Diary of an IDP Rookie: Part Two
A few weeks ago my first “diary” went public about my pre-draft preparation for my very first experience with an IDP league. Since then (actually before the last article made it to the website) we have had our initial startup draft for the staff IDP league and the rosters are now set. While it is fresh in my mind, I wanted to revisit my original plan and see how well I stuck with it. I also wanted to share some new insights that I gained from doing a real draft (which was quite a bit different from looking at mock drafts or other leagues) and discuss my plan moving forward.
For a little bit of a refresher, here is the rough breakdown of the setup for this league. It is a 12 team league with 44 players on a roster. There are eight offensive starters broken down in the following way: 1 QB, 1 RB, 1 WR, 5 flex (RB/WR/TE). On the defensive side of the ball, we are going with nine starters broken down as follows: 1 DT, 2 DE, 1 LB, 1 CB, 1 S, 3 flex (anything except DE).
The scoring for the offensive side of the ball is standard PPR scoring with return yardage points as well a tight end premium (1.5 PPR). On the defensive side of the ball, linemen get 2.5 per solo tackle, a one point bonus if it is a tackle for a loss, 2.5 for every half sack and a 0.1 bonus for every yard the team losses by that sack. Other defensive players receive 1.5 points per solo tackle. All defensive players get 2.5 points for a pass defensed and five or six points per turnover with the points for a fumble being split between forced fumble and fumble recovery.
Here is how my roster turned out, broken down by the rounds, with some commentary on how I stuck to my plan. The picks are in order that they were taken. As intended, I stayed in my original spot through the entire draft.
Rounds 1-10
Dez Bryant (WR), Marshawn Lynch (RB), Matt Forte (RB), Jason Witten (TE), Dwayne Bowe (WR), Eric Decker (WR), Torrey Smith (WR), Rashard Mendenhall (RB), Mike Williams (WR), Derrick Johnson (LB)
My original plan: Focus almost entirely on the offensive side of the ball for the first ten picks, securing an elite tight end (due to the tight end premium), a very solid quarterback and high quality starters plus a backup at running back and wide receiver.
For the most part, I managed to stick to my original plan. I question my first round choice of Bryant, but only because Arian Foster was still on the board. The Lynch pick in the early second isn’t great, but I was worried about what would be available in the late third for running backs if I didn’t take someone there. He was the best available running back in my mind, so I took him. I was very pleased with Witten in the fourth round and I stuck to my guns on staying focused on offense for these first few rounds.
The only spot that I failed to follow my original plan was when it came to quarterback. Several times during the draft, the quarterback I had targeted went just a few picks before my selection. This resulted in my delaying taking a quarterback only for it to happen again. I was targeting Drew Brees in the third, but he went a few picks earlier. I figured I would wait until the fifth and target one of Colin Kaepernick, Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Russell Willson or Robert Griffin III. With three quarterbacks off the board, Cam Newton and Tom Brady still available as well, I figured one of the five I was targetting would last a measly two rounds. Well, all five targets as well as Newton and Brady went in the next 24 picks bringing the total to ten quarterbacks in the first four and a half rounds. At that point I decided to wait on a quarterback since I didn’t see a huge difference in value between the likes of Tony Romo, Payton Manning and Eli Manning.
For the record, I originally said that I would consider JJ Watt if he was available when I picked at 3.11. Well, he went at 3.10, one pick before me in the third round. Otherwise I very well might have picked him with 3.11 in this draft.
Rounds 11-20
Donald Butler (LB), Mikel Leshoure (RB), Eli Manning (QB), D’Qwell Jackson (LB), Sam Bradford (QB), Michael Johnson (DE), Charles Tillman (CB), Tyvon Branch (S), Stephen Tulloch (LB), Derek Wolfe (DE)
My original plan: Mostly defensive players through these ten picks with a heavy emphasis on linebackers. Mix in a few defense ends and maybe one or two defensive backs in the upper teens. Only go offense if I feel someone is slipping a bit too far.
