I’ve completed my rosters in a pair of Fanex leagues, and I didn’t get a “great” player in either of them. I was picking last in the draft, while in the auction I’m mentally wired to go after deals rather than superstars.
With the draft, I don’t think the 12th spot is a good one for me. It left me settling for a pair of wide receivers with my first two picks, and both look more like second-round guys than players you’d expect to see going in the middle of the round. Jefferson, Chase, Hill and Kupp were long gone, and I was left with Davante Adams and Amon-Ra St. Brown. (This is a PPR draft with up to four starting wide receivers, so I felt that was the way to go.)
Picking at the end of the round, there was a 22-slot gap between my pairs of picks, reducing my ability to connect on values. At the end of the round, a player could potentially fall 15 spots before where you thought he should go, with somebody else grabbing him.
This is a best-ball team, so two kickers and defenses.
| IAN'S FANEX DRAFT TEAM | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Tm | Player | Pick |
| QB | SEA | Geno Smith | 11.12 |
| QB | DEN | Russell Wilson | 12.01 |
| RB | SEA | Kenneth Walker | 3.12 |
| RB | KC | Isiah Pacheco | 5.12 |
| RB | DET | David Montgomery | 6.01 |
| RB | PHI | Kenneth Gainwell | 13.12 |
| TE | JAC | Evan Engram | 7.12 |
| TE | BUF | Dawson Knox | 15.12 |
| TE | LAC | Gerald Everett | 16.01 |
| WR | LV | Davante Adams | 1.12 |
| WR | DET | Amon-Ra St.Brown | 2.01 |
| WR | LAC | Keenan Allen | 4.01 |
| WR | PIT | George Pickens | 8.01 |
| WR | BAL | Odell Beckham | 9.12 |
| WR | NO | Michael Thomas | 10.01 |
| WR | HOU | John Metchie | 14.01 |
| PK | SEA | Jason Myers | 17.12 |
| PK | PIT | Chris Boswell | 18.01 |
| D | BAL | Baltimore | 19.12 |
| D | KC | Kansas City | 20.01 |
In the auction version, I didn’t see any prices I loved with the top prospects. I’m looking for value (I’m not excited about paying $35 for a player who I think is worth $35). I didn’t land any of the superstars. I didn’t buy any of the top-tier quarterbacks or a top-10 wide receiver. Kenneth Walker might be a top-10 back, but he picked up a groin injury after I bought him.
While this team is short on stars, however, it’s got unusually good depth. Especially at quarterback, with four guys who seem to have the potential to finish with top-10 numbers. Geno Smith and Aaron Rodgers were my final two purchases. Unconventional to grab that many quarterbacks, of course, but I thought they were the best available players, with the potential to put up 30-plus touchdowns. If Rodgers has a chip on his shoulder, throwing 35 touchdowns, I don’t want him on anyone else’s team.
At quarterback, I figure I’ll trade one or two along the way. If one of them gets hurts or fizzles, that will partially solve my issues with being overstocked.
The auction team also has unusual depth at wide receiver, with nine who I like. I was slow to get going on this auction – trailing in dollars early – but when it became more of a buyer’s market in the middle of the process, I started grabbing guys, eventually completing my roster five players before anyone else.
The auction uses the same scoring system (with the ability to start 3 wide receivers plus a flex) but it’s a lineup league, with roster moves throughout the season.
Because I had some money at the end, it steered me towards picking Rodgers and Smith with those last two picks, rather than a couple of flyer-type running backs (perhaps Kenneth Gainwell and Pierre Strong).
| IAN'S FANEX AUCTION TEAM | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Tm | Player | $ |
| QB | JAC | Trevor Lawrence | $12 |
| QB | CLE | Deshaun Watson | $8 |
| QB | SEA | Geno Smith | $4 |
| QB | NYJ | Aaron Rodgers | $2 |
| RB | SEA | Kenneth Walker | $22 |
| RB | TB | Rachaad White | $16 |
| RB | DET | David Montgomery | $15 |
| RB | KC | Isiah Pacheco | $12 |
| TE | PIT | Pat Freiermuth | $8 |
| TE | TEN | Chigoziem Okonkwo | $1 |
| WR | DEN | Jerry Jeudy | $21 |
| WR | ATL | Drake London | $19 |
| WR | GB | Christian Watson | $15 |
| WR | SEA | Tyler Lockett | $13 |
| WR | PIT | George Pickens | $11 |
| WR | NO | Michael Thomas | $5 |
| WR | BAL | Odell Beckham | $4 |
| WR | KC | Kadarius Toney | $3 |
| PK | ATL | Younghoe Koo | $1 |
| D | DAL | Dallas | $2 |
The auction team ended up being the better of the two, as can be seen by comparing the two rosters on a position-by-position basis. In the lists below, you’re seeing the players not in the order that they were taken, but how I would have selected them.
