Fantasy Football Chronicles Part 1: The Draft

Call it what you please. Male bonding, Dungeons and Dragons for old guys, something to do at work that is not work. Whatever you call it, one thing is certain: Fantasy Football fever is sweeping the nation again.

For the second year in a row, I am participating in my rugby team's fantasy football league. After talking a lot of crap and tearing up the first few weeks of the season, I was forced to sit back and cry as players like Ronnie Brown and Javon Walker dropped like flies, and players like Maurice Morris and Jerheme Urban found themselves in my starting lineup by season's end. The 2008 season is looking like a rebound already. Without further ado, I bring you Part 1 of my season long blog about fantasy football: my league's draft.

As my league is a points per reception league, draft strategies are altered slightly, as suddenly guys like Wes Welker become absolute 2nd-3rd round gods. I went with my normal strategy: Best RB/WR available in round 1, fill in the other gap in round 2, go from there. Have to say as of right now, in the 12 team league, my team is not looking all too bad.

Round 1, Pick 9: Randy Moss
I had him fifth in the copy of Fantasy Football Index that I picked up for this draft, so having him fall to number 9 was amazing for me. Especially considering that Ryan Grant (#25 in my PPR rankings) was picked ahead. Assuming Moss does not break in half in the course of the season, he will be scoring in the high teens to low twenties on a regular basis for me.

Round lowlight: Team Box Of AIDS (You will be hearing from this guy a lot) took Tony Romo as the eighth overall pick of the draft.

Round 2, Pick 4: Maurice Jones-Drew
Another borderline first rounder dropping into the middle of the second round for me. While not a first tier back by any means, Maurice Jones-Drew will be seeing more touches than ever this season in Jacksonville, and the conservative style of the team will be perfect for him and his owners in fantasy football.

Round lowlight: Derek Anderson, with the threat of being sidelined for Brady Quinn looming, was drafted in this round.

Second round lowlight: He was already the fourth Quarterback drafted.

Round 3, Pick 9: Eli Manning
As Homer Simpson might say, "D'OH". This was a crappy, hasty pick I made. A QB rush was made in this round, which included the likes of Donovan McNabb, Matt Hasselbeck, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer, and Ben Rothlisberger. With the level of good QB's rapidly falling, I knew I had to grab one. I did not think this pick was all that bad, until I watched in semi-agony as Jay Cutler dropped to round 5.

Round lowlight: Me. Moving on.

Round 4, Pick 4: Brandon Marshall
If you need to define going for broke, you could include this as an example of it. Marshall in round 4 was way too risky for everyone else in my draft, but I am not playing to finish fourth here. If Marshall is back to the same form that netted him 102 catches and 1325 yards with 7 TD's in 2007 by the end of the season, I will have two of the statistically best Wide Receivers in the NFL on my fantasy football team.

Of course, if he busts, I am the league jackass for a second year in a row.

Round lowlight: None too striking, but plenty of picks (Marshall, McFadden, Maroney, Steve Smith, Bush, Holmes) have tons of disaster potential.

Round 5, Pick 9: Dallas Clark
Got to love how one person's weird strategy can just completely mess up everyone elses. Thanks to an early bite on Antonio Gates and Jason Witten, the TE's started flying. I came up quick in the binge and swept up Clark.

Round lowlight: More of a personal one, knowing I could have had Cutler in this round.

Round 6, Pick 4: Thomas Jones
After last season's debacle, I really have no idea why I felt so motivated to put myself through yet another season of this. I guess I like the revamped offensive line of the Jets, and that certain QB being around to take pressure off of the running game. I also needed a number 2 RB. Dropped the ball again, though, as Ricky Williams was taken after I took Jones.

Round lowlight: Dwayne Bowe going halfway through the round, on the sheer principle that anyone would use a valuable sixth round pick on a Kansas City Wide Receiver.

Round 7, Pick 9: Jonathan Stewart
This is where the comedy ensues. In my bad memory'd attempt to quote Team Box of AIDS' owner, also known as the pick right before mine:
"For the steal of the draft, I will take...Deshaun Foster."
I happily swept up the man who should be assuming Foster's role and then some in Carolina in 2008, as the only thing Foster looks likely to be running in 2008 is water bottles onto the field.

