Below are the results of NBC Sports Edge’s annual July industry CFF P5 BestBall draft. Owner reactions’ to the draft and team tables begin on Page 2. And check out the industry G5 BestBall recap if you missed it last week.
Brady McCollough | Los Angeles Times | @BradyMcCollough
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it? What do you like and dislike about your team?
Given the last pick of the first round, I was more dependent than any other team on what everyone had done before me. What became clear was that — in a 16-team, 2-QB format with only Power Five teams eligible — quarterbacks were being overvalued early. Eight of the first 15 picks were QBs, leaving me with the quandary of reaching for a QB1 or risking that the quarterbacks available at 48-49 were totally unexciting. So I reached for Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who I am high on as the Los Angeles Times’ national college football reporter. DTR has worked on his attitude and leadership in demonstrable ways and knows that continued improvement (he got his completion percentage up to 65 percent in 2020) will put him high in the NFL draft conversation come spring. That said, if DTR can’t at least mirror his averages from 2020, my team is going to be facing an uphill battle the entire season.
I’m happy with the value of Treylon Burks and Tyler Allgeier as WR1 and RB1 where I picked them, and Jaden Walley is a nice upside play as a WR2 with WR1 potential. But it wasn’t long after Thor Nystrom tweeted out the draft results that I heard from a buddy making fun of me for drafting running backs from Duke and Purdue. That said, the numbers backed up the picks of Mataeo Durant and Zander Horvath, particularly in a 1-point PPR scoring format.
Still, I can see the reality for this group: A LOT is going to have to go right for me to finish near the top of this league. Hey, maybe it will.
What was your favorite pick that you made? Which do you regret?
Walley. A bunch of receivers went before him in the third round, and I think Walley could easily end up the best of them. As for regrets, there are several to choose from, but I will go with Hendon Hooker, a pick for QB3 that sent the rest of my draft spiraling off its axis once I realized just how unclear the Tennessee quarterback competition is heading into fall camp. It led to me feeling obligated to take Joe Milton and Harrison Bailey in later rounds to try to lock in the Tennessee QB1 as my QB3. I also wish I had not taken another quarterback who hasn’t won the job, Will Levis, to round out that position, although I do like his upside if he wins it.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
Mike Bainbridge getting the likely Mike Leach QB1 in Round 7 grabbed my attention. I probably would have taken Will Rogers over Penix Jr. a few picks later.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
My Michigan alumni glasses are possibly on too tight, but Hassan Haskins has a chance to be very productive now that Zach Charbonnet has transferred out. Can he hold off the stud freshman, Donovan Edwards? I think so.
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
I really like what Bainbridge did with his team. I’m big on Bryce Young, the three WRs should all be consistent and productive and he made up late ground very well at running back with high-upside picks who shouldn’t fall flat in Rachaad White and Jalen Mitchell. Then he gets Rogers as a QB2 with QB1 potential and grabs the potential usurper RBs at Ohio State and Clemson in Tre Henderson and Kobe Pace? I’ll be surprised if he’s not high in the standings.
Chris Crawford | NBC Sports Edge | @Crawford_MILB
What was your favorite pick that you made? Which do you regret?
I was very surprised to see Trelon Smith still on the board, and was more than happy to make him part of my team. I think he’s pretty clearly the top running back on the Arkansas’ roster, and some may be surprised by how good he was down the stretch. He was also involved in the passing game to begin the year, and I’m thinking (hoping?) that becomes prevalent again in 2021.
Happy with Smith, maybe not as happy with Kyren Williams. Williams’ talent is obvious and should be the focal point of the Notre Dame offense next year. But at pick 11 I probably should have gone quarterback. I did not. Malik Cunningham is fine. Is he good enough to get me a championship? I’m not sure. I’d sure rather him as QB2.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
John Metchie in round two. I wanted to draft Metchie. I wanted to draft Metchie badly, but because of the quarterback run, I couldn’t. Metchie should be a star in that Alabama offense, and I wish it was for my team and not Tom Downey’s.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
Sam Huard by Mr. Eric Froton. Ugh. I really was hoping Huard would fall to me in the next round, as I believe he’ll be the starter by the end of the season for the Huskies. Nothing against Dylan Morris, I just think Huard has a chance to be special. I would have loved to have made him part of my team as well, but that’s a late-round pick that could be very beneficial.
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
Tom Downey had the best draft of either league, IMO. Breece Hall is the safest player in fantasy college football (assuming good health, of course), and Mechie, Garrett Wilson, and Jayden Daniels were all excellent value. Lots of good teams, but if I had to pick a favorite to win it all, it’s that roster.
Mike Bainbridge | The CFF Site | @MBainbridgeCFF
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it? What do you like and dislike about your team?
With any redraft and BestBall formats, I really try and just stay true to my board and follow the rankings. Seek out value any time possible, regardless of how “stacked” a certain position might already be on my roster. And always monitor schedules throughout the draft as you don’t want to get caught up with multiple players having the same bye weeks with no waiver wire being included in the format. Similar to my G5, I’m very pleased with the depth on my roster, somehow being able to land starting receivers beyond the 20th round with the likes of Cal’s Kekoa Crawford and Colorado’s Dimitri Stanley.
I also like the depth I have at running back, but if I had to critique my roster, that’s a position that has a lot of question marks. RB1 Rachaad White will be in a timeshare at Arizona State. Louisville projected RB1 Jalen Mitchell came out of spring ball as the starter, but will need to stack a strong summer on top of that to retain his status. Kobe Pace, TreVeyon Henderson and Deshaun Fenwick could all be part of RBBCs this year.
What was your favorite pick that you made? Which do you regret?
