Welcome to
Special Post Draft Edition The Fun Begins! |
Welcome to
Special Post Draft Edition The Fun Begins! |
Annual Draft Review
Follow up comments are red.
You can link to the draft page to review the proceedings. Here is the 2004 Edition. In keeping with tradition, I will revisit the analysis after week one with follow up comments. So, stay tuned.
Thanks again to Bocce Balls' Terry Gray for the projector. If we had to choose which of you would miss the draft, you or the projector, you made the right choice!
This year's Jaco Award for the most redundant drafter is waived due to the fact that Joe was a volunteer given 17 triple spaced pages to work from. Thanks to everyone for their preparedness and efficiency. Completion by 10:20 is a new record.
Retiring this picture is something I'm struggling with.
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Last years #1 pick, Ricky
Williams, admires his new Bullies jersey as a somewhat pale, bloated Dreadlock-Joe looks
on.
The speculation on Ricky's replacement ran from the draft through the eve of the season. Travis Minor? Garrison Hearst? Mike Anderson? Sammy Morris? James Jackson? Lamar Gordon! The Browns demanded a 3rd round pick for Jackson. Miami declined, instead sending their 3rd rounder to the Rams for Gordon. Not a feel good moment for Jackson. Will Lamar Gordon be the Anquan Boldin of 2004? |
Nazi Power Ratings are back for the fourth year. Starters at each position are rated along with depth and each owner's reputation for their ability to upgrade (Rep) through trades and claims. Attempting to put quantitative values on speculative and qualitative elements is a system that can have it's flaws. Look no further than Olympic judging of gymnastics and figure skating. That said, the NPR system usually nails at least 4 of our 6 playoff teams.
The most significant disclaimer 2004 is that your football furor spent less time on research for this season than in the past. This hasn't prevented me from developing inflated opinions of my own selections, also a tradition.
Overall the league is more competitive than ever. I don't see any cupcakes on the schedule (pre-injuries). Some teams that I thought were weak came out OK in the rankings and vice versa. So before the games begin, here is the analysis.
The new schedule format should help the members of this division. They'll need it. Notice that half a power point separates the top three teams. Too close to call?
| Possible | 10 | 20 | 30 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 96 |
| All You Need is Love | QB | RB | WR | TE | K | D | Depth | Rep | Power Rating |
| Football Nazis | 8.0 | 15.5 | 23.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 73.5 |
| Young Guns | 9.0 | 17.5 | 21.5 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 73.0 |
| Tasmanian Devils | 8.5 | 14.5 | 23.0 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 8.5 | 6.0 | 73.0 |
| Poopy Pants | 7.5 | 16.0 | 19.5 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 6.5 | 68.0 |
| Wheaton Striders | 9.0 | 15.5 | 21.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 67.5 |
| Bocce Balls | 6.5 | 15.0 | 20.5 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 67.0 |
| 70.3 | |||||||||
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When Dick Vermeil went to KC in 2001 to install the Ram's offensive system, I had hoped the Priest Holmes could be a poor man's Marshall Faulk and struck gold. Could Thomas Jones be a poor man's Priest? Or will this team need a priest by season's end? Will Steve McNair need a doctor and a priest? He just doesn't need to pass. Is this the year that the Rams (and Tory Holt) crumble? (my phobia this year). Will Joey Galloway find happiness with John Gruden in TB? Only finding pain? What does Chuck know about the Raider RB situation that I don't? Who is the #3 WR here? Still unanswered. Who is Greg Jones? Hopefully an unused backup.
Who was the #1 RB on that 2001 team? For a few weeks it was Freakin' Fragile Fred. Deja Vu all over again?
Lightning never strikes twice. -Lee Trevino
Steve Smith, Galloway and Travis Taylor are either lost or injured. Newly claimed Lamar Gordon is the 5th starting RB on the roster. How long before that number is reduced? |
9 Fred Taylor RB 16 Tory Holt WR 33 Steve Smith WR 40 Thomas Jones RB 57 Steve McNair QB 64 Tyrone Wheatley RB 81 Ashley Lelie WR 88 Drew Bennett WR 105 Dallas Clark TE 112 Emmitt Smith RB 129 Drew Bledsoe QB 136 Joey Galloway WR 153 Greg Jones RB 160 Minnesota D 177 Adam Vinatieri K 184 Travis Taylor WR 201 Ontario Smith RB 208 James Jackson RB 225 Erik Parker WR 232 Bryant Johnson WR |
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This team would be rated higher if not for these concerns.
