Grays Almanac

I officially drafted this team on Sunday afternoon so these teams have been essentially complete for almost a week now even though you are only seeing round by round. I will try my best to push out the rest of the rounds before Sunday but the urgency isn’t quite there yet so I’m not sweating it. If you have a draft before I get to finish or you need any assistance just hit me up on twitter or email me at [email protected] and I will get back to you as best I can to help.

Values will vary as week three of preseason games finish up, but for the most part I think these teams are still all where they should be at this point. Perhaps a few swaps here and there in hindsight now, but truly it’s apples & apples at this point. I will do another in-depth draft analysis of my real drafts for you as we approach Labor Day (one coming this Monday afternoon) and that should fill in any gaps that I don’t cover with this.

ROUND FIVE

1. Drew Brees (ALL STARS BABY) | There is depth at RB that will last until my next duo of picks and Brees is poised for a career year with a bevy of new weapons at his disposal so I am not concerned about taking a top 5 QB instead of another RB. He will be automatic for 20+ points each week and I will take a solid reserve QB later just in case he misses any time. I really don’t think justifying this pick is necessary, accept it, move on.

TEAM ALL STARS BABY (1) WR Odell Beckham Jr. (2) WR Sammy Watkins (3) WR Kelvin Benjamin (4) RB Jeremy Langford (5) QB Drew Brees

2. C.J. Anderson (BOUT IT BOUT IT) | Rounding out my stable of RB’s, Anderson will come in the primary option in an offense that not only leaned on him last season but doesn’t have an identity this season yet, so that should bode well for his usage. Now I have RB1 & 2 options with a solid duo any week, plus an auto flex option if I don’t like any of my other skill players match-ups.

TEAM BOUT IT BOUT IT (1) WR Antonio Brown (2) WR Mike Evans (3) RB Lamar Miller (4) RB Thomas Rawls (5) RB C.J. Anderson

3. DeMarco Murray (CALL YOUR MOM) | It’s natural that he had a down season last year in a new environment and nagged by annoying injuries. He looks fresh and ready to contribute in Tennessee and should see all he can handle from Mariotta looking likely to carry the offense and pairs very well with Gurley as he catches a few passes each game too.

TEAM CALL YOUR MOM (1) RB Todd Gurley (2) WR Amari Cooper (3) QB Aaron Rodgers (4) WR Eric Decker (5) RB DeMarco Murray

4. DeVante Parker (DON’T BLINK) | The hype demands his value be here but I think he could truly wait another round, still, I like him to back up Allen and be a true breakout WR2 candidate. As I mentioned with this team, Hyde and Jennings will make up the bulk of my receptions so I’m not worried about volume so much as explosiveness and Parker has just that.

TEAM DON’T BLINK (1) RB Adrian Peterson (2) RB Carlos Hyde (3) WR Keenan Allen (4) RB Rashad Jennings (5) WR DeVante Parker

5. Chris Ivory (EREYBODY SCORIN) | There is some speculation that Ivory isn’t going to be used at the goal line in Jacksonville, but I bet to differ. I like Ivory to in fact be the red zone option for the Jags and he also couples as a good reception option in case Foster and Maclin don’t eat much any given week. He gives me a nice rounded core of main tailbacks and is a solid investment at this position.

TEAM HOT FOR TOUCHES (1) WR Julio Jones (2) RB Matt Forte (3) RB Arian Foster (4) WR Jeremy Maclin (5) RB Chris Ivory

6. Justin Forsett (FUNKZONE) | He won’t likely be the top man for Baltimore at the end of the season, but he should start the year as their primary back and I will watch how the situation unfolds as weeks go by. Forsett should be good for a few quality games and I hope they decide to let him punch his own tickets in the red zone, but again TBD, I am only looking at his opportunity value here and it goes well with Gordon & Newton as complimentary rush yard contributors.

TEAM FUNKZONE (1) WR Dez Bryant (2) WR Brandin Cooks (3) QB Cam Newton (4) RB Melvin Gordon (5) RB Justin Forsett

7. DeAngelo Williams (GET IT IN) | I told you I was going to get Williams after I took Bell and here it is. Maybe a little early, but not by my ranks, especially when you think about what they did TOGETHER last year when Bell returned. Williams still has a lot left in the tank and even when Bell comes back they should both be worth playing depending on the match-up, and if not, I have no problem trading or even cutting Williams if it comes to that later. Nobody is safe, this is purely an insurance pick and I’m ok with it because of my position in the next round.

TEAM GET IT IN (1) WR A.J. Green (2) WR Allen Robinson (3) RB Le’Veon Bell (4) RB Frank Gore (5) RB DeAngelo Williams

8. Larry Fitzgerald (HOT FOR TOUCHES) | You can argue his age and the age of his QB but I would argue wine and cheese are both better with age so shut it. Fitzy is a wildcard lately, he can either be a WR1 or barely worth a FLEX play, but when he gets hot, Palmer seems to nail him again and again. I expect him to go out with a bang this year and likely retire as the Cardinals go to the NFC Championship game. My receivers are set for a bit and now I can get a little bold in the next few rounds. 

TEAM HOT FOR TOUCHES (1) RB Devonta Freeman (2) WR Alshon Jeffrey (3) WR Demaryius Thomas (4) RB Latavius Murray (5) WR Larry Fitzgerald

9. Ryan Mathews (IN THIS BITCH) | Truthfully I’m not really sure how Matthews will fit into the new system in Philadelphia but he played well last year when he got the chance and is a talented tailback in a division that can give up big rushing games. I will check out Sproles later but for now his RB1 status is still locked in and I got him cheap to support Stewart & Charles. 

TEAM IN THIS BITCH (1) WR DeAndre Hopkins (2) RB Jamaal Charles (3) WR T.Y. Hilton (4) RB Jonathan Stewart (5) RB Ryan Matthews

10. DeSean Jackson (JOKERS WILD) | This was a tough one, I like a few other receivers for this team in this range, but Jackson is still the top option for Cousins and is a burner down field. The possibility for 50+ yard touch downs is so real and it makes me giddy when I think about him having a quiet comeback sort of year in Washington. 

TEAM JOKERS WILD (1) RB Eddie Lacy (2) WR Brandon Marshall (3) RB Ezekiel Elliott (4) RB Doug Martin (5) WR DeSean Jackson

11. Dante Moncrief (KING ME) | I would have liked Jackson here, but I like Moncrief’s upside a lot more than Jacksons at the end of it all. He should get the scraps while Hilton gets the attention from the secondaries, plus he is quietly a sleeper candidate and could outplay Hilton to takeover WR1, but that’s TBD. Still, I like the WR trio I have here and look forward to a QB perhaps next round.

TEAM KING ME (1) RB David Johnson (2) RB Mark Ingram (3) WR Jarvis Landry (4) WR Julian Edelman (5) WR Dante Moncrief

12. Russell Wilson (LAST PICK) | I am happy that he lasted to this position for this team to take him. I could have put him on KING ME, JOKERS WILD, or GET IT IN, but the options I went with for them instead fit better for this round. Additionally, he is going to have a lot more opportunity to run this season and that will translate into big plays for fantasy gold. I will address RB with my first pick next round, but for now I have a core of big time playmakers that makes me salivate at their potential.

Did my last pick of the last round confuse you? If so, try the first pick in Round 4 on for size and maybe it will get clearer.

ROUND FOUR

1. Jordy Nelson (LAST PICK) | Some say it is taboo to draft two receivers in the same offense. Many are of the belief that they will eat at each other’s receptions, targets, scores, all the meaningful statistics that make this position so fantasy friendly. I like to look at these two investments as double the potential for monster games in the same game. Do you see how much I like the Packers this season? It’s a feeling, I can’t really explain it other than I see that look in their eyes. I know that look. They are hungrier than ever before. When I look at the meat of my line up with this team, I like every aspect. Each piece could easily go bonkers at any time and the boom vs. bust scale leans more towards boom.

TEAM LAST PICK (1) TE Rob Gronkowski (2) RB LeSean McCoy (3) WR Randall Cobb (4) WR Jordy Nelson

2. Julian Edelman (KING ME) | I would have liked Nelson here, but Edelman will do the same (barring injury setbacks) even with Brady out for the first four games. He is a reception monster and is good for the end zone every other week. He and Landry give me a firm start to a decent enough WR corps to pair with Johnson/Ingram whom I expect to carry the bulk of my reception totals.

