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n of the LGBT community.I get asked about it in rec
in Introduce Yourself As A Pony! Sun May 26, 2019 11:57 amby dasg234 • 815 Posts
Dont you do it ... dont you dare ... just dont ... I cant even ... please dont ... work with me here, false football gods ... pleaaaaase ...If youve never muttered (screamed?) something along these lines when you were next up in a fantasy draft and hoping for a certain player, well, youre not doing it right.Fantasy football drafts are all about collecting the best possible values throughout the draft, but lets not pretend there arent those players we badly want on our squads. Whether its a player on our favorite team, a sleeper no one has caught on to yet or this years big breakout performer, these players add an extra level of excitement to the roster construction process.Im not going to beat around the bush here: Last year, I nailed this thing. Lamar Miller, Mark Ingram, Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper, Allen Robinson, Drew Brees, Devonta Freeman, John Brown, Eric Decker, Philip Rivers, Zach Ertz, Dion Lewis, Richard Rodgers, Jeremy Langford ... Bishop Sankey. OK, they cant all be winners.Thats going to be a tough (impossible?) act to follow, but Ill do my best. The below round-by-round analysis will give you an idea of whats going through my head on draft day. I have my rankings. I have my projections. Ive set up tiers. And I certainly have a few of my favorite targets circled and in the queue.The CoreRound 1 target: Antonio BrownI know. I know. Who doesnt want the best player in fantasy? The reason I list Brown here is because theres a healthy debate out there as to the best position to draft from. My preference is as early as possible. If I can get my hands on Brown, I know I have one spot in my lineup filled with a player who owns both an elite floor and elite ceiling. Incredibly, Brown has finished just under half of his games as a top-10 fantasy wideout over the past two seasons.Id also be content with Julio Jones or Odell Beckham Jr. early in the first round, but Im not overly fond of a late first-round pick, simply because there is a massive tier of players of similar value. Picking early allows you to grab an elite player and then pick up two of the remaining available standouts at the second/third-round turn.Round 2 target: Mark IngramI list Ingram here because I think hes very undervalued and can actually be had in the third round of many 10- and 12-team drafts. Of course, as mentioned earlier, theres a hefty tier of similar talent that runs from the late stages of the first round through the middle of the third round. That said, youll have plenty of options no matter where you are in the order. Take the best player available, regardless of whether its a running back, wide receiver or Rob Gronkowski.As for Ingram, he racked up 216 touches and 1,174 yards in only 12 games last season. Thanks to a massive role as a receiver, Ingram provided one of the highest floors in fantasy. He finished every week he was active as a top-30 fantasy back. Ingrams shaky durability (he has missed three or more games in four of his five seasons), is a slight concern, but he also leads the NFL in carries within 3 yards of the goal line during the past two years. Ingrams high-end week-to-week production makes him a fine second-round target -- and an absolute bargain in the third.Round 3 targets: Sammy Watkins or LeSean McCoyThese wont be the first Buffalo Bills you read about today. Watkins and McCoy are both undervalued this year, primarily as a byproduct of injury-plagued 2015 campaigns. Watkins missed three games and a chunk of two others. During the 11 games he played in full, he posted 960 yards and eight touchdowns, which allowed him the sixth-most fantasy points at the position.McCoy also played 11 full games and posted 1,150 yards and five touchdowns on 224 touches. He was fantasys No. 3 scoring back during those weeks. Prior to a Week 15 injury, McCoys worst fantasy week was a 26th-place finish in Week 1. If you come out of the third round of your draft with one of these Bills, youre sitting pretty.Alshon Jeffery and Mike Evans are both falling to the third, as well, and are solid alternatives.Round 4 target: Carlos HydeThere are a lot of reasons to not like Hyde this season, and I certainly understand them. His team has a very rough schedule, he has missed 11 games due to injury over the past two seasons and Chip Kellys offense progressively flamed out during his time in Philadelphia.But too often we get caught up in the negatives and forget about the positives.Above all else, Hyde is really good at football. Since entering the league in 2014, hes averaging 2.27 yards after contact per attempt, which trails only Marshawn Lynch and LeGarrette Blount for tops at the position (min. 150 attempts). Per Pro Football Focus, he forced 32 forced missed tackles on 115 attempts last season, which was the leagues best rate among backs with more than 50 carries. Also, Hyde was at the disadvantage of facing a base defense 88 percent of the time last season, whereas Kellys fast-paced offense saw base at only a 42 percent clip. Hyde is a candidate for 250-plus carries, and is a sneaky bet for 40 receptions.Round 5 target: Eric DeckerDecker has finished