Last week, a collection of RotoWire writers gathered for our annual college fantasy draft. The player pool for the the 18-team league includes all FBS schools, and each team must start two quarterbacks, two running backs, three wide receivers, a tight end, flex, kicker and defense.
Here's a look at how things played out, keeping all managers anonymous other than myself. There were some auto picks throughout the day, which you'll see from the results. And while I wasn't overly pleased with all of my selections, I'll throw out the disclaimer that this was done from my desk at a day job, during our annual audit. At most times, I had a boss and two auditors to shield my screen from.
Round 1
1. Team 1 - Keevan Lucas, WR, Tulsa
2. Team 2 - Trevone Boykin, QB, TCU
3. Team 3 - James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh
4. Team 4 - Seth Russell, QB, Baylor
5. Bennett - Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
6. Team 6 - Elijah McGuire, RB, Louisiana-Lafayette
7. Team 7 - Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State
8. Team 8 - Taysom Hill, QB, BYU
9. Team 9 - Corey Clement, RB, Wisconsin
10. Team 10 -Devon Johnson, RB, Marshall
11. Team 11 - Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
12. Team 12 - Luke Falk, QB, Washington State
13. Team 13 - Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State
14. Team 14 - Patrick Mahomes,
Last week, a collection of RotoWire writers gathered for our annual college fantasy draft. The player pool for the the 18-team league includes all FBS schools, and each team must start two quarterbacks, two running backs, three wide receivers, a tight end, flex, kicker and defense.
Here's a look at how things played out, keeping all managers anonymous other than myself. There were some auto picks throughout the day, which you'll see from the results. And while I wasn't overly pleased with all of my selections, I'll throw out the disclaimer that this was done from my desk at a day job, during our annual audit. At most times, I had a boss and two auditors to shield my screen from.
Round 1
1. Team 1 - Keevan Lucas, WR, Tulsa
2. Team 2 - Trevone Boykin, QB, TCU
3. Team 3 - James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh
4. Team 4 - Seth Russell, QB, Baylor
5. Bennett - Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
6. Team 6 - Elijah McGuire, RB, Louisiana-Lafayette
7. Team 7 - Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State
8. Team 8 - Taysom Hill, QB, BYU
9. Team 9 - Corey Clement, RB, Wisconsin
10. Team 10 -Devon Johnson, RB, Marshall
11. Team 11 - Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
12. Team 12 - Luke Falk, QB, Washington State
13. Team 13 - Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State
14. Team 14 - Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
15. Team 15 - Fredi Knighten, QB, Arkansas State
16. Team 16 - Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
17. Team 17 - Brandon Doughty, QB, Western Kentucky
18. Team 18 - Vernon Adams, QB, Oregon
My Pick:Nick Chubb - I debated between three running backs, Chubb, Donnel Pumphrey and Devon Johnson. To be honest, I had no real preference but ruled out Johnson due to his Week 12 bye, the second week of our playoffs.
Best Pick:Donnel Pumphrey - You can probably make the argument for Pumphrey to be the first or second running back taken and to land him at 13 seems like a bargain.
Questionable Pick(s):Vernon Adams - Personal preference, but even in a two-quarterback lineup, I'm not a fan of selecting a quarterback early unless it's an absolute stud like Russell. At the time of the draft, Adams was still in transfer limbo, making him even more risky than others selected.
Round 2
19. Team 18 - Greg Ward Jr., QB, Houston
20. Team 17 - Jarvion Franklin, RB, Western Michigan
21. Team 16 - Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma
22. Team 15 - Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
23. Team 14 - Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina
24. Team 13 - Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
25. Team 12 - Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon
26. Team 11 - Keenan Reynolds, QB, Navy
27. Team 10 - Marquise Williams, QB, North Carolina
28. Team 9 -Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech
29. Team 8 - Devontae Booker, RB, Utah
30. Team 7 - Joshua Dobbs, QB, Tennessee
31. Team 6 - Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
32. Bennett - Marcus Cox, RB, Appalachian State
33. Team 4 - Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
34. Team 3 - Tajae Sharpe, WR, UMASS
35. Team 2 - Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State
36. Team 1 - D.J. Foster, WR, Arizona State
My Pick:Marcus Cox - I took a slight gamble that didn't pay off. Not considering a quarterback at all, I hoped my preferred receiver, Tajae Sharpe, would make it back to me in Round 3. Not only was he taken, but a run on wideouts occurred putting me in a bit of a panic. Cox's production speaks for itself, but the Week 12 bye I avoided in Round 1 comes into play here. Not the brightest decision on my part.
