What the Experts Said

After the Draftmaster, I gave the drafters some questions to answer. I asked them the following:

What was your strategy? Did you get the player you wanted? Who were the best and worst values? Two players you were surprised to see go undrafted. And which team was the best.

Here were the responses I got.

From Andrew Morton:

 1) Going into the draft, my main strategy was to stock up on RBs. That didn't work out, as all of the guys I wanted were gone by my pick at 9. I had to adjust by taking BPA at that spot, so I selected Aaaron Rodgers.

2) The player I wanted the most was Arian Foster, because I'm a Texans fan.

3) I'll go ahead and Say that my best value pick in the draft was Kyle Rudolph at 7.09. To me, he's this year's Jimmy Graham. Primed for a breakout. The other value pick in this draft was made by @4for4_Josh at 12.14, selecting Doug Baldwin. Baldwin looks to be Jordy Nelson for Matt Flynn this year.

4) My worst value pick was Beanie Wells in the fourth round, but I drafted for need there, as my only other running back at that point was Trent Richardson. The worst value pick in the draft, though, was made by @PFF_Alex at 2.01, selecting Andre Johnson. Johnson is a future hall of famer, but he is always injured. When he's on the field, he's arguably the best wife receiver. But as I mentioned before, he's never on the field.

5) The two players that I was surprised that went undrafted were Dallas Clark from Tampa, and Johnny Knox from Chicago. I have Knox pegged as a surprise player that could have a great season with defenses looking more towards Brandon Marshall. Johnny just has to stay on the field. I do like Clark this season, as well, as I think He will replace Winslow quite nicely for the Buccaneers.

6) The team with the best draft was certainly not me. That award should go to Eric Yepmans. With strong running backs, a high-upside QB, a top Tight End, and above average receivers, Yeoman has put together a solid team that looks like it could compete for a championship.

From Greg Skora:

   Well, I guess I'll preface this by saying that I've been playing FF since '93 and since you haven't specified which draft or year, I'm going answer the 1st part to this question generally. My strategy is simple, I take the best player available, and not necessarily based on need.  Now dont get me wrong, for me, I do my mock's differently than a draft that I'm doing for a league with friends or for cash. A mock my strategy is take the best player available based on need first, player availability second. For a cash, "for real" league, best player available...period. I do not pay attention to bye weeks. Not for draft leagues. My feeling is that once the season starts, players emerge, become overvalued, undervalued, etc. I either have someone on my bench that it makes a fine plug & play or work the waiver wire baby!  My draft strategy has been the same for a long  time and its played out well for me. As @BNQuinlan can vouch for, the majority (I'd say about 80% +/- a few % pts) of leagues I play in I usually end up in the top 1-3 in terms of Win-Loss record....it's closing the whole thing out that I've had problems with.  I haven't made changes, and if I have they haven't worked.  I'd say the biggest change I need to make is not to fall in love with a player during the season and be willing to make more trades.

Again, not sure which year, but based on last season I did So many drafts and was in So many leagues I can't pinpoint any specific player.  Having said that, had I had to adjust, I'd more than likely take the next best available player, and not necessarily at the same position of unsaid player.  Trades are always an option, although as I mentioned in the previous question, I have a tendency to fall in love at times with players during the season when I need to make the trade.

I'll answer this one using one of the more recent mocks I've done this year.  I'll start with @wcervi grabbing Doug Martin @ 7.02.  Greg Schiano loves to run the ball and Martin is a 3 down back. Martin fits in perfectly with what's going on in TB right now and I believe is a steal in the 7th.  As for me, call me crazy (it wouldn't be the first time) but I'm calling my pick at 13.08 of Isaiah Pead my value pick. Steven Jackson has been surprisingly durable the past few seasons even though he's had 320+ carries in 2 of the last 3 seasons.  Having said that, and taking into account his age, I'm putting some stock into Pead this year.  The kid can break tackled although he does avoid contact. He's got great straight ahead speed and can break out at any time, and he's a semi-threat out of the backfield.  I think if for no other reason than to give SJax a break, we see more of Pead than others think.

Again, I'll answer this one using one of the recent mocks.  One of my own I'd say Mikel LeShoure @9.03.  Although Jahvid Best can get re-concussed or injured at any time, LeShoure's achilles will be a question mark,     you got Keiland Williams there as well as Kevin Smith.  Just a situation I think should be stayed away from unless you're drafting Best.  As for someone else, I'm gonna go with a pick you made Bill, Jamaal Charles at 2.04.  With Hillis in town, Charles coming off the ACL, I think he could've been had later and some better RB's went after your pick.

Well, I just realized that we were talking about Bill's Draftmasters, but I'm not changing any above answers...pure laziness at this point and the answers probably wouldn't be that different. Getting back to this question, I'll say Tim Tebow...just because he's Tim Tebow. Secondly, I'll say Jabar Gaffney. He's back with Tom Brady, McDaniels is with Brady, and Gaffney had his best season as a Patriot in 2007 when McDaniels was calling the plays.  I think Gaffney makes a nice fill in player with WR3 upside.

 I like @PFF_Alex. He did well in this draft considering he has a ton of PPR potential.  Bush and Helu are leading the way for him at RB. Michael Floyd I think will compliment Fitz in ARI very nicely and has strong WR2 upside to go along with Andre Johnson as Alex's WR1.  On top of that he's got AJ Green, who's production drops a bit from last year I think, but still has monster capabilities each week. Gates at TE should go unsaid and BUF at Def will be strong.  I'm loving his team.

From Josh Moore:

Given my draft position (#1 overall) in a 14 teamer, I didn't figure I'd get an elite QB or TE, so I planned to wait on those positions while stocking at at RB & WR. It worked as planned and I feel great about my RBs & WRs.

 Of all the players in the draft, I most wanted Arian Foster the most. Because I had the #1 pick, I was able to get him.

For me: Michael Turner at 5.01 of 14 team draft is fantastic value. There are a lot of reasons to hate on Turner, but once you get into the 4th or 5th round he's a steal.

