The Good The Bad and The Ugly

 

Incredible journeys have been traveled. Numerous bad beats taken. Lots of suffering endured. Fortunes have been both lost and found. Battles have been conqured. Alliances formed and broken. 

It's week 8. 

There is still much to be determined as we continue to navigate the hellacious path of minefields week to week that is Fantasy Football. Nothing easy is worth having and what is worth more than a PWS title ? There have been winners and losers thus far, but everything can change in just 1 single week in the NFL. Let's take a gander at the landscape of PWS.

The Good

KHH 

Is there anything better than KHH right now ? Short answer no. Lamar - Good. CMC - Good. Jordan Addison - Good. Kamara with broke arm checkdown McGee Derek Carr  - Good. Mark Andrews - Good. Waiver priority  - hella-good. So much good begs the question... how could it go bad? George seems destined to overcome his titanic woes and cruise to his first title in 15 years. 

What if though.... what if Lamar reverts back from his MVP form to his past years of sitting on the sidelines is December? If so can George overcome ? What if Zay Flowers over takes Mark Andrews as Lamars top target and Andrews becomes more bust than boom? What if CMC breaks down much like he has not once but twice in his career? Could George overcome ? There are doomsday scenarios that keep G-baby up at night. Will the fear of those nightmares sway George to mismanage the hoes further establishing him as the Dallas Cowboys of the league? Only time will tell.

DraftJoshAllen.com

Has their been a more quiet contender than everyone's favorite Muddog Tyler Branch ? He's been in the top 3 all season. Josh Allen bust weeks and uneven play can't phase him. Losing not just James Conner, but Fantasy World shattering De'Von Achane. Who cares ? Broken shoulder Derek Carr has capped Olave's upside for the shorterm. Doesn't matter. Josh Jacobs has been severely underwhelming. Yawn. Branch just stays winning. His trajectory could put him on a collision course with none other than George Bradley in the post season. Who doesn't want to see that come to fruition ? Tyler is a legit contender despite all the tribulation my Muddog Bretheren has endured. Just imagine if his players get healthy/start achieving their upside? 

The Cream Team

At first they were getting creamed but now they hot and their opponents are getting Reamed. Brotherly shoves, Swifties loves, Hockensens sticky gloves and Pachecos TD lugs have Sam saying "I'm the tower of power too sweet to be sour" 

Sam has overcome early losses and RB mediocrity to sit at 5-2. With the current state of the standings he appears to be a near lock for the playoffs. Where could it go bad ? It appears as though the Cream Team although too hot to handle and too cold to hold right now lacks the elite upside it takes to capture eternal PWS glory. I fear not even 2 boss ass TEs can overcome the capped upside of Sam's RB stable. Will he make a legendary league winning trade to change the course of his legacy ? Only time will tell.

The Dirty Birds

But Joe.... they don't have any RBs. I know. It's true their RBs could be labeled bad if not down right ugly. They don't currently have the backs needed to carry them to a championship. I still think there's a good chance the Dirty Birds fly into the playoffs. Their "Big 3" are nothing short of special. So what if.... just what if Soliz gets his hands on a boss ass RB? What if najee goes down, Matt Canada gets fired or assassinated by a crazed Steelers fan ? Warren could have a nuclear eruption. What if Soliz is able to find a RB benefactor via trade ? Impossible? I think it's definitely possible from the looks of many "punt" PWS trades over the last couple of years. 

WelkersemohaM

What is it about Mike that has people sending him their best players every year ? Is it that Payroll Cowboy Charm ? Has he secretly mastered the art of hypnotism ? Is he taking out Branch loans and bribing people under the table ? Whatever the case Mike has assembled yet another Super team. What could go wrong with the roster stacked with clearly the most talent ? Could JT breakdown yet again ? Could Burrow single handedly nose dive Chases value ? Could Kupp get Puka-ed ? Could Kelce elope with Taylor Swift leaving Mahomes more lost on the field than the puppy who lost his way ? Possible, or perhaps this is the year Mike's Super team finally goes the distance.

The People's Champ

Brett has done a more than admirable job navigating the early pitfalls of the season as he sits 6th in the standings and 5th in points. Brett is also ever prepared for doomsday Sundays picking up seemingly every available handcuff and at times couch potatoes. Never know when a couch potato like Darrell Henderson might just become an RB2. Brett has an elite stack and an elite RB. So what if Fields comes back and picks up the DJ Moore DB roast tour ? What if Gibbs lives up to the hype ? What if Mishew mania unlocks Pittman ? Could Brett capture that ever elusive green jacket? It is firmly within the range of outcomes for The People's Hero.

The Bad

The Papa Burgundys

Their uneven, underwhelming start is largely due to unfortunate injuries particularly in the RB department. Tua has been unable to carry the team thus far. The burgundys replacements have been ugly and one might even dare to say toilet store esk after 6 straight weeks under 100. So how could the Burgundys possibly rise back to number one in the news team ratings ? Enter Jaylen Waddle. Now equipped with a stack with elite upside they might just have the volatility to go as Soliz would say... BOOM 💥. What if that's not enough ? What else might it take? Perhaps the Return of the King Fantasy Football edition could level the playing field? Haters will speak of the usage of spears. Especially in negative game scripts, but what if Vrabel decides to just run every last bit of Henry to stay relevant in the AFC south ? Not convinced? Well what if the Titans venture to the opposite end of the spectrum and have a fire sale ? Henry goes to a contender and becomes a CMC like 2nd half as he enjoys one last ride of RB1 glory. Oh yeah and that would vault Spears into RB2 territory for good measure.