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La Danian Thomlinson RB Rudi Johnson RB Chad Johnson WR Donavan McNabb QB Charles Rogers WR Jeremy Shocky TE Dante Stallworth WR Aaron Brooks QB Tyrone Calico WR David Akers K Jerome Bettis RB Marcus Robinson WR Moe Williams RB Pittsburgh D Larry Johnson RB Lee Evans WR Johnnie Morton WR Troy Edwards WR Troy Hambrick RB Anthony Becht TE |
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Annually we wonder if that Randy Moss will be a franchise player. Still wondering. I sense this could be the year. I really like Warrick Dunn and the Atlanta offense. But the 49ers passing offense has lost so much that their opponents can and will game-plan to stop Barlow. Perhaps Lloyd will emerge to solve this. Then the Devils will be deadly.
Westbrook is gaining stud status. Fitzgerald has a successful debut. Jerry Porter's quest for 2,000 yards only has 1,956 to go.
Already active claimers, they've had 5 different kickers and 3 TEs before the season began. |
Randy Moss WR Kevin Barlow RB Brian Westbrook RB Matt Hasselbeck QB Jerry Porter WR Warrick Dunn RB Larry Fitzgerald WR Stephen Jackson RB Jake Delhomme QB Brandon Lloyd WR Baltimore D Kevin Johnson WR Kevin Faulk RB La Mont Jordan RB John Carney K Byron Chamberlain TE Martin Gramatica K Atlanta D Jamal Robertson RB Labrandon Toefield RB |
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Is this the year the Pants fall? Their NPR says yes. Tony Gonzalez may not be practicing for much of the year while he babies his sore foot. Bennett is already dinged. Jevon Walker and Kennison play in offenses that like to spread the ball around. NPR doesn't rate speculative picks. Last years speculations panned out nicely. If Fargus and Scobey become starters, things will get very interesting. I have learned a painful lesson about owning Moulds in odd numbered years. It is 2004!
PPs don't exactly stink. They would just be a stronger playoff contender in the other division.
Yes it is 2004; a year where the Pants are already less fortunate with injuries. Opponent lineup miscues continue. The absence of a third starting RB is now more than just a bye week issue (Mo Morris to the rescue). 20% of the roster changed before the season began. They're players are dropping like Pants in a crapper:
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7 Edgerin James RB 18 Michael Bennett RB 31 Tony Gonzalez TE 42 Eric Moulds WR 55 Jevon Walker WR 66 Chad Pennington QB 79 Justin McCareins WR 90 Eddie Kennison WR 103 Justin Fargas RB 114 David Givens WR 127 Mark Brunell QB 138 Josh Scobey RB 151 Titans D 162 Dominick Rhodes RB 175 Nate Burrelson WR 186 Antione Smith RB 199 Erron Kinney TE 210 Michael Clayton WR 223 Maurice Morris RB 234 Mike Anderson RB |
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This is a nice team. Being a rookie owner with no rep for in-season improvement has dragged down their rating. Playing in a tough division doesn't help either. It would help if Travis Minor could hang on to his starting job in Miami. We will learn if Mini-Moss as a worthy #1 WR.
Draft tip for the future: less is more.
C-Mart looks like a bargain. Inexperience has led to their first lineup blunder (Franks over Gates). Minor's status is tenuous, making them more vulnerable in bye weeks. |
Clinton Portis RB Peyton Manning QB Santana Moss WR Curtis Martin RB Peerless Price WR T J Duckett RB Rod Smith WR Antonio Gates TE Deshawn Foster RB Travis Minor RB Dante Hall WR Jay Feeley K St. Louis D Troy Brown WR Kerry Collins QB Bubba Franks TE Kansas City D Amos Zerowe RB Rex Grossman QB Antoine Randle El WR |
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Will passing up Deuce McAllister at #3 cause drafter's remorse by season's end? The Nazi is not sold on Stephen Davis this season with the presence of Deshawn Foster, an average OL and improved passing game. Chris Chambers may find himself in a Miami mess. He's there. Jeff Garcia was a reach, in my mind. David Carr might prove to be decent starter. Will this be the year we see the silence of the Rams? Isaac Bruce would be a victim. So far, Bruce and the Rams will not be silenced.
