Here’s a note to this post that should have been mentioned in the introduction post… The more teams you buy with FFE the cheaper they get. Your first team costs $25 for the main event, but the price gradually decreases from there. You can also buy 10 teams in bulk for $200 flat. I forgot to mention that in my introductory piece which can be seen here.

Alright, throwing up the white flag here. FFE drafts so fast that, it’s difficult to get a feel for ADP and give an accurate report of who was taken and when. I can tell you this much: my first three picks were Antonio Brown, Rob Grownkowski, and Dez Bryant. In that order. I took a huge gamble and I waited for those quick computer picks to go by while peaking from under my bed like Macauley Culkin in Home Alone to see what was in store for me with my fourth pick.

So I was drafting out of the 11th slot with this team. I was fairly concerned after my first few picks because I opted away from the norm with this team and didn’t take a QB with my first three picks. Remember that with Fantasy Football Evolution QB’S. ARE. VITAL! That cannot be stressed enough. This draft was done in less than five minutes. And I knew drafting at the back wheel there would be a run on a lot of positions. So here’s how my second team with FFE shaped up.

Quarterbacks

Kirk Cousins, Carson Palmer, Carson Wentz

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. I took the Brothers Carson again with my second team, but that’s how the draft fell to me. I already brought up how my first three picks were on positional players and I didn’t take a QB early. So last week I mentioned how I would consider just taking three QBs instead of four. And I do like that about this group. I feel like taking four QBs increases my chances of getting through Stage 1, but I’m wasting a roster spot on a QB in Weeks 9-16. Here I got three QBs with different Bye weeks. That was the goal. They aren’t the cream of the crop, but I do like Cousins as a regular starter, especially with the weapons he possesses and I like the Carsons. Palmer should bounce back and Wentz should return to his early 2016 impressive-self with Lane Johnson not suspended. It’s a huge risk with a lot of upside.

Running Backs

LeGarrette Blount, Doug Martin, Duke Johnson, Derrick Henry, Thomas Rawls

This is by far where I’m at my weakest. Blount was my 1st RB taken and that was purely based on the volume he should get with Ryan Mathews now out of Philly. It’s also worth noting this draft was done Saturday night (August 19th) and we didn’t start hearing the rumors of Blount being cut until the morning after. Blount hasn’t looked great in the preseason so far and most of his production last year was based on volume and he’s a HUGE regression candidate this year, but I made sure to draft plenty of backup options. I’m slowly liking Doug Martin more and more, but I just have to survive three weeks without him. Given that FFE is 0.5 PPR I like Duke Johnson’s potential, but I should probably limit my shares of him. I like Derrick Henry, especially if Murray gets hurt, and I really like Rawls as my last RB taken. There’s a lot that needs to go my way in order for these guys to earn big reps, but considering I virtually went Zero-RB with this team I dug my own grave. I’ll stand by these guys, but this is clearly my weakest position.

Wide Receivers

Antonio Brown, Dez Bryant, Michael Crabtree, Stefon Diggs, Pierre Garcon

Five guys that I’d feel good about starting any given week. My only concern is that during the crucial Stage 2 weeks I’d be without AB, Crabtree, Diggs, and Garcon during their respective Bye weeks. I also somewhat regret loading up so much on the first few picks especially when considering that I’ll be unable to start some of them certain weeks. I like them all, honestly. They’re all going to be heavily targeted in their respective offenses. This group could easily get me through Stage 1, but I’d need some help in Stage 2 with so many of these guys on Bye. Still, I can’t complain about getting AB at #11 overall.

Tight End

Rob Gronkowski, Austin Hooper

In hindsight I should’ve grabbed a third TE given Gronk’s injury history. I’m taking a big gamble on him playing 16 games, but I do like Austin Hooper as a second option. Again, Gronk has a Week 9 Bye so I’d need some decent production from Hooper on the road in Carolina that week. If Gronk can stay healthy he justifies the 14th overall pick, but I really can’t afford him to get hurt. If he does, my team is virtually done. But I like Hooper to emerge this year so I like him a lot as my TE2.

Defense/Special Teams

Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons

I went with the Falcons again like my first team. Sure I’m a Patriots fan living in Atlanta, but I’m aware of the talent on Atlanta’s defense and it’s severely under-rated. I also like Kansas City’s upside on defense, but it does suck that they’re less likely to use Tyreek Hill on special teams. It hurts the KC’s special teams’ value as well as Hill’s.

Kickers

Matt Prater, Aldrick Rosas

Well… Here are my Kickers! They aren’t top of the line Kickers, but they’re on what should be productive offenses that’ll put these two in position to succeed at times. I can’t complain. They don’t share the same Bye Week and they’re both in line to be regular starters. Rosas has looked solid so far in the preseason so there’s no reason to complain and Prater has proven to be reliable in the past.

Next week I’ll be drafting from the #2 spot! Maybe I’ll finally cave and take a QB in the first round or lean heavy on Le’Veon Bell (who has yet to report to camp) or take David Johnson again. As I’m drafting each week, it might be best for other players to draft closer to Labor Day weekend. All the surprise cuts will likely have been made by then and you’ll have a better sense of which players will see a healthy amount of work.