If You Had 1st Pick in 2017 Fantasy League Draft ?

[kevin]

...Who would you pick. You get anybody you want at QB, HB, WR, TE, K, or any Teams Defense. Who would you take ?

...In Baseball Fantasy, you get first pick..You get anybody you want. Catcher, First, Second, Short,Third, Outfield, DH, or any Team Pitching Staff. Who would you take ?

I know who I would take, but I'm interested in your answers.

Well, I will tell you mine...in baseball, last year I would have loved to have drafted Cubs Pitching Staff. I have no idea yet on this year. I need to look at all pitching staffs in late March. I'm guessing Cubs, Dodgers, Nationals, Indians all still pretty good.

As for NFL, E.E......Elliott of Dallas. I would take him first or if I picked later and he was gone Steelers Bell. I learned there are few good RB's in the NFL that will give you big Fantasy points. Most give you no points at all. Having a RB that puts up points while you opponents RB's do not is huge. Last year I drafted QB first, and that was a mistake. There are many QBs and few top RB's.

[BengalHawk62]

Football would be David Johnson.  Hands down.


Baseball. I don't know.  I don't play fantasy baseball, but I would probably think you couldn't do much worse than Kris Bryant. 

[kevin]

(02-10-2017, 07:02 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: Football would be David Johnson.  Hands down.


Baseball. I don't know.  I don't play fantasy baseball, but I would probably think you couldn't do much worse than Kris Bryant. 

Bryan is great....The thing about baseball is....so many points from good pitching....I mean IF you have a great pitching staff such as last years Cubs or Dodgers, you don't have many off days. Over the week that staff will give you Mega Points.  You won't have to switch staffs and look at who pitches which week as the smucks with so so staffs. It makes it so much easier just to have a great staff over the course of the season. Here is where fan loyalty would kill me if I picked the Reds pitching. I would be doomed all season. ....but after getting pitching, sure, Bryant is great.  A lot of points for position he plays.  Yes, after the top pitching staffs are gone, and if you got shafted on pitching, by all means load up on the guys that put up runs and RBI's and homers and hits.  Those guys are points.  You need at least one Star and if you can get 2 or 3 even better.  If I pick late and the good pitching teams are gone, I'll go right to hitters and hope over the season somebody drops a pitching staff into free agency. It happens. People actually drop good staffs. Not last years Dodgers or Cubs, but last years Indians were available so I grabbed them off free agency and glad I did. So if the league is say 12 teams, that leaves a lot of pitching staffs. If I draft early I'm taking Dodgers or some great pitching, but if I draft late, yes, I'm looking at the people like Bryant in round one because there will be pitching staffs out there.  Now on the lesser staffs, you really have to carry about 3 staffs and less bench hitters.  You have to look at who your staffs play each week and how many off days and pick one to man up with others who have one great pitching staff.  If I could get the Dodgers, Cubs or Nationals in the draft, it would just make the 6 month season easier on me. 

Those off days kill you. Your team is against another team for the week. Your players have 20 off days combined and his team has no off days. That's worst case. Your odds of beating him way down. A player only playing 6 days, no big deal. A player only playing 5 days is. A pitching staff with a 5 game week is bad, unless you have Dodgers or somebody. 7 games is great but that doesn't mean manager doesn't give him a day off. 6 day week is OK. Players with a 5 day week can hurt you. If they are not that good, you need to sub. You do have to manage your line-ups for each week and make player moves. Injuries and off seasons and look for hot players. If a free agent is just ripping the cover off the ball, you need to add him. Some real good young players nobody has heard of. It makes the season interesting.