three of the past four seasons as a top-10 fantasy receiver. Providing his owners with an incredibly high floor, Decker was the only receiver to post a top-30 fantasy week in each of his appearances last season. He handled one quarter of the Jets targets, when active, and paced the NFL with 30 targets while within five yards of the end zone.Whats not to like? Maybe Deckers limited ceiling (he posted just one top-10 fantasy week last season), but otherwise, not much. Decker is a borderline WR1 who you can snatch up in the fifth round. Dont pass him up.Round 6 target: Donte MoncriefAndrew Luck played seven full games last season. During those weeks, Moncrief caught 32 passes for 351 yards and five touchdowns. He enjoyed a 19 percent target share, and sat 22nd at the position in fantasy points in those weeks.During the weeks Luck was out, Moncrief caught 32 passes for 382 yards and one score. Moncrief was considered a very raw prospect when the Colts selected him in the third round of the 2014 draft. Now 23 years old and entering his first season as the teams clear-cut No. 2 receiver, Moncrief is an obvious breakout candidate. His 6-foot-2, 222-pound frame and 4.4 40-yard dash wheels provide you with the upside you want from your early-round picks.The middle roundsRound 6/7 target: Coby FleenerGronkowski and Jordan Reed aside, Fleener might have the highest ceiling of any tight end this season. But unlike Gronkowski and Reed, Fleener wont cost you an early-round pick.Jimmy Graham averaged 11.4 fantasy points per game during his years as the starter in New Orleans. His production dipped to 6.6 per game in Seattle last year. Benjamin Watson averaged 4.2 FPPG during over a 10-year period before leaping to 7.3 with the Saints last year. Fleener averaged 5.3 FPPG in Indianapolis and is in line for a generous target share in New Orleans after signing a five-year, $36 million contract during the offseason. Theres always risk when a player changes teams, but with Brees under center in the Saints high-volume offense, Fleener appears in line for a career year. All things considered, hes my ideal starter at tight end this season.Round 7 target: Danny Woodhead (or maybe Melvin Gordon)If Woodhead is on the board in the seventh round, youll have a hard time getting me to take someone else. The heavily used scat back has played two full seasons over the past three seasons. He was fantasys No. 19 scoring back in 2013, and finished 11th last year. And thats just in non-PPR leagues.Hes certainly going to go a bit earlier, but Woodhead might end up being my most-owned player in PPR leagues this year. He finished 12th in PPR fantasy points in 2013 and was third last year. Primed for the same role he played last season, which included 182 touches and plenty of work near the goal line, Woodhead is a value as early as the fourth round of PPR leagues.I also mention Gordon here because hes an intriguing post-hype sleeper, but may still be limited by an offense that scores most of its touchdowns through the air and uses Woodhead as its primary goal-line back. As noted in a recent article, however, players who struggle badly in the touchdown department on a big sample of work tend to rebound in a big way the next season. Gordon is especially worth a look here if youre weak at the position and need to take a shot at a high-upside player in the middle rounds.Round 7 target: Eli ManningIf you play in a standard/casual league at ESPN, theres a good chance quarterbacks will come off the board earlier than at other sites. For example, Cam Newton and Aaron Rodgers are currently being drafted in the second round. I certainly dont advise going that direction, which is why Manning is the first quarterback Ive recommended. However, with more advanced players waiting longer than ever, there are values to be had. Ive pounced on Newton in the fifth round a few times, and I recently took Luck as late as the seventh. Thats not going to happen in most leagues, but the message here is to watch for values throughout your draft. If your tiers at other positions dry up, dont be afraid to pounce on a value at quarterback.As for Manning specifically, he has posted four top-10 fantasy seasons during his 12-year career. Thats not good, but consider that two of the four have come during Ben McAdoos two seasons running the offense. Manning is one of the better talents at the position and will benefit from newcomer Sterling Shepard (more on him shortly) and possibly Victor Cruz; and of course, theres that guy Odell Beckham Jr. who is going in the first round. Mannings ceiling is sky-high in his third year in McAdoos offense, and he will be available as late as the 10th round in competitive leagues.Round 8 target: Gary BarnidgeIve noticed that there are values at the tight end position throughout drafts this year. Its hard to pass on Reed when he falls to the fourth round, but when you do, you often end up sitting there staring at the likes of Fleener, Delanie Walker and Tyler Eifert several rounds later. And if you pounce on one of them, suddenly the other positions are drying up and Barnidge sticks out like a sore thumb in the eighth or ninth round. I dont generally recommend taking two tight ends (especially in the first half of your draft), but if you wait at the spot, Barnidge is a terrific