Tag: DynaBowl

MOCK DRAFT! Get your MOCK DRAFT here! Roll up, roll up, ladies and gentlemen, see the astounding sights of the mock draft up close and personal (don’t worry, he won’t bite, but do keep your hands out of his cage…). Drum roll please, if you will, and introducing for your pleasure and delight, the mock draft stylings of Mr James ‘Goody’ Goodson.

Pick 1.01 and… The Sadness choose…
Ezekiel Elliot, RB.
Elliot will be the handcuff to Darren McFadden so taking the most pro-bowl likely RB makes sense. This means they’ll look at a franchise RB, and with Elliot they have a RB who does everything well. He’s in a tier on his own above everyone else on my board so he’s the 1st overall pick in this mock. They just hope DMC avoids getting injured so Elliot can secure RB1.

With pick 1.02 the Firebirds choose…
Corey Coleman, WR.
Another tough one as I think the Firebirds have better strength at WR than RB, but there is a real limited quality in long term value in RB, especially in this year’s draft. A dynasty franchise is set up around WR talent and Coleman pips Doctson. The latter being a better dynasty target as both Racist’s receivers are are expected to be FAs in 2017

With pick 1.03 the Dungeoneers pick..
Josh Doctson, WR.
As above, and if Doctson can bulk up I think he’ll be a very good solid receiver. He has good height and will offer good long term value offer excellent value

With pick 1.04 the Losers choose
Laquon Treadwell, WR.
Treadwell is my number 4 receiver, and I think David loves Treadwell. He’s a very good receiver. His tape shows off some fantastic competitive plays, from blocks to contested catches but, I just don’t think he is quite as good as Michael Thomas. While the Losers RB and WR depth is weighted towards the latter, a potential WR1 is too good to turn down in a dynasty league. He’s a good fit for the WR1 at the Vikings, usurping last year’s surprise package, Diggs as the season goes on. His lower speed won’t be an issue with Teddy’s noodle arm and short passes.

With pick 1.05 the Champions pick…
Michael Thomas, WR.
I love Thomas. I think Thomas could be better than Coleman, but he I think initially, he won’t be a viable fantasy option. He is great with contested catches and will be a nice addition to the Champions’ roster.

With pick 1.06 the Sadness choose…
Sterling Shepard, WR.
I love Sterling Shepard. He will be a legitimate WR 2 for the Giants and will be the perfect foil for OBJ. With the ability to play in the slot but underestimated outside, the best route runner in the draft will likely have a very high floor. The Sadness improve on their 2016 monopoly with an excellent safe pick.

With pick 1.07 Kelkowski pick…
Derrick Henry RB
While the landing spot of Henry won’t result in Kelkowski doing flips, the ability for him to take a lot of the possible red zone touches will be gratefully received at the Mahoney Memorial Stadium. While they haven’t replaced megatron, there is a clear dearth or top tier rookie relievers so this pick is a case of BPA. Don’t be surprised to see Kelkowski attempt to trade up a few spots.

With pick 1.08 The Sadness choose…
Kenneth Dixon, RB.
With Dixon joining Booker in, arguably, one of the best two landing spots, the Sadness make a sensible pick and choose my no. 2 RB.

With 1.09 The Firebirds select…
Devontae Booker, RB.
It’s a bit of a tough pick for the Firebirds. Booker allows them to secure the Denver running game, but doesn’t add much to their depleted RB personnel. They’ve already nabbed the best receiver on the ball and a great landing spot helps them take this pick with little fuss.

With 1.10 the Champions of the Sun pick…
CJ Prosise, RB.
This pick was to be either Prosise or Kenyan Drake of Miami. However I’m going for the upside that Prosise offers as Rawls may not be as fancied as previously thought. Procise can play all 3 downs, is a bit of a freak athlete and can be the receiver Rawls isn’t. 6th round Rawls can be cut with no cost next year at Seattle. 3rd Round Prosise makes sense here. Will Kenyan Drake hang around long enough for the Champions next pick?

With 2.01 The Sadness choose…
Tyler Boyd, WR.
Another freak athlete. With Sanu’s target to go around, the Sadness show can continue.

With 2.02 the Sadness pick…
Hunter Henry, TE.
The best Tight End in the draft who has been compared to Jason Witten. With this pick, the Sadness stockpile depth and take advantage of an ageing Walker on their roster and the expected slow break outs of Tight Ends. Don’t be surprised if the Sadness try to trade down to snag Jaded Goff as Qb is a need.

With 2.03 the Dungeoneers choose…
Paul Perkins, RB.
With a menagerie of backs in New York, Perkins is well suited to take the main carries off an ageing Jennings and a sub par back up committee. Music to the Dungeoneers ears as they have Jennings on their books.

With pick 2.04 The Losers choose…
Malcolm Mitchell, WR.
With superb character and a good landing spot to take on LaFells targets, the Losers pick up one of the safer rookie receivers in this draft who excels at route running, just what Brady likes.

With pick 2.05 the Firebirds choose…
Will Fuller, WR.
Surprised that Fuller fell so low in this draft, the Firebirds snag Houston’s deep ball threat. Fuller had one of the best yards after catch in college and could be a steal at 2.05

With pick 2.06 the Bombermen rock the boat and pick…
Jordan Howard, RB.
Strategically this may be a perfect pick. Langford was not impressive in Chicago with only 3.6 yards per carry and only forcing 7 missed tackles over the entire season. Now with a legitimate powerful back, the Bombermen stop their divisional rival getting stronger and improve upon their only decent RBs of Hill and David Johnson. Another option I was looking at, was Dynaharder trading up to 2.05 to grab Howard to avoid this situation.

At 2.07 Kelkowski pick…
Mike Thomas, WR
This is a great pick for Kelkowski. With very little competition in LA, and the natural ability for a spectacular catch, Thomas (the better Thomas in some people’s eyes) offers superb upside. With only gadget play specialist Tavon Austin to really offer any threat to targets, expect Thomas to perform above his expected pick to be a standout receiver.

At 2.08 Dyna Harder choose…
Wendall Smallwood, RB
With an ADP of 2.09 Wendall Smallwood is moving up boards. A natural runner with a lot of power, Dynaharder pick the Eagles’ Running back and trade with the Firebirds for Mathews to move down later in the draft. This is the best of a bad situation for Dynahard as they were relying on Howard hanging around until 2.08.