With this being a 2-QB format, I felt very fortunate to get Bryce Young at 1.10. Sure, there are question marks as we haven’t seen Young play a full season, the OC change to Bill O’Brien, and the lack of a DeVonta Smith-type performer at the wide receiver position. But we’ve seen the upside of an Alabama quarterback in recent seasons and Young might end up being the best of the bunch. Worth any “risk” associated with him because of the upside an Alabama QB1 has these days.
No regrets – aside from the previously-mentioned question marks I have at running back where I might have a few too many guys that are part of committees.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
Round 4 was just a string of heartbreak for me as my current queue at the time was just depleted left and right with Jaden Walley, Tyler Badie, Deuce Vaughn, Jordan Addison and Quentin Johnston all going off the board. If had to settle on one, its Badie who is an excellent option in PPR formats with 72 receptions in three seasons. With Larry Rountree off to the NFL, Badie now gets his shot at a starting job in a system that produces 1,000-yard rushers left and right under head coach Eli Drinkwitz. Combined with his receiving prowess, Badie should be a consistent fantasy producer in 2021.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
The Clemson backfield is truly up in the air at this point, and honestly, it might remain that way throughout the regular season between Lyn-J Dixon, Kobe Pace and talented 5-star Will Shipley. As of this moment in time, Dixon probably gets the first carry of the season against Georgia. But following spring ball, Pace was the trending name, garnering some heavy praise from coach C.J. Spiller, comparing the redshirt freshman to Nick Chubb. Maybe it remains a committee for the entirety of the season, but I don’t mind taking a risk from a team that will average 40 PPG.
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
Not a huge fan of giving this person too much praise, but I do like with Nick Ian Allen was able to do with his roster, particularly at the skill positions. Loaded at running back with Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs at the top. Love his depth at wide receiver, getting a pair of WR2s on high-scoring offense with Jameson Williams (Alabama) and Milton Wright (Purdue). Some solid late-round selections with Travis Levy, Braden Smith and Koy Moore who could end up as weekly starters potentially. Only critique is his questionable selections of Jarrett Guarantano and Joey Gatewood who probably don’t start this year, leaving his depth at QB severely depleted. Aside from that, nicely done
Nicholas Allen | CFB Winning Edge | @CFBWinningEdge
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it?
I didn’t have a set strategy coming in. I usually take the top player on my board in the first round, regardless of position. With several of the top quarterbacks and my top ranked receiver unavailable, I was pleased to draft Texas running back Bijan Robinson. Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs is one of my favorite players this year, and to snag him in the second gave me a great running back duo to build around, and would allow me to be patient at the position for the remainder of the draft. I was pretty happy with the way things played out from there.
What do you like and dislike about your team?
For as late as I waited to draft quarterbacks compared to most other teams, I was pleased to end up with both TCU’s Max Duggan and Jeff Sims from Georgia Tech. Both are dangerous runners capable of scoring multiple touchdowns on the ground in a given week, and both have shown promise as a passer as well.
I don’t love my receiver group as a whole, but with 16 owners, I had to sacrifice somewhere.
What was your favorite pick that you made?
I’m not sure why Oklahoma running back Kennedy Brooks isn’t going higher in CFF drafts. Of course, he opted out last year, and the Sooners brought in super-talented transfer Eric Gray, so there is some concern. Nevertheless, Brooks ran for 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons on campus with future NFL Draft picks Trey Sermon and Rhamondre Stevenson in the same backfield. He should have a big role in the offense.
Which do you regret?
I don’t regret picking Austin Stogner as a player, but it seems I’m a bit higher on him than most. I may have been able to wait a round for him while taking a productive receiver or quarterback depth instead.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
I like Penn State receiver Jahan Dotson a lot, both as a player and because of Mike Yurcich, the new offensive play-caller for the Nittany Lions. I haven’t selected Dotson as often as I would have liked in previous drafts, so jumped at the chance in the third round. However, after I took Dotson, I felt a quick pang of buyer’s remorse as players like Chris Olave, Zay Flowers and Justyn Ross came off the board during the next several picks. I don’t know which pick I should be most jealous of yet, but if one of those players significantly outperforms Dotson, I definitely will be.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
Tight end is a deep position, so it’s very possible to find value in the later rounds. Scott Bogman took Casey Kelly from Ole Miss in the 18th round. Kelly projects as a top 25 player nationally (P5 and G5) at the position in my rankings. He is talented himself, and he’s stepping into what has been a great spot for others in Lane Kiffin’s offense. The Rebels also have to replace a ton of production from Elijah Moore, and Kelly could more targets than Kenny Yeboah did last season as a result.
From my team, Florida wideout Jacob Copeland projects as the No. 1 receiver in what could (should?) be a pretty solid Florida offense. If Emory Jones is worthy of being a second round, top-10 quarterback selection, his top target should provide consistent value.
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
I really like the way Zach Hall approached the draft. Selecting Matt Corral No. 1 overall, pairing him with his likely top target in Braylen Sanders, and selecting North Carolina running back Ty Chandler gave him arguably the best quarterback-running back-receiver trio of the bunch. And having Corral in hand allowed Zach to be creative at the quarterback position later, and take risks on high-risk, high-reward players like Adrian Martinez, McKenzie Milton, and a trio of freshmen. I like my team (a rare feeling for me), but Zach may have the team to beat.
Raphielle Johnson | NBC Sports Edge | @raphiellej
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it? What do you like and dislike about your team?
I wanted to take care of my two QB slots relatively early, which I was able to do. That being said, I did not expect Kedon Slovis to be available when I came up in the third round.
What was your favorite pick that you made? Which do you regret?
