Fantasy Draft: What I Learned

1. September 2011  - Published by Jimmy Dinsmore

This past Sunday, I drafted my team in my 16-team, keeper league. Yes. 16 teams! Obviously, this isn't a league for the weak of heart. You have to come in prepared and you have to try to anticipate what will go down. But, when it comes to a standard snake draft, you can never fully expect the twists and turns and reaches that occur. But, after fielding a decent (not great) team in this draft, I learned one valuable lesson that I wanted to share.

Despite the fact that the NFL is very much a passing league, DO NOT forget to draft a running back, or rather a slew of running backs. Because the NFL has become more of a passing league, there are plenty of WRs who can put up solid numbers for your team. But, because there are so many running-back-by-committee situations, there are very few elite running backs.

Therefore, if you don't grab a RB in the first round, or the second round at the latest, you WILL regret it, even if your league is a PPR league. Unless you are talking about grabbing an elite WR, and in my opinion that means Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Roddy White or Calvin Johnson, then go ahead and take a RB. The same rule applies to the QB situation. Do not take a QB early, unless it's late in the first round and Aaron Rodgers or Michael Vick are there. Otherwise, let someone else take Tom Brady, Phillip Rivers or Peyton Manning. Then you take that pick and grab someone like Frank Gore, Darren McFadden, Stephen Jackson or even Michael Turner.

Gore's average draft position (ADP) is 19, which makes him a steal in round 2. Feel free to go up and grab him earlier than that, especially now that he's signed a contract extension. Steven Jackson might not be the elite RB he once was, but he's still the primary cog in the Rams offense. With an ADP of 19.4, he's still a RB1 for your team. Darren McFadden was a stud last year and yet is still going late in the second round of most leagues, or even into the third round of shallower leagues. I would take the Raiders RB over someone like Hakeems Nicks or Greg Jennings or Tony Romo.

When you break down your draft and look at the depth, you'll realize that the RB position is razor thin, but still the most vital position to have dominance and separation for your fantasy team. Pass on those WRs and those top tier QBs, you can still grab difference makers at those positions in the mid to late rounds.

Follow Jimmy Dinsmore on Twitter @wheelseditor

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GSI Mock Draft: Round 20

5. March 2008  - Published by Jim Humbert

Yes, ROUND 20! We would like to go a few more to complete a full roster but time is running short. The entire Mock Draft must be completed before the launch of our Free Fantasy Baseball Kit, coming soon! For now take a look at the last 12 picks:

ROUND  1 | ROUND  2 | ROUND   3 | ROUND  4  | ROUND  5  | ROUND  6 | ROUND 7
ROUND  8 | ROUND  9 | ROUND 10 | ROUND 11 | ROUND 12 | ROUND 13| ROUND 14
ROUND 15| ROUND 16| ROUND 17 | ROUND 18 | ROUND 19 

229) HUMBERT #2 - Bill Hall, OF, MIL

230) POLKING - Scott Rolen, 3B, TOR

231) WETZEL - Carlos Marmol, RP, CHC

232) BOLTON - Jose Bautista, 3B/OF, PIT

233) BARTEL - Michael Barrett, C, SD

234) DINSMORE - Orlando Hudson, 2B, ARI

235) MUEHLENKAMP - Brandon Lyon, RP, ARI

236) FISCHER - Conor Jackson, 1B, ARI 

237) HUMBERT #1 - Jon Lester, SP, BOS

238) MURDICO - Gary Matthews, OF, LAA

239) SIMONS - Moises Alou, OF, NYM

240) CLASGENS - Billy Butler, 1B/OF, KC

Fantasy Baseball

GSI Mock Draft: Round 19

4. March 2008  - Published by Jim Humbert

It must be getting easier to throw out some names as the mock draft goes on as we finished an entire round in less than a day. Number 19 was heavy on pitching, particularly veterans although there were a few young guys in the mix. Also, four catchers have been chosen in the last round and a half as owners remember they need to field two backstops in this league. Take a look:

ROUND  1 | ROUND  2 | ROUND   3 | ROUND  4  | ROUND  5  | ROUND  6 | ROUND 7
ROUND  8 | ROUND  9 | ROUND 10 | ROUND 11 | ROUND 12 | ROUND 13| ROUND 14
ROUND 15| ROUND 16| ROUND 17 | ROUND 18 

