Okay, I conducted a little mock draft of sorts in my head to try and either prove or disprove the long standing belief that if you don’t draft a running back in the first two rounds, your team will live amongst the rats in the cellar all season. I made one team have the #3 pick overall and the other team had the #10 pick overall. I only drafted starters and the scoring was done with Yahoo’s default scoring format. Here are your rosters:

Pick #3′s team:
QB – Tom Brady
WR – Lee Evans
WR – Braylon Edwards
WR – Jerricho Cotchery
RB – Larry Johnson
RB – Edgerrin James
TE – Chris Cooley
K – Jeff Wilkins
DEF – Steelers

Pick #10′s team:
QB – Phillip Rivers
WR – Steve Smith
WR – Chad Johnson
WR – Mark Clayton
RB – Thomas Jones
RB – Julius Jones
TE – Antonio Gates
K – Nate Kaeding
DEF – Bears

With the first two picks on Team #3 (Pick #3 & #22) I selected RBs just as I almost always do. Team #3 wound up with Larry Johnson and Edgerrin James as it’s two starting RBs right off the bat. I then followed those up with Tom Brady in the 3rd Round, Lee Evans in the 4th, Braylon Edwards in the 5th, and so on.

What started my whole thought process here was as I was trying to tell someone that it didn’t matter WHAT crappy RB was left on the board with a late round pick, you HAVE to take Travis Henry in the first round. As those unfathomable words escaped my lips, I found myself doubting my entire existence. I followed that bit of advice myself last season, drafted LaMont Jordan in the first round with pick #12 and well, that was fun all season long. Plus, if I ever draft Travis Henry in the first round, I will officially turn in my card as a knowledgeable young man.

So, with pick #10, I decided to pass on Lawrence Maroney, his bum shoulder and his team’s rejuvenated passing game, and Reggie Bush and draft a couple of top notch receivers. So, I drafted Steve Smith and Chad Johnson with Pick #10 and #15. I followed that up with the best RB remaining on the board Thomas Jones in the 3rd, Antonio Gates in the 4th, Julius Jones in the 5th, and went on to Phillip Rivers in the 6th (my sleeper QB of 2007).

Now we face the question: Which team, when faced head to head, do you think would win? Pick #3 or Pick #10?

Well, obviously, if the answer was what you think I would’ve just skipped this article all together and written some other self-indulgent drivvel. But, of course, the answer (according to 2007 Projected Points Per Game) is Team: Pick #10 with a score of 101.0 to 99.1 in a standard league.

So, what does this mean? My world is crumbling around me! Does this mean that I should draft a receiver with my 5th pick? Only if you enjoy being dominated by people not wearing leather. No, this trick should only be utilized when you’re in a pinch and saying to yourself, “I HATE having to do this…but…Travis Henry…” That would come in the late picks of the first round.

The moral to this story is: Play it smart. If your choice is Willie Parker or Steve Smith, take Willie Parker. If your choice is Addai, Rudi Johnson, or even Brian Westbrook, TAKE THE RB! But, once you get to questionable territory where you feel uncomfortable and forced into making a pick, pick the QB or WR that scores you more points. Because, the fact is, the 10th ranked RB (Lawrence Maroney) scores 9.3 points per game (according to our projections) and the 25th ranked RB (Jamal Lewis) scores…guess what…9.3 points per game. Manning scores 20.7, Palmer scores 17.3, Steve Smith scores 13.0, and Chad Johnson scores 11.1.

So, contrary to popular opinion, swim against the tide. It may seem like you have to take LaMont Jordan or Travis Henry, but you don’t. You will survive! Play it smart!

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Hmmm...I got nothin'...