Led by a Quality Group of RBs, Hulk Smash Dominated This Draft
Draft Summary
Hulk Smash had the unfortunate honor of picking seventh overall. It is unclear whether it was luck or monk-level concentration, but Hulk Smash did well and is projected to finish first in Hockey Mayhem League with 1,763 points and a record of 13-1-0. They used their first three picks on wideouts DeAndre Hopkins (7th overall), Julio Jones (15th), and Keenan Allen (23rd), giving them a competitive “500” team that should dominate the playground in no time. They ended up with one of the top groups of RBs in the league, as they added David Johnson, Carlos Hyde, Jonathan Stewart, and LeGarrette Blount.
Keeper Summary
Hulk Smash made use of two of their three keeper spots to retain Julio Jones (4.1 ADP) and David Johnson (4.4 ADP). From an ADP perspective, both of their keepers are of first-round quality. Overall, the keepers on Hulk Smash are projected to be significantly more productive (by 47%) than the draft picks they replaced.
Schedule
Whether by good fortune or well-planned strategy, Hulk Smash has secured a favorable bye week schedule for their superstars. Of their top five players in projected points, none share a common off week. Looking at the season as a whole, they have the easiest slate. Hulk Smash has the opportunity to finish the season on a hot streak, as the last four games of their season are projected to be less difficult than the league average.
Draft Notes
- Stockpiling Talent at TE
Hulk Smash should be in good shape with five position groups projected to be better-than-average. TE is definitely the strongest among them.
- Separating the Wheat from the Chaff
At four different positions, Hulk Smash picked up projected top-two players (including Russell Wilson, Julio Jones, and Jordan Reed).
- My One and Only
Ignoring roster depth, Hulk Smash chose only one player at four different positions (QB, TE, DEF, and K).
- A Dominating Pair
Hulk Smash has a pair of fantasy MVPs in their lineup. Last season, two of their players (DeAndre Hopkins and Julio Jones) finished among the top-20 players that were on the most first-place fantasy teams.
- Apparently ADP is Overrated
With their 10th-round pick, Hulk Smash pulled the trigger. They took Danny Woodhead at pick number 79 despite an ADP of just 117.5 across all Yahoo! leagues.
- A Target for Hulk Smash
The only RB to see 100+ targets last season, Woodhead concluded the season with 10 targets in each of the final two weeks of 2015.
Liberty City Outlaws
B+ Grade
Led by Two Cowboys, Liberty City Outlaws Has a Squad Built to Reach the Playoffs
Draft Summary
Picking sixth, Liberty City Outlaws put together a team that is expected to finish the season in a favorable spot. There’s something to be said for a GM who flipped a bottom of the barrel pick into a projected third-place finish in Hockey Mayhem League (9-5-0, 1,670 points). They used a conservative plan early to fill out their lineup, selecting QB Drew Brees (38th overall), RBs Ezekiel Elliott (6th) and Doug Martin (22nd), and WRs Brandin Cooks (14th) and Dez Bryant (30th). They also have the highest-scoring group of RBs in the league, as they added Elliott, Devonta Freeman, and Martin to the team.
Keeper Summary
Liberty City Outlaws made use of two of their three keeper spots to retain Dez Bryant (11.2 ADP) and Devonta Freeman (22.7 ADP). On average, their two keepers are substantially more valuable (by 26.6%) than the draft picks that they replaced.
Schedule
Whether by good fortune or well-planned strategy, Liberty City Outlaws has secured a favorable bye week schedule for their superstars. Of their top five players in projected points, none share a common off week. Taking a look at the entire season from start to finish, they have one of the weakest schedules. Along with having the second-easiest overall schedule, Liberty City Outlaws has the league’s toughest first four games and second-softest last four games of the season.
Draft Notes
- Utter Ridiculousness
In Week 9, both Arizona and Cincinnati will be on bye. Drafting two defenses with the same bye week is a unique strategy, Liberty City Outlaws.
- Defense Wins Championships?
Liberty City Outlaws chose to go with two DEFs instead of loading up at other spots.
- A Dominating Pair
Liberty City Outlaws has a pair of fantasy MVPs in their lineup. Last season, two of their players (Doug Martin and Devonta Freeman) finished among the top-20 players that were on the most first-place fantasy teams.
- A Low Floor, but a High Ceiling?
Liberty City Outlaws grabbed a sleeper in Jared Cook with pick No. 134.
- A Multifaceted Machine
Freeman is a dual-threat back for Liberty City Outlaws, racking up points on the ground and through the air. He ranks second among RBs in projected receiving yards with 582.
- Mr. Irrelevant
In terms of projected points, the choice of Jared Cook with the 134th pick gave Liberty City Outlaws the worst pick of the final round. This Mr. Irrelevant gets no parade, unfortunately.
