Ruler of Fantasy Mocks the Competition

As the start of the NFL season approaches, the fantasy fanatics here at the Fantasy Football Cafe conducted a mock draft to assist you in determining the approximate value of your favorite NFL players. The results of the draft are listed below and my opinions and projections of the draft are below the results. We hope this mock can help you in your own drafting this season.

 
The draft consisted of 10 teams. Scoring is standard; roster requirements are:

1 QB
2 RB
2 WR
1 TE
1 DST
1 K
7 BN
 

Pick #	Player	Round	Team
1.	LaDainian Tomlinson – RB, SD	1	Jas
2.	Adrian Peterson – RB, Min	1	grl
3.	Brian Westbrook – RB, Phi	1	RoF
4.	Joseph Addai – RB, Ind	1	che
5.	Steven Jackson – RB, StL	1	e21
6.	Clinton Portis – RB, Was	1	dmc
7.	Marion Barber – RB, Dal	1	trt
8.	Tom Brady – QB, NE	1	bt
9.	Randy Moss – WR, NE	1	erc
10.	Frank Gore – RB, SF	1	Ham
11.	Terrell Owens – WR, Dal	2	Ham
12.	Larry Johnson – RB, KC	2	erc
13.	Ryan Grant – RB, GB	2	bt
14.	Marshawn Lynch – RB, Buf	2	trt
15.	Reggie Wayne – WR, Ind	2	dmc
16.	Andre Johnson – WR, Hou	2	e21
17.	Brandon Jacobs – RB, NYG	2	che
18.	Peyton Manning – QB, Ind	2	RoF
19.	Larry Fitzgerald – WR, Ari	2	grl
20.	Willis McGahee – RB, Bal	2	Jas
21.	Braylon Edwards – WR, Cle	3	Jas
22.	Maurice Jones-Drew – RB, Jax	3	grl
23.	Marques Colston – WR, NO	3	RoF
24.	Jamal Lewis – RB, Cle	3	che
25.	T.J Houshmandzadeh – WR, Cin	3	e21
26.	Tony Romo – QB, Dal	3	dmc
27.	Laurence Maroney – RB, NE	3	trt
28.	Willie Parker – RB, Pit	3	bt
29.	Steve Smith – WR, Car	3	erc
30.	Chad Johnson – WR, Cin	3	Ham
31.	Drew Brees – QB, NO	4	Ham
32.	Reggie Bush – RB, NO	4	erc
33.	Torry Holt – WR, StL	4	bt
34.	Wes Welker – WR, NE	4	trt
35.	Michael Turner – RB, Atl	4	dmc
36.	Rudi Johnson – RB, Cin	4	e21
37.	Greg Jennings – WR, GB	4	che
38.	Earnest Graham – RB, TB	4	RoF
39.	Thomas Jones – RB, NYJ	4	grl
40.	Plaxico Burress – WR, NYG	4	Jas
41.	Jason Witten – TE, Dal	5	Jas
42.	Santonio Holmes – WR, Pit	5	grl
43.	Anquan Boldin – WR, Ari	5	RoF
44.	Antonio Gates – TE, SD	5	che
45.	Ronnie Brown – RB, Mia	5	e21
46.	Brandon Marshall – WR, Den	5	dmc
47.	Kellen Winslow – TE, Cle	5	trt
48.	Edgerrin James – RB, Ari	5	bt
49.	Carson Palmer – QB, Cin	5	erc
50.	Fred Taylor – RB, Jax	5	Ham
51.	Ben Roethlisberger – QB, Pit	6	Ham
52.	Tony Gonzalez – TE, KC	6	erc
53.	Roy Williams – WR, Det	6	bt
54.	Calvin Johnson – WR, Det	6	trt
55.	LenDale White – RB, Ten	6	dmc
56.	Jerricho Cotchery – WR, NYJ	6	e21
57.	Lee Evans – WR, Buf	6	che
58.	Darren McFadden – RB, Oak	6	RoF
59.	Marvin Harrison – WR, Ind	6	grl
60.	Selvin Young – RB, Den	6	Jas
61.	Roddy White – WR, Atl	7	Jas
62.	Dallas Clark – TE, Ind	7	grl
