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Andy Richardson

My dynasty league held its annual rookie draft a couple of months back, and I thought it might be interesting to owners preparing for rookie drafts of their own to see how the first couple of rounds went. Here now the first 24 picks. (I picked 9th in each round due to an earlier trade, as well as 11th due to my runner-up finish the previous season.)

1.01. RB Darren McFadden - Can't argue with this pick. His upside and potential makes him the top pick in pretty much every rookie draft.

1.02. RB Jonathan Stewart - Another easy choice. Why worry about DeAngelo Williams?

1.03. RB Matt Forte - Probably a spot too high, but I couldn't blame the guy who took him, since he also had Cedric Benson and Chicago's Adrian Peterson on his roster.

1.04. RB Rashard Mendenhall - I'd have taken him at No. 3. Talent, strong running team, and small guy coming off injury ahead of him.

1.05. RB Kevin Smith - Has to beat out Tatum Bell. Thus, opening day starter.

1.06. RB Felix Jones - This owner had Marion Barber, making this choice reasonable, although I still might have looked elsewhere. And I'd definitely have grabbed Tashard Choice later, which he neglected to do.

1.07. QB Matt Ryan - Too much of an unknown to take this high, though I guess the same could be said about the backs and receivers here. I'd have taken a runner, the one I took two picks later.

1.08. RB Ahmad Bradshaw - not, obviously, a rookie, but available veterans were also fair game in this draft. Bradshaw was the only one taken.

1.09. RB Chris Johnson - Though far from a sure thing, the lightning-quick Johnson will get every chance to show he can play after the Titans took him in the first round. They're going to get him on the field, as a runner, receiver, and returner.

1.10. RB Ryan Torain - Classic boom or bust pick. Next 1,000-yard back or part of an ever-frustrating committee that's underachieved the last few years? Good pick, but a headache I'd have a hard time investing in.

1.11. RB Ray Rice - May not do much unless McGahee gets hurt, but plenty of upside. I considered receiver Devin Thomas here.

1.12. WR James Hardy - Reasonable pick as the first wideout.

2.01. WR DeSean Jackson - Opportunity knocks in Philadelphia, but I'd likely have gone with Thomas.

2.02. RB Steve Slaton - A third-rounder with a similar skill set to Johnson, so I can't knock this pick too much. But Houston has so many runners (young and old) that I can't figure how Slaton has a major role there.

2.03. QB Joe Flacco - Ryan is really the only QB in this class I care much for, but starting QBs are hard to come by in this big-rostered league, so Flacco makes some sense.

2.04. WR Devin Thomas - I like Thomas. As noted, I'd have taken him several picks earlier and nearly did, certainly the first of the wideouts.

2.05. WR Donnie Avery - It was a shock when the Rams made him the top wideout drafted, but since they did, and since their only other players at the position are creaky veterans, solid pick here.

2.06. QB Brian Brohm - Remember, he's started as many NFL games as incumbent Aaron Rodgers.

2.07. TE Dustin Keller - I was hoping Keller would be available two picks later. He's a receiver, period, and our league gives 1.5 points to tight ends for receptions. Could be very good for the Jets.

2.08. WR Limas Sweed - Likely an immediate red-zone target in Pittsburgh, and Hines Ward's an older player.

2.09. QB Chad Henne - With all the receivers and backs I liked gone, I rolled the dice with Henne here. I don't think Miami takes him if they're confident in John Beck, nor did I see anything out of Beck that suggests he has any major advantage with the new coaching staff.

2.10. RB Jamaal Charles - Kansas City has enough other runners and too much rebuilding to do for me to get overly excited about Charles.

2.11. RB Jacob Hester - Could be Tomlinson's backup, but I regret this pick (and traded him to Tomlinson's owner after the draft). Should have gone with a receiver here, like Green Bay's Jordy Nelson.

2.12. RB Mike Hart - The Colts hadn't re-signed Dominic Rhodes at the time of our draft, but again, I can't get excited about a slow sixth-rounder with only an outside shot of even being a No. 2 this year.

Notable third-rounders: WR Early Doucet, WR Jordy Nelson, WR Mario Manningham, WR Earl Bennett, WR Eddie Royal, TE John Carlson.

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