Round lowlight: (loud laughter)

Round 8, Pick 4: Bryant Johnson
Okay, the Wide Receivers were running pretty thin at this point, and I still needed a number three. In a Mike Martz offense, Johnson sounded like a guy with upside at this spot. And unlike round 4, round 8 is a good time to go for risks. It took me a little while to warm up to my own pick, however.

Round lowlight: For a second round in a row, Box of AIDS made the brilliant choice of Deion Branch. He will probably be on the PUP list for most of the first half of the season.

Round 9, Pick 9: David Garrard
Can someone say Bet hedging? By taking Eli way too early, I needed a reliable backup. I got that backup in Garrard. He will probably see some starts as Manning will have to contend with a tough schedule.

Round lowlight: Third down back Felix Jones ahead of Julius Jones? Silly Cowboy fan Joe.

Round 10, Pick 4: Pierre Thomas
If his last game of 2007 is any indication, there is loads of potential for this pick. ESPN only projects him to score 6 points per game. If New Orleans' injury bug hits again (and it very well could), this total could skyrocket.

Round lowlight: Box of AIDS, Ronald Curry. Javon Walker has not been drafted yet.

Round 11, Pick 9: Earnest Wilford
I am torn. What I did do was nab a starting Wide Receiver as an eleventh round pick, which is a good thing in a PPR. On the flip side, Wilford starts for the...Dolphins.

Chad Pennington to Earnest Wilford, just screams championship in both football and fantasy football.

Round lowlight: Matt Leinart. Wasted pick much?

Round 12, Pick 4: Alge Crumpler
This pick was a real good pick for me. Crumpler will not be all that useful for my own team, but packaging him with a RB or WR that does well for me for a number 1 or high number 2 RB could be a potential move as the season goes along. At number 6 on my board for Tight Ends, he could find himself useful in a trade to a team desperately lacking in that area.

Round lowlight: Three kickers (Gostkowski, Vinatieri, Folk) went in this round. There are still four rounds to go.

(attempts to process, fails)

Round 13, Pick 9: Pittsburgh D/ST
Well, I finally decide to sweep up a defense, since the pack looks so weak by now. Cannot really add too much in on Pittsburgh, I will probably cut them at week 6 during their bye and roll with a new defense from that point on.

Round lowlight: Robbie Gould. Still see no reason to pick a kicker before the final two rounds.

Round 14, Pick 4: Ryan Torain
It was discouraging to figure out a potential RB crush of Mike Shanahan could be out for the season with an elbow fracture. Then I got a positive update on his situation. He could very well be this year's Ryan Grant. Or at least a productive bench player for my team in the second half of the season.

Round lowlight: Darren Sproles. The NFL equivalent of David Eckstein, probably will not see the field often on offensive snaps; Hester will probably take over the role of Michael Turner.

Round 15, Pick 9: Rob Bironas
I have a kicker. (twirls fingers)

Round lowlight: Andre Davis. Will probably be cut by week 3.

Round 16, Pick 4: Brady Quinn
Oh the possibilities that are going through my head with this pick. If Quinn can beat out Anderson for the starting role (and he very well could), I have instant top 60-70 value in what was the 184th pick of the draft. Whether he becomes the starting QB on my team, trade bait, or released, remains to be seen. But at this last pick of the draft, why not take a shot in the dark?

Round lowlight: Shaun Alexander. (holds out change cup).

There you have it, the first installment of my 2008 Fantasy Football chronicles. Throughout the fall, you will be able to share the highs, the lows, the bitter hatred and the unbridled joys that come along with a fantasy season. The busts, the Fantasy Football Hall of Famers, the fluke victories by the guy who forgets to update his roster for the week. Experience it in the Fantasy Football Chronicles.

P.S. I get to go head to head with Team Box Of AIDS twice.

P.P.S. His team name before the draft was Team AwesomeO.