Slovis. I know his numbers last season weren’t great, but people need to keep in mind the lack of spring ball (there were even more limitations in California) and the fact that he was coming off of the elbow injury suffered in the bowl game the season prior. He’s coming off of a shoulder surgery this time around, but having a full offseason for proper rehab will help him IMO.
As for least favorite pick, it has to be Mark Pope. Both he and Dee Wiggins were members of the All-Butterfingers Team last season, so I’m not too confident in Pope (if you couldn’t tell).
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
Zach Hall getting Will Mallory in the 7th round. Thought he was a bit undervalued due to Brevin Jordan being the headliner last season, and I’m expecting big things from Mallory this fall.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
Taysir Mack, Pitt (Nystrom, R25). I mean, how long has he been in college? Already a focal point in the Pitt passing attack, I think he bounces back from a rather modest 2020 campaign.
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
I’m going with Tom Downey here. He got Jayden Daniels in the 4th round, behind Breece Hall, John Metchie III and Garrett Wilson. That’s a very good start, and Charleston Rambo (see what I said about a couple of Miami’s holdovers at WR) in the 17th round is a steal.
Scott Bell | Dallas Morning News | @ScottBellDMN
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it?
My approach heading into this draft mirrored how I drafted in the G5 league: let the league setup dictate my decisions. We did the reverse order in the P5 league, so instead of picking 12th out of 16th in that draft, I had the No. 4 pick in this league. In most drafts this year, that’ll mean getting a chance to grab an elite RB like Breece Hall or Bijan Robinson or having your pick of whoever you think WR1 this season may be, whether that be David Bell or Kayson Boutte.
But in this league, where you have 16 owners, the player pool is restricted to just Power 5 players and you start 2 QBs each week, I had to resist the urge to take the best player available and instead opted to grab the top remaining QB at the time. Luckily for me, “settling” for the best QB available meant landing D.J. Uiagalelei — someone I’m very comfortable building a team around in this format.
Because I landed an elite (or near-elite) QB, I was less married to the idea that I HAD to go QB-QB in the first two rounds like I did in the G5 draft, though it was still my preference based on how the board came back to me. But by the time my second pick came around, all of the remaining QBs were all on the same tier and drafting one seemed foolish, so I used my next two picks to try and set a really high floor in my RB room by drafting Isaiah Spiller and Eric Gray. So overall, I think I followed my strategy pretty well. I was less rigid to the idea that I “HAD” to take two QBs right away, but I still wanted our league setup to dictate my decisions.
What do you like and dislike about your team?
Outside of what I laid out above, which I think was a strong first few rounds of my draft, I like that I have some traditionally strong position groups (hopefully) locked in regardless of how some position battles play out. And even though I had to utilize multiple picks to do so, I only had to use one of my first 8 picks to accomplish it. Taking a stab at the LSU QB position in the 5th round felt risky because it seems like one of the most up-in-the-air position battles of consequence in college football this offseason, but I hoped a bold stab at Max Johnson would make someone think I knew something they didn’t about that battle (I don’t) and scare anyone off from grabbing Myles Brennan until later (it did). It bought me 3 or 4 rounds to address my WRs before having to take Brennan, too, and lock in that LSU QB room.
The same goes for the Oklahoma State running back room. One of the safer bets in college football in recent memory has been that Oklahoma State’s RB1 will get a lot of touches and perform well. By the 10th round, nobody had dared make a bet on who replaces Chuba Hubbard as RB1 in that offense, so I decided to take a stab on LD Brown, then follow it up with a Dezmon Jackson handcuff five rounds later. I know Jaylen Warren could still throw a wrench in those plans, but I feel good about my odds there. And then I did it a third time with BYU. The Cougar QB job probably doesn’t offer the 2021 ceiling that the LSU QBs or OSU RBs do, but I was glad to lock in the favorite to replace Zach Wilson and cuff him with a little bit of insurance — especially since it came in the form of my last pick of the draft.
My dislikes/worries about my team center around my WR room. My first four picks were all freshmen who showed promise a year ago, with the first three being expected to step into WR1 roles for their respective teams this fall, but there’s a level of blind faith that needs to exist to hope/assume all of these guys take the next step this season.
What was your favorite pick that you made? Which do you regret?
I was very excited to land Jo’Quavious Marks with a 7th-round pick. If you had given everyone five guesses to project who would lead Mike Leach‘s team in catches in his first year as Mississippi State coach last season, I can’t imagine many people would have had Marks — a true freshman backup RB heading into the season — on their list. But that’s exactly what he accomplished last season. And I have high hopes he can top that during a full 2021 where he enters as the starting RB. Marks had 60(!) catches in a shortened 2020 season as a true freshman RB, with Kylin Hill in the mix for the first 33% of the season. That was tops for any RB in the county, and good for top 20 in the country counting all receivers. I think his ceiling is limited in many formats, but in this league where it’s a full PPR, his value is much higher. Sixty catches in a season is like handing your team 10 extra TDs when comparing him to an RB that may get more “traditional” carries, but isn’t a factor in the passing game. Getting to combine him with the RBs I grabbed in the 2nd and 3rd rounds gives me one of the highest floors in the league at RB.
As for regrets, I’ve got a few, but I’ll go with the one I used the most draft capital on. I don’t really feel great heading into the season with Brennan Presley as my WR1, at least on paper. I loved what I saw from him in the Cheez-It Bowl last season (6-118-3), but that could have been the exception rather than the rule. Mike Gundy‘s teams usually produce a standout WR, but it’s usually on the outside, and Presley will do his damage from the inside. So as much as I like his upside, I didn’t love walking away with probably the most unproven WR1 in the league, and having to use a fourth-round pick to grab him, but that’s the way the board played out.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
Mike Bainbridge getting Rachaad White in the middle of the 5th round was just a ridiculously stupid value. And our league letting 25 RBs go off the board before White in this draft is an indictment on us all. White probably shouldn’t have 25 RBs go off the board before him in a full FBS league, let along a P5-only draft. Had I not already taken two RBs in the 2nd and 3rd round, I definitely would have snatched White in the 4th or 5th rounds (and he was on my short list of selections in the 3rd, where I ultimately took Eric Gray instead, with his involvement in the passing game being the tiebreaker).
