PPR Fantasy Football Draft Strategy
August 30, 2010
Category: 2010 Fantasy Football, Chet Gresham, Fantasy Football Strategy
I have gone back and forth on how I feel about PPR leagues, but I believe I am finally on board completely. My aversion to them was mainly because I was just so used to playing in non-PPR. But this season I am really moving toward league set ups that allow for a more balanced playing field and a somewhat truer to “life” fake football game. Auctions and 2 QB leagues are also high on my list this season. And I plan on campaigning for 2 TE leagues when my schedule allows. To me the closest to a perfect league is Auction draft, 12-14 teams, 2 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 2 TE, 1 R/W/T, K, D/ST (Yes, I know, IDP, Hey, I only have so much time in my day!), and then a somewhat basic scoring with 1 PPR.
PPR takes those versatile running backs and gives them a leg up on those plodding, run up the gut for half a foot and accumulate touchdowns specialists. It awards the players we are paying to see make spectacular catch and runs, but who are also able to get those tough yards. And it also spreads out the number or running backs that may hold value, so you have to expand your knowledge base a little more. (This is also true with return yardage leagues, but that is another story)
And besides running backs it gives receivers more value. Elite wide receivers don’t really come close to the elite running backs in non-PPR scoring, but in PPR it narrows that lead dramatically. It also gives a nice boost to all those scrappers that go over the middle scrappy-like and into the concussion scrap-zone.
So, with that said, how do you go about drafting in a Points Per Receptions league? First off, don’t go crazy. For the most part PPR and non-PPR follow many of the same guidelines. You still only need 1 QB and 1 TE so go for value, just as you would in non PPR. And a good player in non-ppr is still a good player in ppr, how much their ranking changes depends completely on how many receptions they have. Yes, that is a Joe Theisman statement if he knew anything about fantasy football, but remember that is the only difference. Receiving yards count for the same amount of points as before.
The biggest change in strategy is where you pick wide receivers. There are those elite few that you can count on grabbing 80+ receptions and you want them on your team. Running backs have higher ceilings than wide receivers even in PPR, but they are not nearly as reliable. When you are playing in a non-PPR league you can take the risk of grabbing a running back with a lot of upside because you know that the risk is not as bad as the reward. But in PPR the chance that you get this seasons Chris Johnson is slim because the odds of there even being a Chris Johnson: Dos Mil are low.
So you are going with wide receivers early. Good for you! But where do you draw the line? Last season the top 3 RBs won out over the wide receivers, but then it was a wide receiver orgy. Let’s take a look see at the top ten in ESPN PPR leagues last season.
1. Chris Johnson 379
2. Maurice Jones-Drew 308
3. Adrian Peterson 308
4. Andre Johnson 306
5. Ray Rice 306
6. Randy Moss 279
7. Wes Welker 278
8. Reggie Wayne 277
9. Larry Fitzgerald 277
10. Miles Austin 275
So that’s 6 of the top 10 players in PPR being wide receivers. And if you keep moving down the list you keep running into receivers. In 10-20 there are only 3 running backs. So in many ways this becomes a reverse situation to non ppr. The chances of getting a top 20 receiver later in the draft are pretty good. Two ways of thinking can crop up. The leading receivers are very stable and they score a whole bucket full of points. The top 10 running backs don’t score as many points and they aren’t all that stable, so I need to start my draft with 2 WRs, especially if I don’t have one of the top 3-4 slots. For the most part this is sound, but it also can turn around on you.
The drop off from the top running backs in PPR to the 10-12 running back is steeper than the drop off from the top WR and the 10-12 WR. So grabbing a top RB is a good idea, but when do you start getting diminishing returns? Well, usually when the running backs stop catching passes. Wide receivers just catch balls, that’s their thing. Running backs don’t have to, and as soon as we hit those RBs that don’t, it’s time to make sure you are grabbing receivers. 10 of the top 13 RBs had 40 receptions or more. The only backs who can buck the trend are ones who get into the endzone an inordinate amount of times, which you cannot always count on happening. But you can count on receptions.
So my plan going into a PPR draft is to take the top 4 RBs, AJ, then Frank Gore and SJax, then go wide receiver crazy, until the ADP’s of Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy, and Jahvid Best come around. I do not want two running backs to start a PPR draft though. Receivers will be going off the board quickly and I very much want at least on of the top tier guys.
If I grab 2 elite receivers and then start my running backs with McCoy or Best, I am happy. Your PPR team should be lean and mean with hands of stickeem (or stickum). I am more than willing to draft Michael Turner, but I rather have Jamaal Charles. Receptions just happen for the guys that are good at catching the ball. Your player could have 50 yards rushing and 6 receptions for 45 yards and no TDs and you had a good day. If Michael Turner rushes for 110 yards and doesn’t get into the end zone, your day wasn’t as good.
As you get further into the draft you will want to stock up on receiving backs. You know the type. Chester Taylor, Darren Sproles, Darren McFadden, Reggie Bush, Kevin Faulk and so on. They are reliable enough receivers to assure you points when someone on your team is on a bye or is hurt.