217) CLASGENS - Ramon Hernandez, C, BAL

218) SIMONS - Troy Percival, RP, TB

219) MURDICO - Rich Harden, SP, OAK

220) HUMBERT #1 - Kevin Gregg, RP, FLA

221) FISCHER - Carlos Villanueava, SP/RP, MIL

222) MUEHLENKAMP - Freddy Sanchez, 2B, PIT

223) DINSMORE - Barry Zito, SP, SF

224) BARTEL - Zack Greinke, SP, KC

225) BOLTON - Mark Teahen, OF, KC

226) WETZEL - Andy Pettite, SP, NYY

227) POLKING - Josh Bard, C, SD

228) HUMBERT #2 - Jon Garland, SP, LAA

Fantasy Baseball

GSI Mock Draft: Round 18

4. March 2008  - Published by Jim Humbert

The GSI staff is one round closer to wrapping the 2008 mock draft. Round 18 included an interesting mix of young talent, seasoned veterans and a few others hoping to avoid injuries. Take a look:

ROUND  1 | ROUND  2| ROUND   3 | ROUND  4  | ROUND  5  | ROUND  6 | ROUND 7
ROUND  8 | ROUND  9| ROUND 10 | ROUND 11 | ROUND 12 | ROUND 13| ROUND 14
ROUND 15| ROUND 16| ROUND 17 

205) HUMBERT #2 - Joey Votto, 1B, CIN

206) POLKING - Jack Cust, OF, OAK

207) WETZEL - Frank Thomas, DH, TOR

208) BOLTON - J.D. Drew, OF, BOS

209) BARTEL - Joe Borowski, RP, CLE

210) DINSMORE - Eric Gagne, RP, MIL

211) MUEHLENKAMP - Jay Bruce, OF, CIN

212) FISCHER - J.R. Towles, C, HOU

213) HUMBERT #1 - Carlos Ruiz, C, PHI

214) MURDICO - Kaz Matsui, 2B, HOU

215) SIMONS - Greg Maddux, SP, SD

216) CLASGENS - Mark Buehrle, SP, CWS

Fantasy Baseball

GSI Mock Draft: Round 17

1. March 2008  - Published by Dan Clasgens

Round 17 is complete and this is the point of the draft where owners start getting a little risky. A few of the players below will turn out to be some of the best value picks of the draft yet a few others will prove to be wasted picks. Which ones are which? Only time will tell. Let's take a look at how things shaped up:

ROUND  1| ROUND  2| ROUND   3 | ROUND  4  | ROUND  5  | ROUND  6 | ROUND 7
ROUND  8| ROUND  9| ROUND 10 | ROUND 11 | ROUND 12 | ROUND 13| ROUND 14
ROUND 15 | ROUND 16

193) CLASGENS - Stephen Drew, SS, ARI

194) SIMONS - Joakim Soria, RP, KC

195) MURDICO - Josh Fields, 3B/OF, TOR

196) HUMBERT #1 - Justin Upton, OF, ARI

197) FISCHER - Matt Capps, RP, PIT

198) MUEHLENKAMP - Brian Wilson, RP, SF

199) DINSMORE - Troy Glaus, 3B, STL

200) BARTEL -  Austin Kearns, OF, WAS

201) BOLTON - Brad Lidge, RP, PHI

202) WETZEL - Josh Willingham, OF, FLA

203) POLKING - Lastings Milledge, OF, WAS

204) HUMBERT #2 - Chris Duncan, OF, STL

Fantasy Baseball

GSI Mock Draft: Round 15

26. February 2008  - Published by Jim Humbert

Things have slowed a bit in the Mock Draft but the fifteenth round is finally complete. It certainly was an interesting one as players from nearly every position were chosen. Apparently the owners are just filling in their needs. Take a look:

ROUND  1| ROUND  2| ROUND   3 | ROUND  4  | ROUND  5  | ROUND  6 | ROUND 7
ROUND  8| ROUND  9| ROUND 10 | ROUND 11 | ROUND 12 | ROUND 13| ROUND 14

169) CLASGENS - Adam LaRoche, 1B, PIT

170) SIMONS - Jose Guillen, OF, KC

171) MURDICO - Bronson Arroyo, SP, CIN

172) HUMBERT #1 - Kahlil Greene, SS, SD

173) FISCHER - Evan Longoria, 3B, TB

174) MUEHLENKAMP - Jeremy Bonderman, SP, DET

175) DINSMORE - Michael Cuddyer, OF, MIN

176) BARTEL - Edwin Encarnacion, 3B, CIN

177) BOLTON - Oliver Perez, SP, NYM

178) WETZEL - Chad Cordero, RP, WAS

179) POLKING - Clay Buchholz, SP, BOS

180) HUMBERT #2 - Jeff Kent, 2B, LAD

Fantasy Baseball

GSI Mock Draft: Round 14

25. February 2008  - Published by Jim Humbert

The decisions are getting tougher as we wrap up the fourteenth round of the Mock Draft. Some owners opt for the experience of a veteran while others are willing to roll the dice on some younger guys. We had a little bit of both in this round. Take a look:

ROUND 1 | ROUND 2 | ROUND 3 | ROUND 4 | ROUND 5 | ROUND 6 | ROUND 7
ROUND 8 | ROUND 9 | ROUND 10 | ROUND 11 | ROUND 12 | ROUND 13

157) HUMBERT #2 - Manny Corpas, RP, COL

158) POLKING - Placido Polanco, 2B, DET

159) WETZEL - J.J. Hardy, SS, MIL

160) BOLTON - Derek Lowe, SP, LAD

161) BARTEL - Kelvim Escobar, SP, LAA

162) DINSMORE - Ryan Garko, 1B, CLE

163) MUEHLENKAMP - Michael Bourn, OF, HOU

164) FISCHER - Jeremy Hermida, OF, FLA

165) HUMBERT #1 - Ivan Rodriguez, C, DET

166) MURDICO - Ken Griffey Jr., OF, CIN

167) SIMONS - Kevin Youkilis, 1B/3B, BOS

168) CLASGENS - Phillip Hughes, SP, NYY

Fantasy Baseball

GSI Mock Draft: Round 13

22. February 2008  - Published by Jim Humbert

Lucky number 13 is all wrapped up and quite a few owners rolled the dice in this one. The list of players includes Japan's latest import, a couple of young guys hoping to avoid a sophomore slump and two veteran pitchers that are no strangers to the DL. Take a look:

ROUND 1 | ROUND 2 | ROUND 3 | ROUND 4 | ROUND 5 | ROUND 6 | ROUND 7
ROUND 8 | ROUND 9 | ROUND 10 | ROUND 11 | ROUND 12

145) CLASGENS - Willy Taveras, OF, COL

146) SIMONS - Ben Molina, C, SF

147) MURDICO - Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, BOS

148) HUMBERT #1 - Kosuke Fukudome, OF, CHC

149) FISCHER - Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B, SD

150) MUEHLENKAMP - Dustin Pedroia, 2B, BOS

151) DINSMORE - A.J. Burnett, SP, TOR

152) BARTEL - Aaron Rowand, OF, SF

153) BOLTON - Todd Helton, 1B, COL

154) WETZEL - Pedro Martinez, SP, NYM

155) POLKING - Rafael Soriano, RP, ATL

156) HUMBERT #2 - James Loney, 1B, LAD

Fantasy Baseball

GSI Mock Draft: Round 12

21. February 2008  - Published by Jim Humbert

The twelth round of the Mock Draft is complete and it was heavy with pitching. Five starters and three relievers were chosen among the twelve players. Take a look:

ROUND 1 | ROUND 2 | ROUND 3 | ROUND 4 | ROUND 5 | ROUND 6 | ROUND 7
ROUND 8 | ROUND 9 | ROUND 10 | ROUND 11

133) HUMBERT #2 - Mike Lowell, 3B, BOS

134) POLKING - Johnny Damon, OF, NYY

135) WETZEL - Josh Hamilton, OF, TEX

136) BOLTON - Dustin McGowan, SP, TOR

137) BARTEL - Carlos Delgado, 1B, NYM

138) DINSMORE - Trevor Hoffman, RP, SD

139) MUEHLENKAMP - Jeff Francis, SP, COL

140) FISCHER - Chad Billingsley, SP, LAD

141) HUMBERT #1 - Tim Hudson, SP, ATL

142) MURDICO - John Maine, SP, NYM

143) SIMONS - Jason Isringhausen, RP, STL

144) CLASGENS - Huston Street, RP, OAK

Fantasy Baseball

GSI Mock Draft: Round 11

20. February 2008  - Published by Jim Humbert

The eleventh round of the Mock Draft is complete. There were a few interesting players chosen here. It all started with a guy that did not pitch last year, moved on to a potentially 'stud' catcher, filled in a couple of infields and finished up with two young pitchers hoping to  'break out' in 2008. Take a look:

ROUND 1 | ROUND 2 | ROUND 3 | ROUND 4 | ROUND 5 | ROUND 6 | ROUND 7
ROUND 8 | ROUND 9 | ROUND 10

121) CLASGENS - Francisco Liriano, SP, MIN

122) SIMONS - Raul Ibanez, OF, SEA

123) MURDICO - Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C, TEX

124) HUMBERT #1 - Kelly Johnson, 2B, ATL

125) FISCHER - Pat Burrell, OF, PHI

126) MUEHLENKAMP - Jose Valverde, RP, HOU

127) DINSMORE - Orlando Cabrera, SS, CHW

128) BARTEL - Aaron Hill, 2B, TOR

129) BOLTON - Edgar Renteria, SS, DET 

130) WETZEL - Alex Gordon, 1B/3B, KC

131) POLKING - Tim Lincecum, SP, SF

132) HUMBERT #2 - Jered Weaver, SP, LAA

Fantasy Baseball