At 2.09 the TT choose…
Rashard Higgins, WR
The Cleveland WR graded out as one of the top receivers in 2014 by PFF and this fills a need of arguably the best team in the league who have no weaknesses.

At 2.10 Dynaharder pick…
Tajae Sharpe, WR.
Another well thought of receiver, Sharpe provides Dynaharder with some good depth in a great situation. With Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter only in front of him, Sharpe should get a good amount of targets as the year progresses.

Two-round Mock Draft

May 11, 2016

Pete

Mock Draft No Comments

[Commissioner note: this article was written before the Dez Bryant blockbuster trade that saw Dyna Hard picks transfer to the Dynasty of Sadness]

And so we enter the season of mock drafts, drafts, and draft grades. I’ll start the speculation with the first post-NFL draft hot take – here are the players you should be drafting in the first two rounds:

1.01 Dynasty of Sadness

Despite their analytics department urging the Sadness to trade the pick for a massive haul, owner Geoffrey Manboob ejects them from the war room and sticks a broomhandle in the door. Ezekiel Elliot.

1.02 DynaForOne Firebirds

The Firebirds try to trade down and pick up Derrick Henry, but with no teams offering ‘value’, Neil is forced to go WR here. Laquon Treadwell.

1.03 East Flanders Dungeoneers

The Dungeoneers have similar RB worries, with potentially only two of their current RBs being on the 2017 roster. The Jay Gruden Siren Call proves too much however, and they draft Josh Doctson.

1.04 Dynasore Losers

The Losers’ natural antipathy to Drew Brees has them select Corey Coleman here; potentially a high-target steal at this draft position.

1.05 Champions of the Sun

With no needs at RB, the literal as well as figurative Champions select The Real Michael Thomas.

1.06 Dynasty of Sadness

Their need at RB having been sated for another year, Sadness make a less than ideal pick, in the New York Giants’ Sterling Shepherd. With OBJ already on the roster, a trade for the 1.05 with the Champions might make sense here.

1.07 Kelkowski Don’t Play By No Dyna Rules

Kelkowski are in a tight spot. It could be argued their need for receiver is greater, given the retirement of Megatron, but they go for their BPA in this position, Baltimore’s Kenneth Dixon.

1.08 Dyna Harder

With a surfeit of expensive RBs on the roster, Dyna Harder take Tyler Boyd. Pretty dull.

1.09 DynaForOne Firebirds

The Firebirds are delighted to scoop up Derrick Henry at this position.

1.10 Champions of the Sun

The Champions draft for value rather than need with this pick and select Devonte Booker, RB.

2.01 Dynasty of Sadness

The Sadness look carefully at their roster and enter risk mitigation mode – Will Fuller provides Jalen Strong insurance.

2.02 Dynasty of Sadness

Likewise, Matt Jones’ backup is selected here. Keith Marshall, RB.

2.03 East Flanders Dungeoneers

East Flanders put their fingers in their ears and hum loudly to drown out the sound of a small herd of running backs, and select Hunter Henry, TE.

2.04 Dynasore Losers

The Losers target the best RB still on the board, Paul Perkins.

2.05 DynaForOne Firebirds

Firebirds select the Oakland Raiders backup RB, and roll with DeAndre Washington.

2.06 Dynablaster Bombermen

Situation means he has slippped this far, but the Bombermen are delighted to snap up Leonte Caroo with their first pick.

2.07 Kelkowski Don’t Play By No Dyna Rules

If it’s good enough for Bill….Kelkowski go with the New England utility man, Malcolm Mitchell.

2.08 Dyna Harder

Dyna Harder select The Other Mike Thomas.

2.09 Tamworth Two

Tamworth Two blow the draft wide open and start the run on defensive players by selecting Myles Jack.

2.10 Dyna Harder

Dyna Harder ignore the incipient run on defensive players and build depth in the Chicago backfield. Jordan Howard, RB.

Pre-Draft Win-Win Trades

April 25, 2016

Commish

Around The Grounds Trading No Comments

10 Win-Win Pre-Draft Trades

With around 6 weeks to go before the DynaBowl Rookie draft it’s time to do a little fantasy deck-shuffling. I’m going to suggest 10 trades, one centred on each team, that should be a win for both sides and make sense moving into the 2016 season, and I’m going to start with…

East Flanders Dungeoneers

Needs: Players, picks.

This roster is slowly coming together, with a diligent job being done by GM Pete Conaghan, but it could still use some strengthening across the roster. I wouldn’t be looking to gain any players over 27 years of age, really, and picks would be a bonus. There’s no real bell-cow running back option so that would be ideal, but not essential.

Expendable: Anyone 28 or older, really.

The Trade – Out: Brandon Marshall, WR, ($19, 1 year)

Marshall is 32, and has 1 year left on his reasonable contract. An extension is a prohibitive $74. While he is still producing he’ll only serve to move the Dungeoneers away from the higher picks, when they’re ready to compete he’ll be close to retiring. There is no reason to keep him on the roster. The question is the value. Aging and with only one year left, his value is low so the best they can hope for is a half-decent pick and/or young player.

In: Champions of the Sun give Jay Ajayi, RB ($10/3), 2016 pick 4.10

Contributors can be found in the 4th round, more likely on the defensive side but Matt Jones and Thomas Rawls both went in this range in 2015, while Ajayi is a high ceiling, low floor option. Miami clearly weren’t that keen on him, given their off-season pursuit of CJ Anderson, but he should get a chance this year. He has an injury history too, but he’s the kind of young boom or bust prospect the Dungeoneers could really use. The Champions get a boost in the pursuit of the repeat championship for minimal cost.

Here Comes The Brees

Needs: WR, LB, picks

Reviewing the roster, it’s deeper than I thought it was, with decent options at QB, RB, TE, DT and DE. However, despite the (excellent) purchase of Allen Robinson and the presence of 18 different options, the WRs still lack a little something. After Robinson there’s the declining Fitzgerald, the hobbled Smith, the banned Bryant, and… erm… a lot of mediocrity. No team can be filled with studs but a little more depth would be nice. There’s a bit of a rebuild going on so younger players and/or picks would be a nice return.

