RSO Staff Picks 2020: Week 6
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2020 All About Reality Podcast League Rookie Draft
The All About Reality Podcast league graciously allowed the posting of their RSO rookie draft this season while also providing thoughts about their picks and strategy. This draft is presented because it presents a league size for which many of you may not have played along with a couple of scoring rules not used in most leagues. The article features analysis of the picks by the RSO GMs and takes by the author.
The league is a 16-team superflex PPR format with QB/RB/RB/WR/WR/WR/TE/FLEX/FLEX/SFlex starting requirements. Roster sizes are limited to 20 spots plus I.R. Scoring rules add additional significant twists with 0.5 points for all first downs, 6 points per passing touchdowns, and 0.5 points per completion / -0.5 points per incompletion. The reader may find the RSO Writer’s League rookie draft as a comparison point for a 10 team superflex league.
Some Notes on the League
Quarterbacks are King: Quarterbacks become extremely valuable in almost any 16 team superflex league. Not every team will field two starting quarterbacks and most will be limited to two. Many teams may find starting just one quarterback on a given week difficult as byes and injuries take hold. Quarterbacks accelerate to a higher stratosphere of value in this particular league. The scoring settings result in most of the worst starting quarterback options producing near top-10 running back / wide receiver point levels. A team likely finds itself in a lot of trouble if it does not have two starting quarterbacks.
Deep League, Shallow Benches: The league rosters 320 players in total (excluding I.R. spots, etc) while starting 160 players on a weekly basis. The 10 starters limit each team to just 10 spots for reserves, a fairly low ratio of bench players to starters. The low level of reserves makes holding developmental players not expected to contribute in the near future expensive in terms of roster spots. The decision to invest heavily in rookie contracts becomes complicated. It frees up a lot of cap space to pay up for premium free agents, but there will not be many of those types of players available in a league this deep. The ability to trade rookie contracts to teams in need of cap space should also not be underestimated in a league with many teams potentially running with little cap room.
Team Analysis
McAfee’s Canal Swimmers (Tyler Houston and Kyle Thompson) are hoping to have a comeback season after nosediving in the 2019 season. From 2nd place to dead last, the team has decided to build around (potential) future Hall of Famer, Joe Burrow. After trading the second pick this year for picks 5 and 7, we had picks 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17 and 18. We were able to surround Joe Burrow with some great talent including: Justin Herbert, Deandre Swift, CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs and Michael Pittman. We traded up from pick 18 to pick 15 to snag a falling Henry Ruggs and then got Michael Pittman with the 17th pick. Overall, we think this draft was great for us and with 4 more first round picks next year, we look forward to another monster class for the Canal Swimmers.
My take: McAfee’s got great value taking the first three wide receivers selected in the NFL draft with 8, 9, and 15. Trading out of the two spot is fascinating in what ends up as Tua for Herbert and Swift. There is a lot of boom/bust quality with Herbert as a big, athletic passer with very good arm talent and good pre-snap smarts but sporadic accuracy at times and hesitant post-snap decision-making. Herbert was one of the biggest value jumps when compared to the Writer’s League draft. Talent isn’t the biggest concern with Swift as a consensus top-2 running back pre-draft.
RSO PodFather (Devonte Cleveland) – In a Superflex league that has no QB depth, Tua was an obvious choice as a franchise cornerstone at 1.02. Mims at 1.16 was during a period of a heavy receiver run and he is someone who with the Jets’ weak WR corps should see the field immediately. Claypool at 2.15 provides a big target for Big Ben towards the end of the draft.
My take: The ultra-accurate Tua could easily be worth the premium to trade up for if the health concerns are merely the randomness of injuries in effect, especially given the power of top quarterbacks in this league. Mims and Claypool annihilated the combine and have huge catch frames but did not always play to their timed speed on the field.
Pontifex Minimus (All About Reality podcast co-host Luke Patrick) – At 1.03/1.04 Pontifex Minimus approached the draft comfortable with any player in a top tier of Taylor/CEH/Burrow and Tua. Two flex spots sat open in my starting lineup, so the fact that Taylor and CEH fell made for a fairly straightforward draft day.
My take: These picks look standard for a team confident in their quarterback situation. The only question is whether the extreme quarterback scoring makes passing up on a top-6 overall pick in the NFL draft at QB a mistake.
The Teal Curtain (Curtis Burleson) – My strategy was to stick to my board and take the best available. At 1.15 I had six players that are an coin flip difference to me. So I traded back only enough to let the draft decide for me and get him cheaper. Also to obtain another pick for the chance to get Jordan Love. With Jordan Love gone I ultimately ended up with Bryan Edwards, who I’m still pretty excited about.
My take: Teal took a shotgun approach with six picks in the draft. Edwards is a great value pick with an outstanding analytical college profile who likely fell in the NFL draft due to injuries. Vaughn and McFarland feel like reaches at running back due to league scarcity, especially with the wide receiver talent left on the board.
