.  I traded for Desmond Jennings and Starling Marte to make up for the stolen bases.  I even took a shot on Jason Heyward using an ultimate buy low package where I sent two waiver wire pick-ups for Cole Hamels and Heyward.

I may be able to fill out a line-up, but I was much happier when Braun was stashed on my disabled list and I didn’t have to think about him every day (like the Yankees with Alex Rodriguez rehabbing in Tampa).  Now he’s on the bereavement list and I can’t even clear a bench spot.  In my three daily lineup change leagues that has become a big problem.

Braun is in fantasy roster limbo.  He could come back after the break and play like an angel delivering my team to a championship while he fights to defend his name.  He could be a demon that gets cast off of my roster when his appeal goes down in flames.  Or he could just hang around my bench popping his head in and out of my lineup from day to day resembling a shell of his former self.

Either way, the torture of fielding terrible trade offers for Braun has put me in my own little circle of hell.  You wouldn’t believe the names that have filled my inbox.  At this point I would be happy if I got offered B.J. Upton for Ryan Braun.  Not that I would take it.  It would just be nice to be offered someone that was actually drafted instead of picked up off the waiver wire the day before.

 

This article originally appeared at www.fantasyjudgment.com as part of an ongoing diary series.

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Fantasy Football Mock Draft Recap Rounds 3 Thru 8

Adapt or Die!” Brad Pitt exclaims to his head scout in the hit movie “Money Ball.”

Brad Pitt

This should be your mindset during a fantasy football draft. You will most likely go into a draft with one plan and come out using three different back up plans just to survive. Remember it’s all about putting the best possible lineup together week in and week out, not trying to prove that the RB-RB-WR-WR-QB or RB-WR-WR-RB-TE method is the best way to win a league. Theories on drafting are like excuses for bad fantasy football teams, everyone has one.

As Mike Tyson so eloquently said, ” Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” That punch in the face is usually an extremely long WR run in the middle of a draft.

Mike Tyson

Many great owners show up to drafts with spreadsheets and laptops thinking that they planned for every possible scenario to unfold only to realize that a live draft is always a test of how one functions in complete chaos. Cellphones are constantly going off. Kids are running around using your cheat sheets to draw their favorite cartoon characters. The pizza guy is waiting to get paid like in “Home Alone.” Your high school buddy keeps drafting players who have already been taken. With all this chaos you have to try to stay in that drafting Zone.

For example, it’s round three and you have a late-round pick. The wings and pizza have just arrived and you’re starving. Your plan was to take Roddy White or Larry Fitzgeraldand can’t see how either don’t make it to your pick, so you grab some wings and start to make a mess when low and behold the two guys in front of you draft White and Fitzgerald back-to-back.

Oh no! What do you do? Do you draft the next receiver on your list that only has a fourth-round grade? Do you draft Drew Brees even though you wanted to wait until after the fifth round for a QB? Is it too early for Gronkowski? How’s his back, anyway?

All of these questions are running through your head as you wipe thermonuclear wing sauce right into your eyes. Temporarily blinded you walk up to the draft board without a clue as to who you’re actually going to pick. You look at the names on the stickers hoping one pops out at you. You search for a lifeline on the faces of your friends that want nothing more than to see you pick a kicker, until you finally draft Brees just so you can slink back to your seat.

You clean your eyes. You take a deep breath and talk yourself into your new plan. How can I be upset? I drafted a guy who can go for 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns. What’s not to love? When Tom Brady slips to the the seventh round and your second wide receiver ends up being Greg Jennings you resign yourself to finishing your friends 12 pack just to numb the pain.

We’ve all been there and during this recent mock draft at www.myfantasyleague.com I found myself right back in the line of fire when my plan had to be scrapped in round four. While I didn’t have Buffalo wing sauce in my eyes or beer spilled on my cheat sheets, I did have something happen that I wasn’t prepared for. A GM went RB-WR-WR-WR to start the draft right in front of me. I never saw it coming. I should have, but I didn’t.

You can never discount the “human element” to a draft. Mistakes can and will happen. People do strange things when under pressure, and there is no greater pressure in late August then when you’re on the clock after your target was taken right in front of you. Just remember, you aren’t drafting against expert algorithms. You’re drafting against car salesmen, accountants, teachers, and even in some cases, stay at home dads.

