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Westbrook the choice for PPR
by Geoffrey Stein on May 23 2008
Sponsored by: Quest Fantasy Football Leagues
On Monday, May 12, I was invited to participate in the expert mock draft for The Fantasy Football Guide 2008, which will be released later this summer.
Starting rosters were one QB, TE, K, Flex (RB, WR or TE) and team defense, two RBs and three WRs. Five bench players were also selected.
Scoring was four points for a passing TD, six points for all other scores, one point for every 10 rushing and receiving yards, one point for every 20 passing yards and one point-per-reception.
Here is the team I drafted out of the No. 3 spot:
Round 1, Pick 3: RB Brian Westbrook, Eagles -- Hard to go wrong with a RB coming off a 2,000-yard, 12-TD season. Westbrook`s 90 receptions also equaled 15 TDs in PPR leagues. 2007 was a career-year, so projecting the same numbers is too optimistic, but there`s no reason to believe he can`t reach 1,800 yards, 10 TDs and 70 catches.
Round 2, Pick 10: WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals -- With the PPR scoring, I wanted to grab a 100-catch receiver in this spot. Fitzgerald hit that mark dead on last season, and also added 1,409 yards and 10 TDs.
Round 3, Pick 3: RB Reggie Bush, Saints -- His 3.7 yards per carry and six TDs last season left a lot to be desired, but one thing is certain: Bush is going to catch the football out of the backfield. The 23-year-old has averaged 5.75 receptions per game during his pro career.
Round 4, Pick 10: WR Roy Williams, Lions -- Considered many different players and positions here before deciding to go with Williams as my No. 2 wide out. Like him better in a more standard offense with fewer WRs on the field.
Round 5, Pick 3: TE Jason Witten, Cowboys -- I was the first to select a TE when I grabbed Witten with the 51st pick. He broke out last season with 96 receptions, 1,145 yards and seven TDs.
Round 6, Pick 10: WR Roddy White, Falcons -- Yes, the QB situation in Atlanta is going to stink, but it won`t be any worse than last season when White went off for 83 receptions, 1,202 yards and six TDs.
Round 7, Pick 3: RB Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers -- Like the Steelers in the first-round of the 2008 NFL Draft, I said, "hey, why not", when Mendenhall was there for the taking come my pick. Like his potential to score TDs and catch passes.
Round 8, Pick 10: QB Eli Manning, Giants -- Eli could legally change his first name to "Peyton", win four Super Bowls and date Giselle Bundchen, and I still wouldn`t feel comfortable with him as my starting fantasy QB. My preferred choices here, Marc Bulger and Matt Schaub, went the two picks before me.
Round 9, Pick 3: RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants -- Hard to overlook what he did in four playoff games last season: 48 rushes for 208 yards and a TD. He`s also a better pass-catcher than Brandon Jacobs which will lead to more touches in 2008.
Round 10, Pick 10: QB Jason Campbell, Redskins -- I can`t state this enough: The QB position gets really thin, really fast. Proof of that: I felt good grabbing Campbell in the 10th-round to serve as Eli-insurance.
Round 11, Pick 3: WR Jerry Porter, Jaguars -- Getting out of Oakland was a good thing for an immensely talented receiver last season, and while Porter won`t put up Randy Moss numbers, he has the potential to be a contributor.
Round 12, Pick 10: WR Joe Jurevicius, Browns -- The addition of Donte` Stallworth moves Jurevicius back to the slot, where he caught 10 TDs in 2005 as a member of the Seahawks. The veteran wide out won`t score 10 in 2008, but he`ll be open enough to be a reliable No. 3 or No. 4 fantasy option.
Round 13, Pick 3: RB Lorenzo Booker, Eagles -- I`m perfectly willing to waste my 14th-round selection if it means my No. 1 pick plays all 16 games. If Westbrook doesn`t stay healthy, I have his likely fill-in, Booker.
Round 14, Pick 10: K Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots -- He`ll kick a lot of extra points.
Round 15, Pick 3: Buffalo Bills Defense/Special Teams -- The addition of DT Marcus Stroud to the front-four will open lanes for DEs Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay to get to the quarterback. The linebacking corps and secondary is filled with young, talented players who are poised to take a step up in 2008.
