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:

Coleco Visionaries (Picked 8th Overall)

The Picks

1. (8) Andre Johnson, WR, Houston Texans
2. (17) Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts
3. (32) Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans Saints
4. (41) Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego Chargers
5. (56) Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco 49ers
6. (65) Knowshon Moreno, RB, Denver Broncos
7. (80) Donald Driver, WR, Green Bay Packers
8. (89) Justin Forsett, RB, Seattle Seahawks
9. (104) Pittsburgh, Team Defense
10. (113) Clinton Portis, RB, Washington Redskins
11. (128) Braylon Edwards, WR, New York Jets
12. (137) Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Indianapolis Colts
13. (152) Kevin Smith, RB, Detroit Lions
14. (161) Matt Moore, QB, Carolina Panthers
15. (176) Joshua Cribbs, WR, Cleveland Browns

Best Value:

Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco 49ers: Though we doubt Alex Smith can carry over the success from his mini-renaissance last season, Crabtree has a great shot at 1,000+ receiving yards in his second NFL season. In just 11 games as a rookie, the tenth-overall pick of the ’09 draft hauled in 48 catches for 625 yards and 2 TDs; not big numbers, and he didn’t once exceed 100 yards in a given week, but the steady, consistent production bodes well for his role as the ‘Niners WR1. If only he had a better QB…

Biggest Reach:

Kevin Smith, RB, Detroit Lions: You can argue that it’s “just” a 13th-round pick, but with Smith struggling through an underwhelming preseason as he works his way back from a significant knee injury, he likely would have gone undrafted or, at the very least, still been in there in the 15th round. There are whispers that he’s on the roster bubble, and even with uncertainty still swirling about Jahvid Best’s ability to step in and be the main guy as a rookie, the backup plan could very well be a combo of Maurice Morris and Aaron Brown, with Smith on the outside looking in. Then again, maybe this draft was just really strong and I can’t find another serious reach; maybe, as a Lions fan, I’m also just disappointed in Smith.

ETB’s Take:

The passing attack is filled with studs in Manning, Johnson, Colston, and Gates, and we think that some of the most successful teams this fantasy season will indeed have the common characteristic of enlisting at least two receivers producing at an elite or semi-elite clip. With Driver and Crabtree rounding out the top-four WR slots, Coleco is in fantastic shape here and, if he wants, can use one of those guys as trade bait to help shore up the running back situation without compromising his passing game.

You won’t find many players who wait until the sixth round to draft their first RB, and though he’s a pretty decent value there, Moreno as a RB1 would have me tossing and turning at night–especially when all I have is Forsett and Portis behind him. My guess is that Colston or Crabtree will be moved to shore up the backfield because Driver probably won’t bring much back, unless he’s paired with somebody else.

In his first year as a manger in the ETB league, Coleco Visionaries is in good shape to make the playoffs and contend but, like The Executive, absolutely must figure out what to do about that backfield.

Thoughts from Coleco Visionaries after the break…

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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.

By Andrew Thell and Joel Martin

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:

Kindergynocoloog (Picked tenth overall)

The Picks

1. (10) Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
2. (15) Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets
3. (34) Pierre Thomas, RB, New Orleans Saints
4. (39) Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers
5. (58) Malcom Floyd, WR, San Diego Chargers
6. (63) Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears
7. (82) Santana Moss, WR, Washington Redskins
8. (87) Chris Cooley, TE, Washington Redskins
9. (106) LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, New York Jets
10. (111) Jabar Gaffney, WR, Denver Broncos
11. (130) Vince Young, QB, Tennessee Titans
12. (135) Laurent Robinson, WR, St. Louis Rams
13. (154) Philadelphia, Team Defense
14. (159) Dustin Keller, TE, New York Jets
15. (178) Christopher Ivory, RB, New Orleans Saints

Best Value:

Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears: It was a rough year for Forte owners in 2009. The consensus first-round fantasy pick managed to play in every game, but a sprained knee and hamstring injuries still slowed the second-year rusher. Forte finished with fewer rushing yards, touchdowns, receptions, and receiving yards while sporting an uninspiring 3.6 yards-per-carry and only managed to score four TDs.

