Fantasy News
You tend to hear a lot of fantasy football analysts (almost all of them) advocate that you have to take running backs early in drafts. Certainly with your first-round pick, and usually with your second as well. If you can take a running back in the third round, that’s even better still.
As if guys like Randy Moss and Tom Brady can’t you win a championship. And a lot of guys get caught up in the running back mania: Everyone else is taking running backs, so I’ve got to draft them too, even though they’re not the highest-rated players on my board.
That made this year’s Fanex competition a fun one. I zagged when everyone else was zigging. While the vast majority of these other guys just keep hoarding more and more running backs, I focused on collecting a bunch of top-drawer wide receivers.
Now that the deal is over, I’ve had a chance to re-run the completed rosters against my player projections. My roster is going to be just fine; no way would I even consider trading it for any other team. I think I have an outstanding chance of defending my title in this competition.
Here’s my thinking on the debate of running backs versus wide receivers. For starters, they give 1 point per reception in this league, so pass catching is huge – you have to get some of these guys who are going to 90-plus balls and 9-plus TDs. The have a flex position in this league, so most of these teams should be starting four receivers versus only two running backs each week, instead of trying to start three of each; that’s the way the scoring system is set up. And it’s a no-moves league, and wide receivers are certainly far less likely to get hurt than running backs.
Injuries, benchings and breakout players, of course, will play a huge role, of course, but I can practically guarantee you that my team will finish in the top 3 in this league. Check back with me in October and I’ll let you know where things are at.
Fanex Football Experts Draft
1.01 RB SD LaDainian Tomlinson (Nazarek)
1.02 RB MIN Adrian Peterson (Cannon)
1.03 RB IND Joseph Addai (Hickerson)
1.04 RB PHI Brian Westbrook (Georgopoulus)
1.05 RB STL Steven Jackson (Allan, trade)
1.06 RB SF Frank Gore (O'Leary)
1.07 RB BUF Marshawn Lynch (Dolfi)
1.08 RB BAL Willis McGahee (Butler, trade)
1.09 RB KC Larry Johnson (Cahill)
1.10 RB WAS Clinton Portis (Kellogg)
1.11 RB DAL Marion Barber (Pitzer)
1.12 RB GB Ryan Grant (Holm)
2.01 WR NE Randy Moss (Holm)
2.02 RB NO Reggie Bush (Pitzer)
2.03 RB MIA Ronnie Brown (Kellogg)
2.04 QB NE Tom Brady (Cahill)
2.05 RB TEN LenDale White (Butler, trade)
2.06 RB JAC Maurice Jones-Drew (Dolfi)
2.07 RB CLE Jamal Lewis (O'Leary)
2.08 QB IND Peyton Manning (Cannon, trade)
2.09 WR IND Reggie Wayne (Georgopoulus)
2.10 RB NE Laurence Maroney (Hickerson)
2.11 WR DAL Terrell Owens (Cannon, trade)
2.12 RB ARI Edgerrin James (Nazarek)
3.01 RB ATL Michael Turner (Nazarek)
3.02 WR HOU Andre Johnson (Allan, trade)
3.03 WR CLE Braylon Edwards (Hickerson)
3.04 WR NO Marques Colston (Georgopoulus)
3.05 TE SD Antonio Gates (Butler)
3.06 WR ARI Larry Fitzgerald (O'Leary)
3.07 WR CIN T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Dolfi)
3.08 WR CAR Steve Smith (Allan, trade)
3.09 WR ARI Anquan Boldin (Cahill)
3.10 QB DAL Tony Romo (Kellogg)
3.11 WR CIN Chad Johnson (Pitzer)