TEAM KING ME (1) RB David Johnson (2) RB Mark Ingram (3) WR Jarvis Landry (4) WR Julian Edelman

3. Doug Martin (JOKERS WILD) | The muscle hamster came through last season and showed he still belongs in relevant fantasy discussion. I like him coupled with Lacy & Elliott here and now I can put RB aside for a few rounds. Could I have opted for someone else like Stewart, Murray or Gore? Sure, but I like Martin’s tackle breaking ability more than any of them, plus I see a lot of talent down the line that can satisfy my craving for more comfort in the RB area.

TEAM JOKERS WILD (1) RB Eddie Lacy (2) WR Brandon Marshall (3) RB Ezekiel Elliott (4) RB Doug Martin

4. Jonathan Stewart (IN THIS BITCH) | Pretty balanced here with Stewart and Charles. He will be in a high powered, run-first offense and should see more red zone looks this season since he’s coming in healthy. I don’t foresee a ton of receptions but he could chip in a catch or two here and there. This is a safe pick in that he should be the steady ball carrier behind Cam all season and the boat won’t get rocked unless something drastic happens.

TEAM IN THIS BITCH (1) WR DeAndre Hopkins (2) RB Jamaal Charles (3) WR T.Y. Hilton (4) RB Jonathan Stewart

5. Latavius Murray (HOT FOR TOUCHES) | For the same reason I took Stewart, I like Murray here because of his situation. Washington is coming up behind him and should give them a good “power” back to accompany Murray, but his explosiveness and speed are tops in my book and he will have some good opportunities to set up Carr for down field bombs which bodes well for everyone in the Raiders offense.

TEAM HOT FOR TOUCHES (1) RB Devonta Freeman (2) WR Alshon Jeffrey (3) WR Demaryius Thomas (4) RB Latavius Murray

6. Frank Gore  (GET IT IN) | Gore gives me a reliable top tailback to cover for me while Bell serves his suspension. Frank isn’t flashy, but he will get about 20 touches a game and should see plenty of targets as well. It doesn’t hurt that he’s very experienced and that Luck is confident in his ability to take the screen further than they need. He will be a good early investment come November.

TEAM GET IT IN (1) WR A.J. Green (2) WR Allen Robinson (3) RB Le’Veon Bell (4) RB Frank Gore

7. Melvin Gordon (FUNKZONE) | I want to remind you that I am drafting this with the caveat that it is a PPR format, so the “catch” tailbacks that are being taken have more value than in a standard league. Also, this is a 12-team draft, and I also feel that RB is, while deep, unbalanced and more unpredictable than ever this year. I like Gordon here because he is poised for a bounce back, really how much lower can you go? He will be another year with Rivers and I like his potential to really surprise us all this season so worth the risk here especially since I get another shot soon into the next round.

TEAM FUNKZONE (1) WR Dez Bryant (2) WR Brandin Cooks (3) QB Cam Newton (4) RB Melvin Gordon

8. Jeremy Maclin (EREYBODY SCORIN) | Maclin gives me support for Jones and should see an uptick in all stats this season since Smith had a low total in all areas last season and really he can’t do that twice in a row. Jeremy is a big target and has great hands so facing tough defenses like Oakland, Denver and San Diego shouldn’t be too hard considering the mismatches he usually have over defenders.

TEAM EREYBODY SCORIN (1) WR Julio Jones (2) RB Matt Forte (3) RB Arian Foster (4) WR Jeremy Maclin

9. Rashad Jennings (DON’T BLINK) | Jennings had hell of an end to last season, and while I don’t see the same results on deck for this one, I do feel his role is primed to increase in a new system. He should still see plenty of targets and is really difficult to take down in the open field after the catch. The Giants offense has a lot of potential, I like his in this draft slot to join my hearty stable of top tailbacks. Now, we can feast on the rest of what we need.

TEAM DON’T BLINK (1) RB Adrian Peterson (2) RB Carlos Hyde (3) WR Keenan Allen (4) RB Rashad Jennings

10. Eric Decker (CALL YOUR MOM) | Adding Decker to this team gives me reception depth and the solid third anchor that I need to support Rodgers. He may come under expectation, but I will only need him for a little more than a handful of games as I see a few WR’s down the line that will support him should anything deter his course.

TEAM CALL YOUR MOM (1) RB Todd Gurley (2) WR Amari Cooper (3) QB Aaron Rodgers (4) WR Eric Decker

11. Thomas Rawls (BOUT IT BOUT IT) | We will see how his ankle is looking come September, but his bruising style makes him an attractive addition to Miller’s finesse. Now I have four locked in starters and don’t have any hesitation taking the next best player when it’s time. He will get a good leash to run with in Seattle and he should take it far if he comes out healed to start the year.

TEAM BOUT IT BOUT IT (1) WR Antonio Brown (2) WR Mike Evans (3) RB Lamar Miler (4) RB Thomas Rawls

12. Jeremy Langford (ALL STARS BABY) | This team is young, and I really like it that way. Not only does each operate as the primary playmaker in their offense, now I have Langford who will be the primary tailback for his team and also likely goal-line option for Chicago. This is a risky pick, but as I have shown in the last round’s last pick, I can do wild things here and safe things next...

Skipping the preamble, we are getting into the meat now. Slice and dice. Cold cuts abound. I think I do some of my best work in rounds 3-7 and I hope you find some new insight over the next few posts to help you with your drafts.

ROUND THREE

1. Kelvin Benjamin (ALL STARS BABY) | You like that? Yeah, that’s right. I did go three WR in a row and I don’t have once hesitation about it. All three of these receivers have the ability to put up 20+ point fantasy games each week. If all three hit their stride at the same time, it could be a struggle choosing who to play each week. I won’t have to look at WR for the next five rounds while everyone else with tailbacks already are clamoring to catch up.

TEAM ALL STARS BABY (1) WR Odell Beckham Jr. (2) WR Sammy Watkins (3) WR Kelvin Benjamin

2. Lamar Miller (BOUT IT BOUT IT) | Maybe you’re wondering why I didn’t go the same direction as the previous team and draft another receiver, and if so here is why: What is left currently does not fit my scheme for this particular team. If I went with Allen, Thomas or Landry I think that would be a bit early for any of those guys, plus I feel that the top of the remaining tailbacks looked better than what is coming down the pipe later when this team selects again. Miller is coming into a place where his touches will increase two fold and he is a welcome addition to an offense in need of playmakers that stay healthy.

TEAM BOUT IT BOUT IT (1) WR Antonio Brown (2) WR Mike Evans (3) RB Lamar Miller

3. Aaron Rodgers (CALL YOUR MOM) | Top-tier running back; check. Top-tier wide-out; check. How about we take the best passer in the game to round out the nucleus of anchors? Okay, give us. Maybe it’s a little early, but not by many picks. He could go in a few spots and I wouldn’t have hesitated to take him even with the next teams pick. He will comeback from what many think of as a dismal fantasy season and I am very excited to see how far this offense can fly in fantasy land.

TEAM CALL YOUR MOM (1) RB Todd Gurley (2) WR Amari Cooper (3) QB Aaron Rodgers

4. Keenan Allen (DON’T BLINK) | As I said, Rodgers on this team would have been really nice, but we adjust and I’m not unhappy with the direction I must take. I think the balance here is to be found in receiver though and Allen is a player primed for comeback numbers in an offense with a rocket-arm QB who was missing his best option last year. I like Allen as my WR1 even though he is probably more WR2 value at the moment and believe he will get back to that elite level this season.

TEAM DON’T BLINK (1) RB Adrian Peterson (2) RB Carlos Hyde (3) WR Keenan Allen

5. Arian Foster (EREYBODY SCORIN) | Do his health and age concern you? Me too, but his situation in Miami is legit and the option after him is an easy pick up away. IF (big IF, see what I did there?) he can stay healthy and the Miami offensive line can remain in one piece he has the ability to be a top 10 back again. Coupled with Forte & Jones, I like all of them to make at least 10 points a week and that is aiming low. Some may have reached for Elliott here and if you do that’s on you, but for this team’s current outlook I like Arian.