PS Josh Palmer might actually be good now and JSN might take over as Seattle's numero uno.

Miller Gold Agency

It has definitely been bad if not borderline ugly for the Agency thus far. Burrow and JT tanked their early season prospects. Then Chase was shipped off just before his return to glory. How do you live with that kind of failure? The answer is simple. You fight. You need some things to break right in the 2nd half sure, but it's not outside the realm of possibility. What if Burrow bounces back ? What if Ridley actually is utilized appropriately? What if Rashee Rice becomes a high end WR 2 ? Hell what if Javontae and Rhamondre don't suck ? Every week brings new changes to the landscape. Find a way to survive till they do.

The Cake Eaters

A Roster as talented as the cake eaters has had very little cake to eat, yet been stuck with the massive dinner bill not even Rich pretty boy Banksy can afford. Phillip has been left washing dishes in the back kitchen wondering where it all went wrong. Perhaps, things haven't gone as wrong as they seem. Perhaps Phillip has everything needed to rise up in epic fashion. Ekeler, Saquon and Breece lightning all hold league winning upside. What if they all go on a run ? What if Devonta Smith cries and Hurts starts utilizing his skill set to perfection ? What if Kyler Murray returns and gets off to a hot start ? Who's to say Phillips phone wouldn't be blown up with texts from George pleading for him ? What if Phillip lands Lamar? So much potential for a 2-5 team. I wouldn't bet against a playoff run. 

Sunday Scaries

Drew has been on arguably the best run in PWS history since his 2nd year in the league. It's hard to fathom how things have fallen so far off course. The cherry on top this past week was Bijans "headaches". What the heck was that ? Drew might be in dead last, but his resume makes it hard to count him out. Imagine a world where Bijan doesn't have headaches. Imagine a world where Bijan gets goaline carries. Imagine Trevor Lawrence living up to the hype. Imagine Higgins being healthy. Imagine Dameon Pierce scoring TDs. The road back might be long and riddled with obstacles, but one that can be Navigated by a true Champion like Drew.

The Ugly

AggSwaggg

Nothing was uglier than the injury suffered by Nicholas Chubb. Heartbreaking. Devastating. Was the Jefferson injury the "coup de grace" ? Can the swaggies survive till the Receiving king returns ? Will a return even save their season ? Will Watson ever decide to play and play well? Magic 8 ball says outlook bleak.

Week 1 After math

 

Every new Football season induces so many great feelings. Everyone has high hopes for their fantasy team. Everyone has aspirations of claiming their main leagues title. For glory. For bragging rights and yes even for some cold hard cash. The anticipation for week 1 of the NFL season is indescribable as the insatiable desire to see your players are as good or even better than you thought. When that magical week finally arrives it never fails to bring chaos. Half of us feel our fantasy prowess and summer preparation vindicated while the other half feels like Kevin Malone after losing to Phyllis in poker.  Allow me to examine what that looks like in PWS specifically.

THE HAVES

The Dirty Birds

Who is feeling better than the guy to execute the first true Zero RB strategy in league history and escape week 1 with a victory despite his QB getting ZERO points? Soliz avoided RBs in the draft like a plague. For the outsiders reading this you may be thinking zero RB has been a common strategy for years and we are behind the times. you could not be more wrong. This league is still standard scoring and although there have been many strategies investing very little in RBs there has never been someone to walk away from a draft without a starting RB. After receiving much criticism  Soliz was content to ride into week 1 without making any moves. He refuted every bit of criticism with boasts of "BOOM" weeks by his WRs. Tyreek Hill fulfilled the prophecy week 1. The only question that remains is will Soliz look to double down on his squad or will he be looking to spend some early FAAB on the likes of Kelly, Kyren, or even Justice Hill ?

KHH

Speaking of BOOM weeks, how about Aaron Jones and CMC ? Stepping up in a big BIG way for Lamar and the rest of the hoes roster. Did the win come at the cost of Aaron Jones for multiple weeks or will Jones fight through it for his most loyal of managers, George Bradley? Does George trust Lamar ROS ? Will George jump back aboard the Titanic? In the midst of all these burning questions will George simply stop at a gas station on his way to work and pick up the latest fantasy magazine for answers ? Only time will tell.

The Papa Burgundys

He may have lost dobbins, but that didn't stop him from leading the league in scoring. In a week that begged the question "are QBs dead" Tua stood tall amongst his peers with a statement game. Is this the beginning of the next great QB, or just another flash in the pan like last year ? Will Holeman look to break the bank for one of the available RBs on waivers ? We will know shortly. Either way the outlook is great for the 4 time Champ.

Sunday Scaries

What more can you say that hasn't already been said about the man quickly becoming "Mr. Consistent" aka The defense whisperer aka All I do is win Drew Jones ? He took a goose egg from Higgins on the chin and still finished 2nd in scoring thanks to the tyrannical  and utterly terrifying Dallas Defense and Aiyuk. The lack of goaline carries for Bijan are concerning, but he looked better than advertised in his NFL debut. With no holes on his roster Drew might be the early betting favorite to capture the 2023 Championship.

DraftJoshAllen.com

The winner of a surprisingly dramatic match up must have a lot of mixed feelings. On the one hand Branch escaped with a victory. On the other Josh Allen might have ran his patience thin. Pollard is a stud and should be in tons of positive game scripts thanks to the dominant Dallas Defense. Carr wants to take shots and it should just be a matter of time before he starts connecting with Olave. Puka might be the darling of September. Possibly even the season if Kupp can't get healthy. All in all I'd say Branch is in good shape.

