Draft Analysis

Draft analysis you can't get anywhere else- because no one else in the world cares.

Round 1

-Dave did the smart thing by securing Reggie Bush. In a keeper league, you can't risk passing up a guy with this potential. He gives up some points in the short term, but he'll get those back in the future
-Domanick Davis was the sure thing #2 a couple months ago, but stock has dropped since his ailing knee just won't heal. When (if?) it eventually does, Lincoln nabbed a top line runner in a great system with tremendous keeper appeal. However, the recent news of Davis' possible inclusion on the PUP list is bad for everyone involved. (edit: they're talking about Davis to the IR now, what a nightmare.)
-Antonio Gates was the most talented player in the draft, but his position made his selection somewhat of a luxury for a given team. With his keeper situation more than solid Ed could make this guilt free.
-Past that, the only real surefire first rounder would be Tom Brady. Stem secured maybe a top3 QB at pick 9 and as consistent a player as one could want.
-Roy Willams and Santana Moss give Eli the best receiver corps in the league, as the Slumpbusters went for talent before positional need. Neither one was a reach in round 1, although Roy Williams isn't a lock for a monster year. Sure, Mike Martz is great and his talent is unquestionable- but Roy has always left me feeling like he can give more, like he's always underachieving through an entire season. Plus, there's Jon Kitna. Still, monster upside.
-The most valuable position in the league lead to a number of 1st round crapshoots. Outside of Bush (who isn't expected to do a ton this year anyway) there were 5 backs taken, all of them risky. Davis (injury), Corey Dillon (breaking down, young stud), Mike Bell (Denver), Chris Brown (injuries, teammates), and Kevan Barlow (stinky) represented how the league values runners after such a scarcity last season.

Rd. 1 Recap:
Best Pick: Reggie Bush
Best Value: Tom Brady
Worst Pick: Kevan Barlow

Round 2

-Champ used this round to secure a playoff spot in 2008. At the latest. Lawrence Maroney not only provides great insurance on his first rounder (Dillon) but runs like he is mad at everyone. He reminds me of the Simpsons episode with the peewee football team, where Nelson runs a QB keeper and just knocks every defender to the ground. However, he goes out of his way at the goal line just to knock down one more kid before scoring. I can see Maroney doing that someday. I also think Joseph Addai was a better pick than his teammate Dominic Rhodes taken one slot before him. Those are two tremendous future backs.
-To finalize Dave's first trade in the leauge: One season of Michael Vick, a namesake and Dez White for Lawrence Maroney.
-I'm not sure how I feel about another future back, Cedric Benson at 15. We haven't seen him in extended game action, his teammates hate him, he's only attended like 6 practices in 2 years, and he's hurt right now. However, the Bears are so eager to get him on the field, they're ready to push Thomas Jones to the side after he's been nothing but stellar for them. When and if he gets on the field is key to Viano's season.
-Between Domanick Davis (knee) , Jamal Lewis (hip/jail) and Fred Taylor (everything) Lincoln should probably bookmark Yahoo's injury update page.
-Round 2 saw our first (ok, only) trade of the day when Ed jumped up to #17 to nab a QB before the only other team without one (JR) picked. For the 3rd straight year, Schillinger took Matt Hasselbeck.
-Gieryna continued with his talent hoarding, selecting the very patriotic and homophobic Jeremy Shockey. Nice pickup.
-WRs closed out Round 2- all good ones and good value- (D. Jackson, D. Mason, D. Driver)

Rd. 2 recap:
Best Pick: Darrell Jackson
Best Value: Donald Driver
Worst Pick: Dominic Rhodes

Round 3

-Tomke gets back in the action by insuring one of his keepers, taking DeAngelo Willams. Tomke has a near guarantee of a quality starting runner from Carolina every week.
-Viano continued his roulette game, gambling this time on the previously injurd Javon Walker. I support this one fully- as I think Walker is going to play very well and he owes Viano for last seaon; especially after he held onto him all season but didn't keep him.
-Lincoln got good long-term value with LenDale White who was hyped tremendously until he decided to try and Clarett his draft status. All's well now, and Chris Brown is brittle. Good pick for Souzek.
-Kurt Warner's selection at 38 makes him the final starting QB in the league and as long as he has health and a starting job, he'll be a monster.
-After being torn as to which one to keep, Baron got both Thomas Jones and Ahman Green for this season. I go both ways on Ahman- he's got a great history, and with 24 RBs kept, only 8 starting jobs were left on the draft board, and Green has the inside track to one of them. On the other hand, the Packers are miserable and Green was pathetic last year before his extremely serious inury. His selection is based on name alone.
-Greg Jones' season ending injury is tough to cope with after making a 3rd rounder of him. After seeing "Jax RB Greg Jones left game (knee)" I don't know if anyone knew the extent of the injury before our draft.
-Final body count from the JR/Gun trade: Marc Bulger and Santana Moss for Tiki Barber and TJ Houshmanihatejr.