TEAM HOT FOR TOUCHES (1) WR Julio Jones (2) RB Matt Forte (3) RB Arian Foster

6. Cam Newton (FUNKZONE) | With two elite WR’s already who have solid arms tossing them long balls, I felt it prudent to option the next best fantasy QB after Rodgers, who actually was the best fantasy QB last season. Newton should be good to go with his weapon in Benjamin back and a nice schedule to soften the super bowl defeat. 

TEAM FUNKZONE (1) WR Dez Bryant (2) WR Brandin Cooks (3) QB Cam Newton

7. Le’Veon Bell (GET IT IN) | Let me preface that I do not like this pick at all. I do not think he should be drafted in the first five rounds, much less at all really in anything smaller than a 10 team league, BUT…BUT he does command tremendous respect in the fantasy world when healthy and unpunished. I plan to snag Williams later and that will be a decent enough 1-2 punch even when Bell returns. It won’t be easy, but Robinson & Green should cushion whatever discomfort I feel from this risky pick.

TEAM GET IT IN (1) WR A.J. Green (2) WR Allen Robinson (3) RB Le’Veon Bell

8. Demaryius Thomas (HOT FOR TOUCHES) | There could be a renaissance for Thomas this season and that is a far-fetched idea since he really didn’t have a terrible year last season. He should get a tremendous amount of looks from whomever is under center and can easily make up for any shortcomings on Jeffrey’s part week to week.

TEAM HOT FOR TOUCHES (1) RB Devonta Freeman (2) WR Alshon Jeffrey (3) WR Demaryius Thomas

9. T.Y. Hilton (IN THIS BITCH) | The thing about T.Y. is that he’s good he’s just not great. His serviceability will be unpredictable this season with the increased roles of Moncrief and Gore in the offense but he should do nicely next to Hopkins. Luck is going to get him the ball, it’s just a matter of how often and can Hilton keep the catches coming with consistent play.

TEAM IN THIS BITCH (1) WR DeAndre Hopkins (2) RB Jamaal Charles (3) WR T.Y. Hilton

10. Ezekiel Elliott (JOKERS WILD) | Since I have another pick soon into the next round I don’t mind taking a stab at a high-reward player. He probably will go a lot earlier than this in your draft but I find this to be precisely where a rookie’s value belongs; middle to end of the third round. If he stays healthy he has the makings of the next Gurley and if he does that and Lacy bounces back I have a stable RB core that should take me into December.

TEAM JOKERS WILD (1) RB Eddie Lacy (2) WR Brandon Marshall (3) RB Ezekiel Elliott

11. Jarvis Landry (KING ME) | All I see is raining receptions with this team. Landry is a beast when it comes to targets and catches, and I am not dissuaded by the addition of Parker or Foster; Landry is Tannehill’s top target and has his confidence. If anything I see an uptick in end zone usage which is even better for this nucleus’ potential to pop each week.

TEAM KING ME (1) RB David Johnson (2) RB Mark Ingram (3) WR Jarvis Landry

Since the next pick gets back to back selections, I want to take stock of the board before we get there, so what’s the next best grouping of players that remain in each major position?

QB Russell Wilson Drew Brees Andrew Luck WR Jordy Nelson Julian Edelman Jeremy Maclin Eric Decker

RB Doug Martin Jonathan Stewart Latavius Murray Frank Gore Melvin Gordon Thomas Rawls Jeremy Langford

I like Brees, Nelson and Edelman in that order. The majority of what is at the top of the ADP list seems like it isn’t worth this draft pick. When drafting at the end and beginning I like to check out the next potential 20-30 picks since I may not get a chance to draft many of those players as most of them will be gone by the time I get to select again. That said, it really doesn’t matter who I take here as the next pick is where I will take who I should in this position.

I previously should have mentioned in a disclaimer that this column is based on the perception that players will remain healthy and are otherwise in position to be productive fantasy players. In no way do I consider possible future injury (only current or carried over injuries are accounted). Also, value is going to rise and fall for these players as we approach September, so don’t hold these picks to concrete as they are based on current forecasted value and nothing more. It should be simply used an example of how you can strategically draft a satisfactory, competitive and potentially dangerous fantasy team from any draft position.

I have also added silly names for the teams to make it more fun than the 123/ABC and I hope you are able to see the personality of each as they develop round to round. I am drafting these teams with a focus on balance so that the strategy can be effectively used in any position with the same outcome. It is important more to see how I selected each team in the flow of the other picks. In-draft decision making is one of the most crucial and yet overlooked aspects of the process.

Now, shall we get on with it? Let’s!

ROUND TWO

1. LeSean McCoy (Team L or LAST PICK) | Looking at the leftovers from the first round, there is a number of directions this team could take after selecting Gronk with the first pick. It is easy to get scared that WR is quickly thinning out, but at this point I see more value in a top-5 RB who is a monster in the passing game and should be on a fierce offense. I’m sure Marshall, Robinson or Cooks would have been good here (I’m iffy on Jeffrey’s comeback) but to compliment my team’s draft slot and strategy, McCoy looks best.

TEAM LAST PICK (1) TE Rob Gronkowski (2) RB LeSean McCoy

2. Mark Ingram (Team K or KING ME) | I’m a fan of backing up questionable RB choices in the early rounds with more firm choices immediately after, so Ingram compliments Johnson well and now I have a dual headed RB dragon that should breathe fantasy fire for me week after week. Ingram should see plenty of targets and rushing attempts and is a sure bet to go under the radar in most leagues.

TEAM KING ME (1) RB David Johnson (2) RB Mark Ingram

3. Brandon Marshall (Team J or JOKERS WILD) | I would have liked to have Ingram with Lacy on this team but I will take the high ceiling in Marshall. He will put up regular double digit fantasy numbers and consistently plays hard regardless of team. I worry about drops but that’s the risk, so if you feel that strongly perhaps Jeffrey, Robinson, Cooks, Cooper or Evans would go here for you, but for me Marshall fits best.

TEAM JOKERS WILD (1) RB Eddie Lacy (2) WR Brandon Marshall

4. Jamaal Charles (Team I or IN THIS BITCH) | Since I have a solid WR in Hopkins I looked at the RB depth and saw Charles, Forte & Hyde. Out of those three, the highest ceiling easily belongs to Charles, but also the highest risk. I went with Charles based on his tenure with the Chiefs, his ability to usually bounce back after injuries and the talent that surrounds him. Plus, he’s got a chip on his shoulder from last seasons injury and could unleash a career year.

TEAM IN THIS BITCH (1) WR DeAndre Hopkins (2) RB Jamaal Charles

5. Alshon Jeffrey (Team H or HOT FOR TOUCHES) | He could be in line for a comeback season and has the potential benefit of increased talent around him. Cutler has a wicked arm (when healthy) and Jeffrey has the ability to break games wide open with big play after big play. I will take his upside over Robinson, Cooks or Evans, but not by much.

TEAM HOT FOR TOUCHES (1) RB Devonta Freeman (2) WR Alshon Jeffrey

6. Allen Robinson (Team G or GET IT IN) | The concern I have over Green’s opportunities (regardless of raw ability) is why I went with Robinson in this spot. Bortles should be another year better and he has a rapport with Robinson that rivals any other in the league. I anticipate a heavy air-show in Jacksonville and Robinson will supplement Green for any down areas he encounters week to week. Also, I now have WR1 & WR2 locked down early giving me a lot of options in the next few rounds.

TEAM GET IT IN (1) WR A.J. Green (2) WR Allen Robinson

7. Brandin Cooks (Team F or FUNKZONE) | Similar to Team GET IT IN I like the dual WR1 & WR2 combo with Cooks and Bryant. Cooks can have up and down weeks but he usually comes out on top overall and has lingering breakout potential that he didn’t quite achieve last season. Again, locking down two main point scoring positions and they are both threats for huge games any week.

TEAM FUNKZONE (1) WR Dez Bryant (2) WR Brandin Cooks

8. Matt Forte (Team E or EREYBODY SCORIN) | Forte offers a double-punch with Jones despite his potential for a limited role in New York. I don’t have any hesitation pairing these two together, they look better than Cooper/Jones, Hyde/Jones, Evans/Jones and Watkins/Jones. I now have balance in WR1 & RB1 and can keep a loose leash on my next few picks.

