BlogTalkRadio Expert League Draft Recap, 2017 Fantasy Football

The Draft podcast that was recorded live during our draft can be listened to after the jump at the bottom of the post, which was again hosted by former ESPN Producer PodVader. Come to think of it, he not only hosts this league year-after-year, but he also special hosts for the actual podcast! Two birds! One stone! You know how the saying goes… (Hint: if you’re a bird, you’re f*cked.) And with this expert draft in the books a season after I took the championship (blind squirrel, nuts, I like your nuts joke, etc.), it’s time to write about said draft in a self-deprecating manner that will captivate all of my first dates (and not so coincidentally, my last dates) to no end. So first, let’s introduce the players… (and if you’d like to check out the team that pulled it off in 2016, you can grab your context here. But grab lightly! Think juggling with jazz hands…)

ESPN’s former Producer PodVader, (Jay Soderberg) from Next Fan Up and BlogTalkRadio, DFSR‘s Doug Norrie, Mat Harrison from LeagueSafe (use promo code: RAZZBALL for $10.00 League credit!), “d-Rx®” (yes, that’s his name, no, he’s not a T-Rex with a silent ‘T’, unfortunately) from Pyromaniac, Matt Freedman from FantasyLabs and RotoViz Radio, Pro Football Weekly‘s Kyle Nabors, Joel Henard from Fantasy Insiders, Chris Schubert from FanRag Sports, Brandon Marianne Lee from Her Fantasy Football, Dale from Eat-Sleep-Fantasy, Matt Chatham from Football by Football, Kevin from The Fantasy Football Guys, Todd from The Fantasy Sharks, and Jay from Razzball (hey, that’s me!) And now? The recap!

Note: The leaguewent through some changes from last season’s iteration, moving from standard scoring to half-PPR and going from a 10-team league to a 14-team league. The league home can be found here.

Starters
Slot	Player	Pos	Team	Bye	Pick
QB	Russell Wilson	QB	SEA	6	91
RB	Melvin Gordon	RB	LAC	9	7
RB	Bilal Powell	RB	NYJ	11	50
WR	Doug Baldwin	WR	SEA	6	22
WR	Terrelle Pryor Sr.	WR	WAS	5	35
TE	Jack Doyle	TE	IND	11	134
FLEX	Sammy Watkins	WR	LAR	8	63
DST	Eagles	DST	PHI	10	218
K	Caleb Sturgis	K	PHI	10	203

So, at first gander, I’m okay with my team. Not completely ecstatic, but not too worried either. I like Melvin Gordon (surprise!), but I don’t really like Sammy Watkins. For that specific pick, I just felt that he was falling too much and wanted the value. I’m pretty sure that the Rams offense is still a dumpster fire, but perhaps it’s still an improvement over last season’s offense, which was a dumpster fire outside an abortion clinic. To offset all the negativity and dead baby jokes (it was a light one! No controversy at all!), I’m excited to have Bilal Powell and Doug Baldwin (to pair up with Russell Wilson and his miracle water) in this league’s new half-PPR format. As you’ll note from my Quarterback Position Preview, I’m not the biggest fan of drafting QBs early, but the exceptions are always rooted with what the league and format is, and in this case, I’d advocate for drafting a higher-tiered QB in a 14-teamer. There will naturally be less streaming options during the season, and the position will get thin earlier in the drafts than your normal 12-team and 10-team sized leagues. I’m iffy on the Terrelle Pryor hype, but the cost was right and feel that while there’s nothing flashy with the team above, there’s plenty of balance…

Bench
Player	Pos	Team	Bye	Pick
Terrance West	RB	BAL	10	106
Jacquizz Rodgers	RB	TB	11	119
Jamaal Charles	RB	DEN	5	147
Chris Thompson	RB	WAS	5	162
Jeremy Maclin	WR	BAL	10	78
J.J. Nelson	WR	ARI	8	175
ArDarius Stewart	WR	NYJ	11	190

The bench is definitely a mishmash of stuff, as I guess it should be with 14 teams drafting. The only price I regret paying for was Jacquizz Rodgers… I had been eyeing Tevin Coleman for that slot, but he was drafted a bit earlier than I was hoping for and I guess since I’m probably the most bawdy person I know, having a player named after my own national past time doesn’t hurt. Otherwise, I always prefer to get solid depth, and in this case, I’m confidant in landing both Terrance West and Jeremy Maclin as that depth, especially in a PPR format. I’m actually pretty intrigued with what Jamaal Charles will bring… I’m sure it’ll be an explosive ACL, but at that pick placement, the lottery ticket seemed completely worth it. ArDarius Stewart also makes me lift an eyebrow (the left one!), if only because you can’t just throw it to Quincy Enunwa every single time, (can you?) [Note: After this post was written, Enunwa was place on the IR with season-ending neck surgery] and a WR2 or 3 should emerge out of that smörgåsbord of gang green (sounds like my Friday night!), and Stewart might just get there. As for Chris Thompson, just your prototypical RB3 pass-catching specialist that might vulture it up… And I’m not even sure why I drafted J.J. Nelson. Maybe because his first name is my name, but twice. Totally a solid reason.