target. Despite dealing with some horrible quarterback play last season, the veteran broke out to the tune of 79 receptions, 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns. Only Gronkowski scored more fantasy points. Yes, the quarterback position is a problem, and the likes of Corey Coleman and Josh Gordon may chip away at his targets, but Barnidge will remain a mainstay in Clevelands offensive attack.Zach Ertz, Antonio Gates and -- if youre aiming for a high-ceiling breakout player -- Ladarius Green are also strong targets in Rounds 8 through 10.Round 8 target: Kevin WhiteWhite is a raw prospect with one productive collegiate season on his résumé, and he missed his entire rookie campaign due to a shin injury. OK, so theres obviously risk here.But there are so many reasons to be optimistic. For starters, White was the seventh overall pick in the 2015 draft for a reason. Hes a freak athlete, standing 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and ran a sub-4.4 40-yard dash. With Eddie Royal, Deonte Thompson and Joshua Bellamy his primary competition for snaps, White is guaranteed a near-every-down role. And Jay Cutler loves force-feeding his top targets the ball near the goal line. Consider that only Ben Roethlisberger (136) has thrown more passes into the confines of the end zone than Cutler (131) over the past three seasons. Only Rodgers (100 to 96) has more over the past two years. Brandon Marshall (64, 43 with Chicago) and Jeffery (53) pace all active players in end zone targets in the past three years.Yes, White is unproven and will play second fiddle to Jeffery in a run-first offense. But the combination of his athletic profile, opportunity and eight-plus-touchdown upside makes him well worth a midround pick.Round 9 target: Sterling ShepardShepard is my top-ranked rookie wide receiver. Hes a bit more expensive in PPR formats, but is a very good value in the ninth or tenth round of 10- and 12-team leagues. The moment he was drafted, it was extremely apparent that he would immediately step in as an every-down player. The Giants had a third wideout on the field on 91 percent of their pass plays last season, and have ranked second in the category during each of McAdoos two seasons. Shepard is a good bet for 70 receptions and is a sleeper to reach 90 as the teams primary possession receiver. The Manning-Shepard battery is one of my favorite ways to round out my starting lineup, but Shepard is going late enough in ESPN leagues that he could easily be your fifth receiver.Shepard is my guy here, but Marvin Jones is also an extremely nice value in the ninth.Round 10 target: Willie SneadThis time last year, Brandon Coleman was soaking up a ton of hype and Snead was a relative unknown. It took only until Week 2 for the 2014 undrafted free agent to take over as the Saints No. 2 receiver. Despite missing a game and scoring only three touchdowns, Snead powered his way to a 36th-place finish at the position, with 69 catches and 984 yards. Snead is now the teams clear-cut starter opposite Brandin Cooks and, considering hes only 23 years old, we likely havent seen his best work.Yes, rookie Michael Thomas and the aforementioned Fleener are in the mix, but they dont figure to see many more targets than Marques Colston and Watson did last season. Snead is a terrific receiver, good blocker and in a great situation. Snatch him up in the 10th round of 12-team drafts, and as late as the 12th in 10-teamers.If Snead is gone, a now-healthy Vincent Jackson is a strong alternative.Round 11 target: Tyrod TaylorTaylor was a relative unknown prior to last season -- his first as a starter -- which helps explain why hes being undervalued this year despite producing at such a high level. Taylor averaged 18.4 fantasy points per game (ninth-highest in the league) and finished as a top-10 fantasy quarterback in half of his appearances (sixth highest).Taylor sports a high floor as a result of his rushing ability (only Newton had more rushing yards among quarterbacks last year) and produces a lot of splash plays thanks to a propensity for throwing the deep ball. Taylor is a fringe starter in 10- and 12-team leagues, and you can get him in the double-digit rounds.The late-round fliersRound 12 target: Bilal PowellWhen the Jets signed Matt Forte to a three-year, $12 million contract during the offseason, the thought was that hed be the teams clear starter at running back. However, the very next day, the team re-signed Powell to a three-year, $11.25 million deal. If that isnt enough of an indication that New York values the two players similarly, consider how heavily Powell was used last season. During the nine games he played in full, Powell averaged 7.3 carries and a massive 6.8 targets per game. He sat 10th at the position in fantasy points during the span (fifth in PPR). Forte might get the starts, but this is a two-headed backfield.Also, during his eight seasons with the Bears, Forte was on the field for 2,522 snaps, which easily leads the position during the span. If the veteran takes a step back, Powell could easily take control of the Jets backfield. Hes a steal in the late rounds.Aforementioned Saints rookie Thomas sports WR2 upside and is also available in the 12th.Round 13 target: Devin FunchessFunchess was on the field for only 37 percent of the Panthers snaps as a rookie, but he certainly made an impact when called upon down the stretch. Funchess caught his first career touchdown in Week 9 and, despite accruing only 42 targets, was fantasys No. 32 scoring receiver from that game forward.Kelvin Benjamin is back from a torn ACL, but Funchess is the heavy favorite to operate as the teams second starter at the position. