Editor's Note: Recenlty
members of the FFToday Board completed their annual June Mock draft.
This mock will be played out in a best ball format, in a league
with no transactions, no free agent pickups, no trades in season...
properly named the "No-Hassle League." View the
round-by-round results. Below is the commissioner's analysis
of each team.
Analysis: Gone are the days where
selecting a running back with the first pick in a redraft league
is a foregone conclusion. That being said, once Ray spent that first
pick on a wide receiver (Brown), he turned his attention to running
back early and often. The result is a team that is built on a potentially
dynamic rushing attack to go along with arguably the best WR in
fantasy football and one of the top 2-3 tight ends. Ray's quarterbacks
aren't particularly strong, but could function well as a combination
within the best ball format. The running game would be especially
formidable if injuries were to strike Ezekiel Elliott and/or Le'Veon
Bell as both Williams and McFadden proved last year that they can
be successful and then some behind top tier offensive lines. The
receivers behind Brown have upside, but also plenty of question
marks. Will Emmanuel Sanders still be a major part of an offense
now guided by Mark Sanchez? How much gas does Steve Smith have left
in the tank? And, can Stefon Diggs take the next step forward on
a team that prefers to run the ball?
Key to No-Hassle Success: The first
two picks were rock solid in terms of putting forth the scoring
base of the team. The next two picks, however, are key with respect
to how far this team goes. LeSean McCoy could spend much of the
season in the trainer's room given his history...or he could be
a tremendous third round steal. Jordan Reed, meanwhile, MUST stay
healthy for Ray to have title aspirations as there is no other TE
on the roster to gain points from in the best ball format. Finally,
one of the WRs not named Antonio Brown needs to come up big. That
along with the running game should be sufficient for title contention
assuming Reed stays upright.
Favorite pick: When Ray picked Antonio
Brown in the first, I really thought his RB choices on the 2/3 turn
would be far, far less than ideal. Getting Doug Martin where he
did and then following that up with McCoy gave his team strength
at both primary scoring positions.
Least Favorite pick: I would have
said Steve Smith at the time, but Breshad Perriman's continued struggles
with health should make Smith a valuable asset for at least another
year. I liked almost everything else Ray did sans backing up Reed
with another tight end.
Overall outlook: I view this team
as a strong, viable contender given the depth at RB and WR and the
potential for some monster games at QB from time to time. Carr and
Dalton will disappear some weeks, but it isn't likely that will
take place on the same week all that often. Fantasy football has
moved firmly into a new era as evidenced by so many WRs going in
the first round of a redraft- and a non-PPR redraft at that. And
yet, even having waited until 23 other picks had been made to grab
his first running back, Ray put together a very solid rushing team
with Langford serving as nice insurance to go along with the veterans
who anchor the squad. Again, if Jordan Reed stays upright, this
team will, too.
Analysis: The "triplet" approach of getting a top tier
QB, RB, and WR is a longstanding tradition in the June Mock amongst
those who don't wait an eternity to grab their first QB. Remote
was willing to pull the trigger here on the first quarterback taken
overall and getting Newton's multi-faceted production on the roster
while also securing the best rookie RB and WR from last season should
reap dividends. There might be some disagreement as to whether or
not Cooper was worthy of a second round pick after he disappeared
in several games last season, but he exhibited enough talent to
know that better things could be ahead. Beyond the triplets of Newton,
Gurley, and Cooper, this team branches off in a diverse fashion.
Remote went young with the picks of Shepard and Funchess at WR,
but preceded that by taking one of the oldest wideouts available
in Larry Fitzgerald. The double-dip picks at TE of Thomas and Allen
looks like a really solid No-Hassle/best ball combo to me. In short,
it's hard to argue with a draft in which so many good pieces are
in place. I only wish Remote hadn't stolen so many of my picks right
before it was my turn to grab them.
Key to No-Hassle Success: I think Cooper has to emerge as a top
6-8 wide receiver in order for this team to reach its full potential.
Tate and Fitzgerald are solid complementary pieces at WR and the
younger guys will have their occasional moments of output, but if
Cooper doesn't take the next step, this team could be fairly pedestrian
at WR. And, while that won't cause the team to tank by any means,
it may prevent them from being in the top three when all is said
and done. Further, there are no guarantees that Newton won't regress
some as he's done in the past after a monster season. All in all,
though, there's plenty of talent on this team and success is a more
likely outcome than failure.