Expendable: Most of the wide receivers, anyone who won’t be contributing in 2017.

Out: Devonta Freeman, RB ($8/1)

Given the cap space available, an extension, even if only for a couple of years, should be on the cards, just pull the money forward. However, the management team have indicated that no such thing will happen. Freeman could, of course, be a one season wonder, and an extension could wind up being a millstone, especially if they could get the player back cheaper in 2017 free agency, but if they’re resigned to not competing this year and not signing Freeman to an extension there is no reason not to cash in now.

In: Kelkowski give 2017 3rd round pick (moves to a 2nd round pick if Freeman is a top 5 back or Kelkowski make the DynaBowl)

There’s no WR on this roster that would definitively improve the Brees roster in the longer term and would also make sense for Kelkowski to lose. The trade makes sense for the Brees on two levels – the 2017 draft is supposed to be a deep one, and the price for one year of a player is a good one, and Kelkowski can’t afford to offer Freeman an extension so the Brees know they can have a shot at getting him back in 2017. Meanwhile, Kelkowski get a contributor to their weakened RB corps to round out what is otherwise a pretty competitive line-up.

Tamworth Two

Needs: Cap space, WR, TE, DE, LB

Expendable: Expensive contracts

Tamworth would have been a competitor for Freeman, except they have a pretty decent RB corps already. Instead some WR depth would be nice, and one won’t be picked up in the draft – not one you could expect to contribute immediately anyway as their highest pick is 2.09. Given the money already spent on the roster, though, this is tough. The players with the kind of money they should be looking to save are, at least, the ones with value to the roster – Rodgers, McCoy, Jeffrey, Thomas, Ebron, Keuchley. Of those, the most expendable are McCoy and Ebron…

Out: LeSean McCoy, RB (XX), 2016 pick 4.03

Karlos Williams looked great in year 1 and has something to build on. He poses a real threat to McCoy and Tamworth are keeping him. Freeing up $59 of cap space in 2016 gives Tamworth all sorts of options and losing a player who may or may not be a starter or major contributor is not the worst situation. A deal like this could then pave the way for a trade for Freeman, or any number of other players.

In: DynaForOne Firebirds give 2016 pick 2.05

A bump up in the rounds gives them a chance of picking up a contributor, most likely targeting a WR, with a lower pick focusing on an RB. For the Firebirds, they have the cap space to take a risk on McCoy. They need to do something about their running backs after Lynch retired in the off-season and where CJ Anderson is the only guaranteed starter in 2016. McCoy is a risk but dropping down the draft a little is a risk worth taking, when contributors can still be found at that depth. With 3 other picks in the top 15 they can afford to fall down a little considering McCoy’s talent and upside.

[NB This was going to be the 2.02 pick until that got traded and I couldn’t arsed to rework it]

The People’s Republic of the 4th Dynmension: Dynasty of Sadness

Needs: Depth, DT, DE

This is a roster which has subtly come good, if only the players can all stay fit. There’s quality at each position, perhaps with the exception of defensive line. The problem is there aren’t too many sellable assets the Sadness would be happy to sell. Byrant and OBJ both have plenty of time left in their careers so a sale now would only be postponing any potential success. Likewise, the young building block RBs might be desired but logically would stay put while the older ones like Blount probably wouldn’t make much, if anything on the market. You might see Brees as saleable but only 10 starting QBs are needed so it’s a crowded market place, he won’t fetch much at all. So, in needing depth and defensive stars, what desirable assets can they afford to sell?

Out: 2016 pick 1.01

Ezekiel Elliot is the likely number one pick but we saw in 2015 that GM Manboob isn’t afraid to sell a high pick if he’s getting good value. This is a draft not awash with offensive talent, but defensive talent is there to be had so more picks a little lower down the draft might make sense on that front. Likewise, a high number of picks in the top 25 increase the odds of hitting with one of them.

In: Dynasore Losers give 2016 pick 1.04, Donte Moncrief, WR ($2/1), 2016 pick 3.09

With two ageing running backs and little beyond that, the Losers are desperate for a young elite RB option and shouldn’t be afraid to spend to get one. Moncrief has potential and may turn into something but at the moment is still a prospect. He won’t become elite but he should be an adequate WR3/4. The Losers would be reluctant to give him up but with Elliot as the prize they should be prepared to make the sacrifice. The two picks give the Sadness further ammunition to restock in the draft.

Dynasore Losers

Needs: Youth

Expendable: Age

Adrian Peterson. Matt Forte. Jordy Nelson. These are the three best offensive weapons on the Losers roster, and they also have free agent James Jones and retiree Percy Harvin in there. The Losers may already have done the best trade they can do in bringing in Jarvis Landry, exactly the kind of player they need on the roster. The problem is they need to do it another 3 or 4 times.

Out: Adrian Peterson, RB ($35/1)

The Sadness trade above suggests one way they could go, selling some assets to get the best player in the 2016 draft. The alternative is to try to gather as many picks as possible and refresh the talent pool, and the best way to do that will be to sell the aging players off. All three mentioned before are on good deals, with 1, 2 and 3 years left respectively of lower than contract average value. Nelson would probably be the herdest sell due to his return from injury. No one knows if he can be the player he was before it and, at this stage, we don’t know if the Packers will be trying to replace him in the draft. Peterson seems like the obvious sell – he has one year left and is unlikely to be renewed due to his value (by the Losers or any prospective owner) so could be re-won in free agency next year. Why not try to make a profit on him now? The argument against is if Losers GM David Slater believes he can have one last hurrah and win it all before he goes into a full rebuild.

In: Kelkowski give 2017 2nd round pick

Basically the same reasoning stands as for the proposed Devonta Freeman move detailed earlier. The pick is an outright 2nd rather than conditional because Peterson has a far longer history of success. The Losers could, instead, push for Kelkowski’s 2nd round pick in this year’s draft in order to replace Peterson immediately, but in a weaker class they would probably prefer to wait a year for stronger options. Weakening performance in 2016 would also have the potential to push for the number 1 pick in 2017 which would open up some elite options.