PPR receivers are fairly easy to pick up off the waiver wire. If a slot receiver is starting to get a lot of targets, he’s someone to look out for. A player without a ton of skill, but who is willing to go into the soft under belly of the defense and take a beating after the catch is someone QBs love to sacrifice for first downs.
So there are a few hints and allegations. Make of them what you will. Here are our PPR Tiers if you need a little help drafting. And good luck!
August 30th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Hey Doc what do you think of my PPR squad? (Here are the highlights..)
QB (Start 1) – Cutler, Big Ben
RB (Start 1 or 2) – MJD, Charles, Best, McFadden
WR (Start 2 or 3) Marshall, MSW, Knox, Gaffney, Hester
TE (Start 1) H Miller, Carlson
August 31st, 2010 at 4:21 am
12 team ppr 2nd pick
qb wr wr rb rb te wr/rb/te wr/rb/te qb/wr/rb/te k def/st d d d d d
5 bench slots
qbs went really fast here
whats your take on the seattle RB situation should i make room for Julius jones or stay pat
1 rice
2 roddy white
3 fitzgerald
4 matt ryan
5 J charles
6 k orton
7 maclin
8 shiancoe
9 forsett
10 donald brown
11 garrard
12 z miller
13 baltimore
14 berrian
15 demeco ryans
16 cushing
17 woodley
18 d’quell jackson
19 leon washington
20 mayo
21 tynes
August 31st, 2010 at 4:40 am
Still spots open for the Razzball mock draft tonight. let me know if you want in. vancleave596(at)yahoo.com. show Doc that you pay attention to what he says and draft all of his favorites before he does.
August 31st, 2010 at 5:00 am
Hey Doc…I’m in a 10 team PPR where we start 2 QB’s, 3 RB’s, and 4 WR. We protect 3 players and I’m protecting Brady, Mendenhall, and Welker. I have first pick in the draft. I’m thinking of taking Flacco with first pick because QB’s are at a premium and JC is available. All the top QB’s have been protected so everyone will be looking to fill their QB2 spot early so they are not stuck with Delhomme or someone like that. So my options are:
1) Take Flacco
2) Take JC
3) trade the first pick for Brandon Marshall
This decision is driving my nuts because I can talk myself into each scenario. Thanks in advance for any advice!!
August 31st, 2010 at 5:23 am
Did this yesterday… .5 PPR, not as extreme with 1 Flex/12 team…Grabbed Andre, Calvin, Charles, McCoy, Arian Foster, Hakeem Nicks to start out with 3 RB 3 WR…went depth later with Forsett, Dez Bryant and Britt. Only thing that didn’t go according to plan was I have Cooley at TE instead of Zach Miller.
August 31st, 2010 at 5:47 am
i don’t post here much, but post regularly on the o.g. razzball.
anyway, just wanted a little feedback on my team.
5th year of a non-ppr 12 team, 3 man keeper league.
QB: brees (keeper)
RB: gore, sjax (keeper)
WR: ward, nicks
TE: finley
K: kaeding
DEF: minn
Bench: percy harvin, arian foster, micahel bush, malcom floyd, donald brown, jacoby jones, louis murphy
obviously with brees i feel OK without a backup QB and will just grab someone in week 10 off the wire. wanted alex smith for his week 10 matchup with stl, but he went earlier than i was willing to take him. all the elite WRs except wayne, jennings, and austin were kept and those 3 were drafted before they fell to me (as were matthews, best, wells, stewart, and thomas…the best of the RBs on the board).
with WR since i couldn’t land an elite guy, i grabbed steady hines ward and then a boat load of high upside guys hoping 1 or 2 of them pan out.
any thoughts are appreciated.
@Isles Guru: Would like a little better starting WR, but solid RBs for sure. I would drop Carlson for an upside RB/WR.
@barker: Seems early for Shiancoe and Orton. I’m not sure what your starting roster is here.
@vinnie: Yeah, that is tough. It really depends on what QBs you think might be available in the 2nd. If absolutely nobody of interest you probably have to go Flacco. You can find RBs tht will get playing time later.
@Swass: I’m liking Cooley a lot. Davis may take some away, but DMac seems to like Cooley too. Love those WR/RBs.
@ThePoonTycoon: Sounds like you have a pretty competitive league. I think you made the right choices based on availability. I agree Hines is nice to have for his reliability especially when your other guys get taken.
August 31st, 2010 at 6:39 am
Doc- talking about your ideal league:
In my league, we’ve been playing with settings and finally came up with this scoring system:
Passing: 50 yrds/pt, TD’s=6, INT= -3
Receiving: 20 yrds/pt, PPR
Rushing: 15 yrds/pt, PPR
With this simple scoring we’ve had 4 RB’s, 4 WR’s, and 4 QB’s in the top 12 the last few years. Incredibly balanced.
What we changed last year was flex positions.
We now play:
QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, W/R, W/R/QB/TE, DST, K
With the super flex position, you have lots of strategic options. Some teams start 2 QB’s, others 4 RB’s and others 5 WR’s.
