FANTASY SPORTS BOSS FANTASY FOOTBALL PPR MONEY LEAGUE ALL DRAFTED

Today was the official Fantasy Sports Boss Fantasy Football PPR money league draft and like always a massive writeup is on tap for the round-by-round pick.  However since you all want me to put my money where my mouth is, let's start with just my picks and how I made out.

Going into the draft, I zeroed in on drafting Calvin Johnson if possible as I wanted the slam dunk top receiver on the board in a PPR format.   After that I was looking toward drafting Larry Fitzgerald or Brandon Marshall in round 2, followed by Jimmy Graham at tight end.  The reason Graham was because I wanted to have the top receiver AND the top tight end.  Since the tight end pool is also so shallow and the QB field deep, I would be way ahead of everyone else there.  However my plan was completely blown up early.  I wound up getting the number 3 pick overall so I knew Adrian Peterson was not going to be on my team which I wasn't too broken up about.  Thus I figured Doug Martin would go second and than I would be left with Megatron.  However Johnson went number 2 overall which left Martin for me third overall.  So with Martin in tow, it was going to be receiver the second round and than go from there.  Here is how the rest of the draft ended up.  We use one QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, one TE, one DEF, and one K with 6 bench spots.

1.  Doug Martin (RB):  Slam dunk choice with Peterson and Johnson off the board.  There was no way I was taking Arian Foster and his injury issues this early in the draft.

2.  Brandon Marshall (WR):  Was shocked Marshall dropped to me 18th overall and A.J. Green fell as well since many were worried about his knee.  Marshall is a monster PPR performer who is a terrific WR 1.  So with him in the fold, it was Jimmy Graham next.  Unless Green fell again.

3.  A.J. Green (WR):  Yes I know about the knee but all indications are he will be 100 percent for the season.  I get a first round talent in the third round and have the best 1-2 punch no matter what else anyone does.  Now I have to hope Graham makes it back to me in the fourth round.

4.  Matt Ryan (QB):  Graham didn't make it back to me so I went back to the well with Matt Ryan who was my MVP last season.  Few if any passing offenses are as explosive as the one Ryan leads so 30 TD's and 4,200 yards should be the floor.  By the way I took Ryan over Cam Newton who fell and old pal Tony Romo.

5.  Tony Gonzalez (TE):  Could have had Jason Witten for like the sixth time in a row but his lack of touchdowns was something I didn't want to deal with again.  Thus I grabbed Gonzalez as the second tight end taken since he is always a threat to score and as durable as they come in the entire league.  Need to address my third receiver and second RB.

6.  Seattle Seahawks (DEF):  All right all right let me have it.  I have gone on record too many times to count in saying to draft a defense the second to last round and mix and match every week.  However so awesome and head and shoulders above the rest of the league is this Seattle unit that they were the best bang for the buck at this point.  Now it is very imperative I get that second back or third receiver.

7.  Tavon Austin (WR):  Austin caught over 100 passes last season in college with the West Virginia Mountaineers and as my third receiver I was fine in taking a chance over the also available Hakeem Nicks and Antonio Brown.

8.  Giovani Bernard (RB):  Yeah another rookie but one with extreme upside.  Represents the best chance to bust out in the rookie class over Eddie Lacy and LeVeon Bell in my view.  Can run and catch the football and only has to deal with the mediocre BenJarvus Green-Ellis which shouldn't be too much trouble.  I do need a more proven guy though and passed on Frank Gore and DeMarco Murray.

9.  Matthew Stafford (QB):  This got a groan from another owner who had yet to take a QB and was aiming at Stafford who I think has major bounceback appeal.  This is a guy who was a first round before last season and has amazing weapons at his disposal.  I soon began trade talks with this owner, asking for Darren Sproles straight up.  More on this later.

10. Mike Williams (WR):  Insurance in case Austin takes time to adapt.  Williams had a quietly good season last year for Tampa Bay and he can easily do well in the third receiver spot if need be.

11. Ryan Matthews (RB):  In the 11th round Matthews was worth the risk.  Yeah he is Darren McFadden's twin when it comes to injuries but the guy can at least catch the football and run well when healthy.  As a backup he is fine.  Just don't rely on him as a starter.

12. LeVeon Bell (RB):  If Bell hadn't gotten hurt, he would have been as high as a fifth round pick.  Yeah he is out six weeks but two of them are preseason so he could wind up missing only a month.  Carries big time PPR value who could be a difference down the stretch of the season.

13. Lance Moore (WR):  Another veteran receiver who adds depth and has some PPR appeal.  Nothing more or less.

14. Philip Rivers (QB):  Picked Rivers in anticipation of making a deal involving Stafford.  Wow has this guy fallen but he is still a gunslinger who will be put in position to put up numbers.

15. Dan Bailey (K):  Got a kicker on a big time offense which is all you can ask for.  Solid accuracy.

*****After the draft I wound up pulling the trigger on a Stafford for Lamar Miller straight up deal.  He wouldn't go for Sproles who I really wanted but I did the deal in betting Miller ends up the guy in Miami.  I instantly regretted the move on the surface it is a one-sided deal.  However Stafford was my clear backup and Rivers can do just fine in that spot.  The upside of Miller could be big in the end so I could wind up winning this deal.  A gamble all the way I guess.*****

So let me have it.  Let's hear from you all how I did.  I am all ears.

ROSTER

QB-Matt Ryan
WR-Brandon Marshall
WR-A.J. Green
WR-Tavon Austin
RB-Doug Martin
RB-Giovani Bernard
TE-Tony Gonzalez
K-Dan Bailey
DEF-Seattle

BENCH
WR-Mike Williams
QB-Philip Rivers
RB-Lamar Miller
RB-Ryan Matthews
RB-LeVeon Bell
WR-Lance Moore