This article is part of our NFL Observations series.
We had our Vegas League draft Monday morning, a 12-team, non-PPR format with 1-QB, 2-RB, 3-WR, 1-FLX, 1-TE, 1-K, 1-D and six bench spots. I picked eighth. Because it was only a $20 buy-in draft, I decided to make my picks from memory, without a cheat sheet or cross-off list.
Here are the results:
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1.8 Nick Chubb – in a non-PPR, I like him narrowly over Alvin Kamara who projects for a lot fewer carries.
2.5 DK Metcalf – I thought about Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but in non-PPR, give me the big-play WR that gets targeted a ton in the end zone.
3.8 George Kittle – He gets hurt a lot, but if healthy is up there with Travis Kelce on a per-target basis.
4.5 CeeDee Lamb – I took him mostly to punish Dalton Del Don who I predicted would take him in Round 3. But I think fourth round is good value for him.
5.8 DJ Chark – Chark is 6-4, has 4.34 speed and broke out in 2019 with bad quarterbacks. If Trevor Lawrence is as advertised, Chark has top-10 upside.
6.5 Trey Sermon – I knew Dalton would take Sermon next, so this was partly to troll him, but also because he has a ton of upside (Sermon, not Dalton, who has no upside), and I needed a second back.
7.8 Antonio Brown – He was roughly equal to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin when all three were healthy, Tom Brady loves him, and Brown is still only 32. At 5-10, 185, he should age better than larger receivers.
8.5 AJ Dillon – In a non-PPR, I think he'll be usable most weeks, as the Packers didn't overwork Aaron Jones, even in a 16-game season.
9.8 Ryan Tannehill – I needed a QB, and Tannehill is set up well with both AJ Brown and Julio Jones.
10.5 Trevor Lawrence – I actually have him ahead of Tannehill, but felt he was more likely to make it back to me. I like having the Lawrence-Chark pairing too.
11.8 Tyler Higbee – I'm big on the Rams offense this year, and expect either Higbee or Van Jefferson will have a significant role.
12.5 Rams Defense – They draw the Bears at home for Week 1, and I like that they should have more leads this year with Matthew Stafford on board.
13.8 Marvin Jones – What if Chark isn't the guy in Jacksonville? Laviska Shenault was already gone, but Jones seems to produce every year.
14.5 Justin Tucker – Obligatory pick for me.
15.8 Van Jefferson – I won't predict he'll outperform Justin Jefferson this year, but he has a good chance for a significant role in a better offense.
16.5 Rondale Moore – I was doing this from memory, and his was the first plausible name that popped into my head. After DeAndre Hopkins, I don't see A.J. Green or Christian Kirk being major obstacles to Moore if he proves ready.
Roster By Position:
QB Ryan Tannehill/Trevor Lawrence
WR DK Metcalf/CeeDee Lamb/DJ Chark
FLX Antonio Brown
B AJ Dillon/Tyler Higbee/Marvin Jones/Van Jefferson/Rondale Moore