It makes it so multiple strategies can lead to success and is a lot of fun.
I highly recommend it.
August 31st, 2010 at 6:44 am
@Doc: yeah, i’m just hoping hines can keep it going 1 more season.
August 31st, 2010 at 6:45 am
So I am in a “Bizarro” fantasy football league. Essentially it is a league where the worst players (that play a lot) score you the most points.
For offensive stats there are:
Incomplete Passes= .1 points
Passing Touchdowns= -6 points
Interceptions= 5 points
Sacks= 1 points
Rushing Attempts=.25 points
Rushing Touchdowns = -10 points
Receptions= .75 points
Reception Touchdowns= -10 points
Return Touchdowns= -10 points
Fumbles=5 points
Fumbles Lost=5 points
Just curious of how your first round would go in a 12 team league where this was your scoring system? There is also points for missed kicks and defenses allowing a lot of TDs and points overall.
August 31st, 2010 at 6:54 am
@Doc: I’m drafting 9th in a 10-team league. Draft the best WRs available in first two rounds and then go RB in 3rd? Also, at what point do the best QBs become value picks? For example, if Aaron Rodgers isn’t gone in the 1st-2nd rounds, then he becomes a value grab?
August 31st, 2010 at 7:08 am
I ran into a situation at my draft on Sunday that had me stuck and it’s very relevant to this article. It’s a 10 team PPR keeper (3 WRs + flex). Picking 8th and keeping Andre Johnson, I took Charles in the first (over Mendy). Mendy (somehow) was still there in the 2nd. I wanted so bad to take him, but I passed and went with Mr. Upside, Calvin Johnson. Then in the 3rd I was able to snag McCoy for my RB2. Boldin and The Original Steve Smith were still there too. Still, I like my decision (even if I’m not that high on McCoy) and the upside the team I drafted has. Snagging Arian Foster, Ronnie Brown and Michael Bush at relative discounts helped the situation.
August 31st, 2010 at 7:20 am
Had my 0.5 PPR draft last night, picked 11 out of 12 and ended up with:
qb: rodgers, cutler
rb: moreno, ronnie, forsett, jackson, donald brown, hardesty
wr: wayne, smith (car), nicks, jacoby, naanee
te/d/k: doesnt matter
Didnt really turn out how I wanted, unfortunately people sniped JC, jennings, arian, right about where i wanted them. Feeling pretty lousy about going rodgers in the 1st, what do you guys think? SOmeone want to talk me down off the ledge?
August 31st, 2010 at 7:21 am
Just wanted to say thanks for the Tier Sheet, it helped me out last night in my draft when I needed a couple of late WRs.
Here’s my team (Standard 12 Team, Non PPR, 2 RB/2 WR/1 Flex):
** (9) Bodywork By Dennis – Andre Johnson WR
** (16) Bodywork By Dennis – Peyton Manning QB
** (33) Bodywork By Dennis – Jonathan Stewart RB
** (40) Bodywork By Dennis – Pierre Thomas RB
** (57) Bodywork By Dennis – Arian Foster RB
** (64) Bodywork By Dennis – Pierre Garcon WR
** (81) Bodywork By Dennis – Ahmad Bradshaw RB
** (88) Bodywork By Dennis – Cadillac Williams RB
** (105) Bodywork By Dennis – Zach Miller TE
** (112) Bodywork By Dennis – Santonio Holmes WR
** (129) Bodywork By Dennis – Devin Hester WR
** (136) Bodywork By Dennis – Leon Washington RB
** (153) Bodywork By Dennis – Sidney Rice WR
** (160) Bodywork By Dennis – Anthony Gonzalez WR
** (177) Bodywork By Dennis – Chargers D/ST D/ST
** (184) Bodywork By Dennis – Lawrence Tynes K
I feel like I’m really thin at WR especially until Holmes’ suspension ends. I wonder if I should go ahead and start shopping guys like Foster, Bradshaw, Cadillac. My one big regret from the draft was not taking Malcom Floyd at #88. I thought for sure he’d still be around at #105 given the guys in my league, and then, of course, he gets taken immediately following me at #89 (by an autodrafter no less!).
August 31st, 2010 at 7:49 am
You still put MJD in the top 4 RB tier even in light of all the injury talk of late? I bump him down certainly after Gore at this point and probably after SJax. He was a guy I went into this preseason having concerns about his ability to reproduce last season given how he tapered off at the end and his size and how many times he takes a beating per game and all the news lately has certainly made me push him down my ranks.
August 31st, 2010 at 8:02 am
Hey Doc, I have Joe Flacco and I’m looking to trade Brett Favre’s owner Bernard Berrian for Derrick Mason straight up. It’s a .5 PPR league. Thoughts?
August 31st, 2010 at 8:17 am
@Doc @all: I’m a regular fantasy baseballer, but pretty new to football. I just printed off your teirs for a cheatsheet, but could you reccommend a solid (free) top-250-type list for a non-PPR league. Scoring is pretty standard for the league.