This year Forte is healthy again and ready to assume the Marshal Faulk role in Mike Martz’s offense. Forte has looked great in preseason action, including an 89-yard TD run that simply would not have happened on that balky knee last season, and #22 is poised to flirt with a top-ten season at the position. Injury concerns still loom though, so it’s unfortunate this team couldn’t lock-up Forte’s excellent backup Chester Taylor.

Biggest Reach:

Malcolm Floyd in round 5, Chris Cooley in round 8 and Jabar Gaffney in round 10 could all be called reaches. That isn’t to say I dislike any of these players, but all three could probably have been had a round or two later than where they went off the board. The 6’5″ Floyd has the chance to be a stud in San Diego with Vincent Jackson out for the year and Cooley, who is coming off a down year and got a major upgrade at QB, was the last viable TE on the board though. That leaves Gaffney. While it’s true Gaffney should break camp as Denver’s No. 1 wideout, that doesn’t necessarily mean much in this offense with Kyle Orton under center and more promising youngsters on the roster. Also, he’s Jabar Gaffney.

ETB’s Take:

It’s a solid team. Aaron Rodgers in the first round set the tone for the draft, and it could be a back-breaker if the upgraded offensive line can’t protect him this year. Vince young has upside, but he’s not a reliable backup for a team with title hopes. However, there’s also a good chance Rodgers throws 30-40 TDs and leads this squad to the postseason. The early rounds are loaded with bounce-back candidates and up-and-comers, though there are a lot of questions marks and the wheels appear to come off around the 10th round, leaving the bench barren. Being active on the wire will be key.

Extensive comments from Kindergynocoloog after the break…

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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:

Butt Cheese (Picked eleventh overall)

The Picks

1. (11) Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
2. (14) Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions
3. (35) Jahvid Best, RB, Detroit Lions
4. (38) Dallas Clark, TE, Indianapolis Colts
5. (59) Brent Celek, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
6. (62) Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami Dolphins
7. (83) Santonio Holmes, WR, New York Jets
8. (86) Terrell Owens, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
9. (107) Kenny Britt, WR, Tennessee Titans
10. (110) Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants
11. (131) Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego Chargers (?)
12. (134) Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco 49ers
13. (155) Willis McGahee, RB, Baltimore Ravens
14. (158) Miami, Team Defense
15. (179) Michael Jenkins, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Best Value:

Jahvid Best, RB, Detroit Lions: I’m allowed to be a homer, alright? This is right around the area where Best has been going and probably should be going, but in the past week the dynamite rookie’s value has gotten higher and higher. It’s a mild surprise that he lasted this long; I actually considered him with the 26th-overall pick, but ultimately couldn’t pass up on Greg Jennings. Though I’m not sure I buy this lofty praise just yet, don’t forget Best is currently ranked 27th on the Yahoo! Big(ger) Board. As I said earlier this week in my assessment of the Detroit Lions’ fantasy prospects, this sky is the limit with this kid and we could easily be talking about him as an early first-rounder next year.

Santonio Holmes is also a great get in the 8th round; hearing Jets head coach Rex Ryan say that Holmes “might be the best player on the field” during this week’s episode of Hard Knocks should assuage any concerns about Holmes missing the first four games of the season. He’ll make up for it, if his immature quarterback can get him the ball, that is.

Biggest Reach:

Brent Celek, TE, Philadelphia Eagles: We’re big fans of Celek and think he just might be the safest bet for steady production in the unproven, high-upside entity that is the Iggles offense. With Matt Forte still on the board, however, as well as arguably the last of the semi-viable QB1s in Brett Favre and Joe Flacco, doubling up on TEs one round after taking clear-cut TE1 Dallas Clark seems like a scramble pick. Celek is a real luxury pick here in a spot when a need could have been addressed. Of course, maybe the plan all along is to start Clark at TE and Celek at W/T.

