It's the week of fantasy experts drafts, including the one we've been running in our preseason Annual for about 10 years now. Maybe this is the 10th anniversary, I'll need to look into it. Anyway, we held ours online last night, and while I won't spoil it, I will offer a few teasers.
12-team league, 22 rounds. This is a Draftmasters league where you don't make any transactions or set any lineups; you just go with the players you drafted and get best-ball lineups each week during the season. For that reason, a lot of players get drafted that might not ordinarily get drafted. But it gives a good sense of just how deep people's draft boards go.
Quarterbacks: Peyton Manning went almost 20 picks before the other two of the current Big Three, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. Just outside that top tier were young guns Matthew Stafford and Andrew Luck, and then a drop to the next group.
Running backs: Running backs still kind of rule in fantasy. Six of the top seven picks, and 14 in the first two rounds. This was just one off of last year (15 in the first two rounds), although there has been a gradual decline. Ten years ago, perusing an old issue, 18 of the top 24 picks were running backs. Where have you gone, Kevan Barlow and Domanick Davis? (Funny: Peyton Manning was drafted earlier last night than he was in 2004!)
Wide receivers: One expert took a fifth-round flier on Josh Gordon, which he termed either the smartest or dumbest pick in the draft. "Hoping for a six-game suspension," he said. Bold move. Also, three wideouts were drafted in the first round. I think that's the first time that's happened since the days when Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens were tearing up the league.
Tight ends: Rob Gronkowski carries great value, or risk, as a fifth-round pick. Not much confidence in Levine Toilolo replacing Tony Gonzalez -- he wasn't drafted until the 20th round.
Kickers: The first kicker went in round 17, confirming that all is right with the world.
Defenses: The Seattle Defense went in round 10, and that may have been a wee bit early. Because the next defense didn't go until almost six rounds later. People apparently believe in Jadeveon Clowney, or at least somebody does. The Houston Defense was the No. 3 selected. I'm not even sure if they belong in the top dozen.
Rookies: One rookie, Bishop Sankey, was taken in the first seven rounds. People apparently buy that Blake Bortles won't play as a rookie; he wasn't drafted, but both Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater were. Sammy Watkins went before Mike Evans, just as in the actual draft, but not by much.
We'll publish the full results, with commentary, boasts, and laments, in our preseason magazine.