Favorite pick: Newton. I know what I said about him in the previous
paragraph, but he is a dynamic player, both in terms of real-world
value and fantasy production. Kudos to Remote for having the guts
to grab him when he did.
Least Favorite pick: I thought the Melvin Gordon pick was horrible
given how little he showed he could/would do last season. But then,
Remote saved the day by acquiring Woodhead two rounds later. Smart
move.
Overall outlook: There isn't much downside for this team aside from
things already noted, so I would expect them to be a factor in the
title chase from day one assuming health does not become a problem.
Gurley and Cooper taking two steps forward from last year might
make this team the favorite to win it all in fact. Derek Carr seems
to have a knack for spreading the ball around, however, and that
makes me hesitant to predict any sort of breakout for Cooper. As
such, can guys like Chris Ivory and Terrance Williams give you an
occasional big week? Perhaps. This team, I believe, will go as far
as a somewhat average WR corps takes them. They are formidable in
every other lineup slot.
Analysis: What a difference a year makes. Last year, Andrew Luck
was the first overall pick in our annual June Mock and this year,
he lasted until the fifth round. It was a pick I was very happy
to make, particularly after just putting my rushing attack in the
hands of two guys who have struggled to stay healthy during their
careers thus far. At wide receiver, this team is built upon two
things. First, the idea that third-year wide receivers who have
already shown that they can be elite are worth picking up. And,
second, that 2014's WR class is a special one and should be tapped
into as often as possible. The problem with this team is that I
kept missing out on handcuffs to my oft-injured RBs by being greedy
and trying to get everyone at a bargain price. Typically, you don't
get many bargains in a draft with quality owners and everyone knows
everyone's tendencies really well. As such, there are some regrets
about how this team was put together, but plenty of optimism, too,
with youth having been served not only at WR, but at RB (Dixon,
Yeldon) as well. If Luck and Bell bounce back strong, this team
could soar.
Key to No-Hassle Success: Luck and Bell are unique/special talents
and I think both are going to propel this team forward in big ways.
I do think, however, that there is concern at RB beyond Bell as
Ryan Mathews is in a good situation, but has a history of missing
time. In addition, Yeldon would have been a much more attractive
pick if I had also acquired Chris Ivory. Ivory is probably the better
runner of the two and could make Yeldon something of a wasted selection.
Since I love my receiving corps and feel good about my tight ends,
Mathews very simply stands out to me as the key to this team reaching
its potential. If he's a bust and Yeldon does little, the weight
on Luck and Bell may be too great.
Favorite pick: I was very happy to land Andrew Luck in the fifth.
I also liked the later round back-to-back selections of Kenneth
Dixon and Corey Coleman. I think both could have a role to play
as the season progresses.
Least Favorite pick: Probably Mathews, although I do like his production
when he's healthy and given opportunities. I also wish I had secured
a better second quarterback than Joe Flacco.
Overall outlook: This is easily one of my favorite teams in terms
of the past few years we've done this draft. I really like Evans
and Cooks as my primary WRs as both have the potential to put up
monster numbers on any given week. With the exception of Delanie
Walker, this is a fairly young team and I have found that my younger
teams generally do better than when I try to mix in too many veterans.
I think Luck and Bell returning to form should make this team one
of the favorites given the balance that I have surrounded them with,
but RB depth is a question mark and could hold the team back. Not
to mention Luck's "bounce back" is not a sure thing, which
is why he lasted so long. Finally, please stay healthy, Le'Veon.
Please.
Analysis: It appeared that White's primary objective in this draft
was to wait on selecting a QB while acquiring mostly proven talent
at the other primary positions. Peterson certainly fits into the
category of proven as does Brandon Marshall, so you've got two longstanding
studs anchoring things. The question is: How much longer will each
guy continue to produce at a level that is truly elite for their
respective positions? White has to hope that it is at least another
year for each. Beyond that, Keenan Allen and Jeremy Maclin represent
top targets and that should lead to consistent production at WR
while rookie Laquon Treadwell looks to carve out a similar role
on his new team. The QB duo that WW selected represents the up and
down nature of that position at times and he will have to hope that
Manning's "quiet" weeks don't coincide with Mariota staying
conservative in his role as the signal caller on a really bad team.