Thanks in advance guys. Keep it up.
August 31st, 2010 at 9:27 am
@Dad: I would recommend the ADP list here:
http://fantasyfootballcalculator.com/adp.php
It’s an aggregate of a bunch of mock drafts done on the site, and when you take into account the type of person who’s going to spend their time doing mock drafts on a non-mainstream site, it’s a good indication that these are, generally speaking, smart drafters. So I think it’s a good guide.
August 31st, 2010 at 9:55 am
Hey Doc, Just drafted in a 12 teamer. What do you think? I’m a little nervous about my RB situation.
Frank Gore RB
Calvin Johnson WR
Greg Jennings WR
Jahvid Best RB
Pierre Garcon WR
Joe Flacco QB
Felix Jones RB
Donald Brown RB
Jabar Gaffney WR
Owen Daniels TE
Marshawn Lynch RB
Devin Hester WR
Heath Miller TE
David Garrard QB
Rob Bironas K
Patriots D/ST
August 31st, 2010 at 10:09 am
Doc, I spent an evening studying your advice for my PPR league and absorbed more than I have following CBS, Yahoo, ESPN, and Rotoworld for a month.
Absolutely killed my friends’ draft out of the 9 spot out of 12. Pretty vanilla QB/3WR/2RB/TE/Flex with K/DEF/IDPs, which I don’t give a crap about.
I went with 3 wide receivers first and was shocked that Jahvid Best was still available with the 40th pick, and spent the rest of the draft stashing RBs, taking a break only for Cutler in the 7th and Gaffney with my final. My only questionable pick was maybe taking Harvin over Matt Forte with the 57th.
12 team .5 PPR:
Moss
Roddy White
Boldin
Best
Harvin
Moreno
Cutler
Forsett
McFadden
FJax
Maroney
Chester Taylor
Kareen Huggins
Gaffney
Carlson (only because some reached on Zach Miller in the 7th)
August 31st, 2010 at 10:30 am
Hey Doc,
I wanted to get youre opinion on this one. I am trying to work a deal where I get Alex Smith and Big Ben in exchange for Vince Young and Malcolm Floyd in a 2 QB league. I have more of a need for QB than WR. But I am a fan of VY having a huge year. Your thoughts? Great work as always, thanks.
August 31st, 2010 at 10:44 am
Hey Doc,
Had my draft yesterday (12-team, .5 PPR, Return Yardage league) and I’m hoping you can tell me where you think I may be deficient.
QB – Tony Romo
RB – Chris Johnson
RB – Joseph Addai
RB – Justin Forsett
RB – Correll Buckhalter
RB – Fred Taylor
RB – Javon Ringer
WR – Randy Moss
WR – Hakeem Nicks
WR – Jabar Gaffney
WR – Mike Thomas
WR – Lance Moore
TE – Brent Celek
TE – Heath Miller
DEF – Chicago
PK – Nate Kaeding
Thanks
@d-rot: Sounds fun! I sure wish I could be in 20 different leagues. So many cool options out there.
@cruisinkc: Sounds like a real Razzball league. Looks pretty tough. I’d like to see the leaders from last season. I would think you would want players from teams that can’t move the ball at all. QBs will probably go high because they can suck the most and continue to play. Delhomme, Edwards, Freeman, Bradford? should be up there. Finding WR/RB might be tough. Cadillac Williams maybe? Lee Evans? It’s not coming to me easily!
@Eric C.: That sounds like a solid plan at least to start with. Yeah, I look in the late 2nd to early third if I’m in a league with a bunch of people that draft like me, for the top 3 QBs. It’s happened before, but not often.
@Ian: Yeah, with AJ in your pocket in a PPR it makes things a little more flexible and I can see taking Megatron over Mendy since you had JC. McCoy should really be solid in ppr. Not as high on him in non. He probably has the biggest differential between the 2 for me.
@Beau: Yeah, I’m worried about your RBs. Pretty risky for your 2 starters. i wouldn’t make any rash moves though. A Rodge will keep you in games and if Moreno and Brown play up to their ceiling you’ll be fine. If injuries take hold you might need to shop Rodgers before you get too far behind.
@Pepe Silvia: Autodrafters are the bane of my existence. Foster would probably be the guy you would need to shop to get a good return and I think you need him. if you think you could get something for Caddy i could see doing it, but it would be nice to see him get his value up first.
@Professor Chaos: I’d take Mason there.
@Dad: Nothing comes to mind. i had planned on doing that, but it fluctuated so much I couldn’t stand publishing it! Yeah, Pepe’s advice is probably good. That will be a nice guide to start and then you can tweak it.
@Nuke LaDouche: I’d be happy with it if it is PPR.
@Alex: @Asdrubal Bastardo: I like Young as well. His legs will help his numbers a lot. I’m back and forth on Alex. I think he’ll be fine, but of course his ceiling is fairly low. I’m guessing you have another QB and Smith/Ben would be a two headed QB? With Floyd thrown in there I think I would stick with Vince. Ben is an upgrade when he plays, but he also has a pretty tough fantasy playoffs.