More interesting is the free contest you can win a Million Dollars. You have to have batters beat DiMaggio's hit streak. You can change batters each day, take days off, just don't pick a guy that goes without a hit. No fan has done it yet. For a Million Dollars, sure, I'll try it again this year. I think I got around 20 games in a row last year. Not bad, but not close to Joe. I tried finding the Pete Rose types in games against pitchers they have a history of hitting against. Still, sometimes managers bench them or pitcher walks them and in the end they get that one at bat for an out that stops your streak. Houston has a Pete Rose type. Boston has a couple. Still, the trick is finding which lousy pitchers are pitching each day and which hitter on opposing team owns them. To me, that's best way to beat the streak. For a Million Bucks, sure, I'll try it again. Who can't use a Million Bucks.

[guyofthetiger]

I've won baseball and football fantasy leagues by letting the computer pick the best player available. When I choose, best is third place.

[kevin]

(02-10-2017, 11:16 PM)guyofthetiger Wrote: I've won baseball and football fantasy leagues by letting the computer pick the best player available. When I choose, best is third place.

I have to admit that letting computer pick on my baseball 3 teams wasn't bad.  I had to hit the free agents hard for the lousy players dealt, like lousy cards in poker, but it worked.  I'm amazed a few teams never tried to upgrade their bench depth over season....Now in football I tried to pick, but it gave me a list of 20 players, then with each pick it would add players, like a Mel Kiper list. It didn't always have players on my draft sheet that I wanted.  Yet other people were drafting players not in that computers top 20 group, so I guess was on the wrong pick list. Problem list only gave you a few seconds to find your player and pick, very rushed. Like baseball, I had to build a lot of my team in free agency. Again, I was amazed at how some teams never dumped the lousy players on their bench and tried to build depth.  It's nice to have bench depth.   If the draft gives you some real lousy bench players and free agency has Indians pitching staff or a healthy All-Star or some top prospect up and hitting or in football some top QB or another top player, I'm amazed at the teams that don't seem to know they can they can make roster moves.  You don't need to keep those awful players from the draft on your bench. The stronger your bench, the stronger your team. ....I want to pick a few baseball drafts, and let computer pick a few teams. ....I may do the in football next year also. 

[HarleyDog]

(02-10-2017, 05:46 PM)kevin Wrote: As for NFL, E.E......Elliott of Dallas.  I would take him first or if I picked later and he was gone Steelers Bell.   I learned there are few good RB's in the NFL that will give you big Fantasy points. Most give you no points at all. Having a RB that puts up points while you opponents RB's do not is huge.  Last year I drafted QB first, and that was a mistake. There are many QBs and few top RB's.

My strategy has always been to go RB first & 2nd, the WR 3rd, QB 4th. However, last year on both leagues I missed the draft do to work and got crappy teams from autodraft. Not sure E.E. will be as tough as he was this year, but likely he would be my top 2.

[Bengalbug]

Bell and it isn't close.

[Tiger Teeth]

Julio Jones

[guyofthetiger]

I would pick either Ezekiel Elliot or Bell as running backs are a premium.

[rezolve11]

David Johnson is the clear #1 for me. Bell and Elliot are close, I don't think you would go wrong with any of these three.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Probably David Johnson. He's immune to the RB curse of being phased out of the offense if the team is down by a lot, because of what a pass catcher he is. Real tempting to go Elliott, though.


As for baseball, can't go wrong with Mike Trout. Pitchers get hurt too damn often. Trout is a great player and hits LHP and RHP pretty equally, so I don't have to worry about having to do left/right matchups. He can hit 40 HR, he will get you 30-40 2B, 30-40 HR, 30-40 SB, and 90-110 RBI.

[Aquapod770]

(02-12-2017, 10:33 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: Bell and it isn't close.

In standard scoring leagues 23 players scored more points than Bell.  3 of those were RBs.  With the top overall RB (D. Johnson) scoring nearly 100 points more. Give me Johnson or Zeke over Bell and it isn't close. 

[*bfine32*]

Baseball I like to go middle infielder as there can be a huge drop off. Most of your FF studs are OF or corner infielders so that position is deep. So I'd take the little 2B from Houston.

Football I rode Zeke to the Championship game in the Board League so I'd roll with him again. I will say I think Jordan Howard will take a bump.