3.12 RB PIT Willie Parker (Holm)
4.01 RB OAK Darren McFadden (Holm)
4.02 WR STL Torry Holt (Pitzer)
4.03 WR DEN Brandon Marshall (Kellogg)
4.04 RB TB Earnest Graham (Cahill)
4.05 WR NE Wes Welker (Allan)
4.06 RB NYG Brandon Jacobs (Dolfi)
4.07 RB CIN Rudi Johnson (O'Leary)
4.08 RB NYJ Thomas Jones (Georgopoulus)
4.09 QB CIN Carson Palmer (Hickerson)
4.10 WR NYG Plaxico Burress (Cannon)
4.11 QB NO Drew Brees (Butler)
4.12 WR DET Roy Williams (Nazarek)
5.01 TE DAL Jason Witten (Nazarek)
5.02 RB CHI Matt Forte (Allan, trade)
5.03 WR IND Marvin Harrison (Hickerson)
5.04 WR PIT Hines Ward (Georgopoulus)
5.05 QB HOU Matt Schaub (Butler)
5.06 TE KC Tony Gonzalez (O'Leary)
5.07 TE CLE Kellen Winslow (Dolfi)
5.08 WR DET Calvin Johnson (Allan)
5.09 WR KC Dwayne Bowe (Cahill)
5.10 RB DEN Travis Henry (Kellogg)
5.11 QB CLE Derek Anderson (Dolfi, trade)
5.12 RB SEA Julius Jones (Holm)
6.01 WR PIT Santonio Holmes (Holm)
6.02 QB PIT Ben Roethlisberger (Pitzer)
6.03 WR BUF Lee Evans (Kellogg)
6.04 WR GB Greg Jennings (Cahill)
6.05 RB DET Kevin Smith (Allan)
6.06 QB SEA Matt Hasselbeck (Pitzer, trade)
6.07 WR ATL Roddy White (O'Leary)
6.08 TE WAS Chris Cooley (Butler)
6.09 RB CAR DeAngelo Williams (Georgopoulus)
6.10 WR IND Anthony Gonzalez (Hickerson)
6.11 WR SD Chris Chambers (Cannon)
6.12 QB PHI Donovan McNabb (Nazarek)
7.01 WR BAL Derrick Mason (Nazarek)
7.02 RB CAR Jonathan Stewart (Cannon)
7.03 RB JAC Fred Taylor (Hickerson)
7.04 QB NYG Eli Manning (Georgopoulus)
7.05 WR TB Joey Galloway (Butler)
7.06 QB STL Marc Bulger (O'Leary)
7.07 WR PHI Kevin Curtis (Pitzer, trade)
7.08 TE IND Dallas Clark (Cannon, trade)
7.09 RB PIT Rashard Mendenhall (Cahill)
7.10 WR GB Donald Driver (Kellogg)
7.11 QB DEN Jay Cutler (Allan, trade)
7.12 WR NYJ Jerricho Cotchery (Holm)
8.01 WR MIN Bernard Berrian (Holm)
8.02 WR WAS Santana Moss (Dolfi, trade)
8.03 RB DAL Felix Jones (Kellogg)
8.04 RB NO Deuce McAllister (Cahill)
8.05 RB HOU Ahman Green (Pitzer, trade)
8.06 WR NYJ Laveranues Coles (Dolfi)
8.07 WR OAK Javon Walker (O'Leary)
8.08 WR PIT Limas Sweed (Butler)
8.09 WR SEA Deion Branch (Georgopoulus)
8.10 WR PHI Reggie Brown (Hickerson)
8.11 WR SEA Bobby Engram (Cannon)
8.12 WR SEA Nate Burleson (Nazarek)
9.01 RB MIN Chester Taylor (Nazarek)
9.02 RB CHI Cedric Benson (Cannon)
9.03 TE NYG Jeremy Shockey (Hickerson)
9.04 TE TEN Alge Crumpler (Georgopoulus)
9.05 WR PHI DeSean Jackson (Butler)
9.06 RB DET Tatum Bell (O'Leary)
9.07 QB JAC David Garrard (Allan)
9.08 RB HOU Chris Brown (Cahill)
9.09 WR DAL Patrick Crayton (Dolfi)
9.10 RB ATL Jerious Norwood (Kellogg)
9.11 WR BAL Mark Clayton (Pitzer)
9.12 QB TEN Vince Young (Holm)
10.01 QB GB Aaron Rodgers (Holm)
10.02 RB GB Brandon Jackson (Pitzer)
10.03 QB ARI Matt Leinart (Kellogg)
10.04 WR SF Isaac Bruce (Cahill)
10.05 TE HOU Owen Daniels (Pitzer, trade)
10.06 TE BAL Todd Heap (Dolfi)
10.07 QB CAR Jake Delhomme (O'Leary)
10.08 QB SD Philip Rivers (Butler)
10.09 RB WAS Ladell Betts (Georgopoulus)
10.10 RB TEN Chris Johnson (Hickerson)
10.11 RB DEN Selvin Young (Cannon)
10.12 QB DET Jon Kitna (Nazarek)
11.01 WR NE Jabar Gaffney (Nazarek)
11.02 WR BUF James Hardy (Cannon)
11.03 QB WAS Jason Campbell (Hickerson)
11.04 QB BUF Trent Edwards (Georgopoulus)
11.05 WR DAL Terry Glenn (Butler)
11.06 WR JAC Jerry Porter (O'Leary)
