From August 8th - 19th, eight members of the Footballguys Staff, along with four highly regarded writers in the fantasy football community, completed a 12-team, 20-round dynasty startup mock draft. Before the draft, each of the participants answered questions regarding strategies, players they coveted and how they planned to attack the draft. To top it off, Footballguys' Chad Parsons will provide an evaluation of each team's roster strengths and weaknesses, chronicling the strategies and decisions that were made by each participant.
The goal of this article is to give you a look into the minds of fantasy experts throughout the entire draft process. This includes preparation, decision-making, execution, and follow-up. What was their plan? Did they follow it? Why did they make the decisions they made? Some drafters had similar strategies and players of interest, but how they executed their plan and built their roster, varied from person to person.
We hope you will uncover or discover a strategy that might work for you in your draft(s) this year. Learn what players the experts are targeting and why. At Footballguys, when you win, we win! If we can help give you the tools and know-how to build a winning team, we've done our job.
LEAGUE PARAMETERS
- 12 teams
- 20 roster spots
- Starting Lineup
- 1 quarterback
- 2 running backs
- 3 wide receivers
- 1 tight end
- 1 flex (either a running back, wide receiver, or tight end)
- 1 Defense
LEAGUE SCORING
- Offensive Players Only
- 4 points - Passing Touchdown
- 6 points - Rushing/Receiving Touchdown
- 0.04 points - Passing Yard
- 0.1 points - Rushing/Receiving Yard
- 1 point - Reception
- -1 - Interception Thrown
Participants
- Dan Hindery, Footballguys
- Daniel Simpkins, Footballguys
- Scott Bischoff, Footballguys
- Eric Balkman, the High Stakes Fantasy Football Hour
- James Brimacombe, Footballguys
- Jim Day, Fighting Chance Fantasy
- Andy Hick, Footballguys
- Will Grant, Footballguys
- Jeff Tefertiller, Footballguys
- Anthony Amico, Rotoviz, RotoCurve
- Eric Moody, FantasyPros
- Matt Bitonti, Footballguys
DRAFT GRID
DRAFT SLOT 1
Dan Hindery - Bio
PRE-DRAFT QUESTIONS
1. How does your draft strategy change in a dynasty startup draft as opposed to a re-draft league?
The big difference is that I am focused much more on longevity. I want guys who I can build around in the longer term.
2. How does a player's age affect your interest in drafting him?
It is one of the primary things I am worried about. Some will only worry about short-term windows like three years, but I like to draft extremely young teams in a startup. Typically, I won’t draft a player older than 25 years old in the first handful of rounds in the draft.
3. Which position in a dynasty startup is most important to have good depth? Explain why you feel this way.
Wide receiver and running back are both important positions to build depth at. I’ll give the nod just narrowly to wide receiver as most important. In part because it is the toughest position to quickly fix or improve at. Rookie running backs often make huge impacts and there are always the guys like Alex Collins and Kenyan Drake who come out of nowhere. Thus, if you have built a strong, deep group of wide receivers there are going to be realistic paths to winning your league.
4. Talk about a trading strategy that you use in dynasty leagues. Is there a right and wrong way to construct your team through trades?
I am extremely active trading in startup drafts. There are some sweet spots in every startup where I want to have extra picks, so I will move down in the early rounds to load up on picks in the spots of the draft I feel best about. There is also never going to be a cheaper time to acquire future rookie picks than in the startup. Trading back a few times and loading up on future early-round rookie picks is almost always a winning strategy.
5. Name a quarterback that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
In a start one quarterback league, the best move is to go with the late-round quarterback strategy. That being said, if Andrew Luck slides at all, I would consider drafting him as I think there’s still a bit of a buy low window open on him.
6. Name a running back that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
Joe Mixon is a target for me at the 2/3 turn. He just turned 22 years old and the Bengals clearly view him as an elite talent who they hope to build their offense around long-term.
7. Name a wide receiver that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
I’m hoping to land Anthony Miller. I’m willing to grab him a couple rounds ahead of his ADP to make sure I land him. I love his mentality and he has the perfect skillset to be a PPR difference-maker.
8. Name a tight end that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
I take the long view in dynasty so I am all about taking the injury discount on Hunter Henry. An ACL injury isn’t all that big of a deal and Henry is going to be just 24 years old next year. I can lock in a TE1 for a very long time and pair him with a mid-round guy like Austin Hooper and very late rounder like Ben Watson to cover the 2018 season.