3.01 25 @bhucks83 Bush, Reggie DET RB
3.02 26 @KVHehateMe Miller, Lamar MIA RB
3.03 27 @aidendrakesdad Brees, Drew NOS QB
3.04 28 @Fantasytaz Ridley, Stevan NEP RB
3.05 29 @coachesser Murray, DeMarco DAL RB
3.06 30 @rpm1010 Johnson, Andre HOU WR
3.07 31 @Moondog2410 Cobb, Randall GBP WR
3.08 32 @Brayden581Tony Rodgers, Aaron GBP QB
3.09 33 @paultheoret Harvin, Percy SEA WR
3.10 34 @SundaysRule Cruz, Victor NYG WR
3.11 35 @AdamRonis Gore, Frank SFO RB
3.12 36 @RotoRankings McFadden, Darren OAK RB
The third round for me was all about getting the best WR or RB available. Lamar Millergoing at 26 had to make me really think about going RB otherwise I would be playing rookie roullette with my next pick. I considered Roddy White and Andre Johnson, but decided on DeMarco Murray because I could be left with no RB options in the 4th at 44 overall. Victor Cruz easily could have gone higher if he signed his extension before the draft.
Note Randall Cobb has been consistently going before Percy Harvin in recent drafts and that was the case here as well. @AdamRonis went with three straight RBs to start a PPR draft which is a little unusual, but he couldn’t pass up Gore’s value there. The top two QBs came off the board which is to be expected and @RotoRankings was forced to pick Darren McFadden after going WR-TE to start the draft.
4.01 37 @RotoRankings Lacy, Eddie GBP RB(R)
4.02 38 @AdamRonis Gronkowski, Rob NEP TE
4.03 39 @SundaysRule Bell, Le’Veon PIT RB(R)
4.04 40 @paultheoret Ball, Montee DEN RB(R)
4.05 41 @Brayden581Tony White, Roddy ATL WR
4.06 42 @Moondog2410 Nicks, Hakeem NYG WR
4.07 43 @rpm1010 Jackson, Vincent TBB WR
4.08 44 @coachesser Witten, Jason DAL TE
4.09 45 @Fantasytaz Nelson, Jordy GBP WR
4.10 46 @aidendrakesdad Colston, Marques NOS WR
4.11 47 @KVHehateMe Welker, Wes DEN WR
4.12 48 @bhucks83 Wayne, Reggie IND WR
The fourth round saw the top three rookie RBs go in the first four picks. I personally like Bernard’s PPR upside better than all three, but RB pickings were getting low. After Ball went I was going to choose from whoever was left out of White, Nicks and Jackson and planned that at least one of them would get to me. White was a bit of a pipe dream as he has been a PPR monster, but I would have loved Nicks in his “prove it” year. To my surprise @rpm1010 went for his third receiver before getting a second RB and I needed to regroup. I had a group of six receivers that I liked and didn’t prefer any over the other so I changed gears and went with Jason Witten who is my #2 PPR TE hoping one of the six would make it back to me in the 5th.
5.01 49 @bhucks83 Amendola, Danny NEP WR
5.02 50 @KVHehateMe Bernard, Giovani CIN RB (R)
5.03 51 @aidendrakesdad Ivory, Chris NYJ RB
5.04 52 @Fantasytaz Bradshaw, Ahmad IND RB
5.05 53 @coachesser Bowe, Dwayne KCC WR
5.06 54 @rpm1010 Manning, Peyton DEN QB
5.07 55 @Moondog2410 Garcon, Pierre WAS WR
5.08 56 @Brayden581Tony Smith, Torrey BAL WR
5.09 57 @paultheoret Wallace, Mike MIA WR
5.10 58 @SundaysRule Brown, Antonio PIT WR
5.11 59 @AdamRonis Smith, Steve CAR WR
5.12 60 @RotoRankings Mathews, Ryan SDC RB
Since I went with a TE in round 4 I needed one of my receiver targets to make it back to me. Luckily Dwayne Bowe was there for me and he became the pick with no questions asked. Chris Ivory and Ahmad Bradshaw continued to go earlier in drafts as their stock has steadily gone up over the summer. both are injury prone and not my ideal RB2, but as a RB3 I am okay with either. This may be the last time you see Danny Amendola in the fifth round in a PPR for the rest of the summer. His ADP has risen almost as fast as Vereen’s in the last few weeks. Antonio Brown could be a steal in the fifth round of a PPR draft if Big Ben and Todd Haley can get on the same page.
