Ok, it is officially time for me to break down my very 1st Fantasy Football Draft of 2019.
(I have done a couple best ball drafts, but we will get to that later)
NOW.. I hear you… “This is way too early for a fantasy football draft!” Calm down, breathe, it is going to be ok once I explain. The FSGA Summer Conference is where the 1st draft goes down for the simple reason of kicking things off. Look at this draft like a good stretch before a long workout. The long workout, is the season that is approaching. We will soon be hearing news from camps and we will have more than a little snap shot of what to expect.
This was a 14 team, 16 round LIVE Draft that you can listen to the replay on
SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio.
When drafting this early, there is risk, there is uncertainty but there is also curiosity. How will some of these fantasy studs perform in their new homes? What do we think of players like Lev Bell after a season off. Drafting side by side these experts gave me a time to listen to the idea they have and mix them up with my own.
Here is the DRAFT BOARD.
I wanted to attach it so that you can see what players went before and after my picks so I can explain how things landed to me & why I made the decisions I did for my team. I was drafting from the 9 spot.
1st Pick: Odell Beckham Jr WY Cleveland Browns Bye Week: 7
In most of the mock drafts I had been doing I had a RB land to me that I loved. Not so the case drafting with these sharks, so I had to pivot. I did the back and forth in my head & could have taken RB James Conner, but as I almost made that decision, I realized I was only drafting him to draft an RB & though there are a TON of unknowns with OBJ in his new home in Cleveland, I do love Baker Mayfield as OBJ’s new QB. This pick has risk, but if all things go well, this pick could have incredible upside.
2nd Pick: Zach Ertz TE Philadelphis, Eagles Bye Week: 10
This was an easy pick for me. I see 3 powerhouse TE’s & Ertz is one of them. I also knew one of the 3 would NOT be there for me if I waited to make this TE move. This is some favoritism because I have won leagues with Ertz in the past, but I see him getting better every year and I will be happy if he holds the same value & his 2018 season numbers.
3rd Pick: Derrick Henry RB Tennessee Titans Bye Week: 11
Derrick Henry emerged late in the season last year and I was a lucky beneficiary. I see nothing but upside with this pic as the team has made enough changes to be a run first offense while making not enough changes anywhere else to let me believe otherwise. Henry has been waiting to emerge & to me, this is it.
4th Pick: Cooper Kupp WR Los Angeles Rams Bye Week: 9
After missing part of the season last year it was easy to see how much better the Rams offense was with Kupp on the field. The connection with Goff is unbreakable and I think we can all agree Goff has the arm to get it done for the wealth of targets he has too choose from.
5th Pick: Lamar Miller HOU Texans Bye Week: 10
In no means do I feel great about this pick. I fight the 4 yard average every year with Miller, BUT and a BIG BUT, the Texans needs help on the line. The amount of times Watson was sacked last season was needed for them to step up and do some work o their line. Those issues plagued Miller seasons in the past & I though I don’t feel great about this pick. All signs point to it could work out. I am not attached, will make a waiver wire acquisition if this doesn’t play out by week 5.. It is what it is!
6th Pick: Tevin Coleman RB San Francisco 49ers Bye Week: 4
Coleman lands in a new home in SF with an amazing QB coming off an injury. There will be some adjustments to be made with them & the simple fact that Coleman wasn’t ever overused in Atlanta makes me wonder how much of the work load he would love to handle. This co9uld be a break out season for Coleman & I am willing to have a share or two of him in my leagues and watch this experiment play out.
7th Pick: Donte Montcrief WR Pittsburgh Steelers Bye Week: 7
Montcrief is in a new home. In Fantasy to me, in past seasons, he has been meh. But now with Big Ben throwing him the ball, no Antonio Brown to throw to, opening up a ton of targets. Yes, Ju Ju is there, but teams have had time to watch and learn JuJu and the work will be shared. All of the reports from vo0luntary mini camp were really positive on Montcrief. If he does as well in camp, his drat value will raise & I may not be able to get him I the 7th. So to be smart, ahead of the curve, I decided to out him on this team in this early draft.