63.	Derek Anderson – QB, Cle	7	RoF
64.	Hines Ward – WR, Pit	7	che
65.	Chris Cooley – TE, Was	7	e21
66.	Dwayne Bowe – WR, KC	7	dmc
67.	Jonathan Stewart – RB, Car	7	trt
68.	Julius Jones – RB, Sea	7	bt
69.	Matt Hasselbeck – QB, Sea	7	erc
70.	Donovan McNabb – QB, Phi	7	Ham
71.	Matt Forte – RB, Chi	8	Ham
72.	Donald Driver – WR, GB	8	erc
73.	Brett Favre – QB, NYJ	8	bt
74.	Bernard Berrian – WR, Min	8	trt
75.	Jeremy Shockey – TE, NO	8	dmc
76.	Eli Manning – QB, NYG	8	e21
77.	Philip Rivers – QB, SD	8	che
78.	Joey Galloway – WR, TB	8	RoF
79.	DeAngelo Williams – RB, Car	8	grl
80.	Chester Taylor – RB, Min	8	Jas
81.	Marc Bulger – QB, StL	9	Jas
82.	Laveranues Coles – WR, NYJ	9	grl
83.	Vincent Jackson – WR, SD	9	RoF
84.	Anthony Gonzalez – WR, Ind	9	che
85.	Chris Chambers – WR, SD	9	e21
86.	Rashard Mendenhall – RB, Pit	9	dmc
87.	Kevin Smith – RB, Det	9	trt
88.	Travis Henry – RB, Den	9	bt
89.	Kevin Curtis – WR, Phi	9	erc
90.	Reggie Brown – WR, Phi	9	Ham
91.	Justin Fargas – RB, Oak	10	Ham
92.	Javon Walker – WR, Oak	10	erc
93.	Duece McAllister – RB, NO	10	bt
94.	Sidney Rice – WR, Min	10	trt
95.	Patrick Crayton – WR, Dal	10	dmc
96.	Ahman Green – RB, Hou	10	e21
97.	Kenny Watson – RB, Cin	10	che
98.	Vernon Davis – TE, SF	10	RoF
99.	Jay Cutler – QB, Den	10	grl
100.	Santana Moss – WR, Was	10	Jas
101.	Matt Schaub – QB, Hou	11	Jas
102.	Derrick Mason – WR, Bal	11	grl
103.	Felix Jones – RB, Dal	11	RoF
104.	David Garrard – QB, Jax	11	che
105.	Todd Heap – TE, Bal	11	e21
106.	Jake Delhomme – QB, Car	11	dmc
107.	Aaron Rodgers – QB, GB	11	trt
108.	Cedric Benson – RB, Chi	11	bt
109.	Kevin Jones – RB, Chi	11	erc
110.	Ben Watson – TE, NE	11	Ham
111.	Reggie Williams – WR, Jax	12	Ham
112.	Jerious Norwood – RB, Atl	12	erc
113.	Chicago Bears – Def	12	bt
114.	Chris Johnson – RB, Ten	12	trt
115.	Ray Rice – RB, Bal	12	dmc
116.	Sammy Morris – RB, NE	12	e21
117.	Ronald Curry – WR, Oak	12	che
118.	Ricky Williams – RB, Ind	12	RoF
119.	Jon Kitna – QB, Det	12	grl
120.	Pierre Thomas – RB, NO	12	Jas
121.	Minnesota Vikings – Def	13	Jas
122.	San Diego Chargers – Def	13	grl
123.	Green Bay Packers – Def	13	RoF
124.	Baltimore Ravens – Def	13	che
125.	New England Patriots – Def	13	e21
126.	Indianapolis Colts – Def	13	dmc
127.	Jacksonville Jaguars – Def	13	trt
128.	Heath Miller – TE, Pit	13	bt
129.	New York Giants – Def	13	erc
130.	Pittsburgh Steelers – Def	13	Ham
131.	Mason Crosby – K, GB	14	Ham
132.	Nate Kaeding – K, SD	14	erc
133.	Adam Vinatieri – K, Ind	14	bt
134.	Nick Folk – K, Dal	14	trt
135.	Stephen Gostkowski – K, NE	14	dmc
136.	Josh Brown – K, StL	14	e21
137.	Shayne Graham – K, Cin	14	che
138.	Robbie Gould – K, Chi	14	RoF
139.	Jason Elam – K, Atl	14	grl
140.	Rob Bironas – K, Ten	14	Jas

