Fantasy Index

Andy Richardson

Old man, look at my team

Is there beauty in age?

I recently participated in an Experts draft. It's a 14-team league, Standard (non-PPR) scoring, and I drew the 8th slot. Midway through the slow draft, it occurred to me that my team might need to apply for its AARP card.

I like young players with upside. I'd generally rather fill a roster with players whose best years are ahead of them, not behind them. But I'm also willing to go where the value is, and in this particular draft, a lot of the value fell with older guys, contract squabbles, and guys with uncertain injury status. At what point do we take chances on players with injury, age, or contract risks? At my pick, apparently.

The entire draft board can be seen right here. It's also presented in list form below, broken up into manageable chunks, with my picks in bold. Starting lineup: 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE-PK-Def, 1 flex spot.

ROUNDS 1-4
PkPlayerPos
1.01Saquon BarkleyRB
1.02Bijan RobinsonRB
1.03Jahmyr GibbsRB
1.04Ja'Marr ChaseWR
1.05Derrick HenryRB
1.06Justin JeffersonWR
1.07Ashton JeantyRB
1.08Josh JacobsRB
1.09Christian McCaffreyRB
1.10Bucky IrvingRB
1.11Chase BrownRB
1.12Nico CollinsWR
1.13CeeDee LambWR
1.14Jonathan TaylorRB
2.01Malik NabersWR
2.02Kyren WilliamsRB
2.03Omarion HamptonRB
2.04Brian ThomasWR
2.05Amon-Ra St. BrownWR
2.06Puka NacuaWR
2.07Tyreek HillWR
2.08Drake LondonWR
2.09De'Von AchaneRB
2.10James CookRB
2.11Breece HallRB
2.12Brock BowersTE
2.13Lamar JacksonQB
2.14Ladd McConkeyWR
3.01Jaxon Smith-NjigbaWR
3.02Kenneth WalkerSEA
3.03Alvin KamaraRB
3.04Josh AllenQB
3.05A.J. BrownWR
3.06Mike EvansWR
3.07TreVeyon HendersonRB
3.08Joe BurrowQB
3.09James ConnerRB
3.10Chuba HubbardRB
3.11D'Andre SwiftRB
3.12Jayden DanielsQB
3.13Garrett WilsonWR
3.14Trey McBrideTE
4.01Jalen HurtsQB
4.02RJ HarveyRB
4.03Tee HigginsWR
4.04Courtland SuttonWR
4.05George KittleTE
4.06DK MetcalfWR
4.07David MontgomeryRB
4.08Marvin HarrisonARI
4.09DeVonta SmithWR
4.10Davante AdamsWR
4.11Aaron JonesRB
4.12Zay FlowersWR
4.13D.J. MooreWR
4.14Jerry JeudyWR

If you use our rankings and aren't picking in the top 5, you're probably going to be drafting Josh Jacobs. It was even more certain in a standard-scoring, running back-heavy first-round. Full-time back with no healthy, threatening backup on the roster. Easy pick.

Second round I took Tyreek Hill. Eh. There were other players I considered, I don't love the value, but I like the big-play potential (still), and the fact that he's the type of player who delivers long touchdowns and yards even if he doesn't catch 8 passes. In PPR, I would have gone with a different player. I don't love the pick in retrospect, but I also don't see anyone I wish I'd taken (maybe James Cook?), so we'll see. If he and Tua are healthy, I'll be fine. But I'll accept some criticism here.

The top QBs were starting to go and Burrow is our No. 1, so taking him as the QB3 looked fine. Fourth round, Montgomery as the 23rd running back off the board was just so-so. Definitely needed a 2nd running back and all that was left was tandem guys. Give me part of the tandem in one of the league's best offenses who might score 10-12 TDs. I look at the next 5-10 running backs off the board and don't see one I'd have considered instead of him.