DynaForOne Firebirds

Needs: RB, WR, depth

We’ve already discussed how short the Firebirds are at running back, with Lynch’s actual retirement and Gore effectively retired. Ryan Mathews could be in a good spot in Philly now they’ve moved up in the draft (unless they moved up to guarantee they get Elliot), but they could still use a little something more. Likewise, Julio is clearly an elite WR but Sanu is more risky now he’s outside of Cincy, while players like Snead, DGB and Edelman are probably WR3s at best. They have 2 first rounders this year with which to start the restock, but could use some further depth.

Expendable: Everyone?

Out: Julio Jones, WR ($60/3)

OK, so here’s the contentious one. Well, the really contentious one. I needed a blockbuster in this article and here it is – recommending a team sell its best asset. It’s a massive risk, I don’t deny it, and it relies on confidence in the scouting to turn the return into something worthwhile, so how is it justifiable?

The Firebirds have the fewest running backs and wide receivers rostered in the league. And that’s before you factor in that Lynch and Colston are no longer playing. They need to restock. They’re an injury away from not being capable of submitting a valid lineup. Well, a fit lineup. Good job there aren’t injuries in the NFL. Now obviously there will be roster cuts from other teams but stocking up with the dregs aren’t really going to help them. My suggestion is to maximise the return from their best player. He will never be more valuable, and he’s had a few injury concerns in the past. The worst thing that could happen to the Firebirds is keeping Jones and then losing him to injury halfway through the year, destroying both his value to the team and on the trade market.

Instead, cash-in now and rebuild this team. We’ll discuss a fair return for one of the top 3 WRs in the league below.

In: Here Comes The Brees give 2016 pick 3.05, 2 x 2017 1st round picks, 2017 2nd round pick, Isaiah Crowell, RB ($40 total over 4 years), Phillip Dorsett, WR ($21 total over 3 years), Martavis Bryant, WR ($12 total over 3 years),

Firstly, why do the Brees do this? To get one of the best players in the league and become the favourite for the DynaBowl title in 2016 and beyond. Pairing Julio and Allen Robinson together, along with their other offensive weapons makes this team an offensive juggernaut. The question is only how much they have to pay.

2017 is supposed to be a great class, but there are no guarantees so losing both the first round picks they have for a player of Julio’s class is a no brainer. I’m projecting those 1sts to both be lower in the round so a 2nd goes along with it. Alternatively the Firebirds might want to try to get a conditional 2018 first based on where those 17s fall in the draft.

As for players – I would allow the Firebirds to have any offensive players on the roster outside of Luck, Robinson, Lee, Miller, Freeman, Martin, Eifert and Ertz. And perhaps Jackson, but if he was what it took to do this deal I’d give him up. I’ve bundled those together that I think would help the Firebirds most – Dorsett, Bryant and Crowell. They’re all players with question marks next to them – Dorsett and Crowell based on talent and usage, Bryant because of his drug suspensions – but there’s a chance they could net a decent return. The real prize, though, is the picks, which will give GM Neil Hawke the chance to rebuild this roster over the next two years.

Dynablaster Bombermen

Needs: LB, DE, eliteness

No single position leaps out on this roster as being required, but no single position makes you think “They’ve got that locked down, not need to worry about that”. A feeling which starts at QB, where 6 are currently rostered but none feel like a guarantee. Having already traded for Aaron Donald, there’s not really the collateral to deal for another elite player to lift one of the units up a level. Likewise, the weakest units (that aren’t wholly governed by the randomness of interceptions and forced fumbles) are the DE and LB groups and no one is going to sell one of the kind of quality required to pump these units up to the next level. Instead, trying to get some mid-to-late round picks to bolster the defense in the hopes of hitting a home run should be the order of the day.

Expendable: Fringe players

Out: Bilal Powell, RB ($1, 2 years), James White, RB ($1/2)

Both have the potential to score a decent amount of points if they get a chance due to injury but neither is the main guy. Powell has the greater chance to do something as he’s likely to share time with Forte. They’re both nice options to have, but are surely more suited to the team with the primary backs…

In: Dynasore Losers give 2016 pick 5.04, conditional 2017 5th round pick should either player score 100 points in 2016

Fortunately the Losers have both the primary backs in Forte and Lewis so could grab both for a low pick. Useful insurance policies for sure and if nothing comes of either of them it’s not a huge amount to have given up.

Champions of the Sun

Needs: What do you get for the team that has Trent Richardson? Seriously though, he’d probably just like more depth.

I’m on record as not being a fan of the Allen Robinson trade so, ideally, he’d just undo that, but otherwise the reigning champions are stacked and should look to consolidate their position in any way they can. Other teams may be reticent to deal but there’s one deal which jumps out to me.

Out: 2016 picks 1.05, 1.10

In: DynaForOne Firebirds give 2016 pick 1.02

If the Champions like the look of one player in particular, why not try to move up and grab him. Assuming Elliot is the number 1 pick this would allow the Champions to take whichever WR they prefer. In exchange, the Firebirds end up with 3 picks in the top 10 giving them a greater chance of finding a hit or two on whom to base the future of the franchise. Sure, they don’t get their choice of the top WRs, but that probably shouldn’t be their aim. The two teams are at opposite ends of the spectrum – the Champions can afford to fall for one guy, take him and risk a bust. The Firebirds need a hit or two so more choices is better.

Kelkowski Don’t Play By No Dyna Rules

Needs: More time and attention in this analysis, RB, TE, DT

Expendable: Yes

Look, the NFL draft is rapidly arriving and this should really go up before then so this ‘analysis’ is pretty weak from here on out. What’s that you say? It’s only weak from here? Fuck you, buddy, did you pay for this content?

Now go look at the Brees’ and Losers suggested trades and pick one of those you like. That’s what Kelkowski should do.

Alternatively, here are some other options: Get Antonio Andrews from the Bombermen for a 6th round pick. DeMarco “Darren Anderton” Murray was known as an injury waiting to happen until his annus mirabilis at Dallas. Now he’s back behind a pretty terrible offensive line, best to get some insurance.

Sorry, I’ve done them a bit of a disservice here, but they have already been mentioned in those 2 other trades. Give me a break. I don’t see you writing a draft preview, do I?

Dyna Hard

Needs: DT (they have 1!), a player who knows how to win in the playoffs?

