DLF Live Draft Recap: Coin Flip

The DLF live draft in Chicago meant similar yet different things to those who attended, and you will read about the many draft strategies in articles provided on the DLF site.

The event started well before the 1.01 pick was announced.  Months before the date was chosen, DLF members contemplated attending the live event.  Once we were locked and loaded on the 13 (one team is shared) members who could clear their calendars for the draft, requests off work were submitted, cars fueled, families with young children made arrangements, hotels were booked, two plane tickets were bought, and alarms were set to arrive on time.  Some drove hours, others lived close by, one team flew from Philadelphia, one drove eleven hours, some carpooled, some brought wives/children, and one arrived in Chicago alone renting an Airbnb.

As variances existed on how everyone arrived, so existed the varying roads the owners would take in creating their teams.  The draft is always a perfect platform to begin molding your team.  If I bet money on the owners I came to know at the draft, I would bet many players move to other teams before the 2016 NFL season comes to end.  Players will be dropped to free agency.  BBID waivers will be used for the three roster spots remaining during the short off- season.  Some will look ahead and keep the core of their team intact but add through the 2017 rookie draft by gathering multiple picks.

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The foundation of my team started with the 1.06 rookie slot.  I had researched a few owners tendencies and knew the magnet of wide receiver love existed.  I felt there was little chance I could mirror that option and win the battle when there were multiple owners traveling down this path.  If I couldn’t get Antonio Brown or Julio Jones at 1.06 which would be amazing and unthinkable, I was taking Rob Gronkowski.  Our league pays a bonus for TE’s at 1.5 PPR.  With a solid group of wide receivers still available, I wanted to land a tight end that would be in the top tier.  If not for Gronkowski missing a game last year he would have scored 300 fantasy points.

Once that pick was made it would set my draft up for multiple tight end picks to come.  Watching the additional wide receivers fly off the board, I was forced to take one of the few wide receivers that remained at the top end of my list.  Jarvis Landry at 2.07 was my choice, since Brandin Cooks had disappeared one pick before mine.  Landry was the 19th wide receiver to come off the board.   When using last year’s performance by Landry he would have finished ninth of all wide receivers.  Being a Chicago Bears fan, I was upset when Adam Gase was announced as the Miami Dolphins coach. I had seen how he improved Jay Cutler’s performance in a short time.  Landry should be a benefactor with Gase improving Ryan Tannehill’s performance.  Landry’s numbers could easily repeat even with a healthy DeVante Parker and increase if Parker does not prove to perform.  Parker should limit other teams from double-teaming Landry.

The next few picks for me were Adrian Peterson, Doug Baldwin and back-to-back quarterbacks in Matt Ryan and Tyrod Taylor.  I planned during breakfast that morning to take my first quarterback in the fifth round and to take back to back QBs if ten were gone by my sixth round.   Since I wouldn’t be strong at wide receiver, I couldn’t be weak at quarterback, in a league where two can start.

That set up my team for tight end number two, Coby Fleener at 7.06.  I have high expectations for Coby Fleener now that he’s in New Orleans. The next picks would be Chris Ivory (allowing me two solid starters at running back) and C.J. Prosise at 9.06 to fill the veteran Adrian Peterson’s spot when he begins running out of gas in the years ahead. My third tight end would be next at 10.07 with Julius Thomas.  I would later end the tight end quest with Tyler Kroft.  If Tyler Eifert is unable to start the season I could have four tight ends in my starting lineup.

My starting lineup to begin the season will be:

Matt Ryan, Tyrod Taylor

Adrian Peterson, Chris Ivory

Landry, Baldwin, Sanu

Gronk, Fleener, J. Thomas

I filled the rest of my roster with flex players, depth and some hopes and prayers.

Paxton Lynch – (Should be the starter in Den in 2016 or 2017)

Mohamed Sanu – (They need a solid WR2 in Atlanta)

Rishard Matthews – (Do we really think Andre Johnson changes the composition?)

Alex Collins – (Needed due to owning Prosise)

Chris Hogan – (If Brady doesn’t throw to Gronk, he can throw to Hogan)

Mike Thomas (LA) – (Hoping)

J.J. Nelson – (Fitzgerald is aging and will Floyd earn the long-term contract next year?)

Robert Woods – (He is the WR2)

T.J. Jones, Daniel Braverman, and Trevor Siemian – (where the praying begins.)

Overall my starting lineup can compete.  I have work to do.  At worst, I learn from my mistakes and cash in on a great rookie pick in 2017, which is where I can fix my Adrian Peterson limited years remaining.  The league scoring allows for .25 points per carry.  This can add up and make a difference in a close game.  For example 22 rushes would give a running back an extra 5.5 points for the week.  The points are not for running backs alone. This could impact Tyrod Taylor’s weekly points as well. If all goes astray I can sell, sell, sell and grab more rookies in 2017.   I know there are one or two teams that need to win soon and we could make good trade partners as the season begins to take shape.

The Draft was an amazing experience, second to none.

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