I drafted in the NFFC Primetime 12-team draft at 1:00 pm ET Saturday and finally got a chance to write my thoughts about the team, after recording a podcast with Alan Seslowsky and Sunday's SiriusXM show afterward. As with nearly every NFFC league, this was a tough draft, but it went about as well as I could have expected, at least in terms of how I mapped it out, especially early on. I picked 10th, which was my second choice after the 1-spot (I still remain without Christian McCaffrey in any non-Best Ball leagues). As always with the NFFC, there was third-round reversal in this draft. Here are the results:
1.10 Joe Mixon - When I mapped out my draft ahead of time, I started with the KDS (Kentucky Derby Style - appropriate for today) preferences. I discussed with Liss on the SiriusXM show that my ideal roster build is to get two RBs in the top 13 or so - I'd rather not take Kenyan Drake that early now that he's been dealing with the sore foot in training camp. There's a lot of wide receivers I really like in rounds three through six, and there's not that many running backs that I like in that range. The best way to accomplish that is from the back end of the first round. That's why I set my preferences as 1-10-9-12-11.
Once I got the draft slot, it was time to map out the first half of the draft -
I drafted in the NFFC Primetime 12-team draft at 1:00 pm ET Saturday and finally got a chance to write my thoughts about the team, after recording a podcast with Alan Seslowsky and Sunday's SiriusXM show afterward. As with nearly every NFFC league, this was a tough draft, but it went about as well as I could have expected, at least in terms of how I mapped it out, especially early on. I picked 10th, which was my second choice after the 1-spot (I still remain without Christian McCaffrey in any non-Best Ball leagues). As always with the NFFC, there was third-round reversal in this draft. Here are the results:
1.10 Joe Mixon - When I mapped out my draft ahead of time, I started with the KDS (Kentucky Derby Style - appropriate for today) preferences. I discussed with Liss on the SiriusXM show that my ideal roster build is to get two RBs in the top 13 or so - I'd rather not take Kenyan Drake that early now that he's been dealing with the sore foot in training camp. There's a lot of wide receivers I really like in rounds three through six, and there's not that many running backs that I like in that range. The best way to accomplish that is from the back end of the first round. That's why I set my preferences as 1-10-9-12-11.
Once I got the draft slot, it was time to map out the first half of the draft - I usually only go that far because so much can change in a live draft, including whether it's advisable to take a top backup to my starting RB, whether I'm going to get Justin Tucker or not, etc. I used the NFFC ADP tool, setting it for only the 10 (now 13) Primetime drafts that had occurred as a reality check. Using that, my priority for this pick was, in order, Clyde Edwards-Helaire (he actually dropped to 11th in one draft, so I listed him just in case), Mixon, Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs. I didn't want to be put to the test on Dalvin Cook, but I would have taken the value of Michael Thomas and altered my plan had he dropped that far. Luckily, Cook got taken at ninth, and I got my second choice.
2.03 (15) Josh Jacobs - I was pretty pumped to get Jacobs, who I have ahead of Aaron Jones, Nick Chubb, Miles Sanders, Austin Ekeler and Drake. I love his floor, and I think that there's still a pass-catching ceiling. Had it come down to Drake or a wide receiver, I would have gone with the receiver, and I think I would have taken Davante Adams and Julio Jones over Ekeler, but I wasn't in that position.
3.03 (27) Odell Beckham Jr. - While I'm not as high on OBJ as Liss, I'm sufficiently optimistic that he'll have a bounce back season now that he's healthy and the Browns are being coached by adults. I was prepared to go with Pat Mahomes or Lamar Jackson if they dropped, but the pair went immediately before me.
4.10 (46) D.K. Metcalf - I would have preferred D.J. Chark (it's interesting that a choice for Liss at 4.6), but he went at pick 37 (4.1). The debate was between Metcalf and A.J. Brown, with an eye towards Mark Andrews as well.
5.03 (51) Mark Andrews - This was a critical decision in the draft, and perhaps the one I might regret, but I thought Andrews was too good of a bargain to pass here, but ... I let A.J. Brown go here, and of course he went with the next pick, for his now-max 52. But I think that there's a bigger drop-off between Andrews and the rest of the tight ends than there is between Brown and whoever else I could get at wide receiver.
