2009 Fantasy Football's Rookie Draft Analysis!

I recently concluded a rookie draft for a new dynasty league. It’s a 10-team contract league with a salary cap, points per reception, and IDPs.

There were separate drafts for offensive and defensive veterans as well as an insane number of trades of draft picks before, and during, the drafts.

While these particulars might affect the drafting strategies involved, after looking at other recent rookie drafts it does appear to be representative, or at least, as representative as any rookie draft held before training camp in a year where there’s no real consensus on value past the third pick.

Only real drafts for real leagues give you any valid information. The “Expert” mock rookie drafts get pretty ridiculous very quickly. My fellow FF columnists rarely take the process seriously and often don’t even follow the rules of their own draft.

This column already has taken the view that I am really no smarter than most of my readers. After looking at these worthless “Expert mocks,” I am ready to broaden that statement beyond myself and caution you to avoid thinking that something must be right just because you read it in a fantasy football column.

My team is the “Tulsa Roughnecks.” Another of our FF Maniaxs, Chad Samuels, owns the “Washington Imperials” and is co-Commissioner of the league. To prove my point that we experts aren’t necessarily all that bright, I traded down twice in the first round to trade up in other areas because I am a true believer in Percy Harvin.

Round 1
1.1: Belgium Destroyers: RB Knowshon Moreno, Broncos
1.2: Washington Imperials (via Roughnecks): WR Michael Crabtree, 49ers
1.3: Phantoms: RB Chris Wells, Cardinals
1.4: Ottawa Roughriders: RB LeSean McCoy, Eagles
1.5: Waddling Mummies: RB Donald Brown, Colts

1.6: Mummies (via Cripplers): RB Shonn Greene, Jets

1.7: Raccoon City Zombies (via Roughnecks via Imperials): WR Jeremy Maclin, Eagles

1.8: Roughnecks (via Zombies): WR Percy Harvin, Vikings
1.9: Kashyyyk Wookies: WR Hakeem Nicks, Giants
1.10: Legion’s: WR Brian Robiskie, Browns

While I have seen Crabtree fall lower in some drafts, I’ve been saying all along it’s a two-person draft. If you have the No. 1 pick, I’d rate Moreno and Crabtree about even, so take the one that improves your team the most.

Tier 2 is an even shorter list:...

Full article round-by-round >>>