Agg Swaggg

The Swagggies somehow come out of week 1 with a victory despite starting multiple players that would have even a 16 man league manager scratching their heads. Right now it might not matter as long as Watson is putting up 20+ paired with Jefferson and Chubb, but when bye weeks and injuries start to take place it's hard to imagine being able to fall back on Adam Thielen, Allen Lazard, Courtland Sutton and Hollywood. With 8 players on the roster worthy of immediately dropping will the Swagggies look to utilize their FAAB, or will they be drunk off a week 1 win ? I can't wait to find out.

THE HAVE NOTS

Miller Gold Agency

If there was anyone more depressed than myself after week 1 it would be Dylan. Watching his golden stack of Burrow to Chase get completely neutralized by rust and bad weather must have been miserable. Jonathan Taylor can't come back soon enough. The silver lining for the Agency is without question Calvin Ridley. He looked ungaurdable in the first half of week 1. Should prove to be a common thing rest of season. Dylan will need to find a way to topgrade Tyler Boyd and Swift. Perhaps we will see Dylan active in the early waiver bidding. I'm excited to see.

The Peoples Champ

That says it all. After all the hype we won't get to see a potential meteoric year 2 rise from baby Jefferson. The Chargers "aggressive" "downfiled throwing" "pass heavy" offense we heard about all summer long left a lot to be desired. The Hawks face planted week 1 against an opponent many of us thought to be a bottom dweller this year and on top of that lost 2 lineman. Not an ideal start, but if the Chargers offense can start to resemble the one they claimed to be this summer many of these deficiencies can be masked.

WelkersemoahM

Kupp on IR. Bad. Mahomes without Kelce, not ideal. After week 1 Mike needed to make a move and he nailed it. Perfectly selling high on Pittman after what could prove to be a fools gold performance week 1. Also getting value in return for an injured player on an offense with an already decimated O-line is probably a smart move as well. Still there's much to be desired and more moves needed without the good health of Kupp and a full complement of weapons for Mahomes in order for the squad to make a special run. 

The Cream Team

The Cream Team was true to their name week one and got creamed thanks to duds by their studs. Sam had the misery of witnessing Pacheco in a 3 way committee. Cam Akers do his best Dionte Johnson efficiency impersonation while also getting wally pipped by Kyren Williams twice at the goaline. Scary Terry is not at full strength and Travis Kelce is hurt. All that being said the silver linings to week 1 for the cream team come in the form of Gainwells usage and the Gus bus. With new RB blood in the mix for week 2 will it HURT SO GOOD again ?

Little Giants 

The highest scorer of the losers saw the Hawks and Steelers both implode. Both squads had good outlooks coming into the season so we should see brighter days for Geno and Najee, but week 1 was definitely concerning. What wasn't concerning was Breece Hall. He looks better than ever and could be a top 5 back in just a couple weeks if Zach Wilson can prove to have any competency at all running the offense.

The Straight haired Pimps

I must admit this was one of my most embarrassing losses. At least in recent memory. When I saw my opponent was starting not only Allen Lazard but Adam Thielen as well I thought it was a joke. The joke turned out to be my week 1 performance. So many dark and negative thoughts building. Threatening to consume my very soul, but I've looked at my team countless times since Sunday. Reviewing the stats. Looking back at the film. Looking ahead to see how it all projects for week 2. We will be making changes and we will be spending FAAB. I cannot live with my own failure. We will be aggressive in making changes to better position ourselves.

See you boys in week 2!

2023 NFL Draft Preview: QB Prospects & ChatGPT

 

The year is 2004 & Alex Proyas’ blockbuster “I, Robot” is hitting theaters. Detective Del

Spooner (Will Smith) is charged with investigating the death of a US Robotics scientist who

happened to be developing a “humanoid” robot. Fast forward to 2023, and Artificial Intelligence

is sweeping the planet. From fake Drake songs (banger, by the way) to full on business plans and

sitcom scripts, ChatGPT, and its potential, has the internet in a frenzy.

With the NFL draft only a few days away, I thought it would be interesting to preview the next

crop of football’s superstars while integrating this new AI technology. I asked ChatGPT to rank a

few of the 2023 quarterback prospects to get a feel for how a bunch of code that I don’t really

understand views talent versus my highly un-qualified, untrained eye. 

Below is the prompt I fed ChatGPT.

“Rank the following quarterback prospects: Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Will Levis, Anthony

Richardson, & Hendon Hooker ”

Below is what the robot spit back at me, with my analysis in red.

“As an AI language model, I do not have access to the most recent data and scouting reports to

make an accurate assessment of the current crop of quarterback prospects. However, based on

general ranking factors, here is the ranking of these quarterbacks:”

(This big, bad computer program doesn’t even have access to current data and statistics?

Advantage, humans.)

1. Bryce Young

     - He has impressive physical attributes, mental processing skills, and potential to

    develop into a successful NFL quarterback.

    - Impressive physical attributes, huh? Nothing screams “NFL QB” like a 5’10” QB

    that drank enough water before the NFL Combine to make the good people of

    Flint, Michigan blush, just to weigh in at over 200 pounds. All that aside, I think

    ChatGPT is correct in its ranking of Young. Despite his small frame, he is the

    most polished quarterback in this class. 

2. CJ Stroud

    - He has shown great potential and impressive production in his college career so

    far, with good physical attributes and mental processing skills.

    - Sensing a theme with the language ChatGPT uses. In this case, it’s correct in that

    Stroud has good physical attributes. However, there are concerns with his mental

    processing skills under pressure and with a collapsing pocket. Stroud had the

    luxury of playing with NFL-caliber guys along the offensive line and skill

    positions.(You mean to tell me there’s ANOTHER Marvin Harrison?) 

