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I have a Josh Gordon question. If you were drafting for the primetime main event and you knew for sure that Josh Gordon was going to miss the first 11 weeks and you also knew for sure he was coming back week 12 and scoring 20 points, but you don't know what happens after week 12, where would you draft him? Round 3, Round 8, Round 15??? Where would you take him?


Wayne

In that limited context and off the top of my head, I would say Round 7 or 8. I would want my core in place to give the team the best chance to be relevant when Gordon returned week 12, but figure I could mix and match at WR 3 and/or flex 'til that time.

Though, dependent upon how the early part of the draft was going, I may have pulled the trigger earlier because I thought that would be the only missing piece to a championship run week 13 (or later if I thought my team sucked and needed more immediately relevant players to make a Gordon pick anything but a wasted stash).

I would guess most likely round 10 or round 9 if I didn't like who was there at the moment. Round 8 would be too rich for me. I was in plenty of leagues this year where I whiffed on rounds 4-6 and needed every bit of production I could get from rounds 7-9 to make the playoffs. Whiffing on a 7th/8th rounder doesn't mean you miss the playoffs but it sure puts a lot of pressure on you to hit on your earlier picks.

Another downside is it's tough to waste that roster spot for 12 weeks. I had a 14 team league that will just miss the playoffs where I had Gordon cut CJ Anderson (who I'd rather have now than Gordon) but might have kept Anderson with the extra roster spot. Of course I may well have wasted it on Ka'Deem Carey, who knows, but the point is the roster spot has value too.

So here is the 8th round of my primetime draft this year:

Bowe
Shorts
Cutler
Olsen
MJD
SJax
Jordan Reed
Brady
Moreno
Pitta
Ridley
Matt Ryan

Outside of the QB's, you have exactly one player from the 8th round that has contributed anything meaningful. (Olsen) So wouldn't you rather have Josh Gordon over almost anyone on that list? Even the 7th round had VD, Randle, Terrance, Welker, Witten, Kyle Rudolph, Sproles, and Sankey. And if you look back to 2013, you would have a similar percentage of busts. My thought is that if I could have a first round talent in the 7th knowing I would get him in weeks 12-16, I think I would take that deal all day long. Just my thoughts. But I want those difference makers in the post season.


Wayne

I just looked at my 2 Primetimes, and Benjamin was in 7th of both, and Evans was in 7th in one, 8th in the other. (Mathews was in 8th of one).

I would have taken all those guys over Josh Gordon in the moment, and it would be close right now. However, if he got you this far, I understand why you would be excited about him. His first game back was against Atlanta, and he had a great day. I would expect a step back this week against a very good Buffalo D. Also add in the fact that Hoyer nearly blew the game forcing him the ball.....I expect him to look at other options a little more this week.

BillyWaz wrote:His first game back was against Atlanta, and he had a great day. I would expect a step back this week against a very good Buffalo D. Also add in the fact that Hoyer nearly blew the game forcing him the ball.....I expect him to look at other options a little more this week.

So, going against a MUCH better D, Hoyer is going to look LESS at the one player on his offense who has a chance to make a difference? I do not know about that...it seems that when the chips are down, QB's like Hoyer tend lean on their studs.

Peyton and Brady spread it around? Sure. Hoyer? Not so much.

Edwards Kings wrote:

BillyWaz wrote:His first game back was against Atlanta, and he had a great day. I would expect a step back this week against a very good Buffalo D. Also add in the fact that Hoyer nearly blew the game forcing him the ball.....I expect him to look at other options a little more this week.

So, going against a MUCH better D, Hoyer is going to look LESS at the one player on his offense who has a chance to make a difference? I do not know about that...it seems that when the chips are down, QB's like Hoyer tend lean on their studs.

Peyton and Brady spread it around? Sure. Hoyer? Not so much.

I just think after last week (after Hoyer threw 3 INT's and nearly blew the game for Cleveland), the coaching staff may focus on some other parts of the offense. I'm not saying he isn't a talent, and isn't clearly their biggest play maker, but the Browns know they should of beat Atlanta by 2 TD's, but barely escaped because they were "forcing" it to Josh.

Missing nearly 3/4 of the season, I would say 10th round at best. You have to make the playoffs first and I don't see picking him prior to a starting player. Those players you mentioned in round 7 and 8 were supposed to be starters, forget that they had below average seasons. If you are assuming in this scenario, are you also assuming that you knew these other players in round 7 or 8 were going to have bad seasons?

BillyWaz wrote:

Edwards Kings wrote:

BillyWaz wrote:His first game back was against Atlanta, and he had a great day. I would expect a step back this week against a very good Buffalo D. Also add in the fact that Hoyer nearly blew the game forcing him the ball.....I expect him to look at other options a little more this week.

So, going against a MUCH better D, Hoyer is going to look LESS at the one player on his offense who has a chance to make a difference? I do not know about that...it seems that when the chips are down, QB's like Hoyer tend lean on their studs.

Peyton and Brady spread it around? Sure. Hoyer? Not so much.

I just think after last week (after Hoyer threw 3 INT's and nearly blew the game for Cleveland), the coaching staff may focus on some other parts of the offense. I'm not saying he isn't a talent, and isn't clearly their biggest play maker, but the Browns know they should of beat Atlanta by 2 TD's, but barely escaped because they were "forcing" it to Josh.

Two thoughts:

1) It looked to me that Hoyer and Gordon were not on the same page on a few of those routes/interceptions. That is correctable with some practice time. The commentators were correct however when they said Gordon needed to contest the Int in the end zone - he gave up on that pass. He does that sometimes.

2) Hoyer only needs to connect on short passes with Gordon for him to have a possble huge day. As we saw last year, Gordon's speed/strength combo means he turns an 8 yard catch into a 25+ yarder. The coaching staff may indeed do what you suggest, but we did not see it last year and we did not see it in his FIRST game back after 11 weeks off.

My thoughts I would probably take him right before my defense or kicker but not before I had all my other positions filled in and my important hand cuffs.
I would also have him as my 1st or second drop if need be.
The season is long and there are many injuries along the way and if you look at week 12 alone
Stedman Bailey ,Jarvis Landry and Robert Woods all scored higher than him.
In some leagues I saw Odell Beckham was a free agent right before he came back form injury.
Within 4 points behind him you had other notable superstars like charles johnson/stills/louis murphy/lafell.
It would be tough to hold a roster spot for 12 weeks with all the bye weeks and when you could really use that spot if you had injuries or to stream a defense or kicker.
I didn't draft him in any league and didn't win him in any faab (did put small bids on him though)