Andy Richardson

Longtime fantasy football participants know quarterbacks get no respect. No matter that they get the biggest salaries and are considered crucial to NFL playoff contention; people hesitate to select them early in fantasy leagues, and that was the case in my rookie draft last weekend.

The draft, which adds NFL rookies to our dynasty league rosters, goes three rounds, and there's typically a lot of trading of picks before and during. Not only did the quarterbacks go late, but they'd have probably gone even later if I wasn't participating, since I took three of the first four drafted (trading one of them). Here's the recap, including comments on each pick.

1.01     A.J. Green, Bengals
1.02     Julio Jones, Falcons
1.03     Mark Ingram, Saints
1.04     Daniel Thomas, Dolphins
1.05     Ryan Williams, Cardinals

The top three in varying order will probably be consistent in most leagues. Thomas is emerging as the favorite for an immediate leading role among the other rookie runners, while Williams' high selection and the questionable players in front of him make him a good choice at 1.05. I would have taken him over Thomas, and Ingram over Jones.

1.06     Mikel Leshoure, Lions
1.07     DeMarco Murray, Cowboys
1.08     Shane Vereen, Patriots
1.09     Jon Baldwin, Kansas City
1.10     Greg Little, Browns

Leshoure is certainly in line for a decent role on an up-and-coming Detroit team. I like Vereen more than Murray, but at this point no one really knows how the two teams, each with a glut of players (if not stars) at running back, will use their new players. I was hoping Vereen might make it down to me. Baldwin and Little, well, it would have been nice to have had some reports from initial rookie minicamps prior to the draft. Not this year.

1.11     Kendall Hunter, 49ers
1.12     Cam Newton, Panthers

My picks. Hunter has a lot of talent and should be Gore's backup. I envision something like either Ray Rice or MJD; a year or two at most in a secondary role, then more of a leading guy in a couple of seasons as Gore breaks down. Newton, I just couldn't let him fall any further. Too much upside, regardless of risk, though I'm getting a sense that he has a lot of doubters. Last I checked he was coming in last on this site's poll of "Which rookie QB will have the best career?"

2.01     Delone Carter, Colts
2.02     Kyle Rudolph, Vikings
2.03     Randall Cobb, Packers
2.04     Torrey Smith, Ravens
2.05     Lance Kendricks, Rams
2.06     Bilal Powell, Jets

I considered Carter and Smith with my previous pick. Carter goes into a great situation in Indy, but isn't considered a great receiver or pass blocker, which is going to limit him in that offense. Smith I hoped might make it down to me at 2.07. Cobb will be a nice player for Green Bay, most likely, but I didn't want to wait for him to develop. The Powell pick, I'm not sure why the Jets drafted him and am not sure why he was taken here. I should mention that TEs get 1.5 points per reception in this league, helping the value of Rudolph and Kendricks. With Kendricks, the Rams have so many bodies at receiver right now...tough to figure who will emerge. I like Rudolph and would have taken him a few picks later.

2.07     Roy Helu, Washington
2.08     Jake Locker, Titans

My picks. I loathe getting involved with a Shanahan running back after being burned once or twice in the past (yes yes, Tatum Bell), but given the other options at this point he was a pretty clear choice; the only rookie left with a good chance to start right away (or after Ryan Torain gets hurt, whichever). As for Locker, despite the accuracy knocks, I can't think of any other negatives. And even though I was apparently the only guy in the draft interested in drafting quarterbacks, I decided to take him.

2.09     Blaine Gabbert, Jaguars
2.10     Leonard Hankerson, Washington
2.11     Alex Green, Packers
2.12     Colin Kaepernick, 49ers

Somebody else finally took a quarterback, and then Washington's possible No. 1 WR a year or two from now and a running back with upside potential. I had him going earlier because there are some Packers fans in the league.

At this point in the draft I traded away Cam Newton for what should be a high second-rounder next year and an early third this year, and selected Kaepernick at 2.12. With no one apparently interested in the quarterbacks, I figured I'd take a guy I liked only slightly less and get a good pick a year from now. I think I went from considering Newton a great value at 1.12 to considering Kaepernick an even better value a full round later, and adding a couple of picks made it worthwhile. I guess I'm buying the Jim Harbaugh hype. I mean, hey, Captain Comeback.

3.01     Jacquizz Rodgers, Falcons
3.02     Austin Pettis, Rams
3.03     Titus Young, Lions
3.04     Andy Dalton, Bengals
3.05     Christian Ponder, Vikings
3.06     Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots

Nothing much to see here. I took Young without much enthusiasm, but I thought the value was there. I had Pettis in the mix and also considered a tight end (who went undrafted, so I'll probably add him later). Not crazy about any of the other players drafted this round. Unrostered veterans are also draftable, hence the Gostkowski pick.

3.07     Jerrel Jernigan, Giants
3.08     Jordan Cameron, Browns
3.09     Edmond Gates, Dolphins
3.10     Vincent Brown, Chargers
3.11     Greg Salas, Rams
3.12     Johnny White, Bills

I think Gates and Brown are good fliers; I'm just not a believer in anything Miami does these days, and don't want to wait around for Brown to be a factor in San Diego. Salas has as much chance as any Rams receiver to emerge. I don't expect to select another Bills running back anytime soon after missing -- so far! -- on C.J. Spiller last year.

If I'd had 4 more picks in this draft, I'd most likely have selected rookies who didn't even get drafted. I think that although it wasn't considered a great draft for RBs or WRs, there's depth, in the sense that some of the mid- to late-round guys could become viable fantasy options if not superstars.

I also think I'm glad to have a dynasty league. Because right now, I don't have any other drafts scheduled.

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