Being relatively new to the fantasy football blogosphere, I was fortunate enough to get an invite to The Hazean’s blogger mock draft. Twelve teams, four rounds, with the following scoring guidelines: non-PPR league, 6 points for all TDs, -2 points for all turnovers, 1 point per 25 yards passing, 1 point per 10 yards rushing/receiving.
Be sure to check out TheHazean.com, as well as the other participating blogs — a lot of good articles, columns, rankings, etc. to quench that ongoing thirst for anything and everything related to fantasy football (links to all the sites are below).
Full draft results and comments on each round are posted after the jump, and below are a couple of thoughts I took away from the mock.
1. Willie Parker’s two-touchdown 2007 campaign has put fear in the hearts of many a mock drafters. I took Parker with my last pick (44th overall) sandwiched between Darren McFadden and Jonathan Stewart. So just to be clear, that’s a 1,300-yard back going between two guys who have yet to play a down in the NFL. Of course, Fast Willie scored just two more NFL touchdowns than McFadden and Stewart (who were both in…ahem…college) last year…
2. No one wants to draft Larry Johnson (this blog included).
3. It’s pretty hilarious when someone accidentally says they’re using their third-round pick on Reggie Brown (Philadelphia WR) when they actually mean Reggie Bush (New Orleans RB). What a difference a last name makes (don’t worry, the drafter quickly caught the mistake).
Here are the draft participants, in drafting order:
2. Football Outsiders (developers of KUBIAK draft application)
4. Pancake Blocks (RotoWorld.com columnist Gregg Roesenthal)
5. West Coast Nonsense (that’s me!)
6. Bruno Boys
7. The Hazean (gracious host)
10. Fantasy Football Geek Blog (also a participant in the WestCoastNonsense-hosted mock)
12. Fantasy Football Librarian (also a participant in the WestCoastNonsense-hosted mock, and a favorite read of this blog).
See the full draft results after the jump.
Round 1
1.01 Curveballs For Jesus: LaDainian Tomlinson (RB, SD)
1.02 Football Outsiders: Adrian Peterson (RB, Min)
1.03 Football Burrito: Joseph Addai (RB, Ind)
1.04 Panake Blocks: Stephen Jackson (RB, StL)
1.05 West Coast Nonsense: Brian Westbrook (RB, Phi)
1.06 Bruno Boys: Tom Brady (QB, NE)
1.07 The Hazean: Marion Barber (RB, Dal)
1.08 Football Jabber: Frank Gore (RB, SF)
1.09 Fantasy Football Fools: Clinton Portis (RB, Was)
1.10 Fantasy Football Geek Blog: Marshawn Lynch (RB, Buf)
1.11 Fantasy Football Goat: Larry Johnson (RB, KC)
1.12 Fantasy Football Librarian: Randy Moss (WR, NE)
I initially planned on scooping up Brady, but couldn’t pass up Westbrook at pick No. 5. The draft assumed a non-PPR scoring system, which is why Westbrook slipped this far, but he was the top rushing and receiving option in his team’s offense last year. No other player falls in that category.
I’m a little surprised Moss fell as far as he did. Fantasy owners vary on where to rank Barber, Gore, Portis, Lynch and Johnson, but it’s interesting that they all went before Moss. Gore and Johnson were huge letdowns for fantasy owners last year, but still went ahead of a guy who scored 23 touchdowns.
Round 2
2.01 Fantasy Football Librarian: Reggie Wayne (WR, Ind)
2.02 Fantasy Football Goat: Terrell Owens (WR, Dal)
2.03 Fantasy Football Geek Blog: Ryan Grant (RB, GB)
2.04 Fantasy Football Fools: Braylon Edwards (WR, Cle)
2.05 Football Jabber: Peyton Manning (QB, Ind)
2.06 The Hazean: Willis McGahee (RB, Bal)
2.07 Bruno Boys: Brandon Jacobs (RB, NYG)
2.08 West Coast Nonsense: Larry Fitzgerald (WR, AZ)
2.09 Pancake Blocks: Andre Johnson (WR, Hou)
2.10 Football Burrito: Maurice Jones-Drew (RB, Jax)
2.11 Football Outsiders: Lawrence Maroney (RB, NE)
2.12 Curveballs For Jesus: Drew Brees (QB, NO)
This group of bloggers (me included) was pretty cool to the second- and third-tier running backs available in the second round, prompting a fire sale on receivers.
I liked Fantasy Football Librarian’s strategy of going WR-WR with her first two picks, given the backs that were available. Football Jabber and Football Burrito got really good value by resisting the WR rush and snagging Manning and Jones-Drew with their respective picks.
Round 3
3.01 Curveballs For Jesus: Jamal Lewis (RB, Cle)
3.02 Football Outsiders: Marques Colston (WR, NO)
3.03 Football Burrito: Tony Romo (QB, Dal)
3.04 Panake Blocks: Chad Johnson (WR, Cin)
3.05 West Coast Nonsense: T.J. Housmandzadeh (WR, Cin)
3.06 Bruno Boys: Steve Smith (WR, Car)
3.07 The Hazean: Brandon Marshall (WR, Den)
3.08 Football Jabber: Plaxico Burress (WR, NYG)
3.09 Fantasy Football Fools: Edgerrin James (RB, AZ)
3.10 Fantasy Football Geek Blog: Torry Holt (WR, StL)
3.11 Fantasy Football Goat: Santonio Holmes (WR, Pit)
3.12 Fantasy Football Librarian: Reggie Bush (RB, NO)
I hoped Bress or Romo would be available, but no such luck. I was still happy to snag Houshmandzadeh that late given his high reception count (112) and touchdown tally (12) in 2007.
This mock ran contrary to other mock drafts and player rankings that peg Houshmandzadeh’s value higher than Johnson’s. I wrote about that trend here.
It was interesting to see Santonio Holmes go this early, while another 2007 big-play receiver, Greg Jennings, didn’t get drafted.
Round 4
4.01 Fantasy Football Librarian: Ronnie Brown (RB, Mia)
4.02 Fantasy Football Goat: Earnest Graham (RB, TB)
4.03 Fantasy Football Geek Blog: Anquan Boldin (WR, AZ)
4.04 Fantasy Football Fools: Michael Turner (RB, Atl)
4.05 Football Jabber: LenDale White (RB, Ten)
4.06 The Hazean: Carson Palmer (QB, Cin)
4.07 Bruno Boys: Darren McFadden (RB, Oak)
4.08 West Coast Nonsense: Willie Parker (RB, Pit)
4.09 Pancake Blocks: Jonathan Stewart (RB, Car)
4.10 Football Burrito: Wes Welker (WR, NE)
4.11 Football Outsiders: Jason Witten (TE, Dal)
4.12 Curveballs For Jesus: Lee Evans (WR, Buf)
It took 47 picks until a tight end went off the board, and the one that was drafted wasn’t Antonio Gates.
This group was pretty patient when it came to picking rookie running backs. I’d expect McFadden to go earlier in most drafts, as there are a lot of fantasy owners out there convinced that he’s the second coming of Adrian Peterson.
I’m happy with my draft, but I’m also a bigger believer in Willie Parker than most.
Who do you think had the top draft?