    I do agree with ranking Stroud in the second spot, though.

3. Anthony Richardson

    - He has shown impressive physical attributes, but may need to develop his mental

    processing skills and consistency.

    - The computer nailed this one. Anthony Richardson might be the most physically

    gifted quarterback the NFL has ever seen. (Think Cam Newton, but MORE

    athletic). However, his accuracy leaves much to be desired. He hasn’t shown the

    ability to cycle through his progressions and deliver an accurate ball. Even though

    his ceiling is sky-high, I don’t feel comfortable ranking him at number three,

    though he’s not much further down my board at number four.

4. Hendon Hooker

    - He has shown good production in college and has solid physical attributes, but

    may need to improve his mental processing and decision making skills.

    - This one is fun. Hooker is interesting considering he had a very successful college

    career, though it was cut short by a torn ACL. He’ll also be 25 years old when

    drafted. Anytime a quarterback 25 or older is drafted, my mind immediately races

    to Brandon Weeden. Quarterbacks typically need a couple years to adjust to the 

    NFL game and I’d have a hard time giving the keys to Hooker, who I have as my

    fifth ranked QB.

5. Will Levis

    - He has shown potential in his college career so far, but needs more consistent

    production and improvement in his mental processing skills.

    - Levis is currently the odds-on favorite to be drafted with the second pick. While I

    don’t agree with Levis as the second QB taken, I like him more than the computer

    does. He had a stellar 2021 season behind a good offensive line but struggled with

    consistency in 2022 behind an offensive line that was weaker than Johnny

    Manziel’s liver in 2014. Levis has a rocket arm, quick release, & the athleticism to 

    escape a collapsing pocket. I have him ranked as my number three QB in this class.

Overall, ChatGPT did a decent job in evaluating the incoming rookie quarterback class, though it

lacks the nuance to truly evaluate human attributes. That being said, the following quote from

2004’s I, Robot rings surprisingly relevant in 2023.

“Human beings have dreams. Even dogs have dreams, but not you, you are just a machine. An

imitation of life. Can a robot write a symphony? Can a robot turn a... canvas into a beautiful

masterpiece?” That answer is an emphatic yes.

Mock draft 1.5 ?

 

After being overwhelmed with excitement from the NFL Combine I put together an early March mock draft. I only released the first 12 picks as sort of a teaser. So I guess we will call this one Mock Draft 1.5.

First we begin by editing who has the number 1 pick. Instead of projecting a trade with the Colts I now know that pick has been dealt to the Panthers. My initial thoughts were the Panthers would move up to 5 to land combine darling Anthony Richardson. Now that they have moved up to numero uno they seem primed to take CJ Stroud. What if they loved all three of Young, Stroud and Richardson? You could move back to 4 and let the Colts have their pick of the litter. Doing so would open the door for someone like the Raiders to move up to 3 and crash your party. Do you take your chances ? What if there was another option ? Remember when the then San Diego Chargers drafted Eli Manning at 1 then waited for the Giants to be on the clock before making a trade ? Why not try to do the same thing ? Let's dive in.

1. Panthers - CJ Stroud 

This is reading the tea leaves and connecting dots. Stroud is now the betting favorite to end up as the 1st overall pick. The Panthers made this move after Stroud put on an absolute clinic at the combine. A stage Bryce Young didn't compete on and Josh McCown, the Panthers QB coach loves Stroud for what that's worth. Whether he goes number 1 or 2 he is worth the shot. The man is silky-smooth. He throws the ball effortlessly and with pristine accuracy (69.3 career completion %). He consistently hits his WRs in stride and throws away from defenders to give his guys every opportunity to make plays after the catch. His effectiveness as a runner is a major question and amplified further by his unwillingness to run the 40. He's still the most polished passer in this class and a slam dunk top 5 pick with franchise altering upside.

2. Texans - Bryce Young 

Rejoice . I know a lot of Texans fans want Bryce Young and all signs point to that once pipe dream coming to fruition after the Panthers trade. Young is a special talent and potential franchise changer. The concerns of his size were quelled a bit by his 204 lb combine weigh in. He's locked in to the top 2 spots.

3. Cardinals - Will Anderson

After losing Chandler Jones and JJ Watt in back to back off-seasons this is the perfect opportunity for the Cardinals to reload the edge. Anderson is seen by most as the top edge prospect in the draft. I am in the minority disagreeing with that assessment but right now he's the most likely candidate for the 3rd overall selection. 

4. Colts - Anthony Richardson 

There could be a handful of teams trying to move up to 3 to select Anthony Richardson. I think the Cardinals would have to be blown away to move down as they are in position to take whoever they view as the drafts top defensive player. Fresh off one of the greatest combine performances of all time AR15 looks primed to crack the top 5. His throwing portion of the combine was uneven, but partially due to Stroud throwing flawlessly after him in every drill. His elite athleticism should trump those concerns. The only question to me is if he stays with the Colts or if we see a draft day swap and his talents plus picks head to Carolina in exchange for CJ Stroud. Crazy to trade up to number one only to essentially trade back down? Perhaps, but the Panthers supporting cast is about as bleak as it gets. Richardsons elite athleticism can make up for that. 

5. Seahawks - Jalen Carter

 At one point do you stop the slide and take the best defensive player in the draft if not the best overall player? I think Pete Carrol is just the man for Carter despite the off field and pro day concerns.

