2017 Football Draft Grades
Forte Shades of Jay
A Grade
Led by an Elite Group of RBs, Forte Shades of Jay Will Run This League
Draft Summary
Some people get the first pick and promptly blow it. Not Forte Shades of Jay though, they took the top pick in the draft and built a formidable fantasy squad. Their drafting skills paved the way for a projected first place finish in Hockey Mayhem League with a record of 12-2-0 (1,649 points). They obviously understand how important the running back position is in fantasy football. They used three of their first five picks on RBs Le’Veon Bell (first round), DeMarco Murray (second round), and Carlos Hyde (fifth round). These players will be heavily relied upon by Forte Shades of Jay, as they are the highest-scoring group of RBs in the league.
Keeper Summary
Forte Shades of Jay chose not to use any of their three keeper spots, instead leaving their fantasy fate solely in the hands of the draft.
Schedule
While Week 11 has the most players on bye for Forte Shades of Jay (four), Week 8 is actually projected to have the team’s highest number of idle fantasy points. Looking at the season as a whole, they have one of the weakest schedules. Along with having the second-easiest overall schedule, Forte Shades of Jay has the second-easiest first four games of the season.
Draft Notes
- Separating the Wheat from the Chaff
At three different positions, Forte Shades of Jay picked up projected top-two players (Le’Veon Bell, Adam Vinatieri, and Minnesota).
- Quarterback Controversy?
The coach of Forte Shades of Jay might need to flip a coin. Their top-drafted (Russell Wilson) and second-drafted (Marcus Mariota) QBs have very similar seasonal point projections.
- Nearly There
The top half of the Forte Shades of Jay roster is one of the strongest in the league (ranked No. 1). However, the bottom of the roster is among the weakest (ranked No. 6).
- Team of Champions
Forte Shades of Jay is rocking a team of fantasy MVPs. Last season, four of their players were among the top-20 players that were on the most first-place fantasy rosters, including Le’Veon Bell, DeMarco Murray, and T.Y. Hilton.
- A Pair With Potential
Kevin White and Josh Doctson are a couple of late-round fliers with intriguing upside for Forte Shades of Jay.
- My One and Only
Ignoring roster depth, Forte Shades of Jay chose only one player at three different positions (TE, DEF, and K).
ChrisChristiesNachos
A Grade
Loaded With Chargers, Hulk Smash Has a Squad Built to Reach the Playoffs
Draft Summary
Picking seventh, Hulk Smash 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, 1,660 points). They clearly wanted to assemble a wide receiver corps early, using three of their first five selections on Julio Jones (second round), Terrelle Pryor Sr. (third round), and Keenan Allen (fifth round). They also ultimately collected one of the best groups of RBs in the league, as they have David Johnson, Melvin Gordon, C.J. Anderson, and LeGarrette Blount on their team.
Keeper Summary
Hulk Smash made use of two of their three keeper spots to retain David Johnson (1.2 ADP) and Julio Jones (6.8 ADP). From an ADP perspective, both of their keepers are of first-round quality. Overall, the keepers on Hulk Smash are projected to be substantially more productive (by 57.1%) than the draft picks they replaced.
Schedule
Hulk Smash should do pretty much anything other than watch football during Week 9. They have five players and the most projected fantasy points on bye that week. Looking at the season as a whole, they have the least difficult schedule. Along with the easiest overall schedule, the first four games and last four games of the season are fairly average for Hulk Smash.
Draft Notes
- Welcome to Los Angeles
The fantasy hopes of Hulk Smash rest heavily on the fortunes of P-Riv’s crew, as they stockpiled four Chargers onto their roster.
- Separating the Wheat from the Chaff
At four different positions, Hulk Smash picked up projected top-two players (including Julio Jones, Rob Gronkowski, and David Johnson).
- A Los Angeles Chargers Homer?
With four of them on the roster, the fantasy hopes of Hulk Smash will depend heavily on the fortunes of the Chargers.
- Team of Champions
Hulk Smash 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 (Melvin Gordon, LeGarrette Blount, and David Johnson).
- Better Late Than Never
Hulk Smash finished on a high note, accumulating the most projected points in the league over the second half of the draft.
