Fantasy News
Sometimes I wonder if I have the right temperament for these e-mail drafts, where the picks trickle in at a rate about one round per day.
This format gives you more time to analyze, but it also gives you more time to second-guess, over-analyze and pull your hair out. That’s not jiving well with my draft board this year, because every time I’m on the clock, it seems, the highest-rated player on my board is a player who might be there a round later.
Anthony Gonzalez, Ray Rice, Cedric Benson. These are all guys I like, but how far can I let them slide without then losing them? I took Gonzalez at 4.03. He went at 5.07 (16 picks later) in the sister league (the National League, which is running an identical format). And I used picks 4.11 and 5.02 on Rice and Benson. They’re in the sixth round in the National, and neither of those guys have even been picked.
On the other hand, I do need to build a team. It’s getting later in the draft. I didn’t have any running backs, and I think those guys are going to be good. I managed to get Rice in the eighth round in the earlier Fanex draft and seriously mulled letting him wait until pick 6.03, but what if somebody else in this draft is warming up to him? I don’t want to get too cute and make a mistake. My opinion on Rice has been out there for a while now, and there have been recent news stories circulating as it becomes more apparent that Rice, not Willis McGahee, will be Baltimore’s starting tailback.
I like my team just fine, but I can’t brag about where I’m getting these guys. None of the six guys I’ve drafted were selected that early in the National draft. Whatever.
FANEX DRAFT (AMERICAN LEAGUE)
1.01 RB Maurice Jones-Drew (Rito)
1.02 RB Adrian Peterson (Butler)
1.03 RB Matt Forte (Hickerson)
1.04 RB Steve Slaton (Davis)
1.05 RB Michael Turner (Tinker)
1.06 WR Larry Fitzgerald (Holm)
1.07 RB Steven Jackson (Nulty)
1.08 WR Randy Moss (Perlow)
1.09 RB LaDainian Tomlinson (Cahill)
1.10 RB Chris Johnson (Butler)
1.11 RB DeAngelo Williams (Kellogg)
1.12 WR Andre Johnson (Panizo)
2.01 RB Brian Westbrook (Panizo)
2.02 WR Calvin Johnson (Kellogg)
2.03 WR Reggie Wayne (Perlow)
2.04 RB Frank Gore (Cahill)
2.05 WR Steve Smith (Allan)
2.06 RB Marion Barber (Nulty)
2.07 WR Greg Jennings (Holm)
2.08 WR Brandon Marshall (Tinker)
2.09 WR Roddy White (Davis)
2.10 RB Brandon Jacobs (Hickerson)
2.11 WR Wes Welker (Allan)
2.12 WR Anquan Boldin (Rito)
3.01 WR Marques Colston (Rito)
3.02 QB Drew Brees (Allan)
3.03 WR Terrell Owens (Hickerson)
3.04 RB Clinton Portis (Davis)
3.05 RB Reggie Bush (Tinker)
3.06 QB Tom Brady (Nulty)
3.06 RB Ronnie Brown (Holm)
3.08 RB Pierre Thomas (Perlow)
3.09 QB Peyton Manning (Kellogg)
3.09 RB Ryan Grant (Cahill)
3.11 RB Knowshon Moreno (Kellogg)
3.12 RB Kevin Smith (Panizo)
4.01 RB Marshawn Lynch (Panizo)
4.02 RB Darren McFadden (Kellogg)
4.03 WR Anthony Gonzalez (Allan)
4.04 WR Dwayne Bowe (Cahill)
4.05 RB Derrick Ward (Perlow)
4.06 WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Nulty)
4.07 TE Jason Witten (Holm)
4.08 RB Joseph Addai (Tinker)
4.09 QB Aaron Rodgers (Davis)
4.10 WR Chad Ochocinco (Hickerson)
4.11 RB Ray Rice (Allan)
4.12 RB Larry Johnson (Rito)
5.01 TE Antonio Gates (Rito)
5.02 RB Cedric Benson (Allan)
Scoring system: 6 points for TDs, 4 for TD passes, 1 for every 20 passing yards, 1 for every 10 run/rec yards. Start QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE, one Flex (RB-WR-TE), PK, DEF.
Fanex is a 24-team league that's set up like European soccer. Top 12 seeds, based on past performance, are in the American League. Other 12 are in the National League. Each year, the bottom four teams in the American League are replaced by the top four in the National. Each league has a separate winner. Overall champion of the Fanex is considered to be the winner of the American League.
To see American League draft so far, click here.
To see National League draft so far, click here.
-Ian Allan
- Comments [4]
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Posted by BARRY BROWN | Aug. 05 at 10:19 AM
Thanks for sharing Ian. It's admirable how you're able to trade draft picks each year. In my leagues, it's like pulling teeth trying to make a draft day trade. Looks like you're going to win or lose with all the players you were really high on in the Mag. I like em all too. Hopefully your #1 TE and/or one of those remaining top 20 WR's will still be there for you next time around. Best of luck!
Posted by IAN ALLAN | Aug. 05 at 11:55 AM
With that last pick, I really considered Antonio Bryant. A fourth good receiver. I'll bet Benson would have still been there. But I really needed a 16-game tailback I could count on, and taking Bryant would have kind of locked me out of picking up sleeper-type receivers. With four every-week receivers already, what would have been the point?
Posted by Jered Ottenwess | Aug. 06 at 12:45 AM
I know that I'm going to have the same dilemma with Rice. I don't draft until the end of the preseason, so we'll see how his stock changes. But I can pretty much project him to be available when I pick at the beginning of the 4th. That's most likely too high, even for my PPR league, but I keep comparing Rice to other possible selections like Bush, Moreno, Grant, Benson, etc. and ranking him higher. Love the team so far, Ian. You have 3 possible top-10 WR's and Brees. Awesome. you could probably settle for all committee backs and still do well.
Posted by DARYL DORSEY | Aug. 12 at 05:56 AM
Greetings my Friend, It's been a while. Love the Mag-Keep it up. I especially love how you break it down by the numbers! I'm in a keeper / ppr very similar to this league, but w the keeper, so targeting & valueing players can be tricky. I took your advice with this draft & your ppr cheet sheet. I hope ur right on with the wr early picks-I do agrree with you, but want to win to-Lol!!. My keepers are Rivers,Barber,C.Johnson,Olsen,Crosby, & Jets. I had the 11th pick in the first rd thanks to an awesome yr lst yr-plus the 14th in 2nd. My question or statement is this. I took ur cs advice when it was my time to pick=It came down to Pierre Thomas or T.O.-I took TO & then followed it up w/ your diamomnd in the rough= AnGonzo.( I think ur RIGHT ON BROTHER) now.(Did I do right by u?) I have to wait for my next couple picks #35 & 38 to get a couple rb's. I will be looking @ (maybe) Sprolles,L.wasgington,F.Jones=BASICALLY A # 3 or maybe L.Wht or E.Gramham. Your thoughts on my next two picks.Plz respond. I will go off your cs,w my thoughts as well. I HAVE DONE WELL IN THE THIS LEAGUE with 1 SOLID RB & MY WR'S HAVE BEEN OUTSTANDING IE- Clavin Jonhson last yr=Thx for that as well!!! Lets Rock this Year my Friend & trusted expert!! I still have 2 more live drafts coming up ,but different formats. Kepp the info coming & THX FOR ALL YOU DO!! Daryl Dorsey / D2 In Amarillo, Texas Hook Em Horns!! I know ur a Dallas hater! Lol!! I can tell