6. Lions - Devon Witherspoon 

After Christian Gonzalez just crushed the combine it's possible he gets the nod for first corner off the board. Witherspoon is still my number 1 corner. The passer rating on targets his way was just 25.3.... 25.3 on 62 targets. His plays in the run game and tenacity attacking  short passes just scream a Dan Campbell guy.

7. Raiders - Will Levis

With Anthony Richardson off the board Will Levis is the last remaining QB that projects as a top 10 pick. His throwing performance at the combine was uneven at best, but the Raiders don't have much of a choice. McDaniels has to swing. Even if they land Jimmy Garoppolo they still likely look to draft a QB with their first pick.

8. Falcons - Tyree Wilson

The Falcons need a lot. It's possible they look to trade down if 4 QBs are already off the board. I'm going to assume they keep the pick for now and slot Wilson in to give them much needed pass rush juice after generating just 21 sacks last season (2nd worst). Wilson can be slow off the snap at times, but his rush generates some serious heat. Prime examples Here.

9. Bears - Christian Gonzalez

Here are some Bears defensive stats from last season: league lowest 20 sacks and 43 QB hits. 94.4 opponent passer rating (7th worst) opponent completion % 67.2 (5th worst) Y/A 8.0 LEAGUE WORST! They desperately need pass rushers. With Wilson and Carter off the board I believe they can pivot to the secondary. Christian Gonzalez is 6'1" 197 and ran a 4.38 forty with a 41.5 vertical. He projects as a shutdown corner and that is a highly sought after commodity. Surely he can help improve on those numbers.

10. Eagles - Bijan Robinson

The Eagles have such a luxury here. They don't really have any holes. They won the NFC with ease and now they have 2 first round picks including this 10th overall selection. It does feel a bit rich for Bijan here especially with how deep this RB class is, but if the Eagles don't think he will be around at 30 they might just take the plunge and upgrade an already lethal rushing attack.

11. Titans - Peter Skoronski 

The Titans are in trouble. Rebuild ? Reload ? Mike Vrabel is one of the best coaches in the league and I'm sure wants to figure out a way to reload, but I don't see a path for that. Their best player is fighting father time and their QB1 is pretty lame. They just released Taylor Lewan so no matter what they decide they are going to need to upgrade their OL. Skoronski strikes me as a Vrabel guy.

12. Texans - Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Does Demeco Ryans go defense here? Probably, but wouldn't it be more fun to pair Bryce Young with a talented WR? JSN is an elite route runner. Just ask Steve Smith Sr! He claims Njigba has a PHD in route running. He seperates with ease and despite the concerns about his speed he is dangerous after the catch. He posted some of the best agility numbers at the combine over the last 15 years and is sure to have his stock climb as we approach the Draft. 

13. *TRADE* Packers - Jordan Addison 

I think it's actually happening Jets fans. Following the Brett Favre blue print it appears Mr. Rodgers is coming to your neighborhood. It's a bit early to have any idea what the 2023 Packers are going to look like, but it appears they are ready for Love. Will they be looking in all the wrong places with Rodgers gone? Only time will tell, but I personally would find great irony in them finally taking a WR round 1 in their first season without Rodgers. Seems fitting and would fill what is still a large void especially with Allen Lazard likely to be wooed to another team in Free Agency. Addison would compliment Watson really well as a much more polished route runner.

14. Patriots - Lukas Van Ness

Aside from the fact Dupree would approve of him he's 6'5" 272 running 4.58 and nicknamed Hercules. LVN is one of the top edge prospects in the draft. Watch an example here of him getting down the line and exploding up the field. With zero playoff wins sans Brady Coach Belicheck may just look to the Greek Gods for help. He also blocked 2 punts and we all know Bill loves his special teams.

15. Packers - Nolan Smith

The Packers are another team in serious need of pass rushing juice. Is 15 too high for Nolan Smith ? Is this an overreaction to his other worldy combine performance? Perhaps, but fortune favors the brave. After running 4.38 and adding a vertical of 41.5 I think it is infact worth the risk at 15.

16. *TRADE* Chiefs - Quentin Johnston 

With Frank Clark out the door KC is going to have to address the edge but this class is deep. Last off-season KC traded away Tyreek Hill and their offense didn't skip a beat. However, their deep strikes weren't there. With extra picks I think the Cheifs will aggressively target a downfiled threat for Mahomes. Johnston averaged 17.8 ypc last season. Would be a perfect fit.

17. Steelers - Joey Porter Jr

Jordan Addison and Njigba are off the board. 2 of the 3 top corners are off the board. Only one thing to say. Bring him home. Not just because of his family ties to the burgh and not just because he would fill a need. Jr is a 6'2 1/2" corner that just ran 4.46. He only surrendered 143 yards last season. He projects to be a press corner with shut down label potential. Bring him home.

18. Lions - Calijah Kancey

More beef for Dan Campbells defense. Kancey blazed a 4.67 forty at the combine. There's concerns about his arm length and ability to fight double teams, but his college production (30 hurries and 8 sacks) lined up with elite combine metrics. He received a grade of 91.8 from PFF. He's worth the risk of run game liability if he can generate pressure up the middle with Hutchinson attacking from the edge.

19. Bucs - Bryan Bresee

Do the Bucs have any idea what their QB situation is going to look like in the post Brady era ? Are they serious about Trask ? Will famous Jamies Winston return to save the franchise? While that's getting resolved I'm going to go ahead and slot Bryan Bresee here. The Bucs gave up 4.5 ypc last season which is unacceptable with Vita Vea. They could use the extra help. Bresee can play NT, three-technique and even edge if needed. His versatility and strong presence in the run game can bring the bucs D-Line back to glory.

