Trendsetters 2012

[Coltsfan]

Pete,

He didn't mean a literal trade. We just had our supplemental rookie draft and instead of taking players he decided to take "rookie" so that's what he meant by trading.


Wayne

[Rob B]

Our rookie draft phase is now complete. In all, "rookie" was called out 12 times during the first 21 rounds of our draft by 7 different owners. Glenn led the group with 4.

Below is the order, owner name, draft slot used on the rookie and finally the rookie selected.

1. Jack 3.10 - Trent Richardson RB CLE
2. Rob B 5.3 - Doug Martin RB TB
3. Glenn 8.2 - RGIII - QB Redskins
4. Greg 9.2 - Justin Blackmon - WR Jac
5. Jules 10.11 - Andrew Luck QB Indy
6. Greg 10.13 - David Wilson, RB, NYG
7. Rob B 11.3 - Michael Floyd, WR, 'Zona
8. Glenn 16.2 - Coby Fleener, TE Indy
9. Dan 17.14 - Isaiah Pead, RB Rams
10. Glenn 19.13 - Alshon Jefferey WR Chi
11. Glenn 20.2 - Rueben Randle WR NYG
12. Donnie 21.5 - LaMichael James, RB MIA

To me, this is the most fun draft of the year simply because you have to try and predict more variables than at any other time during the season. Since we draft in phases, we have to factor in the free agent moves before, during and after the that process opens. Sometimes you guess right and sometimes you guess wrong.

Example: I drafted Tolbert in the 8th hoping he would go to one of the more favorable fantasy options that were open. I was hoping Cincy or Pittsburgh. When he chose Carolina my team took a hit. We'll call this one a miss.

I drafted Andre Roberts in the 10th because I already had Fitz and I thought it was the most logical landing spot for Manning. We'll call this one a miss that was compounded by the Floyd draft pick by AZ. It almost forced me to take Floyd with my second Rookie pick.

The rookie aspect is icing on the cake as it gives you a chance to review the NFL draft and try and predict when you should forego a seasoned player and call out rookie.

In our draft this year, Jack was the first to muster the inner fortitude to leave a known commodity on the shelf and go out and grab his rookie of choice. In this case he targeted the uber-talented Trent Richardson all along. Getting Richardson at 3.10 was a great move. I would project him to go at the end of the first and/or before the middle of the second come September.

I actually think there is a great chance that all of the rookie picks above will outperform their draft positions.

Which is the best bargain? I think it could end up being Fleener. I would put him in my top 7 TE's right now and nabbing him in the 16th defines bargain.

At any rate, starting your first FF draft the night of the Super Bowl is one way to keep the fantasy juices flowing as well as helping you prepare for the following season.

Here is my updated team after 21 rounds and the rookie draft:

QB: Cutler (6) and Flacco (7)
RB: Charles (3), Doug Martin (5), Tolbert (8), Taiwan Jones (12), Delone Carter (17), Danny Ware (18)
WR: Fitzgerald (2), Crabtree (4), Manningham (9), Andre Roberts (10), Michael Floyd (11), Breaston (15)
TE: Gronkowski (1), Heap (20)
PK: Gould (14) and Succop (16)
DEF: SEA (13), MIA (19), JAX (21)

[Greg Ambrosius]

Our rookie draft phase is now complete. In all, "rookie" was called out 12 times during the first 21 rounds of our draft by 7 different owners. Glenn led the group with 4.

Below is the order, owner name, draft slot used on the rookie and finally the rookie selected.

1. Jack 3.10 - Trent Richardson RB CLE
2. Rob B 5.3 - Doug Martin RB TB
3. Glenn 8.2 - RGIII - QB Redskins
4. Greg 9.2 - Justin Blackmon - WR Jac
5. Jules 10.11 - Andrew Luck QB Indy
6. Greg 10.13 - David Wilson, RB, NYG
7. Rob B 11.3 - Michael Floyd, WR, 'Zona
8. Glenn 16.2 - Coby Fleener, TE Indy
9. Dan 17.14 - Isaiah Pead, RB Rams
10. Glenn 19.13 - Alshon Jefferey WR Chi
11. Glenn 20.2 - Rueben Randle WR NYG
12. Donnie 21.5 - LaMichael James, RB MIA

To me, this is the most fun draft of the year simply because you have to try and predict more variables than at any other time during the season. Since we draft in phases, we have to factor in the free agent moves before, during and after the that process opens. Sometimes you guess right and sometimes you guess wrong.