NewEngland Deflators
B Grade
With Too Many Reaches Early, NewEngland Deflators Will Be Alone at the Bottom
Draft Summary
Entering the draft with the third overall pick, the expectations were high for NewEngland Deflators. Then they drafted. Those expectations quickly vanished with a projected sixth-place finish in Hockey Mayhem League at 4-10-0 (1,623 points). With five RBs on the roster, NewEngland Deflators loaded up on solid options; their RBs are projected to average 146 points this season, close to the league average of 153. They also landed the best RB pair in the league, as they have Adrian Peterson and LeSean McCoy to carry the load.
Keeper Summary
NewEngland Deflators made use of two of their three keeper slots to retain Ben Roethlisberger (44.6 ADP) and Denver (65.4 ADP). From an ADP perspective, their top-ranked keeper (Ben Roethlisberger) is less valuable than a first-round draft choice. Overall, the two keepers on NewEngland Deflators are projected to be substantially less productive (by 10.2%) than the draft picks they replaced.
Schedule
NewEngland Deflators should use Week 10 to consider life’s great mysteries, like why there’s only one word for thesaurus. That’s still time better spent than checking fantasy football that week. They have three players and the most projected fantasy points on bye that week. Taking a look at the entire season from start to finish, they have an easier-than-average schedule. Along with having the fourth-easiest overall schedule, NewEngland Deflators has the softest last four games of the season.
Draft Notes
- Great Idea, Poor Execution
NewEngland Deflators might need to hit the waiver wire in Week 9, as their No. 1- (Alshon Jeffery), No. 2- (Julian Edelman) and No. 5-ranked (Pierre Garcon) WRs will all be resting that week.
- Like Choosing your Favorite Kardashian
NewEngland Deflators will have some tricky calls to make each week at RB, with a slim projected points difference between their third- (Chris Ivory), fourth- (Isaiah Crowell), and fifth-ranked (DeAngelo Williams) RBs.
- Team of Winners
NewEngland Deflators is rocking a team of fantasy MVPs. Last season, three of their players were among the top-20 players that were on the most first-place fantasy teams (Adrian Peterson, Gary Barnidge, and DeAngelo Williams).
- A Low Floor, but a High Ceiling?
NewEngland Deflators nabbed a sleeper in Virgil Green with pick No. 115.
- A Bit of a Reach
NewEngland Deflators went out on a limb with their ninth-round pick. Across all Yahoo! leagues, Chris Ivory has an ADP of 96.9, but he was grabbed at pick No. 67. Patience is a virtue, NewEngland Deflators.
- Did Stretch Armstrong Make That Pick?
Grabbing Virgil Green at pick 115 was definitely a reach. Green is owned on just a handful of teams across all Yahoo! leagues.
Forte Shades of Jay
B Grade
With a Projected Finish of Fifth, Forte Shades of Jay Is Good Enough to Barely Miss Playoffs
Draft Summary
Joe Theismann once said “a genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.” No one will mistake the GM of Forte Shades of Jay for Norman Einstein after this draft, putting together a roster that is projected to finish fifth in Hockey Mayhem League and miss the playoffs. Unless changes are made, they will likely finish with a record of 5-9-0 (1,603 points). If they have a bad season, it won’t be due to a lack of wide receivers, as they used three of their first five selections to pick up WRs Allen Robinson (second round), Brandon Marshall (third round), and Sammy Watkins (fourth round). In spite of that positional emphasis, they landed one of the lowest-scoring groups of WRs in the league.
Keeper Summary
Forte Shades of Jay chose to use none of their three keeper spots, instead leaving their fantasy fate solely in the hands of the draft.
Schedule
Whether by good fortune or well-planned strategy, Forte Shades of Jay has secured a favorable bye week schedule for their superstars. Of their top five players in projected points, none share a common off week. Looking at the entire season, they have a more-difficult-than-average schedule. Along with the fourth-most grueling overall schedule, both the first four games and last four games of the season are pretty average for Forte Shades of Jay.
Draft Notes
- Up, Up, and Away
With six players projected to significantly beat their previous year’s fantasy points, Forte Shades of Jay hopes to have found some up-and-coming stars.
- Team of Champions?
Forte Shades of Jay is fielding a team of fantasy MVPs. Last season, three of their players were among the top-20 players that were on the most championship rosters across all Yahoo! leagues: Todd Gurley, Allen Robinson, and Brandon Marshall.
- Big D
Forte Shades of Jay elected to go with two DEFs instead of loading up at other spots.
- A Low Floor, but a High Ceiling?
Forte Shades of Jay grabbed a sleeper in Dwayne Allen with pick No. 122.
- Returning to Greatness
If special teams contributions count in Hockey Mayhem League, Forte Shades of Jay may have found a gem in Tyler Lockett. Including his 753 projected return yards, he ranks fifth in the league with 1,601 all-purpose yards.