Jas = JasonSeahorn grl = jetgirl RoF = Ruler of Fantasy che = cheech e21 = eagles21 dmc = dmacblue trt = treat24 bt = beach trash erc = ericvalent57 Ham = Ham Wallets

 

While most teams did fairly well, there are some that stood head and shoulders above the rest. Conversely, there was another that may have been on auto draft. The following article will provide my insights as to the best and the worst teams of this draft. Teams are presented in the order they were drafted. Team names that are underlined are projected to make the playoffs.

1. JasonSeahorn: Since the real Jason Sehorn is retired and there were no individual defensive players selected in this draft, with the first pick in the 2008 Fantasy Football Cafe draft JasonSeahorn selected LaDainian Tomlinson. Some might argue that Adrian Peterson (or AD, as in ‘All Day’) is the top choice, but for consistency and durability, JasonSeahorn can’t go wrong there. The rest of his running back stable is questionable, however. While the Ravens insist Willis McGahee will start the regular season, his injured left knee is cause for concern, as is the health of his offensive line. Luckily, if McGahee doesn’t pan out, Selvin Young should. Young has the skills to carry the Broncos running game, and his value increased with the injury to Ryan Torain. Although Broncos coach Mike Shanahan stated that Young will see only 15 carries per game on average, I don’t believe him. Necessity is the mother of invention and Young will likely be the full time back for the Broncos. This makes him a great pick in the sixth round. At wide receiver, Braylon Edwards and Plaxico Burress are a nice one-two punch. Roddy White is an excellent backup and Jason Witten will be magical in a stellar Dallas offense. At QB, Marc Bulger looks to remain healthy. His productivity will determine where this team finishes in the league.
Outlook: JasonSeahorn holds it together to grab a top three finish and a playoff spot.

2. jetgirl: jetgirl picked three great RB options in the first four picks with AD, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Thomas Jones (keeping it real to her NYJ roots). Sandwiched in between was a top five WR in Larry Fitzgerald. Santonio Holmes has outstanding potential to be a top ten wide receiver in Pittsburgh and jetgirl received good value for Dallas Clark in the seventh round (a top four tight end in my opinion). Where this team falters is at the quarterback position. Jay Cutler and John Kitna don’t impress. Jetgirl is really banking on the promise of Cutler, but the suspension of Brandon Marshall hurts his potential. As for Kitna, Lions management was hoping to replace him. However, Kitna looked sharp in the first preseason game and appears to have a strangle hold on the job. The QB position will determine this team’s finish.
Outlook: Cutler doesn’t cut it and jetgirl’s team falls towards the back of the pack.

3. Ruler of Fantasy: Ruler of Fantasy ruled the mock draft, scoring with exceptional picks at almost every position. Though not a point-per-reception league, Westbrook and Graham make for a fantastic starting backfield. Peyton Manning, Marques Colston, and Anquan Boldin are all tier-one and -two players at their respective positions. Vernon Davis is a bit of a gamble, but this team is so solid at the other positions, including kicker and defense, that the concern is minimal. Furthermore, Derek Anderson will excel this year with the addition of Dante Stallworth and will make for superb trade bait should this team falter due to injury. The only real weakness on this team is its bench.
Outlook: Regular Season Champion.

4. cheech: cheech will be fighting all year to improve. While I am a big fan of Joseph Addai and Brandon Jacobs, and I like the depth at running back with Jamal Lewis, this team definitely has issues at quarterback and wide receiver. Yes, the Phillip Rivers to Antonio Gates combination is exciting. And sure, this will be the first full year Rivers has with Chris Chambers. But the advantages gained do not outweigh the fact that Rivers is simply a mediocre quarterback who forgets all proper mechanics when under pressure. Greg Jennings was a stud last year at WR, but I suspect the growing pains of Aaron Rogers will limit the productivity of Jennings. Perhaps Santonio Holmes, Anquan Boldin, or Jericho Cotchery would have been a better pick. I also am not enamored with Lee Evans. Evans certainly has potential and talent, but as Calvin Coolidge said, “nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.” This team is mediocre and needs to make several roster moves if they want to compete for the playoffs.
Outlook: Too many questions to consider this a playoff team. Ninth place finish.

5. eagles21: As a fellow Eagles fan it pains me to write this… this team will most likely place in the bottom quarter of the league. The marquee names are appealing, though a closer look reveals that this team is a series of injuries waiting to happen. Steven Jackson, Andre Johnson, Rudi Johnson, Ronnie Brown, Ahman Green, and Todd Heap all missed significant playing time last year due to injury. Expect at least half of them to do so again. Even the New England defense is torn up from the floor up, with injuries to Tank Williams (out for the year), Rodney Harrison, and James Sanders. The only bright spots come from wide receivers T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Jericho Cotchery and tight end Chris Cooley. Barring significant trade activity or waiver wire pick ups, eagles21 will likely finish in the bottom three.
Outlook: 8th place finish.

6. dmacblue: This is definitely a strong team. Clinton Portis, Reggie Wayne, and Tony Romo are three exceptional players and provide a solid foundation for a playoff team. Brandon Marshall may be suspended to begin the season, but Dwayne Bowe will fill in nicely and may even maintain the starting role. At tight end, Jeremy Shockey should excel in New Orleans with Drew Brees. One note: Ray Rice is a nice pick, but why not select Ladell Betts as handcuff to an injury-prone Portis?
Outlook: Regular season runner up.