6.01 61 @RotoRankings Decker, Eric DEN WR
6.02 62 @AdamRonis Shorts, Cecil JAC WR
6.03 63 @SundaysRule Davis, Vernon SFO TE
6.04 64 @paultheoret Austin, Tavon STL WR (R)
6.05 65 @Brayden581Tony Johnson, Stevie BUF WR
6.06 66 @Moondog2410 Gonzalez, Tony ATL TE
6.07 67 @rpm1010 Vereen, Shane NEP RB
6.08 68 @coachesser Newton, Cam CAR QB
6.09 69 @Fantasytaz Mendenhall, Rashard ARI RB
6.10 70 @aidendrakesdad Jones, James GBP WR
6.11 71 @KVHehateMe Britt, Kenny TEN WR
6.12 72 @bhucks83 Gordon, Josh CLE WR
I was targeting Shane Vereen here as my third RB and Flex option as he should be a big piece of the Patriots passing offense this year. @rpm1010 stole him out from under me again, but I was prepared to take my 4th rated QB if Vereen didn’t last. Newton has finished in the top 5 in scoring the past two years and closed the year strong last season so I was filling out a nice starting lineup. Vernon Davis went ahead of Tony Gonzalez again and most likely won’t outperform the old tight end again. @Fantasytaz took Rashard Mendenhall who is the last of the clear cut starting RBs left on the board and who I hoped would make it to me in the 7th round. Kenny Britt and Josh Gordonboth went at the bottom of the round and are both gambles, just for different reasons.
7.01 73 @bhucks83 Jennings, Greg MIN WR
7.02 74 @KVHehateMe Wilson, Russell SEA QB
7.03 75 @aidendrakesdad Green-Ellis, BenJarvus CIN RB
7.04 76 @Fantasytaz Alexander, Danario SDC WR
7.05 77 @coachesser Hilton, T.Y. IND WR
7.06 78 @rpm1010 Pead, Isaiah STL RB
7.07 79 @Moondog2410 Ingram, Mark NOS RB
7.08 80 @Brayden581Tony Hopkins, DeAndre HOU WR (R)
7.09 81 @paultheoret Brown, Andre NYG RB
7.10 82 @SundaysRule Ryan, Matt ATL QB
7.11 83 @AdamRonis Williams, Mike TBB WR
7.12 84 @RotoRankings Austin, Miles DAL WR
A big man can admit his mistakes and I am definitely a big man. In the seventh I went with T.Y. Hilton when I could have had Mike Williams in a contract year. Williams has been a big time red-zone target and is definitely a favorite of Josh Freeman. Notice Tom Brady has still not been taken. A bit of an overreaction to the Patriots offseason that a shrewd GM can capitalize on in the next round. Andre Brown goes in the seventh and looks to be solidifying himself as a solid third RB option on most fantasy teams.
8.01 85 @RotoRankings Moore, Lance NOS WR
8.02 86 @AdamRonis Brady, Tom NEP QB
8.03 87 @SundaysRule Stewart, Jonathan CAR RB
8.04 88 @paultheoret Pierce, Bernard BAL RB
8.05 89 @Brayden581Tony Griffin III, Robert WAS QB
8.06 90 @Moondog2410 Romo, Tony DAL QB
8.07 91 @rpm1010 Pitta, Dennis BAL TE
8.08 92 @coachesser Woodhead, Danny SDC RB
8.09 93 @Fantasytaz Luck, Andrew IND QB
8.10 94 @aidendrakesdad Brown, Bryce PHI RB
8.11 95 @KVHehateMe Brown, Vincent SDC WR
8.12 96 @bhucks83 Rudolph, Kyle MIN TE
I was desperate for a RB here in the eighth. I settled on Danny Woodhead as he could be Darren Sproles light for Phillip Rivers in San Diego this season. Woodhead performed like a top 25 PPR RB the last few seasons and I have no faith in Ryan Mathews abilities anymore. The QB run came fast and furious as Tom Brady finally came off the board to RotoExperts @AdamRonis and ended when @Fantasytaz took Andrew Luck. Dennis Pitta in the eighth makes me rethink my Witten pick in the 4th just a bit. I’m very high on Pitta, but I’ll take the sure thing with Witten for now. @RotoRankings went back to back with great value picks in the seventh and eighth in Miles Austin and Lance Moore. @KVHehateme went with everyone’s sleeper WR pick when he took Vincent Brown, but it seemed like a reach to me at this point in the draft.

