Fantasy Football 2011 1st Round Re-Draft

This season has provided fantasy owners with the usual busts, surprises and players who have played right to expectation.

As usual, many owners, if not all of them, are talking to themselves, repeating edited versions of the following messages:

"I knew I should have taken him a round earlier/later!"

"Why didn't I drop him/add him weeks ago?"

"Why did I ever draft him?"

"Why didn't I draft him?"

There are many others, but I don't want to upset any fantasy owner reading this any more than that.

With that being said, here is the re-done first round of a 2011 fantasy draft, using a mock 12-team league.

Here we go:

Note: Fantasy scores are based on ESPN standard scoring and average draft position is based on ESPN Snake Draft selections

No. 1 Pick: LeSean McCoy

Original No. 1 Pick (based on average draft position): Adrian Peterson

This season, LeSean McCoy has been nothing short of spectacular.

McCoy has scored a touchdown in every game, eclipsed 100 total yards in seven of them, scored at least 10 fantasy points in all of them, at least 15 in seven of them, leads the league in rushing yards and is tied for first in rushing touchdowns.

No. 2 Pick: Fred Jackson

Original No. 2 Pick: Chris Johnson

Fred Jackson has been one of many pleasant surprises this season.

With an average draft position of 72.8 (a 6th round pick in most leagues), Jackson has become one of the top scorers of the season.

Jackson has gone over 100 total yards in seven games, scored touchdowns in five games, has recorded at least 10 fantasy points seven times, and at least 20 fantasy points four times.

No. 3 Pick: Adrian Peterson

Original No. 3 Pick: Jamaal Charles

It seems like Adrian Peterson has been a Top Five pick every year he's been in the league, and for good reason.

This season, like almost every other, he has shown why.

Peterson has gone over 100 total yards five times, scored a touchdown in six games, including two or more in three games, leading to four games with at least 23 fantasy points.

Peterson slips slightly from his original top slot, but remains a Top Three pick.

No. 4 Pick: Aaron Rodgers

Original No. 4 Pick: Aaron Rodgers

By all means, Rodgers could be the No. 1 overall pick as he is currently  the highest scoring player in the league and not-so-surprisingly the current MVP of the league.

However, as high scoring running backs are harder to come by than high scoring quarterbacks, Rodgers does not climb from his original draft position.

Rodgers has been nothing short of amazing this season, throwing for 300 hundred yards in six games, including 400 once, throwing at least two touchdown passes in every game, including four in a game twice.

He's completed at least 62 percent of his passes in every game, averaging 72.5 percent on the season, far and above the best in the league. He's recorded a quarterback rating of at least 111.4 in every game this season, and his 129.1 average is 30 points higher than his next closest competitor.

No. 5 Pick: Ray Rice

Original No. 5 Pick: Arian Foster

Ray Rice has been somewhat of a silent star this season, finding his way into the Top 15 scorers in the league by having monster games without putting up monster stats.

How?

Let's look at his three best games of the season.

First, there was opening week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rice racked up 107 rushing yards and 42 receiving yards, adding a touchdown each way, finishing with 26 fantasy points. 

Next, there was his week four performance against the Jets. Rice rushed for 66 yards and another touchdown, while adding 64 receiving yards, finishing with 18 fantasy points. 

Finally, there was Rice's week eight performance against the Arizona Cardinals. The former Rutgers star rushed for only 63 yards, and only had 36 receiving yards, but added three touchdowns, finishing the game with 27 fantasy points.

In the first two games, Rice was overshadowed by the superb play of his defense and in the third, it was his quarterback, Joe Flacco, who garnered much of the attention. Despite that, Rice has been one of the best players in the league this year, whether you know it or not.

Number Six Pick: Matt Forte

Original No. 6 Pick: Ray Rice

Matt Forte has been perhaps the best all-around running back in the league this season. However, he has rarely found the end zone, keeping him from even making it into the top five.

So far this season, Forte has gone over 100 total yards in seven games, over 150 in six games, caught more passes than every running back but one (New Orleans Saints RB Darren Sproles), scored at least 10 fantasy points in seven games, and at least 20 points three times.

However, his three touchdowns put him in a multiple-way tie for 50th in the league.

More touchdowns in the second half, and Forte will be an attractive Top Three pick in next year's drafts.

No. 7 Pick: Drew Brees

Original No. 7 Pick: Michael Vick

Drew Brees is expected to be a numbers machine every single season, and this year is no different. 

Brees has thrown for over 3,000 yards already, putting him on pace to break the single-season passing record by 1,000 yards.

His record-setting pace has led to five games thus far with at least 20 points scored, and a grand total of 187 points, good for 2nd most overall in the league, behind only Aaron Rodgers.

No. 8 Pick: Arian Foster

Original No. 8 Pick: LeSean McCoy

If Arian Foster had been healthy the entire season, he would be a Top Two pick in this draft, but unfortunately, Foster has been plagued by injuries for part of the season.

In the six games Foster has played, he's racked up.almost 1,000 total yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns.

Foster's 234 total yards and three touchdowns in Week 7 against the Titans gave him 40 fantasy points, the highest single game total by a running back this season.

No. 9 Pick: Calvin Johnson

Original No. 9 Pick: Andre Johnson

"Megatron" is the first wide out taken at No. 9.

Johnson has made 47 catches so far this season, for 804 yards and 11 touchdowns, five more than any other receiver.

Anyone who drafted this touchdown machine should be having a solid season.

No. 10 Pick: Michael Turner

Original No. 10 Pick: Maurice Jones-Drew

Michael Turner has been a trendy pick since his 1,600 yard breakout season in 2008.

While his stats have not gotten back to that level, he's proven this season he is still more than worthy of a first round pick.

Turner has gone for nearly 700 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

He has scored at least 10 fantasy points in a game seven times, at least twenty points in three games.

No. 11 Pick: Cam Newton

Original Number Eleven Pick: Drew Brees

Here comes the most shocking moment of the draft.

Cam Newton has not had the greatest season passing the ball, but it's been his ability to run the ball that has him in the first round over Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford.

Newton has 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in eight games. That is not so great.

However, he has rushed for over 300 yards with 7 touchdowns, by far the most for a quarterback.

Newton's abilities as a dual threat QB earn him a first-round slot.

No. 12 Pick: Frank Gore

Original No. 12 Pick: Rashard Mendenhall

The best player on the most surprising team in the league rounds out the re-draft.

Gore got off to a slow start this season, rushing for 150 yards total in the 49ers'  first three games.

However, since week 4, Gore has been one of the best in the league.

In his last five games, Gore has rushed for 634 yards and five touchdowns, scoring at least 10 fantasy points in each game.

Thanks for Reading!

Thanks for Reading!

Leave a comment, tell your friends, and wish sad Jamaal Charles the best of luck on recovering from his injury.

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