9. What is your strategy for drafting a team defense in a dynasty startup league?
My strategy is to not invest anything substantial in the position. The top defenses change from year to year and in most leagues that use team defenses, the rosters are shallow enough that there end up being solid defenses on the waiver wire to play matchups with.
10. Name a few players that you will target as stash players. Why do you feel confident in their ability to blossom in the coming years?
I’ve already mentioned Hunter Henry as a target. I will also target some of the rookie running backs who are off to slower starts (Sony Michel, Rashaad Penny, etc.). I still believe in the ability of those guys to be difference makers over the longer term.
11. What advice would you give to someone drafting in a dynasty startup league?
The easiest rule of thumb for me in the early rounds is to focus on guys who are young but still have high redraft ADPs. For example, I have the 1.01 and looking ahead to the 2/3 turn, I want to target guys who are going top-30 overall in redraft leagues who are 25 or younger. So my player pool will be guys like Joe Mixon, Tyreek Hill, and Stefon Diggs. I’m not sacrificing anything in the short-term and am building a team built for the long haul.
draft selections
Pick
|
Overall
|
Position
|
Player
|
Team
|
1.01
|
1
|
RB
|
Todd Gurley
|
LAR
|
2.12
|
24
|
RB
|
CIN
|
|
3.01
|
25
|
WR
|
KCC
|
|
4.12
|
48
|
RB
|
NEP
|
|
5.01
|
49
|
RB
|
SEA
|
|
6.12
|
72
|
QB
|
PHI
|
|
7.01
|
73
|
WR
|
Kenny Golladay
|
DET
|
8.12
|
96
|
WR
|
CIN
|
|
9.01
|
97
|
TE
|
LAC
|
|
10.12
|
120
|
WR
|
SFO
|
|
11.01
|
121
|
TE
|
Mike Gesicki
|
MIA
|
12.12
|
144
|
WR
|
Tyrell Williams
|
LAC
|
13.01
|
145
|
QB
|
CLE
|
|
14.12
|
168
|
RB
|
Peyton Barber
|
TBB
|
15.01
|
169
|
WR
|
John Brown
|
BAL
|
16.12
|
192
|
RB
|
John Kelly
|
LAR
|
17.01
|
193
|
QB
|
OAK
|
|
18.12
|
216
|
WR
|
Curtis Samuel
|
CAR
|
19.01
|
217
|
WR
|
Deon Cain
|
IND
|
20.12
|
240
|
Def
|
New England Patriots
|
NEP
|
Chad Parsons' evaluation
STRENGTHS
Hindery hit running back hard in the opening rounds, both with pedigree and balancing short and long-term outlooks. Todd Gurley is an easy choice at the top of Round 1 with a strong team infrastructure in place and coming off a dominant production year. Joe Mixon had a middling rookie year, but Mixon is one of the more talented running backs in the NFL brimming with upside. With even average offensive line play, Mixon could be on the Round 1 startup track by next offseason. While both are off to slow starts with injuries and ambiguous depth charts to begin their rookie seasons, Sony Michael and Rashaad Penny sport Round 1 NFL Draft pedigree and strong long-term probabilities to turn into fantasy starters. Peyton Barber and John Kelly in the late rounds were savvy value selections as a spot short-term starter (Barber) and an underrated talent and potential Gurley handcuff (Kelly).
WEAKNESSES
With the early-round focus on running backs; Hindery is loaded with uncertainty at wide receiver. Tyreek Hill in Round 3 is far from a slam dunk with Sammy Watkins signed to a lucrative contract this offseason. Kenny Golladay and John Ross both have substantial competition on their depth charts if they are to ever emerge as No.1 targets. John Brown is more likely than either of them to be Hindery’s weekly WR2 this season, a savvy pick in Round 15.
HOW HE’LL WIN IT ALL
The value was right to stash Hunter Henry for 2019 as TE8 off the board, but leaves rookie Mike Gesicki as a pivotal bet in the short-term at tight end. Even if Hindery gets consistent modest production at receiver, he has the potential brilliance at running back to push him to success, ideally with Sony Michel and/or Rashaad Penny turning into later-season impact options.