Other: Steve Smith at 4.12 is a great value pick. Tremendous player and top 10 WR last year, which should be easily repeatable if he stays healthy.

I don't really draft players that I think are bad values.

Hakeem Nicks at 1.08 with Aaron Rodgers on the board was a big time reach.

 

 I can't believe no one was dumb enough to draft Tim Tebow! Besides that, it's a 14 team draft so pretty much anyone worth drafting was taken.

 

 

@Eric_Yeomans team looks good to me, with good tallent at all positions. Eric knows how to spot a value.

 

 

From Shane Hallam

 

 1)  General Strategy:

With 14 teams, I wanted a good QB tandem.  This is a best ball league, meaning your top scorers will be inserted into the lineup each week.  With QBs scoring the most points, getting 2-3 good QBs on my roster would go a long way in not only strengthening my team, but hurting my opposition.  I also felt like investing premium picks in WRs who I knew could produce weekly at a high level.  This would allow me to grab plenty of RB talent later on.

It played out very close to my strategy.  Picking 11th, I had my choice of WRs and was in position to nab QBs early (Rivers in the 4th, Luck in the 7th).

2)

Players I was targeting:
1.  Torrey Smith - I got him, maybe a little early in the 6th round.  He was a WR 2-3 target for me.  With his upside, I felt that I could limit my WRs to only 4 on my roster (Fitzgerald, Wallace, T. Smith, J. Baldwin).

2.  Roy Helu - I love Roy Helu this year, but I was a bit in no man's land.  Mike Wallace fell to me at the 3.11 and I didn't want to pass him up.  Helu went to PFF_Alex at 3.14, so I just missed out .  This made me move QB position even higher up my board and wait on RB.

3.  Toby Gerhart - Love him in a best ball league and in a RB plateau.  If AD is not ready for the season, Gerhart should see some carries pretty early on and have fantasy relevance, plus some goal line work.  At 10.04, I took him and ran.



3)

Best Value:

Mine: Jimmy Graham at 2.04.  Graham's ADP is moving into the Top 12.  Getting him as the 18th player off of the board with potential to be the top TE was AWESOME

Other:  Really liked Eric_Yeomans getting Jeremy Maclin at the 5.07.  His upside is huge and that tier of WR was JUST coming to an end that round.

4)

Mine: Torrey Smith - As I said, probably reached a bit for a player I like with some upside, but WR value was still going for awhile after that.

Other: Marshawn Lynch at 2.03 by Brian Quinlan.  Just not a fan this year, and as a RB1, Lynch is far too scary for me.

5) Not too many.

1.  Brian Hartline - Even with Ocho there now, Hartline should have a legit chance to start.  Still surprised he is going undrafted in a lot of leagues.

2.  Dane Sanzenbacher.  How did Jim not draft him?


6)

Tough choice.  I really like Allie Fontana's a lot and Josh Moore's a lot.

I'll go Allie ultimately.  Stud QB in Brees, a platoon of productive RBs in BJGE, Green, Fjax with upside in Leshoure/Turbin.  WRs have tremendous upside in Calvin/Bowe/Garcon too.  It seems like a team that can compete each week.

From Jarrett Behar:

Having the 1.08, I knew I probably wasn't going to get a stud, RB, so the goal was to get a stud WR and see which RBs fell back to me in the second.  Generally, I planned to wait at QB and TE.  I ended up taking Hernandez at 6.07 earlier than I would have because I thought he was a great value there. 

 

  I was hoping Chris Johnson fell to 1.08 due to the negative hype, but I think his ADP is starting to rebound.  So I went with the highest WR on my board, Hakeem Nicks.

 

 

Me:  Hernandez at 6.07 was great value in my opinion.  No reason he can't be the PPR TE3 again next year.  

Ryan's pick of Carolina Steve Smith at 4.12 was great value.  He's shown no signs of slowing down, and Cam should improve as a passer going into his second season and first with a full camp.  It goes to show you how deep WR is this year that you can get a high quality WR1 at the end of the 4th.  

Alex Smith at 11.08 may be higher than you see him go, but I waited a little too long on QB and couldn't afford not to get a backup in a 14 team league.  

Adrian Peterson at 2.11 is way too high for a guy that may start the season on the PUP list.  I would hesitate even drafting him in the 3rd at this point.   

Given that this is a 14 team league, the waiver wire is pretty thin.  I honestly can't find one, let alone two.  

I really like Eric Yeoman's team.  He's got a high upside QB1 in Vick and a decent backup in Flacco, especially considering the 14 team factor.  His RBs are stacked with two top-10 starters in Mathews and SJax, and crazy depth with Starks, Brown and Hightower, all of which could be starters.  Julio, Maclin and Meachem is a great starting WR corp.  I don't love Ford and Randle as the only WR depth, but this concern is lower than the ones I have about the other teams.  Finley is a solid TE1.  Overall a fairly well-balanced team.

 

My 1st Draftmaster Recap-Part 2

We pick up with Round 9

113. Carson Palmer (QB18)
114. Greg Little (WR41)
115. Titus Young (WR42)
116. Felix Jones (RB40)
117. Mikel Leshourse (RB41)
118. Santonio Holmes (WR43)
119. James Starks (RB42)
120. Jermaine Gresham (TE14)
121. Vincent Brown (WR44)
122. Alshon Jeffery (WR45)
123. Pierre Thomas (RB43)
124. Jacob Tamme (TE15)
125. Austin Collie (WR46)
126. Darrius Heyward-Bey (WR47)

Josh took Palmer as a backup to Big Ben, but this could actually be a nice QBBC. Palmer is a nice sleeper at QB. Four 300-yard games in 10 games with the Raiders, including a 400-yard effort in Week 17. This is after Oakland traded for him in the middle of the season and threw him into the starting lineup with hardly any time to practice.

Now, he'll have a full offseason, which should make this a much better offense.

Which also makes Alex's pick of DHB a very nice one, as well. WR47 is really good value for someone with top 20 upside.

Ryan's pick of Titus Young could turn out to be a really strong value pick. Young looks to line up opposite Megatron in Detroit's offense, and as long as Stafford and Calvin are healthy, Young will get a lot of looks.