All in all, this team is older than what many would prefer with
a number of players clearly past the prime of their careers. But,
while that limits upside, it also may prove to be a strategy well
worth emulating as there should be few negative surprises.
Key to No-Hassle Success: I think two players are key to this team
doing really well. One is Matt Jones who will be given an opportunity
to become a top-ten RB this season with little competition seemingly
for carries. Jones is the one gamble that WW was willing to take
and he and Ryan Mathews (who was taken a pick later) both represent
a sort of boom-or-bust quality that exists with respect to many
ball carriers this year. The other key player is Coby Fleener. If
Brees can turn Ben Watson into a fantasy star, what can he do with
the younger Fleener? A lot perhaps. If Jones and Fleener emerge
as top tier options at their positions, this could be a team to
watch.
Favorite pick: I thought the fifth and sixth round picks of Maclin
and Fleener were as good as any back-to-back picks in the draft
by any team. I was initially lukewarm on this team at best, but
those two picks brightened my outlook on the team as a whole.
Least Favorite pick: The trio of Keenan Allen, Michael Crabtree,
and Rashad Jennings all seemed to be taken a bit early for my liking.
They weren't bad picks obviously, but I question their ability to
contribute at levels warranting their selection spots.
Overall outlook: If Matt Jones ends up being a significant fantasy
force this season, this could be a great team. Manning, Peterson,
and Marshall represent known, consistent commodities and I like
the way the pieces of this team fit together from a best ball standpoint.
Can the veterans maintain without any regression? That certainly
is a question mark as is the return of Keenan Allen from injury.
Allen's role should remain the same even with Travis Benjamin onboard,
though, so really this team has fewer question marks than most.
Likely contender.
Analysis: In a similar fashion to what Ray did, Shovel tried to
acquire a strong running game in the draft after taking a wide
receiver with his very first pick. He took running backs with
four of his next six picks including the selections of three younger
guys with something to prove and an ancient guy with something
to prove as well. What that did, however, was give him one of
the weakest WR corps in the league from my perspective as Allen
Hurns and Markus Wheaton are better suited to be No.4 and No.5
WRs than the No.2 and No.3 slots that Shovel currently has them
in. All in all, Shovel did pick six wide-outs, so in the best
ball format, he's just looking primarily to get some solid production
out of a guy or two to score alongside Hopkins.
Something that has already been noted by some in this draft is
that an injured Tyler Eifert has no backup at tight end and that
also could prove disastrous coming out of the blocks for this
team. All that said, there are some good elements in place. The
QB duo of Roethlisberger and Ryan looks about as solid as any
duo in the draft/league and Rawls could be a stud on a team that
would rather establish the run than the pass more often than not.
Shovel will need that to happen most likely to stay competitive.
Key to No-Hassle Success: In my opinion, a lot needs to break
Shovel's way for this team to excel. It starts with Rawls and
Abdullah stepping up to the plate. It then continues with Antonio
Brown, Julio Jones, and Allen Robinson drawing so much attention
away from Wheaton, Sanu, and Hurns that they actually produce
top 20-25 numbers at WR when all is said and done. Jeremy Hill
didn't look like the same player in 2015 that he was in 2014.
Which guy will emerge this year? There are a lot of questions
surrounding this team, so the "keys" to success seem
numerous to me.
Favorite pick: I would have said Eifert if Shovel had backed him
up with someone else later on. He was a good value there, injury
or no. Gore could also be a sneaky good pick in the seventh. Least Favorite pick: Hill, Hurns, and Wheaton all seemed early,
but the pick that I thought Shovel should have made and didn't
was picking Doug Martin instead of Rawls. Maybe it will turn out
o.k. in the end.
Overall outlook: Probably obvious by now, but I think this team
could struggle to contend this season is what is always a competitive
league. Shovel admitted to having to deal with numerous personal
distractions throughout the draft and that showed up here, particularly
in later rounds. I do think Rawls could be a path into respectability,
though. Assuming Seattle doesn't sign Arian Foster, he could have
a large role to play on that team just as Abdullah or Riddick
might become something more this season in Detroit. I just don't
know if the WRs on this team are good enough to keep the ship
afloat. We shall see...