The Fantasy Affliction (Tim Aylesworth) – I came into the draft with a simple plan, almost threw it out the window, then stuck to the plan and won the draft. After a few attempts to trade up for Herbert (and throw my whole plan out the window) I settled for Akers, the last elite member of the top 10 tier, as I expected all along. At 1.13, I felt really fortunate to have Reagor, the WR who landed in the best position to contribute right away, fall to me. In the second round, I get my guy Hurts even after trading down! Not only do I think he is the most underrated QB in the class, but he gives me insurance for my starter Carson Wentz. Then, I was out of picks, but trade back in to get Gibson, a David Johnson clone, and the back up to my perennialy injured RB Derrius Guice.
My take: Tim did a nice job of capitalizing on player tiers by getting Akers and Raegor at relatively cheap prices. Hurts seems very expensive at this spot, in terms of other potential players and a roster spot, for a player who is unlikely to be anything more than a backup with possible gadget duties during his rookie contract. This willingness to expend significant draft capital on backup quarterbacks to lock down a quarterback spot might be one of the biggest differences in moving to a 16-team superflex.
The Waterboys (Bobby Hoyt) – After attempting to trade up multiple times in the early portion of the draft for a top running back to no avail, I seriously thought about taking Ke’Shawn Vaughn here due to my barren RB core. However, I loved Justin Jefferson going into this draft, feeling like he could be a significant week one producer in Minnesota, and I ultimately decided that picking my highest rated player over positional need was the way to go. In the second round, as I watched Aiyuk (a guy I had a first-round grade on and a Daniel Jeramiah favorite) continue to slip deeper into the second-round, it seemed like giving up one of my three 2021 second-rounders to move up from 2.15 to get him was a simple choice. Although, I did have a little trepidation about picking another wide-out over a running back, and I briefly thought of drafting Zack Moss instead. Again, I happily decided to take value over need–thus, feeling like my receiving core acquired a substantial shot in the arm at the conclusion of this draft.
My take: Aiyuk continues to present great value throughout rookie drafts. There just aren’t many years a first round receiver falls this far.
Lucha Vikings (Ryan Swenson) – QB is so highly coveted in this league, and although I was desperate for RB help I didn’t love the options available, so I grabbed a 1st round QB in Love that will no doubt be a starter at some point in his career. With my other pick, I’m sure this was looked at as a big head-scratcher, but I simply believe in the talent and leadership of Jake Fromm, and since Josh Allen is a featured player on my team it felt good to secure a backup I LOVE.
My take: There are a lot of ways Love could turn out. My belief is Love sees the field by year three. That makes him easily worth the gamble at this price. On the other hand, it is difficult making an argument to use a roster spot and draft pick on a 5th round quarterback you hope just makes the active roster as a backup for Buffalo.
Mistress of Mayhem (Jenna Davis) – After a few unsuccessful attempts to trade up in the draft, I took Zack Moss. He punishes defenders, is a satisfactory blocker, and has the ability to catch the ball. The value was worth the wait.
My take: Moss should have an immediate place in Buffalo alongside Singletary. While an injury would likely be required for Moss to assume a large portion of the work, running backs with consistent shared roles have increased usefulness in a deep league.
Bortles Popped (Stephen Boviall and Brennan Emenhiser) – The NFL rookie draft crippled our running backs…Mack and Damien WiIliams. We HAD to get a running back. Eason is the player I was supposed to pick at 2.11 but there was some miscommunication. However, since I’m a genius, we got Eason anyway.
My take: Bortles did not even mention Kelley but he is one of my favorite late rookie picks going in drafts. He possesses size the Chargers’ other backs don’t have and there is an immediate opening for a rushing down role on a team which uses multiple backs.
House Stark (Ashley Swinney) – I was just looking for guys I may be able to start if I’m in a pinch. I feel Bowden Jr. will have opportunities to make a big time play and hopefully Evans will see some field behind Henry.
My take: While unlikely to ever assume a lead role, Evans has serious juice with the chance to immediately contribute on passing downs. I am not sure what the plan is for Bowden in Las Vegas. He might end up as one of those “jack of all trades” players without a defined role needed to become a fantasy contributor, better for real life than fantasy.
Brian Brennan’s Stadium Shakers (All About Reality podcast co-host Matt Goodwin) – Having no picks in either round is a psychological blow. I tried to trade in when Lamb fell, when Pittman was still on the board, and towards the end to nab Eason in this highly shallow QB pool in a 16 team Superflex league. None of that worked. However, I was able to trade two future 2nds which I figure will be back end of the draft for Dillon. I feel he will be part of a rotation in 2020 and goal line packages and will have an increased role when one of or both of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams move on in free agency.
My take: Dillon is one of the top values in this draft and many others. There is a clear path to a significant role next year and a road to lead duties.
Bio: Bernard Faller has degrees in engineering and economics. He currently lives in Las Vegas and enjoys athletics, poker, and fantasy football in his free time. Send your questions and comments (both good and bad) on Twitter @BernardFaller1.