- TD Vulture
Despite ranking just 25th with 734 projected rushing yards, LeGarrette Blount is expected to break the plane 9 times to place fifth in the NFL in rushing TDs.
Rock Crushers
A- Grade
Projected to Finish Second, Rock Crushers is a Boss In the Draft Game
Draft Summary
Thanks to a successful draft by the obviously skilled GM, Rock Crushers turned the not-so-favorable fifth overall pick into a projected finish of second. They’re expected to go 11-3-0 (1,612 points) in Hockey Mayhem League. With their first five picks, Rock Crushers focused on a balanced offensive attack, selecting QB Tom Brady (21st overall), RBs Leonard Fournette (13th) and Marshawn Lynch (37th), and WRs A.J. Green (5th) and Alshon Jeffery (29th). They put together the best QB pair in the league, as they have Brady and Dak Prescott on the roster.
Keeper Summary
Rock Crushers chose not to use any of their three keeper spots, instead leaving their fantasy fate solely in the hands of the draft.
Schedule
While Week 8 has the most players on bye for Rock Crushers (four), Week 6 is actually projected to have the team’s highest number of idle fantasy points. Based on their opponents’ projected points, they have one of the least-difficult slates. Corresponding with the third-easiest overall schedule, Rock Crushers also has the second-softest last four games of the season.
Draft Notes
- Just Like Choosing Your Favorite Taylor Swift Song
Rock Crushers will have some tricky calls to make each week at RB, with a slim projected points difference between their third- (Marshawn Lynch), fourth- (Bilal Powell), and fifth-ranked (Mark Ingram) RBs.
- Carrying the Load
Rock Crushers has five above-average positions with TE and QB projected to lead the way.
- Separating the Wheat from the Chaff
At three different positions, Rock Crushers picked up projected top-two players (Tom Brady, Jimmy Graham, and Matt Bryant).
- Sky’s the Limit
With five players projected to significantly beat their previous year’s fantasy points, Rock Crushers hopes to have found some up-and-coming stars.
- Nearly There
The top half of the Rock Crushers roster is one of the strongest in the league (ranked No. 2). However, the bottom of the roster is among the weakest (ranked No. 7).
- A Dominating Pair
Rock Crushers has a pair of fantasy MVPs in their lineup. Last season, two of their players (Tom Brady and Jimmy Graham) finished among the top-20 players that were on the most first-place fantasy teams.
Georgia Bullies
B Grade
Loaded at Wide Receiver, Georgia Bullies Has Look of a Playoff Team
Draft Summary
Putting together a playoff-caliber roster, Georgia Bullies didn’t break any records with this draft, but they put together a quality team that will be tough to match up against. Looking at their schedule, they figure to reach the playoffs with a 6-8-0 record (1,554 points) and fourth-place finish in Hockey Mayhem League. 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 Mike Evans (first round), Doug Baldwin (third round), and DeAndre Hopkins (fourth round). A lot will be expected of this group, as they are the most prolific group of WRs in the league.
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
Week 11 might require some waiver-wire magic from Georgia Bullies. Their top three projected scorers (Andrew Luck, Jameis Winston and Jay Ajayi) will have a bye week. Taking a look at the season from start to finish, they have a weaker-than-average schedule. Georgia Bullies has the opportunity to close with a hot streak, as the last four games of their season are projected to be less difficult than the league average.
Draft Notes
- A Triumvirate of Talent
Georgia Bullies has three above-average positions on their roster (WR, RB, and DEF).
- The Best Player Plays
Georgia Bullies is the youngest squad in the league, with an average of just 4.7 years of NFL experience.
- Brett Favre is Just a Phone Call Away
Georgia Bullies grabbed a couple of QBs (Jameis Winston and Andrew Luck) that’ll both be on bye in Week 11, and will be looking for a signal-caller. You can try to call Brett, but texting him isn’t exactly encouraged.
- Good to Have Balance, Right?
While the bottom half of the Georgia Bullies roster is one of the strongest in the league (projected to be No. 2), the top half is among the weakest (ranked No. 6).
- Team of Champions?
Georgia Bullies 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: Mike Evans, Jay Ajayi, and Justin Tucker.
- Defense Wins Championships?
Georgia Bullies chose to go with two DEFs instead of loading up at other spots.