Best Pick:Royce Freeman - I was really, really hoping Freeman made it back to me. The news of Thomas Tyner being out for the year with a shoulder injury has really catapulted Freeman up in my rankings, into borderline first-round territory.
Questionable Pick:Greg Ward Jr. - Most of us aren't buying that Ward won't start, and shine, in new coach Tom Herman's system. But given just a little flicker of doubt, Ward is risky. Pairing him with Adams this early is an even bigger gamble, and leaves Team 18 without any WRs or RBs through two rounds.
Round 3
37. Team 1 - KD Cannon, WR, Baylor
38. Team 2 - Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma
39. Team 3 - JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
40. Team 4 - Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo
41. Bennett - Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh
42. Team 6 - Nick Wilson, RB, Arizona
43. Team 7 - Paul Perkins, RB, UCLA
44. Team 8 -Blake Frohnapfel, QB, UMASS
45. Team 9 - Ray Lawry, RB, Old Dominion
46. Team 10 - D'haquille Williams, WR, Auburn
47. Team 11 - William Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
48. Team 12 - Byron Marshall, WR, Oregon
49. Team 13 - Travis Greene, RB, Bowling Green
50. Team 14 - Gunner Kiel, QB, Cincinnati
51. Team 15 - Leon Allen, RB, Western Kentucky
52. Team 16 - Stephen Anderson, TE, California
53. Team 17 - River Cracraft, WR, Washington State
54. Team 18 - Josh Ferguson, RB, Illinois
My Pick:Tyler Boyd - I have to imagine Boyd fell to the third round solely based on his one-game suspension. One of my biggest pet peeves in a league like this is not having reliable receivers. It appears as many other managers feel the same given the run between my second and third picks. It's certainly time to start building depth at the position. On a side note, Boyd is going to have an incredibly slow start. After he returns from suspension, he'll have two games before a Week 4 bye. He'll make a really nice buy-low target at that point.
Best Pick:William Fuller - Fuller was the receiver I passed on in favor of Boyd. We're still at a point where good picks are plentiful, so singling one out is a little challenging, but Fuller looks like a value as the 47th player off the board.
Questionable pick(s):Stephen Anderson, Josh Ferguson - Having a productive tight end is certainly of value, but in the third round? And after two scary quarterback selections, taking Josh Ferguson as your top RB seems less than ideal.
Round 4
55. Team 18 - Larry Rose III, RB, New Mexico State
56. Team 17 - Nelson Spruce, WR, Colorado
57. Team 16 - Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
58. Team 15 - Demario Richard, RB, Arizona State
59. Team 14 - Matt Breida, RB, Georgia Southern
60. Team 13 - Aaron Jones, RB, UTEP
61. Team 12 - Tyler Jones, QB, Texas State
62. Team 11 - Jeremy Johnson, QB, Auburn
63. Team 10 - Robert Lowe, RB, Texas State
64. Team 9 - Austin Duke, WR, Charlotte
65. Team 8 - Kenneth Farrow, RB, Houston
66. Team 7 - Aaron Green, RB, TCU
67. Team 6 - Matt Johnson, QB, Bowling Green
68. Bennett - Gabe Marks, WR, Washington State
69. Team 4 - Dane Evans, QB, Tulsa
70. Team 3 - Kyle Allen, QB, Texas A&M
71. Team 2 - Cody Kessler, QB, USC
72. Team 1 - Justin Jackson, RB, Northwestern
My Pick: - Gabe Marks - If Mike Leach is saying something positive about his players, that's good enough for me. If he even flirts with similar production to that of Vince Mayle last year, I have a WR1 playing as my WR2. I couldn't make this pick quickly enough.