ROUNDS 5-8
PkPlayerPos
5.01Sam LaPortaTE
5.02George PickensWR
5.03Patrick MahomesQB
5.04Xavier WorthyWR
5.05Brian RobinsonRB
5.06Kyler MurrayQB
5.07Tyrone TracyRB
5.08Terry McLaurinWR
5.09Calvin RidleyWR
5.10Baker MayfieldQB
5.11Bo NixQB
5.12Tetairoa McMillanWR
5.13Jameson WilliamsWR
5.14Jaylen WaddleWR
6.01Isiah PachecoRB
6.02Mark AndrewsTE
6.03Jaylen WarrenRB
6.04Tony PollardRB
6.05Rome OdunzeWR
6.06J.J. McCarthyQB
6.07Joe MixonRB
6.08Jared GoffQB
6.09Travis EtienneRB
6.10Stefon DiggsWR
6.11Rashee RiceWR
6.12Kaleb JohnsonRB
6.13Jakobi MeyersWR
6.14Javonte WilliamsRB
7.01Rhamondre StevensonRB
7.02Jordan MasonRB
7.03Deebo SamuelWR
7.04Travis HunterWR
7.05Travis KelceTE
7.06Chris OlaveWR
7.07Jauan JenningsWR
7.08Michael PittmanWR
7.09Zach CharbonnetRB
7.10Chris GodwinWR
7.11David NjokuTE
7.12Evan EngramTE
7.13Drake MayeQB
7.14J.K. DobbinsRB
8.01Ricky PearsallWR
8.02Khalil ShakirWR
8.03Rashod BatemanWR
8.04Jordan AddisonWR
8.05Matthew GoldenWR
8.06Najee HarrisRB
8.07Dallas GoedertTE
8.08T.J. HockensonTE
8.09Tyjae SpearsRB
8.10Dak PrescottQB
8.11Tyler WarrenTE
8.12Rachaad WhiteRB
8.13Jayden ReedWR
8.14Brock PurdyQB

McLaurin is getting up there in years and there's a contract issue. I'm not concerned. Washington is going to make McLaurin happy, and if people are shying away worried they won't, I'll take him.

Mixon has a foot injury. And he's older. And yet, Houston hasn't confirmed he'll miss anytime at all. Sixth round of a 14-team standard league as the RB30, either it will be a blown pick or the steal of the draft. We'll see. No regrets in taking Mixon here; worth the risk. Michael Pittman, we're not big fans, but potential No. 1 WR as the 40th player at the position off the board, sure. It appears I'll have Dallas Goedert in every league this year.

ROUNDS 9-12
PkPlayerPos
9.01Emeka EgbukaWR
9.02Jake FergusonTE
9.03Marvin MimsWR
9.04Cam SkatteboRB
9.05Keon ColemanWR
9.06Colston LovelandTE
9.07Tank BigsbyRB
9.08Cooper KuppWR
9.09Josh DownsWR
9.10Austin EkelerRB
9.11Bhayshul TutenRB
9.12Quinshon JudkinsRB
9.13Philadelphia EaglesD/ST
9.14Rashid ShaheedWR
10.01Braelon AllenRB
10.02Wan'Dale RobinsonWR
10.03Jerome FordRB
10.04Keenan AllenWR
10.05Darnell MooneyWR
10.06Tucker KraftTE
10.07Trey BensonRB
10.08Jayden HigginsWR
10.09Caleb WilliamsQB
10.10Ray DavisRB
10.11Isaac GuerendoRB
10.12Luther BurdenWR
10.13Brandon AubreyPK
10.14Trevor LawrenceQB
11.01Kyle PittsTE
11.02Dylan SampsonRB
11.03Dalton KincaidTE
11.04Jaydon BlueRB
11.05Christian KirkWR
11.06Hunter HenryTE
11.07Nick ChubbRB
11.08Zach ErtzTE
11.09Woody MarksRB
11.10Rico DowdleRB
11.11Michael PenixATL
11.12Denver BroncosD/ST
11.13Anthony RichardsonQB
11.14Brandon AiyukWR
12.01Tyler AllgeierRB
12.02Quentin JohnstonWR
12.03Demario DouglasWR
12.04Dont'e ThorntonWR
12.05Joshua PalmerWR
12.06Jordan LoveQB
12.07Justin HerbertQB
12.08Justin FieldsQB
12.09Jaylen WrightRB
12.10Miles SandersRB
12.11Tre HarrisWR
12.12Alec PierceWR
12.13Roschon JohnsonRB
12.14Kyle WilliamsWR

I'm pretty cool on aging Cooper Kupp. But WR51? That's behind most No. 2 wide receivers. I'm not going to bang the drum for him too much but pretty good chance he outperforms that draft position. Trey Benson, I view as more than a quote unquote handcuff. I think Arizona is going to run a ton and it's going to be more of a 70-30 backfield last year. Either way, I needed another running back, and Conner always misses time to injury. Zach Ertz and Justin Herbert, I want to have solid No. 2 options at quarterback and tight end, and these guys will do nicely. Just scraps left at RB and WR at this point in a 14-team league.