Millennium Falcons
B Grade
Despite an Exciting Set of WRs, Millennium Falcons Needs Work
Draft Summary
Mediocrity isn’t for everyone Millennium Falcons, so feel proud. Ok, maybe it is. But hey, you showed up, and that’s the important thing. After this average draft performance, Millennium Falcons is projected to go 6-8-0 (1,543 points) and finish fifth in Hockey Mayhem League.
Keeper Summary
Millennium Falcons made use of all three of their keeper slots, but neglected ball-carriers. Among their keepers, none were RBs. On average, their three keepers are significantly more valuable (by 32.8%) than the average draft picks that they replaced.
Schedule
Millennium Falcons should just disappear for a while during Week 5. They have eight players and the most projected fantasy points on bye that week. Based on their opponents’ projected points, they have a tougher-than-average slate. In addition to having the fourth-most grueling overall schedule, Millennium Falcons has the league’s easiest first four games and most difficult last four games of the season.
Draft Notes
- Just Like Choosing Your Favorite Taylor Swift Song
Millennium Falcons will have some tricky calls to make each week at RB, with a slim projected points difference between their third- (Adrian Peterson), fourth- (Ty Montgomery), and fifth-ranked (Joe Mixon) RBs.
- Starting Slowly
Millennium Falcons got off to a sluggish start, winding up with the fewest projected points in the league during the first half of the draft.
- Returning to Greatness
If special teams contributions count in Hockey Mayhem League, Millennium Falcons may have found a gem in Ted Ginn Jr. Including his 715 projected return yards, he ranks sixth in the league with 1,605 all-purpose yards.
- Millennium Falcons Went All YOLO Here
Grabbing De’Angelo Henderson at pick 98 was just a bit of a stretch. Henderson is owned on only a few rosters across all Yahoo! leagues.
- Cam Newton Likes His Eggs Scrambled
And a little runny, eh? Newton is projected to deliver 475 rushing yards, and ranks second among QBs in that category.
- Take One Play Off and He Burns You
Cam Newton likes to score quickly, ranking fourth among NFL QBs with 2.9 TDs over 40 yards.
NewEngland Deflator’s
C+ Grade
After Some Early Gambles, NewEngland Deflators is a Team Others Will Want to Play
Draft Summary
Playoffs?! NewEngland Deflators is projected to finish in eighth-place in Hockey Mayhem League with a 1-13-0 (1,512 points) record and you want to talk about playoffs?! NewEngland Deflators should just hope they can win a few games, let alone reach the playoffs.
Keeper Summary
NewEngland Deflators used all three of their keeper spots, but overlooked pass-catchers. Among their keepers, none were WRs. On average, their three keepers are marginally more valuable (by 0.7%) than the average draft picks that they replaced.
Schedule
Ever wonder what exactly was inside the briefcase in Pulp Fiction? NewEngland Deflators should use Week 8 to solve the mystery, since they certainly won’t be winning. They have five players and the most projected fantasy points on bye that week. Looking at the season as a whole, they have a tougher-than-average schedule. Along with having the third-most grueling overall schedule, NewEngland Deflators also has the second-toughest first four games of the season.
Draft Notes
- A Pair of Strengths
NewEngland Deflators has two positional units projected to be better than the league average, QB and RB.
- Senior Citizen Discount
With an average of 8.4 years of NFL experience, NewEngland Deflators is the team most likely to have a player become a grandpa.
- Team of Champions?
NewEngland Deflators 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: Jordy Nelson, Aaron Rodgers, and LeSean McCoy.
- Rocket Arm
Derek Carr has a cannon, projected to rank second among all QBs with 3 TDs over 40 yards.
- No, NewEngland Deflators, He’s Not Going To Follow You
There’s a very real possibility that Brad Evans’ thumbs fall off from all the tweets he’ll post about Taylor Gabriel this year. The Falcons’ weapon is projected to lead all WRs in TD plays over 40 yards.
- Digging Deep
Anquan Boldin is owned in only 2% of all Yahoo! leagues, but will surely reward NewEngland Deflators for their faith! Or not.