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
For my team, I’d go with Jahcour Pearson, my 14th-round selection. I fully understand it’s very much a boom or bust pick here, but I’m totally cool taking risks like that this deep in the draft. Elijah Moore heads off to the NFL after being one of fantasy college football’s most productive and reliable contributors last year in the slot for Ole Miss, and Pearson, a Western Kentucky transfer, comes in with a great chance of filling that role. I know Braylon Sanders is the sexy pick to be “the guy” at WR for Ole Miss this fall, but if we’re looking at positions rather than players, the slot spot for the Rebels jumps out at me, and Pearson has a pretty good track record of making plays from that spot earlier in his career for the Hilltoppers. If we’re talking late-round picks from others, a few that stood out to me were Troy Omeire (Greg Brandt) and Zeriah Beason (Mike Bainbridge) in the 14th round, Omar Manning (Zach Hall) in the 19th round and Keyvone Lee (Scott Bogman) in the 21st round.
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
I think Bainbridge’s team is going to be tough to beat. After locking in a top-end QB1 in Bryce Young, he shifted his attention to getting a really dynamic WR trio, and achieved that by grabbing Jaquarii Roberson, Zay Flowers and Renard Bell in the three rounds that followed. That would typically lead him to having a weak spot at RB, but I think his middle-round drafting at those positions was really good. I already lauded the value of Rachaad White in the 5th round, but he got other young RBs with a lot of upside in the rounds that followed, and if he can get production from just a couple of Jalen Mitchell, Tre Henderson, Deshaun Fenwick and Kobe Pace, he’s going to be tough to beat. I’ll give an honorable mention nod to Kyle Francis, who I think had a similar strategy to me in terms of locking in QB/RB first and going with a lot of younger WRs with a lot of upside in the rounds to follow. Jermaine Burton and Jalin Hyatt fit the profile of guys I was targeting perfectly, and if they perform well (which I expect them to do), I think Kyle will be in the thick of things come November.
Greg Brandt | Devy Watch | @DevyWarehouse
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it? What do you like and dislike about your team?
Didn’t enter the draft with much of a strategy just wanted to grab the best player available. Loved my start of Mo Ibrahim, Jalen Berger, and Chris Autman-Bell. I ended up very top heavy at the RB spot but rounded it out well with Chase Brown and Zach Charbonnett. My QB spot ended up very weak. No guarantee my top two options (Sean Clifford and Bo Nix) are even the starting QBs for their teams by week six.
What was your favorite pick that you made? Which do you regret?
Grabbing Chris Autman-Bell in the 4th was a favorite pick of mine. Honestly I should have grabbed him in the 3rd round over Travell Harris, but I risked it. Grabbing Greg Dulcich in the 5th would be the closest to a regrettable pick. Should have gone QB looking back now. But having a potential top 5 scorer at the TE slot isn’t a horrible situation.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
I grabbed three players outside the 12th round that seem to have potential weekly starters in DJ Matthews, Troy Omeire, and Zach Charbonnet. Even Devin Leary in the 12th seems like a solid bet to have a good season. Matthews has the potential to eat up all of Whop Philyors vacated targets.
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
Nick Ian Allen killed it for the first three picks with Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jahan Dotson. He topped that with some high variance QBs (Max Duggan and Jeff Sims) to round out his first five picks. Grabbing Kennedy Brooks in the 9th round has some high potential if something happens to Eric Gray. Koy Moore in round 22 has some potential to be a difference making pick as well.
Eric Froton | NBC Sports Edge | @CFFroton
What was your strategy going into the draft?
I wanted to secure established quarterbacks on passing heavy offenses that score a lot of points with favorable schedules. Draft a strong number one RB and try to value play at the position in the middle rounds. Make sure not to reach on TE, but get a top-10 option at the position. Prioritize primary receiving options in powerful offenses.
Were you able to implement it?
I was stuck at the bottom of first round at pick 14, so there weren’t any top tier quarterbacks available. I elected to take solid number one RB and WR options – Tank Bigsby and Marvin Mims – and wait to select BC star QB Phil Jurkovec in the third round.
I feel like I was able to take advantage of the passing-friendly scoring system by securing Jurkovec, JT Daniels, Jarrett Doege and the Washington combo of Dylan Morris/Sam Huard. All four schools are capable of scoring 35 points per game.
I was able to pair Bigsby with the Alabama combo of Brian Robinson/Roydell Williams and was happy to get Wake Forest RB Christian Beal-Smith in R9. Chip Trayanum will certainly play some weeks and Will Shipley/Sampson James/Tiyon Evans give me some upside at the back end.
Top-tier wideouts went quickly in the P5, with Justin Ross being taken two picks before me in the 3rd by Joe Capozzi. So I went with one of my favorite breakout WRs of 2021, Quentin Johnston, as my WR2. The former four-stat Texas commit shined in his first season of college ball, breaking 16 tackles in 22 receptions while establishing himself as the go to option for the Horned Frogs. I was pleased to get Jordan Whittington at the end of R7, as the Longhorns slot receiver is set to thrive in new HC Steve Sarkisian’s Offense, health permitting. Down the board I was happy Bro get Kaylon Geiger/Ra’Shaun Henry/Mario Williams as nice middle-to-late round upside plays. Hunter Henry came on strong down the stretch and will emerge as a solid TE contributor in year 2 of OC Kendall Briles’ offense for a 23rd round investment.