Rd. 3 Recap:
Best Pick: Javon Walker
Best Value: Kurt Warner
Worst Pick: Trent Green

Round 4

-I have a feeling this round will be looked at as a theatre of errors when all is said and done. Some big time risks here.
-Deion Branch doesn't have a team.
-Reggie Brown was the biggest reach in the draft. Quote both Drew and Stem: "I didn't have him on my board."
-Both Joey Galloway and Terry Glenn are set up for drops from last year, as both have competent targets next to them, and won't sneak up on anyone.
-I'm not sure that Mike Anderson is going to start the year at #2 on the Ravens depth chart. Maybe he's just a Denver creation, like Dante Bichette.
-Tatum Bell, Marion Barber, and TJ Duckett were all fine selections, as not only do they have potential to start at some point, but all should play on a weekly basis, even in backup capacities.
-Donte' Stallworth never lives up to expections. Never. (edit: I had this written before the trade to Philly. I still think Stallworth lacks the mental fortitude to succeed, but this trade will help him)
-Final body count from Ed and Drew's trade: Matt Hasselbeck and TJ Duckett for Donald Driver and Trent Green

Rd. 4 Recap:
Best Pick: Steady Eddie Kennison (why not?)
Best Value: Tatum Bell
Worst Pick: Reggie Brown

Round 5

-The round of the TE, and a good spot for them. Three went (C. Cooley, H. Miller, and LJ Smith) and all of them fit in that 2nd tier of tight ends. Good value on all of them.
-Drew Bennett got a much more suitable draft slot this season, compared to last, and his relationship with Billy Volek will make him a potential steal. (edit: I had written this on Monday, before the Kerry Collins signing, which is bad news for Volek, and in turn, Bennett.)
-The other WRs in this round are serviceable WR3s, (Burleson, Jurevicius, Key. Johnson, Bryant, L. Coles).
-The 2nd Backup QB is taken, as Ed gets nice value on Drew Bledsoe who should see a numbers spike if Terrell Owens can survive his terminal hamstring pull.
-1st round without a RB.
-Thank god these are getting shorter

Rd. 5 Recap
Best Pick: Heath Miller. I think he'll come out huge and Mike Ditka loves him.
Best Value: Drew Bledsoe
Worst Pick: Keyshawn Johnson

Round 6

-Another WR heavy round, and we started scraping the barrel a little bit. Baron stretches again, taking Cedrick Wilson about 7 rounds too high.
-Baron does make a solid pick in nabbing Jake Delhomme to allow him to rest easy until Carson Palmer turns out ok.
-Champ steals Randy McMichael, one of the last every week starters at TE on the board.
-According to Eli, "Michael Vick is so overrated that he became underrated." He's right. 6th round is a fortunate round to get him in, although I'm not sure an inferior QB (except Trent Green maybe) went ahead of him.
-With every team owning at least 4 WRs, Schillinger waited to grab one and scooped up Samkon Gado, the only RB in the round, with decent potential.

Rd. 6 Recap:
Best Pick: Randy McMichael
Best Value: Michael Vick
Worst Pick: Cedrick Wilson


Round 7

-This round was a testament to how well everyone prepared. Every pick was exceptionally solid.
-Champ's 2nd consecutive TE (Vernon Davis) has enormous upside. I'm jealous he got him before me, even if I wouldn't have taken him this high.
-Jerious Norwood was the draft's best sleeper, as his monster preseason game the night before solidified his status as a worthy pick. Not only is he a potential goal-line back, but he's got the opportunity to play every down someday. A coup for Andy.
-Baron's WR in this round (Rod Smith) was way better than his previous two. Nice steal.
-Same for Stem (McCardell after Moulds)
-This round of the backup runners is solid- although Chris Perry has been banged up and Ryan Moats is in trouble in Philly.
-Ben Roethlisberger's expanded role in Pittsburgh could benefit Lincoln, as he got a stellar backup in round 7.

