Finding the Best Possible Team With the Sixth Pick

Zach FeinAug 29, 2008

So you found out your draft position yesterday and saw you had the "dreaded" sixth pick. Do you take Tom Brady, or a running back? Or possibly Randy Moss?

But don't fret; all your problems will come to naught.

Using ESPN.com's Live Draft Results, I went pick-by-pick to determine the best team you can draft with the sixth pick in a standard, 12-team league with a QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, and a flex where passing touchdowns are worth four points. I only selected players that had an average draft position later than my pick.

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First round, pick No. 6

Pick: Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis

Where I rank him: No. 2 RB and overall.

Projected stats: 320 attempts for 1360 yards and 11 TDs; 65 receptions for 580 yards and 2 TDs.

With an ADP of 6.4, SJax was impossible to pass up. Since 2001 when new Rams' offensive coordinator Al Saunders became OC for the Kansas City Chiefs, the lead back in his offense has put up an average of 1850 total yards and 16 touchdowns. In fact, the lead back has put up at least 1599 total yards from scrimmage every single year but once—in 2004, when Priest Holmes only played eight games and still put up 1000 total yards.

(Side note: Since SJax is taken in the top 5 of most drafts and that ADP also included drafts where SJax's holdout issue was still a problem, my backup choice would have been Clinton Portis, whom I rank as my number four running back and overall.)

Second Round, pick No. 19

Pick: Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants

Where I rank him: No. 11 RB and 13 overall.

Projected stats: 235 carries for 1210 yards and nine TDs; 25 receptions for 230 yards and a TD.

There's a good chance Jacobs would fall to number 30, but his ADP is #29, and he was the best available on the board. I projected Jacobs' two backups, Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward, for 110 and 60 carries, respectively, which means Jacobs would have just less than 60% of the carries between them.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said that the Giants would "ride the hot hand"—and since I think Jacobs will be the hot hand each and every week, I don't see a full committee occurring.

Last year, Jacobs had the third most yards per game, with 91.7, just 0.4 yards per game less than LT. On pace to be a top-seven back had he played all 16 games, last year, I would not be surprised if he finished in the top 10 by year's end.

Third Round, pick No. 30

Pick: Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans

Where I rank him: No. 5 WR and 25 overall.

Projected stats: 95 receptions for 1300 yards and 10 TDs.

Although I don't rank him as the best available (that would be Michael Turner, along with three other RBs ahead of him), he's the best value at number 30. At No. 43, the best WR available is Anquan Boldin; but at that pick, I can take [name blocked out—sorry, you'll have to read on to find out], whom I rank only one spot behind of Turner.

From week eight on, Colston had the most receptions with 72, the second-most receiving yards with 939 and the third most touchdowns with nine, behind only—of course—Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. If you average those stats to a 16-game season, Colston would have totaled 115 receptions for 1500 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Fourth Round, pick 43

Pick: Earnest Graham, RB, Tampa Bay

Where I rank him: No. 15 RB and 22 overall.

Projected stats: 255 carries for 1020 yards and eight touchdowns; 35 receptions for 270 yards and two TDs.

From weeks seven to 15 (Graham was rested in the final two weeks), Graham had the third most yards from scrimmage with 962, and the second-most touchdowns with seven. Oh yeah—he also had a bye in week 10.

Average those stats out to 16 games and you get a final stats line of almost 2200 total yards and 16 touchdowns. Cadillac Williams is on the PUP list, and Dunn (whom I projected to get 100 carries) won't cut into Graham's time enough to make this a full RBBC. You want Graham on your team this year.

Fifth Round, pick 54

Pick: Roy Williams, WR, Detroit

Where I rank him: No. 13 WR and 42 overall.

Projected stats: 77 receptions for 1110 yards and eight TDs.