TEAM EREYBODY SCORIN (1) WR Julio Jones (2) RB Matt Forte

9. Carlos Hyde (Team D or DON’T BLINK) | Honestly I took my last pick in the last pick (does that make sense?). Meaning, I really would have liked Forte & Peterson together; Forte is the pass-catching back in all the ways that Peterson is not. They would have been a tremendous weekly 1-2 punch, alas I go with Hyde here and my hope and belief is that Hyde will 

TEAM DON’T BLINK (1) RB Adrian Peterson (2) RB Carlos Hyde

10. Amari Cooper (Team C or CALL YOUR MOM) | If what is being said about Cooper & Carr in the preseason is true I am excited for the potential he has to smash any expectation of him. Coupled with Gurley I will have two bash brothers ready to roll week after week. I am balancing once again, a featured tailback and a prime wideout so that I can check the box in two areas early and confidently.

TEAM CALL YOUR MOM (1) RB Todd Gurley (2) WR Amari Cooper

11. Mike Evans (Team B or BOUT IT BOUT IT) | This team already has the consensus overall receiver, so why not add another highly talented and elite fantasy receiver to compliment him? Ok, sure. Evans comes at a good price, I don’t mind taking him here since I get another pick on the turn soon into the next round to address my needs at that time. He will produce nicely and can even become trade bait if necessary since I have Brown.

TEAM BOUT IT BOUT IT (1) WR Antonio Brown (2) WR Mike Evans

12. Sammy Watkins (Team A or ALL STARS BABY) | As I mentioned in the first round, I like the “last pick” of each round for it’s provocative first pick in the next round impact. There is always an element of surprise with this pick and the next and I like to think I rocked the boat with both. Ideally I would have liked Cooks to have lasted but I like Watkins because of Taylor’s potential. Also, my next pick will provide insurance, or rather vice-versa. Other options here would be Rodgers, Miller, Allen, Newton, Thomas, Elliott, Nelson and Edelman, but I just like the upside potential in Sammy to go along with Odell.

Each year I do a series where typically I select three to five draft positions out of a 12 team standard PPR league format to sample draft in an effort to demonstrate how I can produce the same results from any pick. I thought perhaps it might be time to mix it up and so instead I have optioned to draft the entire round, team by team, similar to playing chess with myself.

I will release a round at a time and provide individual reason for my pick at that time for each team in each round. The following are the standards by which players are evaluated in this particular league:

HANDS | Especially in a PPR league it is necessary to achieve as many receptions as possible each week. I ask myself, how many catches is this guy good for? Do they fumble a lot? Do they get a lot of targets? How are they after the catch/hand-off with contact? Other factors that correlate with “hands” come into play elsewhere but these are the minimum questions that must be asked if you are investing a draft pick in a player.

DURABILITY | If I am selecting you first overall on my team you better play 14 out of 16 games in the season. As I draft that number decreases one each round. You ideally want to maximize as many games out of your first twelve picks as possible. Of course each player misses their BYE week but there are inevitably injuries, performance based roster changes and other “support” factors that influence a players “durability” throughout a season. This is a crucial part of evaluating a players worth through the early rounds especially.

SLATE | I disregard those who say schedule doesn’t matter. The harder a teams schedule is sometimes the better it’s fantasy days turn out. Don’t be dissuaded by a “bad” so to speak schedule just because you see heavy hitters in the rotation. Instead, imagine the comeback it would take or the dog fight it could be that could end up paying extreme dividends. Now, I’m not saying go out and draft every player with SOS of 1-5 but be discerning with how much weight you put into “pre-season” defensive or offensive ranks based mostly on last season statistics. Teams go through enormous change every off season and it is absolutely ludicrous to assume that any year a team will automatically repeat their performance exactly. Generate a feel for how you think the schedule stacks up as a whole before you go into a draft or identify players for your draft, that way you will know how your team is looking week to week as you draft.

SUPPORT | Team games are impressive, that is why we love them so much. Often times a player rises or falls based upon who is surrounding them which in turn impacts fantasy value. New players on the line or under center can often jolt offenses into territory that is unfamiliar. This is an often overlooked aspect of when players change teams because of it’s subtle ripple effect throughout the fantasy community. It behooves you to study who is added on both sides of the ball for every team, as well as understanding the decision making process of organizations with the anticipation of rotating players in and out or having certain players replace others. It is a useful tool to understand team chemistry and dynamic for the anatomy of a team is where performance gets its success. 

ROUND ONE

Odell Beckham Jr. TEAM (A) | I’ll defend this all season if I have to, but he’s younger than Brown and personally I think has a better QB, better offensive line, is in a better division (fantasy wise), has a better SLATE and has the best HANDS in the league. For my money, he’s top dog right now and I look forward to seeing them battle for our virtual adoration this season.

Antonio Brown TEAM (B) | If you take him first I got no argument really. It’s a coin-flip, or if you’re me a more meticulous enee-meenie-mineie-moe of sorts, but hey you still get a top wide-out in their prime, so nobody loses if you draft first second or even third.

Toddy Gurley TEAM (C) | He will be relied upon heavily while the Rams transition in LA, which can be both a blessing and curse, but rather than question the uncontrollable, I prefer to look on the bright side of this monsters rise to fantasy stardom. He doesn’t catch many passes but should be targeted more in his second year.

Adrian Peterson TEAM (D) | The standard by which the rest go, if he was a bigger part of their passing game I would have put him above Gurley but he is too good to let slip further. A true workhorse, alpha, primary runner, he is good for his DURABILITY, HANDS and SUPPORT

Julio Jones TEAM (E) | With the best two RB and WR options gone, I like Julio here because of his tremendous ceiling. The Falcons were fantasy gold last season despite being a NFL dud, and with another year to get healthy Jones should be on pace for his usual monster number of receptions and yards. His QB is more durable than Dez, dependable than Dalton and he’s top tier talent that belongs in the conversation of the best currently playing.

Dez Bryant TEAM (F) | Back after a disappointing injury-plagued season and I have high hopes for his thirst to rumble. If Romo can’t stay healthy, look for a tremendous boost in his value if Prescott comes in. Dez needs to stay on the field, as his biggest concern is DURABILITY, but his upside is too great to pass up at pick six based on that.

A.J. Green TEAM (G) | He’s going to be covered all day every day so I’m not sure where his numbers will sit at the end of everything but like the two previous WR’s taken I like his upside at this pick and don’t see any problem rolling with Green as my ace. Dalton has come down from his high cloud of a few seasons ago, and since there isn’t much else for him to look at, you just stay cautious with coverage and opportunity.

Devonta Freeman TEAM (H) | There is a lot of talk about him taking a “dip” this season because Atlanta didn’t do much to help the problem areas around him, but to that I say poppycock! If that is so, wouldn’t that mean he is even more of a focal point for the offense? An offense that already likes to throw him the ball as much as it does hand it to him. I’ll take his upside and his youth here, great value and currently not getting respect he deserves in drafts. 

DeAndre Hopkins TEAM (I) | Apparently he is in for a huge year (apparently). I’m not 100% sold on his all-out ability, but he’s the best option in a passing attack that has a better running game now and in a division that likes high scoring games. He will get the targets and scores, no hesitation in a PPR format. Besides, I am OK with trading him if the situation around him changes.

Eddie Lacy TEAM (J) | Scoff, go ahead. He’s been an up and down frustrating investment for many over the last few seasons, especially his last, but coming back svelte, hungry and automatically inserted next to the best QB, WR’s and offensive line in the game, I like the upside especially because he can catch and they throw it to him regularly. Comeback player of the year in the comeback offense of the year on the comeback team of the year.

David Johnson TEAM (K) | The hype has bit me, I give up. He’s looking at a primary role on a team that uses his function to set up big plays, plus he catches and breaks tackles very well. I guess I like his upside but I’m not the biggest fan in general until I see early consecutive games with positive contribution, because it’s great to win late but you have to have balance to be there in the end at all.

In addition to the following I have also posted a rolling list that I will continue to update periodically throughout the preseason on a google doc that you can find HERE.