11.07 RB NYG Ahmad Bradshaw (Allan, trade)
11.08 TE SF Vernon Davis (Allan)
11.09 WR CLE Donte Stallworth (Cahill)
11.10 WR OAK Drew Carter (Kellogg)
11.11 TE NE Benjamin Watson (Pitzer)
11.12 RB OAK Justin Fargas (Holm)
12.01 QB MIN Tarvaris Jackson (Holm)
12.02 RB TB Warrick Dunn (Pitzer)
12.03 QB SF Alex Smith (Kellogg)
12.04 RB MIA Ricky Williams (Cahill)
12.05 WR SF Bryant Johnson (Allan)
12.06 WR CAR D.J. Hackett (Dolfi)
12.07 RB SF DeShaun Foster (O'Leary)
12.08 RB SEA T.J. Duckett (Butler)
12.09 WR DEN Darrell Jackson (Georgopoulus)
12.10 RB BAL Ray Rice (Hickerson)
12.11 DEF SD San Diego (Cannon)
12.12 TE PHI L.J. Smith (Nazarek)
13.01 DEF NE New England (Nazarek)
13.02 QB TB Jeff Garcia (Cannon)
13.03 WR MIN Sidney Rice (Hickerson)
13.04 RB TB Cadillac Williams (Georgopoulus)
13.05 QB OAK JaMarcus Russell (Cahill, trade)
13.06 DEF CHI Chicago (O'Leary)
13.07 RB OAK Michael Bush (Dolfi)
13.08 TE PIT Heath Miller (Allan)
13.09 RB PHI Correll Buckhalter (Butler, trade)
13.10 TE DEN Tony Scheffler (Kellogg)
13.11 DEF NYG NY Giants (Dolfi, trade)
13.12 WR SD Vincent Jackson (Holm)
14.01 TE GB Donald Lee (Holm)
14.02 WR OAK Ronald Curry (Pitzer)
14.03 TE STL Randy McMichael (Kellogg)
14.04 WR NO Devery Henderson (Butler, trade)
14.05 WR MIA Ernest Wilford (Allan)
14.06 RB BUF Fred Jackson (Dolfi)
14.07 DEF PIT Pittsburgh (O'Leary)
14.08 PK IND Adam Vinatieri (Butler)
14.09 RB NE Sammy Morris (Nazarek, trade)
14.10 DEF DAL Dallas (Hickerson)
14.11 PK DAL Nick Folk (Cannon)
14.12 WR STL Drew Bennett (Georgopoulus, trade)
15.01 DEF BAL Baltimore (Georgopoulus, trade)
15.02 PK NE Stephen Gostkowski (Cannon)
15.03 DEF MIN Minnesota (Hickerson)
15.04 WR HOU Kevin Walter (Nazarek, trade)
15.05 PK CIN Shayne Graham (Butler)
15.06 PK GB Mason Crosby (O'Leary)
15.07 QB CLE Brady Quinn (Dolfi)
15.08 TE CHI Greg Olsen (Allan)
15.09 WR JAC Reggie Williams (Cahill)
15.10 WR NO Robert Meachem (Kellogg)
15.11 RB HOU Steve Slaton (Pitzer)
15.12 WR TEN Justin Gage (Holm)
16.01 TE OAK Zach Miller (Holm)
16.02 PK SD Nate Kaeding (Allan, trade)
16.03 WR MIA Ted Ginn (Kellogg)
16.04 TE CHI Desmond Clark (Cahill)
16.05 QB ARI Kurt Warner (Pitzer, trade)
16.06 RB KC Kolby Smith (Dolfi)
16.07 PK ARI Neil Rackers (O'Leary)
16.08 DEF JAC Jacksonville (Butler)
16.09 TE CAR Jeff King (Georgopoulus)
16.10 PK STL Josh Brown (Hickerson)
16.11 RB CIN Kenny Watson (Cannon)
16.12 QB KC Brodie Croyle (Nazarek)
17.01 WR NO David Patten (Nazarek)
17.02 PK CHI Robbie Gould (Cannon)
17.03 PK TEN Rob Bironas (Hickerson)
17.04 RB NYJ Leon Washington (Georgopoulus)
17.05 DEF CIN Cincinnati (Butler)
17.06 WR CHI Mark Bradley (O'Leary)
17.07 QB CHI Rex Grossman (Dolfi)
17.08 DEF IND Indianapolis (Pitzer, trade)
17.09 TE JAC Marcedes Lewis (Cahill)
17.09 DEF CLE Cleveland (Kellogg)
17.11 DEF TEN Tennessee (Pitzer)
17.12 PK HOU Kris Brown (Holm)
18.01 PK JAC Josh Scobee (Holm)
18.02 PK CLE Phil Dawson (Pitzer)
18.03 PK DET Jason Hanson (Kellogg)
18.04 PK PIT Jeff Reed (Cahill)
18.05 DEF SEA Seattle (Allan)
18.06 PK WAS Shaun Suisham (Dolfi)
18.07 WR CHI Marty Booker (O'Leary)
18.08 DEF PHI Philadelphia (Butler)
18.09 WR NYG Amani Toomer (Georgopoulus)
18.10 RB IND Dominic Rhodes (Hickerson)
18.11 DEF GB Green Bay (Cannon)
18.12 PK PHI David Akers (Nazarek)
19.01 DEF TAM Tampa Bay (Nazarek)
