Empty the Bench

By Brian Spencer

On Tuesday, August 31, the dons of Empty the Bench joined friends and peers for the annual football nerd-out fest that is the ETB Fantasy Football League Draft. This year’s draft was one of the most challenging, stressful test of wills to date with 12 teams, 15 rounds of picks, and no kickers to thin the field out. Over the next few days we’ll reveal the results team by team, and take a quick look at how each one fared; compare and contrast with your league, and let us know your take in the comments section.

Disclaimer: many of our team names are lewd, childish, and downright stupid. We make no apologies for this.

Team:

The Executive, aka ETB’s own Andrew Thell (Picked ninth overall)

The Picks

1. (9) Randy Moss, WR, New England Patriots
2. (16) Roddy White, WR, Atlanta Falcons
3. (33) Matt Schaub, QB, Houston Texans
4. (40) Jermichael Finley, TE, Green Bay Packers
5. (57) Marion Barber, RB, Dallas Cowboys
6. (64) Johnny Knox, WR, Chicago Bears
7. (81) Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants
8. (88) Montario Hardesty, RB, Cleveland Browns
9. (105) Donald Brown, RB, Indianapolis Colts
10. (112) Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons
11. (129) Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
12. (136) Leon Washington, RB, Seattle Seahawks
13. (153) Sidney Rice, WR, Minnesota Vikings
14. (160) Lance Moore, WR, New Orleans Saints
15. (177) Jermaine Gresham, TE, Cincinnati Bengals

Best Value:

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers: Just like a four-game suspension (well, and a questionable quarterback) has caused superstar wideout Santonio Holmes to drop ridiculously low on draft day, so too has Big Ben’s. Word came down this week that his suspension has been reduced to four, which means he’ll be back on the field in Week 6 for a favorable matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Of course, with Matt Schaub firmly entrenched as Executive’s every-week starter, the value in this pick lies in the trade possibilities; a number of QB-needy teams have already inquired about Roethlisberger’s availability. I guarantee the return he’ll get on a potential move will be of much greater value than an 11th-round pick. Great pick in hindsight, too, considering Montario Hardesty is out for the season with a torn ACL and the RB depth will have to be addressed, likely via trade.

Biggest Reach:

Donald Brown, RB, Indianapolis Colts: If and when Joseph Addai goes down with a significant injury, this pick goes from a reach to abargain; until then, though, I remain skeptical of Brown’s value and ability to stay healthy. During an injury-plagued rookie season in which he suited up for just 11 games, the Colts’ late first-round pick in ’09 carried the ball 78 times for 281 yards, a meager 3.6 YPC; if you take out his one reception for 72 yards in Week 3, he also caught just 10 passes for 97 yards. Meh. We’ll see if he can turn things around, but either way I would have gone with LaDainian Tomlinson (who went one pick later), Clinton Portis (depressing as he is, he’s still the starter and has little of consequence behind him on the depth chart), or Jerome Harrison.

ETB’s Take:

The running back situation is grim, and I’m sure Mr. Thell would be the first one to agree. That’s the gamble of waiting until the fifth round to draft your first back; that said, on draft night this guy could barely contain his glee at landing Marion Barber with the 57th overall pick, so apparently he got his man. At this point Barber still has to contend with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice for carries, though, and that’s not a great situation for your RB1 to be in… especially when a disgruntled Brandon Jacobs is your RB2. Love it when Jacobs runs over demure safeties and cornerbacks, but he’s lost the featured role–and likely the goal-line carries–to Ahmad Bradshaw after averaging an uninspiring 3.7 YPC last season and scoring just 5 rushing TDs.

The passing attack is in good hands–very good hands–with Schaub, elite WRs Randy Moss and Roddy White, and TE Jermichael Finley, who everybody is pointing at as a potential Pro Bowler in this his third season with the Packers. At 6-5 and 247 pounds, Finley has the flexibility to split out as a quasi-wideout and take advantage of slower-footed linebackers, and I fully expect him to push 75 receptions, 1,000 yards, and double-digit touchdowns. Breakout candidate Johnny Knox is being drafted by some teams as a WR2; here he’s a strong WR3 (though I’m not buying the Chicago Bears offense). With those three WRs rostered, Fingerbang can afford to wait on Sidney Rice, who could give him a huge boost in the playoffs.

This is a likely playoff team based on the aerial assault alone, but as much as he’d probably like to wait on pulling the trigger on a trade involving Roethlisberger, I don’t think he can afford to wait. That backfield needs to be retooled.

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