I still like Alshon Jeffery. Chicago will throw the ball and I think Jeffery will get some opportunities. Marshall is the main option, but Jeffery will get his. I expect him to win the WR2 job in Chicago.

Round 10:
127. Jake Locker (QB19)
128. Daniel Thomas (RB44)
129. Kendall Wright (WR48)
130. Toby Gerhart (RB45)
131. Rashard Mendenhall (RB46)
132. Jared Cook (TE16)
133. Jacquizz Rodgers (RB47)
134. Joe Flacco (QB20)
135. Anquan Boldin (WR49)
136. Andy Dalton (QB21)
137. Dustin Keller (TE17)
138. Brian Quick (WR50)
139. Isaiah Pead (RB48)
140. Greg Olsen (TE18)

Really getting deep here, as we see the 50th WR taken in Brian Quick, who could end up as the WR1 in St. Louis.

Toby Gerhart could offer potentially up to 6 weeks of action if AP starts on the PUP list. If so, great value for Shane.

I remember I got a bit of backlash after making the Mendenhall pick. Looking back, I kinda deserved it. Mendy is almost guaranteed to start on the PUP list, main reason Redman has been going so high in drafts.

I talked about Rodgers in the previous post, saying I think he gets more involved, so he's worth the gamble at RB47.

Andy Dalton at QB21, to me, is a steal. With a whole bevvy of weapons, Dalton has QB1 upside and should at least be drafted ahead of Locker and Flacco. Locker looks like he won't even start Week 1. Tennessee has their heart set on starting Matt Hasselbeck.

Speaking of Titans, their TE can be a very nice option. Jared Cook has a boat load of upside for being the 16th TE selected.

Same with Greg Olsen as TE18. With Jeremy Shockey gone and Jeff Otah healthy, Olsen should be able to run more routes and get more targets from Cam Newton. If you combine Olsen's and Shockey's 2011 numbers, they would rank #3 among TEs in 2011 fantasy scoring.

Round 11:
141. Delone Carter (RB49)
142. Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB22)
143. Sam Bradford (QB23)
144. Laurent Robinson (WR51)
145. Mario Manningham (WR52)
146. 49ers Defense (DEF1)
147. Reuben Randle (WR52)
148. Alex Smith (QB24)
149. Stephen Hill (WR53)
150. Kendall Hunter (RB50)
151. Mike Goodson (RB51)
152. Matt Flynn (QB25)
153. Randy Moss (WR54)
154. Shane Vereen (RB52)

Round 12:
155. Martellus Bennett (TE19)
156. Kevin Smith (RB53)
157. Mike Tolbert (RB54)
158. Jon Baldwin (WR55)
159. Brandon LaFell (WR56)
160. Lamar Miller (RB55)
161. Bernard Scott (RB56)
162. Tim Hightower (RB57)
163. Christian Ponder (QB26)
164. Alex Green (RB58)
165. Tony Moeaki (TE20)
166. Evan Royster (RB59)
167. Taiwan Jones (RB60)
168. Doug Baldwin (WR57)

I took Hunter thinking he'll get more carries and Gore could possibly get hurt at some point. I also like LaFell to step up opposite Steve Smith in Carolina.

Round 13:
169. Nate Washington (WR58)
170. Emmanuel Sanders (WR59)
171. Randall Cobb (WR60)
172. Leonard Hankerson (WR61)
173. Mohamed Sanu (WR62)
174. Lance Kendricks (TE21)
175. Ed Dickson (TE22)
176. Davone Bess (WR63)
177. David Nelson (WR64)
178. Ryan Broyles (WR65)
179. Kellen Davis (TE23)
180. Ravens Defense (DEF2)
181. Steelers Defense (DEF3)
182. Joseph Addai (RB61)

Round 14:
183. Bills Defense (DEF4)
184. Stephen Gostkowski (K1)
185. Jerome Simpson (WR66)
186. Matt Cassel (QB27)
187. Jordan Shipley (WR67)
188. Texans Defense (DEF5)
189. Rasahd Jennings (RB62)
190. Jacoby Ford (RB63)
191. Sebastian Janikowski (K2)
192. Bears Defense (DEF6)
193. Kevin Kolb (QB28)
194. Lions Defense (DEF7)
195. Giants Defense (DEF8)
196. David Akers (K3)

As you can see, some of the top defenses and kickers went in this round. I added my last 2 skill players in Broyles and Shipley, two guys who could be PPR deep flex plays as they could both operate out of the slot in their respective offenses.

Round 15:
197. Eagles Defense (DEF9)
198. Anthony Fasano (TE24)
199. Mason Crosby (K4)
200. Matt Prater (K5)
201. Dan Bailey (K6)
202. Bilal Powell (RB63)
203. Packers Defense (DEF10)
204. Jets Defense (DEF11)
205. Neil Rackers (K7)
206. Falcons Defense (DEF12)
207. Seahawks Defense (DEF13)
208. Brandon Jacobs (RB64)
209. LaMichael James (RB65)
210. A.J. Jenkins (WR67)

Round 16:
211. Alex Henery (K8)
212. Ryan Tannehill (QB29)
213. Jason Hansen (K9)
214. Robbie Gould (K10)
215. Matt Bryant (K11)
216. Danny Amendola (WR68)
217. Rob Bironas (K12)
218. Nate Kaeding (K13)
219. Javon Ringer (RB66)
220. Robert Turbin (RB67)
221. Broncos Defense (DEF14)
222. Kellen Winslow (TE25)
223. Dan Carpenter (K14)
224. Jason Snelling (RB68)

Remainder of the Draft was just deep depth and the remaining teams filling their defense and kicker slots.

Overall, this draft went very well. I had a lot of fun doing this and enjoyed drafting with all these great fantasy minds. I want to thank them all for participating.

As far as best team, it's a tough one, but I like the team Eric Yeomans ended up with. Vick has so much upside as long as he is healthy, he has a nice 1-2 RB punch in Ryan Mathews and Steven Jackson, a very solid trio of WRs in Julio Jones, Jeremy Maclin and Robert Meachem, and if he can be consistent, Jermichael Finley can be a monster.