19.02 TE CIN Ben Utecht (Cannon)
19.03 QB NYJ Chad Pennington (Hickerson)
19.04 PK BAL Matt Stover (Georgopoulus)
19.05 TE DAL Martellus Bennett (Butler)
19.06 RB DEN Michael Pittman (O'Leary)
19.07 WR TEN Roydell Williams (Dolfi)
19.08 DEF ARI Arizona (Allan)
19.09 PK MIN Ryan Longwell (Cahill)
19.10 DEF DET Detroit (Kellogg)
19.11 PK NYG Lawrence Tynes (Pitzer)
19.12 DEF NYJ NY Jets (Holm)
20.01 DEF BUF Buffalo (Holm)
20.02 RB NO Pierre Thomas (Allan)
20.03 PK CAR John Kasay (Kellogg)
20.04 DEF OAK Oakland (Cahill)
20.05 RB CIN Chris Perry (Allan, trade)
20.06 PK ATL Jason Elam (Dolfi)
20.07 TE TB Alex Smith (O'Leary)
20.08 DEF DEN Denver (Cahill, trade)
20.09 PK MIA Jay Feely (Georgopoulus)
20.10 TE NO Eric Johnson (Hickerson)
20.11 QB IND Jim Sorgi (Cannon)
20.12 PK OAK Sebastian Janikowski (Nazarek)
The scoring system for this league is 6 points for TDs, 4 for TD passes, 1 point per reception, 1 point for every 20 passing yards and 1 point for every 10 run/rec yards. Teams start 3 WR, 2 RB, QB, TE, PK, DEF and one flex (WR-RB-TE) player. 18-man rosters. No waiver moves. No lineups (it's a best-ball format). High score after 17 NFL weeks wins.
To read the writeups on the picks in the 2008 draft (where each expert explains his picks) click here.
The most up-to-date info on the Fanex League can be accessed at www.myfantasyleague.com.
—Ian Allan
- Comments [10]
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Posted by Paul Owers | Jun. 02 at 07:49 AM
Glad you brought this up, Ian. I'm fed up with the "Stud RB" theory. I won't pass over proven pass catchers like Randy Moss and Terrell Owens to draft Laurence Maroney, Jamal Lewis or some other second-tier runner. I'll be thrilled to zig while everyone else is zagging. Good column.
Posted by Rob Dammers | Jun. 02 at 09:02 AM
Andre Johnson is FAR from a 'stud' WR, he's constantly hurt, and needs to put together a full, 16-game schedule to avoid the 'bust' tag, and he's never scored more than 8 Tds in any season. I'm not sure why you would select him ahead of guys like TJ Housh, Larry Fitzgerald, Marques Colston as per this draft indicates. ..in NO WAY will Tom Brady approach 50 TDs again, let alone 30 TDs in 2008,( lifetime avg is 28 TD's/yr) When he tosses just 28 TDs this season, what becomes of your 4th round pick, Wes Welker? Do you really think he's going to catch 100+ balls again? Not a chance. Welker seems to be the perfect 'sell high' candidate in dynasty leagues. You can expect 65 catches from him this season, as Chad Jackson is slowly worked into the starting lineup to take Stallworth's spot. Maroney is the guy you want in that Patriot offense. NE will pound the ball in 2008.That chuck-n-duck offense that nearly got Brady killed in the SB will be replaced by the 2004 Pats-style of offense, i.e, a smashmouth run-first team. Certain WR's are worth picking up early: Owens, Fitz, Boldin, Wayne, but, the position is much more in a state of flux than the RB position is..I mean , Moose caught 16 Tds in 2004, and never approached that number again. The landscape is littered with one-hit wonders like that: Drew Bennett, Javon Walker, Brandon Stokley, Lee Evans, Chris Henry, Reggie Brown, etc. Pick the wrong guy at the wrong time, and you're in trouble. Stud Rb's are easier to find.