[Bengalbug]

(02-19-2017, 09:55 PM)Aquapod770 Wrote: In standard scoring leagues 23 players scored more points than Bell.  3 of those were RBs.  With the top overall RB (D. Johnson) scoring nearly 100 points more. Give me Johnson or Zeke over Bell and it isn't close. 

Well bell also missed 4 games.  On a per game basis it was within 1 ppg. David Johnson also had the first 20 td season since Lesean McCoy in 2011 so a td regression is in order. Also consider that David Johnson had less rushing yards in 16 weeks than bell did in 12 with .7 ypc less per rush and I'll take the better runner and equally as talented pass catcher on a more potent offense.

Don't get me wrong, David Johnson and zeke are studs but bell is my clear #1 and it isn't close.  

[*jason*]

If its PPR, I'd still lean toward Julio or Antonio Brown.

Baseball? Ain't nobody got time for that....

[CageTheBengal]

David Johnson his consistency is off the charts with a very high floor.

He was a huge reason I was Champ last year.

[kevin]

MLB Fantasy Baseball is gone. No longer exists. MLB did recommend Yahoo Fantasy site, So yesterday I tried some of their free leagues. Good thing because in the first draft I didn't know what to click to make my pick. After practice in mock draft mode I was back for my second team. Unlike MLB Fantasy, you can't grab the entire Cubs pitching in one pick. So I took pitchers Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, John Lester, Aroldis Chapman and Jeurys Familia before going for hitting. After the draft I saw I was pitching strong, but hitting weak. I tried another team and a draft. This time I took a top hitter first. Trout, Betts, Arenado, and a few others were off the boards but I grabbed Donaldson. I mixed and matched hitting and pitching more. I still got Justin Verlander, just not Max Scherzer. I like those picks more in that draft. I discovered I can get some good depth in pitching late round in Jeremy Helickson, Collin McHugh and just traded Red Dan Straily. These guys get a lot of K's and very good late round picks. I think I could get ex Red Straily last pick, ever draft. The young Miami pitcher died, so Straily will get innings. This kids sad and tragic death is why Miami got Straily from Reds. He is nothing like the pitcher that died, but Straily can go every 5th day and get 150 to 200 K's over the season.

So I learned going for pitching with the # 1 pick is smart if I could get the entire Cubs staff, but if we are just talking one pitcher, then the first pick in baseball is easy. You take Trout. You don't even think about it. You just take Trout. Everybody takes Trout # 1. After he is gone, you try to get at least one top superstar bat on your team. Pitching will be there in round 2, but the players like Trout, Betts, Arenado, Donaldson, Altuve, Bryant and a few others will be long gone.

As for Reds, I got Suarez late in my pitching loaded draft for third base depth. In the draft I mixed it up more, I got Duvall and not all that early. At catcher I could always get Ramos and Molina as late round catcher picks. I think Ramirez ended up my first base on both teams. Even the pitching loaded team I grabbed Pujols to DH. Pujols and McCutchen good values as draft had passed 6 or 7 rounds.

So in baseball, if you are not allowed to draft the entire Cubs staff in one pick and only one pitcher, then everybody takes Trout # 1. The guys that put up huge points go fast. Still, Pujols puts up good points and can be taken not so fast. Most of these leagues need a solid DH for points. Billy Hamilton going early and Albert Pujols, McCutchen and Duvall and Bruce and Longoria are kind of past the top rounds steals. I was very happy to fill out my pitching staff with last round picks Helickson, McHugh and Strailey. I will take them late every time knowing these 3 will put up a lot of K's. I liked drafting hitter, pitcher, hitter, pitcher early. It made a good solid team, On Paper. ( If only the game was played on paper ).....Oh, I quickly hit the free agents on my draft I messed up and my pitching loaded team. The team I mixed it up, I felt no need to hit free agency on day one. The fun of picking names and mascots, My good team is Pink Floyd with pink picture of Floyd The Barber. My pitching loaded team is The 3 Stooges with mascot Curley as avitar. The team I couldn't even draft is Slim Pickens with him as my avitar. My baseball season has started. If nothing else I'll lead the league in funny avitar mascot pictures.