Expendable: Look, I’ve been trying to say who’s expendable throughout this, but the truth is, any player is expendable for the right price. Who would they actively want rid of though? Jamaal Charles before he breaks down completely (and to save some money), and they have good enough WRs to be able to afford to lose one, if they’re generating greater quality.

Seriously though, I’m going to try to piece together a good trade here, if only because the Hard men haven’t been mentioned yet, unlike those harlots Kelkowski.

Out: Tavon Austin, WR ($16/1), Tyler Lockett, WR ($3/2), 2016 pick 1.08, 2017 1st round pick, 2017 4th round pick

In: Julio Jones, WR ($60/3)

OK, so this is a do-over from earlier, but actually it makes a lot of sense. The Firebirds get 2 young WRs who could prove to be very good players, along with 3 picks, while the Hards end up with Antonio Brown, TY Hilton and Julio Jones to try and get over that final hurdle of … well, a playoff win. The picks aren’t as good as those offered by the Brees, but then the players are arguably better.

Dyna Hard have a good roster that’s not crying out for young players to develop, they’re looking for the missing piece that will put them over the top. The Firebirds have been discussed a lot already, but these would be more useful building blocks.

MAX’S STAT BLATS! Week 6

October 25, 2015

Max Cubberley

League Business Max Stat Blats Stat Attacks No Comments

It’s the start of week 7 of the 2015 NFL season which is, near as dammit, halfway through the fantasy NFL season so, this week, Stat Blats will look at positional groupings in the DynaBowl to breakdown which parts of your team are riding high and which are down in the dumps. I’ll start with the raw data, then do a team-by-team breakdown, looking at the season so far with some slipshod analysis. You’re welcome. You’re all so very welcome.

Quarterback

	Team	Starters	Average
1	Tamworth Two	Rodgers, Palmer	21.76
2	Dynaforone Firebirds	Wilson, Rivers	18.28
3	DynaHarder	E. Manning, Mariota, Stafford	18.03
4	Champions of the Sun	Roethlisberger, Palmer	17.57
5	Kelkowski	Bortles, Kaepernick, Romo	17.43
6	Here Comes the Brees	Brady, Luck	16.77
7	East Flanders Dungeoneers	Newton, Tannehill, Foles	16.61
8	Dynablaster Bombermen	Ryan	16.21
9	Dynasore Losers	Dalton, P. Manning	15.32
10	Dynasty of Sadness	Brees, Bridgewater	11.80

Running Backs

For sections under flex consideration I have worked out the average number of starters in each position over the first 6 weeks and divided the average by that number. This produces an average score per player you start at that position, not favouring teams that start more players in one position.

1	Dynasore Losers	Forte, Peterson, Lewis (3 starters (2.5 av))	34.27 (13.71)
2	Here Comes the Brees	Freeman, Martin, Crowell, Miller (4 starters (2.83 av))	37.05 (13.09)
3	Champions of the Sun	L. Bell, L. Murray, Rawls, Da. Williams, Spiller (5 starters (2.17 av)	24.95 (11.5)
4	Tamworth Two	Ivory, Du. Johnson, McCoy, McFadden, Stewart, K. Williams, A. Williams (7 starters (3 av))	32.30 (10.77)
5	Kelkowski	Blue, Foster, Ingram, D. Murray, Yeldon (5 starters (3 av))	31.72 (10.57)
6	DynaHarder	Charles, Morris, Randle, Sankey, Gurley (5 starters (3 av))	31.11 (10.37)
7	East Flanders Dungeoneers	Forsett, Woodhead, Hyde, Jennings (4 starters (3 av))	28.05 (9.35)
8	Dynasty of Sadness	Abdullah, Blount, M. Jones, Lacy, Vereen, De. Williams (6 starters (3 av))	26.73 (8.91)
9	Dynablaster Bombermen	Bernard, Ellington, Gordon, J. Hill, Da. Johnson (5 starters (3 av))	25.96 (8.65)
10	Dynaforone Firebirds	Anderson, Gore, C. Johnson, Lynch (4 starters (2.83 av))	19.38 (6.85)

Receivers (WRs and TEs)

1	Dynaforone Firebirds	Colston, Edelman, Ju. Jones, Royal, Thomas, Bennett, Clay, Gates, Gronkowski (9 starters (5.17 av))	60.84 (11.77)
2	Dynasore Losers	Agholor, Fitzgerald, Ja. Jones, Moncrief, Sanders, T. Smith, Donnell, Graham (8 starters (5.5 av))	57.15 (10.39)
3	Kelkowski	Baldwin, Cobb, Ca. Johnson, Maclin, Barnidge, Witten (6 starters (5 av))	48.38 (9.68)
4	Champions of the Sun	J. Brown, Evans, Hankerson, Harvin, Hopkins, Robinson, White, Kelce, Reed, Walker (10 starters (5.83 av))	54.45 (9.34)
5	Dynablaster Bombermen	Boldin, Cooks, A. Green, A. Johnson, Matthews, Shorts, Olsen, Sefarian-Jenkins (8 starters (5 av))	44.47 (8.89)
6	Dynasty of Sadness	Beckham, D. Bryant, Crowder, Decker, Ginn, Tate, Wheaton, Allen, Chandler, Escobar, L. Green (11 starters (5 av))	41.71 (8.34)
7	East Flanders Dungeoneers	Adams, Allen, Cooper, Mi. Floyd, S. Johnson, Marshall, Randle, Stills, Fleener, Rudolph (10 starters (5 av))	41.17 (8.23)
8	DynaHarder	Austin, A. Brown, Hilton, Hurns, M. Jones, Watkins, Wright, Bennett, Cook (9 starters (5 av))	40.33 (8.07)
9	Tamworth Two	Coleman, Crabtree, V. Jackson, Jeffery, Landry, Snead, Wallace, Ebron, Rodgers (9 starters (5 av))	39.48 (7.90)
10	Here Comes the Brees	Benjamin, Garcon, D. Jackson, Ch. Johnson, S. Smith Sr., T. Williams, Daniels, Eifert, Ertz (9 starters (5.17 av))	39.00 (7.54)