DRAFT SLOT 2
Daniel Simpkins- Bio
PRE-DRAFT QUESTIONS
1. How does your draft strategy change in a dynasty startup draft as opposed to a re-draft league?
It’s a complete paradigm shift for me. Redraft is a format in which you select players to win right now. In dynasty leagues, there is a lot more to consider. Am I building a team that can perennially contend? Is this player I may select going to retain their value long-term? Are there players I can take late in startups that have fallen out of favor that stand to regain value if they can put together a good season? Are there young players that are on the verge of breaking out? Are there players that stand to lose a lot of value if they have an injury or a down year? There’s just a lot more strategy and nuance to a dynasty format. It’s why I enjoy the long-distance marathon that is dynasty more than the 40-yard dashes that are redraft or DFS.
2. How does a player's age affect your interest in drafting him?
I tend to build my dynasty teams around talented youth. That is one of the chief principles that has made me a successful dynasty owner. I have seen so many fantasy general managers try to build a team to win it all with older veterans in year one, fail to do so, and then either wash out of the league or spend years on a painful rebuilding process. I try to build teams that may not win in year one, but will have the firm foundation to begin contending every year past that point.
3. Which position in a dynasty startup is most important to have good depth? Explain why you feel this way.
The studies that I and others have done in the past on this subject show that in typical scoring and settings, the positional scarcity and scoring drop off is most dramatic for wide receivers. They also have a longer shelf life than most of the other dynasty assets, meaning they’ll be most likely to maintain their value over time.
4. Talk about a trading strategy that you use in dynasty leagues. Is there a right and wrong way to construct your team through trades?
Trading is really important in dynasty, especially when you take over an orphan team and begin to reshape it to fit your strategy. It’s particularly important to identify the negotiation style of the owners with whom you are doing deals and adapt. Are they the type that only looks at one offer, so you had better take your best shot? Or are they the type that likes to go back and forth and haggle until a deal is reached? Do they have favorite players with whom you can entice them? Is the way in which they value players different from you and can that be exploited? Those are important questions to answer because having the answers means you are more likely to be able to complete a trade.
I do think it’s possible to tinker too much with a team you are taking over and make your rebuild a harder job. I have done that a few times through the years and it really set my team back. It’s important to make sure that when you inherit a team, you identify how the scoring and settings impact team construction and objectively assess the strengths and weaknesses of your squad before you start making deals.
One last thing about trading-- be aware that after a startup draft, it’s typically going to be awhile before anyone is going to want to trade. Most people feel content with what they’ve done and it takes in-season injuries and action to move people off that feeling.
5. Name a quarterback that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
I am hoping to snag Lamar Jackson. I believe he will be special for fantasy football from a statistical standpoint. It is not often that we get someone that is an above-average pocket passer that is also above average when asked to run.
6. Name a running back that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
Royce Freeman is a player I will have my eye on. As I evaluated him this summer, I did not see him as being that far removed in talent from Barkley, Guice, and Chubb. His contact balance and vision rival any one of those three. He’s not got the elite breakaway speed that some of those others have, but I think that particular trait is overrated by fantasy players. Freeman has patience, pushes piles, and is a solid pass catcher. He’s also not an extremely expensive investment in startups, which I love.
7. Name a wide receiver that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
I will look to get a few guys in whom I believe and who have dropped in value because of an injury or a bad statistical year. I believe Allen Robinson is one of those names for me. In addition to the talent we already have seen on the field, he is still very young, and went to an offense I believe will be on the rise with the changes implemented by Matt Nagy.
8. Name a tight end that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
David Njoku is a physical freak, and with the improvement in quarterback play that has happened in Cleveland, I think the environment is ripe for a breakout. While I’m sure his performance in the first preseason game is going to push up his stock a little bit, I still think he’ll be undervalued relative to what he’ll be worth after this year is said and done.
9. What is your strategy for drafting a team defense in a dynasty startup league?
It depends on scoring and settings, but if team defenses are assigned their typical minimal value in a dynasty league, I tend to wait and draft a unit that I feel is up-and-coming. Team defenses are pretty volatile in terms of year-to-year output. Very seldom do you have a team defense that’s a top producer for three to five years. I like the Saints and Ravens in particular because they don’t have the reputation of being good, established defenses yet, but are headed in the right direction.
10. Name a few players that you will target as stash players. Why do you feel confident in their ability to blossom in the coming years?
We’ve seen how a receiver and quarterback that come into the league together can sometimes end up with a chemistry that lasts for years. In addition to being an underrated talent, Jordan Lasley seems to have a rapport with Lamar Jackson and the receiver situation there in Baltimore doesn’t have a lot of long-term certainties.