Liberty City Outlaws
C+ Grade
After Some Early Gambles, Liberty City Outlaws Can Make the Playoffs if They Just Replace Most of the Team
Draft Summary
If Liberty City Outlaws handles adversity during the season the way they did in this draft, it’s going to be a long year. After receiving the sixth overall pick they were clearly rattled, which was made evident by their draft performance. As a result, they are projected to finish sixth in Hockey Mayhem League with a record of 6-8-0 (1,509 points). With six receivers on the roster, Liberty City Outlaws guaranteed the WR position was all shored up. Compared to the league average of 112, their WRs’ projected average of 115 points this season is not much different than the rest of the wideout groups in the league. They also ultimately collected the weakest set of RBs in the league, as they added Ezekiel Elliott, Lamar Miller, Derrick Henry, and Matt Forte.
Keeper Summary
Liberty City Outlaws took advantage of two of their three keeper positions to retain Ezekiel Elliott (9.6 ADP) and Dez Bryant (18.8 ADP). From an ADP perspective, their top-ranked keeper (Ezekiel Elliott) is less valuable than a first-round draft choice. Overall, the two keepers on Liberty City Outlaws are projected to be slightly less productive (by 3%) than the draft picks they replaced.
Schedule
While Week 8 has the most players on bye for Liberty City Outlaws (five), Week 6 is actually projected to have the team’s highest number of idle fantasy points. Looking at the season as a whole, they have one of the hardest schedules. Along with having the second-most taxing overall schedule, Liberty City Outlaws has the league’s toughest first four games and softest last four games of the season.
Draft Notes
- Strength in Numbers
TE is the best position for Liberty City Outlaws, though WR and K are also stronger-than-average.
- Defense Wins Championships?
Hoping to play the favorable matchups week-to-week, Liberty City Outlaws chose to go with two DEFs instead of loading up at other spots.
- You Snooze, You Lose
While the rest of the league slept on John Brown, Liberty City Outlaws pounced on him at pick No. 134.
- Single Serving
Going with just a single TE (Martellus Bennett) and K (Dan Bailey), Liberty City Outlaws opted to add depth at other positions.
Syracuse Express
C Grade
Coinciding with Some Early-Round Reaches, Syracuse Express Hasn’t Quite Figured Out This Whole “Draft a Good Team” Concept
Draft Summary
Jerry Rice once stated, “I feel like I’m the best, but you’re not going to get me to say that.” Well, guess what, Syracuse Express, he isn’t going to claim that about your team either. Because that would be a lie. Syracuse Express is expected to finish seventh in Hockey Mayhem League with a record of 5-9-0 (1,505 points). They went with a balanced approach early, selecting QB Drew Brees (32nd overall), RB Christian McCaffrey (16th), WR Antonio Brown (8th), and TE Greg Olsen (40th) within the first five rounds. They’ve ultimately got the lowest-scoring group of WRs in the league, as they have Brown, Kelvin Benjamin, DeVante Parker, and Emmanuel Sanders for their rotation.
Keeper Summary
Syracuse Express made use of two of their three keeper positions to retain Antonio Brown (3.6 ADP) and Jordan Howard (11.8 ADP). On average, their two keepers are overwhelmingly more valuable (by 25.5%) than the draft picks that they replaced.
Schedule
While Week 9 has the most players on bye for Syracuse Express (five), Week 5 is actually projected to have the team’s highest number of idle fantasy points. Looking at the season as a whole, they have the toughest schedule. In addition to having the most taxing overall schedule, Syracuse Express has the second-hardest last four games of the season.
Draft Notes
- QB or Bust
Unfortunately, QB is the only strong position on Syracuse Express. Fortunately, there’s always next year.
- Carolina Panthers Fan?
Syracuse Express is a believer in the hopes of the Carolina Panthers this season, grabbing a couple of players on that team sooner than their ADPs might suggest.
- Team of Champions?
Syracuse Express 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: Antonio Brown, Drew Brees, and Jordan Howard.
- Checked Out Early
Syracuse Express didn’t exactly wrap up the draft on a high note, ending up with the fewest projected points in the league over the second half of the draft.
- Protect His Blind Side
Let’s hope the injury bug doesn’t bite Drew Brees. Syracuse Express preferred depth at other positions and grabbed Brees as their only QB.
- You Snooze, You Lose
While the rest of the league slept on James Conner, Syracuse Express pounced on him at pick No. 128.
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