ROUNDS 13-18
PkPlayerPos
13.01Will ShipleyRB
13.02Brenton StrangeTE
13.03Xavier LegetteWR
13.04Isaiah LikelyTE
13.05C.J. StroudQB
13.06Romeo DoubsWR
13.07Jonnu SmithTE
13.08Cedric TillmanWR
13.09Adam ThielenWR
13.10Bryce YoungQB
13.11Tahj BrooksRB
13.12Cam WardQB
13.13Jalen CokerWR
13.14Kendre MillerRB
14.01Darius SlaytonWR
14.02Jalen McMillanWR
14.03Jack BechWR
14.04Elijah ArroyoTE
14.05Pittsburgh SteelersD/ST
14.06Minnesota VikingsD/ST
14.07Baltimore RavensD/ST
14.08Roman WilsonWR
14.09Justice HillRB
14.10Chigoziem OkonkwoTE
14.11Houston TexansD/ST
14.12MarShawn LloydRB
14.13Tory HortonWR
14.14DJ GiddensRB
15.01Buffalo BillsD/ST
15.02Marquise BrownWR
15.03Matthew StaffordQB
15.04Jake BatesPK
15.05Kareem HuntRB
15.06Detroit LionsD/ST
15.07Andrei IosivasWR
15.08Isaac TeSlaaWR
15.09Darren WallerTE
15.10Cameron DickerPK
15.11Seattle SeahawksD/ST
15.12Chase McLaughlinPK
15.13Sean TuckerRB
15.14Michael WilsonWR
16.01Juwan JohnsonTE
16.02Ty JohnsonRB
16.03Jaleel McLaughlinRB
16.04Kyle MonangaiRB
16.05Mason TaylorTE
16.06Jake ElliottPK
16.07Blake CorumRB
16.08Los Angeles ChargersD/ST
16.09Wil LutzPK
16.10Jalen TolbertWR
16.11Keaton MitchellRB
16.12Geno SmithQB
16.13New England PatriotsD/ST
16.14Chris BoswellPK
17.01DeAndre HopkinsWR
17.02Sam DarnoldQB
17.03New York JetsD/ST
17.04Dameon PierceRB
17.05Harrison ButkerPK
17.06Green Bay PackersD/ST
17.07Jalen NailorWR
17.08Ka'imi FairbairnPK
17.09Emanuel WilsonRB
17.10Josh ReynoldsWR
17.11Jalen RoyalsWR
17.12Harold FanninTE
17.13Cam LittlePK
17.14Brandon McManusPK
18.01Arizona CardinalsD/ST
18.02Raheem MostertRB
18.03Brashard SmithRB
18.04Younghoe KooPK
18.05Jacory Croskey-MerrittRB
18.06Chicago BearsD/ST
18.07Pat FreiermuthTE
18.08Evan McPhersonPK
18.09Tyler LockettWR
18.10Cincinnati BengalsD/ST
18.11Tua TagovailoaQB
18.12Matt GayPK
18.13JuJu Smith-SchusterWR
18.14Aaron RodgersQB

Kickers, defenses, young fliers at running back and wide receiver, and veterans who seem like viable options. Why the person who drafted Kyren Williams didn't select Blake Corum before Round 16 is beyond me. (I didn't draft Josh Jacobs or Joe Mixon backups because no one actually knows who the No. 2 is and if they'll play in a committee anyway; that's not the case with Corum and the Rams.) Would TeSlaa being a viable wide receiver in Standard this year as a No. 3 or potential No. 2 be out of the question? I don't think so.

That's the team, please feel free to question, rip, or say who I should / you would have drafted instead, and I'll defend below.

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