In part one of the NFFC Draft Champions recap (here), I detailed the format of the league and the first five draft picks I have made. In part two I covered the picks for rounds six through 13 (here). My current roster is as follows:
Quarterbacks
- Matt Ryan (6.09)
- Joe Flacco (12.09)
Running Backs
- Marshawn Lynch (2.04)
- Justin Forsett (3.04)
- J. Spiller (5.04)
- Danny Woodhead (11.04)
Wide Receivers
- Demaryius Thomas (1.09)
- Julian Edelman (4.09)
- Eric Decker (8.09)
- Kendall Wright (9.04)
- Steve Smith (10.09)
- Dwayne Bowe (13.04)
Tight Ends
- Martellus Bennett (7.04)
Kickers
Defense / Special Teams
Below is an ongoing diary of my NFFC Draft Champions rounds 14 through 23.
14.09 Texans DST (defensive-special teams/Houston) – My initial plan was to grab a fifth running back at this spot, because I expected the top defensive options to be gone; at pick 13.04 I had identified a list of five running backs that I would have been happy with, which is why I decided to grab Dwayne Bowe. All five running backs were taken in the 16 picks before it got back to me, but I was able to grab an elite defense over five rounds after the Seahawks defense went at 9.07.
15.04 Antonio Gates (tight end/San Diego) – Yes, I know he is suspended for four games, however Martellus Bennett does not have a bye until week 7, and I will likely grab another tight end in the next few rounds. If Ladarius Green makes it back to my 16.09 pick, I will be giving him some serious consideration in order to lock down the San Diego tight end. Gates just offered too much scoring potential to pass up here, even if it comes with the suspension.
16.09 Ladarius Green (tight end/San Diego) – Here is the Antonio Gates coverage, plus I get solid tight end for the first month of the season.
17.04 Adam Vinatieri (kicker/Indianapolis) – I was dead red on running back Andre Williams, but long time NFFC veteran, K.J. Duke, took him with the pick right before me. I still desperately need some running back depth, but I was not going to force someone that I did not want or that I did not feel offered me any value at this pick; so I looked at the other options and noticed that the top kicker ADPs fell right in the 17th and 18th rounds, so I hatched a plan to hopefully start a kicker run.
18.09 Dan Carpenter (kicker/Buffalo) – My plan to start the kicker run worked out nicely; following Stephen Gostkowski, Vinatieri was the second kicker off the board, between 17.04 and 18.09 there were nine kickers selected in 16 picks. With all three teams behind me shutout on the first kicker barrage, I decided to lock down my second kicker before any of them had a chance to grab their first.
19.04 Nick Toon (wide receiver/New Orleans) – I did not see the need to reach for a running back at this spot, but there is a good chance that three of my next four picks will be at that position as I have a list of about seven or eight players I still like. Toon offers some cheap upside in a format where I do not have to try to time his big weeks; with the Best Ball set up, if he gets a big touchdown catch, he will likely be a starter for me that week.
20.09 James Starks (running back/Green Bay) – Phase one of the salvage running back depth plan. I have Alfred Blue (running back/Houston) ranked slightly higher, but his bye week coincides with both Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett, so figured another option was better to secure earlier. I am a big Eddie Lacy fan, but with leg, eye and concussion issues already during his short career, I feel that Starks offers good upside at a cheap investment price.
21.04 Vikings DST (defensive-special teams/Minnesota) – K.J. Duke gets me again, as he snags Alfred Blue the pick before me. With not much value left at running back, I decide to wait and grab one of the last solid defenses to pair with Houston.
22.09 Khiry Robinson (running backs/New Orleans) – Lance Dunbar, James White and Travaris Cadet were high on my list, but all three went since my last pick. Robinson offers me two-fold value as a back-up to injury prone Mark Ingram, plus he could fill in as the pass catching back should C.J. Spiller get injured.
23.04 Jace Amaro (tight end/New York Jets) – I essentially only have two tight ends at this point with Martellus Bennet and the San Diego combo of Antonio Gates and Ladarius Green, so grabbing a third solid tight end seemed like a decent option here. There is a handful of running back and wide receiver options I will be looking at over the next few rounds, whereas the useful tight ends are becoming an endangered species at this point of the draft.
In the final installment of the recap, I will highlight the final twelve picks of the draft.
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