The Fanex Experts League draft ended. Finally. It’s been crawling along, it seems, for about three months. Arian Foster, recall, was selected in the second round in one of these leagues, just before he got hurt. But they’re over, and I can now try and attach some meaning to the results.
These are two separate 12-team teams, with each franchise selecting 20 players. It’s a PPR format, with three wide receivers and a flex, so it makes sense to carry 4-5 good wide receivers if you can get them.
Another key component, though, are backup running backs. With each franchise given a healthy number of backup slots, it makes sense to carry a nice supply of No. 2 running backs, knowing that chances are that are some point they’ll turn into top-10 players for at least a few weeks of the season.
But when to take these players? On the one hand, they’re really valuable. On the other, some of the good ones don’t even get selected. Robert Turbin, for example, is the current No. 2 running back in Seattle, and he wasn’t even selected (in either league). I expect he’ll continue to hold that spot. Christine Michael has had problems with fumbles and coughed it up again in their first preseason game.
Lorenzo Taliaferro is a great No. 2 back, I think. Not much different than Knile Davis and Jamaal Charles. I picked him up in in the 17th round in the National draft. He wasn’t selected in the other.
Other good No. 2 running backs not selected in the American League draft: Khiry Robinson, Denard Robinson, Terrance West, Damien Williams.
In the National League draft, Ronnie Hillman wasn’t selected. In addition to Turbin, I saw that as the big omission. I would have liked to select both, but instead went with Damien Williams with my final selection. I think Lamar Miller is more likely than Lynch or C.J. Anderson to get hurt, and Williams has shown he has some ability in the passing game (PPR format). Plus Williams I think is safer to remain in that role.
I’ve got all of the handcuff running backs in bold. While this position is important, you can see that it’s possible to address it in the late rounds.
For purposes of these chart, the first running back chosen from each team is considered the “starter”. Additional backs are in bold. (With some of these situations, like Ingram and Spiller in New Orleans, it’s clearly more of a one-two punch.)
Additionally, the players I selected for my own team are tagged with a black dot.
FANEX EXPERTS LEAGUES (averaged results) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Amer. | Nat. | Pos | Tm | Player |
1.02 | 1.01 | RB | MIN | Adrian Peterson |
1.03 | 1.02 | RB | PIT | LeVeon Bell |
1.04 | 1.04 | RB | KC | Jamaal Charles |