(Players I purchased have a black dot in front of their name, with seven double-dotted players on both teams).
| TOP 20 QUARTERBACKS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Tm | Player | Auct | Draft |
| 1 | KC | Patrick Mahomes | -- | -- |
| 2 | PHI | Jalen Hurts | -- | -- |
| 3 | CIN | Joe Burrow | -- | -- |
| 4 | BUF | Josh Allen | -- | -- |
| 5 | LAC | Justin Herbert | -- | -- |
| 6 | BAL | Lamar Jackson | -- | -- |
| 7 | JAC | • Trevor Lawrence | $12 | -- |
| 8 | CLE | • Deshaun Watson | $8 | -- |
| 9 | MIN | Kirk Cousins | -- | -- |
| 10 | NYJ | • Aaron Rodgers | $2 | -- |
| 11 | DAL | Dak Prescott | -- | -- |
| 12 | SEA | •• Geno Smith | $4 | 11.12 |
| 13 | NYG | Daniel Jones | -- | -- |
| 14 | CHI | Justin Fields | -- | -- |
| 15 | DEN | • Russell Wilson | -- | 12.01 |
| 16 | MIA | Tua Tagovailoa | -- | -- |
| 17 | DET | Jared Goff | -- | -- |
| 18 | GB | Jordan Love | -- | -- |
| 19 | NO | Derek Carr | -- | -- |
| 20 | PIT | Kenny Pickett | -- | -- |
| TOP 30 RUNNING BACKS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Tm | Player | Auct | Draft |
| 1 | SF | Christian McCaffrey | -- | -- |
| 2 | LAC | Austin Ekeler | -- | -- |
| 3 | TEN | Derrick Henry | -- | -- |
| 4 | CIN | Joe Mixon | -- | -- |
| 5 | CLE | Nick Chubb | -- | -- |
| 6 | DAL | Tony Pollard | -- | -- |
| 7 | ATL | Bijan Robinson | -- | -- |
| 8 | SEA | •• Kenneth Walker | $22 | 3.12 |
| 9 | IND | Jonathan Taylor | -- | -- |
| 10 | PIT | Najee Harris | -- | -- |
| 11 | NE | Rhamondre Stevenson | -- | -- |
| 12 | LV | Josh Jacobs | -- | -- |
| 13 | NYG | Saquon Barkley | -- | -- |
| 14 | KC | •• Isiah Pacheco | $12 | 5.12 |
| 15 | GB | Aaron Jones | -- | -- |
| 16 | DET | •• David Montgomery | $15 | 6.01 |
| 17 | LAR | Cam Akers | -- | -- |
| 18 | JAC | Travis Etienne | -- | -- |
| 19 | ARI | James Conner | -- | -- |
| 20 | CAR | Miles Sanders | -- | -- |
| 21 | HOU | Dameon Pierce | -- | -- |
| 22 | NYJ | Breece Hall | -- | -- |
| 23 | DET | Jahmyr Gibbs | -- | -- |
| 24 | TB | • Rachaad White | $16 | -- |
| 25 | BAL | J.K. Dobbins | -- | -- |
| 26 | MIN | Alexander Mattison | -- | -- |
| 27 | GB | AJ Dillon | -- | -- |
| 28 | NO | Alvin Kamara | -- | -- |
| 29 | UFA | Dalvin Cook | -- | -- |
| 30 | DEN | Samaje Perine | -- | -- |
| TOP 50 WIDE RECEIVERS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Tm | Player | Auct | Draft |
| 1 | MIN | Justin Jefferson | -- | -- |
| 2 | CIN | JaMarr Chase | -- | -- |
| 3 | MIA | Tyreek Hill | -- | -- |
| 4 | LAR | Cooper Kupp | -- | -- |
| 5 | DAL | CeeDee Lamb | -- | -- |
| 6 | LV | • Davante Adams | -- | 1.12 |