Below are the top 20 of each position. I do not rank “overall”. I find it to be a bit tedious and sort of a mundane task. Instead I like to do a series of blogs where I draft in various positions to show how to build a certain type of team from any draft order, you can find those previous posts from past seasons titled “IF I WERE DRAFTING...” in my archives.

Alongside the ranks I have provided briefs on my reasoning. Watch my twitter this week for brief videos where I will elaborate further on my thought process for ranking with a focus on drafting as well as explaining the process of “tier” drafting.

CURRENT COMPLETE RANKS CLICK HERE

QUARTERBACK

Aaron Rodgers / I don’t feel like I need to justify this much. He will have a healthy arsenal, sizable chip on his shoulder and can only improve on last seasons “mediocre” fantasy stats.

Cam Newton / Same as above, the defending Super Bowl losers tend to usually stay in the pack of competition. He will have Benjamin back as well as another year within the same system which only benefits his versatility to throw or run.

Russell Wilson / It’s debatable for me to put him above Luck just because his division is tougher and his options are questionable but he has the dual threat that can put you over the top any given week.

Andrew Luck / Last season hurt a great many of us and when you go low with the talent he possesses and has at his disposal it’s a better bet he will bounce back than slip further down.

Drew Brees / A newly retooled utility belt, they will be in burners and Brees is best at putting up gaudy numbers. Giggity.

Derek Carr / He showed us flashes of big-game potential last year and has the opportunity to take over the division as the only “up and coming” QB under center (Rivers/Sanchez/Smith). Cooper is a legit threat and these aren’t your Al Davis Raiders anymore. You can get him very cheap very late so don’t waste a pick on someone lower in my ranks before him.

Carson Palmer / Sure, he’s aging and he’s got a HOF receiver with one foot out the door, but the arm is still there and his game-knowledge is bar-none making him a bankable commodity for his ADP.

Tom Brady / Suspension be damned, this is the top fantasy QB for the last five seasons regardless of who is around him or what limitations he faces. You will of course want to pair him with a Carr who has a favorable schedule to start the season. There is no reason you can’t own two fantastic QB’s.

Eli Manning / With big brother gone it will be Eli’s time to shine. Quietly the Giants have rebuilt without rebuilding and have a schedule ripe for picking. Don’t sleep on the usually dependable lil brother.

Blake Bortles / The youth of the Jaguars is where I draw most of my confidence. The core unit of this team has a camaraderie that you can’t see on paper but you can feel when you watch them. He won’t win many games but he will keep the Jags and your fantasy team competing deep into December.

Tyrod Taylor / Admittedly I liked him a lot more before he got paid, but I am happy for him regardless and think that his ADP screams value if you pair him with any of the following QB’s in my top 20. 

Ben Roethlisberger / Many of my counterparts have Big Ben much much higher, but for my money I think he is currently being over valued and the injury concerns are not going away, for him or anyone on this offense.

Philip Rivers / He’s spotty but there is potential for match-up based booms out of Rivers if you know how to manage your roster. I wouldn’t waste anything on him if you didn’t already have a QB.

Joe Flacco / Before his season ended abruptly last year, Flacco was on pace for ungodly passing numbers the likes of which Baltimore has never seen. He now has Mike Wallace who has never had the arm that Joe has throwing to him. I would tag Flacco as a sleeper this season and he looks nicely accompanied by Taylor, Big Ben or Brees.

Matt Ryan / How far he has fallen, once a rising fantasy stud, now Ryan is looking at as just the means to Julio’s ends. Their schedule is tough but he could have some surprise solid performances here and there when you are in need.

Ryan Tannehill / Will this be the year? I feel as though we have said that every year with Tannehill, but this could really be the year. Coming in under the radar, he has a talented young core of weapons now supported by Arian Foster. The time is now or never, I’m willing to bet a deep pick on it.

Matt Stafford / No more Megatron but Anquan isn’t a terrible replacement. Injury is always the biggest concern with him, but he’s got too good of an arm and the seasoning not to put up worthwhile fantasy numbers each week.

Tony Romo / I have him this high because of Dez Bryant. He has the real possibility to not finish the season but the bargain reward could be monstrous if this offense can find it’s mojo again.

Ryan Fitzpatrick / If he gets the job, he belongs here. If he doesn’t, everyone moves up and Winston goes in at 20.

Marcus Mariota / Let’s try this again. There is something happening in the music city and if they can all stay healthy there could be a new fantasy buffet to feast on in Tennessee.

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE UPDATED RANKS

RUNNING BACK

Adrian Peterson / Usually comes back with a gusto from injuries and is still the reigning bulldozer between the tackles.

Toddy Gurley / He ushered in a new class of runners last season and in a new environment where the entire world is watching he just may outdo himself to back up his mouth.

Devonta Freeman / There are a lot of questions around the Atlanta offense but Freeman is not one of them. I like him to continue his primary role of 20-25 carries a game barring any injury setbacks.

Eddie Lacy / I have a theme for the Packers this year: Redemption. Every single Packer should have something to prove, Lacy included. He has come back lighter and wants to keep his job now that everyone is back and healthy.

LeSean McCoy / The Buffalo backfield has thinned out over the last few weeks and McCoy has risen to the top easier than expected. He will be the focus for a run-first offense and is always a threat to catch a few balls for long yardage or scores.

Le’Veon Bell / I worry about injury and the suspension hurts but he is far too valuable to let slip any lower.

Mark Ingram / He could quietly slip farther than he should in your draft so have no fear pull the trigger on a steady bell-cow back who is lead by a HOF Quarterback.

Thomas Rawls / Beastmode is no more and Rawls has the chops to pick up the reigns where he left off in a versatile offense, but keep an eye on Michael as a cuff later in the draft.

Jamaal Charles / One injury away from a worthless pick, you decide if it’s worth your first round pick, or even your first RB pick, but I’m probably staying away.

David Johnson / Same as Charles, Johnson may be talented but he is also fragile. I wouldn’t want to take him and have to draft Chris Johnson or Ellington just as a hand-cuff either because that’s just too much of a headache so my money is going elsewhere.

Lamar Miller / Houston & Miami traded backs in the off season. I think Miami got the better deal, but Houston has Hopkins and then...yea, so Miller just slightly ahead for now only because he is literally their only other option.

Doug Martin / The risk/reward is so extreme, I only advise if you take solid primary runners later just in case he busts because Jameis could do all the digging on the ground if Martin can’t start hotter than he usually does.

Jonathan Stewart / Will he emerge as a truly dominant back? Maybe never with Cam in front of him, but he still gets the ball second to him so worth a pick if you need a RB1 late.

Ezekiel Elliott / Go ahead and waste your first round pick if you want to but the last time Dallas had a tailback finish the season was two years ago when Murray had his benchmark season. I say fluke and also would go so far to say Elliott doesn’t play more than 10 games this season.

Carlos Hyde / Chip Kelly in charge now? Hyde has been waiting to let out Jekyll and now that he has a coach willing to unhook the reigns, snatch this cheap back up at a bargain late.

Matt Forte / He will probably enter the season injured but will eventually come to own the offense in New York. Always reliable when he’s on the field, Forte is a bargain at his current ADP which I foresee skyrocketing as we approach September.

Latavius Murray / The entire Oakland offense is poised to really break out and Murray has the biggest ceiling of them all. He should be going far earlier but the way the current scene is a lot of over valued guys are being scooped before him making it easy to snag him in the 8th round and after. There is competition so eyeball the rookie Washigton who is Sproles-like with quickness.

Rashad Jennings / The backfield is his and his alone, plus he has the perfect style to match Eli’s brand of offense. Take him when he’s there and you need some RB depth, he will surprise you. There is also Paul Perkins and you would do well to watch and or snag him if you are in a deep league.

Arian Foster / He could be the steal of the fantasy season at his current ADP. There has been a serious lack of talent behind the QB since Ronnie/Ricky left Miami and Foster with Ajayi could be the medicine that cures.

Jeremy Langford / Forte’s injury last season opened the door for Langford and he seems to have kept a hold of the knob. I don’t foresee a ton of competition so you’re drafting him for the potential for a high reward at his current ADP plus his competition Jordan Howard would be easy to snag should he start to show signs of struggle.

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE UPDATED RANKS

WIDE RECEIVER (Briefs coming Monday)

Odell Beckam Jr. / The consensus says Brown first overall, but I’m more inclined by ODB’s schedule and the soft division.