1.06 | 1.03 | RB | GB | Eddie Lacy |
1.01 | 1.10 | RB | CHI | Matt Forte |
1.07 | 1.05 | WR | PIT | Antonio Brown |
1.08 | 1.06 | TE | NE | Rob Gronkowski |
1.10 | 1.08 | WR | NYG | • Odell Beckham Jr. |
1.11 | 1.07 | WR | DAL | Dez Bryant |
1.12 | 1.12 | RB | SEA | Marshawn Lynch |
1.05 | 2.02 | RB | BUF | LeSean McCoy |
2.04 | 1.09 | WR | ATL | Julio Jones |
2.05 | 1.11 | WR | DEN | Demaryius Thomas |
2.02 | 2.01 | WR | GB | Jordy Nelson |
2.01 | 2.04 | RB | DEN | C.J. Anderson |
2.03 | 2.03 | RB | PHI | DeMarco Murray |
1.09 | 3.04 | QB | GB | Aaron Rodgers |
2.07 | 2.06 | WR | DET | Calvin Johnson |
2.08 | 2.05 | RB | CIN | • Jeremy Hill |
2.06 | 2.11 | WR | CIN | A.J. Green |
2.09 | 2.10 | WR | GB | Randall Cobb |
3.01 | 2.09 | RB | SD | Melvin Gordon |
2.10 | 3.02 | WR | CHI | Alshon Jeffery |
2.11 | 3.03 | QB | IND | Andrew Luck |
3.02 | 2.12 | WR | TB | Mike Evans |
3.06 | 2.08 | RB | BAL | Justin Forsett |
3.04 | 3.01 | WR | IND | T.Y. Hilton |
3.03 | 3.09 | WR | NO | Brandin Cooks |
3.05 | 3.07 | WR | HOU | DeAndre Hopkins |
3.08 | 3.06 | RB | IND | Frank Gore |
2.12 | 4.06 | TE | SEA | Jimmy Graham |
3.10 | 3.08 | WR | DEN | • Emmanuel Sanders |
3.12 | 3.12 | WR | CAR | Kelvin Benjamin |
4.04 | 3.05 | WR | PHI | Jordan Matthews |
3.07 | 4.04 | RB | MIA | Lamar Miller |
4.06 | 3.10 | RB | JAC | T.J. Yeldon |
3.09 | 4.11 | RB | WAS | Alfred Morris |
4.02 | 4.02 | RB | NO | C.J. Spiller |
4.03 | 4.01 | WR | IND | Andre Johnson |
4.05 | 4.08 | RB | NO | Mark Ingram |
4.09 | 4.05 | WR | NE | • Julian Edelman |
5.07 | 3.11 | WR | SD | Keenan Allen |
3.11 | 5.12 | RB | DAL | Joseph Randle |
4.01 | 5.01 | RB | SF | Carlos Hyde |
5.02 | 4.09 | WR | OAK | Amari Cooper |
4.10 | 5.02 | TE | KC | Travis Kelce |
4.08 | 5.05 | RB | OAK | Latavius Murray |
5.01 | 4.12 | WR | KC | Jeremy Maclin |
5.06 | 4.07 | WR | DET | Golden Tate |
4.07 | 5.07 | RB | STL | Todd Gurley |
4.11 | 5.03 | RB | DET | Ameer Abdullah |
5.08 | 5.04 | WR | NYJ | Brandon Marshall |
5.05 | 5.08 | TE | CAR | • Greg Olsen |
6.08 | 4.10 | WR | BUF | Sammy Watkins |
5.12 | 5.11 | TE | CHI | Martellus Bennett |
5.03 | 6.05 | RB | ARI | • Andre Ellington |
6.02 | 5.10 | QB | PIT | Ben Roethlisberger |
5.11 | 6.02 | RB | CIN | Giovani Bernard |
7.11 | 4.03 | WR | PIT | Martavis Bryant |
9.07 | 2.07 | RB | HOU | Arian Foster |
6.10 | 5.06 | WR | JAC | Allen Robinson |
4.12 | 7.05 | QB | DEN | Peyton Manning |
5.10 | 6.10 | RB | NYG | Shane Vereen |
6.12 | 5.09 | WR | WAS | DeSean Jackson |
6.01 | 6.01 | QB | SEA | Russell Wilson |
6.04 | 6.03 | WR | MIA | Jarvis Landry |
6.05 | 6.07 | RB | TB | Doug Martin |
6.07 | 6.06 | RB | CAR | Jonathan Stewart |
6.09 | 6.08 | RB | ATL | Tevin Coleman |