ETB’s Take:

Butt Cheese raised a few eyebrows with his selection of Mendenhall over Drew Brees, but we all have our own rankings, and he clearly had him rated higher at that spot; always hard to argue with somebody’s first-round pick no matter what. I obviously love the Megatron and Best picks, and the roll of the dice on the trio of Holmes, Terrell Owens (ain’t what he used to be, but you can’t count him out in a competition of one-upsmanship with Ochocinco) and Vincent Jackson (will he play or won’t he, and if he does, where?) is one that could pay huge dividends.

This team is going to compete and should push for a playoff spot, especially if Ronnie Brown stays healthy, Best blossoms as many think he will, and at least one of the Holmes/Owens/Jackson trio breaks out. Quarterback could prove to be the Achilles’ heel, however, especially if you’re not a fan of Manning (like us).

Comments from El Bendito after the break…

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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:

Ol’ Fay (Picked twelfth overall)

The Picks

1. (12) Drew Brees, QB, Ne Orleans Saints
2. (13) Ryan Mathews, RB, San Diego Chargers
3. (36) LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
4. (37) Anquan Boldin, WR, Baltimore Ravens
5. (60) Mike Sims-Walker, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
6. (61) Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, New York Giants
7. (84) T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Seattle Seahawks
8. (85) Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
9. (108) Steve Breaston, WR, Arizona Cardinals
10. (109) John Carlson, TE, Seattle Seahawks
11. (132) Nate Burleson, WR, Detroit Lions
12. (133) Steve Slaton, RB, Houston Texans
13. (156) Mario Manningham, WR, New York Giants
14. (157) Baltimore, Team Defense
15. (180) Kevin Boss, TE, New York Giants

Best Value:

Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers: Now entering his sixth season, Miller remains one of the more underrated tight ends in fantasy football as he comes off a career-best effort in ’09 that saw him catch 76 passes for 789 yards and 6 TDs. That’s 28 more receptions than he had the previous year, an indication that Roethlisberger and the offensive coaching staff have more faith in him–and perhaps need to lean on him–more than ever. You can’t argue with drafting a quality, every-week starting TE at the top of the eighth round; Miller clocked in behind Jason Witten last year by less than 2 fantasy points in our scoring format.

Biggest Reach:

T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Seattle Seahawks: Though you just never know with aging possession receivers like Housh–see Derrick Mason–reports of out Seattle training camp have been dismal concerning the former Bengals great. The Seahawks’ offensive line remains porous, we have little faith in Matt Hasselbeck (who coincidentally turns 35 years old the day before Housh turns 33, later this month), and with this team likely going nowhere this season, don’t be surprised if snaps are gradually, steadily, taken away from Houshmandzadeh and given to youngsters like Deon Butler, Golden Tate, even “Big” Mike Williams.

Summary:

A great deal of pressure goes with having two picks in a row–you have to nail both of ‘em because you won’t get a chance to make amends for another 23 selections. Drew Brees and Ryan Matthews were logical picks at 12th and 13th overall–we’ve seen both go earlier in the first round–and Ol’ Fay did well to grab Mike Sims-Walker and Anquan Boldin in the fourth and fifth rounds to solidfy the receiving corps. We love the upside of Ahmad Bradshaw at the top of the sixth.

After Brees, though, there are a number of question marks here. How well, and how quickly, will Boldin mesh with his new team and new quarterback? Can LeSean McCoy carry the fulltime load? Now in his pivotal third season, will Sims-Walker take the next step, or flatline in a shaky Jacksonville offense? Who’s going to put up big fantasy stats, consistently, besides Brees?

An interesting team built on a solid foundation, but depth and a possible lack of a home-run threat are concerns that might need to be addressed. Ol’ Fay needs one or two of those post-eighth round fliers to pan out.