I will be posting the picks made from my dynasty league as they occur. The league's format is 12 teams, relatively standard scoring with PPR, no IDP, and our starting requirements allow the possibility of starting a second QB in a flex position. I will post and briefly comment on most picks. The draft officially began May 1st. Since owners from this league visit this site, I will not mention, and attempt not to reference, any players who have not yet been picked. Here is the direct link to the draft forum we made our official picks in and the discussions held (many not involving the picks): http://usfldynastyfootball.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=2011draft
**My Picks
Free Agent Picks
Relentless and physical. He may not be the most electric RB prospect to enter the NFL draft, but he was made for the NFL. He possesses elite vision and awareness, sheds tackles, fully utilizes blockers, is strong and physical, and gives every ounce of effort with every run. He is not as fast or quick as you would hope for in a top prospect, but the same things were said about Emmitt Smith, who Ingram compares favorably to. Ingram was never a prototypical workhorse RB at Alabama, but I contend that just means he is more fresh. Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush (if he is not cut or traded) will not be forgotten about, but they will certainly need to step aside. Expect Ingram to be the starter, but don't expect him to be used as much as the likes of Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, or Steven Jackson.
1.02 ~ WR Julio Jones, ATL
Athletic and fearless. I'm not really surprised that he got chosen before A.J. Green. Jones exploded at the combine
showing off his speed, agility, and athleticism, while his play on the field at Alabama showed his physicality and aggressiveness. He possesses every physical trait you want in a WR. He was tabbed as a WR1 coming out of Alabama, but he will instead play second fiddle to Roddy White, tapering his value a bit.
1.03 ~ WR A.J. Green, CIN
The most polished WR prospect in a while. His most impressive attributes are his hands and route running skills. Those two items are very important concepts for an NFL WR, concepts that most WR prospects still need to learn at the professional level. Along with his phenomenal athleticism, speed, size, and competitiveness, Green is the most gifted and NFL ready WR on the board. Unfortunately, he gets drafted into a messy situation in Cincinnati, where it appears the offense is entering a complete revamping mode. It remains to be seen how well and how soon he can capitalize for his fantasy owners with a rookie QB and new offensive players in place.
**1.04 ~ RB Mikel Leshoure, DET
Burst and quickness conjoined in a power RB. After much thought and consideration, I decided to pick Leshoure over Ryan Williams, who is widely considered a better dynasty RB prospect. Skill should always be the first and most important factor considered when deciding between multiple players for your dynasty draft choice, but opportunity and team situations should never be ignored. I really liked Leshoure because he has excellent quickness and acceleration in traffic to go along with his strength and power. He should be on the field often, maybe alongside of Jahvid Best on some plays, and he will see regular goal line work. Even though Williams may be the better prospect, there were two situational factors that caused me to lean toward picking Leshoure. First, he only has one RB (who is injury prone) to share carries with, unlike Ryan Williams who has two RBs to share with. Second, the Lions passing offense will be much more effective in taking pressure off of the running game than the Cardinals passing offense will be. It was a tough choice, but I am confident than Leshoure will pay higher dividends, at least within the next three years.
1.05 ~ RB Ryan Williams, ARI
Low, tackle-breaking playmaker. Williams' skill set involves more one-cut runs, breaking tackles, and fearless, energetic running. The way he runs low and breaks tackles, he can muster up a long run on any play. However, he has dealt with injuries during his college career, and he will have to share with Beanie Wells (who is injury prone) and passing-down stalwart Tim Hightower. Even though he is certainly top 5 material in all rookie/FA drafts, he must also survive a rebuilding Cardinals passing offense which defenses will not respect. He still has major stud potential and a slightly better skill-set than Leshoure, but his situation is much less attractive. Williams rounds out the top tier of RBs in this draft.
1.06 ~ RB Daniel Thomas, MIA
Big and physical. Thomas is a potential every down RB who is big, strong, and durable. Even though he possesses a little bit of quickness and burst, he is more of a lumbering big man than he is quick on his feet. Then again, I thought the same thing about Arian Foster coming out of Tennessee. Thomas enters a great situation in Miami, where both Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown may be hitting the road. If Thomas does suddenly find himself at the top of the RB pecking order for the Dolphins, that is good for his fantasy owners. However, that excitement should be tapered until the Dolphins can build a o-line capable of run blocking. Some may consider Thomas to be in the top tier of RBs along with Ingram, Leshoure, and Williams because of his potentially great opportunity, but his skill level keeps him at the top of the second tier.
1.07 ~ WR Torrey Smith, BAL
Explosive player who gives full effort. He is a perfect fit for what the Ravens need. He is a speedy WR who provides a vertical threat the Ravens need to stretch defenses and open up Anquan Boldin on underneath routes. Smith marks the start of the second tier of WRs, but he is not necessarily the top WR of that tier. Picking a WR2 (who was drafted to a run-first offense) this early is indicative of the lack of offensive skill talent in this draft class. Given the options, this was still a solid choice with the seventh overall pick, even though the owner of this pick needed QB depth (addressed later with Cam Newton).