For the most part I was able to stick to my plan once again, though I was pretty uncomfortable doing it in a lot of cases. It is really difficult passing on guys that I know and like on the offensive side of the ball in favor of guys that in a lot of cases I’ve barely heard of. One thing I learned is that defensive stars in the NFL are not the same players as the IDP stars in a lot of cases.
My failure to secure a quarterback in the first four rounds left me with a pretty major hole to fill. My starting quarterbacks definitely came a lot cheaper than the rest of the league as they cost me a thirteenth and fifteenth round picks instead of a pick in the first few rounds. I’m not completely comfortable starting either Manning or Bradford every week, but it will have to work. If Bradford matures into a solid QB1 with all of the weapons around him then this is great value.
Outside of quarterback, I only took one offensive player in this range, spending seven picks on defensive players with three linebackers (plus one in the tenth), two defensive ends, and two defensive backs. I’m very happy with Tillman in our scoring system and I think my linebackers are a nice mix of up and comers as well as solid veterans.
When it comes to regrets, I have a sinking feeling that my choice of Wolfe might have been a little early. It probably wasn’t the first reach that I made and certainly wasn’t the last. Choosing defensive players was much more difficult than I expected! Most of the IDPs are names that I’ve only heard in passing. I did my best to use the DLF staff rankings on the IDPs, but it was pretty difficult even with those.
The main difficulties for me when it comes to the defensive players was trying to figure out when to target each position (mostly when to take a defensive end instead of a linebacker) as well as not being completely up to date on the recent news with IDPs. At the time of the draft, the staff rankings did not have rookies in place nor had they been updated to reflect the impact of the NFL draft since our draft started right the NFL draft ended. I didn’t have enough experience to make all of the correct adjustments myself. It is all a part of the learning process.
Rounds 21-30
Lance Briggs (LB), Mohamed Sanu (WR), Jon Bostic (LB), Ahmad Bradshaw (RB), Robert Turbin (RB), Quinton Couples (LB), Roman Harper (S), Marcedes Lewis (TE), Beanie Wells (RB), Stephon Gilmore (CB)
My original plan: A fairly even mix of offensive and defensive players, trying to add depth to my offensive side of the ball as well as defensive end, linebackers, and the defensive backfield. Don’t worry about defensive tackles quite yet.
I stuck to my plan pretty well once again, which actually surprised me. These ten rounds were an even split between offense and defense.
On the offensive side of the ball, Turbin is my insurance on Lynch while Bradshaw and Wells will hopefully get jobs somewhere before the start of the season and be good value picks. I like Sanu opposite AJ Green to end up being a solid WR3 in fantasy circles if he can win the job (which isn’t a guarantee). Lewis is rather underrated and should be a decent bye week starter in place of Witten.
When it comes to defense, my Bears blood came out a little bit with Briggs and Bostic. My only rookie choice in the first 30 rounds, Bostic was probably a bit too early. However, I like him as the potential long term answer at MLB for the Bears, which I’m going to guess is fantasy gold. Couples might seem a bit out of place as well, but at the time of the draft he was listed as a defensive end. It wasn’t until after the pick that I learned he was being switched to linebacker, which probably kills his value. Seasoned IDP owners probably already knew that switch was coming, but this was where my lack of familiarity with IDPs showed a bit. Harper and Gilmore should be solid backups at their positions for my starters.
Rounds 31-44
Brandon LaFell (WR), Kyle Williams (DT), Donald Brown (RB), Kevin Minter (LB), Nico Johnson (LB), David Hawthorne (LB), Mike Glennon (QB), Kroy Biermann (DE), Rex Burkhead (RB), Junior Galette (LB), Brandon Taylor (S), Adrien Robinson (TE), Chris Clemons (DE), Brodrick Bunkley (DT)
My original plan: Round out my roster with younger players with some nice upside or aging veterans that can contribute for another year or two. Try to keep it to around 20 total offensive players and 24 total defensive players. I also need to make sure that I get a defensive tackle.
