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Bowe knows mediocrity
by Geoffrey Stein on June 29 2009
Sponsored by: Fantasy Football Players Championship
On Thursday, April 30, my friend Roger Rotter was kind enough to invite me to participate in the expert mock draft for FOX Sports Fantasy Football magazine, which is available on newsstands now.
Starting rosters included one QB, TE, K, team defense and Flex (RB, WR or TE), two RBs and three WRs. Six bench players were also selected.
Scoring included a point-per-reception (PPR), four points for a passing TD, six points for all other scores, one point for every 10 rushing and receiving yards and one point for every 20 passing yards.
Here is the team I put together from the No. 3 spot:
Round 1, Pick 3: RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars -- I still have questions as to how Jones-Drew will perform as the undisputed No. 1 RB in Jacksonville. That said, the other options have just as many questions, and Jones-Drew has more value with the PPR format.
Round 2, Pick 10: WR Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs -- Two months later, I absolutely hate this pick; especially since I selected Bowe ahead of Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin. At the time, I was looking for big things from Bowe as the top option in the Chiefs passing game, but recent reports that the third-year receiver is out of shape have dropped him down my cheat sheet.
Round 3, Pick 3: WR Wes Welker, Patriots -- Simple equation: Welker plus a healthy Tom Brady plus PPR scoring equals fantasy gold.
Round 4, Pick 10: RB Knowshon Moreno, Broncos -- I`m predicting big things from Moreno during his rookie season. With a very good offensive line in front of him and a very average quarterback handing him the ball, I don`t think it`s a stretch to project similar numbers to Bears RB Matt Forte`s 2008 freshman campaign: 1,715 total yards, 12 TDs and 63 receptions.
Round 5, Pick 3: WR Eddie Royal, Broncos -- Back-to-back Broncos means one thing: I`m depending an awful lot on QB Kyle Orton ... yikes!
Round 6, Pick 10: WR Lee Evans, Bills -- I`m not sure of what to expect from Evans in 2009, but he seemed like too much of a value to pass up at 6.10. At the very least, he gives my team some wiggle room at WR3 and Flex.
Round 7, Pick 3: RB Leon Washington, Jets -- Looking back, 7.3 seems early, but I love Washington`s potential this year. I will not love it as much, however, if he sits out training camp because of a contract dispute. Get to work, Leon!
Round 8, Pick 10: RB Cedric Benson, Bengals -- Like Evans, I have no clue what Benson will do this season, but the upside at this point made him worth gambling on. If he works out, I`m looking at a solid No. 2 RB; if he doesn`t, I`m only out a RB4 and eighth-round selection.
Round 9, Pick 3: QB Matt Ryan, Falcons -- I missed out on Eagles QB Donovan McNabb by one selection, but didn`t sulk for long by adding Ryan. The addition of TE Tony Gonzalez will only help the second-year hurler improve upon his 3,440 passing yards and 16 TDs of a season ago.
Round 10, Pick 10: RB Tim Hightower, Cardinals -- I`m not particularly fond of either of the Arizona RBs, but Hightower at the end of Round 10 has the potential to work out.
Round 11, Pick 3: TE Dustin Keller, Jets -- It can be argued that Keller is the best pass-catcher on the Jets roster, so I was thrilled to land him here. I look for big numbers out of the second-year stud in 2009, as rookie QB Mark Sanchez will be looking his way often.
Round 12, Pick 10: RB Jerome Harrison, Browns -- Unlike Benson and Hightower, I`m high on Harrison for the upcoming season. Jamal Lewis looked done last season, so it wouldn`t be a surprise to see Harrison get some first- and second-down carries behind a very good offensive line.
Round 13, Pick 3: WR Hakeem Nicks, Giants -- Domenik Hixon isn`t a No. 1 wide out and Steve Smith is best in the slot. As a result, the ultra-talented Nicks will get every opportunity to crack the Giants` starting lineup.
Round 14, Pick 10: QB Shaun Hill, 49ers -- I wasn`t comfortable with Ryan as the only QB on my roster, so I grabbed Hill, a personal favorite of mine. I don`t buy the hype surrounding Alex Smith; Hill will be the starter in San Francisco come Week 1.
Round 15, Pick 3: DEF New York Jets -- I had to draft a defense.
Round 16, Pick 10: K Neil Rackers, Cardinals -- I had to draft a kicker.
Looking back, I`m not a fan of the team I drafted for one main reason: a lackluster WR corps.
Bowe, Welker, Royal and Evans will all be productive players, but it`s safe to assume that none of them will come close to matching the numbers of Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson or Randy Moss.
I do, however, like the depth my team has at RB.