| 7 | DET | • Amon-Ra St.Brown | -- | 2.01 |
| 8 | BUF | Stefon Diggs | -- | -- |
| 9 | NYJ | Garrett Wilson | -- | -- |
| 10 | MIA | Jaylen Waddle | -- | -- |
| 11 | PHI | A.J. Brown | -- | -- |
| 12 | LAC | • Keenan Allen | -- | 4.01 |
| 13 | CIN | Tee Higgins | -- | -- |
| 14 | PHI | DeVonta Smith | -- | -- |
| 15 | GB | • Christian Watson | $15 | -- |
| 16 | DEN | • Jerry Jeudy | $21 | -- |
| 17 | CLE | Amari Cooper | -- | -- |
| 18 | JAC | Christian Kirk | -- | -- |
| 19 | SEA | DK Metcalf | -- | -- |
| 20 | JAC | Calvin Ridley | -- | -- |
| 21 | ATL | • Drake London | $19 | -- |
| 22 | SF | Deebo Samuel | -- | -- |
| 23 | NO | Chris Olave | -- | -- |
| 24 | SEA | • Tyler Lockett | $13 | -- |
| 25 | TEN | DeAndre Hopkins | -- | -- |
| 26 | LAC | Mike Williams | -- | -- |
| 27 | DAL | Brandin Cooks | -- | -- |
| 28 | WAS | Terry McLaurin | -- | -- |
| 29 | BAL | •• Odell Beckham | $4 | 9.12 |
| 30 | PIT | Diontae Johnson | -- | -- |
| 31 | TB | Chris Godwin | -- | -- |
| 32 | SF | Brandon Aiyuk | -- | -- |
| 33 | CHI | DJ Moore | -- | -- |
| 34 | TB | Mike Evans | -- | -- |
| 35 | KC | Skyy Moore | -- | -- |
| 36 | ARI | Marquise Brown | -- | -- |
| 37 | PIT | •• George Pickens | $11 | 8.01 |
| 38 | IND | Michael Pittman | -- | -- |
| 39 | NO | •• Michael Thomas | $5 | 10.01 |
| 40 | WAS | Jahan Dotson | -- | -- |
| 41 | GB | Romeo Doubs | -- | -- |
| 42 | TEN | Treylon Burks | -- | -- |
| 43 | DET | Jameson Williams | -- | -- |
| 44 | KC | • Kadarius Toney | $3 | -- |
| 45 | LV | Jakobi Meyers | -- | -- |
| 46 | JAC | Zay Jones | -- | -- |
| 47 | MIN | Jordan Addison | -- | -- |
| 48 | NYJ | Allen Lazard | -- | -- |
| 49 | MIN | K.J. Osborn | -- | -- |
| 50 | CAR | Adam Thielen | -- | -- |
| TOP 20 TIGHT ENDS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Tm | Player | Auct | Draft |
| 1 | KC | Travis Kelce | -- | -- |
| 2 | BAL | Mark Andrews | -- | -- |
| 3 | MIN | T.J. Hockenson | -- | -- |
| 4 | PHI | Dallas Goedert | -- | -- |
| 5 | JAC | • Evan Engram | -- | 7.12 |
| 6 | PIT | • Pat Freiermuth | $8 | -- |
| 7 | SF | George Kittle | -- | -- |
| 8 | ATL | Kyle Pitts | -- | -- |
| 9 | BUF | • Dawson Knox | -- | 15.12 |
| 10 | NYG | Darren Waller | -- | -- |
| 11 | CLE | David Njoku | -- | -- |
| 12 | TEN | • Chigoziem Okonkwo | $1 | -- |
| 13 | CIN | Irv Smith | -- | -- |
| 14 | BUF | Dalton Kincaid | -- | -- |
| 15 | CHI | Cole Kmet | -- | -- |
| 16 | DET | Sam LaPorta | -- | -- |
| 17 | LAC | • Gerald Everett | -- | 16.01 |
| 18 | LAR | Tyler Higbee | -- | -- |
| 19 | HOU | Dalton Schultz | -- | -- |
| 20 | DEN | Greg Dulcich | -- | -- |
—Ian Allan