You can check out everyone's roster here: http://football29.myfantasyleague.com/2012/options?L=19757&O=07

Until next time, this is Bill Wild saying so long from the Corral.

My 1st Draftmaster Recap

Recently, I took the liberty of creating my own version of a Draftmaster, normally run by my good friend, Mr. Jim Day (@Fantasytaz). I asked a group of fantasy experts and top-notch players to take part in this Draftmaster.

I wound up with 14 owners in a 16-round PPR Draft, starting 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 Flex (RB/WR/TE), 1 D/ST and 1 K.

The draftsers, in Round 1 order:
1. Josh Moore (@4for4_Josh) of 4for4.com
2. Greg Skora (@GSkora)
3. Ryan McDowell (@RyanMc23) of dynastyleaguefootball.com
4. Jim Day (@Fantasytaz) of fantasytaz.com
5. Allie Fontana (@AllieFontana), cohost of the Twitter Fantasy Football Roundtable w/ Jim Day and the BFD Fantasy Football Show w/ Lou Tranquilli
6. @FantasyThrowdwn of fantasythrowdown.com
7. Eric Yeomans (@Eric_Yeomans) of ProFootballFocus.com
8. Jarrett Behar (@EyeoftheGator) of dynastyleaguefootball.com
9. Andrew Morton (@WideReceiving) of starstreet.com
10. Yours truly
11. Shane Hallam (@ShanePHallam) of DraftCountdown.com
12. Brian Quinlan (@BNQuinlan)
13. Bruce Kimbrough (@FatKat52)
14. Alex Miglio (@AlexMiglio) of ProFootballFocus.com

Round 1:
1. Arian Foster (RB1)
2. LeSean McCoy (RB2)
3. Ray Rice (RB3)
4. Maurice Jones-Drew (RB4)
5. Calvin Johnson (WR1)
6. Chris Johnson (RB5)
7. Ryan Mathews (RB6)
8. Hakeem Nicks (WR2)
9. Aaron Rodgers (QB1)
10. Darren McFadden (RB7)
11. Larry Fitzgerald (WR3)
12. Cam Newton (QB2)
13. Rob Gronkowski (TE1)
14. A.J. Green (WR4)

Now realize, this took place about a month ago, so we have a chance to see how values have changed since.

The top 3 picks are no surprise.

At the time, MJD is a solid choice at #4. Now there is a strong possibility that he will hold out of training camp, and could extend into the regular season, as he is looking for a new contract.

Calvin, Chris and Mathews are nice choices as well. Chris is due for a bounce back season with a full offseason again, Mathews is in line for a huge workload (question is can he handle it, with his injury history) and I am not afraid of the Madden Curse when it comes to Calvin.

The kicker here is Nicks at 8 overall.

" I was hoping Chris Johnson fell to 1.08 due to the negative hype, but I think his ADP is starting to rebound.  So I went with the highest WR on my board, Hakeem Nicks."

Those words from Jarrett. This is before the Nicks injury, so clearly, Nicks won't be touched at this pick as of now. But Nicks should be fine when the season starts, so he is going to be great value for where he is being drafted, currently.

Others felt it wasn't the best pick at the time. Josh Moore said the following: " Hakeem Nicks at 1.08 with Aaron Rodgers on the board was a big time reach."

Rodgers was the best player available for Andrew as " all of the guys I wanted were gone by my pick at 9".

As for my pick of McFadden, I only took him because I felt I needed a top RB being in the 10-hole in a 14-team draft. But the fact is, McFadden just can't stay healthy, and thus, I probably will not be touching him in any drafts.

Really like Shane's pick of Fitzgerald at 11. Huge fan of Fitzy, and he will just continue to post numbers, no matter who is under center.

Brian threw quite the wrench in this draft by selecting Newton at 12 overall. Love Newton's skill set, but 1st round is too rich for my blood.

And Gronkowski and Green are nice players at the back end of Round 1 in the 14-team draft.

Best value of this round, I would say Shane getting Fitzgerald at 11, although these are the top players, so hard to give out best value, per se. Worst value would be my pick of McFadden, looking back. McFadden at 10 looks to be way too high as we enter July because it's just so difficult to draft him thinking you're going to get 16 games out of him.

Round 2:

15. Andre Johnson (WR5)
16. Matt Forte (RB8)
17. Marshawn Lynch (RB9)
18. Jimmy Graham (TE2)
19. Jamaal Charles (RB10)
20. Trent Richardson (RB11)
21. DeMarco Murray (RB12)
22. Julio Jones (WR6)
23. Tom Brady (QB3)
24. Drew Brees (QB4)
25. Adrian Peterson (RB13)
26. Matthew Stafford (QB5)
27. Dez Bryant (WR7)
28. Ahmad Bradshaw (RB14)

Solid group of guys in Round 2.

Shane loved his pick of Graham at 18 overall, saying that his ADP is "moving into the Top 12" and getting him here was "AWESOME."

Shane also was not so fond of Brian's pick of Lynch. "Just not a fan this year, and as a RB1, Lynch is far too scary for me."

Loved Eric grabbing Julio Jones here. Huge fan of Julio's this year, and I wouldn't be afraid to grab him here, either.

Looking back, I honestly don't like my start. I took two RBs who are either really injury-prone, or coming off serious injury.

Each of the top 5 QBs are gone by the end of this round. Getting a stud QB becomes more important in a 14-team league, but as we'll see later, solid QBs can still be had later.

If he is fully healthy, AP is a steal at 2.11. Question will be how healthy will he be come Week 1.

Round 3:

29. Victor Cruz (WR8)
30. Darren Sproles (RB15)
31. Wes Welker (WR9)
32. Greg Jennings (WR10)
33. Fred Jackson (RB16)
34. Roddy White (WR11)
35. Steven Jackson (RB17)
36. Doug Martin (RB18)
37. Brandon Marshall (WR12)
38. Eli Manning (QB6)
39. Mike Wallace (WR13)
40. Jordy Nelson (WR14)
41. Frank Gore (RB19)
42. Roy Helu (RB20)

Looking back, it was interesting I decided to go with Eli at this pick when guys like Ryan, Rivers, Romo and other could be had later. Good thing is there were still solid WRs on the board at this point as I was still without a WR.