6.10 (70) CeeDee Lamb - I was really close to getting a third running back, but Raheem Mostert, D'Andre Swift and JK Dobbins went in three of the four picks in front of me. But really, that just helped me maintain a sense of discipline in getting a third wide receiver. But it only was a small sense of discipline, as I took Lamb just three spots after his min pick. I'm ok with that - I preferred him (well, obviously) over Julian Edelman, A.J. Green or a handful of other veteran, safer receivers.
7.03 (75) Russell Wilson - I could have gone with one of those safe receivers here, too, but Wilson pairs well with Metcalf here, especially with passing touchdowns being worth six points.
8.10 (94) Anthony Miller - I don't love that the Bears named Mitch Trubisky as the starting quarterback, but let's face it, Nick Foles was pretty terrible for all but one quarter against the Chiefs last year. Miller showed signs of breaking out last year - if only he can stay on the field.
9.03 (99) Ronald Jones - What a difference four days make. Now, I don't trust Bucs head coach Bruce Arians when he says "RoJo is still our man," because the Bucs wouldn't go and sign Leonard Fournette without playing him, and because Arians has been less than trustworthy in the past. But I also don't think Jones will be buried upon the arrival of Fournette. For what it's worth, and I think it might be worth a lot, Kimra Schleicher took Fournette at 5.1 - Kimra is one of the better high stakes players in the game.
10.10 (118) Sony Michel - Michel is coming off of foot surgery, but that actually might be a good thing if it fixed whatever slowed him down last season. Damien Harris just had surgery on his pinky finger, and the Pats also cut Lamar Miller. The Pats backfield is still a mess, but it's a little clearer right now, making Michel an occasional flex option.
11.03 (123) John Brown - So I didn't get my boring veteran receiver in rounds six or seven, but Brown is pretty close to that bill here.
12.10 (142) Bryan Edwards - Edwards is getting reps with the Raiders' first-team offense, and with Tyrell Williams out for the season, that could mean a lot of targets.
13.03 (147) T.J. Hockenson - Jerick McKinnon or Bryce Love might have been a better fit, but I think Hockenson has a better chance of being someone that I could conceivably use in the Flex. When I wait on tight ends, he and Mike Gesicki are my two favorite targets, and Gesicki went two rounds earlier.
14.10 (166) Joe Burrow - It was either Burrow or Malcom Brown, so naturally Brown went one pick after Burrow. Maybe I could have waited here like I waited the four extra picks for Wilson in the 6-7 turn.
15.03 (171) Justin Tucker - Standard operating procedure. This would be considered "late" in leagues with 16-man rosters, so I don't mind being the first to take Tucker, or to take Harrison Butker if Tucker is gone.
16.10 (190) Van Jefferson - Another rookie making waves in training camp. Hopefully it's more than training camp hype.
17.03 (195) Giovani Bernard - I needed another RB dart throw, and decided to take Mixon's top backup - I hope. The Bengals could just go with Trayveon Williams.
18.10 (214) James Washington - Lukewarm take: James Washington will outproduce Diontae Johnson.
19.03 (219) Patriots defense - It's not the same unit as last season, but they still should be pretty good, and I plan to stream defenses. They draw Miami in Week 1.
20.10 (238) JJ Arcega-Whiteside - The Eagles are losing receivers like Spinal Tap lost drummers, and Arcega-Whiteside still is just in his second season. Or, it won't work and he'll be my first cut.
By Position:
QB - Russell Wilson
RB - Joe Mixon / Josh Jacobs
WR - Odell Beckham Jr. / D.K. Metcalf / CeeDee Lamb
Flex - Anthony Miller
K - Justin Tucker
Def - Patriots
Bench - Ronald Jones / Sony Michel / Giovani Bernard; John Brown / Bryan Edwards / Van Jefferson / James Washington / JJ Arcega-Whiteside; Joe Burrow / T.J. Hockenson.