1.08 ~ QB Blaine Gabbert, JAC
Possesses all the traits of a successful NFL QB. Gabbert has the size, speed, arm strength, quick release, accuracy, and mental ability to be successful as a pro. Before the NFL Draft, he was considered the top QB prospect and he was treated as such in this rookie/FA draft. I like Gabbert to be the best QB out of this draft class, not only for his intangibles and skills, but also because he will be groomed behind David Garrard for likely a full season. That will give him ample time to transition from a spread offense to a pro-style offense and fully absorb what it takes to be an NFL QB. This is about where he should be drafted, but an owner with a desperate need for QB could comfortably draft him one or two picks earlier.
1.09 ~ RB Roy Helu Jr, WAS
The Shanahan factor...big time. Without Mike Shanahan drafting Helu, he would be more of an end of second round pick. Helu is a prototypical, one-cut, zone blocking style of RB. He is pretty fast and possesses the size and build to become a punishing runner for the Redskins. However, he does not have good lateral agility and isn't as powerful as his size suggests. This pick may be a reach, but the fact is that Shanahan's track record for drafting mid-late round "one-cut RBs" speaks for itself. Besides, at this point in the draft with the available talent left (or lack thereof), most of these remaining picks end up being a blindfolded toss at a dartboard. I would not have spent a first round pick on Helu, but I knew he wouldn't make it out of the first.
1.10 ~ WR Leonard Hankerson, WAS
Very little WR competition in Washington. The last pick was the start of everything goes...and the trend continues. Once teams within the next eight to ten picks weren't able to trade, there ended up being a lot of reaches for certain desired players. Outside of the top three (Ingram, Green, Jones), the rest of the top tier of RBs (Leshoure, Williams), and Thomas, there are mixed opinions on how the rest of the rookies rank. One thing I know for sure is that the next three (or at least two of the next three) WRs should have been drafted before Hankerson. Hankerson doesn't do anything spectacular, but he does a lot of things very good (speed, toughness, and hands). Most importantly, he gets drafted into a situation where he will be thrust into the WR1 role sooner than most of the top WR prospects, which is enough to inflate his value.
1.11 ~ QB Andy Dalton, CIN
Bye bye Carson Palmer...I guess. This pick was rather surprising with the likes of Cam Newton and Jake Locker on the board. It's not a bad pick so much as it was unexpected. Dalton should be available early in the second round of most drafts. At any rate, he is a good leader, is accurate, and immediately has a new toy in A.J. Green. He also has the tendency to float his deep passes and throws too many of them into coverage when he thinks his opponent is reeling. These last two factors will likely contribute to Dalton being turnover prone. He will be immediately inserted into the lineup if Palmer doesn't return, and will struggle to convert from a spread offense.
1.12 ~ WR Jonathan Baldwin, KC
Jump ball specialist. When I watch this incredibly athletic player's highlight reel, I can't help to think he is a slower, less disciplined Calvin Johnson. He is 6'4" 230 lbs, he high points the ball and out-jumps his opponents, the ball sticks to his hands like Velcro, and he is fearless in the middle. I am not trying to call him a future elite NFL receiver, but his potential seems gigantic. He shouldn't have much of a problem working his way into the Chiefs lineup, once he refines his poor route running abilities. Having Matt Cassel as his QB isn't exactly comforting, but he still has good value here as a second tier WR.
2.01 ~ QB Cam Newton, CAR
Vince Young finally got picked! OK, so their deliveries are very different, and the comparison may be a bit unfair, but just like Young, Newton is all athleticism (great as it is) and emotion while lacking in the cerebral area and fundamentals necessary to be a successful NFL QB.
2.02 ~ WR Greg Little, CLE
If he hadn't been suspended by the NCAA for the entire 2010 season, he would have been mentioned in the same breath as A.J. Green and Julio Jones. He is big and strong, has good hands, can be elusive, and holds enormous playmaker potential. At 2.02, he has the potential to be the steal of the draft. My only concern with him is if he stayed in football shape during his suspension. He could go the way of Mike Williams from USC, who got drafted by Matt Millen in 2005 after a year off.
**2.03 ~ WR Randall Cobb, GB
Another potential steal of the draft, as the last remaining second tier WR falls all the way down to my pick 2.03. I never thought I would have the chance to draft a second tier WR (Torrey Smith, Jonathan Baldwin, Greg Little, or Randall Cobb) this far into the draft. Cobb not only possesses excellent route running and playmaking ability, but he also lands in a beautiful situation in Green Bay with one of the best QBs in the game, a quickly aging Donald Driver, and a free agent James Jones.
2.04 ~ QB Jake Locker, TEN
If he can solve his accuracy issues, he could eventually become an elite QB. He possesses every other attribute you would want in an NFL QB, including incredible athleticism and quick feet, but his accuracy issues (and his progression reads) have absolutely plagued him. If he solves those problems, he is almost automatically pro-bowl caliber. At any rate, he will find the opportunity to prove himself in the starting lineup very quickly.