Really like Sproles as the 15th RB off the board in a PPR league. Also like Fred Jackson as the 16th off the board.

Nothing terrible here, except Gore a tad high for me, but in a 14-teamer at the end of Round 3, it's not a bad pick.

Round 4:
43. Reggie Bush (RB21)
44. Tony Romo (QB7)
45. Miles Austin (WR15)
46. Philip Rivers (QB8)
47. Vincent Jackson (WR16)
48. Beanie Wells (RB22)
49. Demaryius Thomas (WR17)
50. Michael Vick (QB9)
51. Percy Harvin (WR18)
52. Dwayne Bowe (WR19)
53. Marques Colston  (WR20)
54. Steve Smith (WR21)
55. Antonio Brown (WR22)
56. Steve Johnson (WR23)

Had my back to the wall as far as getting a WR1, and VJax can be pretty scary as a WR1. Has been so inconsistent and no longer has Rivers throwing to him. No disrespect to Josh Freeman. Would rather have taken Harvin or Smith.

Really love the value on Smith as the 21st WR off the board, as did Josh. "Steve Smith at 4.12 is a great value pick. Tremendous player and top 10 WR last year, which should be easily repeatable if he stays healthy."

Jarrett was in the same boat as Josh and I, having this to say: " Ryan's pick of Carolina Steve Smith at 4.12 was great value.  He's shown no signs of slowing down, and Cam should improve as a passer going into his second season and first with a full camp.  It goes to show you how deep WR is this year that you can get a high quality WR1 at the end of the 4th."

Demaryius Thomas also has Top 10 upside with Peyton Manning now throwing to him. He put up great numbers last year with Tim Tebow, and I think we can all agree that Peyton is a tad better than Tebow.

Round 5:
57. Michael Turner (RB23)
58. Vernon Davis (TE3)
59. Kenny Britt (WR24)
60. Peyton Manning (QB10)
61. BenJarvus Green-Ellis (RB24)
62. Jonathan Stewart (RB25)
63. Jeremy Maclin (WR25)
64. Eric Decker (WR26)
65. C.J. Spiller (RB26)
66. DeSean Jackson (WR27)
67. Mark Ingram (RB27)
68. Brandon Lloyd (WR28)
69. Jason Witten (TE4)
70. Antonio Gates (TE5)

Love, love, love Maclin as the 25th WR off the board. I really think this is going to be a top-10 season for him. Very nice pick by Eric.

There comes a time when the value outweighs the risk. And that's what happened here with Josh selecting Turner at 57 overall, the 23rd RB off the board. I think Rodgers and Snelling get more involved, but even in a PPR league, Turner is still solid at this point in the draft.

Green-Ellis stock has been hurt a bit by the fact that Cincinnati has said there may be a committee between the Law Firm and Bernard Scott.

DeSean has value as the 27th WR, being in an Eagles offense that looks to put up a lot of points this season.

I also really like Lloyd here. I think being back with Josh McDaniels and having Tom Brady throwing to him, Lloyd will put up some huge numbers and should well outperform this position.

Alex got one of the better values in Gates No. 70 overall in a 14-teamer.

Round 6:
71. Issac Redman (RB28)
72. Matt Ryan (QB11)
73. Ben Tate (RB29)
74. Torrey Smith (WR29)
75. Justin Blackmon (WR30)
76. Robert Griffin III (QB12)
77. Aaron Hernandez (TE6)
78. Jermichael Finley (TE7)
79. Reggie Wayne (WR31)
80. Pierre Garcon (WR32)
81. Michael Bush (RB30)
82. David Wilson (RB31)
83. Sidney Rice (WR33)
84. Denarious Moore (WR34)

This is why I am questioning why I took Eli in Round 3. Matt Ryan as the 11th QB taken, going in Round 6, 72nd overall is tremendous value, in my eyes. I am very high on Ryan and could have gotten him in Round 5.

Instead, I went with Justin Blackmon (I believe this was before his DUI). No way I take him this high again, even if he was only my WR3. Just looking at the 4 WRs who went after him in this round, I'd now rather any of the 4, especially Wayne. Indy will be throwing a lot because they will be trailing a lot. I expect Luck to start locking in on Wayne, who still has a good bit left in the tank.

Josh took the WR with his last name, Denarious Moore, who is a nice sleeper in what could be an improved Raiders offense.

Andrew's pick of RG3 is quite interesting, considering he had already drafted Aaron Rodgers. Best Ball leagues do take a different approach, but how many games will Griffin score more points than Rodgers? You won't usually see someone who drafts Rodgers take a backup, especially one just 5 rounds later.

And especially as the 12th QB taken. I'm not ready to put Griffin that high, but he has upside.

Round 7:
85. Ben Roethlisberger (QB13)
86. Jay Cutler (QB14)
87. Fred Davis (TE7)
88. DeAngelo Williams (RB31)
89. Shonn Greene (RB32)
90. Brandon Pettigrew (TE8)
91. Robert Meachem (WR35)
92. Josh Freeman (QB15)
93. Kyle Rudolph (TE9)
94. Peyton Hillis (RB33)
95. Andrew Luck (QB16)
96. Owen Daniels (TE10)
97. Michael Crabtree (WR36)
98. Matt Schaub (QB17)

Really like Hillis as the 33rd RB. This was probably a handcuff to Charles, but don't think that's all he is. Hillis will get a lot of work in this offense, especially at the goal line. Hillis has the possibility of 1,000 yards and 7+ TDs.

Andrew is high on Rudolph this season, and he is a deep sleeper at TE. But the 9th TE? Way too early. Could have gotten much later. Especially with guys like Celek and Gonzalez and Tamme still on the board.

Greene is another of those "He has value because of where he's drafted" picks. I've never been a Greene fan, but hard to argue as the 32nd RB taken. He should still see most of the work for the Jets backfield.

