Had our fantasy football draft tonight for the league I'm participating in at work. Like after every draft or college signing day, I think I have a great team. Good enough to win the league? That I'm not so sure about. But I didn't think so after my baseball draft, and I've led most of the year and am currently second with one left to play in the regular season.
Here's a look at my roster with my analysis (* denotes will be a starter):
*QB Tom Brady (New England) -- With all due respect to the Manning brothers and Carson Palmer, there's no better quarterback in the NFL than Tom Brady. Will that translate into fantasy success? Now that's the question. If the Pats can get Deion Branch into camp, and I believe they will, Brady is going to have a huge year. He's my QB.
QB Jon Kitna (Detroit) -- A solid backup QB. A starter in the league in Cincy before Carson Palmer, he'll thrive in Detroit. The Lions are perennial losers, but they've had a loser at QB. Kitna, combined with those offensive weapons, is poised to have a big year. Great pickup late in my draft.
*RB Willis McGahee (Buffalo) -- Believe it or not, with all the great backs out there, this is the guy I wanted to build my team around. I had him rated 3rd overall on my board, behind LaDanian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson, and I was able to get him 10th overall (last pick in the 1st round). Kyle Roberts will back me up on this claim -- I touted McGahee before the draft and really did want him. Despite the inconsistency of J.P. Losman as Buffalo's QB, I really think McGahee is going to run for 1,800 and score 20 TDs this year. He proved he could handle the load the last 2 years (back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons), and I think he's only going to get better.
*RB Jamal Lewis (Baltimore) -- He's struggled the past 2 years after rushing for 2,000 yards, and the 906 and 3 TDs he put up last year just won't cut it this year. But the addition of Steve McNair, giving Lewis his first legitimate QB during his entire career, is going to make Lewis much, much better. I don't know if he's an elite back anymore, but I think he can easily rush for 1,250 yards and score 10 TDs. That production would be great for me.
RB Laurence Maroney (New England) -- The rookie out of Minnesota has made his presence felt immediately for the Pats. He starts the season as Corey Dillon's backup, but as the year progresses he will become more and more a viable option for head coach Bill Belichek. I'm not saying he will unseat Dillon as the starter (though it's possible), but he will be a productive back.
RB Jerious Norwood (Atlanta) -- How good has Norwood been in camp? Good enough for the Falcons to get rid of T.J. Duckett and name Norwood, a rookie out of Mississippi State, the primary backup to Warrick Dunn. Dunn has never been the primary back during his career. In Tampa, he split time with Mike Alstott, while he's shared carries with Duckett in Atlanta. Norwood will get carries, and he will be a productive option.
*WR Chris Chambers (Miami) -- Chambers have improved every during his five-year career, and he's coming off a career-high 82 catches for 1,118 yards (his first 1,000-yard season) and 11 TDs. Now he has a legit QB in Daunte Culpepper. Chambers is on the verge of catching 100 passes, which is why I picked him 11th overall.
*WR Matt Jones (Jacksonville) -- This was one of my favorite picks. I chose Jones in the 3rd round, which many may think is a reach. However, Jones has emerged as the No. 1 target in Jacksonville, just a year after catching 36 balls as a rookie. It's natural that he'd improve this year, but something to remember is that Jones was the 3rd option last year while he made the transition from college QB to pro receiver. Now that he's got some seasoning, with his combination of size (6-6, 230) and speed (4.48), Jones has the potential to be an unstoppable receiver.
*WR Michael Clayton (Tampa Bay) -- Clayton had a sophomore slump last year, a year after making the Pro Bowl as a rookie. He didn't have a single TD and caught just 32 balls, as he and Chris Simms went through some growing pains. Now that the 2 are on the same page, I predict Clayton will return to his Pro Bowl form, when he caught 80 balls and scored 7 TDs. I'd be happy with that production from my 3rd receiver this year.
*WR Derrick Mason (Baltimore) -- I have Mason slated to start as my SLASH player, and what a steal! This stud receiver has caught an average of 86 balls over the past 5 years, and now he's reunited with his former Tennessee QB Steve McNair -- where he caught 95 and 96 balls from during his last 2 seasons in Nashville. Can you say going to have a HUGE year? I can!
WR Reggie Brown (Philadelphia) -- The second-year Eagle caught more than 40 balls as a rookie and is poised for an even bigger year in 2006. Was slated as the No. 1 receiver until the recent acquisition of Donte' Stallworth from the Saints. May still be Donovan McNabb's top choice -- and should catch 65-70 balls this year. Not bad for my 5th receiver.
*TE Jeremy Shockey (NY Giants) -- When healthy, he's the second-best tight end in the NFL. So I made him the 2nd TE taken off the board. Gives Eli Manning a major target and big-time playmaker. Is good for 8-10 TDs and 60-70 catches.
TE Kellen Winslow (Cleveland) -- Admittedly, this is a wild card, which is why I picked him as my backup TE. Has yet to get on the field after getting hurt just 2 games into his career 2 seasons ago. But he has the talent to be a top-5 tight end. I really think he'll have a major season, even if he's wasting away on my bench. If anything, he might make good trade bait later in the season.
*DL Osi Umenyiora (NY Giants) -- The sackmaster is a threat to lead the NFL in sacks every year. Combined with Michael Strahan, the Giants have two of the premier defensive ends in the league. Can he get me 10 sacks? I'll be happy if he can.
DL Kyle Vanden Bosch (Tennessee) -- Most likely won't get off my bench, but he's another solid player. Had a breakout year in his first year with the Titans with 12.5 sacks. Don't know if he can repeat that, but he's good for at least 6 sacks.
*LB Shawne Merriman (San Diego) -- The defensive rookie of the year had 10 sacks and 57 tackles last year. His tackles should go up even more this year, as he becomes one of the elite playmakers in the entire league.
LB A.J. Hawk (Green Bay) -- He's a project, and one that will probably stay on the bench for most of the year. He could come out and immediately produce, or it might take him some time to become a playmaker. By the end of the year, however, I believe he'll be the leader on Green Bay's defense.
*DB Troy Polamalu (Pittsburgh) -- The leader of the World Champs' defense had 91 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 picks last year. I honestly think all of those numbers will go up this year. I'm looking for 110 tackles, 5 sacks and 5 picks from the leader of my defense.
*DB Sean Taylor (Washington) -- Taylor will start the season as my SLASH defender. He's been one of my favorite players for several years. If he can stay out of trouble off the field, I look for his production to rival that of Polamalu's. He really is one of the elite safeties in the NFL.
*K Josh Scobee (Jacksonville) -- The last pick in my draft is a Louisiana Tech guy. Made 23 FGs and 38 XPs last year. Admittedly, he's not one of the elite kickers in the league. However, Scobee is a solid guy, and in my opinion, was the best kicker still available in the 20th round. Plus, Scobee and I go way back, so I had to pick him.
***Addendum: I feel really great about my team, except for one thing -- I didn't get my boy Ryan Moats. In the 19th round, Raymond A. Partsch III (rpartsch@thetowntalk.com -- e-mal him to complain), the commish of our league, stole him off the board just a few picks before I was ready to select him! Ray has Westbrook and wants Moats as insurance. Yet, he also knows Moats is my boy, and he laughed in my face (not really) after the selection. While I'm disappointed not to have my boy, I have a feeling I might can find a way to make a trade to land him on my roster.
