First Draft of the Year!

Yes indeed, it’s that time of the year…the time when my rampant posts about gaming (my first post about my second try of Arma 2 is coming soon!) become mixed with rampant posts about football teams that don’t technically exist outside of the Yahoo realm.

As I await the draft of the league I set up this year, Pigskin Idiots (featuring a lot of people from a sports site I frequent as well as Liam and Sean Woods…also, incidentally, the league I will be regularly posting about this year), I figured I’d mention how my drafts leading up to that one are going.

Anyway, this is a league using individual defensive players, and focusing in more on position-specific defensive players. Most ‘cookie cutter standard’ leagues (read : boring as fuck) just use team defenses. The weekly line up requirements : 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 WR/RB, 1 WR/RB/TE, 1 K, 1 D (any defensive position), 1 LB, 1 DL, 1 DT, 1 DE, 1 DB, 1 S, 1CB.

Picking 4th, I snagged Bears running back Matt Forte. Even though it’s a league that really favours receivers, I wanted one lock down runner…and with the standard top 3 of Adrian ‘Boom or Bust’ Peterson, Michael ‘Curse of 370’ Turner and Maurice ‘Midget Thunder’ Jones-Drew, Forte was the best guy on the block. After that, I went receiver, landing Reggie Wayne of the Colts and Roddy White of the Falcons. And since I’ve got White, why not grab the guy who throws him the ball? Hello Matt Ryan! Actually, I wasn’t planning on taking a QB as early as round 4, but with 7 or 8 passers already off the board by then, I sort of had to grab someone.

So anyway, the final roster by position :

Quarterbacks : Matt Ryan (Atl)– I actually think he could have a pretty good second season.

Matt Hasselbeck (Sea)– Waited until late to grab a backup. Kind of a roll of the dice, as Seattle’s offensive linemen are falling faster than toddlers during a pandemic.

Jeff Garcia (Oak)– My last round pick. I doubt it’s long before Jamarcus Russell demonstrates that he’s a gigantic waste of time, opening the door for Jeffy boy to play.

Running Backs : Matt Forte (Chi)- Should put up big rushing numbers. Also had more passes thrown his way than any other NFL running back last year.

Darren McFadden (Oak)– Raiders have to pound the ball this year, and he’s the lead back.

Jonathan Stewart (Car)– Rolling the dice and saying DeAngelo Williams falls off, leaving more work for this guy.

Rashard Mendenhall (Pgh)– Seeing as he’s healthy this year, he should get more work…especially near the end zone, as he’s splitting time with ‘Wee’ Willie Parker.

LeSean McCoy (Phi) – Being Brian ‘Ouch!’ Westbrook’s backup basically guarantees him a couple of starts for a pretty good offense.

Wide Receivers – Reggie Wayne (Ind) – #1 receiver for the Colts. Hand him 85 catches, 1200 yards and 10 TDs now.

Roddy White (Atl) – Struggled with supposedly great Mike Vick at QB. Since Vick devoted time to dogs killing each other for sport (and subsequently sharing close quarters with a lot of other guys in barred rooms), he’s exploded…even with Joey ‘Bust’ Harrington and Byron Leftwich, with a release slower than a lunar cycle, throwing him the damn ball 2 years ago.

Chad Johnson (Cin) – I refuse to use this idiot’s actual last name  of Ochocinco. Bit of a gamble, but a healthy Carson Palmer has nobody else proven to throw to.

Derrick Mason (Bal) – Retired…now he’s back! And the Ravens have no other receivers good enough to make a standard high school team.

Domenik Hixon (NYG) – The Giants offensive numbers actually did NOT fall after Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg and this kid replaced him in the line up. Now he doesn’t even have to wait for a fucktard to wound himself tucking a gun in to his pants before getting to play!

Nate Washington (Ten) – A late round grab…not sure what he’ll do on a team that runs the ball 99 times a game but he’s worth a shot.

Patrick Crayton (Dal) – Nothing special, but it looks like he’s starting in Dallas so he should catch a few balls.

Tight End – Wasn’t really focusing on getting one since I don’t have to play one, but when Owen Daniels (Hou) was sitting there in the middle of the draft, I took him. Not many wide outs at that point likely to do more than Daniels!

Kicker – Neil Rackers (Ari) – I never draft a kicker early. I waited until round 24 of 25 total rounds. He kicks for a team that lit up scoreboards last year.

Defensive Players – Karlos Dansby (Ari) – Currently in my D slot, he can also play LB. Absolute tackle machine who can also rack up sacks AND makes plays in coverage. Scores points across the spectrum.

DeMarcus Ware (Dal) – Another LB. I can’t believe I got him AND Dansby, especially since I didn’t start taking defensive players until after I had 3 or 4 reserves and my entire starting line up on offense. Sack machine who also slams running backs.

Mathias Kiwanuka (NYG) – Currently in the DL spot, can also play DE. Part of the New York Giants rotating ‘introduce opposing quarterbacks to the turf’ defensive line.

Gaines Adams (TB) – Since I missed the premier rush ends, I waited until late. Adams is a solid pass rusher who should put up reasonable numbers.

Brandon Mebane (Sea) – Unless I wanted to use a high defensive pick on one of the few DTs who put up stats (as opposed to taking LBs and safeties who score consistent tackle points), I was stuck with whatever. Mebane ain’t great, but 30 tackles and 7 sacks a year isn’t bad for a 23rd round pick.

Oshiomogho Atogwe (StL) – Currently in as my DB, can also play S. How can you resist that name? Plus, even with that name…he’s Canadian! Tackle machine who catches more passes than some wide receivers. And the Rams are so awful, he’ll be on the field A LOT.

Chris Hope (Ten) – Another safety who hits everything and can pick off passes.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Ari) – Waited until Round 22 to take a corner, and got a kid with great hands who ALSO racks up bonus points as a kick returner.

Like anyone with a functioning brain, I didn’t use picks on backup defenders or kickers. By the time I need to start rotating in other players, one or more of my offensive bench players will have proven to be a pile of crap and I’ll drop hem for ‘rentals’ on D. Overall, I’m pretty happy with that line up. I am gambling on a lot of young running backs, but you can’t be awesome across the board.