Analysis: Another team that was able to build a good nucleus of
talent by waiting a long time to grab a quarterback. But, did
Rice wait too long? If the answer ends up being "No, he didn't",
this team could be a beast. The WR corps is loaded and the handcuff
of West with Charles insures that the formidable Chiefs running
game has a major role to play on this team as well. If you include
Greg Olsen into the category of "receivers", this team
may be the very best at that position this draft had to offer.
As with nearly all of the teams, there are questions about how
well the running backs will contribute as roles are so unclear
at that position everywhere you look.
Going back to the original premise, the QBs on this team are Tony
Romo and Tyrod Taylor. There's little doubt that's a solid step
or two less than what most teams will put forward in this league.
Both the Cowboys and Bills would prefer a more run-dominant game
plan, so upside with both is a bit capped. Still, the stockpile
of talent at other positions is impressive, especially at the
wide receiver position.
Key to No-Hassle Success: Sometimes, it feels like we're all just
guessing with respect to our No.2 RBs. That certainly fits with
Carlos Hyde who could flourish in Chip Kelly's offense or find
himself on the bench a few games into the season. New coaches,
new systems...it makes prognostication very difficult. If Hyde
is a hit, he and Charles would be a mighty 1-2 punch to go along
with stars with Beckham and Olsen. If not, it means that Romo
and Taylor must be the needed supplement. Not sure how that would
turn out. In the end, Rice would no doubt simply prefer that Hyde
be the player he was at the onset of the 2015 season. It's certainly
a possibility.
Favorite pick: Beckham. What a spot to get the game's most dynamic
WR. I also thought Olsen lasted an awfully long time. Sure, Benjamin
will cut into his looks some, but he and Newton have a terrific
chemistry. The WR picks in rounds 6-8 were also stellar.
Lease Favorite pick: Romo as a No.1 QB scares me a little and
Taylor as a No.2 scares me a lot. This would not be the duo I
would choose to chase a No-Hassle title with.
Overall outlook: Beckham and Charles are elite players. So much
so that no one had a better first two rounds of putting a team
together this year than Rice. The fact that he added so much quality
depth just makes the outlook for this team very promising. You
can win with the QBs he has, certainly, but that will be the one
thing to watch in terms of how this team ultimately turns out.
Barring injuries, I just don't ultimately believe that is going
to stop Rice from being one of the league's very best squads.
Analysis: Ironically, this team doesn't look a whole lot different
from the one I just analyzed (Riceman). A super strong receiving
corps is once again the foundation, while QB is a big question
mark with Stafford and Brock Osweiler holding down that fort.
The difference between Rice and Matt is that Matt's first and
second running backs aren't as good as Rice's and Zach Ertz is
also a grade below Greg Olsen. Granted, this team is full of young,
talented players who could break out this season and make this
team truly great. Among those are Ajayi, Doctson, Perkins, Washington,
and Tevin Coleman. Then again, if most of them are a year or two
away from being heavy contributors, the burden for success will
fall back upon the veteran WR trio of Jones, Jeffery, and Cobb.
That trio certainly ranks among this league's very best and there
is virtually no downside with them keeping this team in the contender
conversation. After C.J. Anderson, this team is all about youth
at RB. That fact makes it pretty easy to guess what the keys to
success just might be going forward...
Key to No-Hassle Success: This team appears to be so set and so
safe at WR that it simply comes down to the QB and RB positions.
Stafford and Osweiler make for a strange pairing, but they definitely
have two of the strongest arms in the league, so there could be
some big games coming from each when/if their team is playing
from behind. Then, Matt has to hope that one young RB (Devontae
Booker) does not emerge while a couple of others (Ajayi, Perkins,
Washington, Coleman) do. It will be fascinating to see how that
plays out as Matt truly has no safety net at the position in terms
of a reliable veteran to fall back on. This wasn't a conservative
draft. Matt swung for some fences to be sure.
Favorite pick: It was an obvious one. Julio Jones is a bona fide
stud at WR and there was no reason for Matt to go any other direction
when he fell to him at 1.07. Sometimes what's obvious is what's
best.