6.11 | 6.09 | WR | MIN | Mike Wallace |
5.04 | 8.02 | QB | DAL | Tony Romo |
6.03 | 7.08 | WR | ATL | • Roddy White |
6.06 | 7.07 | QB | CAR | Cam Newton |
8.07 | 6.04 | WR | NYJ | Eric Decker |
7.01 | 7.12 | WR | TB | Vincent Jackson |
8.02 | 6.12 | WR | PHI | Nelson Agholor |
7.06 | 7.09 | QB | NO | Drew Brees |
7.12 | 7.06 | WR | BAL | Steve Smith |
5.09 | 9.10 | RB | HOU | Alfred Blue |
7.02 | 8.04 | TE | JAC | Julius Thomas |
8.04 | 7.02 | WR | MIN | Charles Johnson |
7.05 | 8.05 | QB | ATL | • Matt Ryan |
7.03 | 8.08 | WR | ARI | John Brown |
7.10 | 8.01 | RB | DET | Joique Bell |
8.11 | 7.01 | RB | CLE | Isaiah Crowell |
7.07 | 8.10 | WR | CHI | Kevin White |
7.08 | 8.12 | QB | NYG | Eli Manning |
8.10 | 7.10 | RB | NYJ | Chris Ivory |
9.10 | 6.11 | RB | NE | LeGarrette Blount |
7.09 | 9.01 | TE | PHI | Zach Ertz |
8.05 | 8.07 | WR | ARI | Larry Fitzgerald |
8.06 | 8.06 | QB | NE | Tom Brady |
9.09 | 7.04 | RB | STL | Tre Mason |
9.05 | 7.11 | WR | NE | Brandon LaFell |
8.01 | 9.02 | WR | SF | Torrey Smith |
8.08 | 9.12 | WR | NYG | Victor Cruz |
9.11 | 8.11 | RB | NYG | Rashad Jennings |
9.01 | 9.03 | WR | SF | Anquan Boldin |
7.04 | 11.01 | RB | KC | Knile Davis |
9.04 | 9.07 | RB | PHI | Ryan Mathews |
10.08 | 8.03 | WR | NYG | Rueben Randle |
8.03 | 10.11 | QB | SD | Philip Rivers |
9.06 | 9.08 | WR | TEN | • Kendall Wright |
8.09 | 10.08 | QB | DET | Matthew Stafford |
9.08 | 9.11 | WR | WAS | Pierre Garcon |
9.12 | 9.09 | RB | TEN | Bishop Sankey |
10.12 | 8.09 | RB | CLE | Duke Johnson |
9.03 | 10.02 | QB | MIA | Ryan Tannehill |
10.01 | 9.04 | WR | NO | Marques Colston |
10.02 | 9.05 | WR | ARI | Michael Floyd |
9.02 | 11.07 | WR | GB | Davante Adams |
11.07 | 9.06 | RB | ATL | Devonta Freeman |
10.05 | 10.12 | QB | ARI | Carson Palmer |
11.01 | 10.07 | QB | SF | Colin Kaepernick |
10.09 | 11.02 | WR | BAL | Breshad Perriman |
11.04 | 10.09 | TE | MIA | Jordan Cameron |
11.09 | 10.04 | TE | CIN | Tyler Eifert |
11.06 | 10.10 | QB | BAL | Joe Flacco |
10.07 | 11.10 | WR | OAK | Michael Crabtree |
10.11 | 11.07 | WR | MIA | DeVante Parker |
12.04 | 10.06 | RB | ARI | David Johnson |
10.04 | 12.08 | WR | CHI | Eddie Royal |
11.10 | 11.04 | QB | MIN | Teddy Bridgewater |
10.03 | 12.12 | TE | DAL | Jason Witten |
10.10 | 12.05 | RB | MIN | • Jerick McKinnon |
11.08 | 11.08 | RB | SD | • Danny Woodhead |
11.12 | 11.06 | QB | PHI | Sam Bradford |
8.12 | 14.08 | RB | SF | Reggie Bush |
11.05 | 12.01 | QB | CHI | Jay Cutler |
11.11 | 12.04 | QB | CIN | Andy Dalton |
12.07 | 11.11 | RB | TB | Charles Sims |
12.08 | 11.12 | TE | TEN | Delanie Walker |
12.01 | 12.06 | RB | TEN | David Cobb |
13.04 | 11.03 | RB | NE | Jonas Gray |