@BAM: Depends on what the starting positions are. Not loving that you would need to start Forsett or Gafney. Like the starters above them though. Would like a few return guys on the bench. It’s always nice to get those for sure points for byes or injury fillers.
@Alex: Thanks!. Yeah, Forte may have been a good idea there even though I like Harvin. It’s always a little scary relying on RBs to break out, but they always do, so I think you’ll have one or 2 on your roster that will be able to start.
August 31st, 2010 at 11:03 am
Top 25 players in my Bizarro League last year were:
1. JaMarcus Russell
2. Matt Cassel
3. Jake Delhomme
4. Josh Freeman
5. David Garrard
6. Mark Sanchez
7. Matt Forte
8. Matt Hasselbeck
9. Steven Jackson
10. Jason Campbell
11. Josh Johnson
12. Derek Anderson
13. Jay Cutler
14. Matthew Stafford
15. Fred Jackson
16. Ray Rice
17. Darren McFadden
18. Larry Johnson
19. Correll Buckhalter
20. Davone Bess
21. Eli Manning
22. Keith Null
23. Kyle Boller
24. Kevin Smith
25. Wes Welker
So it does look like I should target a qb in a poor offense like you said.
August 31st, 2010 at 11:25 am
@Pepe Silvia: @Doc: Thanks fellas. That’s a good place to start. Good luck with your leagues.
August 31st, 2010 at 11:36 am
12-team, 0.5ppr, modified keeper league:
-Can keep two players for one year
-6pts for all TDs; bonuses for all for 40+ yard plays and TDs
-Start: QB, 2RB, 3WR, FLEX, (QB/RB/WR/TE), TE, K, DEF
Since QB’s can be used at FLEX, it’s basically a start 2-QB league. My keepers are Austin Miles in the 5th and LeSean McCoy in the 6th.
Players are only keeper eligible starting in the 3rd round, so most studs (except Miles and Ray Rice) are available in the draft. The draft was last night, and QBs flew off the board, (Rodgers, Brees and Manning went in the top 7).
My team:
QB: Brady
RB: Steven Jackson, McCoy
WR: Austin, Welker, Garcon
TE: Cooley
FLEX: Kolb
Bench: Marion Barber, Chester Taylor, Hardesty, Derrick Mason, Lance Moore, Heath Miller
I think I did quite well. But another owner totally screwed himself by going RB-RB early and then waiting too long on QBs. When he realized he was screwed, he actually took more RBs for trade bait!
His team:
QB: Alex Smith
RB: Michael Turner, Ryan Matthews
WR: Dez Bryant, Knox, Aromashodu
TE: Gates
FLEX: Ahmad Bradshaw
Bench: Jerome Harrison, Westbrook, Leon Washington, Austin Collie, Anthony Gonzalez
I was thinking of trying to take advantage of the situation. The guy needs a QB first and foremost. Under this league set-up, do you think it would be worth giving up Kolb if I could get Turner or Matthews out of the deal? Or am I hurting myself too much by giving up my 2nd QB and running with a RB at FLEX, (not to mention my only back-up QB)? Delhomme, Leinart, Bradford and Trent Edwards are the only QBs left.
I was thinking of offering the following:
Kolb, Barber, Mason, Cooley & Miller
FOR
Turner, Harrison & Gates
***Thanks…Sorry for the long message***
August 31st, 2010 at 11:44 am
Hey doc,
I was hoping you could take a look at my team and tell me what you think and help me decide which RB and WR to start week 1. It’s a 0.5 PPR league, btw.
Qb-Cutler
Rb-MJD
Rb-McCoy
We-megatron
Wr-Qeller
Wr-Santana moss
August 31st, 2010 at 11:47 am
Hey Doc,
You missed my comment #15 :’( Do you still have MJD in the top tier RB grouping even with the swirl of injury rumors?
@cruisinkc: So it seems like top QBs are fairly easy to pick out. Finding a RB that gets a lot of carries and few TDs is tough. Whoever starts for the Steelers will probably be a decent play. I think grabbing spot starter backup QBs is a good strategy. Welker could be decent again if he stays away from the endzone. Bess too. Amendola could be sneaky. Looks like playing the waiver wire will be very important.
@Commish Cauda: If you are worried about Kolb being a top 10 QB I could see trying it, but as long as he can be top 10 he should score similar points to Turner. If it was just Kolb for Turner I could see doing it, but all the add ons make it too even for a trade from that kind of power position.
August 31st, 2010 at 11:51 am
@Doc: Thanks!!!
@John: Yeah, he’s still up there, but he’s hanging on by a nail. It’s fairly relative and I could see moving him down in the Gore/Turner tier. When it comes down to it I could easily take the safer road depending on the point system. So, all that means, I am worried about him, just not giving up on him.