Julio Jones / Officially the head honcho in Atlanta, he has proven year after year his upside has no limit.

A.J. Green / While Dalton hasn’t progressed, Green has still continued to evolve into a weekly anchor in fantasy leagues. There has been concern with lack of help but his big game potential outweighs any flags or defensive coverage.

Antonio Brown / He has been the dominant fantasy receiver for the past four season and I am listening to my gut that this will be his first semi down season. Probably not by much but I am suspect on the Steelers offense.

DeAndre Hopkins / His talent warrants his position here, and while his new teammates are considered upgrades I am not so eager to jump on board just because talent comes together on paper. Still, he will see his share of looks and make his owners happy regardless.

Dez Bryant / Looking to make up some ground after last season he shouldn’t be slept on and is seriously undervalued at the current moment.

Alshon Jeffrey / There is still WR1 inside of him and he has some help now, besides you can get him at later than he should be taken.

Brandon Marshall / Decker is going to eat at his totals and Forte doesn’t make it any easier either but he’s a monster target and hard to ignore at his current ADP.

Allen Robinson / Another year with Bortles should produce quality results each week barring any match-up conundrums and this Jaguars team has the potential to be a fantasy bonanza week to week.

Brandin Cooks / Last year was supposed to be his year but the hype ate his outlook away. Now, he comes in under the radar and is poised to pop with a few new pieces around him in the passing game.

Mike Evans / I think he takes a downswing but should still produce worthy of a top 10 receiver. Jameis is poised to break out but his schedule makes me cringe a bit.

Randall Cobb / Yes, ahead of Jordy. I don’t think I like anymore more this season than Cobb but since he has seen no love there is no risk in waiting until the 4th or even 5th to take him. He will a top five wide out when all said and done this season.

Amari Cooper / There is a certain quality that Cooper has shown to Carr that he really looks for on field. They are now roomies too which can only mean they will be teammates for quite some time and I like getting in on the ground floor.

Sammy Watkins / If he can stay healthy...he could be a monster at this price.

Kelvin Benjamin / It’s almost like he wasn’t injured last season the way Carolina played on offense but now that he’s back, there is no reason they can’t outdo themselves this season.

Demaryius Thomas / He still has talent but not so much of it looking his way anymore, however, Peyton didn’t really give much effort last season so any arm is a good arm in Denver these days.

T.Y. Hilton / He should produce but temper expectations with Moncrief’s enhanced role in the system and Dwayne Allen’s increased role.

Keenan Allen / Contract year, look for big things out of quiet San Diego as Allen has the ability to deliver big games. 

Jarvis Landry / Attention will be paid to him most of the game but he has a knack of getting open and catching balls that are well out of range. Plus, Tannehill has looked more accurate downfield in the preseason so far.

Julian Edelman / When Brady is back, you will be glad you took him when you did.

Jordy Nelson / Look I love Jordy, but until I see him in a real game and not take longer than 10 seconds to get up from a hit I can’t make a confident endorsement of him.

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE UPDATED RANKS

TIGHT END (Briefs coming Monday)

Rob Gronkowski / No matter the situation with Brady, he should always be the first TE you want, plus Bennett will provide a second punch that always helps Gronk.

Greg Olsen / Benjamin back helps his case but he may see less end zone looks now.

Jordan Reed / Cousins enjoys his size and durability down field. Big red zone target and consistent pass catcher.

Travis Kelce / The KC offense is ready to score more than they have in years past and Kelce is the second option next to Maclin, they paid him for a reason.

Gary Barnidge / Supreme value late, don’t wait. I would even consider taking him after Gronk in certain leagues where FLEX includes TE.

Coby Fleener / Now with Drew Brees looking his way, shades of Jimmy Graham are flashing...

Delanie Walker / Mariota was eyeing him regularly last year, expect more of the same.

Antonio Gates / There’s no rush now so I worry about motivation, but he has consistency and is Rivers favorite target.

Julius Thomas / Between Thomas, Hurns and Robinson, Bortles should have many high yardage games with most of his first downs coming from Thomas.

Martellus Bennett / When Brady returns he and Gronk should already have found a rhythm in the offense. I am considering this a risky play though as we know it’s going to be planned for by defenses.

Jason Witten / Aging but can be a good plug-and-play.

Eric Ebron / Detroit will need to find a new red zone target without Megatron.

Charles Clay / He will get more action than his ADP suggests.

Benjamin Watson / Flacco has needed him for a long time. His experience will benefit him tremendously in this long-bomb offense.

Zach Miller / If Cutler wants him he will be there but it’s simply a matter of timing.

Tyler Eifert / His health is troubling so draft at your own risk but could bounce back so worth a shot if you’re willing to gamble.

Zach Ertz / He could be the only healthy target and a bargain late for his ADP.

Jared Cook / He has the talent but won’t be more than a spot starter behind your starters bye week.

Jacob Tamme / Same as Cook, air gets thin when you reach this deep in the atmosphere.

Dwayne Allen / Probably the best option if you missed the boat on TE entirely, he and Luck have a connection.

Who’s there? A fucking championship. Ready to take it? If you’re reading this, then yes you are.

I’m not your standard fantasy aficianado. I don’t follow the college draft like religion. There is an actual “off season” for me between February and August. I like to keep my sports separate like I do my meal components; each in their own time and place. I do generally keep an eye of sorts on the business that transpires between those months, however, I believe in time off for if no other reason than to come back fresh with a blank slate to fill.

There is no more volatile fantasy sport than fantasy football. I have tried over the course of my time on this blog to convey the patience, awareness and objectivity needed to achieve success and hope to again provide to you with transparency of the utmost clarity on how I will win myself a fantasy football championship this season. With any luck, you will be there right alongside of me in January.

So when does the season start for you? For me, it typically begins this week. The first FULL week of August, when training camps open and the summer haze begins to fade into fall. Summer movie season has about run it’s course; the beaches are a littler emptier since schools begin again; the heat intensifies day after day begging us to consider is summer just starting or perhaps realizing it’s about to end and finally needs to burn us to a crisp. 

Of course, there is also Hard Knocks. The perennial NFL films show on HBO usually marks the standard by which we as a fantasy community come back together for the start of the pre-fantasy-season. In honor of the show’s premiere last night, especially being that it is following the newly returned Los Angeles Rams, of which the city I live, I thought why not give you guys a Maj play-by-play.

Oh the fun this was. More to come, but for now let the excitement and anticipation engulf you. What follows is basically a call and response with the show in real time. If you watch and read I follow the whole show and give my reaction, here:

To preface, I have been waiting for LA to have a football team for so long. Over a decade personally and now we have one. Yes, we are excited. And I fucking love they start the show with the Goodyear Blimp, but where was Ice Cube with the intro music?

Wait, he’s a Raiders fan, that’s right.

The intro music has and will always be epic. It sets the tone perfectly. The intercuts of different parts of the city with the credits is hilarious. Just like all the previous seasons it’s not like the training camps are usually near the actual fan base. The best part about this one is Los Angeles is actually so vast in terms of sprawl that the ocean and the walk of fame are essentially a good 45 minutes to an hour away from each other during daylight, so sit on that scale.

Additionally, UC Irvine, where they are hosting the camp for the next three seasons, is about 50 miles away from the core LA area. I’d say the liberty in which they are using the area of “Los Angeles” is quite extensive but I suppose it is better to include everyone than exclude anyone.

How sweet, Jeff Fischer has a hideaway in Montana. Jizz on the Grizz.

Fly-fishing does look peaceful as fuck though. Yea, how fortunate for you Jeff. If only we could all be so lucky.

See, the excitement starts when you recharge. When you step back. Jeff echoes exactly what I practice. I mean, that doesn’t inspire the most confidence but it doesn’t make me wrong.

Yea, fans. Don’t fuck with Los Angeles summer heat and NOT have a box fan, or two, or seven. These boys will learn to appreciated the fan in a box, oh yes.

St. Louis never appreciated the CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS that they had. We will. Their loss is our gain and I fully expect us to embrace this team wholeheartedly.

This cover of California Dreamin’ is amazing.

I wonder how much of this “Rams” stuff they moved gets tossed out because it had “St. Louis” all over it. Shame.