20. Seahawks - O'Cyrus Torrence

Perhaps a bit rich here, but Gabe Jackson is on the wrong side of 30 and only received a grade of 55 by PFF last season. Upgrading the guard position could make Kenneth Walker and the run game down right scary. Not to mention Torrence didn't allow a single hit on his QB last season. Editor note Gabe Jackson has been cut. I think we were on to something

21. Chargers - Paris Johnson Jr 

I think the Chargers could definitely look to bring in another playmaker at WR. They might not think Zay Flowers gives enough diversity from Keenan Allen to take the plunge.  They have gone OL the last 2 drafts in round 1 so why not 3 in a row and upgrade their right tackle position? Paris played both right guard and left tackle in college and seems both versatile and willing to play any spot when called upon.

22. Ravens - Myles Murphy

What will the Ravens do ? The only thing I can say for sure that they will or won't do is that they will not be giving Lamar Jackson a fully guaranteed contract. I'm sure they would love to leap ahead of the Steelers and take a corner, but unfortunately they don't really have the ammo. Murphy is one of the highest ranked pass rushers in this class. He didn't compete at the combine aside from the bench press, but he shows good athleticism on film. Here he chases down Zay Flowers.

23. Vikings - Deonte Banks

Without a 2nd round pick and with needs at multiple defensive positions along with needing a replacement for Adam Thielen the Vikings are a prime trade down candidate. Without a partner that makes sense currently I pencil in Banks. 6'0" 197 lb corner that blazed a 4.35 forty and impressed with his 42" vertical. Banks wasn't the most productive of college corners but his athleticism profile has the looks of a first round talent. He likely won't need to be too productive in year one to help upgrade a secondary that gave up the 2nd most passing yards and 3rd most Y/A.

24. Jags - Dawand Jones

Both tackles for the Jags were underwhelming last year. Both receiving grades of 61 or less by PFF. Jones gave up exactly zero sacks and zero QB hits last season. At 6'8" 374 lbs Jones is a mountain. His lateral ability is a question mark by some, but he performed more than adequately in combine drills. The big thing that stands out to me after watching some of his film is the defenders seem to immediately hit the ground every time he down blocks. He's called big Thanos by some, but this guy should be nicknamed IHOP

25. Giants - Zay Flowers

The Giants have to take a WR round 1 right? They just gave Daniel Jones a 160 million dollar contract. He's going to need weapons to throw to. Zay is a dynamic playmaker and pristine route runner. Just listen to Steve Smith talk about him. Zay Flowers might just be baby AB. He would agree with you too calling himself a combination of Steve Smith and AB. 

26. Cowboys  - Michael Mayer

With Dalton Schultz likely gone the Cowboys are going to have a pretty large void to fill. Rumors are they are looking for another WR, but Michael Gallup should be much more productive this season being over a year removed from his ACL tear. Schultz served as a great security blanket for Dak and Mayer would do more than fill those shoes. He can shake defenders and make difficult catches in traffic.

27. Bills - Brian Branch 

The Bills are in cap trouble and very unlikely to be able to afford to bring back Jordan Poyer. Brian Branch is the top safety in the class with an overall grade of 89.5 by PFF. He would fill a huge void in the Bills secondary.

28. Bengals - Darnell Wright 

Film of Wright neutralizing Will Anderson (gave up zero pressures) has made it's waves which shines more light on a talented player. He performed well at the combine and gave up zero sacks last season. Would be a welcomed addition by Joe Burrow.

29. Saints - Will Mcdonald 

Marcus Davenport is set to be a FA and the Saints are unlikely to bring back his services being well over the cap as it is. Mcdonald is an athlete and profiles as one of the drafts best pass rushing prospects. Would slide right into the starting line up day one for the Saints.

30. Eagles - Emmanuel Forbes

The Eagles have granted big play Slay permission to seek a trade. This all but certainly spells his end in an Eagles uniform. Philly can fill that void immediately with Forbes. His size is highly scrutinized but when production meets athleticism you simply can't ignore it. Forbes had 6 INTs and surrendered a passer rating of just 44.7 last season en route to a grade of 87.2 by PFF. He registered 6 pick sixes in his college career . That's an FBS record. Then for an encore went to the combine and posted a 4.35 forty and 37.5 in vert. Forbes is one of my favorite prospects in the entire class.

31. Commanders - Jack Campbell

Campbell graded out at 91.7 by PFF then lit up the combine. Campbell posted the top 3 cone and shuttle times out of all LBs in addition to a 4.65 forty and 37.5 in vertical. For 6'5" 250 lb Jack can really move and should be one of the biggest risers since the combine. 

Mock Draft 1.0

 

It's merely the first week of March, but the combine just ended and I have that NFL draft fever. A fever so high I'm doing something I've never done before. A March Mock Draft.

1. *Trade* Colts - Bryce Young 

I think it's pretty clear the Bears will be trading this pick. They need to acquire more Draft capital especially after losing the 32nd pick in the Claypool trade. I don't foresee the Texans giving up significant picks to move up one spot. I do however see the Colts wanting to jump Houston in effort to kill 2 birds with one stone. Block the Texans from "getting their guy" and landing a new Franchise QB in the process. Young is a special talent. The concerns of his size were quelled a bit by his 204 lb combine weigh in. He remains the leader in the club house for the top pick despite Stroud and AR15 on the rise.

2. Texans - CJ Stroud

I know a lot of Texans fans want Bryce Young, but rest easy. If that dream doesn't come to fruition the franchise can be proud to have CJ Stroud. The man is silky-smooth. He throws the ball effortlessly and with pristine accuracy. He consistently hits his WRs in stride and throws away from defenders to give his guys every opportunity to make plays after the catch. His effectiveness as a runner is a major question and amplified further to me by his unwillingness to run the 40. He's still the most polished passer in this class and a slam dunk top 5 pick as a franchise altering talent.

