Andy Richardson
It was a big weekend around the Fantasy Index offices, as both the draft and auction leagues of experts (and one guest reader) held their annual team-building exercises. We hold these things in May, publish the results in our preseason magazine, then play out the leagues over the course of the year.
I don't want to spoil them entirely, but here are a few tidbits, both highlights and lowlights. Full results as well as experts Q and As -- what were they thinking? -- will be in the magazine.
Ryan Mathews was the only desirable rookie. Jahvid Best (late fifth-round) was the only other rookie drafted before the sixth-round, and none of the other rooks besides Best ($16) went for more than $13 at auction. I've seen the Chargers running back go as high as 10th overall in a draft already, but he's the only one there are actual fights over thus far.
Everybody likes Aaron. Rodgers was a high first-rounder in the draft, and just $2 behind Drew Brees among top auction quarterbacks.
There's doubt about Favre. He was relatively cheap ($16) at auction, and went with the last pick of the eighth round in the draft. Clearly many believe the idea that he'll never put on pads again -- or at least they're uncertain enough not to invest in him, even coming off one of his best statistical seasons.
Edge to Peterson. Adrian Peterson was the top selection in the draft, and went for $1 more at auction than Chris Johnson. Perhaps people are more worried about the holdout talk around him, or him taking a step back off a 2,000-yard season, than they are about Peterson's fumble issues or backup Toby Gerhart.
Not much worry on Vincent Jackson. Jackson will probably open the year with a suspension of some kind after a criminal offense, but he was an early third-rounder in the draft and one of the pricier ($25) wideouts.
Wary of Roethlisberger. The Steelers QB who will miss either 4 or 6 games this year was an 11th-rounder in the draft and went for just $7 at auction. If you're confident he'll only miss 4 games, return at a high level when he does come back, and can put aside any personal distaste, he'll likely be a pretty good value on draft day.
No sleeping on Finley. Don't expect Jermichael Finley to be a sleeper this year. The Packers tight end was the first player at his position drafted (4th round) and one of the priciest tight ends in the auction, too.
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Posted by Matthew Kenerly | May. 17 at 11:42 AM
I've been reading about these reader-inclusive expert drafts since 1994 or so, but I've never figured out how I could be that guy... how *can* I be that guy?
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | May. 17 at 08:00 PM
Sometime in April we send an email out to subscribers. "If you're interested in competing with 11 fantasy experts, send an email...." Sometimes the contest is a random drawing from the several hundred submissions we receive, sometimes we'll ask for good stories (worst draft experience, toughest loss, etc.), whatever. We select a winner, and there you go.
Posted by Paul Owers | May. 22 at 12:32 PM
Andy, I'd be interested in knowing where Anthony Gonzalez was drafted. His role in the Colts' offense will be one of the more intriguing training camp stories. Will he reclaim his starting role or will he be just another guy while Garcon and Collie fight to fill that No. 2 WR role? I wouldn't be surprised to see Garcon and Collie more involved than Gonzalez.
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | May. 24 at 03:15 AM
Paul - he was a 10th rounder in the draft and a $1 pickup at the auction. I can understand the skepticism; I wouldn't draft him that high. Basically Garcon and Collie played too well that one of those guys will just go to the bench for Gonzalez. I think there might be a rotation going on, with injuries a factor should one guy manage to step up.