Starting rosters were one QB, TE, K, Flex (RB, WR or TE) and team defense, two RBs and three WRs. Five bench players were also selected.
Scoring was four points for a passing TD, six points for all other scores, one point for every 10 rushing and receiving yards, one point for every 20 passing yards and one point-per-reception.
Here is the team I drafted out of the No. 3 spot:
Round 1, Pick 3: RB Brian Westbrook, Eagles -- Hard to go wrong with a RB coming off a 2,000-yard, 12-TD season. Westbrook`s 90 receptions also equaled 15 TDs in PPR leagues. 2007 was a career-year, so projecting the same numbers is too optimistic, but there`s no reason to believe he can`t reach 1,800 yards, 10 TDs and 70 catches.
Round 2, Pick 10: WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals -- With the PPR scoring, I wanted to grab a 100-catch receiver in this spot. Fitzgerald hit that mark dead on last season, and also added 1,409 yards and 10 TDs.
Round 3, Pick 3: RB Reggie Bush, Saints -- His 3.7 yards per carry and six TDs last season left a lot to be desired, but one thing is certain: Bush is going to catch the football out of the backfield. The 23-year-old has averaged 5.75 receptions per game during his pro career.
Round 4, Pick 10: WR Roy Williams, Lions -- Considered many different players and positions here before deciding to go with Williams as my No. 2 wide out. Like him better in a more standard offense with fewer WRs on the field.
Round 5, Pick 3: TE Jason Witten, Cowboys -- I was the first to select a TE when I grabbed Witten with the 51st pick. He broke out last season with 96 receptions, 1,145 yards and seven TDs.
Round 6, Pick 10: WR Roddy White, Falcons -- Yes, the QB situation in Atlanta is going to stink, but it won`t be any worse than last season when White went off for 83 receptions, 1,202 yards and six TDs.
Round 7, Pick 3: RB Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers -- Like the Steelers in the first-round of the 2008 NFL Draft, I said, "hey, why not", when Mendenhall was there for the taking come my pick. Like his potential to score TDs and catch passes.
Round 8, Pick 10: QB Eli Manning, Giants -- Eli could legally change his first name to "Peyton", win four Super Bowls and date Giselle Bundchen, and I still wouldn`t feel comfortable with him as my starting fantasy QB. My preferred choices here, Marc Bulger and Matt Schaub, went the two picks before me.
Round 9, Pick 3: RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants -- Hard to overlook what he did in four playoff games last season: 48 rushes for 208 yards and a TD. He`s also a better pass-catcher than Brandon Jacobs which will lead to more touches in 2008.
Round 10, Pick 10: QB Jason Campbell, Redskins -- I can`t state this enough: The QB position gets really thin, really fast. Proof of that: I felt good grabbing Campbell in the 10th-round to serve as Eli-insurance.
Round 11, Pick 3: WR Jerry Porter, Jaguars -- Getting out of Oakland was a good thing for an immensely talented receiver last season, and while Porter won`t put up Randy Moss numbers, he has the potential to be a contributor.
Round 12, Pick 10: WR Joe Jurevicius, Browns -- The addition of Donte` Stallworth moves Jurevicius back to the slot, where he caught 10 TDs in 2005 as a member of the Seahawks. The veteran wide out won`t score 10 in 2008, but he`ll be open enough to be a reliable No. 3 or No. 4 fantasy option.
Round 13, Pick 3: RB Lorenzo Booker, Eagles -- I`m perfectly willing to waste my 14th-round selection if it means my No. 1 pick plays all 16 games. If Westbrook doesn`t stay healthy, I have his likely fill-in, Booker.
Round 14, Pick 10: K Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots -- He`ll kick a lot of extra points.
Round 15, Pick 3: Buffalo Bills Defense/Special Teams -- The addition of DT Marcus Stroud to the front-four will open lanes for DEs Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay to get to the quarterback. The linebacking corps and secondary is filled with young, talented players who are poised to take a step up in 2008.
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