I went a little bit over my offensive quota, ending up with 22 offensive players and 22 defensive players, but I had a hard time resisting some of the offensive sleepers that I’ve come to love. Overall, I managed to stick pretty close to the plan though I probably could have waited a while longer on a defensive tackle since they all seem to be roughly the same outside of the top few players.
LaFell and Brown are guys that will either step up this year or that I can cut this year to make room for others. Glennon could surprise and push for the starting job if Josh Freeman struggles. You hopefully saw my feelings on Burkhead and when it comes to Robinson, let’s just say that I question if Brandon Myers is the real deal or more of a one hit wonder.
I probably could have waited a bit longer before I took Williams, but between him and Bunkley I should be okay at defensive tackle. Biermann and Clemons are both older, but should provide some immediate production at my defensive end spot, which was needed after Couples turned into a linebacker on me mid-draft. If one of Minter and Johnson end up producing within two years I’ll be happy. Hawthorne is a nice veteran play and Galette is fighting for the same role in Rob Ryan’s defense that Demarcus Ware played. Should Galette win it, he could have a very nice year for a pick taken this late. As for Taylor, our own Steve Wyremski has him twentieth on his safeties list and likes him as a sleeper this year. That is more than enough for me! In Steve I trust!
Final Roster (expected week 1 starters are underlined):
QB: Eli Manning, Sam Bradford, Mike Glennon
RB: Marshawn Lynch, Matt Forte, Rashard Mendenhall, Mikel Leshoure, Robert Turbin, Ahmad Bradshaw, Beanie Wells, Donald Brown, Rex Burkhead
WR: Dez Bryant, Dwayne Bowe, Eric Decker, Torrey Smith, Mike Williams, Mohamed Sanu, Brandon LaFell
TE: Jason Witten, Marcedes Lewis, Adrien Robinson
DT: Kyle Williams, Brodrick Bunkley
DE: Michael Johnson, Derek Wolfe, Kroy Biermann, Chris Clemons (undecided on other starter)
LB: Derrick Johnson, D’Qwell Jackson, Donald Butler, Stepen Tulloch, Lance Briggs, David Hawthorne, Quinton Couples, Jon Bostic, Kevin Minter, Nico Johnson, Junior Galette
CB: Charles Tillman, Stephon Gilmore
S: Tyvon Branch, Roman Harper, Brandon Taylor
Overall Thoughts
I’m confident that my original work and game plan has steered me in the right direction. I stuck to my plan (which was very tough to do at times) and ended up with a roster that I think will at the very least be one that won’t embarrass me as I make my first journey into the landscape of IDPs. I have a solid core of offensive players that would be very competitive in a 12 team PPR league that should be able to carry the load.
I think that my defensive players are a nice mix of producing veterans and young players with upside. I went super heavy on linebackers because I think you have to start four every week if you’re going to win in our scoring system. The only change that I’ll make once waivers open is dropping my backup defensive tackle for another defensive end or linebacker. I think I’m going to treat defensive tackles a bit like the dreaded kickers where I only roster one and when the bye week rolls around I just grab one for the week before dropping them.
From this point forward, my biggest hurdle is that I need to work on gaining more knowledge of the IDPs that are out there and make sure that I start paying more attention to the defensive side of the ball. My days of skipping over the news reports on defensive players are over.
I’ll be back with another diary once the season gets underway. Until then, I hope that my thoughts and process will help those of you that are also making your first trip into the world of IDPs. It is a long road ahead of me as I make this trip, but it should be a fun journey!
- Final 2021 Pre-Draft Rookie Mock: Round Three - April 28, 2021
- Final 2021 Pre-Draft Rookie Mock: Round Two - April 26, 2021
- Final 2021 Pre-Draft Rookie Mock: Round One - April 25, 2021