Round 8:
99. Michael Floyd (WR37)
100. Malcom Floyd (WR38)
101. Willis McGahee (RB34)
102. Jahvid Best (RB35)
103. Coby Fleener (TE11)
104. Mike Williams (WR39)
105. Lance Moore (WR40)
106. Donald Brown (RB35)
107. Ronnie Hillman (RB36)
108. Brent Celek (TE12)
109. LeGarrette Blount (RB37)
110. Steven Ridley (RB38)
111. Ryan Williams (RB39)
112. Tony Gonzalez (TE13)

I do like Fleener this season, but if I would to do this again, I'd take Celek over him. Really like that pick for Allie. The Eagles offensive line is finally intact, meaning Celek is free to run routes and catch balls again, instead of staying in to block. Celek did finish as TE10 last season.

Even better last season than Celek was Gonzalez, last year's TE4. And he's taken as the 13th TE by Josh. Another great value.

Atlanta's offense will be very pass-heavy and Gonzo will be a major part of it.

Love Mike Williams as WR39. I think with VJax in town, the pressure will be taken off Williams and I think he returns to his rookie form.

Brian and Shane also got nice value with McGahee and Best as RBs 34 and 35, respectively.

Ryan Williams is another guy to target late, as we saw here. Beanie is still questionable, so if healthy, Williams could end up as the starting RB for the Cardinals.

I will pick up the rest of the draft in Part 2

32 Fantasy Previews: San Francisco 49ers

Our Previews series enters our final NFC division, the NFC West, and we start with the team that came oh so close to playing in Super Bowl XLVI, the San Francisco 49ers.

Alex Smith

Smith had a career year in 2011, all thanks to Jim Harbaugh.

He had his highest number of completions and attempts in his career, a career high in completion percentage, broke a 90 QB Rating for the first time ever, and only threw five interceptions, despite throwing just 17 touchdowns.

Smith also won his first NFC West Title played in his first career NFC Championship Game.

Smith finished as the 15th scoring QB in fantasy in 2011, which is about where his ceiling might be.

Smith did a take a big step forward under Harbaugh last season and really improved as a quarterback. But he still shouldn't be taken as a fantasy QB1, but is well worth drafting as a backup and a bye-week fill-in.

Smith is currently the 25th QB off the board with an ADP in Round 15, meaning he is either going at the very end or not being drafted at all. That's about where he should be.

Frank Gore

It's another case of how the mighty have fallen.

Yes, Gore did eclipse 1,200 yards rushing and had 8 touchdowns, finishing 11th in RB scoring.

But Gore's days as a workhorse back are done.

Kendall Hunter impressed last season, getting more touches and becoming more involved in the offense. San Francisco also signed Brandon Jacobs in free agency and drafted Oregon RB LaMichael James in Round 2.

Plus, Gore hasn't been the healthiest of backs and has a lot of wear and tear on his body.

What was once a crystal clear RB situation is now a very murky RB situation.

What's worse for Gore is he was hardly involved in the passing game, catching only 17 balls in 2011, although Hunter caught just 16.

Just goes to show that San Fran's passing game does not go through the RBs, so they get dropped a notch in PPR leagues.

I would currently rank the RBs as this: Gore, Hunter, James, Jacobs.

Current ADPs: Gore-RB18, going in Round 5. Hunter-RB51, going in Round 13. James-RB54, going in Round 14. Jacobs-RB71, undrafted.

Michael Crabtree

Crabtree has improved since he entered the NFL, including catching 73 passes last season for 880 yards. This kid has gone through injuries and missed every offseason since he came into the NFL, via holdouts, injury and last year's lockout.

Now, Crabtree finally has a full offseason to work with Smith and could be a nice option as a WR3, especially in PPR formats, as he should be operating out of the slot.

Along with Jacobs, San Fran also brought in former Giant Mario Manningham and brought Randy Moss out of retirement, and also drafted A.J. Jenkins in the 1st Round.

At this point, Moss and Crabtree look to be the top 2 WRs, followed by Manningham. Jenkins has disappointed thus far in OTAs, and should not be owned at this point.

Moss and Manningham are worth late-round flyers.

ADPs: Crabtree-WR35, going in Round 9, Moss is WR53 and Manningham is WR54, both going in Round 13. Jenkins is WR67, going undrafted.

Vernon Davis

While Crabtree can be a nice target for Smith, Vernon Davis is Smith's go-to guy and bailout option.

Davis had 792 yards and 6 TDs last season. He came up even bigger in the playoff win against New Orleans, catches 7 passes for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Davis is still a top 10 TE, as Smith will mostly throw his way, and Davis is a guy you can get in the middle round.

He is currently being drafted in Round 5 as the 4th TE off the board, which is a tad high. I have him just outside the top 5 and feel you can wait to get him in Round 6 or 7. But if you feel you need to grab him in Round 5, go right ahead and do so.

San Francisco is more of a team that will rely on their defense again, as all 11 starters from last season are back. Their offense may not be chock full of fantasy goodness, but they have their upside.

Next on the list will be the Arizona Cardinals.

Until next time, this is your boy Bill Wild, signing off.

32 Fantasy Previews: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 32 Fantasy Preview Series continues with a look at a revamped offense in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Josh Freeman

Josh Freeman was a nice breakout story in 2010, throwing for almost 3,500 yards, 25 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions.

2011 turned into a breakdown season for Freeman.

The entire offense seemed to stink, Raheem Morris lost complete control of the team, and Freeman's stats suffered because of it.

He did top 3,500 yards, but he only threw 16 touchdowns versus 22 interceptions. Only Buffalo's Ryan Fitzpatrick had more, with 23.

Freeman went from 7th in QB fantasy scoring in 2010 to 16th in 2011.

Tampa was one of the big spenders in free agency, bringing in arguably the best wide receiver and offensive guard in free agency in Vincent Jackson and Carl Nicks. (For you IDP players out there, Tampa also signed CB Eric Wright, another top free agent, from Detroit).

And, of course, Tampa has a new head coach in Greg Schiano, formerly of Rutgers.