Best Pick: Marks - It's rare that I toot my own horn, but it feels fair to do so. Is there some risk with Marks after his redshirt season last year? Of course. But even modest grown on his 2013 stats (74 catches, 807 yards, seven TDs) would have Marks topping 1,000 yards and 10 scores. I'm fine with that as a second receiver. Also really love the Larry Rose selection.
Questionable Pick:Kyle Allen - Allen has all the talent in the world, and is in a system where he could produce like a top quarterback. But he experienced some growing pains last year and is constantly hearing about Kyler Murray during camp. Cody Kessler, who went a pick later, seemed like a much safer choice as a team's top quarterback.
Round 5
73. Team 1 - Jonnu Smith, TE, Florida International
74. Team 2 - Ohio State D/ST
75. Team 3 - Jordan Howard, RB, Indiana
76. Team 4 - Jovon Robinson, RB, Auburn
77. Bennett - Roger Lewis, WR, Bowling Green
78. Team 6 - TCU D/ST
79. Team 7 - Mississippi D/ST
80. Team 8 - Josh Doctson, WR, TCU
81. Team 9 - Alabama D/ST
82. Team 10 - J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State
83. Team 11 - Michigan State D/ST
84. Team 12 - Tra Carson, RB, Texas A&M
85. Team 13 - Jake Butt, TE, Michigan
86. Team 14 - Shock Linwood, RB, Baylor
87. Team 15 - Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
88. Team 16 - Jared Goff, QB, California
89. Team 17 - Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech
90. Team 18 - Michael Gordon, RB, Arkansas State
My Pick:Roger Lewis - I knew I wanted more receiving options, and while Lewis had some inconsistent weeks last season, I'm banking on Matt Johnson's return to increase his weekly production. After five rounds, I've secured three receivers and two running backs, and feel good about the overall strength at those positions.
Best Pick:Christian McCaffrey - I'm really starting to buy in on McCaffrey being in the upper tier of Pac12 rushers. He really helps balance out a lineup for Team 15, which took quarterbacks Fredi Knighten and Deshaun Watson in the first two rounds.
Questionable pick(s): Any and all defenses. Not all of the ones selected in Round 5 were autopicks. Yes, all taken are upper echelon options, but with 128 teams in our player pool, I prefer using much later picks on a defense, and then playing weekly matchups. You can almost always find a middle of the road defense playing a horrible team in season.
Round 6
91. Team 18 - Teldrick Morgan, WR, New Mexico State
92. Team 17 - Kalif Phillips, RB, Charlotte
93. Team 16 - Demarcus Robinson, WR, Florida
94. Team 15 - Jared Dangerfield, WR, Western Kentucky
95. Team 14 - Leonte Carroo, WR, Rutgers
96. Team 13 - Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
97. Team 12 - Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi
98. Team 11 - Kenyan Drake, RB, Alabama
99. Team 10 - Marteze Waller, RB, Fresno State
100. Team 9 - Victor Bolden, WR, Oregon State
101. Team 8 - Tevaun Smith, WR, Iowa
102. Team 7 - Russell Hansbrough, RB, Missouri
103. Team 6 - Rodney Mills, TE, UMASS
104. Bennett - Drew Hare, QB, Northern Illinois
105. Team 4 - Jamal Robinson, WR, Louisiana Lafayette
106. Team 3 - Zack Langer, RB, Tulsa
107. Team 2 - Jonathan Williams, RB, Arkansas
108. Team 1 - Malik Zaire, QB, Notre Dame
My Pick:Drew Hare - I really had hoped to wait two more rounds on a quarterback, but my queue was getting thinned on options I'd genuinely want to start. Hare has as much upside as quarterbacks drafted two or three rounds prior, and I'm banking on some growth in his second year as a starter.
Best pick(s): There is a lot I really like in this round. Morgan looks like a bargain, but Team 18 is really banking on New Mexico State's offense with the selection of Larry Rose III in Round 4. Carroo is a target monster with little downside, while Mike Williams was someone I considered in Round 5. Marteze Waller may be the best of the bunch as he's a lock for a high carry total. Waller's availability at this stage proves my strategy of ignoring quarterbacks early isn't always the best play. Team 10 now has Marquise Williams and J.T. Barrett under center, while still having very capable rushers in Waller and Robert Lowe.
