It can be fun to create leagues with family, neighbors, coworkers, etc, but let’s be real: they’re not a good measure of someone being a good fantasy football player. For instance, I’ve won 4 out of 5 championships in my office pool. Trust me, it’s not because I’m that good; rather, it’s a commentary on the handful of people who are in the league solely for something to talk about with the other owners. They’re the ones who forget to make subs on bye weeks, never work the waiver wire, think trades are too scary and confusing, and on and on, making everyone else look really good along the way.
When Brent and I talked about starting this league, we didn’t want any of that nonsense. We searched for the best players we could find in an attempt to make this a competitive league (well, maybe not Josh, but the rest are damned good). Ted most definitely falls into that category. He took our work league by storm, having the top teams in the last few years before stumbling in the first round of the playoffs each season. Can he rectify that situation this year? Let’s find out…
Ted (The Analrapists)
Strongest Position(s): RB
With DJ, Chubb, and Freeman, you can make the argument that any or all of them could sneak into the top-10 on a week-to-week basis. That being the case, there will be weeks when his RBs alone will make The Analrapists a tough beat. Add in a good supporting cast (especially Ekeler, if Gordon misses time), and Ted’s got the makings of a ground-and-pound team.
Weakest Position(s): QB
Trubisky and Winston are OK quarterbacks, but neither of them is close to being a QB1 in a 10-team league. As such, it’s “prove it” years for both of them. The other thing Ted has working against him is that these are his only two options at QB, leaving him with a waiver-wire scramble for a crummy backup if bad luck strikes.
Best Value: Dede Westbrook
I’m not sure that Westbrook would be a WR1 on most teams, but JAX isn’t most teams. With bright-and-shiny QB Nick Foles under center, he’ll be looking for someone to catch the ball, and Westbrook is the most likely candidate. Sporting a big jump in scoring from his rookie to sophomore year, there’s every reason to believe Westbrook can keep growing as a receiver, far exceeding where Ted drafted him as WR5.
Eyebrow Raiser: David Johnson
Now, don’t get me wrong: I think DJ is a very interesting pick with AZ’s new offense. Not only is he a dynamic runner, but I’m guessing he’ll save Murray’s hide on numerous occasions with both scripted and unscripted pass plays. But starting with Ted’s pick all the way to the end of the round, I was surprised to see where guys were going. I can’t say Johnson would have been my pick at 1.05 if I had kept it, but again, I can see the draw.
Sleeper: Austin Ekeler
My reason for this is much the same as my nomination of Justin Jackson on Zach’s report card: it sounds like Gordon is going to miss the start of the season, which makes Ekeler an RB1 in LA’s potent offense. As last year went along, Ekeler and Jackson were pretty much in a 50-50 split for touches. Even so, Ted drafted him as an RB5, and I would bet he’ll rank far above that position if he starts a stretch of games.
Overall Score: B+
Ted’s got himself another solid team, one that is primed to succeed for a while to come. With RB and WR being strong (as is his TE group, which I didn’t even touch on), he’ll likely be toward the top of the Points For column. The only thing that holds me back from bumping him into an A grade is his two average QBs with no contingency for injury or horseshit play (something both Trubisky and Winston are capable of). Time will tell if Ted’ll have us grabbing our ankles, or he’ll be the one who’s getting spanked.
The Terrible Ten 