I love Richie James’ potential on a San Francisco depth chart that is far from decided. I’ve stashed him everywhere I can fit him. I’ve watched James’ college career closely, as I live just down the road from Middle Tennessee State University. If not for an untimely injury in his junior season, James probably would have been a third or fourth-round NFL draft selection for a team. Don’t let James’ small size fool you. He’s really fast out of the slot, but when he can’t beat the opposing corner cleanly, he’s great on contested catches.
Jonnu Smith is someone I have almost everywhere. I know the team just signed Delanie Walker to a contract extension, but it’s to be expected that he’ll slow down and lose playing time to Jonnu Smith before the contract expires. Smith is the clear successor to Walker-- he is a clone of Walker in his playing style. Smith’s route running and fluidity have really shown improvement this offseason, too, which bodes well for Smith’s eventual takeover.
11. What advice would you give to someone drafting in a dynasty startup league?
Don’t panic. It’s easy to get flustered when someone snipes a guy you really like right out from under you. Just stay calm, breathe, and keep going down your draft board. Also, make sure to make some notes on how your opponents are valuing players as they draft. That can be really helpful information for later when you approach them about a potential trade.
DRAFT SELECTIONS
Pick
|
Overall
|
Position
|
Player
|
Team
|
1.02
|
2
|
WR
|
Odell Beckham
|
NYG
|
2.11
|
23
|
WR
|
Allen Robinson
|
CHI
|
3.02
|
26
|
WR
|
PIT
|
|
4.11
|
47
|
RB
|
WAS
|
|
5.02
|
50
|
RB
|
DEN
|
|
6.11
|
71
|
WR
|
Christian Kirk
|
ARI
|
7.02
|
74
|
QB
|
CAR
|
|
8.11
|
95
|
WR
|
Josh Doctson
|
WAS
|
9.02
|
98
|
WR
|
DeVante Parker
|
MIA
|
10.11
|
119
|
TE
|
TBB
|
|
11.02
|
122
|
QB
|
BAL
|
|
12.11
|
143
|
TE
|
TEN
|
|
13.02
|
146
|
RB
|
James Conner
|
PIT
|
14.11
|
167
|
RB
|
MIA
|
|
15.02
|
170
|
WR
|
Dede Westbrook
|
JAC
|
16.11
|
191
|
RB
|
T.J. Yeldon
|
JAC
|
17.02
|
194
|
Def
|
Baltimore Ravens
|
BAL
|
18.11
|
215
|
RB
|
MIA
|
|
19.02
|
218
|
TE
|
Tyler Eifert
|
CIN
|
20.11
|
239
|
WR
|
BAL
|
CHAD PARSONs' EVALUATION
STRENGTHS
Simpkins used a balanced approach to the opening 10 rounds of the startup draft. However, when Christian Kirk is your WR4 and DeVante Parker is WR6, the roster is flush with wide receivers. Simpkins focused on mid-career or younger wide receivers in the opening three rounds, including Juju Smith-Schuster in Round 3. Building a dynasty roster around core wide receivers offers an extended runway to get running back correct and begin contending.
WEAKNESSES
While Derrius Guice is a savvy talent stash for 2019, sinking a Round 4 selection into a player who is out for the current season takes production off the lineup table in the short-turn. Simpkins’ running back stable offers upside with Royce Freeman, James Conner, T.J. Yeldon, and the pair of Miami reserves (Frank Gore, Kalen Ballage), but injuries need to break right for Simpkins to survive the Guice absence this season.
HOW HE’LL WIN IT ALL
Hitting the running back injury lottery in 2018 will be Simpkins’ key to winning the Year 1 title. Royce Freeman seizes the Denver starting job early and LeVeon Bell or Leonard Fournette miss significant time, paving the way to James Conner or T.J. Yeldon as unquestioned lead backs. In future seasons, Simpkins is built to contend with Derrius Guice returning and up-and-coming players littering the back-end of his roster.
DRAFT SLOT 3
Scott Bischoff - Bio
PRE-DRAFT QUESTIONS
1. How does your draft strategy change in a dynasty startup draft as opposed to a re-draft league?
The focus is on looking to the future while balancing what players can do now to field a roster that can compete now and over the next few years. Also, backups are valuable as well, especially those with potential free agents in front of them.