Questionable Pick:Tevaun Smith - I simply have little faith in Iowa's offense to make Smith a viable weekly starter.
Round 7
109. Team 1 - Mike Bercovici, QB, Arizona State
110. Team 2 - Jalen Hurd, RB, Tennessee
111. Team 3 - Georgia Tech D/ST
112. Team 4 - Isaiah Jones, WR, East Carolina
113. Bennett - Anu Solomon, QB, Arizona
114. Team 6 - Josh Lambert, K, West Virginia
115. Team 7 - Pharaoh Brown, TE, Oregon
116. Team 8 - Anthone Taylor, RB, Buffalo
117. Team 9 - Dezmon Epps, WR, Idaho
118. Team 10 - Clemson D/ST
119. Team 11 - Johnathan Gray, RB, Texas
120. Team 12 - De'Mornay Pierson-El, RB, Nebraska
121. Team 13 - LSU D/ST
122. Team 14 - D.J. Vinson, WR, South Alabama
123. Team 15 - Josh Reynolds, WR, Texas A&M
124. Team 16 - Daniel Lasco II, RB, California
125. Team 17 - Virginia D/ST
126. Team 18 - Cam Serigne, TE, Wake Forest
My Pick:Anu Solomon - Here's my first true panic pick of the draft. I had Zaire and Bercovici as the only two quarterbacks remaining, and they were both off the board. I believe this is also the part in the draft where our time limit went from two minutes to 30 seconds. There's nothing wrong with Solomon, and he'll have his share of big games in 2015. Just wish I had thought it through a little more
Best Pick:Anthone Taylor - His workload may decrease some, but a running back that had 282 carries a season ago should not last this long, nor be a flex play on a roster. He looks like a very nice addition to a roster that already had Aaron Green and Devontae Booker.
Questionable Pick:Josh Lambert - I can't confirm or deny this was an autopick, so lets just assume it was. It has to be, right? Virginia's defense also seems highly questionable given its losses to the front seven from a year ago, and early season schedule that includes UCLA, Notre Dame and Boise State.
Round 8
127. Team 18 - Louisville D/ST
128. Team 17 - Storm Barr-Woods, RB, Oregon State
129. Team 16 - Mike Boone, RB, Cincinnati
130. Team 15 - De'Runnya Wilson, WR, Mississippi State
131. Team 14 - Notre Dame D/ST
132. Team 13 - Ron Willoughby, WR, Buffalo
133. Team 12 - Evan Engram, TE, Mississippi
134. Team 11 - Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas
135. Team 10 - Josiah Price, TE, Michigan State
136. Team 9 - OJ Howard, TE, Alabama
137. Team 8 - Deon-Tay McManus, WR, Marshall
138. Team 7 - Robert Foster, WR, Alabama
139. Team 6 - Tommy Armstrong, Jr., QB, Nebraska
140. Bennett - Artavis Scott, WR, Clemson
141. Team 4 - DeAndre Washington, RB, Texas Tech
142. Team 3 - David Grinnage, TE, North Carolina State
143. Team 2 - A.J. Ouellette, RB, Ohio
144. Team 1 - Martez Walker, RB, Central Michigan
My pick:Artavis Scott - Ideally, I'll be playing running backs in my flex slot more often than not, but I knew I still needed some upside wide receivers. I may not be able to field a team in Week 4, as Scott is my third receiver with a bye that week, but his upside was too great to pass up at this point.
Best Pick:Deon-Tay McManus - McManus was my target and should be poised for a huge season with Angelo Jean-Louis dismissed from the program.
Questionable Pick(s): The tight end run. Many chosen were done so by the system, but to see five tight ends go here was eye opening. That makes 12 selected through eight rounds, meaning I won't be taking one for a very, very long time. It's all a matter of personal preference, but I'd much rather be taking backups at other positions who can get me 10-20 points weekly than a tight end who may reach 10 once or twice a year.