What do you like and dislike about your team?
As far as dislike, Instead of taking another wide receiver who could contribute to filling the 3 WR spots on a weekly basis, I used 2 of my last 3 picks on Tiyon Evans and Jabari Small to bolster my RB depth. Where I missed out on an elite WR2 and am banking on some projection with Johnston, I might be short on WR production since I’m imbalanced with only 8 wideouts to 10 running backs rostered.
I was happy with the values I got my quarterbacks at considering I was shut out of the top tier options. Beyond that I have Cade Otton as a Top-5 overall tight end and thought he was an exceptional value as TE10 in the 8th Round, especially considering I was able to pair him with the Washington QBs for a nice connection.
What was your favorite pick that you made?
The three value picks down the board I feel could outperform their draft slots are:
Will Shipley – R16
Kaylon Geiger – R21
Ra’Shaun Henry – R25
Which do you regret?
I think I’m higher on Devon Williams, WR, Oregon that most of the other experts. Perhaps I could have waited a couple more rounds to take him.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
Besides Joe “Bot” Capozzi getting Justyn Ross with pick 3.12, I thought Crissy Froyd taking Mike Woods with pick 10.2 was a nice selection. I was hoping to take him with my next pick to pair up Woods and Mims. Instead I waited a few rounds and paired Mims with Mario Williams.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
QB – Jack Abraham – R12 – Mike Bainbridge
RB – Tyrion Davis-Price – R12 – Kyle Francis/John Emery Jr. – R17 – Zach Hall
WR – Jacob Copeland – R14 – Nick Ian Allen
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
I feel like Kyle Francis, Mike Bainbridge and Thor Nystrom have the three most well rounded teams. Everybody has flaws in a format this deep though, so there are several teams I feel can contend.
Zach Hall | CFF Champs | @CFFChamps
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it? What do you like and dislike about your team?
I wanted to get the best QB/RB/WR I could and stay away from too many handcuffs. Finding out I got the #1 pick, it was a no-brainer I was taking Corral so I started to figure out what I could do in RDs 2-3. I liked the idea of the Braylon Sanders stack but also kept my eye on a few guys I had higher than him. None of them fell. And I was REALLY HOPING Leddie Brown would drop to me. Nobody is taking him where I have him valued so I thought I had shot. But I didn’t. I feel like I ended up getting off strategy with QBs especially once Kyle took Jordan Travis.
If Milton and King remain QB1 for their teams I’ll feel really good about my QBs. If not, I could be in some trouble. When it came time for me to look at my QB5 it was either take a guy that has a ceiling of about 18 points a game or take a gamble. I chose to take 2 gambles. I went Jake Garcia (if King gets hurt again, this could end up being a great pick) and Sawyer Robertson of Miss State. Just feels like a really unsettled QB comp and maybe this freshman comes in and takes the job. I really like the WRs I got late in this draft. I think guys like Daniel Jackson of Minnesota, Omar Manning of Nebraska, TJ Sheffield of Purdue and a combo of Polk and Calvin at Miss State could give me a few good weeks between all of them.
Outside of my QB selections I’m not sure how I feel about my RBs. All feel serviceable but not sure I hit value right with them.
What was your favorite pick that you made? Which do you regret?
Favorite Pick: Matt Corral with the first pick. It’s the only share I have of him this year and was by far the easiest pick to make. I will say though that I have high expectations for my Cam Porter pick in the 5th. We used to be able to rely on the Northwestern RB1 to be a mainstay in our starting lineups. The last few years have let us down but after how he looked and finished last year and a (hopefully) improved offense maybe we start to see a valuable Northwestern RB again. Could be wrong though.
Least favorite Pick: Bru McCoy. This could end up being a solid pick in RD4 but they just have brought in so many other weapons it’s starting to get muddy. A lot of good WRs went off the board though and felt like I needed to try and get a guy that could fall into the top 2 tiers here.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
When Raph took Leddie Brown. I really wanted him to fall to me. I also really liked RD5 pick by Bainbridge when he took Rachaad White. And lastly, Samori Toure in RD 11 by Thor. I think he’s going to be a solid option in PPR leagues with him running in the slot. I got the second best stack with Martinez but really wanted Toure.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
From my team it could possibly be Daniel Jackson from Minnesota. We’ve seen that offense support 2 good WRs with Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman. You can even go back to Flecks days at Western Michigan and see how both Corey Davis and Daniel Braverman had great numbers. So it’s very possible in this offense and I really liked this pick of Jackson.
Kyle probably got the guy when he took Jordan Travis in RD19. We’ll probably see him take that Florida State job and I’ll be watching my team try and claw it’s way out of the basement with only 2 starting QBs on my entire roster. I also think the Charlie Brewer pick in RD12 was a good one and when Crissy took Keke Chism in RD21. Think that could be good value.
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
I always start with QB here because more times than not the team that wins these leagues usually has great QBs on their team. What was interesting is QBs didn’t go off the board nearly as fast this draft as they did in the G5. But I really liked what Bainbridge did getting Young early and following up with Will Rogers (Let’s hope the job goes to Sawyer Robertson though, right?) and Anthony Brown. Pair those QBs with what he got from his WR and RB haul over the first 11 rounds it was my favorite draft. He ended up with a lot of the guys I was targeting pre draft. Rachaad White, Jalen Mitchell, Desahun Fenwick, Gunner Romney, Zeriah Beason, Jaquarii Roberson.
I also really liked how Joe DiSalvo and Kyle Francis drafted. Both ended up with a handful of guys on my short list.
Joe DiSalvo | The CFF Site | @thecffsite
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it? What do you like and dislike about your team?