Rd. 7 Recap:
Best Pick: Vernon Davis
Best Value: Rod Smith
Worst Pick: Michael Turner

Round 8

-It's all backups from here on out- and we had a run on backup TEs, with J. Stevens, D. Clark and B. Watson set to backup Witten, Miller and Shockey.
-Byron Leftwich needs just one good game this year, and it has to be during Indianapolis' bye week. That's all Andy asks.
-Steve McNair fell pretty far considering how well he's played in the preseason. Champ continues to sizzle.
-Kudos to Tomke for a slick pickup of the very underrated David Givens.
-First kicker off the board is the best on the board, as Adam Vinateri moves indoors. Starts a mini-run, but a K in round 8...? I don't know.

Rd. 8 Recap
Best Pick: Steve McNair
Best Value: Dallas Clark
Worst Pick: Antowain Smith. Is he even going to make the Texan roster?

Round 9

-Our first two defenders come off the board, Troy Polamalu and reigning defensive player of the year Brian Urlacher are the first to go, despite their mediocre point totals last year.
-Three RBs go this round, all three are long shots to contribute this season (M. Hicks, R. Dayne, D. Staley)
-Last season's folk hero Neil Rackers is off the board and should actually score more this year with an improved Arizona offense.
-Jake Plummer is as solid a backup QB as you could ask for in round 9.
-When Stem told me he was taking Alex Smith, I couldn't stop laughing. Then he told me it was the TE, and it wasn't as funny.
-I'm biased because it was mine- but the most interesting pick in this round would have to be Kellen Winslow at #90. Coming off serious injury and having played only minimally in the NFL, it's almost silly to waste a pick on him, especially minding the pathetic Cleveland offense. Still, he's talented, and with Antonio Gates in tow, backup TE isn't a position of concern outside of a bye week.

Rd. 9 Recap
Best Pick: Jake Plummer
Best Value: Neil Rackers
Worst Pick: Ron Dayne

Round 10

-Last year's top scoring kicker is off the board, as Souzek gets a nice grab with Jay Feely
-Baron continues to stock his team with prized defenders, locking down Dwight Freeney, looking to regain the "league's best defense" title once more.
-At this point in the draft, Jamie asked me to "just tell [her] which players aren't defense."
-2 WR, and a RB go this round, all pretty deep sleepers, although I like TMQ Favorite Ernest Wilford's potential.
-Again with the bias, but Philip Rivers inclusion in the draft board may have been a stretch, but it's my belief that the Chargers made Drew Brees a pro-bowler more than Brees made the Chargers a playoff team. I like the system and the weapons.

Rd. 10 Recap
Picks are all bench fodder from here, so no more recaps


Round 11

-Lots more defense, all good picks.
-Interesting selection at 105 by Viano, getting up and comer Greg Jennings, the GB wideout.
-Eli is probably one year ahead of the curve in getting Matt Leinart. He probably won't be a keeper after this season, but surely has potential in 1 or 2 more seasons.
-Brett Farve to JR Radcliffe at 108. Unforseen by all. Decent upside pick- but more stabilty at QB would be nice for a perennial playoff team like The Nihilish Marmot.

Round 12

-Ben Troupe the only non K/D in this round- a real good young man to backup Tony Gonzalez

Round 13

-Great value out of Chris Henry who will be a good spot starter at Baron's flex.
-Cedric Houston is a great pickup by Champ considering the overall sucky of Kevan Barlow.
-JJ Arrington not a bad man to have just in case, especially as the Edge's handcuff

Round 14
-I love the Mark Clayton selection here. Big upside with Kyle Boller out of the picture.
-I like the Musa Smith pick as a handcuff to Jamal Lewis, mostly because I made it.
-Someone who slipped way too far was Roddy White, who might be Michael Vick's primary WR target in ATL this year. Ashley Lelie dilutes his value, but White shouldn't have lasted 130+ picks. (edit: Just after publishing, I learn White has been dropped. Figures.)

Round 15
-Good long reach on Jerry Porter by Champ, who if he plays in Oakland this year, could have great chemistry with Jeff George.
-Wait, Kyle Orton? Seriously?

Supp. Rd.
-Jeb PUTZier was JR's punishment for leaving early.

More to come later this week.