This article originally was posted at www.bigblueview.com on July 12th, 2013

Draft Master 102 Mock Draft Recap

The first of July seemed like the best time to start setting my preseason rankings and dipping my toes in the mock draft waters. The best part is I could do this with my toes literally in the water. Sitting at the beach with an I-Pad in hand, soaking in both the sun and fantasy football knowledge.

With OTA’s over and minicamps in the books a discerning eye can see which players are going to win the battles for playing time, and which players to avoid. Now is the perfect time to set a base as far as value on a fantasy player. Some players will be more difficult to gauge than others this early in the summer. For example, Robert Griffin III will be studied like a hawk in the preseason to see if he is still the run threat he was coming into the league after his knee injury last season. Colin Kaepernick’s chemistry with his receivers in the absence of his favorite target Michael Crabtree will be looked at under magnifying glass. The running back battles, like the one in St. Louis, will be watched by fantasy football players as intently as a teenager checking their friend’s Facebook statuses.

I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in Draftmasters 102 onwww.myfantasyleague.com and could not wait to test my early summer rankings. The mock draft I will be recapping below is a PPR league with QB-RB-RB-WR-WR-FLX-TE-K-D/ST set up. With a PPR mock draft keep in mind that catches are worth .5 points and all other scoring is traditional.

David Wilson Not a Fantasy Secret

20121230_pjc_ae5_136

David Wilson has seen his average draft position leap over the last month.

Pick  Ovr  Franchise  Selection

1.01 1 @bhucks83  Peterson, Adrian MIN RB

No surprise with the first pick in the draft as AP is taken 1st overall almost across the board in all standard and PPR leagues. He is due for a little regression from last year, but from Superman to everyday super running back is okay in my book.

1.02 2 @KVHehateMe  Martin, Doug TBB RB

Doug Martin has been moving up to the second spot on a lot of people’s boards mostly on the fact that Foster’s YPC have gone down over the last two years and Fosters injury concerns. Martin is a stud who has been going first overall in many keeper and dynasty leagues.

1.03 3 @aidendrakesdad Charles, Jamaal KCC RB

Jamaal Charles is a rollercoaster ride many pundits are currently buying tickets for. Andy Reid’s use of the RB in his offensive system is what is driving up Charles’s draft stock early on. I wouldn’t take him over Foster, but I can see why some might.

1.04 4 @Fantasytaz   Foster, Arian HOU RB

Arian Foster has slid because of a preseason injury and his slightly declining numbers in 2012. I still feel that he is in his prime and is a weapon both in the run game as well as the pass game and I wouldn’t let him slide past the three spot in most leagues.

1.05 5 @coachesser  Rice, Ray BAL RB

Ray Rice was a PPR beast the last few years and normally I wouldn’t be able to draft him at 5.01, but with the emergence of Bernard Pierce many GMs are beginning to sour on him. I am not one of those GMs. Yes Pierce will see the field more, but a fresh Ray Rice is a PPR league stud. One of the safest picks possible in this slot.

1.06 6 @rpm1010  Spiller, C.J. BUF RB

C. J. Spiller showed his immense talents last year, but Buffalo is again in rebuilding mode and currently has Kevin Kolb atop their QB depth chart. The presence of Kolb and the fact that E. J. Manuel may take over at some point makes me push Spiller just a bit down my PPR rankings.

1.07 7 @Moondog2410  McCoy, LeSean PHI RB

LeSean McCoy was tremendous under Andy Reid and his stock is in flux as we wait to see exactly what Chip Kelly’s NFL offense will look like. Will McCoy be running and catching the ball as much as he did the last few seasons, or will he be on the sidelines a lot as Kelly’s offense proves Not ready For the League?

1.08 8 @Brayden581Tony Lynch, Marshawn SEA RB

Marshawn Lynch is a stud who is always undervalued during drafts. Everyone is always ready to draft someone with a bigger upside than ride Beast Mode to a fantasy championship. He gets enough catches to still be a solid PPR back.

1.09 9 @paultheoret  Johnson, Calvin DET WR

Where Calvin Johnson goes is always the key to any PPR first round. His value is first-round worthy, but it has to be at the right spot. You have to know you can come back with a solid RB in round two if you take him over some good RB talent. Here was a good spot as the team owner here will only have to dodge six picks before he gets to take a RB.