8th Pick: Golden Tate W NY Giants Bye Week: 11
Yes Tate is also in a new home, but as a Tate owner in years in the past, there is finally a solid vet on the field for Eli Manning to throw to. The Giants still have Sterling Sheppard who I am pretty sure will have a big year, but when I am looking at my WR4 I will take this chance. I can take my time to see how this all works out & always have some solid trade value if Tate has a big week or two.
9th Pick: Mike Davis RB Chicago Bears Bye Week: 6
As soon as Davis was moved from Seattle’s crowded backfield to a place where yes he has some competition, but he seems a better fit for Chicago. I can look at the matchups & weather in this situation & utilize him as a gadget play, by weeks, unless he totally heats up & makes my starting line up weekly. Again he is my RB4 so I feel no pressure to fully rely on Davis. High ceiling player for me.
10th Pick: Gus Edwards Baltimore Ravens RB Week 8
Edwards came on strong towards the end of the season. It will take some time to know his role, but I can hold him for my 1st Bye week & see if he will serve a future purpose for my team.
11th Pick: Randall Cobb WR Dallas Cowboys Bye Week: 8
A new addition to my beloved Dallas Cowboys & I like it. I think Cobb is just what Dak needed and will do more than fill the role of Cole Beasley. Cobb brings that vetran status to a young team & allows Dak to have more options. Cobb does have injury risk & yes this was addressed with me, but that is something to take into consideration with all of my later rounds players.
12th Pick: Ben Roethlisberger QB Pittsburgh Steelers Bye Week: 7
I did it, I was able to wait till round 12 out of 16 for my first QB. Allowing me to make that extra positional pick of Randall Cobb. I started watching the QB run happen & instead of falling into it a run of drafting QB’s I just kept watching who was still available. There was enough options that I did not sweat waiting on more round. Keep in mind, I am very aware of Big Ben’s home road splits, that is why I committed to a double tap on the QB’s
13th Pick: Mitch Trubisky QB Chicago Bears Bye Week: 6
My 2nd QB, something not everyone does in a draft. As a matter of fact my co host Adam Ronis fights me on it, but to this topic we will agree to disagree. Let me give you my reasoning. This is a 14 team league and if I don’t take a back up QB bye weeks become a stressful mess. I loved what Trubisky showed he could do last season, but to have some balance I have it covered with these 2 QB’s
14th Pick: Tedd Ginn Jr WR New Orleans Saints Bye Week: 9
Ginn is coming off an injury but has been a trusted target for Breeze season after season making this late of a pick a no brainer. At this poin t other teams were grabbing defense & kickers & well I just wasn’t ready. I move those positions sometimes weekly, so I went one more player before I went to the easy next picks
15th Pick: Philadelphia Eagles Defense Bye Week: 10
How they were still there I have no idea, but the special teams action for the Eagles D is powerful. So powerful that even on their bye week, I usually hold & steam a back up defense for the week. Going back to the trusted and true gave me comfort this late in the draft.
16th Pick Carolina Panthers K Graham Gano Bye Week: 7
I have NO attachment to my kicker. Yes, Zuerlein has been a monster for the Rams, but again, I wanted one more positional player before I went for defense and or kicker. I swap out my kickers a lot through the season, so when it comes to draft day, this is a position I don’t fret.
What you will see here is a balance of consistency & risk. My QB’s are great, but does Ben have enough there without Antonio Brown to make studs out of Ju Ju & Montcreif?
Can Lamar Miller be the workhorse? Will Tate & Cobb bring experience to their new homes that makes them a value in fantasy?
These and many more questions will be r4acking my brain, but for now, in a draft this early, as I am still cruising through fantasy baseball season, I feel good about it.
I was honored to be representing SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio in the FSGA Summer Conference Draft. Tonight on Lisa Ann Does Fantasy, my co host will break down the pick by pick & I will use the notes I put together for you here to present my case!
One thing I know, I have some trade bait barring injuries to other teams in the league & needs to fit roster spots. I will watch these players that I am totally insecure about being on my team for the entire length of the fantasy football season, can you sing “Come Trade Away” with me (think Come Sail Away lol)
This was a really nice stretch, now bring on the season so we can all get in a long workout!