Unpacking is fun. You get to re-establish organizational territories and systems. You can clean shit out and streamline for efficiency. Yea, I unpack immediately whenever I bring anything packed too. It makes me feel like I can relax after that.

Irvine isn’t so bad. It’s close to the beach, and Anaheim, and Laguna isn’t far either, nor is Huntington and Newport. It’s a really private area with small pockets of city but mostly suburban. They seem to be having a hard time finding the “place” to be there. Wait until they actually get to Los Angeles. You forget sometimes that families go through upheaval when things like this happen. Just shows life goes on and is more precious than any game.

I think this dorm-room atmosphere could be boom or bust. Either these guys will embrace the slum of it all or will succumb to vanity and the inevitable professional athlete ego. 

“There’s too much to do out here” - wow ain’t that the truth.

How did they not secure a more modernized facility for the interim?

Nick Foles, man. What can I say? I never saw it. Classy of Coach Fischer but he could’ve done it a few months ago.

Is there an echo in here?

Is there an echo in here?

Jared Goff is a moron. I can’t wait to watch him prove me right over and over on this show.

Glamour. Fuck that shit. You can’t get used to that comfort. You have to get in the dirt. Get in the trenches. Be in the shit with your teammates. Those beds look hard as fuck. You know they are lying about that bed. Liars.

Yea, definitely get a fan bro. LOL. (I am dying here because literally every summer my brother and I go to the store to buy two new box fans before they sell out because they are so necessary).

Goff buys the offense fans but not the defense. Dick move. You can’t win a game with offense alone. This guy went to Cal? Shit, makes total sense.

I vomited. Going out tank-tops? Who are you? Does your wife know you have a boyfriend? There’s nothing wrong with a tank but man when you go out in a tank...to a club or dinner...I have to question your upbringing. I shall call you “Tank Boy” from here on out.

Starting early, I like it Coach.

One rule, be on time. We can all adhere to that.

Rule two, no guests. For two years? Damn. Yea no bitches. No hoes. Concentrate on THOSE FUCKING CONES! LOL.

Jared Goff is out of shape. He has no muscle mass or frame. He is lanky and rough. Wow what a waste of a first round pick.

I’ve never heard of that shirt off second wind thing...sounds like stoner logic. 

Oh snap AC! What a gift from front office heaven. Lucky little fuckers better appreciate that sweet arctic air.

I think they should have gone back to the old colors and uniforms. I don’t think we should still have the St. Louis color scheme. It’s tacky and unoriginal.

I wonder who is doing the music because they fucking suck. The only good song was that cover. Californication is so obvious and I think inappropriate but they probably didn’t even consider the lyrics of this song at all just the word and melody. So stupid. I feel dumber watching this.

Yes, I get the irony of the sun setting in the west/rising in the east joke with these lyrics. Still not funny.

If/when Goff takes over, it won’t be for long. He has started for this long and has never called an offensive huddle? Get this douche out of here.

Are you kidding me with this? Did he not ever like watch Peyton or play football, like, at all? He said that was a long one! Oh my goodness this kid is a special special boy.

Tank Boy is the Center, that is perfect! Yea knuckle his taint Goff. You got to GRAB THAT PIGSKIN SON! Yea that sounded right because you fucking did it right.

So homo and it’s great because these guys are exactly that, in a good way.

Goff is just slow. He has no game-speed experience. The Pac-12 is slow in essence aside from Oregon. He wasn’t pressured much in college. He is in for a whole world of pain.

Simple math. 32 teams. 32 QB’s. Can you be 1 of 32? I got my money on craps.

If you know he can’t handle it, get him some fucking help guys! Coaches are assholes these days. No regard for the extra effort.

This jackass had the audacity to say she dropped something off. Yea, she dropped off deez nutz. Bye felicia! 

His makeshift office is cute. Three years, let’s see what he does with it.

My concern is always conditioning. If these players are not taking care of themselves, or being properly monitored, they will not perform to their potential, thus they become disappointments in fantasy. Keep an eye on these cramps and hammys and sprains during the pre-season, they add up to trouble and you can spot the danger guys if you pay attention.

The little things. I think Fischer and I would get along well. It is about the little things that build to the big ones. The devil is in the details. He is talking about conditioning with these bananas and reps and when things get serious. Little things are important. 

Wow. Not going 7-9, or 8-8, or 10-6. Don’t settle. He knows what he’s doing. So do I.

He used the visitor as an example and I would have done the same thing. No matter who it was.

Mike Singletary is a huge add for this staff. If he can mold Donald, this kid could be an IDP beast.

They add these little bits of levity to make sure we know they “have fun” while they get their asses kicked. Ping-pong is a good set up. Let’s see how this plays.

Ok, Donald is a beast there too. Crushes this student. That’s not nice. Justice, they lose in doubles. If God is Your Source where did he go in that match?

Quarterbacks are historically smart, my fucking ass.

Please tell me he doesn’t know this. Please. Please. Please.

HE WASN’T SURE! Ladies and Gentlemen, your first round pick, Jared Goff, California Berkeley.

Yea, you versus a bug. Big man. What pussies.

This Marine Coach is my kind of guy. Get in that ass Larry. Fuck them up. Make them up fuckers that fuck shit up. The language is off the charts this season, and so will mine be too.

Pretty good idea of the special teams practice while the regulars do yoga. But man do they make it look starkly different. The yoga is all relaxing and calm. The special teams scrimmage is intense and grueling. I hope these nancies appreciate their yoga time, I bet they are one of the few that get this kind of practice around the league. LA man, love it.

These visitors can become bothersome and distracting. Especially if they are just frivolous and whimsical like Kendrick Lamar or this Taylor Swift talk. Having old Rams come visit is constructive. Having other successful local figures in other industries come and talk is inspiring. These raps stars looking for some scenery and to be noticed are just a nuisance. Hoodlum shit get off the field with your trifling wannabe ass.

When I see you Todd I’m going to say what’s up. I promise.

This kid can run. Fast. I mean like real fast. And this defense is good. 

Is there an echo?

Is there an echo?

But his mouth though. I think it’s all in good fun though. It seems like he is being jolly and trying to rally the troops with some shit talk. I approve.

Lippy, lol.

Thank you very much Ms. Lippy.

Happy born day Todd. 

Cake face yes, but while he’s spitting game? C’mon man, poor form.

Fat kids love cake.

If I was Kenny Britt, I would ask for some serious dinner. Like buffet.

Good luck with that swim guys. Watch out for sharks. You got way too much body mass to be body surfing. Also, we know black people can’t swim. Well. 

That was a joke. I’m not Donald Trump. Laugh, fuckers.

A good leader makes his men feel small. He just did that to Cooper.

Another anecdotal episode of Pokemon Go. LALALALAL fun fun. BLEH.

Hangover from the day off, or from the distractions and the day off.

So easy for lethargy to creep into the regiment during camp. So hard to maintain focus early on. You gotta be willing to adopt and commit.

If this team can’t find it’s chemistry it won’t be worth any consistent production investment.

Yea, Goff can replicate but can he manage and improvise? A good QB can win games. A great QB wins close games.

21 years later, they are home. The mood is a little lighter in the city these days. We got football back. Speaking as someone who grew up without a home team, I am so happy to finally have one to call just that, my home town Los Angeles Rams.

Here we go, my first cursory ranking of all QB, RB, WR, TE & DEF positions for the upcoming season. Take this as a template because there will be many changes before I draft over Labor Day weekend. If you are unfortunate enough to be drafting this weekend, I pray for the health of your players. As far as I’m concerned, it’s far too early to be drafting yet, but hey, some habits are for suckers and I’m just not one of them.

I will revise accordingly as we approach the end of draft season. I will also post a few different “If I was drafting...” pieces so you can understand how to draft almost the same team in any draft position with comparable talent.

WARNING: I don’t rank overall. I find that to be foolhardy. If you are looking at every player against every player, you won’t draft the best team. I like to implement a tiered system to determine when and where to draft what position. It’s all dependent upon league settings, league size and roster, not who vs. who in the grand scheme. Best player at their position at that time for your team is what you are looking for when drafting, not oh they are still available

I have included the average draft position for each, their BYE week and my color system which is similar to a stoplight - green means go ahead draft them, yellow means caution as there are dangers to consider and red means I wouldn’t touch them in any draft wherever they may fall. Additionally, I plan to work up a video for each position to highlight my reasons for where these players fall, why I would or wouldn’t draft them and other intangibles you won’t get anywhere else.