Carr is a keeper. Benching Mason in favor of Rice? |
Ahman Green RB Stephen Davis RB Derrick Mason WR Chris Chambers WR Todd Heap TE Jeff Garcia QB Isaac Bruce WR Michael Pittman RB Andre Davis WR David Carr QB New England D Najeh Davenport RB Cedrick Wilson WR Jerry Rice WR Josh Brown K Antonio Bryant WR Bobby Ingram WR Jeremy Stephens TE Jerome Pathon WR Doug Gabriel WR |
I would love to be playing in this one!
| Love Me Do Division | QB | RB | WR | TE | K | D | Depth | Rep | Power Rating |
| Loose Gooses | 7.0 | 16.0 | 25.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 75.5 |
| Chicago Gamblers | 7.5 | 17.0 | 21.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 71.5 |
| Initalone | 7.5 | 16.0 | 21.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 71.0 |
| Nickboy | 10.0 | 15.0 | 19.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 69.0 |
| Schmued Potatoes | 8.0 | 17.5 | 24.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 67.0 |
| Blue Dogs | 9.0 | 16.5 | 19.0 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 56.0 |
| 68.3 | |||||||||
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The Seahawks are poised to be an offensive machine with Alexander a beneficiary. Will Chris Brown be a poor man's Eddie George? Will the Steelers turn Duce loose? Because I see these as possibilities, the Gooses have he highest NPR. That said, Toomer could have a rookie QB and Keyshawn may again prove to be an overpaid, overrated cancer. Beside that, the WRs are awesome. Using QB-by-committee has been known to work. Although Harrington may still be a year away from greatness, strategic goodness will suffice.
While taking a second look, I'm wondering if I should stop doing these rankings after having too many beers. And thanks again for drafting the other Florida team Smith WR.
Harrington may still be a year away. Alexander's injury could be costly. Everyone else has made this look like a first place team. Time for another beer. |
Sean Alexander RB Marvin Harrison WR Jimmy Smith WR Deuce Staley RB Chris Brown RB Amani Toomer WR Keyshawn Johnson WR Randy McMichael TE Joey Harrington QB Tommy Maddox QB Ron Dane RB Philadelphia D Tony Hollings RB Jason Elam K Desomd Clark TE Todd Pinkston WR John Kasay K Dez White WR Kyle Boller QB Antrose Pinner RB |
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Will we witness the silence of the Rams? Will Bulger be worth a #2? I fear not. Lee Suggs has a nice opportunity but one of the toughest schedules against the run. McCardell's contract dispute may send him packing with no training camp in a new system. My feelings about David Terrell are documented (we can only hope he proves me wrong). He's suddenly a productive idiot as long as his penalties don't effect his stats. The Gamblers would be projected to finish fourth in the other division. Here: 2nd.
McCardell's holdout, Dyson's unemployment and Suggs injury leaves them extremely thin. Will need divine intervention from Priest. Roy Williams stock has suddenly risen. |
Priest Holmes RB Marc Bulger QB Hines Ward WR Lee Suggs RB Keenan McCardell WR Willis Mcgahee RB Kellen Winslow TE Roy Williams WR Byron Leftwich QB Terry Glenn WR Carolina D Kevin Dyson WR David Terrell WR Musa Smith RB Matt Stover K Rich Gannon QB Garrison Hearst RB Ricky Dudley TE Chicago D Adrian Peterson RB |
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Another silence of the Rams question: Marshall Faulk. He'll likely be spelled by Stephen Jackson to limit his mileage. His OL is not what is used to be. Outside of Texans Dom Davis and Andre Johnson, the roster is loaded with relics: Garner, George and Tim Brown. I promised myself this year I would just say no to drafting Cowboys. Linda took three. Good luck with that.