- Earning His Keep
Projections have Philip Rivers finishing with 28.5 passing TDs and 4,549 yards, good enough to rank him at ninth and fifth respectively.
Syracuse Express
B Grade
With a Pair of Steelers Highlighting the Roster, Syracuse Express Wins at Fantasy Football and Life
Draft Summary
Coinciding with a juicy draft position (first overall), Syracuse Express had an outstanding performance. They’re projected to finish second in Hockey Mayhem League with a record of 11-3-0 (1,653 points). They stocked up on pass-catching weapons early on, using three of their first five selections to pick up WRs Antonio Brown (first round), Jordy Nelson (third round), and Golden Tate (fifth round). These guys could be the key to the season for Syracuse Express, as they are the most prolific group of WRs in the league.
Keeper Summary
Syracuse Express chose to use none of their three keeper spots, instead leaving their fantasy fate solely in the hands of the draft.
Schedule
Syracuse Express should just disappear for a while during Week 9. They have three players and the most projected fantasy points on bye that week. Taking a look at the entire season from start to finish, they have one of the softest slates. Along with having the third-easiest overall schedule, Syracuse Express has the league’s easiest first four games and second-most difficult last four games of the season.
Draft Notes
- Just Like Choosing Your Favorite Taylor Swift Song
Syracuse Express will have some tricky calls to make each week at RB, with a slim projected points difference between their third- (Melvin Gordon), fourth- (Matt Jones), and fifth-ranked (DeMarco Murray) RBs.
- Youthful Exuberance
With an average of just 4.4 years of NFL experience, Syracuse Express has assembled the youngest team in the league.
- A Dominating Pair
Syracuse Express has a pair of fantasy MVPs in their lineup. Last season, two of their players (Antonio Brown and Thomas Rawls) finished among the top-20 players that were on the most first-place fantasy teams.
- No Back-Up No Cry
Ignoring roster depth, Syracuse Express chose only one player at three different positions (TE, DEF, and K).
- You Snooze, You Lose
While the rest of the league slept on Dak Prescott, Syracuse Express pounced on him at pick No. 113.
- A Bit of a Reach
Syracuse Express went out on a limb with their ninth-round pick. Across all Yahoo! leagues, Matt Jones has an ADP of 82.1, but he was grabbed at pick No. 65. Patience is a virtue, Syracuse Express.
Georgia Bullies
C+ Grade
In Spite of Some Early-Round Reaches, Georgia Bullies Has a Legit Squad
Draft Summary
Putting together a decent team, Georgia Bullies didn’t want to show up the Hockey Mayhem League and build some unbeatable juggernaut. They instead focused on building a team with a good chance to make the playoffs. Humbly, they are expected to finish in fourth-place in Hockey Mayhem League at 6-8-0 (1,575 points). With their first five picks, Georgia Bullies aimed for balance, selecting QB Tom Brady (37th overall), RBs Jamaal Charles (13th) and Matt Forte (29th), and WRs A.J. Green (5th) and Mike Evans (21st). They also landed the lowest-scoring group of RBs in the league, as they added Charles, Forte, Giovani Bernard, and Derrick Henry.
Keeper Summary
Georgia Bullies chose to use none of their three keeper spots, instead leaving their fantasy fate solely in the hands of the draft.
Schedule
Georgia Bullies should do pretty much anything other than watch football during Week 9. They have four players and the most projected fantasy points on bye that week. Based on their opponents’ projected points, they have a tougher-than-average slate. Georgia Bullies has the opportunity to come out firing, as the first four games of their season are projected to be less difficult than the league average.
Draft Notes
- Afraid to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone?
With nine “low-risk” players among their 17 picks, Georgia Bullies is looking for dependable help.
- Aging Stars
The top half of the roster (from a projected points perspective) is relatively old (ranked No. 1 in the league with an average of 8.8 years of NFL experience), whereas the bottom half is fairly young (ranked No. 7 with 4.4 years).
- Georgia Bullies’s Stud Signal-Caller
Eli Manning is projected to rack up 314 points this year, enough to rank seventh among all QBs.
- Arm Cannon
Georgia Bullies chose one of the most explosive QBs in the league in Eli Manning. Among NFL QBs, he’s forecasted to rank third in both plays over 40 yards with 11.5 and TDs over 40 yards with 4.4.
- Earning His Keep
Eli Manning is projected to finish fourth in the NFL in passing TDs with 29.7 and third in passing yards with 4,604.
- Mr. Relevant
In terms of projected points, the choice of Matthew Stafford was the strongest pick of the final round. Savvy move, Georgia Bullies.