2. How does a player's age affect your interest in drafting him?
It is dependent on the position as running backs drop off at an earlier age than players at other positions. I take a blended approach and will take players that are older and still productive, but I tend to select the older players in the middle or later in the draft. I am generally placing more value on what I think a player will do over the next few years and not necessarily placing a ton of value on what they did last year or in the past.
3. Which position in a dynasty startup is most important to have good depth? Explain why you feel this way.
The running back position dries up much quicker than other positions, and I am always trying to bolster my roster there in the early part of drafts. I will reach for a running back because of the lack of quality starting running backs across the NFL.
4. Talk about a trading strategy that you use in dynasty leagues. Is there a right and wrong way to construct your team through trades?
I am not sure there is a perfect way to build a team through trading, but I always consider taking an aging quarterback at a place of value in the draft with an eye on moving that player when injuries occur. I like picking up extra future picks by making smart picks in the draft. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is a great example of a player nearing the end and one that could pay dividends as people prioritize younger players over proven veterans.
5. Name a quarterback that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
I like Rams quarterback Jared Goff as a long-term solution to the quarterback position. Head coach Sean McVay is a smart offensive mind, and I think he will have Goff performing at a high level for years to come.
6. Name a running back that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is a full-workload running back and a player I’m targeting to build my roster around. He is the primary option in the Dallas offense and will be heavily involved in the red zone as well.
7. Name a wide receiver that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham junior has outrageous upside in an offense that should be relatively explosive now and into the future. He can produce at a very high level now and hold that level for many years.
8. Name a tight end that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
David Njoku is a high-upside play for the long-term, and he should be productive enough in the short term to get to his super productive years. If I’m taking him, I am likely adding an older tight end to get me over the hump.
9. What is your strategy for drafting a team defense in a dynasty startup league?
I tend to look at pass rushers and cornerbacks when considering team defense. If a team has a combination of both, they are likely to be in a position to produce points because of turnovers. Also, I consider returners and will lean to a team with a good returner for my defense.
10. Name a few players that you will target as stash players. Why do you feel confident in their ability to blossom in the coming years?
Chicago Bears receiver Anthony Miller displays excellent mentality with the ball in the air, and that trait is always something that shows up in a big way for wide receivers. He showed dominant traits in college, and I see him as a player that will emerge over the next few seasons to become a reliable starting receiver. San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is an intriguing option for a few years down the road. He is in an offensive system that should be very beneficial to his set of skills and could be a legitimate No. 1 tight end in time.
11. What advice would you give to someone drafting in a dynasty startup league?
As always, pay close attention to your scoring system and make sure there is a hybrid approach that weighs the now and the future.
DRAFT SELECTIONS
Pick
|
Overall
|
Position
|
Player
|
Team
|
1.03
|
3
|
RB
|
DAL
|
|
2.10
|
22
|
WR
|
CIN
|
|
3.03
|
27
|
WR
|
MIN
|
|
4.10
|
46
|
RB
|
Jerick McKinnon
|
SFO
|
5.03
|
51
|
RB
|
Ronald Jones
|
TBB
|
6.10
|
70
|
WR
|
CHI
|
|
7.03
|
75
|
RB
|
BUF
|
|
8.10
|
94
|
QB
|
LAR
|
|
9.03
|
99
|
QB
|
Patrick Mahomes
|
KCC
|
10.10
|
118
|
WR
|
Tyler Lockett
|
SEA
|
11.03
|
123
|
QB
|
NEP
|
|
12.10
|
142
|
TE
|
Dallas Goedert
|
PHI
|
13.03
|
147
|
TE
|
Eric Ebron
|
IND
|
14.10
|
166
|
RB
|
James White
|
NEP
|
15.03
|
171
|
WR
|
DaeSean Hamilton
|
DEN
|
16.10
|
190
|
WR
|
Mohamed Sanu
|
ATL
|
17.03
|
195
|
Def
|
Los Angeles Chargers
|
LAC
|
18.10
|
214
|
WR
|
Trent Taylor
|
SFO
|
19.03
|
219
|
RB
|
Doug Martin
|
OAK
|
20.10
|
238
|
TE
|
BUF
|
CHAD PARSONs' EVALUATION
STRENGTHS
Bischoff blended the established production of Tom Brady with young hopefuls Jared Goff and Patrick Mahomes for his quarterback group. Brady’s short-term outlook allows for Goff and more so Mahomes to develop with little starting lineup pressure. LeSean McCoy at RB30 and Dallas Goedert at TE18 were especially good values in the middle rounds.