Special Teams

1	Dynasore Losers	Gostkowski, Tucker, Anger, King	16.86 (8.43)
2	DynaHarder	Bryant, McManus, Hekker, Pinion	15.30 (7.65)
3	Dynablaster Bombermen	Brown, Schmidt	14.58 (7.29)
4	Champions of the Sun	Catanzaro, McAfee, D. Colquitt	13.48 (6.74)
5	East Flanders Dungeoneers	Parkey, Santos, Lee	12.56 (6.28)
6	Dynaforone Firebirds	Crosby, Koch	12.51 (6.26)
7	Dynasty of Sadness	Hauschka, Vinatieri, Lechler	11.91 (5.96)
8	Here Comes the Brees	Gano, Jones, Kern	10.91 (5.46)
9	Tamworth Two	Carpenter, Coons, Butler, McAfee	10.42 (5.21)
10	Kelkowski	Prater, Gould, Huber, Martin	9.53 (4.77)

Defensive Line

1	Tamworth Two	McCoy, McDonald, Short, C. Jones, Tuitt, Vernon (3.33 av)	29.67 (8.91)
2	Here Comes the Brees	Donald, Howard, Bennett, Cox, Jordan (3.17 av)	27.88 (8.79)
3	DynaHarder	Hankins, Harrison, B. Williams, Ansah, Watt (3.17 av)	26.58 (8.38)
4	Champions of the Sun	Dareus, Mitchell, Campbell, Carradine, Quinn, Vernon (3 av)	24.54 (8.18)
5	Dynasore Losers	Babineaux, Phillips, Siliga, T. Walker, S. Williams, Dunlap, Hughes, Wilkerson (3.33 av)	19.67 (5.91)
6	Dynasty of Sadness	Brockers, Floyd, Joseph, J. Allen, Bailey, Clayborn, Moore, Richardson, Taylor (3 av)	16.38 (5.46)
7	Dynaforone Firebirds	Atkins, Suh, Edwards, Gilberry, Ch. Johnson, Ninkovich, Tuck (3.5 av)	18.29 (5.23)
8	Kelkowski	Brown, Ratliff, Shelton, Avril, Griffen, Jenkins (3 av)	11.25 (3.75)
9	Dynablaster Bombermen	Hill, K. Williams, Casey, Liuget, Wake, M. Williams (3 av)	11.00 (3.67)
10	East Flanders Dungeoneers	Crawford, Marks, Ealy, Hayward, Lawrence, Paea (3 av)	10.25 (3.42)

Linebackers

1	Champions of the Sun	Barr, Barrett, Bowman, Collins, Davis, Houston, Mack (4 av)	42.60 (10.65)
2	Dynasty of Sadness	P. Brown, David, Irvin, M. Kendricks. T. Smith, Trevathan, Wagner (4 av)	34.22 (8.56)
3	DynaHarder	Alonso, Clowney, Hightower, Laurinaitis, V. Miller, Mosely, Orakpo (3.83 av)	29.51 (7.70)
4	Kelkowski	Alexander, Anthony, Cushing, Dansby, Greenway, D. Jackson, B. Marshall, Robinson, Ware (4 av)	30.68 (7.67)
5	Tamworth Two	Attaouchu, Freeman, C. Jones, Kikaha, Kuechly, Posluszny, Williamson (3.67 av)	26.12 (7.12)
6	Dynaforone Firebirds	Graham, D. Johnson, Ogletree, Peppers, Te’o, Timmons (3.5 av)	23.92 (6.83)
7	Dynablaster Bombermen	Barwin, Dumervil, Elliott, Lee, C. Matthews, Shazier (4 av)	25.23 (6.31)
8	East Flanders Dungeoneers	D. Davis, D. Harris, Ingram, M. Smith, Worrilow (4 av)	23.17 (5.79)
9	Here Comes the Brees	Bradham, Butler, Hicks, Jenkins, Kennard, Lansanah, McPhee, Morgan, D. Smith, Tulloch (3.83 av)	20.91 (5.46)
10	Dynasore Losers	Hali, Kerrigan, Kruger, Okafor, Rey, Suggs, Unga (3.67 av)	14.92 (4.07)

Secondary

1	Dynablaster Bombermen	Breeland, V. Davis, Gilmore, Roby, Graham, Ihedigbo, Ward	38.88 (9.72)
2	Champions of the Sun	Carrie, Carroll, Flowers, A. Jones, Norman, Church, R. Jones, Weddle	38.13 (9.53)
3	Kelkowski	K. Jackson, J. Jenkins, Revis, J. Smith, M. Adams, Bethea, M. Jenkins, Nelson	33.70 (8.43)
4	Dynasty of Sadness	Butler, Fletcher, Fuller, Gay, Berry, Matthieu, McDonald, Vaccaro	30.03 (7.51)
5	Tamworth Two	Amukamara, Rhodes, Shields, Verner, Chancellor, Collins, Rolle, Whitner	28.96 (7.24)
6	Dynasore Losers	J. Banks, Joseph, M. Peters, Logan, Gipson, Moore, Quin	28.18 (7.05)
7	DynaHarder	Cox, Peterson, Talib, Webb, Bucannon, Cyprien, Pryor, Reid	26.74 (6.69)
8	Here Comes the Brees	Darby, Hall, Toler, Verrett, T. Williams, Conte, R. Johnson, H. Smith, E. Thomas, S. Thomas	25.55 (6.39)
9	East Flanders Dungeoneers	Haden, Harris, Maxwell, Clinton-Dix, Hill, Iloka, A. Williams	22.68 (5.67)
10	Dynaforone Firebirds	Grimes, Sherman, Trufant, C. Williams, Barron, Burnett, Parker, Searcy	19.64 (4.91)

Below is a table that brings each team’s positional ranks, along with their offensive, defensive and overall average points, into one place for easy digestion.

