Always a good sign...

...when people are complimenting your picks instead of laughing at them. I just got out of the draft for the 12-team fantasy football league I mentioned below. Here's my team, along with some commentary.

QB - Peyton Manning: (17) I was glad that Manning fell to me here because I wanted to draft either Manning, Romo, or Brees. I feel that Brady's price (he goes around 6th in drafts I've seen) is too high based on his previous season. Out of the top 4 QBs, I thought I got the best deal, as Romo and Brees owners (insanely?) reached for them at 11th and 18th picks respectively. Larry Johnson was the only attractive option.

WR - Plaxico Burress: (32) I wanted T.J. Houshmandzadeh, but Tai took him right before me.

WR - Laveranues Coles: (65) I wanted Jerricho Cotchery, but in every recent draft I've seen, he's been snagged up way before his 83rd ranking.

RB - Joseph Addai: (8) This was huge. Picking 8th, I was expecting someone like Frank Gore to be my best option. Addai is so much better.

RB - Earnest Graham: (41) With only 1 RB in the first three picks, this one needed to be a RB and getting one ranked 33rd on the latest Big Board is not bad.

TE - Kellen Winslow: (56) I tried to avoid drafting a TE too early, waiting patiently as Antonio Gates (44) and Jason Witten (51) went off the board. After I chose Winslow (mostly because I had no backup plan once Calvin Johnson was taken), Tai remarked, "He is no better than the next 5 TEs." This was probably my first mistake during the draft.

W/R - DeAngelo Williams [RB]: (80) I heard he is having a good preseason.

BN - Lee Evans [WR]: (89) I had just filled out my starting lineup minus kicker and defense, so my goal was to choose the best available player regardless of position. I don't know who that is, but Evans was on top of the list. Picks 90-95 went: Scheffler, Fargas, Perry, San Diego, Chester Taylor, and Norwood. None of those guys really look better than Evans.

BN - Ricky Williams [RB]: (104) This was the last of the players on my short list of middle-tier sleepers (projected rank 100-150). Patrick Crayton (72), Nate Burleson (98), Chris Johnson (79), and Jerious Norwood (95) were the others. Apparently, other managers had the same ideas as me (or read the same articles...haha).

BN - Brett Favre [QB]: (113) There's upside here, no? Delhomme, Schaub, and Eli Manning were the other draft-able QBs. Four DEF had already gone in the top 100 and I was considering using this pick for Chicago. Unfortunately, it went at 109. It may be a blessing in disguise, though, because this is earlier than I would've liked to choose a DEF anyway. I was hoping for like two rounds later.

BN - Sidney Rice [WR]: (128) Not sure what I was doing here. I think Derrick Mason would have been a better choice.

BN - Ahmad Bradshaw [RB]: (137) I think this is one of those picks where I just take the highest ranked player that I haven't written a negative note about.

BN - Maurice Morris [RB]: (152) This could be a huge pick if Julius Jones drops out of the picture.

DEF - Tennessee: (161) Just took the highest ranked one available. Tennessee is one of four consistent defenses that have been in the top 12 for the past three seasons. Even then, I probably would have picked New York (159). I might get it anyway since its owner already has Minnesota.

K - Rob Bironas: (176) 2007's 2nd best kicker. Not too shabby for a last round pick.


Overall, I think my draft went well. I am going to try to downgrade my TE and maybe try to boost my bench's strength. I am definitely losing to Tai when we face each other though. Almost half of my offense has a bye week (most notably my top 3 draft picks) and I have barely enough active players to fill the spots.