Rock Crushers
C Grade
After Some Early Gambles, Rock Crushers Should Probably Stop Reading This Draft Recap Now
Draft Summary
Entering the draft with the fourth overall pick, the expectations were high for Rock Crushers. Then they drafted. Those expectations quickly vanished with a projected eighth-place finish in Hockey Mayhem League at 4-10-0 (1,535 points). They focused on having a balanced offensive attack, selecting QB Aaron Rodgers (12th overall), RB Lamar Miller (4th), WR Randall Cobb (20th), and TE Greg Olsen (36th) within the first five rounds. They also built the worst group of WRs in the league, as they added Cobb, Larry Fitzgerald, Emmanuel Sanders, and Kendall Wright.
Keeper Summary
Rock Crushers took advantage of two of their three keeper slots to retain Aaron Rodgers (25.7 ADP) and Kendall Wright (132.2 ADP). From an ADP perspective, their top-ranked keeper (Aaron Rodgers) is less valuable than a first-round draft choice. Overall, the two keepers on Rock Crushers are projected to be marginally less productive (by 8.1%) than the draft picks they replaced.
Schedule
Rock Crushers should use Week 9 to consider life’s great mysteries, like why Greenland is ice and Iceland is green. It would be better than checking fantasy football that week. They have six players and the most projected fantasy points on bye that week. Looking at the entire season, they have the most challenging slate. In addition to having the most demanding overall schedule, Rock Crushers has the league’s second-easiest first four games and most difficult last four games of the season.
Draft Notes
- Like Choosing your Favorite Kardashian
Rock Crushers will have some tricky calls to make each week at RB, with a slim projected points difference between their third- (Rashad Jennings), fourth- (Jeremy Langford), and fifth-ranked (Frank Gore) RBs.
- Highlight Reel
QB is the strongest position for Rock Crushers, but TE and K are also stronger than the league average at those positions.
- May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor
Rock Crushers might need to consult a fortune teller each week. Their top-drafted QB (Aaron Rodgers) and second-drafted QB (Carson Palmer) have similar seasonal point projections.
- In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb
The GM of Rock Crushers must have had to leave their draft party early. After tallying the most projected points in the league over the draft’s first half, they racked up the fewest during the second half.
- AARP Card’s in the Mail
With an average of 8.9 years of NFL experience, Rock Crushers is the team most likely to have a player qualify for a senior citizen discount.
- Root, Root, Root for the Home Team
Rock Crushers is a believer in the hopes of the Green Bay Packers this year, grabbing a pair of players on that squad earlier than their ADPs might suggest.
Millennium Falcons
C Grade
Projected to Finish Seventh, Millennium Falcons Hasn’t Quite Figured Out This Whole “Draft a Good Team” Thing
Draft Summary
As Ricky Bobby’s dad once told him, “If you ain’t first you’re last.” Millennium Falcons really took that message to heart as they’re projected to finish near the bottom of Hockey Mayhem League with a record of 4-10-0 (1,537). While they’ll try to blame their poor season on the bad draft slot, the other GMs will know Millennium Falcons simply just dropped the ball.
Keeper Summary
Millennium Falcons took advantage of all three of their keeper slots, focusing on roster balance. They elected to retain a QB (Cam Newton, 19.9 ADP), RB (Eddie Lacy, 28.1 ADP), and WR (Odell Beckham Jr., 2.5 ADP). On average, their three keepers are significantly more valuable (by 60.5%) than the average draft picks that they replaced.
Schedule
Whether by good fortune or well-planned strategy, Millennium Falcons has secured a favorable bye week schedule for their superstars. Of their top five players in projected points, none share a common off week. Looking at the season as a whole, they have one of the hardest schedules. In addition to having the second-most grueling overall schedule, Millennium Falcons has the second-toughest first four games of the season.
Draft Notes
- Anyone Else Need a Tight End in Hockey Mayhem League?
The trade market may heat up around Week 9, as both Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett will be on bye for Millennium Falcons.
- Asset Management
Millennium Falcons is loaded at TE and QB. Could they be willing to leverage some of that talent and listen to trade offers from other teams in Hockey Mayhem League?
- “It’s Not Whether You Get Knocked Down, It’s Whether You Get Up”
After drafting the fewest projected points in the league over the draft’s first half, Millennium Falcons accumulated the most during the second half. Vince Lombardi would be proud.
- Good to Have Balance, Right?
While the bottom half of the Millennium Falcons roster is one of the strongest in the league (projected to be No. 1), the top of the roster is among the weakest (ranked No. 8).
- Taking Some Time to get Warmed Up
Millennium Falcons got off to a lackluster start, winding up with the weakest projected point total in the league during the first half of the draft.
- Team of Champions
Millennium Falcons assembled a team of fantasy MVPs. Last season, four of their players were among the top-20 players that were on the most championship rosters across all Yahoo! leagues, including Rob Gronkowski, Mark Ingram, and Cam Newton.