Least Favorite pick: I thought Matt went after Ertz early. He
probably could have used that pick to get a solid QB or a veteran
RB. Instead, he got Ertz, who has potential, but has yet to really
do anything worthy of being selected so high.
Overall outlook: It's hard not to like some of the things Matt
did with this draft. He made sure that his first four picks were
proven commodities before going after youth and upside in a relentless
fashion. The parallels between he and Rice are obvious to me,
but until his youthful players mature, he's more of a poor man's
version of that team at best. A poor man's version, however, with
enormous upside. This team could go either way when all is said
and done, but I think it will be one of the most interesting teams
to track throughout the fall. If for some crazy reason, Osweiler
ends up being much better than most think he will be, bigger and
better things would also be possible.
Analysis: This team is all about risk-reward. You've got players
that are barely proven (David Johnson, Green-Beckham) that JScott
is banking on for success. Then, you've got players like Eddie
Lacy and Demaryius Thomas that are coming off down seasons as
compared to seasons prior. Sprinkle in Kevin White and Jimmy Graham
and you kind of get the picture I am painting. This wasn't a safe
draft. It was always about maximizing potential, whether that
is redemptive potential like Lacy and Thomas or potential that
is still surging forward such as David Johnson. What I do like
about JScott's team is that he didn't sacrifice the QB or TE position
in pursuit of stockpiling at other positions as many others did.
Wilson and Kelce represent top-five options at their respective
positions and give the team balance and security amidst the risk.
The depth at WR is the one thing about this team that seems a
little frightening, but at least JScott chose WRs with some upside
as opposed to guys whose careers are fading out. If Graham can
return to anything remotely close to what he once was, the tight
end duo here could be league's best. Ditto for Lacy in relation
to his pairing with David Johnson.
Key to No-Hassle Success: Oh my. Where do you start? This team
has so much potential. From David Johnson picking up where he
left off to Lacy and Thomas being the players they were prior
to 2015, there are keys aplenty. Forced to pick between those
two, though, give me Lacy and Thomas as the ultimate keys to success.
JScott has gambled somewhat on both picks, especially with the
reins in Denver being turned over to a player (Mark Sanchez) who
wasn't even drafted in the June Mock. Some of JScott's risks will
surely pay off, particularly the WRs he picked late. But, no one
can be certain that Lacy and Thomas will. They represent the heart
and soul of this particular draft strategy.
Favorite pick: I liked just about everything JScott did, but I
thought Sammy Watkins and Kirk Cousins were taken in particularly
nice spots.
Least Favorite pick: Having been burned by Lacy before, I would
have passed on him at 2.05. It was picks like Lacy and Rawls that
allowed Ray to steal Doug Martin.
Overall outlook: I mentioned earlier that bargains are hard to
come by in this draft, but JScott seemed to find a way to get
a few. There is less certainty about his team than there is with
others, but again, the upside is quite palatable. If Lacy and
Thomas both turn out to be elite, this team could absolutely soar
with so many other positions nailed down. If one booms and one
busts, there is still potential for title contention. But, if
both produce similar numbers to last year or continue the regression,
others will have to step up. I like the chances of at least one
guy re-emerging and as such, I really, really like this team.
Analysis: The original crown prince of waiting to grab a QB, Vikes
didn't disappoint this year, but did end up with an amazingly
competent duo of signal callers in spite of the strategy. He also
waited until the 40th overall pick to take his first WR, but did
take four in a row to try to cover up what was almost certainly
going to be a weakness given his strategy. The reason for that
unorthodox approach was simple: Anyone who picks a QB or TE in
the first round of a draft is always going to be scrambling to
fill the other positions that comprise the majority of picks in
a fantasy redraft. Rob Gronkowski is in a league all to himself
when it comes to tight end, but as is the case every year, the
question is: Is he worth it? He is when you're able to grab so
much other talent at RB and WR AND not neglect the QB position.
Mark Ingram is the ideal RB No.2 in fantasy football this year,
so that worked out well. Are the WRs good enough? And, what are
we to make of Devonta Freeman's 2015. After the first month, he
produced more like a third or fourth round pick than an early
second. This team looks formidable, but there are a few potential
deficiencies...
Key to No-Hassle Success: Look no further than two guys from the
NFC's South division. I've already mentioned one in the form of
Devonta Freeman. I'm not sure if any "top" player this
year has more uncertainty surrounding them in terms of legitimacy.