Given the depth of the league (16 owners, 26 roster spots) and starting best ball lineup requirements (2-QB, 2-RB, 3-WR, TE, FLEX (RB/WR/TE), my strategy was to prioritize QB and RB. Over the course of the season, high-end consistent fantasy production at those positions will keep your team in contention. From there, the challenge would be to find value at WR and TE after the foundation of my team was established. My goal was to secure two top QBs early, and I felt good coming away with Brennan Armstrong (UVA) and Emory Jones (FLA) with my first two picks. I was the only owner to take two QBs with my first two picks, and in a deep league such as this one, which requires two weekly QB starters, I feel as if I have the best 1-2 punch at the position, at least on paper.
My biggest liability is probably at WR, but my strategy to take projected WR2s & WR3s from high-scoring offenses may provide enough cover. Kahfre Brown & Beau Corrales gives me solid shares in the UNC passing game. Jontre Kirklin and Jaray Jenkins gives me a part of the LSU passing attack. And in this format, Ole Miss’ Dontario Drummond should be good for a handful of contributions.
What was your favorite pick that you made? Which do you regret?
There were two picks that I made during the draft in which I couldn’t hit ‘submit’ fast enough. First, Emory Jones, QB-FLA, has become my 2021 make-or-break player. I haven’t been shouting from the rooftops for everyone to get him, but I have selected Emory Jones in every draft this year. I’ll take the fantasy potential in Dan Mullen‘s starting QB as my QB2.
In Round 6, I was pleased to get Washington State RB Max Borghi, the first time I have ever selected Borghi in a fantasy draft. In previous years, Borghi has been one of those players that has gotten drafted well ahead of where I had him valued, but to take him as my RB3 in the sixth round of a 1.0-PPR format, was a no-brainer.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
In a draft of this size, you cannot have your heart set on any one player making it back to you if you pass on them, so I wouldn’t say that I was insanely jealous about not getting any one particular player, but there were two instances in which the top player in my queue was selected within two picks of me going on the clock. Eric Froton snagged Clemson RB Will Shipley one pick ahead of me in Round 13. I do not expect Shipley to end up being the Tigers’ RB1, but he should contribute as a freshman and I can see him making a few appearances in Froton’s best ball lineup throughout the year. In Round 11, Crissy Froyd selected UVA WR Billy Kemp IV two picks ahead of me. Fantrax currently has Kemp listed at RB, and I was eying him as my RB5, and in this 1.0-PPR format he is extremely valuable and a player that I can see consistently contributing to Froyd’s weekly best ball lineup. In hindsight, maybe Froyd’s selection of Kemp did make me jealous.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
There were several names selected in Round 12 or later that could become weekly starters this year, but the two that I like are Velus Jones, WR-TENN (Kyle Francis) and Kobe Pace, RB-CLEM (Mike Bainbridge). Kyle locked up Jones and Jalin Hyatt, so he is heavily invested in Josh Heupel‘s passing attack, and one of those two will likely pop this year. The starting RB spot at Clemson is a mystery right now. Lyn-J Dixon would seem to be the likely successor to Travis Etienne, but Kobe Pace has the momentum coming out of spring practice. Given the fact Pace could legitimately win the starting job, Mike landed a player with incredible upside as his RB5.
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
The unique format of 16 owners in a P5-only league makes it tough to fall in love with any one particular team, even your own, but there are some roster builds that I like. No doubt the hidden gems selected in the second half of the draft will likely be the difference makers, but in evaluating the teams, I focus on the foundation established through the first 10-12 picks.
This is a tough one.
I like the rosters of Thor Nystrom, Chris Crawford, and Greg Brandt, but I feel their weakest position is QB, which is the most important position in this 2-QB format.
I like what Mike Bainbridge did with his first 12 picks, but consistency at RB might be an issue beyond Rachaad White.
Then, when I look at the rosters of Scott Bell and Kyle Francis, I like what I see through 15 rounds, but I think they are light at WR, and Kyle really needs Hudson Card to win the job at Texas because he has no depth behind Rattler and Jefferson.
In the end, I feel if Mike Bainbridge ends up hitting on three of his first five RBs (Rachaad White-AZSt, Jalen Mitchell-LOUIS, Tre Henderson-tOSU, Deshaun Fenwick-ORSt, & Kobe Pace-CLEM), then he’ll be the team to beat.
Kyle Francis | Devy Watch | @franchisekf
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it? What do you like and dislike about your team?
Having the second overall pick, I knew that I was taking an elite QB, and I landed Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler. When I came back around with my second pick, I felt that the elite WR receivers were burnt, so I elected to take Kentucky RB Chris Rodriguez, who I believe has the legitimate potential to finish as overall CFF RB1. I felt confident that I could land a solid QB2 later in the draft, so I took the high floor-high ceiling UCLA RB Brittain Brown in the third. In the fourth, I believed that it was time to take Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson. He’s got a high floor due to his rushing abilities in Kendall Briles’ offense. Throwing to Treylon Burks won’t hurt either!
The biggest risk that I took was waiting until round seven to take my first WR. I grabbed three in a row, consisting of Georgia’s Jermaine Burton, Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt, and Arizona State’s LV Bunkley-Shelton. Admittedly, this is a risky group, but I believe in all three guys’ individual talents, and they all play in schemes that have produced top 12 overall CFF WR seasons. I purposefully took shots on Tennessee’s Velus Jones and Arizona State’s Elijhah Badger in hopes that I nab two 1,000 yard receivers between the two pairs of teammates. I did the same thing with Oklahoma State outside receivers Tay Martin and Braydon Johnson. Brendan Pressley is the most coveted Cowboy WR, but he should primarily operate from the slot, and this offense typically runs through an outside receiver. I don’t feel super confident about my WR room, but I’m fond of the process that I mapped out and implemented.