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Jun. 02 at 09:55 AM
I agree Brady won't throw 50 TDs, but can't agree on the rest of your thoughts. I do think Welker will be among the league's reception leaders again. Moss will still get the most attention out there, and the idea that suddenly Chad Jackson is going to have a breakout campaign seems pretty optimistic. As for your thoughts on the running game, I do agree that the Patriots will run more. But Maroney suddenly being featured? Why? I think they'll still use Sammy Morris at the goal line. Still use Kevin Faulk on third downs. Aside from Brady not throwing 50 TDs and Moss not catching 23, I don't think the Patriots will totally scrap what worked for 18 games just because it didn't work against a superior pass rush in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, New England's lightweight schedule doesn't feature very many of those kind of defenses.
Posted by IAN ALLAN | Jun. 02 at 11:52 AM
I'll go a side wager on Brady. I'm confident he'll throw 30-plus touchdowns. I've got the over-under on him at about 37; I think he'll have a hell of a year. Ditto for Andre Johnson. He led the league with 103 catches two years ago, and he would have been even better if he hadn't had the knee injury. He averaged a league-high 95 receiving yards per game; I think he scored 8 TDs in nine games as well. If Johnson's knee doesn't give him any trouble, he's a shoo-in to be one of the top 4 receivers in the league.
Posted by Eugene Hitt | Jun. 02 at 02:50 PM
Selvin Young in the 10 th round looks like the pick of this draft. That guy Cannon's team is gonna be tough to beat. His team is solid top to bottom. Noticed he has your #1RB's handcuff.... might want to buy that guy a burger and a couple of beers and get the something worked out....
Posted by IAN ALLAN | Jun. 02 at 04:40 PM
You think I'm waving the white flag because I didn't get Cedric Benson on my team? I would not trade either of the two running backs I selected in the 20th round -- Pierre Thomas and Chris Perry -- for Benson. I do, however, agree that Cannon has a good team. Using my stat projections, his roster projects to be the 2nd-best of the other 11 teams in the competition; I think he'll do well.
Posted by Eugene Hitt | Jun. 02 at 05:11 PM
I'm curious to see who's team is ranked #1?I'm not insinuating that your waiving "the white flag". I. "myself" usually try to handcuff my #1 RB before I add a #4 RB. That's just my strategy. I was only pointing out that he had Benson. Personally I hate C.Benson. He sucks. He was my 3rd keeper last year and I would NEVER draft him again. With that being said, its my hate for him that would make me wary of drafting a RB that may be splitting carries w/ him. Are you going to proverbially go down with the Forte ship? Or would you consider offering him in trade to upgrade your RB's? .. At a later date of course..
Posted by IAN ALLAN | Jun. 02 at 06:04 PM
Forte is only one of my six running backs. I don't believe that my team's fortunes hinge on him. We'll be fine if he doesn't pan out. If I were handcuffing any of the six backs, it would be Steven Jackson. If I were selecting a second Chicago back, it would be Adrian Peterson rather than Benson.
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Jun. 02 at 06:33 PM
I think there are players you get handcuffs for and players you don't bother with. It's one thing to want Ladell Betts if you have Portis, or Chester Taylor if you have Adrian Peterson. But in the case of Cedric Benson, don't we already know he can't play? Is there any reason to think that if Forte gets hurt and Benson starts, he'll be any better of a weekly play than he was a year ago? Not really. I pretty much feel the same way about Kevin Smith and Tatum Bell, although at least there have been points in Bell's career when it appeared he could play. Benson, not so much. Bottom line, I prefer getting backup running backs if 1) you know they'll be decent if they end up starting, or 2) they're unknown rookies, like Brian Leonard a year ago, who might be really good if they end up starting. If you already know they're lousy, why waste the pick/roster spot.
Posted by Eugene Hitt | Jun. 07 at 09:31 AM
Well played sir,. In light of "Cedric the Entertainer"s arrest last night for drunken driving, it appears that the Matt Forte' selection is going to pay some nice dividends. Now if he can only stave off Garret Wolfe and Adrian Peterson....... :]