Name	QB	RB	Rec	Spec	OFF	DL	LB	DB	DEF	OVR
Champs	4	3	4	4	110	4	1	2	105	216
T2	1	4	9	9	104	1	5	5	85	189
Harder	3	6	8	2	105	3	3	7	83	188
Losers	9	1	2	1	124	5	10	6	63	186
Rules	5	5	3	10	107	8	4	3	76	183
Breeses	6	2	10	8	104	2	9	8	74	178
Bombers	8	9	5	3	101	9	7	1	75	176
Sadness	10	8	6	7	92	6	2	4	81	173
Birds	2	10	1	6	111	7	6	10	62	173
Dung’s	7	7	7	5	98	10	8	9	56	154

The above table shows a clear leader and a clear trailer in terms of average overall score, with the other 8 teams clustered with only 15 points separating them from the Tamworth Two in 2^nd to the Firebirds in 9^th.

Champions of the Sun – The current front-runners for the Owl show good consistency across all categories, indicating playmakers in most spots. Although their offence is above average, the clear difference maker is the defence, scoring 20 points per week more than the 2^nd best defence on average.

Tamworth Two – If I’d done this article last week the Hogs would not have been as high up the tables but that’s what scoring 280 points in a week will do for you. Unsurprisingly, having Aaron Rodgers as your QB lands you at #1 in the QB rankings but the dominant defence from last year is rolling back into form too, after a slow start. An injury to Alshon Jeffery has cost the receiving corps but that doesn’t explain #9 by itself. This is an area T2 should, and are, looking to improve but getting better at skill positions mid-season is never easy. Willie Snead should help but they may want to look at special teams too for an improvement.

DynaHarder – A hot start from the owners of last year’s #1 pick has tailed off somewhat but Chris and Steve’s team is still looking strong even with JJ Watt’s transformation into ‘normal NFL player’. Their low ranking at WR is nothing to worry about as the return of Ben Roethlisberger should carry Antonio Brown back to his previous heights and Martavis Bryant is also now back from suspension.

Dynasore Losers – Oh Peter. Peter, Peter, Peter. Should’ve quit while you were ahead. Manning’s struggles have sunk the Losers’ QB ranking but with Andy Dalton cemented at #1 on the Losers’ depth chart now and Derek Carr waiting to back him up the only way is up. Early-season predictions of doom from the Stat Blats were wide of the mark at RB but spot-on at linebacker where the Kruger/Kerrigan axis from last season has failed to hit form this year, leaving the Losers languishing. Their top scoring offence is covering for now but Slater may want to look into trading for some promising talent on his defence.

Kelkowski Don’t Play By No DynaRules – The Rules started slowly but are now rounding into better form, largely thanks to the return from injury of Arian Foster and the return from ‘getting dropped for a 2 yard loss on every play’ of DeMarco Murray. Expect that mediocre #5 rank at RB to rise. The big holes are at special teams (for a pair of owners who won’t shut up about the value of kickers and punters they don’t seem to have any good ones) and on the defensive line, where rookie tackles, people blowing their own fingers off and under-performing Everson Griffen have left them light. If I was Kelkowski I would be hitting the phones and sounding out other owners with depth at DT or DE on potential deals.

Here Comes the Brees – I thought this team were supposed to be terrible? Everybody told me they were terrible, including co-owner Ben Archee. Instead they’re a team with a few big holes and a few big strengths who have perhaps gone into full rebuilding mode too early. Their high ranking at DL is sure to drop with Aaron Donald traded away but the unlikely power-trio of Doug Martin, Devonta Freeman and Lamar Miller should carry them through at RB. Injuries to DeSean Jackson, Breshad Perriman, Steve Smith Sr and Victor Cruz have left them low at WR, hence the low ranking but, to my mind, there’s enough here to be optimistic.

Dynablaster Bombermen – Well, so much for the Stat Blats pre-season choice for the Owl. Through 6 games the Dynablaster Bombermen have underwhelmed and you can’t really point to any 1 thing as the reason why. The Falcons are 5-1 but Matt Ryan is no more than a low-end QB1 so far. What should have been one of the best RB groups currently looks like one of the worst, whether through injury, game plan or poor play. The saving grace for the Bombermen has been an overpowering set of playmakers in the secondary and solid special teams play. They’ve addressed the problems on the line already with the trade for Aaron Donald at least. In terms of action I think Hendy and Smith have taken the best course with that move. Their offence is horribly underperforming at the moment but the talent is there and this team will score very well when it breaks right. Don’t give up hope!

The People’s Republic of the 4^th Dynmension: Dynasty of Sadness – New year, same problem. The Sadness are unlucky to be 1-5 with their average scores showing them to be at the same level as most other teams but they are let down, for the second season in a row, by poor QB play. Laycock and Simpson went all in on Teddy Bridgeeater and they have to be wondering if that was sensible at this point as the 2^nd year QBs play has been questionable at best. Brock Osweiler sits on the bench, rubbing his hands gleefully at every wobbled pass thrown by Peter Manning but should the Sadness be looking to get in another pair of hands until that point? The Stat Blats think so. The rest of the team looks ok with no obvious holes except, maybe, DT but that position can be a lottery. A trade for Allen Bailey has shored up DE and the loss of Dez Bryant is always going to hit your receiving corps hard. TE is a position that could use a bump, having said that. How much for Gary Barnidge…

Dynaforone Firebirds – Is this a typo? What are the current champions doing languishing down here in 9^th place on overall average score?! Look at those running backs (ranked 10^th). Look at that secondary (ranked 10^th). Look at those linebackers (ranked 9^th). This is a team with some obvious strengths and some hideous weaknesses. Neil has been trying to address some of the holes on defence but without much luck so far. The secondary could do with an overhaul though. At this point it might be worth dropping the lot of them without guaranteed money and just picking up whoever the best free agents are. Could that end any worse? Injuries to Lynch and the underperformance of CJ Anderson explain the poor RB play but Hawke may well be regretting the trading away of Jeremy Hill in the summer (not that he’s done much better). Chris Johnson’s re-emergence and a recent trade for Ryan Matthews help here and should see the position pick up.

East Flanders Dungeoneers – Well done, Pete. You won a couple of games with this shower. Kudos. We knew it would be a long re-building process for the Dungeoneers and so it’s proving. Pete Conaghan is in the midst of a furious reshuffling that has seen him trade many of his players with short-term value for picks or multiple lottery ticket players. It was never going to be pretty in the short term. The offence has been competent, if inconsistent, but the defence is a disaster. What does Stat Blats recommend? Keep on keeping on, Pete. Keep on keeping on. And maybe don’t pick up quite as many Chargers.