So, with a new offense, and a new, and hopefully better, head coach, the question becomes, do we get the Josh Freeman of 2010, or the Josh Freeman of 2011?

If it's 2010, he is a very nice sleeper and great value with a current ADP in Round 11 as the 17th QB off the board.

If it's the Freeman of 2011, then he's not worth owning. Plain and simple.

Preseason will tell much about how much the team has turned around.

LeGarrette Blount

After a very impressive rookie season in which he topped 1,000 rushing yards, despite not playing much at all until Week 7, LeGarrette Blount really hurt fantasy owners. Or should I say Raheem Morris hurt fantasy owners.

There would be weeks when Blount simply was not used much at all. Take Week 1, for example. Blount received five carries. FIVE. For a whopping 15 yards.

Blount would scored 3 touchdowns his next three games, then got injured it what was a very up-and-down season for Blount.

Now his playing time could be in jeopardy due to another back impressing through pass protection.

Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you...

Doug Martin

Not only did Tampa Bay draft Doug Martin, they traded up to get him.

Tampa swung a deal with Denver to move back into Round 1 and select the former Boise State running back with the 31st pick of the NFL Draft.

What's also a plus for Martin is Schiano sees Martin as Ray Rice 2.0. And in case you forgot, Schiano coached Rice at Rutgers. And we can all agree Rice is pretty good.

Martin has the tools to be an every-down back and will push to become the starting RB for Tampa Bay this season.

Comparing ADPs, Martin is currently the 19th RB off the board, going in Round 5, Blount is RB41, going in Round 11.

I like Martin a lot, but I would not fault you at all if you took a flyer on Blount late, especially if you take Martin high, as I did in a recent experts league I took part in. I took Martin in Round 4, then Blount in Round 9.

Another thing to watch in training camp and preseason.

Vincent Jackson

As mentioned above, Tampa signed Vincent Jackson in free agency this spring.

And I would bet Jackson was most happy because he got what he wanted, and that was to leave San Diego.

remember, Jackson held out most of 2010 because he was unhappy with his contract situation in San Diego.

He is just as frustrating in fantasy, as well. Yes he did finish 10th among WRs, but if you look deeper into the numbers, you'll see why he was so frustrating to own. One week he'll post 100 yards and a touchdown, the next, he'll grab two balls for 20 yards.

And this was with Philip Rivers as his quarterback. No knock against Freeman, but he isn't Philip Rivers.

This is why he is very hard to trust as a WR1. Many teams will draft him as a WR2 or 3.

He is currently WR21, going in Round 5, which seems about where he should go, because again, it comes down to the inconsistency he has from week to week.

Proceed with caution.

Mike Williams

Talk about a real sophomore slump. Just like Blount, Williams came crashing down after a very impressive rookie season.

771 and three touchdowns and Williams barely cracked the top 50 WRs in 2011.

Again, Morris pretty much ruined this team last season, which led to Williams crumbling last year.

I think Williams is primed for a bounce back in 2012. Jackson will draw attention away from Williams and he should return to form and out up respectable numbers once again.

And for where he is going, he is a good value and worth a gamble. Right now, he is the 38th WR off the board, going in Round 9-10. I think Williams can return to WR2/3 status for that price.

Dallas Clark

No, that is not a misprint. You are reading that correct. Dallas Clark is now with the Bucs. Tampa traded Kellen Winslow to Seattle, then signed the former Colt.

A former member of the elite TE club, injuries have derailed his last 2 seasons, but he's gotten a reprieve in Tampa.

Winslow finished with 75 catches, 763 yards and two touchdowns last season, good for 15th among TEs.

If he can stay healthy, which has been tough for him of late, Clark can get some catches and could be fairly involved in this offense. Will he be a TE1? Maybe not. But he can be a respectable TE2 or flex option, if your league allows TEs as a flex.

Clark is going undrafted in a lot of leagues, but he is someone to watch as we go through the preseason.

We can only hope Coach Schiano can whip the Bucs back into shape, unlike the mess we saw in 2011. If so, we'll see a good amount of fantasy points scored in Tampa.

Next time, we head into the NFC West, starting with last year's NFC runners-up, the San Francisco 49ers.

Until next time, this is your boy, Bill Wild, signing off.

32 Fantasy Previews: Carolina Panthers

Our Preview series continues with the Carolina Panthers.

Cam Newton

2010's Heisman Trophy winner and National Champion at Auburn, Newton was arguably the waiver wire pickup of the year.

Newton beat out Jimmy Clausen as a rookie, and broke records left and right.

He became the 1st rookie quarterback ever to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. Not even the great Peyton Manning threw for 4,000 as a rookie (he was the previous record holder with over 3,700).

Newton also broke the record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 14.

It all added up to a 4th-place finish for Newton, only behind Rodgers, Brees and Brady.

I am worried and fairly confident that Newton will not match his 14 rushing TDs. But many people (including myself at times) were overlooking that fact that he did throw for 4,000 yards. I think Newton will continue to improve as a quarterback and should get to 4,000 yet again.

What is a bit surprising it that Newton is the 2nd QB off the board, averaging just outside Round 1 in a 12-team league.

I do like Newton, but I wouldn't draft him as the 2nd QB off the board, nor would I take him that high, pick wise.

DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart

If there was one negative thing about Newton, was he made owners of Williams and Stewart very frustrated each week.

Once Carolina got to the goal line, Newton was always calling his own number.

Of course, Carolina's committee system did enough frustrating on its own.

Williams and Stewart got nearly the exact same number of carries (Williams-155, Stewart-142). And their yards per carry were extremely close (Williams-5.39, Stewart-5.36).

Williams found the end zone 7 times, Stewart 5 times.

In fact, these two were right next to each other in the final RB scoring list. Stewart was 25th, Williams was 26th.

What separates the two is Stewart hauled in 47 receptions, Williams only had 16.

So what we're looking at is a straight committee, but Stewart gets the slight nod based on his receptions.

And don't let the presence of Mike Tolbert scare you. He'll be a straight fullback in Carolina.