7. treat24: The Green Bay Packers are expecting big things from Aaron Rodgers and so is treat24. Treat24 waited until the 11th round to draft a starting quarterback and did not draft a backup QB. While this is an interesting strategy, it’s not necessarily a strategy to be recommended. With that said, this team has a superior core at running back with Marion Barber III, Marshawn Lynch, and Laurence Maroney. Kevin Smith could win the starting job in Detroit, as could Chris Johnson in Tennessee, who was an excellent pick in the 12th round. This kind of running back depth could ease concerns at QB with the right trade. As for wide receiver, the team lacks a number-one pass catcher. Wes Welker is a nice WR2 and Calvin Johnson has a lot of promise in Detroit. Bernard Berrian is a nice sleeper and might work his way into treat24’s starting lineup, should Johnson falter. At tight end, Kellen Winslow should deliver. This team will compete for the playoffs, but fall just short.
Outlook: 6th place finish.

8. beach trash: I question whether beach trash showed up for the draft. This team looks like it was drafted automatically. Tom Brady was a solid choice. On the other hand, Ryan Grant’s holdout and subsequent hamstring injury make him a risky selection. Moreover, the third round draft pick of Willie Parker is suspect in that most experts predict he will be involved in a time share with Rashard Mendenhall. Tory Holt is a low-end number one wide receiver, but Roy Williams is an injury waiting to happen. Backup quarterbacks are important, though I question the selection of Favre in the eighth round. Tom Brady has yet to miss a game in six years and the team needs more support at WR/TE. Jeremy Shockey would have been a much more productive pick, considering the team must now rely on Heath Miller. The selection of Cedric Benson over Kevin Jones draws serious question, but perhaps the worst selection of the 2008 mock draft was picking Travis Henry in the 9th round. Henry is currently unemployed and a known violator of the league substance abuse policy. As a two-time loser, Henry faces a one year suspension.
Outlook: Last place.

9. ericvalent57: Overall, this is a solid team. Great things are expected from Randy Moss and Steve Smith at wide receiver. Donald Driver, Kevin Curtis, and Javon Walker (a good, calculated risk in the tenth round) are serviceable backups. Tony Gonzalez is always steady at tight end and he will look to increase his touchdown total this year. Conversely, Carson Palmer needs to cut back on the interceptions. At running back, Larry Johnson and Reggie Bush should do very well, but given that fantasy backups Kevin Jones and Jerious Norwood are also real life backups, this team needs to find some depth at RB. This team could sneak into the playoffs, but more likely they will finish one game out.
Outlook: 5th place finish.

10. Ham Wallets: Less-than-impressive drafting at RB2 and TE offsets the outstanding selections at QB, RB1, and WR. I would be hesitant to trust Fred Taylor, Matt Forte, or Justin Fargas as my RB2 in 2008, despite the impressive work turned in last year by Taylor and to some extent Fargas. With a monopoly on star QBs, Ham Wallets should make a trade for a solid RB2 and keep an eye on the waiver wire for a productive TE should Ben Watson fail to produce. Depth at WR is also an issue. Reggie Brown is hurting right now and Reggie Williams will be hard pressed to repeat last year’s performance. With all of that said, the quartet of Drew Brees, Frank Gore, Chad Johnson, and Terrell Owens is a great foundation upon which to build a successful fantasy football team.
Outlook: Ham Wallets snags the last playoff spot and a 4th place finish.

In summary, my predictions for the league outcome are:
1. Ruler of Fantasy
2. dmacblue
3. JasonSeahorn
4. Ham Wallets
5. ericvalent57
6. treat24
7. jetgirl
8. eagles21
9. cheech
10. beachtrash

Final Comments: Overall, I was shocked at the lack of handcuff picks for RBs. Owners of Portis, Grant, Lynch, LJ, and Addai should seriously consider protecting their investment. The best value in the draft could be found in the tenth round where ericvalent57 selected Javon Walker, who could be in line for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award. The worst value and worst pick in the draft was beach trash’s selection of Travis Henry in the 9th round.

 
Joey Litz has been playing fantasy sports since the late 80s - back when it was all referred to as rotisserie - and as commissioner, kept track of the leagues with a USA Today newspaper and a pencil. It's a passion of his during the NFL season. Thanks to the Fantasy Cafe for providing a forum for enthusiasts like us to get together. You can find Litz posting in the Cafe forums as joejlitz.
 

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