What was your favorite pick that you made? Which do you regret?
I took Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler second overall, so I felt it was a worthwhile investment to take his backup and heir, Caleb Williams. Williams’ ceiling in the Oklahoma offense is even higher than Rattler’s due to his tremendous rushing abilities. I hope that I don’t have to use Williams, but I was excited to get him in the eighteenth round as the QB76. I could potentially lose my first-round pick to injury and not skip a beat. That’s good business.
I regret taking Colorado RB Ashaad Clayton. I accidentally conflated him with his teammate Alex Fontenot. Clayton is the highest pedigreed recruit in the Buffs;’ backfield, but Fontenot led this room in rushing in 2019. Based on the comments made by the Colorado staff this spring, it seems they (foolishly) may not give Jarek Broussard the job again in ’21 after an incredible ’20 season. I doubt that happens, but at that point in the draft, I wanted to take a shot on Fontenot but accidentally put Clayton in my queue in his stead. Unfortunately, Nick Ian Allen took Fontenot the next round, just before I could grab him and potentially rectify my error. The chances are that Broussard is the man again this year, but I wanted to take a shot in the event the spring comments weren’t just coachspeak.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
Two receivers were drafted that really chapped my hide. Drake London went early in the second round, and I was naively praying that he would make it back to my near the turn at the second. I believe he’s a top-five overall CFF WR, and he has legitimate potential to finish as the overall FBS CFF WR1. I seem to be higher on Minnesota WR Chris Autman-Bell than everyone in the industry that’s not named Greg Brandt. He goes too late in every draft that I participate in, but I’ve struggled to effectively time when to make my move on him in several drafts this summer. Greg grabbing him as the WR22 in the fourth was a great move.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
QB: Gerry Bohanon, Baylor (QB59, Round 14) Gunnar Holmberg, Duke (QB62, Round 15)
RB: Zach Charbonnet, UCLA (RB71, Round 15) Devin Neal (RB103, Round 20)
WR: Zeriah Beason (WR73, Round 14), Troy Omeire (WR74, Round 14)
TE: Sam LaPorta (TE21, Round 15), Payne Durham (TE22, Round 17)
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
I like Nicholas Allen’s team, but I worry that he doesn’t have enough horses at wide receiver. Greg Brandt tempted fate by going with a QB1-QB2 tandem of Sean Clifford and Bo Nix, but I like many of his early skill players. Joe DiSalvo has an excellent team, but I would be slightly concerned about his top-end RBs. Overall, I think Mike Bainbridge is most likely to take silver to my gold. He took more risks by waiting on his QB2 and beyond than I’m accustomed to seeing him make, but I can dig the composition of his QB room, and I think he did well.
Scott Bogman | Fantrax | @BogmanSports
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it? What do you like and dislike about your team?
My strategy going in was to get a WR in the 1st since I was picking 8. WRs are typically the least consistent non-TE position so I like to make sure they are taken care of early and getting Boutte and Olave in the first 3 rounds made it so I was able to wait on WR for awhile. I like my WR and RB depth and I built them similarly, 2 WRs in the first 2 rounds followed by some experienced #1 types and a deep shot in Haselwood at the end. I also took 2 RBs in the first 2 rounds in Austin Jones and Jerrion Ealy which allowed me to throw some darts on guys like Noah Cain, Kamari Pleasant and MarShawn Lloyd. Spending early on RBs and WRs made my QB situation a bit shaky. Thompson could be great but he is in a competition with Hudson Card to start and I’m banking on Spencer Sanders to bounce back and start running again this year.
What was your favorite pick that you made? Which do you regret?
My favorite pick in the draft was getting Chris Olave to fall to me in the 3rd round. Olave will have a new QB and Garrett Wilson keeps getting better but adding a WR with an over 20 PPG average from last year is a steal in the 3rd. The pick I regret the most is probably Ealy although I like him I still didn’t have a QB yet and 7 of the 14 picks between Ealy and my next pick were QBs so my options were risky and that’s why I took Casey Thompson.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
I have taken my guy Erik Ezukanma in pretty much everything for the last 2 years so to see Brady take him in the 6th got to me. I think he’s really going to take off this year with Tyler Shough taking over at QB but he will have some competition for targets with Kaylon Geiger transferring in from Troy.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
I liked Zach’s pick of John Emery Jr in the 17th round, he hasn’t been able to lock down the starting job at LSU but he still has a shot to take over as he split carries with Davis-Price last year (292 snaps for Davis-Price to 250 for Emery). LSU always adds talent and they did add the 247 #7 RB in Armoni Goodwin and #10 in Corey Kiner. It could be convoluted with many RBs getting carries but the opportunity is there for someone to take over and Emery would be 2 years late but still a risk worth taking.
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
I really like the build that Joe DiSalvo put together. I think part of me likes that he was the only one that double tapped QB in the first 2 rounds but I really like the QBs he took in Armstrong and Emory Jones. He got 3 solid starters at RB in Broussard, Badie and Borghi and waited on WRs. The WRs are a bit risky but Joe always seems to be ahead of the curve and he took multiple WRs from UNC and LSU to go with Andrew Parchment from FSU and Dontario Drummond from Ole Miss. Joe did wait on TEs but this is the year to do it with the depth at TE deeper than ever.
Thor Nystrom | NBC Sports Edge | @thorku
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it?
I drew the 1.6 pick. There were three quarterbacks I would have taken there if available: Spencer Rattler, Matt Corral and DJ Uiagalelei. Backup plan was to take one of the P5’s two no-doubt mega-receivers… either David Bell or Kayshon Boutte. As expected, those trio of QBs went with three of the first four picks. No receiver had been taken when I came up, so I began my squad with consensus CFF WR1 David Bell.