August 31st, 2010 at 11:53 am
auction draft tonight. Just doing some fine tuning with my budget, goes something like this. 12 team, 215 salary, 1 PPR
these prices are based on the avg at ESPN, and these are some of the guys I am targeting for these spots. Alot of these guys I think are worth more than they are going for. All of these prices have some flex in them, nothing is set in stone
qb – $25 schaub, rivers or romo
RB- $55 MJD, Rice, Gore, Jackson
RB – $25 Mathews, charles, greene (mainly charles)
WR – $35 wayne, marshall, calvin
WR – 20 boldin, jennings, steve smith (car) colston
wr – 15 steve smith(NYG) ward, welker
flex – 10 welker, nicks, bowe, best, ricky williams, bradshaw
te 10 – witten, finley or a few bucks on zach miller
def 1
k 1
if I spend exactly what I plan on spending (which won’t happen) and I spend the 10 on TE instead of waiting on miller(alot of guys in the league are liking miller and think TE is too deep to pay alot, which is why i think I can a good value for witten of finley) I will have 18 bucks to fill out my 7 bench spots. I like having extra money to get guys I really want on my bench instead of hoping my 1 dollar nominations make it through. plus planning on the extra money in the end allows me to overbid on guys I really want, such as charles. Anyone have any thoughts on this plan?
August 31st, 2010 at 11:53 am
@Doc: Thanks for the help Doc.
@Commish Cauda: Glad to help.
@cleaver596: The more i read about MJD makes me a little worried. I think he will be fine, but he comes with an aded risk now. Otherwise it looks like a good plan. Miller is starting to get overhyped unfortunately. Thankfully there are plenty of studs out there.
@cruisinkc: No problem.
August 31st, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Haha, so would I, but unfortunately it is standard scoring. I’d prefer to have one more “sure thing” type of back.
August 31st, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Do you think Percy Harvin will be returning punts and kicks this year? I just got offered Larry Fitzgerald for him in a PPR, return-yardage league and I’m wondering if I should bite. I prefer Harvin if he’s going to be returning kicks because those are worth a ton of points, but I’m a little worried about Brett Favre, the migraines, and Darius Reynaud.
August 31st, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Good stuff. Does anyone have a “Razzball”-type PPR league out there that needs an extra? Would love to join one of these leagues.
@el gaucho insufrible: When you say “razzball type” do you mean awarding points for crappiness or the Razzball commenter leagues? –> http://football.razzball.com/2010-razzball-commenter-leagues
August 31st, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Sorry, not the one that awards crappiness, but one with competitive razzballers. I’m in a commenter league already, I thought they were all non-PPR?
@el gaucho insufrible: Ah, yeah, there is nothing organized. Sorry.
August 31st, 2010 at 1:08 pm
I guess I should clarify a bit: 25 return yards is worth a point, so if Harvin goes over 1000 kickoff return yards again, that’s an added 2.5 points per game.
August 31st, 2010 at 1:13 pm
@Doc: whats goin on Doc? Draft tomm for my main league and I just found out I have 2nd pick – its ppr. Our format goes pretty deep, QB, RB, RB, RB/WR, RB/WR, WR, WR, WR, WR/TE, TE, K, DE.
I generally try and fill those 4 potential RB slots with RBs. I will be hoping to go RB/WR/JCHAR/J.BESt but I wont think they will all be there. Is my best option to just go with top talent with so many slots?
August 31st, 2010 at 1:23 pm
12 team ppr 2nd pick
QB matt ryan RB ray rice RB Jamaal charles WR roddy white WR larry fitz
TE shiancoe W/R/T maclin W/R/T forsett Q/W/R/T orton K tynes Def/st BAL
D demeco ryans D cushing D woodley D d’quell jackson D jerod mayo
BN d brown garrard z miller b berrian l washington
yea the orton pick was kind of a panic pick b/c there were really not many even decent QBs left on the board and i immediately regretted it shoulda got a better TE there so i didnt have to reach for shiancoe
and whats your take on the sea RB situation do i have the guys to own or should i grab julius or stick with what i got
@genghis chone: His migraines have muddled that right now. I would hold off for now. His importance in the passing game could lessen his returns.
@sal: For sure> You’ll be filling out those starters for a while so don’t get hung up on positions.
@barker: Ah, that makes more sense. Couldn’t quite figure out your setup before. Looks good. A little worried about Forsett, and your QBs, but overall solid.
August 31st, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Hey doc,
Sorry my last post got cut off. Anyway can you let me know what you think about my team and who to start week 1. It’s a 0.5 ppr league, start 3 WR, 2 rb, and a WR/RB flex. Anyway here’s my squad:
WD-Forte
1. (4) Maurice Jones-Drew
2. (21) Calvin Johnson
3. (28) LeSean McCoy
4. (45) Wes Welker
5. (52) Jahvid Best
6. (69) Arian Foster
7. (76) Santana Moss
8. (93) Jay Cutler
9. (100) Owen Daniels
10. (117) Sidney Rice
11. (124) Ben Roethlisberger
12. (141) Yeremiah Bell
13. (148) Legedu Naanee
14. (165) Kareem Huggins
15. (172) Ray Lewis
16. (189) Dexter McCluster
17. (196) Miami
18. (213) Anthony Gonzalez
19. (220) Dan Carpenter
What do you think? Also which 3 RB do I start and who should be my 3rd WR negus Megatron and Welker? Thanks!