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound 22-year-old figures to be a boom/bust fantasy asset, but his sky-high ceiling makes him a strong late-round flier. This may sound insane, but its not inconceivable that Funchess will overtake Benjamin as the teams top receiver this season.Miss on Funchess? Travis Benjamin is worth a look as the new lid lifter in San Diego.Round 14-16 targets: High-ceiling handcuffs and breakout candidatesWere assuming a 16-round draft here, so this is the point where league rules come into play. If youre drafting using the ESPN standard settings, youll be forced to select both a defense and a kicker. Fine. Ill cover my favorite targets at those spots later.However, if youre not, this is a spot where you can gain a leg up on your competition. Most of your league-mates are going to select at least one kicker and defense and let them rot on their roster until Week 1. Why? I have no idea. Dont be like your league-mates. In lieu of those positions, gather up handcuffs at other positions (especially running back) and wait for injuries to strike during the preseason. If you have the Rams defense rostered and Ingram tears his ACL, you have the Rams defense. If you have Tim Hightower rostered and Ingram tears his ACL, you have a fringe RB1. Oh, and you can always drop two players and pick up a defense with a good matchup and a decent kicker just prior to Week 1. By the way, if your league is hosted here at ESPN (why wouldnt it be?), one way around the draft restrictions is to cut your kicker and defense after the draft, and pick up one of these high-upside players.Now that my disclaimer is out of the way, here are the players you should be considering, as well as the round in which each player is currently being selected in ESPN 12-team leagues:Round 14: Devontae Booker, Will Fuller, Dorial Green-BeckhamUnlike a few other rookie backs we will discuss, Booker has very little competition for a massive role in the event of a C.J. Anderson injury. Fuller is running with the starters in Houston and figures to provide boom/bust flex production if he plays a significant role. Green-Beckham is far from guaranteed an every-down role, but if he earns a starting job, theres massive breakout potential here.Round 15: Sammie Coates, Phillip Dorsett, Josh DoctsonCoates is generating a ton of offseason hype and rightfully so with Martavis Bryant done for the year. Coates is the heavy favorite for the teams No. 3 receiver gig and very well could blow by Markus Wheaton early this season. Dorsett will be on the field for most Colts passing plays as the teams No. 3 receiver. Like Fuller, hes likely to be a boom/bust producer, but could score six or seven touchdowns as a field stretcher in a high-scoring, pass-heavy offense. Doctson wont play much early on, but is a Pierre Garcon or DeSean Jackson injury away from WR3 status.Round 16: Jerick McKinnon, C.J. Prosise, Jordan HowardThe 2015 season was a busy one for backup running backs, but Adrian Peterson held up for 16 games, which left McKinnon without a fair shot to emerge. He has some standalone value in PPR leagues and RB1 upside if 31-year-old Peterson misses time. A hamstring injury has hampered Prosises offseason reps, but hes expected to handle passing-down duties in Seattle, and could do more if Thomas Rawls falters. Howard will be the hot add if (when?) Jeremy Langford cant get the job done as lead back in Chicago this season.Undrafted: Nelson Agholor, Breshad Perriman, Jaelen Strong, DeAndre Washington, Paul Perkins, Tim Hightower, Spencer Ware, Keith Marshall, Alex Collins, KaDeem CareyAs if we needed more proof that the league is as deep as ever with talent, check out this group of players currently going undrafted in ESPN leagues. Its shocking to see Agholor here, as hes both a starter and was a first-round pick last year. Perriman (knee) wont play much early, but it may not be long before hes pushing for an every-down role. Hes the Ravens best athlete at receiver. Washington, Perkins, Collins and Marshall are intriguing rookie backs on teams with a shaky situation at the position. Hightower and Ware are the next men up behind Ingram and Jamaal Charles, respectively. Like Howard, Carey will be a candidate for big role if Langford struggles.Defense /special teamsOK, so you have to pick a defense and kicker. Who are your best bets? Across the industry, I think the Bengals are underappreciated and make for a solid target. Here at ESPN, we have them ranked high, however, so theyre being scooped up in the 10th round. The Raiders, Patriots and Vikings units are generally available in the final two or so rounds and should be on your radar if youre eyeing a long-term option. If youre streaming (usually the wise route), get ahead of the competition by considering units with a light Week 1 matchup. The Vikings (vs. Titans), Rams (vs. 49ers) and Eagles (vs. Browns) are your best bets (in that order) among units