Round 9
145. Team 1 - Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State
146. Team 2 - Jakeem Grant, WR, Texas Tech
147. Team 3 - Dom Williams, WR, Washington State
148. Team 4 - California D/ST
149. Bennett - Akeel Lynch, RB, Penn State
150. Team 6 - Hunter Sharp, WR, Utah State
151. Team 7 - Roberto Aguayo, K, Florida State
152. Team 8 - Geronimo Allison, WR, Illinois
153. Team 9 - Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State
154. Team 10 - Jaden Oberkrom, K, TCU
155. Team 11 - Carlos Henderson, WR, Louisiana Tech
156. Team 12 - Chris Callahan, K, Baylor
157. Team 13 - Justin Thomas, QB, Georgia Tech
158. Team 14 - Taquan Mizzell, RB, Virginia
159. Team 15 - Stanford D/ST
160. Team 16 - Mekale McKay, WR, Cincinnati
161. Team 17 - Jenson Stoshak, WR, Florida Atlantic
162. Team 18 - James Quick, WR, Louisville
My Pick:Akeel Lynch - I messed up here, no questions about it. While I like Lynch, and think he can be an every down back capable of very sound production, I simply wanted another wide receiver. James Quick was my choice, and the draft system did not allow that to happen. Some glitch where his position wasn't correct when I attempted to select, and the 30-second clock rapidly became seven seconds. Lynch is OK with me, just not what I wanted. Quick would have provided some bye week help with flex upside as a starter.
Best Pick:Justin Thomas - Thomas seems to slip in drafts, and I can only assume that's because he isn't the passing machine many want under center. With the Yellow Jackets loses on offense, Thomas is the only proven option entering the year, and that should only increase his numbers. Interestingly, he's the first quarterback taken by this manager.
Questionable Pick(s): Kickers. I actually have no disagreement with these three kickers being the best options in the nation, as Aguayo's leg and Oberkrom and Callahan's systems should generate 12 points weekly. I simply refuse to draft a kicker until the last round. No circumstances will change that. California's defense must have been an auto-pick issue.
Round 10
163. Team 18 - Tyler Winston, WR, San Jose State
164. Team 17 - Everett Golson, QB, Florida State
165. Team 16 - Marquez Grayson, RB, East Carolina
166. Team 15 - Joel Ruiz, TE, Georgia State
167. Team 14 - Steven Scheu, TE, Vanderbilt
168. Team 13 - Thomas Sirk, QB, Duke
169. Team 12 - Georgia D/ST
170. Team 11 - Speedy Noil, WR, Texas A&M
171. Team 10 - Devin Lauderdale, WR, Texas Tech
172. Team 9 - Jake Elliott, K, Memphis
173. Team 8 - Jon Hilliman, RB, Boston College
174. Team 7 - Jesse Kroll, WR, Central Michigan
175. Team 6 - Jordan Williams, WR, Ball State
176. Bennett - Davonte Allen, WR, Marshall
177. Team 4 - Marcus Kemp, WR, Hawaii
178. Team 3 - Andy Phillips, K, Utah
179. Team 2 - Standish Dobard, TE, Miami
180. Team 1 - Marcus Allen, RB, Georgia Tech
My Pick:Davonte Allen - Call this a makeup pick for my idiocy in not taking Quick last round. Id have preferred McManus and his larger frame from the Thundering Herd offense, but all reports indicate Allen and quarterback Michael Birdsong are developing a nice chemistry, and I trust Allen to be a capable bye-week plug in.
Best Pick:Everett Golson - While still a risk due to his proclivity to commit turnovers and the fact he isn't officially the starter, there's not much downside to taking Golson in Round 10. He'll provide arguably more upside than Tommy Armstrong, who Team 17 took as their second quarterback in Round 8.
Questionable Pick:Standish Dobard - If Dobard simply replaces the production of now Oakland Raider Clive Walford, then this is a tremendous pick. But I have my doubts that Dobard is the 'Canes top tight end all season. A committee approach with the likes for Chris Herndon and H-Back David Njoku appears to be budding in Coral Gables.