@Mark: RB: MJD, McCoy, Best WR: Megatron, Welker, Moss would be my week 1 starters for now.
You’ll probably need to grab a TE to replace Daniels for at least week one since he is on a snap count.
August 31st, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Hey Doc, in a PPR/Keeper/Salary league, would you do this trade:
Knowshon Moreno ($17) FOR Steve Smith NYG ($2)?
(QB, RB, WR, WR, TE, K, DST, flex-RB/WR)
August 31st, 2010 at 4:06 pm
To all of those wondering about Moreno…from Yahoo:
He practiced today and said he was at “80-something” percent. Probably not going to play this week in the final preseason game but is shooting for Week 1.
August 31st, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Hi Doc, I was reading your blog on 2QB leagues and having just joined an autopick league (too many drafts going on) and so I structured my rankings as follows. This league is a 12 team non ppr league with 2QB, 4WR, 3RB, TE, K, DEF, IDPs (that’s another story!)
Top 4 RB
Top 4 QB
Top 4 WR
next 4 RB
next 4 QB
next 4 WR
etc.
Working my way down in a tier-like way.
Does that sound plausible? I know autopicks are hard to predict but I try to make it somewhat workable and hope for the best. Thanks!
August 31st, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Hey Doc, in a PPR league…Devin Hester, Jacoby Jones, or Mohamed Massaquoi? I currently own Hester, and Jones and Massaquoi sit on the waiver wire. Massaquoi seems safer than Hester since he’s at least a #1 receiver, even if it is for the Browns. Jones has lots of upside. Drop Hester for either of them? Thanks!
@Seth: I want Knowshon
@Wilsonian: Yeah, hope he gets in there.
@Howard: I could see moving your second QB up one and hope for the best!!
@Rob: I think we need to give the Martz offense a little more time. It’s only preseason and Hester is the #2 guy right now. I’m sticking with Hester in PPR.
August 31st, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Does Arian Foster have 1,000 yard 7 TD potential?
My PPR league:
I’m finding it hard predicting where I should target him in my upcoming draft. I have Rivers and Knowshon as keepers (everyone has 2). I want to target WR in top 2 rounds. Would Foster be a stretch in the 3rd round (pick 33, keeping in mind 13 top RB are already kept in my league and not going into our draft)
August 31st, 2010 at 6:41 pm
i am int he middle of my auction and i am doing horrible. i ended up with chris johhson and fitzgerald and thats all i have right now
i didnt want either
@Adam: yes he does. His upside is higher than that. I don’t think it’s a stretch there.
@cleaver596: If you can fill out the rest with high upside picks it’s a good base to have.
August 31st, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Doc,
Who do you like better in a Dynasty league? Brit or Mike Williams from the Bucs?
@Isles Guru: I like Williams
August 31st, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Blasphemy, Doc!
@Isles Guru: I’m no Saint.
August 31st, 2010 at 10:54 pm
I ended up liking my team quite a bit. Lots of upside at RB with dependable WR2 and WR3.
QB -eli manning -10
RB CJ – 73
RB – ronnie Brown – 17
flex – bradshaw – 10
wr – fitzgerald – 45
wr – hines ward 14
wr – derick mason 5
te – celek – 10 (all TE’s went way more than expected, zach miller went for 10)
k- akers – 1
def – bengals – 1
bench
michael bush – 5
mcfadden – 4
ricky williams – 11
malcom floyd – 5
fred jackson – 5
camarillo – 1
I like having both williams and brown, due to brown’s injury history. and if brown stays healthy, he might reproduce what he did last year when healthy, which was very good stuff.
owning the raiders backfield for 9 bucks total was a steal i think. whoever is the hot hand would make a good flex play.
Fred jackson still has a chance to be a featured back due to spiller not handling a full load.
someone has to catch the passes in MIN and SD, and Floyd looks like a good bet with Camarillo possibly being a possession sleeper in PPR leagues, which this is.
Not having a backup for Eli kind of scares me, but I like Manning to have a little better year, with his receivers having a full year under their belts as a group. I’ll take just over 4000 yards with 25+ TD’s.
September 1st, 2010 at 3:42 pm
I am in a 12 team ppr with a wr/rb flex and i just traded
Jamaal Charles
Jason witten
for
javhid best
kellen winslow
jabar gaffney
what do you guys think?
@wayne: Would rather have the Charles side. I’m worried about Winslow’s knee.
September 1st, 2010 at 4:48 pm
@Doc: even if there is no possible way that javhid’s spot is being touched unless he catastrophically broke his leg and even though kevin smith is about to lose his spot at two
@Wayne: Best has enough upside that I can make a case for him most of the time. Just having watched JC run and dominate a regular season game makes me trust him more even with Haley’s antics.
September 1st, 2010 at 6:56 pm
@doc Hey, first post on the football side, thanks in advance for your input!