WEAKNESSES
While three running backs in the opening five rounds would project as a strong running back position, Jerick McKinnon and Ronald Jones are tenuous bets within the top-25 of their position. McKinnon has yet to be a lead back in the NFL and the bet is ‘in Kyle Shanahan we trust’ for 2018. Ronald Jones had questions with his size and receiving game skills entering the NFL and he is off to a sluggish start.
HOW HE’LL WIN IT ALL
Ezekiel Elliott and LeSean McCoy stay healthy and out of trouble, stabilizing Bischoff’s running back depth chart. Anthony Miller or Tyler Lockett steps up as a consistent WR3 and Eric Ebron seizes the starting tight end job for the Colts en route to top-12 production. A tall order in the short term for Bischoff to be among the league’s best.
DRAFT SLOT 4
Eric Balkman, The High Stakes Fantasy Hour
Eric Balkman is the host and producer of The High Stakes Fantasy Football Hour. He is also the host of The High-Stakes Lowdown on RotoViz Rado and co-hosts The Appleton Trophy Fantasy Football Show on 95.3 and 99.1-FM The Score in Appleton, Wisconsin. Balkman was the 2008 NFFC Primetime $100,000 Co-Champion and currently serves as the media coordinator for the Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC).
PRE-DRAFT QUESTIONS
1. How does your draft strategy change in a dynasty startup draft as opposed to a re-draft league?
Not as much as you'd think. Obviously, youth is more valued, but I almost use it as a tie-breaker. The most important year in a dynasty league is still the current one. You shouldn't be loading up on geriatrics, but I don't fill my roster with rookies either.
2. How does a player's age affect your interest in drafting him?
Running backs are the biggest position when it comes to age. I want as young as I can get there. Young receivers are fine, but even non-elite receivers can still be really good up until age-30 or 31. Tight ends, too. And quarterbacks probably have the longest shelf life of anyone.
3. Which position in a dynasty startup is most important to have good depth? Explain why you feel this way.
I think wide receiver. Your league-mates probably value that position the most, too, so even if you have a collection of them, you can usually have the ability to move one of them for 90 cents on the dollar for a position of need. They have fairly long careers, whereas running backs get used up pretty quick. If I'm going to be deep somewhere, it will be wideout.
4. Talk about a trading strategy that you use in dynasty leagues. Is there a right and wrong way to construct your team through trades?
Not really. I think you always need to be looking ahead and be ahead of the curve when it comes to player evaluation. You always want to acquire assets that will rise in value, and not vice versa. While I don't mind holding onto a player until he's no longer fantasy-worthy, I am always floating guys out there in deals who are about to be free agents, have a big cap number coming up or have a clear replacement waiting in the wings behind him on the roster. Be proactive so you don't end up with an albatross on your squad that no one wants.
5. Name a quarterback that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
I don't usually target quarterbacks, but Goff and Mariota are going fairly late in dynasty start-ups for their age. I could see getting one or both of those guys. Carr, Winston, and Trubisky are probably good fall-back options. I'm not picky with signal-callers.
6. Name a running back that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
If Elliott is there at four, I'm grabbing him for sure. If not, McCaffrey or Mixon will be my targets a round later. Elliott's talent, situation, age and pass-catching chops are everything you want in your top pick. He's a slam-dunk cornerstone of any dynasty roster.
7. Name a wide receiver that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
If Elliott's gone when I pick in the first, DeAndre Hopkins won't be, and he could be in for a historic career. He might be the most talented receiver in the NFL, and when you couple that with a quarterback in Watson who could be a decade-long superstud, Hopkins is a can't miss every week start for you for the next half-decade-plus. Cooper, Diggs, or Allen Robinson will be nice consolation prizes in the second or third round if I can't grab Hopkins.
8. Name a tight end that you will be targeting in this draft. Why do you feel he will be a player to build around?
Because of the ACL, I could get Hunter Henry at a discount and try and grab a couple other guys later. If not, David Njoku is a guy who I am really high on, and he and Baker Mayfield should be a big-time connection for several years.
9. What is your strategy for drafting a team defense in a dynasty startup league?
I have none. :) I'm all about loading up on skill position guys and grabbing a defense with my last or second-to-last pick in the draft and using my waiver wire to play matchups throughout the season. I'm trying to acquire as many ascending assets as I can with my choices so I can either play them or trade them for more assets. By and large, defenses won't get you far.