The complete draft results for all the teams can be found below…

PODVADER NEXT FAN UP		JAY RAZZBALL
Pick	Player, Team, Pos	Pick	Player, Team, Pos
5	LeSean McCoy, Buf RB	7	Melvin Gordon, LAC RB
24	Brandin Cooks, NE WR	22	Doug Baldwin, Sea WR
33	Marshawn Lynch, Oak RB	35	Terrelle Pryor Sr., Wsh WR
52	Drew Brees, NO QB	50	Bilal Powell, NYJ RB
61	Willie Snead, NO WR	63	Sammy Watkins, LAR WR
80	Adrian Peterson, NO RB	78	Jeremy Maclin, Bal WR
89	Andrew Luck*, Ind QB	91	Russell Wilson, Sea QB
108	Marqise Lee, Jax WR	106	Terrance West, Bal RB
117	Martellus Bennett, GB TE	119	Jacquizz Rodgers, TB RB
136	Jason Witten, Dal TE	134	Jack Doyle, Ind TE
145	Seahawks D/ST D/ST	147	Jamaal Charles, Den RB
164	Cole Beasley, Dal WR	162	Chris Thompson, Wsh RB
173	T.J. Yeldon, Jax RB	175	J.J. Nelson, Ari WR
192	Dion Lewis, NE RB	190	ArDarius Stewart, NYJ WR
201	Panthers D/ST D/ST	203	Caleb Sturgis, Phi K
220	Phil Dawson, Ari K	218	Eagles D/ST D/ST

TEAM FBF		TEAM LATZKE
Pick	Player, Team, Pos	Pick	Player, Team, Pos
9	Jordan Howard, Chi RB	12	Jordy Nelson, GB WR
20	Michael Thomas, NO WR	17	T.Y. Hilton, Ind WR
37	Tom Brady, NE QB	40	Michael Crabtree, Oak WR
48	Golden Tate, Det WR	45	Jordan Reed, Wsh TE
65	Jimmy Graham, Sea TE	68	Matt Ryan, Atl QB
76	James White, NE RB	73	Paul Perkins, NYG RB
93	DeVante Parker, Mia WR	96	Theo Riddick, Det RB
104	Matt Forte, NYJ RB	101	Mike Wallace, Bal WR
121	Latavius Murray, Min RB	124	Darren Sproles, Phi RB
132	Marvin Jones, Det WR	129	Broncos D/ST D/ST
149	Chiefs D/ST D/ST	152	Anquan Boldin, Buf WR
160	Mohamed Sanu, Atl WR	157	Matt Bryant, Atl K
177	Adam Vinatieri, Ind K	180	Dan Bailey, Dal K
188	Allen Hurns, Jax WR	185	Matt Prater, Det K
205	O.J. Howard, TB TE	208	Sam Bradford, Min QB
216	Torrey Smith, Phi WR	213	Tim Hightower, SF RB

THE KEEPERS		FANTASY FOOTBALL GUYS
Pick	Player, Team, Pos	Pick	Player, Team, Pos
2	Le’Veon Bell, Pit RB	11	Devonta Freeman, Atl RB
27	Demaryius Thomas, Den WR	18	Amari Cooper, Oak WR
30	DeAndre Hopkins, Hou WR	39	Mark Ingram, NO RB
55	Eddie Lacy, Sea RB	46	Joe Mixon, Cin RB
58	Larry Fitzgerald, Ari WR	67	Stefon Diggs, Min WR
83	DeSean Jackson, TB WR	74	Randall Cobb, GB WR
86	Eric Decker, Ten WR	95	Jameis Winston, TB QB
111	Hunter Henry, LAC TE	102	Duke Johnson Jr., Cle RB
114	Marcus Mariota, Ten QB	123	Julius Thomas, Mia TE
139	Sterling Shepard, NYG WR	130	Philip Rivers, LAC QB
142	Texans D/ST D/ST	151	Cameron Brate, TB TE
167	Shane Vereen, NYG RB	158	Jamaal Williams, GB RB
170	Charles Sims, TB RB	179	James Conner, Pit RB
195	Joe Flacco, Bal QB	186	Curtis Samuel, Car WR
198	Cairo Santos, KC K	207	Chris Boswell, Pit K
223	David Njoku, Cle TE	214	Steelers D/ST D/ST

THE ORACLE’S AUDIBLES		TEAM WILLIAMS
Pick	Player, Team, Pos	Pick	Player, Team, Pos
10	A.J. Green, Cin WR	4	Odell Beckham Jr., NYG WR
19	Rob Gronkowski, NE TE	25	Todd Gurley, LAR RB
38	Alshon Jeffery, Phi WR	32	Isaiah Crowell, Cle RB
47	Carlos Hyde, SF RB	53	Greg Olsen, Car TE
66	Frank Gore, Ind RB	60	Emmanuel Sanders, Den WR
75	Tyler Eifert, Cin TE	81	C.J. Anderson, Den RB
94	Jordan Matthews, Buf WR	88	Cameron Meredith, Chi WR
103	John Brown, Ari WR	109	Dak Prescott, Dal QB
122	Corey Davis, Ten WR	116	Rishard Matthews, Ten WR
131	Robby Anderson, NYJ WR	137	Giovani Bernard, Cin RB
150	Josh Doctson, Wsh WR	144	Cooper Kupp, LAR WR
159	DeAndre Washington, Oak RB	165	Austin Hooper, Atl TE
178	Kenny Golladay, Det WR	172	Eli Manning, NYG QB
187	Dustin Hopkins, Wsh K	193	Devin Funchess, Car WR
206	Bengals D/ST D/ST	200	Giants D/ST D/ST
215	Carson Palmer, Ari QB	221	Brandon McManus, Den K