Who has the best 1-2 punch at RB? Once again they could claim the league's dynamic duo. |
Marshall Faulk RB Dominick Davis RB Joe Horn WR Andre Johnson WR Brett Favre QB Charlie Garner RB Dion Branch WR Eddie George RB Rod Gardner WR Quincy Morgan WR Carson Palmer QB Dallas D Jason Whitten TE Tim Brown WR Ryan Longwell K Josh Reed WR Dorsey Levins RB Cory Bradford WR Tim Dwight WR Chester Taylor RB |
 Nickboy
Cory Dillon has a new home on a team that won't be so likely to abandon him as a weapon. The results could be fantastic if he has enough left in the tank. Culpepper seems poised for greatness. From there, the questions mount. Can Griffin be the man in Denver? A positive answer to this great unknown makes them serious contenders. My anti-Cowboy sentiment taints my rating of Julius Jones along with the possibility that Eddie George will open as their starter. I am a fan of Boo. The Saints are not. After Darrell Jackson, I would be concerned about consistency at WR. Perhaps Justin Gage will contribute. Terrell may yet play his way off the Bears and open the door for Gage. |
Cory Dillon RB Dante Culpepper QB Julius Jones RB Darrell Jackson WR Quinten Griffin RB Tom Brady QB Reggie Wayne WR Boo Williams TE Jeff Wilkins K Mushin Muhammed WR Donald Driver WR Miami D Justin Gage WR Anthony Thomas RB John Hall K Ike Hilliard WR Joe Jerivicous WR New Orleans D L J Smith TE Ladell Betts RB |
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The SPs are potentially the class of the division. Why the low ranking? I couldn't believe it myself. But figures don't lie. Well maybe they do. (5 beers, tinkering @2AM) That's why we play the schedule.
Shmu's reputation for lack of both free agent improvement and RB/WR depth has sunk them in the rankings and in the past. For the first three weeks of the season, they will be as formidable as any team. After that, they will need more luck than most. If Tiki can maintain his productivity in the presence of a rookie QB and an improving Ron Dayne, they will be a force. While Korin Robinson and Plax Burris could be huge (they already are big fellows), they've disappointed more often than not in their brief past. The big guys are big disappointments so far.
Tiki looks like a steal. Daniel Graham may provide trade bait for the TE poor. |
Deuce McAllister RB Terrell Owens WR Trent Green QB Tiki Barber RB Korin Robinson WR Plexico Burris WR Alge Crumpler TE Mike Vanderjact K Tatum Bell RB Jake Plummer QB Dennis Northcut WR Mike Alstott RB Tampa Bay D Chris Perry RB Freddie Jones TE Robert Ferguson WR Olindo Mare K Jacksonville D Daniel Graham TE Tim Rattay QB |
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Is it possible to prepare by buying a magazine on the way to the draft and still be successful? We'll find out. It does explain the reach for the injured Bolden. And it has landed them at bottom of the rankings. However this is likely our most competitive season.
I see Musa Smith as a missing piece with Jamal Lewis' drug trial looming. Not sure if that was in the magazine. Marcus Pollard (from Bradley) may give way to Dallas Clark, or so I hope. Travis Henry will lose carries to McGahee. Will Michael Vick be a match for the West Coast Offense? Another mobile lefty, Steve Young, sure was, once he learned it. We'll see if Vick's football IQ can match his athleticism. He can potentially can win games by himself.
Not sure if Steve ever reads this stuff. Still a missing piece. |
Jamal Lewis RB Michael Vick QB Lavernaues Coles WR Travis Henry RB Anquan Bolden WR Kevin Jones RB Marcus Pollard TE Marty Booker WR William Green RB Brad Johnson QB Peter Warrick WR Sebastian Janakowski K Reggie Williams WR Denver D Richie Anderson RB Freddie Mitchel WR Tai Streets WR Paul Edenger K Jim Kleinsasser TE Eli Manning QB |
HO HO HO!
I've heard it said a fantasy football draft is like Christmas morning. Or Festivous for the rest. After much anticipation, making our lists, checking them twice, we finally get to open our presents, see what we got and play with our new toys.
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T'was the eve of the season and all through the league We look at our talent. We all have some needs. The rosters were posted to the website with care with hopes that from injuries we all will be spared.
The Nazi has added his annual wit Designed to give owners with some thoughts of OH S#@t! But we hear him exclaim with analysis past, Good luck to you all, before I kick you ass.
- FB Nazi |
All Prison Team, Call Me Al, Cyber- Butuks, PETA Packers
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