3. Cardinals - Will Anderson

After losing Chandler Jones and JJ Watt in back to back off-seasons this is the perfect opportunity for the Cardinals to reload the edge. Anderson is seen by most as the top edge prospect in the draft. I am in the minority disagreeing with that assessment but right now he's the most likely candidate for the 3rd overall selection. 

4. Bears - The Bears might find themselves in a unique spot if they do in fact trade down with the Colts. There could be a handful of teams trying to move up to 4 to select Anthony Richardson. It's also possible Jalen Carters situation isn't resolved and perhaps the Bears have moved him down a few spots on their board. For now I will slot Jalen Carter here to the Bears at 4 overall.

5. *TRADE* Panthers - Anthony Richardson

Fresh off one of the greatest combine performances of all time AR15 looks primed to crack the top 5. With the QB desperate Raiders and Falcons sitting at 7 and 8 along with a dark horse for a QB in the Lions the Panthers know they will need to make a move in order to get their guy. I believe Richardson is going to be the target of most QB needy teams. His throwing portion of the combine was uneven, but partially due to Stroud throwing after him in every drill. His elite athleticism should trump those concerns. 

6. Lions - Devon Witherspoon 

After Christian Gonzalez just crushed the combine it's possible he gets the nod for first corner off the board. Witherspoon is still my number 1 corner. The passer rating on targets his way was just 25.3.... 25.3 on 62 targets. His plays in the run game and tenacity attacking just scream a Dan Campbell guy.

7. Raiders - Will Levis

With Anthony Richardson off the board Will Levis is the last remaining QB that projects as a top 10 pick. His throwing performance at the combine was uneven at best, but the Raiders don't have much of a choice. McDaniels has to swing. Even if they land Jimmy Garoppolo they still likely look to draft a QB with their first pick.

8. Falcons - Tyree Wilson

The Falcons need a lot. It's possible they look to trade down if 4 QBs are already off the board. I'm going to assume they keep the pick for now and slot Wilson in to give them much needed pass rush juice.

9. Seahawks - Christian Gonzalez

The hawks struck gold in the draft last season with Tariq Woolen in round 5. Could they look to bring back the Legion of Boom secondary? Why not ? Christian Gonzalez is 6'1" 197 and ran a 4.38 forty with a 41.5 vertical.He projects as a shutdown corner and that is a highly sought after commodity.

10. Eagles - Bijan Robinson

The Eagles have such a luxury here. They don't really have any holes. They won the NFC with ease and now they have 2 first round picks including this 10th overall selection. It does feel a bit rich for Bijan here especially with how deep this RB class is, but if the Eagles don't think he will be around at 30 they might just take the plunge and upgrade an already lethal rushing attack. 

11. Titans - Peter Skoronski 

The Titans are in trouble. Rebuild ? Reload ? Mike Vrabel is one of the best coaches in the league and I'm sure wants to figure out a way to reload, but I don't see a path for that. Their best player is fighting father time and their QB1 is pretty lame. They just released Taylor Lewan so no matter what they decide they are going to need to upgrade their OL. Skoronski strikes me as a Vrabel guy.

12. Texans - Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Does Demeco Ryans go defense here? Probably, but wouldn't it be more fun to pair Stroud with his guy ? JSN is an elite route runner. Just ask Steve Smith Sr! He claims Njigba has a PHD in route running. He seperates with ease and despite the concerns about his speed he is dangerous after the catch. He posted some of the best agility numbers at the combine over the last 15 years and is sure to have his stock climb as we approach the Draft. 

A Boss Ass Story

  

I want to first start off by congratulating Drew on yet another incredible run. A tie in the semis was all that kept him from winning it all last year. He's made the final four in 4 straight seasons. It seemed this year his team was peaking at the right time only for them to come up lame in week 17. Bad luck but doesn't take anything away from Drew's 4 year run. It's likely the best 4 year run we have ever seen. Thank you for raising the bar of excellence.

Second, I want to acknowledge the greatness that is my Muddog Brother. He's been through so much adversity in our leagues history. 2nd most points against all time. Tons of insane bad beats, but the guy keeps putting together amazing teams year after year. Last year he fell just short due to a plethora of ridiculous individual scenarios in the championship. This year he broke the league scoring record becoming the first member to ever break 1600 points. Won the regular season and looked primed to win it all. He's had the best team in the league 2 years in a row. Tyler keep on being the ultimate Muddog year after year. The Championship is coming.