**2.05 ~ QB Christian Ponder, MIN
There is very little that can be guaranteed about any college football player entering the NFL. I can absolutely guarantee one thing about Christian Ponder: he will learn the Vikings playbook quickly in his first season. Ponder is a very intelligent person. He has already completed his undergraduate degree in finance, earned his MBA and will be halfway through a master’s degree in sports management this fall. Intelligence in an NFL QB is very important for knowing all the team plays, understanding the opponents' defenses, strategy, etc. Ponder will immediately be inserted as the Vikings' starting QB and a new offense will be installed to accommodate his quick rhythm, short-intermediate passing style. He does lack a quality deep-ball, so any big plays from him will likely be the result of WR YAC.
2.06 ~ WR Titus Young, DET
He is a small speedy slot receiver who will likely become the primary punt and kick returner for the Lions. When he is on the field for the offense he will be required to stretch the defense to both open the running game up and draw the deep coverage away from Calvin Johnson. I fear he may be more decoy than receiver, but he will occasionally have explosive fantasy games.
2.07 ~ RB Delone Carter, IND
Potential steal of the draft. I had a very difficult time selecting Christian Ponder over Carter at my 2.05 pick. Carter has a low center of gravity, is strong and thick, and has the most impressive lateral quickness and agility out of all the top RBs. Even more attractive is the situation he gets drafted into with the Colts. Joseph Addai is a free agent and Donald Brown was massively unimpressive this last season. Both players also have a hard time staying healthy. If Addai finds another team, we could quickly see Carter become the starter.
2.08 ~ QB Colin Kaepernick, SF
Gotta give Jim Harbaugh the benefit of the doubt by drafting Kaepernick. As an excellent coach of QBs and a former successful QB, Harbaugh has decided to hang his hat on the development of Kaepernick. Expect Kaepernick to sit a year or two so he can learn to take snaps from under center, amongst other issues.
2.09 ~ TE Kyle Rudolph, MIN
He is the top receiving TE from the draft. He could prove to be an excellent security blanket for the rookie QB Christian Ponder.
2.10 ~ RB Shane Vereen, NE
I have learned to steer clear of Patriot RBs. Drafting Vereen, along with Stevan Ridley simply confirms the Bill Belicheck RB by committee standard where the RBs are always underused. Vereen is more of a third down RB, which makes me wonder how he will share carries with Danny Woodhead.
2.11 ~ RB Bilal Powell, NYJ
2.12 ~ TE Lance Kendricks, STL
3.01 ~ RB DeMarco Murray, DAL
3.02 ~ RB Kendall Hunter, SF
3.03 ~ WR Austin Pettis, STL
3.04 ~ RB Alex Green, GB
3.05 ~ RB Jacquizz Rodgers, ATL
3.06 ~ WR Vincent Brown, SD
Potential steal of the draft.
3.07 ~ RB Johnny White, BUF
3.08 ~ RB Dion Lewis, PHI
3.09 ~ QB Ryan Mallett, NE
Potential steal of the draft, but major patience is required for those who draft him. It will take a Tom Brady injury for Mallett to see the field within the next three to four years.
3.10 ~ WR Jerrel Jernigan, NYG
3.11 ~ WR Jerome Simpson, CIN
The first free agent is off the board. This is pretty good value for a player who ended last season with two very strong performances.
3.12 ~ WR Tandon Doss, BAL
Potential steal of the draft.
3.13 ~ WR Greg Salas, STL
4.01 ~ RB Taiwan Jones, OAK
**4.02 ~ WR Edmond Gates, MIA
Potential steal of the draft. Gates is a true burner and will create big plays with his speed. He is still very raw, but if he improves his route running, he could be a true playmaker.
4.03 ~ WR Niles Paul, WAS
**4.04 ~ TE Ed Dickson, BAL
4.05 ~ RB Jordan Todman, SD
4.06 ~ WR Cecil Shorts, JAC
4.07 ~ RB Da'Rel Scott, NYG
4.08 ~ RB Stevan Ridley, NE
4.09 ~ RB Jamie Harper, TEN
4.10 ~ TE Jordan Cameron, CLE
4.11 ~ QB Ricky Stanzi, KC
Potential steal of the draft.
4.12 ~ TE Tony Gonzalez, ATL
I recently dropped him to make room for youth.
5.01 ~ TE Virgil Green, DEN
5.02 ~ WR Scotty McKnight, NYJ
5.03 ~ TE Rob Housler, ARI
5.04 ~ RB Evan Royster, WAS
5.05 ~ QB Matt Hasselbeck, FA
He is another one of my drops to coincide with my youth movement.
5.06 ~ TE D.J. Williams, GB
5.07 ~ WR Damian Williams, TEN
5.08 ~ TE Luke Stocker, TB
5.09 ~ QB Matt Flynn, GB
5.10 ~ QB Taylor Yates, HOU
5.11 ~ PASSED
5.12 ~ Vikings DST
No comments:
Post a Comment