In a 10 team league with .5 PP, starting 2QB, 3WR, 2RB, TE, Flex, K, DEF
I waited way too long on QB and ended up with this, what do you think?
QB Carson Palmer
QB Stafford/Young (not sure who to start)
WR Fitzgerald
WR Crabtree
WR Welker
RB Peterson
RB Charles
TE Gates
Flex A. Foster
DEF Jets
K Longwell
Bench: Jacobs, Stafford/Young, Massaquoi, Hardesty. First time doing any type of ppr so I’m not too sure. Also, I might be screwed @ QB, no? Thanks again!
September 1st, 2010 at 6:58 pm
What the….I have C. Johnson at RB1 not AP. Sorry
@keith: Thanks for reading! It’s not the end of the world, but it could be better. All three of your QBs have good upside and i could see playing matchups with them. Welker is great in PPR of course. Fitz should be as well. CJ and JC have crazy PPR upside. Really like the team minus the QBs. I could see trying to get a top tier guy, but I would hold for now and see if the rest of the roster can make up for the QBs.
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:53 am
Ok heres my dilemma. We are in a PPR league and have what I feel are standard bonus’s at all positions. However, A.Johnson was the only receiver to place in the top 20 (#12) in last years scoring. Everyone else was RB’s, QB’s. I am pick#7 which seems to be where Johnson is getting drafted but I might still be committed to waiting until 3rd round for WR. That being said, what does anyone think for rd’s 1,2(pick 7,18).
Redskins fan!
@tom: Is it .5 per reception? Where does he finish if you take QBs out of the equation? As long as he was the #1 WR and in the top 6 of WR/RBs I could still see grabbing him at 7.
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:09 am
1ppr. Take qb’s out and he ranked #6 behind the big4 and F gore. Last year the entire first round went to Rb’s so they thin out quick. I got Schaub I think rd4 last yr. Even though they score in the top of our league there is deeper potential to be able to wait. Rb’s you usually don’t have that luxury
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:39 am
Why I have you as well I will do a 2f’r to make life easier for you. I was looking into drafting this year using the tier ranking. I like what I see from yours but what do you base your strategy on while drafting. What tier seperation do you need to see available in order to take that position? I’m not sure I am explaining my thought correctly but is there a basic strategy to draft with the tiering philosophy?
Thanks!
@tom: Yeah, as long as you are only starting 1 QB I’m waiting. I would lean toward AJ if he falls there. I use the tiers just to kind of guide me in trying to not miss a top player for each position.
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:29 am
12 man league this is our 13th season. Ive won it 3x and been in the bowl 5. I still never claim to know enough or too much. Thank you for all your help, both here and on your blog. Wish me luck this Sunday!!
@tom: Good luck!
September 3rd, 2010 at 5:12 am
Hey Doc I guess I’m not done haha What if A Johnson goes before my 7th pick? That might leave me with Turner, Jackson (who I had last year) or turning to the next best rec. Moss. What are your thoughts in case I have to pull an audible, as in most drafts you do?
Thanks!
September 7th, 2010 at 9:42 am
Well after 5 hrs and about 15 beers heres the roster. Receivers and Qb’s were flying off the shelf this year. I did take AJ at #7::
Brett Favre QB
Jamaal Charles RB
LeSean McCoy RB
Andre Johnson WR
Steve Smith WR
Kellen Winslow TE 0
Graham Gano K
New Orleans Saints Def/ST
Ben Roethlisberger
Jay Cutler QB
Willis McGahee RB
Joseph Addai RB
Fred Jackson RB
Sidney Rice WR
Legedu Naanee
@Tom: Sorry I missed your question Tom. Looks like you fared well! I’d take that team any day!
September 7th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Hi Doc, thanks for your web site. Like Tom, i was picking 7th overall in my draft. With your help I drafted the following team in a 12 man ppr (1.0 pp) league:
Eli Manning QB
Donovan McNabb QB
Jamaal Charles RB
Joseph Addai RB
Ahmad Bradshaw RB
Donald Brown RB
Leon Washington RB
Andre Johnson WR
Roddy White WR
Jeremy Maclin WR
Derrick Mason WR
Vincent Jackson WR
Antonio Gates TE
Jermaine Gresham TE
Cincy D
Some random kicker lol
Was wondering what you make of the TJ Housh pickup by Balt and how that might affect Mason?
September 8th, 2010 at 6:17 am
Luckysevens, I personally still like Mason in a PPR as the main guy. I think Housh may even help him by stretching the field. Are you in a league that starts 3 WR’s?
Thanks Doc. The only error I felt I made was getting Cutler. I personally like to have clear cut guys to start each week and allow them to get there stats. Once you start playing the matchup game (outside of Kickers and Defense) you can get yourself in trouble.
September 8th, 2010 at 7:25 am
@tom, yes its a 3 wr league, no flex. I agree on Mason, I don’t think Housh will hurt him as much as some are saying. Flacco always seems to look to Mason when he needs a catch.
@luckysevens: Yeah, Mason is the guy to have of the two, but it does suck that they got Housh.