It’s been a few months since the season rollover, and we’ve hit somewhat of a dead spot in the league calendar, as the core of Free Agency is over (not even a single bid this past week), and we’re all anxiously waiting for the Rookie Draft. There has been plenty of pick movement since the new league year began, but now with WDJFS and the Bandits owning 7 of the first 11 picks, things have ground to a halt as they wait to see where the current top draft prospects end up. We at the league office are going to take a team by team look at selections owned and some potential strategies. Teams are listed in order of their first selection.
What Does John Fox Say
Picks: 1.01, 1.08, 1.11, 2.12, 4.11
This team is loaded…with 3rd rate talent. They’re pretty set at QB for the next 4 to 5 years, but there isn’t an RB1, WR1 or TE1 in the mix. There aren’t even really any with that potential. Scott needs to hit on that #1 selection or he’s screwed for a while. I know what I would do with those 3 first rounders, so I expect him to do the complete opposite. Either way, he’s driving the bus, so that top pick will greatly affect the next 3 or 4 selections, then things get interesting. WDJFS could hit on all 5 of those picks, and they likely still don’t even sniff the playoffs.
Loose Bandits
Picks: 1.02, 1.04, 1.09, 1.10, 2.02, 3.02, 4.02, 4.05, 5.02
Mo has some nice young pieces at every position, but outside of Alshon and Bell, he’s lacking studs, and he’s also lacking useful depth. I’d expect all 5 of those top 14 picks to be used on RB/WR to add both starting talent and depth. Will he stick to his guns and get one of the top 2 at each position, or will he risk it and take the best player available? Decisions like these can shape a teams future for years. If 2 or 3 of those early picks are solid contributors year 1, the Bandits could very well be in playoff contention.
Endzone Dancers
Picks: 1.03, 2.03, 2.08, 2.09, 3.03, 3.07, 3.10
Scott has been busy retooling his squad, and has put some solid young pieces in place. He doesn’t really have any top of the line starters at the skill positions, but there are several good young players you can build with. Whatever he gets with the 1.03 should step in right away, but what he does in the 2nd and 3rd rounds will ultimately decide where he ends up in 2015. The Dancers could be in the mix, considering the Ballers and WDJFS are rebuilding, so running the table on them, would get him at least halfway there.
Fear Boners
Picks: 1.05, 2.05, 2.11, 3.05, 4.10, 5.05
With the Boners picking at 5, and the way the top 4 likely shakes out, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a draft day trade of this selection. The 5th pick is likely to be a solid WR, and the Boners are already loaded with those. Although, if they can move out their older WR that are still WR2/3 types, maybe they stay there, and nab the next best pass catching option. I’m still surprised Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald aren’t garnering any attention, as both QB situations improve in 2015. If this squad can hit on 2 of those 3 mid round picks, they could at least play spoiler in late 2015.
Tom Selleck’s Moustache
Picks: 1.06, 2.04, 4.06
The Stache are the first team we get to that are currently projected to be a playoff squad in 2015, and what they get out of the 6th pick in the draft could go a long way towards getting them there. While Smitty doesn’t own a lot of picks in this draft, he should be able to come away with 2 quality offensive players early, and then maybe shore up one of the league’s worst defenses, with his 4th rounder. As long as the schedule doesn’t fist them like it did last season, the Stache should punch their first playoff ticket.
Chalupa Batman
Picks: 1.07, 3.12, 4.03, 5.03, 5.10
The Chalupas have plenty of top end talent, solid depth at the skill positions and a decent first rounder, one of the things the other contenders are currently lacking. Will they move it for a player to boost their championship aspirations, or use it to add to their stable of RB/WR. After that first pick, they aren’t involved again until the end of the third, where they’ll likely add some defenders in hopes of replacing the retired Borland, and/or some offensive fliers. It’d take some serious injuries/underperformance to knock the Chalupas out of the playoff picture.
Long Snappers
Picks: 1.12, 2.01, 2.06, 3.04, 3.06, 4.01, 5.04
The Snappers are a mess, and are currently projected to repeat their reign as EBFL Frittatas. While the other 2014 bottom feeders are all picking early in the round, the Snappers don’t hit the draft podium until the final pick of the first round. They’ll have to hope some of the top talent falls through the cracks, but if not, they do have 5 selections from 12 to 31, so they can load up on potential. The Snappers will have to nail pretty much every pick to even have a shot at the playoffs in 2015.
Knuckle Ballers
Picks: 2.07, 3.01, 4.04, 4.07, 4.09, 5.07, 5.08
The Ballers were built to win in 2014, and things fell apart late in the season, leaving them in a rough spot; lacking the depth of talent to seriously compete, nor the high draft picks to make a quick turn around. Rob does own several mid round selections, how he uses them will ultimately decide how long his rebuild takes. Barring a minor miracle, the Ballers are likely on the sidelines for this year’s playoff tournament.
Greg Schiano is an Idiot
Picks: 2.10, 3.08, 5.06, 5.09
The Idiots had a pile of early picks, but have shrewdly turned all of those picks into talent that is ready to contribute right away, and made themselves a championship contender in the process. They do own a couple mid round picks, which likely sit on their taxi squad, waiting for an opportunity down the road. The Idiots have turned the Yobogoya Division from the laughingstock of the league, into possibly the toughest division. They should battle it out with the Bananas for the division, and possibly a league crown.
San Juan Bananas
Picks: 2.13, 5.01, 5.11
Bobber has built a solid contender, with both elite talent, and considerable depth, so he doesn’t have much in the current draft as a result. The Bananas should be able to add at least one player that should be able to contribute by 2016, and a couple late fliers as well. The GM is so confident in his team, he’s taken a vacation that overlaps the first couple days of the draft.
Deadly Nagintas
Picks: 3.09, 3.11, 4.08, 5.12
It’s fitting that the two squads that made the finals pick last, but it is somewhat surprising that their first selection isn’t until near the end of the 3rd round. The Nagintas had a surprising 2014, and mortgaged some future to help make it happen, and now they sit with nothing but late picks, with a couple major holes to fill. We don’t expect any of the Nagintas selections to contribute in 2015, and as a result, they’re likely fighting, down to the wire, to make the playoffs again.
Rex in the City
Picks: 4.12
It’s good to be king. The Rexes take home the trophy and get a nice little break come draft time. While age likely catches up with the squad, as it has with the GM, the Rexes are poised to win another division title, and should be in the mix for the championship. After that though, the wheels could come off in a hurry.
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