FBG Futures Revisited
Posted 6/26 by Jeff Pasquino, Exclusive to Footballguys.com
Here at Footballguys we know that there are a lot of Fantasy Football players that play in Keeper Leagues. For those unfamiliar with that idea, it is just like it sounds - you get to keep a certain number of players for the next season for your 2008 fantasy team. So right about this time of year, many fantasy team owners start to look forward to next year and try and figure out who is worth keeping.
The variations of Keeper Leagues that are around make a straight list very difficult to produce. Some leagues just have a list of one or more players you keep for 2008, while other leagues make you "pay" to keep a player in some way (either by giving up a draft pick or salary cap room or something else). Regardless of how your league breaks it down, the following chart should hopefully help you out in determining what players are worth holding on to for 2008 or trading to another team for a draft pick or a better player. Many leagues are in the process as we speak of determining who to keep for this coming season, so let's look at my own view of a "Top 100" of sorts for purposes of a Keeper League format:
Footballguys Futures: The 2008 Keeper List
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Grade "A" Players
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| Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends |
| Brady, Tom - NE | Tomlinson, LaDainian - SD | Moss, Randy - NE | Gates, Antonio - SD |
| Manning, Peyton - IND | Peterson, Adrian - MIN | Owens, Terrell - DAL | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | Westbrook, Brian - PHI | Wayne, Reggie - IND | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | Addai, Joseph - IND | Fitzgerald, Larry - ARI | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | Jackson, Steven - STL | Edwards, Braylon - CLE | Witten, Jason - DAL |
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Grade "A-" Players
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| Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends |
| Brees, Drew - NO | Gore, Frank - SF | Houshmandzadeh, T.J. - CIN | Winslow Jr, Kellen - CLE |
| Romo, Tony - DAL | Bush, Reggie - NO | Smith, Steve - CAR | Gonzalez, Tony - KC |
| . | Portis, Clinton - WAS | Colston, Marques - NO | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | Barber III, Marion - DAL | . | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | Lynch, Marshawn - BUF | . | Witten, Jason - DAL |
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Grade "B+" Players
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| Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends |
| Palmer, Carson - CIN | Grant, Ryan - GB | Burress, Plaxico - NYG | Cooley, Chris - WAS |
| McNabb, Donovan - PHI | Brown, Ronnie - MIA | Johnson, Andre - HOU | Clark, Dallas - IND |
| Hasselbeck, Matt - SEA | Lewis, Jamal - CLE | Johnson, Chad - CIN | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| Roethlisberger, Ben - PIT | Jones-Drew, Maurice - JAX | Boldin, Anquan - ARI | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | McGahee, Willis - BAL | Welker, Wes - NE | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | Maroney, Laurence - NE | Holt, Torry - STL | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | James, Edgerrin - ARI | . | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | Johnson, Larry - KC | . | Witten, Jason - DAL |
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Grade "B" Players
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| Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends |
| Bulger, Marc - STL | Jacobs, Brandon - NYG | Williams, Roy - DET | Heap, Todd - BAL |
| Manning, Eli - NYG | Jones, Thomas - NYJ | Ward, Hines - PIT | Daniels, Owen - HOU |
| Garrard, David - JAX | Johnson, Rudi - CIN | Holmes, Santonio - PIT | Shockey, Jeremy - NYG |
| Cutler, Jay - DEN | Turner, Michael - ATL | Marshall, Brandon - DEN | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| Schaub, Matt - HOU | Parker, Willie - PIT | Jennings, Greg - GB | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| Anderson, Derek - CLE | . | Driver, Donald - GB | Witten, Jason - DAL |
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Grade "B-" Players
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| Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends |
| Leinart, Matt - ARI | Green, Ahman - HOU | Johnson, Calvin - DET | Miller, Heath - PIT |
| Russell, JaMarcus - OAK | Jones, Julius - SEA | Evans, Lee - BUF | Davis, Vernon - SF |
| Young, Vince - TEN | White, LenDale - TEN | Bowe, Dwayne - KC | Lee, Donald - GB |
| Rivers, Philip - SD | Graham, Earnest - TB | Coles, Laveranues - NYJ | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | Taylor, Chester - MIN | Rice, Sidney - MIN | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | . | Galloway, Joey - TB | Witten, Jason - DAL |
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Grade "C+" Players
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| Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends |
| Garcia, Jeff - TB | Taylor, Fred - JAX | Berrian, Bernard - MIN | Scheffler, Tony - DEN |
| Warner, Kurt - ARI | Williams, DeAngelo - CAR | Chambers, Chris - SD | Crumpler, Alge - TEN |
| Quinn, Brady - CLE | Young, Selvin - DEN | Stallworth, Donte - CLE | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| Kitna, Jon - DET | Norwood, Jerious - ATL | Engram, Bobby - SEA | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | . | White, Roddy - ATL | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | . | Curtis, Kevin - PHI | Witten, Jason - DAL |
| . | . | Cotchery, Jerricho - NYJ | Witten, Jason - DAL |
The chart is broken into "Letter Grades" for each position, with mostly "A" and "B" grade players appearing on the list. Running backs and wide receivers are typically more valuable in most leagues, so the "C+" level was also included. Here is a summary of the list:
Positional Summary
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Pos
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A
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A-
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B+
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B
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B-
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C+
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Tot
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QB
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2
|
2
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4
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6
|
4
|
4
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22
|
|
RB
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5
|
5
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8
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5
|
5
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4
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32
|
|
WR
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5
|
3
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
32
|
|
TE
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
14
|
|
Tot
|
14
|
12
|
20
|
20
|
18
|
16
|
100
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As for how to intertwine the groups, I leave that to each owner to determine based on their own leagues and scoring. Take a look at your 2007 league and see where each position lines up for the scoring for the year. For example, is the 20th RB about even with the fifth QB and the 25th WR? Then those tiers should be about the same value.
With multi-year leagues such as keeper leagues, the football season really never ends. Whether you missed the 2007 fantasy playoffs in your league or even if you made them, the football season never really ends in Keeper Leagues. Take a hard look at your team and decide who to keep and who is just not worth it and gear up for the coming year.
As always, feedback is welcome at pasquino@footballguys.com.