[XenoMorph]

(02-10-2017, 05:46 PM)kevin Wrote: ...Who would you pick.  You get anybody you want at QB, HB, WR, TE, K, or any Teams Defense.  Who would you take ?  

...In Baseball Fantasy, you get first pick..You get anybody you want.  Catcher, First, Second, Short,Third, Outfield, DH, or any Team Pitching Staff. Who would you take ?

I know who I would take, but I'm interested in your answers.

Well, I will tell you mine...in baseball, last year I would have loved to have drafted Cubs Pitching Staff.  I have no idea yet on this year. I need to look at all pitching staffs in late March.  I'm guessing Cubs, Dodgers, Nationals, Indians all still pretty good.

As for NFL, E.E......Elliott of Dallas.  I would take him first or if I picked later and he was gone Steelers Bell.   I learned there are few good RB's in the NFL that will give you big Fantasy points. Most give you no points at all. Having a RB that puts up points while you opponents RB's do not is huge.  Last year I drafted QB first, and that was a mistake. There are many QBs and few top RB's.

I lot really depends on the league your in and how points are scored.  not all leagues are the same.  But generally a RB that is the primary guy and used in the passing game as more than a blocker or a top WR is your best bet overall #1...    as you need multiple starters at these positions and can get a serviceable QB later

Also you have to look at more than just the player your grabbing a Great WR in past years on a new team or with a new QB might not be so great.. a RB that was over used the year before tends to lose a lot of production the next season.

If you draft a kicker First overall just go ahead and retire from fantasy football..  This will save you money.

[BFritz21]

I would say Bell except he can't stay healthy.

I also think that Ben is full of shit and he's not even considering retirement, but there's always the chance that he is and the Steelers and Bell could go nuts for him and play unreal if he tells them before the season.

It's also a possibility that Ben's heart might not be in it, he has a shitty year or gets hurt, and Bell's play suffers with a backup QB (especially if they go Dobbs because I think he'll struggle in the NFL due to his misshaped head not being able to fit in his helmet).



I think Dak goes off this year and Zeke kills it behind the always-dominant Cowboys line.

David Johnson is also has high upside because, as Leonard said, his pass-catching ability always keeps him producing in games, regardless of the score.

However, Palmer could struggle since he's 37 and that could affect Johnson's play.

Final Answer: Zeke.

[kevin]

(05-10-2017, 06:54 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: I would say Bell except he can't stay healthy.  

I also think that Ben is full of shit and he's not even considering retirement, but there's always the chance that he is and the Steelers and Bell could go nuts for him and play unreal if he tells them before the season.

It's also a possibility that Ben's heart might not be in it, he has a shitty year or gets hurt, and Bell's play suffers with a backup QB (especially if they go Dobbs because I think he'll struggle in the NFL due to his misshaped head not being able to fit in his helmet).



I think Dak goes off this year and Zeke kills it behind the always-dominant Cowboys line.

David Johnson is also has high upside because, as Leonard said, his pass-catching ability always keeps him producing in games, regardless of the score.

However, Palmer could struggle since he's 37 and that could affect Johnson's play.

Final Answer:  Zeke.

I have to go along with that.  I liked the Cowboys Offensive Line last year.  They made the rookies at RB and QB look great....Plus Elliott actually is very good.  They will block and open lanes and he will get many yards if no major injuries. 

This is coming up. I have to be ready to get in some drafts during preseason in August so I don't miss first week like last year.  Last year I went QB and WR's early only to find out teams load up on RB's and hoard them and all season long it is hard to grab a good free agent RB. When one breaks out, everybody puts in a bid for him.  So I have to get at least one Super Star RB early, I know that now. There are a lot more WR's that put up Fantasy Points than there are RB's.  Most NFL RB's give you few points and the other teams then just wax you every week with such a point loss at RB to them. 