DOUG DFSR		FANTASY INSIDER
Pick	Player, Team, Pos	Pick	Player, Team, Pos
3	Antonio Brown, Pit WR	1	David Johnson, Ari RB
26	Ty Montgomery, GB RB	28	Christian McCaffrey, Car RB
31	Aaron Rodgers, GB QB	29	Keenan Allen, LAC WR
54	Ameer Abdullah, Det RB	56	Brandon Marshall, NYG WR
59	Spencer Ware, KC RB	57	Tyreek Hill, KC WR
82	Kenny Britt, Cle WR	84	Kyle Rudolph, Min TE
87	Zach Ertz, Phi TE	85	Kareem Hunt, KC RB
110	Corey Coleman, Cle WR	112	Derek Carr, Oak QB
115	Ted Ginn Jr., NO WR	113	John Ross, Cin WR
138	Taylor Gabriel, Atl WR	140	Patriots D/ST D/ST
143	Carson Wentz, Phi QB	141	Justin Tucker, Bal K
166	Jonathan Williams, Buf RB	168	Robert Woods, LAR WR
171	Breshad Perriman, Bal WR	169	Kenny Stills, Mia WR
194	Tyler Lockett, Sea WR	196	Jay Cutler, Mia QB
199	Mason Crosby, GB K	197	Nelson Agholor, Phi WR
222	Ravens D/ST D/ST	224	Wayne Gallman, NYG RB

PYROMANIAC.COM		TEAM NABORS
Pick	Player, Team, Pos	Pick	Player, Team, Pos
13	Jay Ajayi, Mia RB	14	DeMarco Murray, Ten RB
16	Dez Bryant, Dal WR	15	Leonard Fournette, Jax RB
41	Travis Kelce, KC TE	42	Julian Edelman, NE WR
44	Martavis Bryant, Pit WR	43	Jarvis Landry, Mia WR
69	Pierre Garcon, SF WR	70	Kelvin Benjamin, Car WR
72	Tevin Coleman, Atl RB	71	Delanie Walker, Ten TE
97	Kirk Cousins, Wsh QB	98	Tyrell Williams, LAC WR
100	Samaje Perine, Wsh RB	99	Cam Newton, Car QB
125	Zay Jones, Buf WR	126	Derrick Henry, Ten RB
128	Thomas Rawls, Sea RB	127	C.J. Prosise, Sea RB
153	Cardinals D/ST D/ST	154	Kevin White, Chi WR
156	Stephen Gostkowski, NE K	155	D’Onta Foreman, Hou RB
181	Andy Dalton, Cin QB	182	Joe Williams, SF RB
184	Marlon Mack, Ind RB	183	Deshaun Watson, Hou QB
209	Coby Fleener, NO TE	210	Wil Lutz, NO K
212	Jalen Richard, Oak RB	211	Falcons D/ST D/ST

EAT SLEEP FANTASY		FOOTBALL ALMOST DAILY
Pick	Player, Team, Pos	Pick	Player, Team, Pos
8	Julio Jones, Atl WR	6	Mike Evans, TB WR
21	Lamar Miller, Hou RB	23	Ezekiel Elliott, Dal RB
36	Allen Robinson, Jax WR	34	Dalvin Cook, Min RB
49	Davante Adams, GB WR	51	Danny Woodhead, Bal RB
64	Jamison Crowder, Wsh WR	62	Mike Gillislee, NE RB
77	Doug Martin, TB RB	79	LeGarrette Blount, Phi RB
92	Darren McFadden, Dal RB	90	Donte Moncrief, Ind WR
105	Robert Kelley, Wsh RB	107	Adam Thielen, Min WR
120	Tyrod Taylor, Buf QB	118	Jonathan Stewart, Car RB
133	Jeremy Hill, Cin RB	135	Ben Roethlisberger, Pit QB
148	Eric Ebron, Det TE	146	Vikings D/ST D/ST
161	Matthew Stafford, Det QB	163	Alvin Kamara, NO RB
176	Tavon Austin, LAR WR	174	Rex Burkhead, NE RB
189	Robert Turbin, Ind RB	191	Antonio Gates, LAC TE
204	Jaguars D/ST D/ST	202	JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pit WR
217	Josh Lambo, LAC K	219	Sebastian Janikowski, Oak K

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Listen to the BlogTalkRadio 14-Team Expert League Draft Recap Podcast, hosted by PodVader below!