Participated in my second best-ball draft of the spring/summer. Somebody asked for the results, so I'm sharing the first nine rounds and talking about my own picks.
I picked 4th in this one; 4-point TD passes, PPR, and tight ends get 1.5 points per catch. It's 1 QB-TE-PK-DEF, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, and 2 RB-WR-TE flex spots. Scoring makes starting multiple tight ends a good approach, if you've got the horses. I was pretty pleased with this one until the Deebo Samuel news broke.
1.4. Michael Thomas
2.9. Aaron Jones
3.4. Melvin Gordon
4.9. Calvin Ridley
5.4. David Montgomery
6.9. Deebo Samuel
If you've received your copy of the magazine yet, you know how pleased I was with these first six picks. All are in our top 35 overall -- three top-20 running backs and three of our top-6 wide receivers. We actually have Deebo ahead of Ridley and Montgomery slightly ahead of Gordon, but I guessed the majority of other owners would view them differently, and it worked out. Honestly, none of these running backs is a particular favorite of mine. But they've got job security, they'll be the main runners near the goal line, and they'll be involved in the passing game.
A few days later, Deebo broke his foot. That's a downer. But nothing I could do but try to help that position some with later picks, which I'll discuss as we go.
7.4. Hayden Hurst
8.9. Noah Fant
9.4 Matt Ryan
10.9. Jack Doyle
People have gradually caught on to the sleeper appeal of Hurst. I planned to get him in the other draft I did but he went at 7.6. So I made sure to secure him here, as the 9th tight end taken, then selected Fant after four more were off the board. If they're one of their respective offenses featured short-range targets, which I expect, both will be regular starters for me. Doyle was the 17th tight end off the board; by the next round every desirable starter was gone.
There are a consensus top 6 quarterbacks. I briefly considered Patrick Mahomes at the end of the second (that's generally where he and Lamar Jackson are going in these drafts), but was fine with Ryan in what will be a pass-happy offense a few rounds later. (We'll see if the Ryan-Ridley-Hurst stack is a league-winner, or too many eggs in one basket.) In my earlier draft I selected Josh Allen. Mixing it up slightly.
11.4. Jamison Crowder
12.9. Gardner Minshew
13.4. Chase Edmonds
14.9. Jamaal Williams
Crowder will be New York's busiest receiver, a top-25 guy on our board. Maybe Breshad Perriman will hit more big plays and Denzel Mims will be the future, but Crowder is the guy in 2020. No doubt. Minshew was the 22nd quarterback off the board so you can guess who was left when I selected him; mostly guys with top drafted rookies pushing them. He's the only one at that point I felt confident would start all year.
At this point I hadn't selected a running back in seven rounds. Very pleased to get Edmonds, just a Kenyan Drake injury from a three-down role, and Williams, who I think is the more likely Aaron Jones handcuff (certainly in the passing game) than A.J. Dillon.
15.4. Justin Tucker
16.9. Dede Westbrook
17.4. Saints Defense
18.9. Adrian Peterson
19.4. Jalen Hurd
Last draft I waited too long to take a kicker. This draft Harrison Butker went, so I took Tucker a few picks later. Westbrook should catch a lot of short-range passes from my No. 2 quarterback. Nine defenses had come off the board in the 25 picks before I took New Orleans, who we rank in the top 5. I'm not a believer in any of Washington's myriad other running backs; the chance of AP starting some games made him worth an 18th-round pick.
The Samuel news broke 8 picks before I took Peterson. I hoped to select Brandon Aiyuk, but alas he went 2 picks before me. So I took the running back, then grabbed Hurd in the next round. Aiyuk is the most likely beneficiary of Samuel's absence. Hurd is 2nd-most.
20.9. Brandon McManus
21.4. Jarett Stidham
22.9. Colts Defense
23.4. Josh Gordon
Good kicker, another starting quarterback (who I'd been considering for a couple of rounds), another quality defense. And then a lottery ticket type of wideout who is yes oft-suspended, but the new CBA is friendlier to marijuana offenses, and Gordon might actually be starting somewhere (Seattle? San Francisco?) early in the season. Worth the small risk in round 23.
24.9. Dare Ogunbowale
25.4. Josh Oliver
26.9. Dolphins Defense
27.4. Chase McLaughlin
28.9. Jeff Wilson
Ian picks on me about my Ogunbowale fetish, that's fine. I think he has a good chance to be the passing downs back in Tampa Bay, with an upside of James White. Optimistic, but we're in the 24th round. I'm not sure why Oliver isn't getting more interest, frankly. Either he or brittle Tyler Eifert will be the main tight end in Jacksonville, maybe both.
Last draft Jay Harding pointed out to me how three defenses and three place kickers is somewhat more favorable for your chances of winning one of these things. The lack of decent positional players left contributed to my going along with that advice. It was Miami or Carolina left on the board when I picked; I went with Miami on the dark-horse chance of a turnaround. (I think Carolina is going to be bad and I don't have any Panthers anywhere.) McLaughlin should be the Colts kicker, or someone else's if not. When I took Wilson, who will probably be the No. 3 in San Francisco, I also considered Devin Duvernay or Danny Amendola, but thought Wilson had the most upside.
Feel free to let me know where you think I went right or wrong.