QB

RB

WR

TE

DEF

Boy these late summer days are getting testy. Between the courtroom drama unfolding today amongst Tom Brady & Roger Goodell and yesterday’s locker room punch-out of Jet’s QB Geno Smith it seems like the NFL has turned into a Lifetime movie.

Where is the football? Preseason games begin tomorrow (of no real importance) and all we are hearing about on every major and minor news outlet is this deflate-gate verdict and the lowly Jet’s internal bickering. These things have nothing to do with the actual game or season approaching. Sure, if Brady is suspended as he has been mandated it will of course create a domino chain of events onto everything tied to the Patriots. And of course, Geno Smith’s injury will now have a massive ripple effect onto their season as well and anyone involved in it. Suffice it to say, the Bills and Dolphins have never had a better chance at stealing the division than this season so long as they stay on their respective paths and execute.

Still, these things are limited to ancillary consequences. Of course Tom’s stock drops, as does Geno’s, but were you ever really in doubt that these things would eventually play out like this? I don’t talk NFL year round because for my cause there should always be a mandatory off season. Those who do need to understand that if you never take a pause from it you will never know where to separate football from drama. Yes, football is dramatic, but this off-field horseshit isn’t apart of the game, it’s all apart of the circus the game has now created from it’s policies, mandates and regime changes.

The noisemakers are loving this shit. They want nothing more than to feed you courtroom analysis, locker room analysis, predictions and opinions on these two stories because they know damn well that there is NOTHING to discuss otherwise about the play on the field at this time. They are lost without actual meaningful games, have zero content to distribute to you the mass consumer who craves the inside info from their direct and easily attained platform. They appreciate your hunger and want to feed you their bullshit at every turn possible. How many programs are wrought with coverage on both of these topics today? Too many to count I am sure. I wouldn’t know, I don’t watch or listen to any of that noise.

I know because I know. Because I am smarter than the average fan and understand where to draw a line between information that is newsworthy and information that is entertainment. Right now, all we are getting is entertainment from the NFL, no actionable info or intel, no hard facts about teams or rosters or injuries. No, all we are really getting is our feet wet.

The first game of the pre-season occurred last night, and I didn’t watch a second of it.

Why? Because it didn’t matter one ounce to what we are trying to accomplish here. The first week of games only serves to allow the rookies to adjust and the veterans to shake off rust.

Let’s look at the score - Minnesota 14, Pittsburgh 3. Yea, that is a sure sign that the Vikings are looking super dangerous and the Steelers quite weak (sense my sarcasm, please.)

I’m not saying that the game doesn’t matter in the grand scheme, what I am conveying here is that the only recognizable facts you can take away from a game like that is what you casually observe in the actions of any particular player. You can’t look at it as an actual game, you have to remove that filter and watch it in respects to the individual performances.

Let’s say you like Adrian Peterson. Who doesn’t? Did he get any touches last night? Not one. Who did? Matt Asiata. Asiata had a really good season last  year with AP out. Will he likely repeat that this season? Doubtful. So you observed how Asiata played, great, but will he be someone you are targeting? Unlikely, unless you will own AP. Time wasted, worthless information, moot.

See what I’m getting at? Anyone of your friends or league-managers who are getting hyped up over the HOF game should be smacked with a lucky jock-strap. The only reason to get pumped is for the sake of getting pumped about the season officially getting started. I appreciate passion, nobody admires that spirit more than me, but there is an extent to which you should express it before anything of merit is recorded.

I try to not put too much value on these pre-season games, especially the first week of them. Any good football mind will tell you that no substantial decisions can be made after the first pre-season game. There is no ground to begin ranking or compiling lists at this point. Sure, all the “pro” prognosticators are handing out updated rankings seemingly everyday. Not me. Not the Maj. I refuse to provide any rankings until at least mid-August.

Of course there are things, situations, players that I am already feeling good about, however there is no cause for me to jump to any conclusions until every team makes it through week 2 of the pre-season schedule. My biggest concern are injuries. So often good, high-valued players in the pre-season become either injured or bothered by nagging or lingering injuries after a few games or intense pad-practices. For this reason a lone is why I refuse to draft any leagues until the end of August or start of September. It’s a basic part of my fantasy philosophy that I have promoted for over a decade (when things shifted to out of hand in the pre-season) which has served me to the fullest of my potential year after year. I have only missed the playoffs twice in that span in my most important league, 8 out of 10 ain’t bad and I have two championships, a second place and two third place finishes in those appearances. I’ll fucking take it. That means only twice out of my eight appearances did I fail to crack the top three teams at the end of the season in that league, my most difficult.

I participate in keeper leagues and for some of you who do dynasty leagues this can be a problem. A lot of these types of leagues force you to make decisions at the end of the previous season and do not allow for any movement or adjustments until their usually too early draft in August. This is not a league I would ever entertain participating in. It is the epitome of unprofessional fantasy. If you are locked into a league like this I urge you to rally your co-managers and attempt to solicit a change in that process. Not only will it serve your interests, but it should benefit the league as a whole, taking it to another level of competitiveness and savvy, which don’t we all want? Isn’t why we do this to beat the best competition we can?

I don’t play fantasy to dominate. I play fantasy to achieve. If I happen to dominate over the competition I feel is on my level or even above my level, that is a happy bonus. I don’t need to go 5-0 to start the season, but it’s nice. I need to maintain a competitive balance throughout the season, gaining strength as it progresses and finding my best effort in the fantasy playoffs.

It’s a marathon, not a sprint (cliche’ of them all) so keep that in mind when you’re mock-drafting this week or making your draft lists. The best tools for winning any fantasy league are patience & observation. Harness them and use them in every facet of your process, I promise, they will take you the place you want to be if you truly invest in their power.

I promise, video today forthcoming where I will elaborate on the method I use to filter what content is worth digesting into your game plan for draft & season team building. Getting back into the swing of this has taken a bit more than I was expecting, but I’m not a quitter so expect me to deliver.

Little Nuggets:

49er’s Aldon Smith arrested on DUI/reckless driving charges, again.

Five takeaways from the NY Giants training camp (injuries).

HC Marvin Lewis had expectations for WR Marvin Jones.

QB Sam Bradford’s knee feeling good after 4 days at camp.

WR Steve Smith wired in practice.

Five things from Falcons camp.

QB Marcus Mariota hasn’t thrown an INT all camp.

Later today/tonight for you on the East Coast, I will be posting a video regarding my thought process behind some of these links I will provide here. Sometimes it’s hard to see what the purpose of them is when it is a simple practice video or interview, but I want to help you understand by elaborating on the finer details of each link I post over the next few days so that in the coming weeks it will be hopefully a little more obvious as to what my intention is for sharing them and how you can decide for yourself what is relevant or not amongst all the pre-season noise.

Little Nuggets

Has San Diego solved it’s offensive line problems of years’ past?

Baltimore defense looking to get more turnovers with Kendrick Lewis’s help.

Jay Cutler on the Bears-All-Access podcast talking new HC John Fox, his fitness level, game-noise (it’s 46 minutes so listen while you read these other articles.)

HC Gary Kubiak wants a workhorse at running-back in Denver.

Antonio Brown talks about his potential of being one of the greats.

HC Rex Ryan claiming Bills will have the largest playbook of all-time this season.

Eagles LB Kiko Alonso suffers concussion in training camp.

If you have not yet followed me on twitter, I suggest you do so here - it is where the bulk of my moment-to-moment thoughts are distributed and I find the platform very useful for information gathering during both the pre and regular season.

Many of the valuable insights I find come from the direct accounts of players, coaches, journalists & official media accounts for each team. I also have compiled a list of these accounts over the years and you can find it under my LISTS section on my main twitter page labeled ‘NFL’.

Little nuggets

Pierre Thomas’ sojourning saga continues as Texas decline to sign him.

Staying in Houston, Arian Foster may miss a little time with a groin injury.

Various practice notes from NFL.com

A regular segment from Miami’s website on risers & fallers of camp.

John Lynch sounds off on Roger Goodell’s sloppy off-seasons