14.07 | 10.01 | RB | DAL | Darren McFadden |
14.06 | 10.05 | RB | NE | • James White |
11.03 | 14.03 | WR | IND | Phillip Dorsett |
13.06 | 12.03 | WR | SEA | Doug Baldwin |
13.07 | 12.02 | WR | STL | Brian Quick |
12.02 | 13.08 | TE | MIN | • Kyle Rudolph |
13.05 | 12.07 | RB | OAK | Roy Helu Jr. |
13.03 | 12.11 | WR | CAR | Devin Funchess |
15.11 | 10.03 | WR | MIA | Kenny Stills |
12.11 | 13.04 | RB | PHI | Darren Sproles |
12.06 | 13.12 | WR | IND | Donte Moncrief |
12.03 | 14.04 | RB | NYG | Andre Williams |
19.06 | 7.03 | RB | DET | Theo Riddick |
13.08 | 13.02 | ST | SEA | Seattle |
14.01 | 12.09 | WR | DAL | Terrance Williams |
12.09 | 14.02 | WR | PIT | Markus Wheaton |
15.02 | 11.09 | RB | CAR | Cameron Artis-Payne |
13.10 | 13.05 | TE | IND | Dwayne Allen |
13.12 | 13.03 | QB | OAK | Derek Carr |
10.06 | 16.12 | TE | DET | Eric Ebron |
14.09 | 12.11 | RB | PIT | DeAngelo Williams |
11.02 | 16.02 | WR | CIN | Marvin Jones |
12.05 | 15.01 | WR | STL | Kenny Britt |
12.10 | 15.02 | QB | TB | Jameis Winston |
14.05 | 13.10 | TE | SD | Antonio Gates |
13.11 | 14.09 | RB | DAL | Lance Dunbar |
14.12 | 13.11 | TE | IND | Coby Fleener |
13.01 | 15.06 | RB | BUF | Fred Jackson |
14.02 | 14.10 | TE | NO | Josh Hill |
14.03 | 14.12 | WR | JAC | Allen Hurns |
14.04 | 14.11 | RB | DEN | Montee Ball |
15.10 | 13.06 | WR | SD | Stevie Johnson |
14.11 | 14.06 | TE | TB | Austin Seferian-Jenkins |
16.09 | 13.01 | WR | TEN | Dorial Green-Beckham |
15.12 | 14.01 | TE | DEN | Owen Daniels |
16.05 | 13.09 | RB | IND | Dan Herron |
13.02 | 17.06 | QB | TEN | Marcus Mariota |
15.04 | 15.07 | ST | HOU | Houston |
15.05 | 15.12 | RB | NYJ | Stevan Ridley |
12.12 | 18.11 | WR | CLE | Dwayne Bowe |
16.07 | 15.03 | ST | BUF | Buffalo |
18.06 | 13.07 | WR | DEN | Cody Latimer |
15.03 | 16.11 | RB | WAS | Matt Jones |
16.06 | 15.08 | ST | STL | • St. Louis |
16.04 | 16.06 | PK | NE | Stephen Gostkowski |
18.05 | 14.05 | RB | GB | • James Starks |
16.10 | 16.01 | ST | NYJ | NY Jets |
17.07 | 15.10 | TE | SF | Vernon Davis |
17.12 | 15.05 | TE | WAS | Jordan Reed |
15.08 | 17.10 | QB | STL | Nick Foles |
16.12 | 16.08 | ST | MIA | Miami |
15.09 | 17.12 | QB | KC | Alex Smith |
14.10 | 18.12 | RB | BAL | Javorius Allen |
16.02 | 17.03 | TE | PIT | Heath Miller |
17.01 | 16.05 | PK | GB | • Mason Crosby |
15.01 | 18.06 | QB | WAS | Robert Griffin III |
18.09 | 15.04 | TE | NYG | Larry Donnell |
15.06 | 18.09 | WR | BUF | Percy Harvin |
16.01 | 18.01 | RB | SEA | Christine Michael |
17.02 | 17.02 | PK | IND | Adam Vinatieri |
16.03 | 18.05 | RB | ARI | • Chris Johnson |
17.08 | 17.05 | PK | SEA | Steven Hauschka |
17.06 | 17.09 | TE | BUF | Charles Clay |
