Grading The Big Leaguers Draft With New Addition, Big Cat

We had the fantasy football draft featuring some heavy hitting big leaguers on Tuesday. Dave Portnoy was done with fantasy to focus on chasing his million dollar futures and Big Cat was up as his replacement. Here are my grades and best/worst picks from each team, going in draft order:

Scoring Key Notes: Passing TDs: 6 points, Full PPR

Lineups: 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 FLEX (RB/WR/TE), 1 D/ST. 6 bench spots

Mike Moustakas: A-

Best pick: Travis Kelce

Worst Pick: Rome Odunze

Moose had the first pick and there was no decision there. I got some complaints that I didn't give the guys a two minute warning, but I did say we were starting promptly at 10am CST, and when that clock stuck the top of the hour, Moose turned that card in within five seconds. McCaffrey is the no brainer pick, but I really like what he did in rounds 2 + 3 with the Patrick Mahomes/Travis Kelce. These two really take advantage of the scoring system with a full point per reception and 6-point passing TDs. Zay Flowers is great value in Round 5, Zack Moss has some big time upside in Round 8, Jared Goff is an excellent backup in this format in Round 10, and Kimani Vidal has the chance to be a real stud which is rare for a 14th rounder. He got a great draw with the lottery in terms of where he picked, but he hit this one out of the park.

Joc Pederson, Alex Wood, & Austin Barnes: B

Best pick: Dalton Kincaid

Worst Pick: JK Dobbins

Tyreek Hill is an absolute stud. He and CeeDee Lamb and both 1A in my book. I prefer Lamb slightly only due to rumors that Hill has a thumb injury, but he's supposed to play Week 1. Hill only had one game under 58 yards last year and didn't have a single game under 5 targets. I have a little question about this team maximizing the rules as Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson's game don't translate as much as they could to 6-point passing TDs and full PPR, but they're still both studs. Dalton Kincaid may very well be Josh Allen's top target this year. I don't love the JK Dobbins pick as he's continually hurt, but it's hard to knock a team for their 10th round pick. Solid squad and should be a playoff team assuming they have good health.

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Defending Champions Jake Marisnick + Andrew Benintendi: A

Best pick: Joe Burrow

Worst Pick: Jerome Ford

The reigning champs pulled the 3rd overall pick and they were ecstatic to get CeeDee Lamb. He's outstanding and pairing him with newly signed Brandon Aiyuk to go with Tee Higgins in the FLEX is a nice receiving corps. 

It turns even nicer when you realize he's got a stack with Joe Burrow at QB. His backfield is very formidable with Isiah Pacheco and Kenneth Walker III. Both aren't HUGE pass catchers but are good in any format. Evan Engram challenged Burrow as my favorite pick here. He's my TE2. Burrow in the 7th round with 6-point passing TDs is actual robbery. He was the 9th QB taken and this scoring format plays to his best traits. Curtis Samuel and Jerry Jeudy (UP YA BOOTY!) are both WRs in new situations that could take a step forward or could be cut from this team. But I view both as worthy risks. Jerome Ford will start the season, but I think Nick Chubb could be back sooner than most think so I wouldn't depend on him too much. This team is looking to repeat and I think it's absolutely plausible they do after this draft.

Big Cat: C

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Worst Pick: Josh Jacobs

I have mixed feelings on this draft. On one hand, it has a bunch of guys I really like. Including Jordan Addison.

Although I would've liked to see him go a little later, but based on his health looking ok, I think it was fine at Round 8. As I mentioned, I've been hearing good thing about a Nick Chubb return in Week 5. Fellow Brown Amari Cooper is always overlooked and I have him as my WR13! Getting him at #52 overall is a great pick. But I absolutely detested the Josh Jacobs pick in Round 3, Caleb Williams as an all-in fantasy QB1 is risky. I liked Jordan Love and Jared Goff much more for 6-point passing TDs and they were both on the board with that pick. Aaron Rodgers is a good pick in the last round to kind of buoy that position. Keaton Mitchell is a good player to stash, but I am lower on Adonai Mitchell and Khalil Shakir for this year. As for his early picks, I know that group really wanted CeeDee Lamb. I like Justin Jefferson, but I probably woud've gone Breece Hall in that spot. If Ja'Marr Chase's contract situation was a bit more clear I would've went him too, but in fairness, it was not. So JJ not a bad option. 