The year was 2012. I had dropped out of school and was working 2 dead end jobs at the airport making $10 an hour. Was I a loser ? No sir. I was a back to back defending PWS Champ with one thing on my mind. THREE PEAT! I wanted to go from BOSS ASS straight to living legend status by winning the greatest fantasy football league to ever exist for a 3rd straight year. How could I not ? Since changing my franchise name to THE BOSS ASSES I hadn't lost a season yet. The success made me soft. I went into that 2012 season more arrogant than when I play pop-a-shot against drunk chics at McIntyres for drinks. I felt I was playing with "house money" so I devised a plan to build the greatest upside roster the league had ever seen while drafting "my guys" at the same time. I had my first 7 draft picks determined before the draft even began. I was so confident I'd get those 7 players that I even bought their jerseys. Darren McFadden, Michael Vick, Percy Harvin, Dez Bryant, Doug Martin, Pierre Garcon and Denarius Moore. McFadden round 1 came with heavy risk, but I knew if he stayed healthy he had a strong chance to be the RB1. Vick had an ADP outside the top 25 picks, but I knew he'd never make it back to me in round 3 so if I wanted him it had to be round 2. His upside was far too alluring to pass on. Yet another I said as long as he stays healthy he is likely the QB1. Then came Harvin. The Deebo Samuel before it was cool. All the electric talent had to do was stay healthy and he was a slam dunk top 10 WR. Landing a boss ass like Dez in round 4 was a no brainer. Round 5 is where it got interesting for me. I knew Doug Martin had no business going that late, but I thought I was so far ahead of the curve as we were still in the magazine era of data that I could flat out rob the league of the next great RB. Garcon was the hot FA acquisition getting the number 1 WR role in a Shanahan offense. Must draft. Then there was the WR who had my heart. Denarius Moore. I had just won a title thanks in part to his brilliant 2nd half. He was young and his talent was most certainly worthy of the boss ass name. So how could this perfectly devised plan go array? A series of unfortunate events.

1. Adrian Peterson had torn his ACL late the previous season and every fantasy analyst and their mother had him on their don't draft list. His early ADP was as low as the 3rd round. I was so taken back by this that I wrote an article stating if you passed on AP at the end of round 1 you would regret it. Thanks to the nature of our league when it came time to draft I never thought he'd be available at my round 2 pick. As fate would have it... he was. Instead of calling an audible to my carefully thought out plan and selecting the player I had the highest on my board I stuck to my original plan and took Vick.

2. Well folks McFadden Vick Harvin and Garcon would all die. (If you clicked the link yes Garcon died on that play. He broke his foot on the first play of the season which happened to be an 88 yard TD) Those injuries left me with a core of just Doug Martin and Dez Bryant. Did I have the highest of expectations for them ? Yes. Did I panic and trade them anyways ? Also yes. Dez would go en fuego rest of season and Doug Martin proceeded to have a legendary 2nd half starting with a 272 total yard 4 TD effort the first game after I traded him.

I was cursed. Cursed by my own self. All starting with passing up Adrian Peterson. Oh in case you guys forgot he rushed for over 2k yards that season.

As the years went on I suffered many painful defeats. Years of unfortunate points against totals and countless injuries to key players. I worked tirelessly to get back on top. Putting together what I thought were some of the best rosters in league history only to continue to be banished to the shadow realm time after time. It wasn't until last season that I realized a sad truth. That the era of THE BOSS ASSES was over. I had to retire that franchise once and for all and move forward. Put the demons of the past behind. Like Kylo Ren says let the past die.

The curse started by passing up a great Viking. So as I looked for hope in chasing this ever elusive 3rd title what better way to fight for it than with a young Viking? Justin Jefferson no matter what. That's all I knew to be certain heading into the 2022 draft. I started my prep in early May this year. At that time 2 RBs stood out to me. Travis Etienne and D'Andre Swift. Don't believe me? It's true. Both dynamic playmakers with vibes of CJ Spiller and Jamaal Charles of old. As the summer weighed on I began to cool on both. I wanted more of a Zero RB approach and reports of James Robinsons good health were alarming. So I told myself I'd only draft them if I thought they were major draft day values and if I didn't end up with them I'd look for an opportunity to potentially buy low during the year. As for Josh Allen. I felt we had unfinished business and he seemed like the perfect compliment to Jefferson. Both with a rare combo of high floor and high upside. As for the rest of my roster construction I wanted it be very WR heavy. So much so that landing Gabe Davis would mean he was my WR4 despite his top 24 WR adp. Then shot gun RBs later with the plan to deal some of my wrs for hand picked RBs later in the season if I failed to hit on said shot gun RBs. As the year went on I had a constant reminder of Etienne and Swift. I drive past a building weekly with the initials E T N on it and the neighborhood gas station... yep ... you guessed it. It's name is SWIFT. I thought so many times about putting a package together for swift, but never could come up with something that made sense. Then I had reconstructed my roster in a couple late season trades to the point I was done trading. My mind was made up that I had all I needed for a title run, until one day Dylan sent me an offer. That offer contained swift. I was conflicted at first since I had already told myself I was done trading and my roster was championship ready, but scared money don't make money and something told me I needed Swift. Flash forward to Saturday Night NYE. When I came home and gave my roster the blank stare that sometimes lasts for hours I was at peace. Had Swifts situation changed since I traded for him ? No. In fact it was just as muddied as ever. After losing JT I had only Etienne and Swift. So where was this sense of peace coming from ? Destiny. Something told me they would both score 20+. Something told me there was a reason they were the 2 RBs that stood out to me in May. Something told me I see their names on a daily basis in the real world for a reason. They were going to bring it home. 

2 years ago I made it to the finals with Josh Allen playing on MNF and I lost. I could have never imagined how MNF would play out this year. I'm glad Damar is recovering. At the end of all the horror and the drama This year Josh Allen rewrote history for me with only 1 drive to do it. 10 years ago I said not to pass on AP and I did. He went on to have a 2k yard season. This year I said Justin Jefferson no matter what and he rewrote my history chasing a 2k yard season of his own. He wasn't the reason why I finally broke through and claimed my 3rd title in week 17, but he sure was the reason I got that far to begin with. Funny how everything came full circle. It's also a little ironic the curse of Adrian Peterson would break the first year he failed to play in the league since. Yes, I do believe this was destiny. 

Thank you to everyone who rooted for me and Supported me along the way. 

Can't wait for my pretenders dinner with George ! #StillaFraudulentPretender

Ps ALL BOSS ASS ALL THE TIME