Freeman is a tough player to rank. So is the other NFC South skill
position guy, Kelvin Benjamin. Benjamin could be a top ten player
if he can build on what we saw from him in 2014. The problem is,
we saw nothing in 2015. Not a huge deal, except for the fact that
he's the Panthers No.1 WR. The depth of this WR corps is good.
But, the cumulative product is shaky at best if Benjamin fails.
Favorite pick: Mark Ingram and Karlos Williams were steals where
they were taken, but that doesn't compare to how fortunate Vikes
was to get Palmer and Rivers in rounds 8 and 10. They'll be top-five
in the best ball format and he didn't have to even address the
position until halfway through the draft.
Least Favorite pick: Not to beat a dead horse, but Freeman is
a risky choice. And, I wasn't super fond of the Jordan Matthews
pick, either, although neither pick fell outside the parameters
of normalcy.
Overall outlook: Barring a rash of injuries, Vikes teams typically
contend for top-three status in our league more often than not.
This team should be no different, although WR woes could derail
things, particularly if the RB group is merely average as I would
expect it to be. The bottom line is that when you take Gronk in
the first round, the rest of the positions on your team will typically
be average at best. Can V4E live with that? Sure he can. Can he
thrive with that reality? Remains to be seen. I think this team
is middle of the pack unless Freeman and Benjamin both end up
being top ten at their positions. And, to Vikes credit, that is
a distinct possibility.
Analysis: For the first four rounds of the draft, I thought Robb
was putting together something very special. Sure, he grabbed
a rookie RB in the first round, which is sort of unprecedented,
but grabbed three of the best players of the past decade at their
positions in the form of Green, Forte, and Rodgers. At that point,
I thought to myself- "This could be a devastatingly good
team". Then it got a little weird for me. New England is
a crapshoot every year at RB and as such, Dion Lewis is a high-risk
pick with only a medium reward at best in non-PPR leagues. DeSean
Jackson and Torrey Smith represent veterans past their prime whose
values are too high based on name recognition. Josh Gordon may
not even play a down this year and Arian Foster could be headed
for that same fate as well. And Clive Walford? Didn't see that
pick coming. Then again, Robb is one of the most intriguing guys
in this league year in and year out and as such, none of this
should have come as a surprise. The first four picks were/are
so good that maybe all the other pieces will fall in place. Weird
just might turn out great after all.
Key to No-Hassle Success: Elliott is the no-brainer choice as
the answer here, but don't underestimate the importance of DeVante
Parker to this team. With Jackson and Smith unlikely to return
to any semblance of their best days gone by, Parker is being asked
to become a top-20 WR in the here and now as evidenced by Robb
grabbing him when he did. Parker will need to become just that
and maybe even more for this team to round into form. Certainly,
Foster and Gordon getting on the field and contributing something
is another key, but Elliott and Parker are the bigger impact stories
here in June.
Favorite pick: Yeah, I know he's got miles on the tires, but getting
Matt Forte late in the third had to feel good. I have no idea
what to expect of Ladarius Green. That was a favorite pick as
well as it was bold.
Least Favorite pick: Dion Lewis was the beginning of a number
of head-scratchers for me. I just don't see him as being worth
it so soon given his tremendous uncertainty.
Overall outlook: This team has a fabulous nucleus and good potential
but, the depth of this team scares the crap out of me. Over-the-hill
veterans paired with a couple of guys who are currently free agents
put a lot of pressure on those first four picks to ALL turn out
to be great. This team isn't deep enough for my blood, but there's
no denying how good those first four picks were. Maybe that's
all Robb will really need if only a couple other picks go his
way.
Analysis: Balance. For some, it's a must to put together a team
that is fairly even across the board in terms of talent at each
of the major positions. For others, it's not a big deal as unconventional
works just as well. This team has balance. In the first seven
picks, Dan chose his QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, and a TE. That is typically
a surefire way to a balanced lineup. Picking towards the end of
the first round, the team is void of any true superstars, but
guys like Miller, Robinson, Landry, and Baldwin all represent
"under the radar" guys who are in the prime of their
careers and whose values are still on the way up. With only a
couple of exceptions, this is also a very young group with several
rookies and/or second/third year players, Blake Bortles included.