Nine QBs went in R1, and two additional QBs went in R2 before the draft snaked back to me for my second pick. At that point, I felt there wasn’t value with any quarterback on the board — so I swung from the heels to try to lock down the league’s best WR corps by taking UNC WR Joshua Downs in R2. I felt fortunate to be able to wait on QBs and still have two high-upside starting options in Texas Tech QB Tyler Shough and Washington State QB Jayden de Laura.
What do you like and dislike about your team?
I love my RB and WR rooms; I think I have upside, depth, and insurance policies at each spot. And with Kolar and two backups, my TE room should be no-worse than above-average. If something sinks my team, it’ll come at the QB position. Nightmare scenario is de Laura losing his job for disciplinary reasons or a Jarrett Guarantano renaissance. I’m also putting a lot of faith in Shough to be an every-week starter — I’m bullish on him and need to be right.
What was your favorite pick that you made?
Between two late-round WR fliers, Baylor’s R.J. Sneed and Wazzu’s C.J. Moore. Very surprised Sneed made it to R19. It makes more sense that Moore, my R21 pick, is flying under the radar — he’s a former four-star Oklahoma State recruit who has resurfaced in Pullman. Moore is a big, athletic outside receiver who could put up jumbo numbers in Wazzu’s pass-happy offense if he locks down a starting job, which he’s favored to do.
Which do you regret?
Provisionally Arik Gilbert. By my R10 pick, my “projected starting lineup” had been drafted, and myself and my fellow-drafters were flipping the page to fleshing out depth strategies. Gilbert was listed by Georgia as a WR upon being added to the roster — which severely hurt his CFF draft stock.
The 6-foot-5, 248-pound Gilbert posted a 35-368-2 receiving line last year as a true freshman TE at LSU. He was considered arguably the most-gifted returning receiving TE in college football. Georgia has another stud TE in Darnell Washington, and appears, in listing Gilbert as a WR, to be nodding to the fact that Washington will be the inline guy, and Gilbert will often be lined up in the slot or out-wide. Kirby Smart may have told Gilbert he intends for him to replace George Pickens as Georgia’s go-to downfield target next year.
If Gilbert ends up re-acquiring TE position eligibility before the season, I may have just stolen a top-3 overall fantasy TE for an absurd sticker discount — he and Kolar would give me the league’s most-dangerous TE room. But if Gilbert remains listed only as a WR, it’s difficult to see him consistently cracking into my top-3 WR or FLEX spots. And if I used my R10 pick on a guy who ultimately becomes my WR6 or WR7, I obviously did the opposite of snapping up an enormous value — I blew a top-half of the draft pick.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
The biggest snipe I took in both drafts was when Nick Allen popped Kentucky WR Wan’Dale Robinson one pick before me in R6. I went to sleep the night before with Robinson at the top of my queue, set to auto-pick. I fully expected to see him on my roster the next morning. Kentucky will pound Robinson with targets this year. I went to bed feeling I had stolen him. Instead, Allen gutted me.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
Sticking with the Kentucky theme, I think Brady McCollough getting Will Levis in R13 will wind up being a coup. Levis should beat out Joey Gatewood, at which point the Penn State transfer will be directing a new-look offense far-more aerial leaning, with Robinson a ready-made star to feed the ball to.
The pick that hurt the most late was when Joe DiSalvo popped Iowa WR Tyrone Tracy Jr. in R19. I love Tracy, and I think he’ll be a breakout star in 2021. But when I was up seven picks before he went, R.J. Sneed was still on the board. I felt there was a much better chance of Tracy falling back to me than Sneed, so I selected Sneed and prayed Tracy would get back to me. If there’s two consolations there, it’s that I like Sneed a lot, and that DiSalvo put me out of my misery early, taking Tracy when there were still 10-plus picks to go before I was on the clock again.
I also have to shout-out Mike Bainbridge’s pick of Boston College TE Trae Barry at No. 311 overall. Just brilliant. An FCS star transferring up for an NFL audition, Barry is stepping into Hunter Long’s role, and should be heavily targeted.
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
Bainbridge is my front-runner. With one caveat: Sawyer Robertson cannot win the Mississippi State job (he has both Will Rogers and Jack Abraham). If that happens, Anthony Brown becomes his QB2, with two low-end weekly starter backups behind him (Gunnar Holmberg and Ken “Easter” Seals) — that one thing would wreck what I think is a fabulously explosive roster top-to-bottom. Zach Hall and Scott Bell would be my two front-runners if Mike Leach opts for the true freshman Robertson and decimates Bainbridge.
Tom Downey | Chat Sports | @WhatGoingDowney
What was your strategy going into the draft, and were you able to implement it? What do you like and dislike about your team?
Ensure at least one good tight end, and draft safe in Round 1. I think that worked. I am worried about my QB room and my handling of it. I like my WRs however. I fear my team is a better NFL Draft team than a CFB Fantasy one.
What was your favorite pick that you made? Which do you regret?
Garrett Wilson. I’m worried about the QB for OSU and the presence of Chris Olave, but Wilson is a stud. In hindsight, maybe I should have drafted QB at #3. The run before my next pick was not what I expected. Almost missed the top TEs, but I love Jaheel Billingsley from Alabama.
Name one pick another owner made in the top 10 rounds that made you insanely jealous.
Isaiah Spiller one pick before me by Scott Bell hurt.
Which player selected in Round 12 or later do you think has the best chance of becoming a weekly CFF starter this year?
Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
Outside of your own team, which do you see as the most talented in the league post-draft?
Raphielle Johnson