Example: I drafted Tolbert in the 8th hoping he would go to one of the more favorable fantasy options that were open. I was hoping Cincy or Pittsburgh. When he chose Carolina my team took a hit. We'll call this one a miss.

I drafted Andre Roberts in the 10th because I already had Fitz and I thought it was the most logical landing spot for Manning. We'll call this one a miss that was compounded by the Floyd draft pick by AZ. It almost forced me to take Floyd with my second Rookie pick.

The rookie aspect is icing on the cake as it gives you a chance to review the NFL draft and try and predict when you should forego a seasoned player and call out rookie.

In our draft this year, Jack was the first to muster the inner fortitude to leave a known commodity on the shelf and go out and grab his rookie of choice. In this case he targeted the uber-talented Trent Richardson all along. Getting Richardson at 3.10 was a great move. I would project him to go at the end of the first and/or before the middle of the second come September.

I actually think there is a great chance that all of the rookie picks above will outperform their draft positions.

Which is the best bargain? I think it could end up being Fleener. I would put him in my top 7 TE's right now and nabbing him in the 16th defines bargain.

At any rate, starting your first FF draft the night of the Super Bowl is one way to keep the fantasy juices flowing as well as helping you prepare for the following season.

Here is my updated team after 21 rounds and the rookie draft:

QB: Cutler (6) and Flacco (7)
RB: Charles (3), Doug Martin (5), Tolbert (8), Taiwan Jones (12), Delone Carter (17), Danny Ware (18)
WR: Fitzgerald (2), Crabtree (4), Manningham (9), Andre Roberts (10), Michael Floyd (11), Breaston (15)
TE: Gronkowski (1), Heap (20)
PK: Gould (14) and Succop (16)
DEF: SEA (13), MIA (19), JAX (21)

This is great stuff. I love the rookie aspect of this league as well. It will be fun to compare where these rookies go in the first NFFC Draft Champions League draft this week compared to where they went here. I agree, I think there are some bargains being had here.

Rob, were you targeting Blackmon at all as he second rookie before he went to Jacksonville? And how upset were you that your Rams didn't get him in the first round? I like the Floyd and Fleener picks here.

Good stuff and thanks for posting.

[Rob B]

Greg,

Rams fan? I am a Raiders fan. However, I will forever be grateful to Bulger, Bruce and S Jax for staying healthy all of 2006 but my allegiance will forever be to the Silver and Black.

The Rook's ADPs will be quite different from ours moving forward. Drafters now have the ability to factor in where players were taken and project with a tad more confidence their 2012-13 production.

The other note is that we when we made our actual rookie selections, we did so with our tem needs in mind at that point in our draft. Drafters can now take these players where they may fall based on projections first.

This is the fun part of fantasy sports. Tracking movement, adding another year of wear and tear, blending new blood and coaches to rosters is why projecting the performance of these teams and players does take some skill. Now if we could just get those other 6 states to open their eyes to the reality of fantasy sports......

[Greg Ambrosius]

Greg,

Rams fan? I am a Raiders fan. However, I will forever be grateful to Bulger, Bruce and S Jax for staying healthy all of 2006 but my allegiance will forever be to the Silver and Black.

The Rook's ADPs will be quite different from ours moving forward. Drafters now have the ability to factor in where players were taken and project with a tad more confidence their 2012-13 production.

The other note is that we when we made our actual rookie selections, we did so with our tem needs in mind at that point in our draft. Drafters can now take these players where they may fall based on projections first.

This is the fun part of fantasy sports. Tracking movement, adding another year of wear and tear, blending new blood and coaches to rosters is why projecting the performance of these teams and players does take some skill. Now if we could just get those other 6 states to open their eyes to the reality of fantasy sports......

My bad Silver and Black. I knew you were a Raiders' fan. I forgot that the Rams just made you money in 2006. The Raiders just keep breaking your heart!!

The other 6 states aren't really saving anyone from fantasy sports. They are basically protecting their own state lotteries and Indian casinos with the language in their own state gambling laws. And that language is enough to make big corporate game providers worried about what an aggressive Attorney General could do if he/she wanted to make headlines. That's the reality of this situation and the only way to change it is to find a common sense legislator like was done in Maryland who realizes a separate bill must be written to protect fantasy sports for his residents.