1.10 10  @SundaysRule  Richardson, Trent CLE RB

Trent Richardson is the one guy left on the board I would have taken over Johnson at 9. Getting him at 10 is a tremendous value. He could play his way into top 5 status if his body allows him to. The nagging injuries are the only things holding him back from being a top 3 pick.

1.11 11 @AdamRonis  Forte, Matt CHI RB

Matt Forte is a solid PPR league RB1 who comes with one disclaimer “Can’t score at the goal line!” If he could just be decent from the one-yard line he would be much higher up the rankings.

1.12 12 @RotoRankings  Graham, Jimmy NOS TE

RotoRankings took a big gamble and went with the clear cut best tight end in fantasy football. Jimmy Graham is so far above all the other tight ends available that this could work out if he is able to get some RBs late.

2.01 13 @RotoRankings  Marshall, Brandon CHI WR

Surprisingly RotoRankings again bucked the norm and went WR after taking a TE in the first round. While Brandon Marshall is a PPR beast, taking a receiver instead of an RB could prove costly. After the pick he admitted that he was tempted to take Darren Sproles with this pick, but decided to gamble.

2.02 14 @AdamRonis  Jackson, Steven ATL RB

Adam Ronis of RotoExperts and SiriusXM Radio decided to go RB RB in the first two rounds and wait on receiver. At this spot in a PPR draft it can be a very solid strategy.

2.03 15 @SundaysRule  Green, A.J. CIN WR

SundaysRule got the second best receiver on my board in A. J. Green to pair with Trent Richardson. A very solid start to the draft.

2.04 16 @paultheoret  Sproles, Darren NOS RB

Darren Sproles is a PPR stud and his draft stock is vastly different in standard leagues compared to PPR leagues. I still feel this is a little early for him, but this is right around where he goes.

2.05 17 @Brayden581Tony Morris, Alfred WAS RB

Alfred Morris is not your ideal PPR back as he is mainly a runner and not used in the passing game that much. Having Lynch already on my squad I may have gone WR here.

2.06 18 @Moondog2410  Johnson, Chris TEN RB

Chris Johnson was such a huge disappointment last season that talking about him gives me heart burn. Nevertheless, the Titans have revamped their O-line, gotten rid of Chris Palmer and he could bounce back. Key word is “could”.

2.07 19 @rpm1010  Bryant, Dez DAL WR

Dez Bryant has been flying up draft boards lately as it really looks like he has gotten his act together. His performance down the stretch last year coupled with his name being out of the news has him in a virtual tie for me with A.J. Green. Great value this late in the second round.

2.08 20 @coachesser  Thomas, Demaryius DEN WR

I was hoping Bryant would fall one more slot, but Demaryius Thomas is not a bad fall-back. From this draft position with the depth at QB I like to go RB-WR if I can. I always adjust if the draft goes out of whack, but this draft has fallen as expected. I was tempted to go with David Wilson here, but Thomas was higher on my board. If Graham had somehow fallen to this spot he would have been a no-brainer.

2.09 21 @Fantasytaz Fitzgerald, Larry ARI WR

Larry Fitzgerald was the next WR on my board and I love his prospects heading into 2013. @Chet_G recently tweeted that Fitzgerald was only credited with receiving two catchable balls over 20 yards last season. TWO! With Palmer under center Fitzgerald should be a PPR stud once again.

2.1  22  @aidendrakesdad Jones, Julio ATL WR

Julio Jones suffers in value because of Roddy White lining up on the other side of the field. Jones has tremendous talent, but there is only one football to go around so his potential is always capped a little by the other weapons in theFalcons‘ offense.

2.11 23 @KVHehateMe  Wilson, David NYG RB

David Wilson was drafted before MJD, Frank GoreDarren McFadden, andRyan Mathews. He was drafted as much on his own potential as the other’s perceived flaws. I have seen Wilson going higher, in fact as high as 13th over all in an expert’s mock draft, but for now this is a solid spot to draft him.

2.12 24 @bhucks83  Jones-Drew, Maurice JAC RB

Maurice Jones-Drew’s foot as well Jacksonville’s QB position make drafting him a gamble. You could be getting a great back at the end of his prime years or you could get an injured version of the old MJD who is forced to watch from the sideline as Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne do their best impressions of a terrible starting NFL quarterback.
This article was originally featured at www.bigblueview.com on July 5th, 2013.