10. Name a few players that you will target as stash players. Why do you feel confident in their ability to blossom in the coming years?
A trio of rookie running backs leads this list for me. Jaylen Samuels could have a massive role in Pittsburgh next year if (when) Le'Veon Bell moves on. Chase Edmonds should be the man in Arizona if David Johnson (who turns 27 this year) goes down or moves on. And Justin Jackson has been getting a lot of positive reviews in Los Angeles. If Gordon signs elsewhere after 2018, you'd better believe LA will have let him go because they have faith in Jackson being a big part of what they do in the backfield.
11. What advice would you give to someone drafting in a dynasty startup league?
Don't go crazy for youth. draft for this year and the future. Find the balance. And remember, you can usually get aging, veteran players at insane prices. Don't be afraid to pull the trigger and take the value when it's punching you in the face.
DRAFT SELECTIONS
Pick
|
Overall
|
Position
|
Player
|
Team
|
1.04
|
4
|
RB
|
NYG
|
|
2.09
|
21
|
WR
|
Amari Cooper
|
OAK
|
3.04
|
28
|
WR
|
TEN
|
|
4.09
|
45
|
RB
|
Nick Chubb
|
CLE
|
5.04
|
52
|
WR
|
D.J. Moore
|
CAR
|
6.09
|
69
|
RB
|
Tarik Cohen
|
CHI
|
7.04
|
76
|
TE
|
CLE
|
|
8.09
|
93
|
WR
|
Jamison Crowder
|
WAS
|
9.04
|
100
|
WR
|
Nelson Agholor
|
PHI
|
10.09
|
117
|
RB
|
Aaron Jones
|
GBP
|
11.04
|
124
|
QB
|
TEN
|
|
12.09
|
141
|
TE
|
Hayden Hurst
|
BAL
|
13.04
|
148
|
QB
|
Mitchell Trubisky
|
CHI
|
14.09
|
165
|
RB
|
SFO
|
|
15.04
|
172
|
WR
|
Tre'Quan Smith
|
NOS
|
16.09
|
189
|
WR
|
Antonio Callaway
|
CLE
|
17.04
|
196
|
RB
|
PIT
|
|
18.09
|
213
|
WR
|
Keke Coutee
|
HOU
|
19.04
|
220
|
Def
|
Houston Texans
|
HOU
|
20.09
|
237
|
Def
|
Cleveland Browns
|
CLE
|
CHAD PARSONs' EVALUATION
STRENGTHS
Balkman took little risk in his first five rounds, siding with elite profiles and strong draft pedigree for his two running backs and three wide receivers to form his core. Balkman is one of the deepest rosters in the league at wide receiver with Jamison Crowder and Nelson Agholor at WR4/5 and finding Antonio Callaway all the way at WR79 in Round 16. Even waiting on D.J. Moore to develop, Balkman has the depth to fill in for a season or two.
WEAKNESSES
While Saquon Barkley and Nick Chubb are cornerstone talents at the running back position, Chubb is not a projected early producer with Cleveland and Balkman has little short-term veteran reinforcements outside of potentially Aaron Jones taking the Packers starting job once he returns from suspension or Matt Breida taking full advantage if Jerick McKinnon is out or underperforming.
HOW HE’LL WIN IT ALL
Nick Chubb and David Njoku are critical players to Balkman contending in the next one or two seasons. Both were drafted to be fantasy starters on this squad. While the talent is evident, Chubb may be more of a 2019 arrival with Carlos Hyde in the mix and Njoku may struggle to see enough targets to get into the upper-TE1 land for fantasy.
DRAFT SLOT 5
James Brimacombe - Bio
PRE-DRAFT QUESTIONS
1. How does your draft strategy change in a dynasty startup draft as opposed to a re-draft league?
You want to be bolder on the players you select. I always feel like a dynasty startup has the element of the team really being yours and you want to draft players that you have strong opinions on and not just drafting because the value falls to you.
2. How does a player's age affect your interest in drafting him?
I don't want to use one of my high premium picks on some of the older players and I will be cautious when drafting my running backs because of age, but other than that I don't mind taking shots on some of the older guys later in the draft depending on where the value is.
3. Which position in a dynasty startup is most important to have good depth? Explain why you feel this way.
I think wide receiver is where you want to build around and stockpile the talent as much as possible. These players have a longer shelf life and have higher trade value over the years.
4. Talk about a trading strategy that