Experts League Draft Update: The Review
As our loyal following well knows, we participate in a Dynasty Experts League with fellow site owners from across the country. Our team is managed together by Jeff Haverlack (dlf_Jeff) and Ken Kelly (dlf_KenK). Last year, DLF won the Dynasty Experts League championship with a record of 15-1.
The league consists of the following sites:
FootballGuys = Jene Bramel
DynastyGuys = Jeff Pasquino and Peter Hodes
FFToday = Mike Macgregor
Fantasy Sharks = Jim Bukowski
FFToolbox = Matthew De Lima
ESPN / Scouts, INC. = Matt Williamson
FantasyFootballXtreme = Kevin Vennard
Pro Football Focus = Bryan Fontaine
RotoWorld = Evan Silva
Pigskin Addiction = Ryan Schoon
DLFÂ = Ken Kelly and Jeff Haverlack
DraftCalc = Smitty
Our goal for getting into the league was to put our money where our mouth is in regards to dynasty leagues. We wanted to solidify DLF as a leader in the industry. After just two years, we’ve done just that. However, there are lots of great teams and some each of these coaches know exactly what they’re doing – that’s what makes this league a serious challenge!
We’ve already shared with you our review of the draft. If you missed it, just click here. You can view the entire draft here as well.
After the draft was completed, we received some feedback about the draft from many of our industry friends. You’ll likely find this information useful as you continue to maneuver your own personal rookie rankings.
Mike MacGregor – FFToday
1. What was the best value pick in the draft?
1.10 WR Kendall Wright – I guess I’ve read more about Brian Quick since Fantasy Sharks took him at 1.07, causing Michael Floyd and Wright to fall down the board, but even if I accept Quick as a better prospect amongst those three, I disagree with TE Coby Fleener getting drafted in front of Floyd/Wright. Fantasy Sharks seemed to get caught up in drafting for need at that point instead of BPA with so many picks to play with. The result was an excellent value for Pro Football Focus nabbing, surprisingly (Bryan said it himself), Wright down at 1.10. Between a gimpy Kenny Britt and Joe Average Nate Washington, Wright has immediate impact opportunity, and finds himself with a better long-term answer at QB and team I feel is more likely to be on the upswing than the Rams or Cardinals.
Honorable mention: 4.06 TE Dwayne Allen (FFTooblox), 4.12 QB Russell Wilson (DLF)
2. What pick was the biggest reach or most surprising selection in the draft?
1.08 TE Coby Fleener – I’ll lay off Smitty for the oft-mentioned DeAngelo Hall pick in the late second round, because if I don’t I’m sure I’ll be playing against him the week Hall has his 3 INT game. I’ll come back to Fleener as mentioned above, that it just seemed too early to me for a guy at a position that is deep with prospects already 1-2 years in the league, and drafted by a team that drafted two TEs. Sure, Fleener got drafted higher, but I’m not convinced he’ll be the prime receiving choice ahead of Allen, and I certainly don’t expect a Rob Gronkowski-Aaron Hernandez part deux in Indy anytime soon. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think from a value standpoint Sharks had a good chance to wait on Fleener to nearly the mid-2nd round.
Honorable mention: 2.10 CB DeAngelo Hall, 2.12 CB Darrelle Revis
3. Who has helped their team the most to compete this year?
ESPN/Scouts Inc. – To answer this question, you’ve got to look at the trades primarily, because there were some big ones. ESPN/Scouts did lose LeSean McCoy, Hakeem Nicks and Drew Brees in their wheeling and dealing, but on the flip side gained Jeremy Maclin, Fred Davis, Antonio Brown, Michael Vick, Jay Cutler, Steve Smith, Brandon Marshall, Jermaine Gresham and Julius Peppers. Adding Ronnie Hillman in the draft should make an immediate impact, although Lamar Miller will not (but I like the pick and considered him strongly over Luke Kuechly). Definitely lost some star power, but stocked his starting lineup from top to bottom, plus depth, with solid fantasy contributors that will make this team a challenge to play against every week.
4. Who has had the best draft for building some talent long term, over the next few years?
Fantasy Sharks – This team was loaded for bear with picks in this draft, so they are the hands down winner in this category. I kept checking his roster to see if there was some sort of roster exemption, to understand where he was fitting all of those prospects. This team is pretty competitive right now, already having Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray, A.J. Green, Dez Bryant, Julio Jones, and Rob Gronkowski, then adding Trent Richardson, plus hope for the best immediately from Justin Blackmon, Brian Quick and Coby Fleener. It will be interesting if this team does jump out well this season to see if Jim will go the patient route and stick with all of these young guys, or pawn some off for older stars supporting a perhaps earlier than planned title run.
5. Two teams most likely to be in the title game this year?
DLF over Sharks
Smitty – DraftCalc
1. What was the best value pick in the draft?
I love Footballguys landing Doug Martin and Robert Griffin III, but it’s pretty hard to beat what Fantasy Sharks had going on in this draft, landing Trent Richardson, Andrew Luck, Justin Blackmon, Brian Quick and Coby Fleener. Given I took over an already-existing team, I can only assume the previous owner of my roster gave Fantasy Sharks some of our picks 🙂 Thanks, previous owner!
2. What pick was the biggest reach or most surprising selection in the draft?
Brian Quick, but I like it. I think Quick could be the best receiver from that 2012 Draft Class. I love Justin Blackmon’s skill set, but Quick could thrive right away.