David Wilson-The Secret is Out!

David Wilson

While Evan Silva was cautiously optimistic on David Wilson’s fantasy potential heading into 2013, other writers and experts are starting to pump up Wilson’s draft stock with every passing day.

For example, www.fftoolbox.com recently ran an article declaring Wilson their breakout player of the year.

“Like any high-upside running back, playing time is the key. Buffalo’s C.J. Spiller is a comparable talent who forfeited a lot of playing time earlier in his career to Fred Jackson. Spiller and Wilson both have freak-of-nature speed and athleticism. What separates the pair is Wilson’s incredible lower body strength and balance. He can absorb contact and bounce off would-be tacklers with ease. The second-year runner is a more natural running back who will require less grooming than Spiller, but took a few seasons to come into his own. Head-to-head, Wilson’s skill-set is better; however nothing is a given in the NFL. If theGiants opt to use Andre Brown frequently, Wilson has little chance to break into RB1 territory.”

The writer clearly has an affinity for Wilson being that they both went to Virginia Tech, but his points on Wilson’s explosiveness and comparisons to C.J. Spiller are what is driving his ADP up. I expect more and more sites and fantasy experts to jump on board with Wilson as the season draws closer. The part of the article that really jumps out is the forecast on Wilson’s ADP.

CURRENT ADP – 3.7 – Pick 31

PROJECTED SEPTEMBER ADP 2.4 – Pick 16

Wilson’s touchdown potential was questioned by many with Brown sharing the backfield, but Pro Football Focus and their guru of statistics@mikeclayNFL came up with a system of quantifying Wilson’s scoring potential based on his success rates from last year. While both NY Giant backs rank in the top ten of this overachievers model it’s important to note that Wilson’s ability to break runs or catches from anywhere on the field make his value higher than Brown’s fantasy value.

Overachievers

Running Back

Att

rADEZ

TD

oTD

Diff

C.J. Spiller

203

58.0

6

2.2

-3.8

Marshawn Lynch

315

53.6

11

7.3

-3.7

Alfred Morris

335

51.3

13

9.3

-3.7

Mikel Leshoure

215

53.6

9

5.7

-3.3

Trent Richardson

267

53.4

11

8.3

-2.7

Mike Tolbert

54

51.4

7

4.4

-2.6

Reggie Bush

227

55.6

6

3.6

-2.4

Andre Brown

73

43.3

8

5.7

-2.3

David Wilson

71

44.1

4

1.8

-2.2

Ray Rice

257

52.2

9

7.0

-2.0

Mike Clay’s chart shows who overachieved compared to their relative opportunities last year. While advanced statistical analysis may be a bit much for the average fantasy football GM, others who are looking for that little bit extra to put them over the top should take notice. With Ahmad Bradshaw out of the picture I feel Wilson will become a force in fantasy football while Brown will be a nice flex play during bye weeks.

I wanted to bring this trend in Wilson’s ADP to everyone’s attention before you get blind-sided on draft day when Wilson doesn’t fall to you in the third round. While scouring expert mock drafts for tendencies and trends I was surprised when I noticed David Wilson was drafted 2.01, or 13th overall, in one particular expert mock draft. When the recap for round two of that particular draft was given by The Fake Football‘s @Chet_G he touched on the fact that there was no possible way for for @CDCarter13 to get Wilson with his next pick which wold have been 36th overall. While drafting Wilson at 13th overall is a reach at this point in the summer it could end up being right in the area where Wilson is drafted in late August or early September.

This article originally appeared at www.bigblueview.com on July 5th, 2013.

A look at the NY Giants Defense and Kicker

Jason Pierre Paul

Although it is argued by some, we as New York Giants‘ fans know that the chant of “De- Fense” was invented at the old Yankee Stadium. We chant it in our living rooms as well as at the games in every critical defensive situation. While the Giants’ offense has had it’s up and downs over the years the defense has been a constant source of pride for every Giant fan. From Sam Huff and Harry Carson to Lawrence Taylor and Michael Strahan our heroes have often been on the defensive side of the ball.