MAX’S STAT BLATS! – Week Two

September 24, 2015

Max Cubberley

Max Stat Blats Stat Attacks No Comments

The spreadsheet has been fed this week and my dot matrix printer has finally finished churning out the data for me to pore through. This week I’ll take a look at the first two weeks performance from 2015 and compare it to the first two weeks from 2014 to see if we can build a picture of where each team’s fortunes will go from here.

Reality Bites

Below are comparisons of performance through week 2 of the 2015 and 2015 seasons, ordered by finishing order in the 2014 season.

	2014 Week 2	2014 Standing	2015 Week 2	POA Diff
Dynaforone Firebirds	1-1 (137 poa)	7-6	1-1 (181 poa)	+44
Here Comes the Brees	1-1 (146 poa)	8-5	0-2 (152 poa)	+6
Dynasore Losers	2-0 (175 poa)	8-5	2-0 (172 poa)	-3
Kelkowski	2-0 (212 poa)	8-5	0-2 (153 poa)	-59
Dynablinker Obamamen	0-2 (168 poa)	7-6	0-2 (156 poa)	-12
Champions of the Sun	1-1 (181 poa)	6-7	2-0 (192 poa)	+11
Tamworth Two	2-0 (185 poa)	6-7	1-1 (167 poa)	-18
East Flanders Dungeoneers	1-1 (161 poa)	5-8	2-0 (158 poa)	-3
Dynasty of Sadness	0-2 (129 poa)	5-8	0-2 (154 poa)	+25
DynaHarder	0-2 (168 poa)	5-8	2-0 (223 poa)	+55

So let’s get the good news out of the way. DynaHarder have gone from an 0-2 start last season to a 2-0 start this season, having the highest average points in the process. The attendant 55 point jump in average score shows that the team has improved hugely over last season’s average start and there is still the return of Martivis Bryant and abhorrent human being Greg Hardy to come.

The other two significant improvements over last season can be seen at the Dynasty of Sadness and, worryingly, 2014 Superb Owl winners the Firebirds. The Sadness were a flimsy excuse for a fantasy football team last year and anything less than a big jump from 2014’s 129 average points would have been a disaster. Whilst the team are still at the bottom end of the points scorers they are not cut adrift like last season and can expect to be competitive. How the Firebirds improved from 2014’s disastrous start to claim the Owl may warrant an article on its own but the team has started strongly this year, being unfortunate to lose with the 3^rd highest score in week 1.

On the other side of the ball it would be remiss not to start with Kelkowski’s 59 point plummet from the first two games of last season. Last week I highlighted some of the reasons Jay and Ian might not be surprised by this but the extent of the drop off is alarming. Despite the poor start of the Breeses this year it’s worth noting that they’ve actually started better in terms of their weekly output this year, suggesting all may not be as bleak as first appeared. Could another unlikely playoff run emerge? Another team I believed to have regressed have proved me wrong through two weeks as the Dynasore Losers are still scoring at the same level as the opening of last season. Whether they can power up to the heights of 2014 as they go along remains to be seen.

What Might Have Been

Looking at what the teams actually scored in the first two weeks is all very well and good but to get a full picture of improvement and regression we should also look at their potential points. What do their best line-ups look like compared to last season? This will also highlight where GMs are more directly responsible for good or poor performance with their team selection.

	2014 Week 2	2015 Week 2	PPOA Diff
Dynaforone Firebirds	188 ppoa	228 (79% eff)	+40
Here Comes the Brees	210 ppoa	228 (67% eff)	+18
Dynasore Losers	212 ppoa	244 (70% eff)	+32
Kelkowski	265 ppoa	206 (74% eff)	-59
Dynablaster Bombermen	233 ppoa	232 (67% eff)	-1
Champions of the Sun	204 ppoa	258 (74% eff)	+54
Tamworth Two	261 ppoa	216 (77% eff)	-45
East Flanders Dungeoneers	212 ppoa	208 (76% eff)	-4
Dynasty of Sadness	206 ppoa	211 (73% eff)	+5
DynaHarder	250 ppoa	282 (79% eff)	+32

The numbers here back up the findings for the Firebirds and DynaHarder, showing an overall squad improvement to match their gameday improvement. The other big improvers are the Losers and the Champions, both of whom seem to have added a lot of depth between the start of last season and now, whether it was during the season last year, in the off-season or in the draft. The Breeses too can be happy that, whilst they’re squad still has holes, the actions Dan and Ben have taken have strengthened and added depth.

For the other 5 teams the story is either one of maintaining the status quo or of regression. Despite some strong additions, the Sadness seem to only have a squad as good as the start of last season, suggesting inefficient squad selection contributed to the team’s woes at the start of last year. The Bombermen and, surprisingly, the Dungeoneers also seem to have remained on par with the start of last season. The Dungeoneers are a strange one. To the naked eye, the team seems stronger than last season yet the stats don’t back that up so far. It’s early days, and GM Pete is building for the future, but if the team finishes the season not having outperformed last year’s iteration it should go down as a disappointment.

Kelkowski’s woes have been dwelt on enough but they can at least take solace that a 74% squad efficiency is not horrible and they are doing a good enough job of team selection. The Tamworth Two’s drop in potential points isn’t far short of Kelkowski’s however and that should be a cause of concern. The struggles of Alshon Jeffrey and Jonathan Stewart have certainly contributed to this but the defence has taken the biggest hit with Olivier Vernon and the linebacking unit firing blanks so far. It’s early days yet, of course, and defensive scoring is notoriously streaky but this is a situation worth keeping an eye on. The good news is that the Hogs’ 77% efficiency rating is second best in the league so they, at least, making the most of what they have.

In the efficiency stakes both Bens and both Dans will hope to improve their team selection in the coming weeks as the hot hands become clear and depth chart fog starts to dissipate. Both teams are at sub-70% efficiency which is a major barrier to success. David is, of course, PLOBbing the shit out of himself but what else would you expect? The Losers are still 2-0 so maybe his carefree team selection is motivating the troops.

Join me next time on Stat Blats where I’ll be doing something else with stats, probably, unless I’m not.

Guest Mock Draft by James ‘Goody’ Goodson of the Tamworth Two