Drake London is a nice prospect, but it's a big bet on a WR with a new QB. Will he be Kirk's go-to guy immediately and be a target machine? It's too early to say. And Josh Jacobs goes to a Green Bay offense that has historically been a timeshare backfield under Matt LaFleur. Yes, AJ Dillon is out for the year, but they drafted a Runningback in the 3rd round in Marshawn Lloyd so I have some major questions about Jacobs coming off a down year. He was my RB17 and in this format makes less sense as a guy who had 9 more catches than Derrick Henry last season and also has never had more than 400 receiving yards in a season.

Eric Hosmer: B-

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Best Pick: Jalen Warren

Worst Pick: Sam LaPorta

Hoz has embraced the Zero RB strategy, which makes a ton of sense in a full point PPR league, but I question how he went about it. He was bragging about his stack of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta. While they're both good players, it limits the upside as they'll be competing with each other!

LaPorta had a great rookie year, but a lot of that was TD dependent. He only had one 100+ yard game. Not a guy I'd target in the 2nd round. Especially given the fact that you took his teammate the round earlier.

I love the Jaylen Waddle and Tank Dell picks, but the Rashee Rice pick is very risky. With a potential suspension looming, I'm interested to see how that plays out. If he plays the full year, he's a steal. If not, it's a bad pick. Jaylen Warren is great value as he'll catch 3-5 passes/game. If he can do that for 30-50 yards, that's 6-10 full points right there without any carries. Mix in the occasional TD and we're probably averaging double digit points/game. Very savvy play to take advantage of the scoring system! Trey Benson and Audric Estime are worthy young fliers that hopefully one pans out, but what really saved this draft, was Tua Tagovailoa. Another great pick for the settings. Tua led the league in passing yards last year and was tied for 5th with 29 TD tosses last season.

JT Realmuto + Kyle Schwarber: C+

Best Pick: Dak Prescott
Worst Pick: Nico Collins

Bijan Robinson over Breece Hall is not my favorite move. Bijan has a ton of potential but will need to take the next step for that pick to pan out. A bit risky at #6 overall, but I do like Travis Etienne, who these guys drafted last year to great success at #19. Dak Prescott was my favorite pick as he led the league in TD tosses last year. What I love about him was he was running more too in the back half of last season. If he continues to tuck it, I see no reason he doesn't eclipse 300+ rushing yards which is just enough according to all Patrick Mahomes drafters. 

My main issue with this team is they drafted a bunch of older, injury prone guys in the middle rounds. Their upside is limited as we've seen their best years and if they continue to get hurt, we're in real trouble. I'm talking about James Conner, DeAndre Hopkins, and Tyler Lockett. I do like going D/ST in Round 12 to get your choice and the Jets are a solid option. Taysom Hill can play QB AND TE, so there could be something interesting there if the Saints build in some more #7 packages.

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Mike Trout: B

Best Pick: Breece Hall

Worst Pick: Xavier Worthy

Breece Hall being available at #7 in a PPR league is a steal! This is a guy who is coming off a 76 catch season that included almost 1,600 total yards. He got in the end zone nine times last year but with Aaron Rodgers back, I can see all his numbers going up. Jalen Hurts seemed like a bit of a homer pick from the Eagles fan, Trout and I'm not sure it was the wisest move in a 6-point passing TD league.

I do like the DK Metcalf pick a lot and I expect him to thrive with a new OC and while I didn't love Joe Mixon as a big time fantasy RB, getting him in Round 5 is below market value. Xavier Worthy is a flashy name, but I'm not sure how much substance he'll bring to the fantasy fields. But I do think that Gus Edwards and Raheem Mostert are good gambles given Mostert was a TD machine last year and Edwards is going to a Chargers offense that's going to run run run run. Dontayvion Wicks can do it all for Green Bay and Quentin Johnston is a worthy flier in the final round.

Alex Bregman + Brian McCann: A+

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Best Pick: Rachaad White

Worst PIck: n/a

This is the team to beat in my eyes. Their draft was nearly flawless. Ja'Marr Chase will be a STEAL at #8 overall assuming he doesn't hold out. That is certainly a risk, but at #8 overall with the top the other top 5 WRs off the board, this was the right time to make a move. Davante Adams is in a muddled offense, but he is a target MONSTER. In PPR it should help level off the expected lack of TDs. Deebo Samuel as a WR3 is terrifying. Rachaad White is a worthy RB1 in PPR. He catches a ton of passes and can split out wide and run routes. He was RB5 in PPR last year. CJ Stroud is a pocket passer, which bolds well for 6-point passing TDs. D'Andre Swift catches passes and plays for a suddenly exciting offense. Zamir White is a worthy 7th round flier who could turn into an RB1. TJ Hockenson will be an IR stash and could pay dividends come playoff time. Kendre Miller is a worthy 13th round sleeper. Austin Ekeler's role may be limited, but he should be serviceable in full point PPR. This team has no weaknesses.