Besides the two studs, I feel that at least one of the next four -- Washington, Benson, Hightower or Harrison -- will produce numbers comparable to those of a solid No. 2.
Overall, though, I don`t think there`s enough to compete for a championship.
Starting rosters included one QB, TE, K, team defense and Flex (RB, WR or TE), two RBs and three WRs. Six bench players were also selected.
Scoring included a point-per-reception (PPR), four points for a passing TD, six points for all other scores, one point for every 10 rushing and receiving yards and one point for every 20 passing yards.
Here is the team I put together from the No. 3 spot:
Round 1, Pick 3: RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars -- I still have questions as to how Jones-Drew will perform as the undisputed No. 1 RB in Jacksonville. That said, the other options have just as many questions, and Jones-Drew has more value with the PPR format.
Round 2, Pick 10: WR Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs -- Two months later, I absolutely hate this pick; especially since I selected Bowe ahead of Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin. At the time, I was looking for big things from Bowe as the top option in the Chiefs passing game, but recent reports that the third-year receiver is out of shape have dropped him down my cheat sheet.
Round 3, Pick 3: WR Wes Welker, Patriots -- Simple equation: Welker plus a healthy Tom Brady plus PPR scoring equals fantasy gold.
Round 4, Pick 10: RB Knowshon Moreno, Broncos -- I`m predicting big things from Moreno during his rookie season. With a very good offensive line in front of him and a very average quarterback handing him the ball, I don`t think it`s a stretch to project similar numbers to Bears RB Matt Forte`s 2008 freshman campaign: 1,715 total yards, 12 TDs and 63 receptions.
Round 5, Pick 3: WR Eddie Royal, Broncos -- Back-to-back Broncos means one thing: I`m depending an awful lot on QB Kyle Orton ... yikes!
Round 6, Pick 10: WR Lee Evans, Bills -- I`m not sure of what to expect from Evans in 2009, but he seemed like too much of a value to pass up at 6.10. At the very least, he gives my team some wiggle room at WR3 and Flex.
Round 7, Pick 3: RB Leon Washington, Jets -- Looking back, 7.3 seems early, but I love Washington`s potential this year. I will not love it as much, however, if he sits out training camp because of a contract dispute. Get to work, Leon!
Round 8, Pick 10: RB Cedric Benson, Bengals -- Like Evans, I have no clue what Benson will do this season, but the upside at this point made him worth gambling on. If he works out, I`m looking at a solid No. 2 RB; if he doesn`t, I`m only out a RB4 and eighth-round selection.
Round 9, Pick 3: QB Matt Ryan, Falcons -- I missed out on Eagles QB Donovan McNabb by one selection, but didn`t sulk for long by adding Ryan. The addition of TE Tony Gonzalez will only help the second-year hurler improve upon his 3,440 passing yards and 16 TDs of a season ago.
Round 10, Pick 10: RB Tim Hightower, Cardinals -- I`m not particularly fond of either of the Arizona RBs, but Hightower at the end of Round 10 has the potential to work out.
Round 11, Pick 3: TE Dustin Keller, Jets -- It can be argued that Keller is the best pass-catcher on the Jets roster, so I was thrilled to land him here. I look for big numbers out of the second-year stud in 2009, as rookie QB Mark Sanchez will be looking his way often.
Round 12, Pick 10: RB Jerome Harrison, Browns -- Unlike Benson and Hightower, I`m high on Harrison for the upcoming season. Jamal Lewis looked done last season, so it wouldn`t be a surprise to see Harrison get some first- and second-down carries behind a very good offensive line.
Round 13, Pick 3: WR Hakeem Nicks, Giants -- Domenik Hixon isn`t a No. 1 wide out and Steve Smith is best in the slot. As a result, the ultra-talented Nicks will get every opportunity to crack the Giants` starting lineup.
Round 14, Pick 10: QB Shaun Hill, 49ers -- I wasn`t comfortable with Ryan as the only QB on my roster, so I grabbed Hill, a personal favorite of mine. I don`t buy the hype surrounding Alex Smith; Hill will be the starter in San Francisco come Week 1.
Round 15, Pick 3: DEF New York Jets -- I had to draft a defense.
Round 16, Pick 10: K Neil Rackers, Cardinals -- I had to draft a kicker.
Looking back, I`m not a fan of the team I drafted for one main reason: a lackluster WR corps.
Bowe, Welker, Royal and Evans will all be productive players, but it`s safe to assume that none of them will come close to matching the numbers of Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson or Randy Moss.
I do, however, like the depth my team has at RB.
Besides the two studs, I feel that at least one of the next four -- Washington, Benson, Hightower or Harrison -- will produce numbers comparable to those of a solid No. 2.
Overall, though, I don`t think there`s enough to compete for a championship.
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