My Fantasy Teams

I am playing in three fantasy leagues for football this season. One of those is the keeper league we posted about on here this summer that we're running. All three of my drafts took place on Sunday. Below is a recap of each of my teams, with a nickname for each squad.

"Air It Out"

My first draft was for our 14-team keeper league. I was in the second overall position, and the draft was snake style. Before the draft, I did make a few trades. To sum them up, I essentially picked up a 2nd round pick for picks later on. I wanted to stack up pass catchers early, whether they were running backs (my first pick) or receivers. Here is my team:

QB's - Tony Romo and Carson Palmer

I nabbed Romo in the fifth round and thought he was great value. As long as his weapons stay healthy, he should repeat what he did last year, and possibly throw for even more TD's. Palmer should be a solid backup.

WR's - Brandon Marshall, Roddy White, Hakeem Nicks, Dez Bryant, Brian Quick, and Rueben Randle

This is why I titled my team "Airing it Out." Obviously, I have the best combination of receivers in the league. It is a PPR league, so I thought it was important to load up. I used both of my second rounders on WR's, along with my third and fourth rounders too. My top four could all legitimately finish in the top ten for pass catchers, and some even top five. My last two were young flyers that could be great in years to come, for this is a keeper league.

RB's - Ray Rice, Cedric Benson, Ronnie Hillman, and Bilal Powell

Overall, this is where I sacrificed for the dominance I have at other spots. Ray Rice is likely the best RB in a PPR format, but after him I dry out quickly. I didn't draft my RB2 until late, so I may address that spot in a trade.  Hillman is a young guy that could become a great pass catching back. Powell is only valuable if Greene goes down.

TE’s – Fred Davis and Jacob Tamme

Honestly, I am very excited about this spot on my team and think these two are both very underrated. With RGIII now in Washington, Davis will become the second best target behind only Garcon. When Tamme was with Manning in Indy, he dominated fantasy. I expect that to happen again.

K – Dan Carpenter

There is nothing exciting about this pick. He was the highest rated guy on the board in the last round when I picked him.

DEF – Philadelphia

The “Dream Team” defense should be solid for me. I expect plenty of sacks and turnovers, and hopefully a few touchdowns.

Overall, the consensus in the league is that mine may be the team to beat. With the PPR settings, my stack of receivers and Ray Rice could lead me to the title. I will feel even better if I improve my RB2 situation.

“The Misfits”

My second draft on Sunday was in a 12-team PPR league. I drafted mid-late first round. Again, it was a snake draft. My goal was to get at least one workhorse running back before turning to receiver. Again, I wanted to wait until the middle of the draft to draft a QB. The title of my team reflects the players I drafted. Many were outcasted from various spots, while others just have big personalities:

QB’s – Tony Romo and Matt Schaub

I ended up getting Romo again, this time in the sixth round… Great value. As I said above, he should have another productive season, assuming his weapons are healthy. Matt Schaub should be an amazing backup, and could even end up starting plenty for me. With he and Andre Johnson healthy again for Houston, he could return to elite status.

WR’s – A.J. Green, Dez Bryant, Stevie Johnson, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Davone Bess, and Jon Baldwin

I am depending on young talent here in a big way. Every one of these guys (except Baldwin) is their team’s top receiver. But they are young and could be up and down. I expect some big games, but also some duds. Hopefully, they all won’t occur on the same week. Baldwin will eventually overtake Bowe as the Chief’s top target, and I hope it’s this year.

RB’s – Chris Johnson, Marshawn Lynch, Jacquizz Rodgers, and Isaiah Pead

I addressed this position with my top two picks and I hope it pays off. Johnson and Lynch are both workhorses and they should produce large numbers every week. Rodgers is a wildcard because he fits in so well with the new Falcons offense. That means he could see more time as the season moves along. Pead will only be valuable if Jackson gets injured.

TE’s – Brandon Pettigrew and Jacob Tamme

Similar to my last team, neither guy is highly ranked, but both should be productive. Pettigrew is a redzone threat and Stafford’s second favorite target. Tamme and Manning have combined to make magic before. Between the two guys, I feel like I can get consistency here.

K – Dan Bailey

I had Bailey last year and it worked out great for me. Dallas is a high scoring team and they move the ball well. Bailey will have plenty of opportunities and is accurate. Plus he kicks in a dome which helps!

DEF – New England

Maligned for their pass defense last year, they should be better as a whole this season. They are still young and unproven, so I hope this pays off. If not, I will likely go through waivers and play matchups.

I am again happy with how this draft turned out. Even though I drafted running backs earlier, I feel I still have depth and potential stars at the other positions. I have never performed well in this league, so I hope my new strategy pays off this year.

“Risk/Reward”

My last draft Sunday was in a ten team, non-PPR league. I knew depth would be easy to attain so I tried targeting guys that can have massive production, regardless of risks involved. I wanted strong running backs in this league because touchdowns are most important here. It was a snake draft, and I started in the fourth position. What I got was a team full of risk, but filled with potential rewards:

QB’s – Michael Vick and Jay Cutler

What a difference a year makes. Last year Vick was a first round draft pick. In this draft though, he was my last starter I picked. But when he is healthy, he can put up elite numbers and prove to be a steal. Cutler is a fantastic backup that will be reliable when Vick is injured.

WR’s – Brandon Marshall, Percy Harvin, Stevie Johnson, Darrius Heyward-Bey, and Titus Young

Because I focused on running back early, I lack a true second receiver behind Marshall. But I have a few guys who all could potentially perform as number twos. I think I have nice depth as well. The one place on my team I’d consider improving through a trade though is here at WR.

RB’s – Arian Foster, DeMarco Murray, Stevan Ridley, Cedric Benson, and Mikel LeShoure

This is the strength of my team by far. Not only do I possess the best player in fantasy (Foster), but I possess guys who will all be lead backs for their teams (Mikel only after his two game suspension). In a non-PPR setup, I thought it was important to draft RB’s and I think I will benefit from that decision.

TE’s – Antonio Gates and Jermaine Gresham

Antonio Gates has always put up massive fantasy numbers when healthy. This year should be no different. Gresham will be a solid backup though if Gates suffers from the injury bug again.

K – Dan Bailey

See my analysis from my last team.

DEF – New York Jets

I really don’t know how I waited so long and still got the Jets. They are still a feared defense in the league and should be great for fantasy. The team’s offense isn’t good so they will be extra motivated due to the close nature of their games.

Just like the other leagues, I am pleased with how the draft turned out. I took more risky players, but with the depth I have I’m not worried. Because the league is small though, every team seems loaded to me. So let’s hope my team plays well!

Andrew