Round 11
181. Team 1 - Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State
182. Team 2 - Zane Gonzalez, K, Arizona State
183. Team 3 - Nick Arbuckle, QB, Georgia State
184. Team 4 - Trevon Brown, WR, East Carolina
185. Bennett - Jay Lee, WR, Baylor
186. Team 6 - Kenny Lawler, Jr., WR, California
187. Team 7 - Stacy Coley, WR, Miami
188. Team 8 - Alan Cross, TE, Memphis
189. Team 9 -Zach Terrell, QB, Western Michigan
190. Team 10 - Keyarris Garrett, WR, Tulsa
191. Team 11 - Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
192. Team 12 - Marlon Mack, RB, South Florida
193. Team 13 - Ben Grogan, K, Oregon State
194. Team 14 - Joel Bouagnon, RB, Northern Illinois
195. Team 15 - Garrett Schwettman, K, Western Kentucky
196. Team 16 - Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
197. Team 17 - Marshall Morgan, K, Georgia
198. Team 18 - Sean Nuernberger, K, Ohio State
My Pick:Jay Lee - I'm putting my faith in my boss's prognostications here. Or maybe just in Art Briles' system. I love big receivers, didn't have enough of them and with three receivers in my last four picks, I now feel very comfortable with my stable of pass catchers.
Best Pick:Dalvin Cook - At this point in the draft, if you're comfortable with your starting lineup, there is no harm in swinging for the fences. It looks more and more likely that Cook will be reinstated at some point this season, possibly as early as Week 1, and there certainly not a more dynamic player available in Round 11. Cook was absolutely on my radar.
Questionable Pick: None - At this point in the draft, it's really about filling needs or taking gambles, and I'll stop singling out folks for taking a kicker before Round 16. I do find the selections of Michael Thomas and Braxton Miller in the same round interesting. Odds seem to suggest only one will return sound production.
Round 12
199. Team 18 - Reginald Bell, QB, Eastern Michigan
200. Team 17 - Appalachian State D/ST
201. Team 16 - Utah State D/ST
202. Team 15 - Kurt Benkert, QB, East Carolina
203. Team 14 - Daniel Carlson, K, Auburn
204. Team 13 - Auburn D/ST
205. Team 12 - Jacoby Brissett, QB, North Carolina State
206. Team 11 - Michael Geiger, K, Michigan State
207. Team 10 - Arizona State D/ST
208. Team 9 -Memphis D/ST
209. Team 8 - Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky
210. Team 7 - Treyous Jarrells, RB, Colorado State
211. Team 6 - Baylor D/ST
212. Bennett - Skyler Howard, QB, West Virginia
213. Team 4 - P.J. Walker, QB, Temple
214. Team 3 - Elijhaa Penny, RB, Idaho
215. Team 2 - Utah D/ST
216. Team 1 - Nate Sudfeld, QB, Indiana
My Pick:Skyler Howard - Howard was pretty solid down the stretch last season, and while I am worried about a lack of proven playmakers in the Mountaineer passing game, Howard seemed to offer a decent amount of potential for my third quarterback. This pick became more necessary following the taking of Benkert earlier in the round, and Zach Terrell in Round 11, as they were my two highest rated remaining quarterbacks.
Best Pick: Treyous Jarrells - This looked like a nice low-risk, high-reward selection before this week's news of Jarrells knee surgery. It's uncertain how carries in the Rams' backfield will be split, but Jarrells will get his share. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry last year on 87 carries, and should he keep that average with 150 or more carries, he's a very nice value -- assuming he plays in 12 games.
Questionable Pick:Reginald Bell - Eastern Michigan is simply a fantasy wasteland. Bell has had one or two eye opening games, but for a team already owning Vernon Adams and Greg Ward, Bell isn't who I'd have chosen as my safe third option.
Round 13
217. Team 1 - Christian Jones, WR, Northwestern
218. Team 2 - Penn State D/ST
219. Team 3 - Kelvin Taylor, RB, Florida
220. Team 4 - Dwayne Washington, RB, Washington
221. Bennett - Jacobi Owens, RB, Air Force
222. Team 6 - Florida State D/ST
223. Team 7 - Alex Collins, RB, Arkansas
224. Team 8 - Terrell Newby, RB, Nebraska
225. Team 9 - Matt Dayes, RB, North Carolina State
226. Team 10 - Brandon Radcliff, RB, Louisville
227. Team 11 - Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn State
228. Team 12 - Kody Kohl, TE, Arizona State
229. Team 13 - Sherman Badie, RB, Tulane
230. Team 14 - Michael Birdsong, QB, Marshall
231. Team 15 - Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
232. Team 16 - Cayleb Jones, WR, Arizona
233. Team 17 - Jalen Williams, WR, UMASS
234. Team 18 - Reggie Bonnafon, QB, Louisville
My Pick:Jacobi Owens - Since I'm not sold on Lynch as my third back, I needed another workhorse option to make me feel comfortable. As long as Owens is healthy, I can trust he'll carry the ball often in the Falcons option attack, making him a nice flex or bye-week plug-in option.