In the 11 games that both he and Calvin Johnson played, Williams had 57 receptions for 783 yards and 5 TDs, which equates to 83 receptions, 1140 yards and 7 TDs over 16 games. Moreover, his 102 fantasy points in those 11 games would equal 148 in 16, good for the #15 wide receiver spot last year, and this in a receiver-heavy year. Yes Mike Martz left, but with a run game into effect now, opposing defenses will have to cover both the run and the pass, opening up more room for the pass game.

Sixth round, pick 67

Pick: Jay Cutler, QB, Denver

Where I rank him: No. 7 QB and 50 overall.

Projected stats: 3640 yards, 23 TDs and 15 INTs; 170 rush yards and a TD.

Having amassed almost 3500 yards in what was really 15 games last year—he only had four attempts in week 9 for 20 yards—Cutler is ready to make a step forward this year, if he didn't already last year.

His schedule is ridiculously easy—he plays the AFC East and NFC South, meaning seven games against the Dolphins, Jets, Bills, Saints, Panthers, Falcons and Buccaneers, along with two games against the Chiefs and another against the Browns—and his Diabetes is in check now, something he had to fight against all of last year.

Seventh round, pick 78

Pick: Kevin Smith, RB, Detroit

Where I rank him: No. 23 RB and 38 overall.

Projected stats: 250 carries for 960 yards and six TDs; 20 receptions for 210 yards and a TD

This is a blessing, with his 78.8 ADP. I absolutely love Smith this year: He'll get 65 percent of the carries in a now-balanced offense with a good passing game, and the guy's durable as heck.

If Kevin Jones can average 950 total yards and 10 TDs per-16 games last year in an offense that passed two-thirds of the time, just wonder what he'll do in a Mike Martz-less offense. Oh boy.

Eight round, pick 91

Pick: Jerricho Cotchery, WR, New York Jets

Where I rank him: No. 21 WR and 66 overall.

Projected stats: 80 receptions for 1160 yards and four TDs.

Although his fantasy point total dropped from 2006 to 2007, his receiving yards increased by more than 150, in one less game. The drop in touchdowns was a fluke, and now he has Brett Favre at the helm. Cotchery will be Favre's Greg Jennings—he has a high yards after catch average (fifth most among WRs with 60 receptions), like Jennings—and that means a rise in touchdowns. He's the Jets receiver you want.

Ninth round, pick 102

Pick: Nate Burleson, WR, Seattle

Where I rank him: No. 26 WR and 73 overall.

Projected stats: 62 receptions for 880 yards and seven TDs, along with a return touchdown.

Question: Who had the most receiving touchdowns, out of Burleson, Chad ~~Johnson~~ Ocho Cinco, Anquan Boldin, Brandon Marshall, Wes Welker, Steve Smith, and Torry Holt last year?

The correct answer is Burleson, with nine. Bobby Engram is out until week five, Deion Branch will most likely start the season on the PUP list, Seattle still has no run game, and the Seahawks have a ridiculously easy schedule—playing against the Bills, Dolphins and Jets, and a game against the Redskins, along with six games against the Cardinals, 49ers and Rams.

Tenth round, pick 115

Pick: Ricky Williams, RB, Miami

Where I rank him: No. 30 RB and 64 overall.

Projected stats: 220 carries for 820 yards and 6 TDs; 180 receiving yards and a TD.

It's a fact: running backs lose a third of their production after an ACL injury. It's a fact: Ronnie Brown tore his ACL last year. And it's a fact: Ricky Williams is the starter in Miami and will post better numbers than Ronnie Brown—mark it down.

Eleventh round, pick 126

Pick: Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona

Where I rank him: Top-10 QB and top-75 overall as a starter.

Projected stats: 2800 yards, 20 TDs, and 15 INTs; 50 rush yards (12 starts).

Twelfth round, pick 139

Pick: Bryant Johnson, WR, San Francisco Where I rank him:

No. 32 WR and 98 overall.

Projected stats: 60 receptions for 840 yards and five TDs.

Thirteenth round, pick 150

Pick: Zach Miller, TE, Oakland

Where I rank him: No. 13 TE and 118 overall.

Projected stats: 50 receptions for 520 yards and eight TDs.