available in the last few rounds.By the way, the rule of thumb is to spend your second-to-last draft pick on a defense and last on a kicker. But if youre in a league where you know that pretty much every other team is going to follow that strategy, beat your opponents to the punch and grab these positions a round early. Youll have a leg up and the same players you were considering in the 14th round will still be there in the 16th.KickerIts hard to get too excited about a kicker, but my favorite targets this year are Dan Bailey and Josh Brown. Bailey is the leagues most accurate kicker since he entered the league in 2011 and the Dallas offense will be much better this season. Hes going in the 12th round, however, so Brown is the cheaper late-round target. Browns 93.1 percent field goal conversion rate is third best in the league over the past two years and serves as the cherry on top if you followed my road map and scooped up Manning as your quarterback.-So, there you have it. My recipe for a 2016 fantasy football championship. Remember, this piece should not serve as your only draft board. Its simply the players Ive found myself targeting and, with ADP in mind, that I would love to have on my squad this year.Nike Vapormax Wholesale China . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Vapormax Run Utility Black . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night. http://www.airvapormaxwholesale.com/vapormax-run-utility.html . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. Off White Vapormax Wholesale . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. Air Vapormax 97 Sale .Y. -- Jayna Hefford scored the winning goal Friday as Canada survived a scare with a 4-3 win over Sweden at the Four Nations womens hockey tournament.CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina coach Roy Williams told ESPN he hasnt been asked to attend the NCAAs Division I Committee on Infractions hearing and is optimistic he wont need to go, despite the fact that the school still hasnt been notified of who will be expected to be in attendance.Williams said he was uncertain of the actual date of the hearing, only to say hes hopeful its very soon.North Carolina officials have not been told the date of the meeting and dont yet know who will be asked to attend.Williams name was mentioned once in the initial NCAA report, and it was to reference the date of the interview. He wasnt mentioned at all in the amended notice. The NCAA has alleged five Level 1 violations -- none involving the mens basketball program.If Williams isnt asked to attend the COI hearing, it would further the notion that the Tar Heels coach and his program wont be hit with significant sanctions following a lengthy academic fraud investigation at the school.Williams said he has been investigated as much as anyone over the past few years.Five investigations, five different groups that concluded Roy Williams didnt know what was going on, didnt know anything about it, he said. Were down the stretch run now.In fact, UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham confirmed to ESPN that there were a total of eight investigations.Williams said that the investigations havent just affected recruiting, but also worn on him emotionally. Williams said that three knee surgeries in the past year, along with a vertigo attack on national television last season, contributed to the growing speculation he was going to retire.Add that, limping around and Im not feeling good, I can understand it last year, Williams said. The other thing with me is all the junk I was putting up with that I was not involved.dddddddddddd Nobodys been investigated as much as I have. We were not involved. ... With the whole thing, you put it together, I can see why somebody said it last year because of the way I looked.However, the 66-year-old Williams said he played golf eight times since his latest knee surgery and has no intention of stepping away anytime soon.As long as Im healthy, Im going to keep coaching, Williams said. Coach [Dean] Smith told me years ago he retired too early and Im not going to do that.Williams said he also recently has had to deal with the ramifications of the HB2 controversy -- in which events have been moved out of the state of North Carolina as a result of the controversial House Bill 2 law that limits the legal protection of the LGBT community.I get asked about it in recruiting, Williams said. Its put our state in a very negative situation. Im embarrassed by it, Im sad about it, I dont like it. Very, very passionate about it. In a way youve got to be very careful because people going to say your school -- state supported. But were wrong. Were wrong. Thats all you can say is were wrong. The worst thing about it is its given people a different image of our state than what it truly is.Thats the saddest thing, he continued. A guy asked me the other day, How can you live there? Im thinking, Gracious. Thats the saddest thing. Its given people outside the state a terrible opinion of our state, and a terrible opinion of the people of our state -- and I think theyre wrong. I just think its wrong. That has caused things to happen that is harmful to our state -- and is harmful to the reputation of the people of the state. ' ' '
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