I drafted the Seattle QB last year in Round One. I figured passing, some running and TD's.  He was injured and had a bad year. Good thing I picked Dalton as my back-up because he ended up starting most weeks for me. He had a better year than Wilson, even if Bengals record doesn't show it.  I will only go round One on a QB if the Top RBs are gone and Aaron Rogers is there to pick. I passed on him last year taking Wilson, another mistake I regretted all my first Fantasy Football season. I won't go Defense as high either. There actually are good Free Agent Defenses as season goes along I discovered. Teams improve from one season to the next. Often the Packers, Cowboys or Bengals were Free Agent Defenses to be had during the season, and you can win adding those defenses. There were good free agent WR's to add and even TE. Even hot QBs can be picked up...It's just hard to pick up RB's because all the Fantasy Owners hoard them. They load up on RB and refuse to drop one. Well, injuries and bye weeks kind of force a great stable of RB's. I see that now. You need at least 2 Great RB's and one solid RB for their Bye Weeks, plus one more solid because RB's get injured more it seems. So that is 4, 2 great and 2 solid. You might pick up a solid in Free Agency, but not a Great...So I will have to grab at least 2 early but also get a top QB and a top WR in my first 4 picks. Then load up on WR and TE from round 5 on with an eye out for RB #3. ....I started with Russell Wilson and Brandon Marshall last year and both did nothing for me. You can't wiff on your first 2 picks and have a good season.

The speed of the draft threw me plus I was on a computer list showing it's top ranked players like a Mel Kiper list, and not seeing who I wanted many times. Meanwhile expert players were drafting off that list somehow, probably on another screen....If they have mock draft practices, I need to work those and get up to speed with the others this year. I don't always want any of the 10 players showing on the computers top 10. Maybe a good player is on the board but it is showing me 10 players at other positions. ...I must practice the Mock Drafts, because I got smoked on being in the wrong Mel Kiper type screen. I needed the see everybody screen, not the computer top 10. I'd like to do 3, 4, 5 Mock Drafts to get it down because the speed doesn't let you learn on the fly. You have to know the buttons to click on going in...I would hate to miss great players because I don't know how to work the draft web site. ...In baseball drafts this year I learned to box 3 players I wanted while others drafted, so when it was my turn one of them might still be on the board to click on. That helped. You only have so many seconds, so you have to have these guys lined up and ready to click their name. You don't get all day like the NFL Draft. Fantasy Draft goes fast...In August I need to practice some Mock Drafts to get it all down. If there is a box I can put 3 possible picks in, I need to learn how to work it, because THAT is a great option to use. You get your box of players ready as others pick, so when you are on the clock, you are ready. I hope football has that option as my baseball leagues had. That way if 2 go off the board, Bang, Bang, you still that 3rd guy to click on. ...As others draft, you hump it and get ready to go.

Yes, I would like to nail down two 1,000 yard rushers early. It won't be easy. Of course you can't get both Elliott and Bell, and maybe not either of them...I'll have to have my draft lists ready and some Mock Drafts under my belt to find my players list players quick and fast. I'll do my homework on this in August to get in some leagues late August. I got in one the weekend before NFL Season, but I forgot about the Thursday Night Opener and that league started week 2. Another school of hard knocks. I have to be in leagues much earlier. At least Preseason Week 3 weekend.

My first Baseball Mock draft of this year, I couldn't click on anybody....After many mock practices I even learned how to create a box of 3 to 5 players I wanted. That was nice because as they went off the board I just added on. Then when I was on the clock, I had my list to just click on the top guy. If you draft early or late you really need it if it flip flops. Lets say you draft last but the next round you draft first, my word, you have to make 2 picks in a few seconds. Same if first but then last but back to first again. Gotta practice those Mock Drafts and get the computer down or it ain't happening.