Manny Machado: C

Best Pick: Garrett Wilson
Worst Pick: Anthony Richardson

I love going Garrett Wilson at #9. While he only has 7 career TDs, he should take off with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball. After the top 5 WRs go, he's a rightful #6 that should only ascend. Marvin Harrison Jr. is going to be a very good pro, but I'm skeptical about him being a top 10 fantasy WR in his first year, which is what that draft spot would command.

While I don't necessarily love the players for fantasy in Alvin Kamara and Aaron Jones, two legendary RBs, for this format, they play as they're both adept pass catchers. Where he starts to lose me is Anthony Richardson. Who I get has a ton of hype. But he's played 4 games really. This is a guy who has never thrown for 225+ yards and never rushed for 60+ yards. His production for fantasy was great, but it was mainly rushing TD dependent. I need to see a bigger sample size from him, but I also don't like him in 6-point passing TD as I'd rather have a safer, more established passer that'll rack up those passing TDs. 

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I do like that he buoyed that group with Matthew Stafford late. Blake Corum and Braelon Allen are worthly fliers that could turn into studs, but I really wasn't a fan of Rounds 2-7 which is where a lot of teams are built.

Shane Bieber + Austin Hedges: D

Best Pick: Jaleel McLoughlin
Worst Pick: Najee Harris

I like the AJ Brown pick at #10, but they start to lose me after that. De'Von Achane is a super risky pick. Could turn into a league winner if he can stay healthy and shows that game breaking speed he showed last year. But that is no given. Cooper Kupp is all of a sudden in a crowded WR room and pretty often injured. A Kyler Murray/Trey McBride stack is one of of the least scary imaginable. Najee Harris isn't even the best RB on his own team, but you could say that a lot about the back half of their draft.

I do like Jaleel McLoughlin as he offers some quality catching from the RB position. Terry McLaurin is a solid WR3. Brian Thomas Jr. is a sleeper I can get behind. But the rest of the team is not my cup of tea.

Mike Napoli: C+

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Best Pick: Jahmyr Gibbs

Worst Pick: Christian Kirk

Gibbs is my RB3, so I love the value of him at #11 overall. Especially in full point PPR where he can catch a ton of balls. Puka Nacua will be an interesting one. Could finish a top 5 WR, but interested to see how he does with more competition from a healthy Kupp. Malik Nabers is a bit of a risk in the 4th round, but I do kind of love he's wearing #1 now. #Analysis

Christian Kirk is a bit rich for me in the 5th round and Kyle Pitts is so unproven. I like that he didn't take a backup TE, but what if he just stinks? Devin Singletary being the starter for the Giants bolds well for Nap taking him in the 9th round. Can Josh Palmer step up and be a go-to guy in LA?

Wil Myers: C

Best Pick: Jordan Love
Worst Pick: Michael Pittman Jr.

I am not a fan of Saquon Barkley in fantasy this year. He was my RB13, so him being picked at 12 overall I'm not a fan of.

I do however like Jonathan Taylor in the next spot and like DJ Moore in the 3rd round even more. I'm not sure why he's not getting more buzz.

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Michael Pittman Jr. does worry me a bit with Anthony Richardson at the helm. Not sure he'll be putting up big receiving numbers. And then this team has two major starters in a Colts offense we're not sure is going to be good. They should be able to run it, so as I mentioned, I like Taylor, but living and dying each week with the Indianapolis offense is not somewhere I'd want to be. 

George Pickens does have big upside in the 6th round, but another guy tied to a likely poor offense. We haven't even mentioned Brian Robinson Jr. (Commanders), Brock Bowers (Raiders), Xavier Legette (Panthers) who all have young or unproven signal callers at the helm. 

I will say, I do love, love, love the Jordan Love pick in the 9th round. It was arguably the best pick of the Draft as far as value. Backing it up with Brock Purdy in the 12th is great and I think this is a legitimately great QB room, especially for where they were picked.

That's all - stay tuned for coverage on this league throughout the season!

And be sure to check out our Fantasy Football Factory positional previews if you're drafting tonight:

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