Best Pick:Alex Collins - Obviously, he wasn't selected with the knowledge of Jonathan Williams' injury, but Collins arguably now becomes Team 7's top running back option amongst Paul Perkins, Kenneth Farrow and Russell Hansbrough. This pick was the winning lottery ticket of our draft. Cayleb Jones also looks like a terrific bargain, at least I hope he is as an owner of the 'Cats quarterback.
Questionable Pick:Matt Dayes - Given that bruising Wolfpack back Shadrach Thornton is still on the board at this point, I have a hard time justifying Dayes as a solid choice. He's a pass catching threat, but will likely struggle to consistently see 15-18 touches weekly. His scoring output went down tremendously after N.C State's soft September schedule last year, and the 'Pack's schedule sets up nearly identically this season.
Round 14
235. Team 18 - Kevin Ellison, QB, Georgia Southern
236. Team 17 - Darian Green, RB, Ball State
237. Team 16 - Rodrick Williams, Jr., RB, Minnesota
238. Team 15 - Shuler Bentley, QB, Old Dominion
239. Team 14 - Devonte Boyd, WR, UNLV
240. Team 13 - Sefo Liufau, QB, Colorado
241. Team 12 - Wendell Smallwood, RB, West Virginia
242. Team 11 - Aaron Kemper, RB, Army
243. Team 10 - Joseph Yearby, RB, Miami
244. Team 9 - Devon Spalding, RB, Central Michigan
245. Team 8 - Brad Craddock, K, Maryland
246. Team 7 - Justin Davis, RB, USC
247. Team 6 - Ke'aun Kinner, RB, Kansas
248. Bennett - Florida D/ST
249. Team 4 - Ashton Shumpert, RB, Mississippi State
250. Team 3 - Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson
251. Team 2 - Thomas Sperbeck, WR, Boise State
252. Team 1 - Don Jackson, WR, Nevada
My Pick: Florida D/ST - In hindsight, I really don't like this pick. Florida's talent on defense is not a problem, and I preferred a defense to a tight end or kicker. But I don't particularly like the Gators early season schedule of New Mexico State, East Carolina and Kentucky. I may be playing the wire for a Week 1 defense.
Best Pick: Running backs - There were a plethora of decent running back values. I'm particularly impressed by Rodrick Williams, Devon Spalding, Ashton Shumpert and Wayne Gallman, as all have chances to be featured backs, making them potential 1,000-yard players with six-to-eight scores.
Questionable Pick:Joseph Yearby - It could, and may even likely is, the Miami homer in me that is particularly down on Yearby. He's a talent, no question, but I struggle to see a scenario where he provides any sort of reliable fantasy help.
Round 15
253. Team 1 - Shaun Wick, RB, Wyoming
254. Team 2 - Adam Griffith, K, Alabama
255. Team 3 - Shadrach Thornton, RB, North Carolina State
256. Team 4 - Deon Watson, TE, Idaho
257. Bennett - Braxton Deaver, TE, Duke
258. Team 6 - Missouri D/ST
259. Team 7 - Doroland Dorceus, RB, Memphis
260. Team 8 - Virginia Tech D/ST
261. Team 9 -Jalin Marshall, RB, Ohio State
262. Team 10 - Andrew Gantz, K Cincinnati
263. Team 11 - DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State
264. Team 12 - Oregon D/ST
265. Team 13 - Charles Jones, RB, Kansas State
266. Team 14 - Ralph Webb, RB, Vanderbilt
267. Team 15 - Cardale Jones, QB, Ohio State
268. Team 16 - Rafael Gaglianone, K, Wisconsin
269. Team 17 - Rashon Ceaser, WR, Louisiana Monroe
270. Team 18 - Ajalen Holley, WR, Louisiana Monroe
My Pick:Braxton Deaver - In staying true to my word, I won't take a kicker until Round 16. As such, I had very little choice as I was the last team without a tight end. I was buying into the hype surrounding Deon Watson, and had hoped to land him. In Deaver, I see someone who could be the Blue Devils' top receiving threat. A new quarterback, and a lack of proven wide receivers has me feeling good about Deaver's chances, particularly as a red zone target.