While most Giant fans think of their defense first, most fantasy GMs barely give it a second thought. While thinking about drafting a D/ST in fantasy leagues there are many factors to consider. Does the defense cause turnovers? Does it get sacks? Does the team have a dangerous return man? Last, but not least, is how good is the offense. A team can have a great defense, but if it is constantly on the field it is bound to be exposed.

Let’s start by looking at which defenses were the most productive last season. The guys at www.sundaysareforfootball.com had a great trivia question during their recent podcast on D/ST and I thought it would be great for our purposes.

Which three defenses combined for the most sacks and takeaways last year? Answer:

1) Chicago Bears

2) Cincinnati Bengals

3) Houston Texans

The first answer was an easy one if you paid attention to defenses early on last year as the Chicago Bears were outscoring quarterbacks some weeks. The Bears also have perennially been one of the higher drafted defenses in fantasy football. The third-ranked defense was a popular preseason pick for the best overall D/ST in fantasy football, but didn’t perform quite as well after losing New Jersey’s own Brian Cushing to a knee injury. With reigning Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt continuing to make quarterbacks queasy I think the Texans will again be in the top 5 of overall defenses. The second ranked Cincinnati Bengals are the surprise in the punch bowl, or so to speak. The Bengals’ defenses have been built on a sold foundation with defensive guru Marvin Lewis as their head coach, but were largely overlooked during fantasy drafts last year. They most likely were picked up from week to week off the waiver-wire for match-up purposes. This year I expect them to again be undervalued and come off the board as the seventh or eighth defense.

The Giants have been a very steady defense over the last few years and when they added David Wilson to their kickoff return their special teams actually became special. If you average out the last three years the Giants come in second in takeaways combined with sacks. That kind of production is nice to bank on from year to year. With the offense looking like it could be fully stocked for this year the defense might be able to pin its ears back and really get after the quarterback.

The health of Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck’s declining production are definitely reasons to give you pause when drafting the Giants this year. The absence of Osi Umenyiora could hurt the overall sack numbers, but might help the Giants defend the run and get off the field a little faster. The pluses are the additions of Mike PattersonCullen Jenkins, and “Big Hank”Johnathan Hankins to the defensive tackle rotation and the shift of Mathias Kiwanuka from linebacker back to full-time defensive end. The wild cards for the Giants are going to be how much the linebackers have developed and whether or not the secondary become a strength again. If Prince Amakumara continues to develop and Corey Webster bounces back from a rough 2012 Perry Fewell might be able to free up his safeties and linebackers to create pressure on opposing teams.

The Giants decision regarding Wilson’s return duties definitely has an influence on how I will rank the Giants D/ST in my predraft rankings. I don’t count on the touchdowns for my defenses’ production. I count on the way a returner can affect field position. With Wilson returning kicks the Giants win the field position battle and therefore their defense is more likely to give up fewer points. Without Wilson the Giants will need to find another weapon to help them win the field position battle.

As a rule I do not draft a defense until the 15th or 16th rounds of any fantasy football draft. If the Giants fall to me there I am more than happy to draft and root for my favorite team doubly. Being that my leagues are mainly made up of Giants and Jets fans they tend to go a little early. This year I hope that they both go early and i get to draft the Bengals or Broncos in the 15th round. If I miss on both of those teams the Rams will be a nice conciliation prize.

Josh BrownLast and definitely least I will talk about the Giants’ new kicker, Josh Brown. Brown was formerly the highest-paid kicker in the NFL when he was kicking field goals for the St. Louis Rams, and was usually one of the first kickers drafted in fantasy football. When the Rams realized they were paying a kicker well above market value and still not making the playoffs Brown became a cap casualty. Brown resurfaced with the Bengals last season and went 11-for-12 kicking field goals while making 1-of-2 from 50 yards plus. Brown takes over for playoff hero Lawrence Tynes and might become one of the better fantasy kickers again. Brown has shown great accuracy during his career as well as an above average leg. He might not be able to bomb them anymore, but with the Giants offense being a consistent ball mover he should get plenty of chances to score points.

With kickers I only draft them in the last two rounds. If Blair Walsh, and his 10-for-10 from 50 yards plus leg, is available in the 15th round I may bite. That would only happen if the league had bonuses for longer field goals. I would be more than happy to have Brown knocking in more than 30 field goals and piling on the extra points this year if I draft a kicker in the last round. More than likely he won’t be rated higher than 15th overall at kicker on many draft sheets.

This article originally appeared at www.bigblueview.com on June 28th, 2013

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