Dan has put a great deal of faith in Bortles by not selecting
his backup until the very last round. I don't think this team
will lead the league in scoring very many weeks, if at all, but
this is also a team that will be consistent throughout the season
and avoid the lows that higher risk/reward teams encounter. Lots
of upside. Plenty to feel good about.
Key to No-Hassle Success: Dan has ideal guys in ideal spots with
Landry and Murray tailor made for the No.2 RB and WR roles. What
he did in Round 5 is assume that Doug Baldwin's explosion last
November and December was not a complete fluke. Baldwin scored
like a No.1 WR during that stretch and if he picks up where he
left off, Dan will have stolen him. It's hard to foresee anything
but success for Lamar Miller in Houston, but until we actually
see it, that assumption isn't worth much. If Miller does transition
well into his new role and Baldwin follows up greatness with at
least goodness, this team should sail smoothly. Gary Barnidge
staying healthy could be a semi-big deal, too. Some would say
he and Baldwin both had their "career" years last year.
Maybe...maybe not.
Favorite pick: Every pick was solid. No real steals or bargains
unless Baldwin becomes one (see above). I'll take the Duke Johnson
pick as my favorite. He and Hue Jackson look like a good fit.
Least Favorite pick: It's strictly nit-picking, but the trio of
WRs rounding out this team (Coates, Snead, Agholor) don't excite
me.
Overall outlook: I think this is "safest" team in the
draft. They may not win it all, but they're not going to finish
in the bottom third of the league, either, barring a barrage of
injuries. There simply isn't an area in which the team is truly
weak if one assumes that Bortles will continue to ascend. Like
I stated before, there isn't an explosive element to this team
and few players stand out as being truly elite, but when the numbers
get added up at the end of each week, I think many will be surprised
just how effective this unit can/will be. Solid job. I'm not salivating
over this team, but I do appreciate its strengths.
Analysis: Originally an oversight on my part, ICE's team certainly
has to be considered one of the top receiving teams in the league
based on three of his first four picks being spent on lead receivers
who get thrown to by elite QBs. After Hilton was selected, however,
there were no other WRs picked until nine rounds later. That means
the depth is a bit thin. Picking WRs early and often also cut
into the quality of the rushing attack as none of the players
at that position project to be in the top-15. If anything, this
will be a true "best ball" committee at the position
and ICE just has to hope that when one RB is ineffective, another
will pick up the slack. Grabbing a fifth player at the position
makes that possible. With respect to the No-Hassle format, tight
end is not a position of strength, but the QB situation is fantastic.
Getting the best effort between Brees and Brady for most of the
year should be a boost to the team's overall scoring. This just
looks like a team that can score a ton of points when the WRs
and QBs are working in harmony. And, despite the lack of prowess
at RB and TE, good things should come from those positions from
time to time.
Key to No-Hassle Success: Three significant players on this team
are coming back from 2015 injuries: Bryant, Nelson, and Jonathan
Stewart. All three are capable of out-performing their draft positions,
but I think the team will do very well if they simply perform
at the level they were drafted. Handcuffing DeMarco Murray made
a great deal of sense and eliminated much of the concern about
what he has left to give. And, the QBs will do great without question.
So, this is simply a team that needs its sometimes health-struggling
members to enjoy pain-free seasons. I don't see anything else
keeping the team from at least moderate levels of success.
Favorite pick: Brady was a tremendous pick. Hilton and Bernard
were good, too. I thought ICE made a number of really solid picks,
truth be told.
Least Favorite pick: I would have liked to see ICE take at least
one more "proven" WR to go with either Hogan or Thomas.
I don’t know what to think of DeMarco Murray and wouldn't
have touched him until at least the middle of the fourth round.
Overall outlook: There's a lot to like with this team. In an era
where having that stud running back is no longer essential to
success; ICE has really put together a team in which running back
is indeed not the strength. That's not to say that his "committee"
won't prove to be effective, but on the weeks that T.Y. Hilton
goes off (happens about once a month), this team should score
very well given the other explosive players on the team are a
little more consistent. This team very much resembles Matt's team...but
with much better quarterbacks. Therefore, I am looking to this
team for title contention.