19.10 | 15.09 | WR | DAL | Cole Beasley |
20.12 | 14.07 | WR | SEA | Tyler Lockett |
19.02 | 16.04 | ST | GB | Green Bay |
16.08 | 19.04 | PK | PHI | Cody Parkey |
18.08 | 17.04 | RB | SD | Branden Oliver |
19.08 | 16.07 | RB | HOU | Chris Polk |
18.01 | 18.03 | PK | ATL | Matt Bryant |
17.04 | 19.01 | PK | DAL | Dan Bailey |
18.02 | 18.04 | PK | BAL | Justin Tucker |
17.11 | 19.11 | ST | ARI | Arizona |
18.03 | 19.07 | ST | PHI | Philadelphia |
17.03 | 20.11 | TE | SD | Ladarius Green |
20.10 | 17.07 | WR | PHI | Josh Huff |
18.04 | 20.04 | ST | IND | Indianapolis |
19.07 | 19.12 | PK | DEN | Connor Barth |
19.03 | 20.02 | PK | MIN | Blair Walsh |
20.02 | 19.08 | QB | NYJ | • Ryan Fitzpatrick |
20.06 | 20.01 | RB | UFA | Ray Rice |
20.03 | 20.09 | WR | NO | Brandon Coleman |
13.09 | --- | WR | HOU | Jaelen Strong |
14.08 | --- | WR | PHI | Riley Cooper |
15.07 | --- | RB | CHI | KaDeem Carey |
--- | 15.11 | QB | JAC | Blake Bortles |
--- | 16.03 | ST | NE | New England |
--- | 16.09 | ST | DEN | Denver |
--- | 16.10 | WR | BUF | Chris Hogan |
16.11 | --- | WR | KC | Chris Conley |
--- | 17.01 | RB | NYJ | Bilal Powell |
17.05 | --- | ST | BAL | Baltimore |
--- | 17.08 | RB | BAL | • Lorenzo Taliaferro |
17.09 | --- | TE | OAK | Clive Walford |
17.10 | --- | PK | MIA | Caleb Sturgis |
--- | 17.11 | RB | NO | Khiry Robinson |
--- | 18.02 | RB | CLE | Terrance West |
--- | 18.07 | WR | ATL | Leonard Hankerson |
18.07 | --- | TE | NYJ | Jace Amaro |
--- | 18.08 | WR | CLE | Brian Hartline |
--- | 18.10 | RB | JAC | Denard Robinson |
18.10 | --- | WR | SEA | Chris Matthews |
18.11 | --- | ST | MIN | Minnesota |
18.12 | --- | RB | PIT | Dri Archer |
19.01 | --- | WR | CIN | Mohamed Sanu |
--- | 19.02 | WR | HOU | Cecil Shorts III |
--- | 19.03 | WR | KC | Albert Wilson |
19.04 | --- | ST | DAL | Dallas |
--- | 19.05 | ST | CIN | Cincinnati |
19.05 | --- | WR | SD | Malcom Floyd |
--- | 19.06 | ST | CAR | Carolina |
--- | 19.09 | RB | UFA | Pierre Thomas |
19.09 | --- | ST | TEN | Tennessee |
19.11 | --- | WR | MIA | Greg Jennings |
19.12 | --- | ST | PIT | Pittsburgh |
20.01 | --- | WR | BUF | Robert Woods |
--- | 20.03 | RB | OAK | Michael Dyer |
20.04 | --- | PK | STL | Greg Zuerlein |
--- | 20.05 | RB | MIA | • Damien Williams |
20.05 | --- | WR | NO | Nick Toon |
--- | 20.06 | RB | NE | Travaris Cadet |
--- | 20.07 | PK | BUF | Dan Carpenter |
20.07 | --- | PK | DET | Matt Prater |
--- | 20.08 | TE | GB | Richard Rodgers |
20.08 | --- | RB | DEN | Ronnie Hillman |
20.09 | --- | RB | MIA | Jay Ajayi |
--- | 20.10 | PK | HOU | Randy Bullock |
--- | 20.10 | WR | SF | DeAndrew White |
20.11 | --- | RB | MIN | Matt Asiata |
--- | 20.12 | ST | TB | Tampa Bay |
—Ian Allan