3. Who has helped their team the most to compete this year?
From the players drafted in this draft, both Fantasy Sharks and Footballguys will benefit the most. Footballguys got the best QB from this draft class in RG3, and he has a very productive RB2 right out of the gate in Doug Martin. While a lot of the players Fantasy Sharks snagged up in this year’s draft will take a good 1-2 years to develop, Trent Richardson is a top 5-10 RB this year and could be a top 5 overall pick in most leagues next year. That gives Fantasy Sharks a huge edge when looking at how this particular draft will impact 2012 and beyond.
4. Who has had the best draft for building some talent long term, over the next few years?
See No. 3 above. The same answers apply, as Fantasy Sharks has the best player in the entire rookie draft, and quite possibly a top 5 overall player come this time next year. Add in all the young talent he drafted, like Brian Quick, Justin Blackmon, Andrew Luck, and you have yourself some huge future bargaining chips.
5. Two teams most likely to be in the title game this year?
Fantasy Sharks. Tony Romo, Trent Richardson, DeMarco Murray, Dez Bryant, A.J. Green and Julio Jones… it’s tough not to love that roster for the now and the future. It just so happens that A.J. Green, Julio Jones and Dez Bryant are No. 1, 2 and 3 on DraftCalc’s top 10 Upside Players for 2012… walking into a league we never initially drafted in is tough, but seeing that team makes it even tougher. Past Fantasy Sharks, I think a lot of teams are in the mix, so much so I don’t have a clear second place team to list. I love our roster built on Drew Brees, LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte, Roddy White, Brandon Marshall, Antonio Gates, Jason Pierre-Paul, etc., but there are 3-4 teams with comparable offensive pieces, but with better defensive units. It will be a a fun league and we have been active trading into the roster just listed.
Matthew De Lima – FFToolbox
1. What was the best value pick in the draft?
At 4.04, FFToday grabbed DE Cam Wake. Considering the position switch, Wake could become a potential Top 5 DE for the rest of his career. Same could be said for DE Kameron Wimbley at 7.02. I also liked my pick of RB Javon Ringer at 4.09. The best value pick though has to be QB Brandon Weeden at 3.02. He’s a starter and will get all the opportunities in the world to prove himself. He may not be the best QB in the draft but considering the round, Weeden was a great value. I liked a lot of picks really.
2. What pick was the biggest reach or most surprising selection in the draft?
DraftCalc reached by selecting DeAngelo Hall at 2.10 and Darrelle Revis at 2.12. Both of these picks really surprised me. I mean I’m a VT grad and I wouldn’t draft DHall until Round 7 or 8.
3. Who has helped their team the most to compete this year ?
With all of his wheeling and dealing, sometimes with me, ESPN did well to add some nice players to his team including Michael Vick, Maurice Jones-Drew, Jermaine Gresham, Pierre Thomas and others. Although he may regret having to trade away LeSean McCoy. I also haven’t forgotten about him having to back out of his drunken trade where he gave me DeAngelo Williams for Malcom Floyd.
4. Who has had the best draft for building some talent long term, over the next few years?
Fantasy Sharks loaded up on first round picks and now has a ton of youth and a ton of playmakers. Look out. He drafted the top QB, RB, WR and TE selected in the 2012 NFL Draft. Can’t beat that. Brian Quick was a tiny reach though.
5. Two teams most likely to be in the title game this year?
DLF and FFToolbox. I have to vote for myself here. I was tied for the second-best record last season and I plan on going further in the playoffs this year.
Jene Bramel – FootballGuys
1. What was the best value pick in the draft?
I think the values throughout the draft were fairly standard. The WR drafted in the mid-third to mid-fourth round (Givens, Childs, Jones, Criner, Jean) all look like better than expected value. Particularly like the Greg Childs pick at 3.10. And Erin Henderson is going to be an every-week starter from the 6.11 slot for PFF.
2. What pick was the biggest reach or most surprising selection in the draft?
DraftCalc taking two cornerbacks in the second round — over solid offensive values, a group of good rookie linebackers and Mark Barron — was probably the biggest reach/surprise.
3. Who has helped their team the most to compete this year ?
Without tracking all the trades, I think ProFootballFocus and FFToday did the most to help their teams immediately. PFF got a great mix of youth and veteran upside for 2012. Randle, Kuechly, Barron, Wake and Prater should all contribute this year for FFT.
4. Who has had the best draft for building some talent long term, over the next few years?
Fantasy Sharks. Outstanding mix of quality and quantity.
5. Two teams most likely to be in the title game this year?
DLF looks like a lock to return. There’s probably 5-6 other teams with a legitimate shot at joining them.
Jim Bukowski – Fantasy Sharks
1. What was the best value pick in the draft?
Andrew Luck at 1.03. How can you argue with getting the best overall prospect in the draft at #3?
2. What pick was the biggest reach or most surprising selection in the draft?
DeAngelo Hall (19th overall in DB scoring in 2011)Â at 2.10 by DraftCalc.com. There was a lot of offensive talent still on the board and every rookie IDP was available except for Luke Kuechly.
3. Who has helped their team the most to compete this year ?
Fantasy Sharks. Any time you can add a Top 10 running back in Trent Richardson to a nucleus of Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray, AJ Green, Julio Jones, Dez Bryant and Rob Gronkowski you have greatly increased your chances to compete.
4. Who has had the best draft for building some talent long term, over the next few years?
Fantasy Sharks. The addition of Richardson, Luck, Blackmon, Quick, Fleener and seven other rookies should bode well for the future.
5. Two teams most likely to be in the title game this year?
DLF & Rotoworld
You can follow me on twitter @dlf_kenk
Ken is on Twitter at DLF_KenK
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