FantasyIndepth.com draft review

KFFL.com recently participated in a 18-round, 12-team live draft that was hosted by our friends at FantasyIndepth.com. KFFL held the 10th overall pick in this point-per-reception league. The draft was hosted by MyFantasyLeague.com, also where the league will be played out.

The scoring was standard (decimal format):

• 4 points per passing touchdown
• 1 point per 20 yards passing (0.05 per yard)
• 6 points per all non-passing touchdowns
• 1 point per 10 rushing/receiving yards (0.1 per yard)
• 1 point per reception
• Distance scoring for place kickers
• 1 point per sack, two per turnover

The starting lineup consists of one quarterback, two running backs, three receivers, one tight end, one place kicker, one defensive team and a flex position (RB-WR-TE).

Table: KFFL.com’s roster

My quarterback tandem is very solid, and drafting the stability of a Roethlisberger as a backup to Rivers’ upside is very reassuring.

I felt lucky to land Tomlinson at No. 10 overall. In fact, I believe it was the steal of the draft! I fully expect a bounce-back, LT-like year from him.

LT is ready for a big year.

The chance to use my second-round pick on D. Williams was a pleasant surprise, and I’m glad to have been able to handcuff Stewart to him in the fifth round. J-Stew makes for a quality No. 3 back in addition to providing the security of backing up my No. 2 rusher.

Mendenhall, Bush and Harrison each have a lot to prove; all three backs are poised to see extensive playing time. It doesn’t hurt that each back also has an injury-prone starter ahead of him on the depth chart, so I could be looking at a backfield of young starters with upside.

At receiver, I’m not crazy about any of my selections, but the way the other drafters snatched up the wideouts left me with little in the way of exciting options.

Marshall should be a No. 1 fantasy receiver regardless of what team he ends up playing for in 2009. R. Williams should be able to bounce back as Dallas’ No. 1 receiver, and there isn’t a lot of risk in taking him as my No. 1 in a point-per-reception league. Holt isn’t promising at this stage of his career, but I think there is a reasonable chance he rebounds to something that at least resembles his former self.

There is upside in Bennett, Clayton and Rice, but I hope to not have to start any of them unless I’m covering a bye week.

I love Daniels’ potential this year in Houston’s passing game. He could post top-five numbers at the position. I wasn’t intending to draft a second tight end, but Scheffler provides upside in Josh McDaniels‘ offense and has drawn praise from the coaching staff.

Crosby is a top-three place kicker on my board, and I expect another productive year from the Packers’ offense in ‘09.

San Diego’s defense should return to form with a healthy Shawne Merriman (knee) leading the pass rush. It also never hurts to have a return specialist like Darren Sproles adding bonus points to my team.

The draft went smoothly, and I only questioned a few picks. I debated between Roy Williams and the Cleveland Browns‘ Braylon Edwards for almost 85 of the 90 seconds allotted to me to make the pick. Edwards doesn’t do much for me with Brady Quinn expected to be the starter.

I also went back and forth with my decision to select Holt, because Cincinnati Bengals wideout Laveranues Coles was an intriguing option. I felt even in Jacksonville’s toned down passing attack that I could get more production from their No. 1 than I could from Cincy’s No. 2 receiver.

I was a little shocked at how early my league mates chose wide receivers, even in a PPR format. The Arizona Cardinals‘ Larry Fitzgerald (No. 4 overall) and the Texans’ Andre Johnson (No. 5) were both drafted way too high, in my opinion. I won’t complain, though, because I was able to land LT and DeAngelo Williams with my first two picks because of their overzealous drafting strategies.