The King's Classic snake and auction drafts are in the books. I broke down the event itself and my plan heading in with last week's preview, and I got to execute that plan Saturday when the Jim Brown division ran a snake draft first, then an auction after a break.
The starting lineup requires one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end and three flex spots, with six more bench spots filling out a 16-man roster. No kickers or defenses.
Running back dried up fast in both formats. Every team walked away with two quarterbacks, and tight end proved to be a legitimately reasonable way to fill a flex spot over a backup running back or a fourth or fifth receiver, the same value read our rankings have shown all preseason.
Snake Draft
I picked 10th in the field. Wide receiver is the hole on this roster, and a rough season from that group would create real problems. Running back and quarterback are the anchors and should carry the bulk of the load.
Tight end is the wild card. Strong seasons from two of the three depth pieces could push this team up the standings.
QUARTERBACK
Joe Burrow
Baker Mayfield
The plan was to wait on quarterback until at least the seventh round. Round six arrived first, and with three running backs already in the fold and neither the wide receiver nor tight end pool exciting me at that cost, I pivoted to Joe Burrow.
Knowing his injury history, I paired him with Baker Mayfield as the backup. Kyler Murray was my first choice for that spot, but Murray and Burrow share the same bye week, which forced the change.
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RUNNING BACK
Omarion Hampton
Saquon Barkley
David Montgomery
Alvin Kamara
Malik Davis
James Conner
Omarion Hampton was the back I had flagged all preseason and getting him in the first round was the expected outcome. Saquon Barkley at pick 19 was closer to a coin flip, and landing him at a discount, on a team that should have a healthier offensive line this year, was a thrill.
David Montgomery in the fourth round gave me a trio I plan to lean on all season, taken with the knowledge that the running back pool would turn ugly fast beyond that point. The depth behind those three is thin, with Alvin Kamara, Malik Davis and James Conner rounding out the group.
WIDE RECEIVER
Garrett Wilson
Ricky Pearsall
DK Metcalf
Jakobi Meyers
De'Zhaun Stribling
Jaylen Waddle at pick 38 would have been a coup, but Matt Harmon took him one pick before mine. Garrett Wilson was the consolation prize.
Paying up early at running back left a real hole at wide receiver, which is true for every team in a field this deep. Ricky Pearsall staying healthy is now a real swing factor, and I need at least two of DK Metcalf, Jakobi Meyers and De'Zhaun Stribling to provide a solid floor.
TIGHT END
Mark Andrews
Oronde Gadsden
T.J. Hockenson
Waiting on tight end was the plan from the start. Mark Andrews as the starter, followed by fliers on Oronde Gadsden and T.J. Hockenson, is exactly the outcome I wanted, and Gadsden could emerge as a major piece of the Chargers offense this year.
Hockenson struggled in 2023 coming back from ACL surgery, then dealt with J.J. McCarthy at quarterback last year. At age 29, he profiles as a legitimate bounce-back candidate.
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Auction Draft
My plan going in was to save money at quarterback and avoid paying superstar prices anywhere on the roster. I wanted to cap myself at $35 or less per player while other managers spent $45 to $55 on the top-end names, and I have learned that spending big is a deal breaker for building a strong roster in this format.
Auctions are unpredictable by nature, though, and having a rigid plan rarely survives contact with the room.
Health will decide this season. There is almost no relief on the waiver wire in a league this size with these roster requirements, so the starters are the team.
Last year's team won a King's Classic Triple Crown after a 13-1 regular season, and while I have no illusions this roster repeats that level of dominance, it can still be a legitimate contender.
QUARTERBACK
Kyler Murray - $4
Baker Mayfield - $2
My expectation was that the top-10 quarterbacks would each cost $10 or more. Once Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson came off the board at $20 and $16, I wanted my cheap options early so I could plan the rest of the roster around them.
I was happy paying a combined $6 for Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield at the time. Every other quarterback in the league went for less than $10, which stung a little in hindsight.
RUNNING BACK
Cam Skattebo - $26
Quinshon Judkins - $27
Chris Rodriguez - $7
Zach Charbonnet - $3
The plan was the same at running back: do not overpay. This league gave no discounts anywhere at the position, and the entire top-40 backs went for aggressive prices that forced some tough calls.
Cam Skattebo at $26 and Quinshon Judkins at $27 are my starters, both healthy now but each coming back from a dislocated ankle. The spending left little for depth, and Chris Rodriguez at $7 and a post-ACL Zach Charbonnet at $3 were the best options left. If the starting duo cannot stay on the field, this roster will struggle.
Most home leagues carry far more relief on the waiver wire than the King's Classic ever does. If your league still has bodies available once the season starts, our waiver wire coverage is worth checking every week.
WIDE RECEIVER
A.J. Brown - $37
George Pickens - $33
DJ Moore - $22
Calvin Ridley - $1
Jack Bech - $1
Brandon Aiyuk - $1
I spent more than planned on my top two receivers, but the prices felt fair. A.J. Brown at $37 and George Pickens at $33 give me a shot at two top-10 finishers at the position.
My DJ Moore habit continued for another year, and his $22 price tag is one I expect him to beat. The spending left the position thin everywhere else, and I have no expectation that Calvin Ridley, Jack Bech and Brandon Aiyuk, at $1 apiece, are still on the roster past Week 3 unless I get lucky.
TIGHT END
Tyler Warren - $22
Mark Andrews - $8
Oronde Gadsden - $5
T.J. Hockenson - $1
Tight end offered a clear per-dollar value play going in, and I hoped to get Tyler Warren for less than $20. That number ended up being the cost of doing business, as I made him the anchor of this group for $22.
Just like the snake draft, Mark Andrews, Oronde Gadsden and T.J. Hockenson came together for a combined $13. Expect two or three of that trio to see flex duty most weeks.
Snake & Auction Recap
Two different rosters, one shared thesis. Tight end is deep enough to build around in a league with three flex spots, and I leaned on that in both formats.
The snake roster's floor comes from three running backs I trust and a Burrow-Mayfield pairing that should never leave me scrambling at quarterback. The auction roster is the higher variance play, with Brown and Pickens having top-10 WR upside, but it needs both Skattebo and Judkins to stay healthy to work.
If I had to bet on one, I would lean toward the snake roster's floor, but the auction team has the higher ceiling if health breaks right. If you're still finalizing your own board, our rankings and ADP report reflect the same value reads that shaped both of these rosters.