Stewart is currently RB23 in ADP, averaging Round 6, Williams is RB36, averaging Round 10.

I like the gamble on both backs for where they are going, especially Williams. He has the ability to break a big one at any time, so for a 10th round pick, the value is there.

Steve Smith

What a difference a year (and a better quarterback) make.

With Jimmy Clausen and Matt Moore at quarterback in 2010, Smith had a very forgetable year, posting just 46 catches for 554 yards and only two touchdowns.

Enter Cam Newton in 2011, and Smith was re-vitalized, grabbing 79 passes for 1,394 yards and 7 touchdowns, giving him a 6th-place finish among WRs in fantasy scoring.

It was also the first time since 2005 that Smith played all 16 games in a season.

Smith was rewarded with a new contract in April, and as long as Newton is there, Smith will be back among the top of the WR crew in fantasy.

What would be even better is if someone can step up opposite Smith to give Smith some room to work with.

That's why you should watch the battle between David Gettis and Brandon LaFell for the WR2 job in Carolina. I like LaFell as a deep sleeper, but Gettis would have value as well, should he win the job.

Smith is going as the 23rd WR off the board, in Round 5, which is tremendous value. A top 6 WR last year, going outside the top 20. I'd take that any day I can get it.

Greg Olsen

Yet another reason to be comfortable about TE, even if you miss out on Graham and Gronkowski.

Last year, Carolina had two solid receiving tight ends in Olsen and Jeremy Shockey. They combined for 82 catches, 995 yards and 9 touchdowns. That would actually rank #3 among TEs, ahead of Aaron Hernandez.

Shockey is now gone, leaving Olsen by himself to receive all the TE targets. And remember, OC Rob Chudzinski's offense is geared toward the tight end.

And Jeff Otah is expected to be back healthy this season, allowing Olsen to run more routes.

Olsen is currently the 19th TE off the board, going in Round 14. That could turn into amazing value at the TE position as Olsen has top 10 potential in this offense.

Carolina was a surprise team last season, and I think they surprise even more and make the playoffs this season.

Next time, it's the new and improved Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Until then, this is your boy Bill Wild, signing off.

32 Fantasy Previews: Atlanta Falcons

We roll through our Previews right on into Atlanta to check out what could be a high-flying Falcons offense.

Matt Ryan

There are so many people saying you should wait on your quarterback this season. Matt Ryan is one the biggest reasons why.

Matt Ryan is coming off two consecutive 8th-place finishes in QB scoring, including his first-ever 4,000 yard passing season.

I firmly believe this is the year Ryan takes that step toward the elite group of fantasy QBs. Atlanta has pretty much come out and said this team will throw more than before and may even throw in some no-huddle work, opening up the playbook and the offense for Ryan.

I'm looking for Ryan to crack at least 4,500 yards and 30-35 TDs.

Ryan is currently the 10th QB off the board, going in the middle of Round 6. I think that is extremely great value, as Ryan has what it takes to be a top 5 QB. I wouldn't be afraid to take him in Round 4 or 5.

Michael Turner

Lately, we have been entering our drafts wondering if this is the year Michael Turner breaks down. Lately, Turner has proved us wrong. Turner posted over 1,500 total yards, including 1,340 rushing, and 11 total touchdowns, good for a 6th-place finish among RBs.

However, Turner has received 300+ carries in 3 of the last 4 season, and he was injured in that remaining season.

This could be the year the Burner starts burning out.

With Atlanta moving to a more pass-based offense, and the rise of Jacquizz Rodgers (and Jason Snelling still in the mix, as well), Turner's numbers could start to dive a bit. He's not that bad an option in standard leagues, but in PPR, his value takes quite a hit.

Turner is not a back that normally catches passes, only catching 17 last season.

And this is reflected in mock drafts, as he is currently the 21st RB off the board, averaging end of Round 5.

Turner's days as a Fantasy RB1 are over.

I think Rodgers gets more playing time in this offense and could be a deep sleeper in PPR leagues.

Roddy White

Ol' Reliable Roddy White has consistently produced top numbers year in and year out.

In 2011, White was one of only two WRs to catch 100 balls. He finished with 100 catches, 1,296 yards and 8 touchdowns. White was also the most-targeted WR in 2011, receiving 181 targets.

However, White also led the league with 15 dropped passes.

Even with those dropped passes, White was the #8 scoring WR in 2011.

There was talk that White work would be lessened this season. But the fact is, this offense is going to throw, and Roddy is who Matt Ryan turns to to bail him out.

White is currently the 9th WR off the board, going early Round 3, a very solid 3rd round grab.

But, Roddy isn't even the 1st Falcons WR being drafted. The 1st Falcons receiver being drafted is...

Julio Jones

After injuries mess up the 1st half of Jones' rookie season, he electrified the NFL in the 2nd half and finished with 959 yards and 8 TDs, including 393 yards and 6 TDs in his final four games.

As long as he stays healthy, Jones is a prime breakout candidate for this season, and is already being drafted as such. He is currently the 7th WR off the board, averaging end of Round 3, beginning of Round 3.

With this offense, there certainly is the upside for both WRs to finish top 10.

Tony Gonzalez

And let's not forget the 1st-ballot Hall of Famer in this mix.

For as much as people try to write off Tony Gonzalez, he just continues to produce.

Lost in all the Gronkowski/Graham hooplah from last season was the fact that Tony G actually finished as the #4 scoring TE. Tony caught 80 balls for 875 yards and 7 touchdowns.

He signed a one-year deal with Atlanta before the end of last season, so it's fair to ask if this is it. Will this be Gonzalez's final NFL season? If it is, we know he will leave as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.

As for his fantasy potential, with this new pass-happy offense, Gonzalez will be involved a whole lot, once again, especially in the red zone.

Another top 5 scoring season is a possibility, and Tony could come at a great value.

He is currently the 12th TE off the board, going in Round 11. That is tremendous value for last year's #4 scorer and someone who will receive a lot of passes.

Atlanta looks like another team that can produce a gold mine of fantasy points.

Next time, we will check out the Carolina Panthers.

Until next time, this is your boy Bill Wild, signing off.