Post Draft Breakdown

 

Break it on down, Uncle Nape 

Guest Post by: Dan Napier – Statutory Nape aka Uncle Nape aka Napezilla

Long time reader, first time contributor.

Another fantastic Sea General Napes Fantasy Football Draft is in the books. A healthy weekend of trash talking, musical performances (really?), and camaraderie filled the East Lansing area as 8 of the 10 members traveled far and wide (some on ‘the internets’) to the East Lansing area

In this article we’ll take a look at what I feel are some of the more notable picks per round in the first half of the 2012 draft. The Reaches, the Big Value picks, the WTF’s, and the Snipes are always the most interesting aspects of the draft and can make or break an owner’s season. The draft doesn’t necessarily insure your future as a League Champion – or Cellar Dweller (Nape), but it certainly sets the stage for how your fantasy season plays out. 

Round 1 

The biggest story of round 1 is the P Body selection of Ray Rice at #2 overall. It’s widely known/regarded that sure thing – high ceiling QB’s are the most valuable players in the league. P Body goes against the grain and weeks of preparation and consulting by picking the arguable #1 RB. 

Lil Chea, after publicly announcing he could’ve done more preparation, takes Tony (Homo) Romo #9 overall. Some may call it a Reach, I literally reacted with an audible “WTF”; Lil Chea knows the value of getting a QB early, only time will tell if Romo can live up to the Round 1 selection. 

Michael Vick… the most explosive, dynamic player in the league - at the most important position on the team. ALSO, the most likely to-get-injured player in the league. Austin takes Vick #10 overall and puts his hopes and prayers on the ‘Dog Fighter’ in a high-risk/high-reward type pick. 

Round 2

Austin selects Big Play CJ – Calvin Johnson with the 1 pick of the second round. The next receiver after Calvin is not selected till 27 picks later in the 4th round. 

DKin snipes Jimmy Graham 1 pick ahead of Colin (#16 overall) – to keep the Brees to Graham connection a mirage of huge potential. Controversy surrounds this pick as the Commissioner ‘swears he didn’t set this up’ with his previous statement “I sure hope Colin doesn’t get Jimmy Graham too…” This pick leads to a torrential downpour of trade talks between Danny, Jensen (who creams for Graham), and Colin following the draft. 

“Maurice Jones-Drew reports to camp” scrolled across TV sets the day of the draft, most people say “ehhhh”, P Body literally blows his load. MJD is taken in the second round (#19 overall) by P Body. 

Round 3 

Round 3 was a predictable round for everyone, only notable note to note is only QB’s and RB’s were taken. 

Round 4 

Mike somehow snatches Matt Schaub as the 2nd pick of the 4th round. A player that could easily finish in top 10 of qb’s. Good Value. 

The Ghastin stays true to his draft day maneuvers and takes the 1st of the rookie QB’s, with the selection of Andrew Luck at the 4th spot of round 4 (#34 overall). Ghastin hit on Cam Newton very late in the draft last year and it paid HUGE dividends – can he strike gold again with Luck? 

Terry hysterically picks RG3 – Robert Griffin the III with the 4th pick of round 4, making the pre-draft Jensen/Cheadle guarantee come true. Terry loves rookies (especially ones with sweet nicknames), and everyone knows it. 

DKin lands Ryan Mathews as the #36 overall pick. Some experts tout Mathews as the potential #1 scorer in all Fantasy (standard scoring). However, his injury history makes him a question mark, Danny finds the perfect time to get the lottery ticket. Great Value. 

Round 5  

The Big Man – Jensen – takes Shonn Greene with the 3rd pick of the 5th round (#43 ovl) and people laugh. Why do people laugh? BECAUSE HE TAKES HIM EVERY YEAR, it seems. Shonn Greene is one of the more interesting players this year, as the Jets will rely more on the ground game, but a TRBL offense may make him worthless. 

Danny like Gronk. Gronk still like Colin. There will be plenty of TE handies for DKin has he stocks up on elite TE’s landing Gronk at #45 overall. Great Value.  

Reggie Bush, the professional flex-player goes off the board at the 8th spot in the 5th round to the Commish (I’ve Got Bush). Potentially landing the game changing RB late in the fifth after down-siders Bradshaw and Gore are selected. Good Value. 

Round 6 

Austin selects the Sophomore QB Andy Dalton at the 1st spot in the 6th round. Dalton may have been a stretch with savvy Vets Bradford and Palmer still on the board. Austin will rely on Dalton heavily when (if) Vick goes down. Scary situation. 

Ghastin goes down on Pettigrew….. taking him #54 overall. 

Round 7 

P Body once again leaves people scratching their heads by passing up Brandon Marshall and selecting the unproven, if not promising young QB Russell Wilson with the 2nd pick of round 7. P Body passed on the opportunity to have the historically brilliant Cutler-Marshall connection. C’monnn mannnn. 

Ghastin. C.J. (the Oil-Spill) Spiller at #67? Ced Benson, Peyton Hillis, and David Wilson still on the board? That’s too early for him, bro. 

Round 8 

Talk about a Snipe with Terry selecting Cedric Benson with the 5th pick of the 8th round. Following this pick Danny goes onto to have his anticipated emotional meltdown making Terry’s pick the Snipe of the draft. I also wanted Benson at the turn (you, asshole) 

Jensen lands perhaps the most short-term upside rookie RB with David Wilson at #78 overall. Good pick, with Wilson primed to be the best rookie RB the second half of the season… or whenever Bradshaw hurts his foot again. 

Give Statutory Nape Aaron Hernandez as the last pick of the 8th round. Some experts predict Hernandez will have the best stats of any New England TE by the end of the season. I’ll take that upside all day. 

Special Recognition 

Ghastin takes Reggie Wayne as the 7th pick of the 9th round, and people finally start to realize Ghastin isn’t the same Ghastin of old. And that he actually may know what he’s doing now. Wayne is a unanimous sleeper this year, tied to the touted best rookie QB in NFL history. Ghastin may have landed Reggie Wayne - and his stats we haven’t seen since the Manning days. Good Value. 

Summary  

The draft has seen major strategy erosion into an all-out everyone use a ‘Jensen Model’ of drafting by taking all QB’s and RB’s early. 11 of the top 20 picks were QB’s and 7 were RB’s. Those numbers are right in line with how the top 20 scoring players shook out last year – 12 of the top 20 were QB’s and 5 were RB’s. Perhaps the league has caught up with the ideal method of drafting. Maybe the new reception points addition will change things. Hell, Ghastin could take home the trophy this year -how crazy would that have sounded at this time 2 years ago?! One thing is for sure, no one will know till the games play out!