Best Pick:Shadrach Thornton - I'm obviously a bigger believe in Thornton than most, though not too big a believer if I let him last 14 rounds. But I think there is hope for 15-18 carries weekly, which could have him flirting with a 1,000 yard season. DaeSean Hamilton looks like a great value as well. I like Hackenberg's potential to bounce back, giving Hamilton some room for statistical growth.
Questionable Pick:Jalin Marshall - Marshall is the kind of player who is fun to watch, but is more valuable to his real team than a fantasy squad. Big plays will unquestionably come when he has the ball, but how often he has the ball will fluctuate too often to make him a weekly option. You'll have to guess right when putting him in a lineup.
Round 16
271. Team 18 - Jordan Westerkamp, WR, Nebraska
272. Team 17 - Robert Davis, WR, Georgia State
273. Team 16 - Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma
274. Team 15 - Chris Carson, RB, Oklahoma State
275. Team 14 - Juwan Brescacin, WR, Northern Illinois
276. Team 13 - Temple D/ST
277. Team 12 - Aaron Medley, K, Tennessee
278. Team 11 - Daniel Braverman, WR, Western Michigan
279. Team 10 - ArDarius Stewart, WR, Alabama
280. Team 9 -Ryan Jackson, RB, Houston
281. Team 8 - Wes Lunt, QB, Illinois
282. Team 7 - Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU
283. Team 6 - Rushel Shell, RB, West Virginia
284. Bennett - Casey Skowron, K, Arizona
285. Team 4 - Ka'imi Fairbairn, K, UCLA
286. Team 3 - Devon Cajuste, WR, Stanford
287. Team 2 - Gerald Holmes, RB, Michigan State
288. Team 1 - North Carolina State D/ST
My Pick:Casey Skowron - He scored 123 points last year, and doesn't have a bye until Week 13. Try finding another 12-week starter in Round 16!
Best Pick:Robert Davis - Davis was an example of bad luck last year, as his 6-foot-3 frame managed to catch 50 passes on 97 targets, but only two touchdowns. He's got as much upside as anyone in this round. Russel Shell looks like a good bargain, as does the Temple D/ST despite some tough early season matchups. It's a unit that returns largely intact after giving up just 16.9 points per game a year ago, while six times allowing 10 or less points.
Questionable Pick:Jamaal Williams - Given that this draft occurred after the news of Williams' pending redshirt season, there's obviously no reason he should be on a roster.
That wraps it up. My team looks as follows:
QB - Anu Solomon, Arizona
QB - Drew Hare, Northern Illinois
RB - Nick Chubb, Georgia
RB - Marcus Cox, Appalachian State
WR - Tyler Boyd, Pittsburgh
WR - Gabe Marks, Washington State
WR - Roger Lewis, Bowling Green
FLEX - Artavis Scott, WR, Clemson
TE - Braxton Deaver, Duke
K - Casey Skowron, Arizona
D/ST - Florida
Bench - Skyler Howard, QB, West Virginia
Bench - Akeel Lynch, RB, Penn St
Bench - Jacobi Owens, RB, Air Force
Bench - Jay Lee, WR, Baylor
Bench - Davonte Allen, WR, Marshall
Overall, I'm pleased with my squad. I'm not certain I found the best pick in each round, but the overall composition of my roster is exactly as I wanted. Decent depth at running back and wide receiver, a good mix of top options and offensive systems.
At a quick glance, I did not see one true freshman drafted, which seems surprising.
Some noteable players who went undrafted: Madre London, RB, Michigan State; Tarean Folston, RB, Notre Dame; Justin Davis, RB, USC; Hunter Sharp, WR, Utah State; Mitch Mathews, WR, BYU; Travis Rudolph, WR, FSU.
