This article is part of our NFL Observations series.
This was the second NFFC Beat Chris Liss league of the season, a $350 entry-fee, 12-team PPR league with a $200K grand prize. (For BCL1, click here.) This time, I drafted from the four spot.
Here are the results:
Click here to enlarge image.
My first draft was unconventional because I went zero-RB, and this one was unconventional because I paid up for a premium TE and QB. It's not a big deal to go for one of the two, but I went for both.
1.4 Clyde Edwards-Helaire -- I figured I'd be choosing between CEH and Alvin Kamara at pick four, and I went back and forth over who I'd take all week. Just when I settled on Kamara, Team 3 took him, leaving me with the choice of CEH or Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott has the floor, but in a full PPR and with Tony Pollard slated for a bigger role, I gambled on the rookie.
2.9 George Kittle -- I thought about stacking Travis Kelce here, but I knew I probably wouldn't get Patrick Mahomes in Round 3 and chose Kittle with all the 49ers WR injuries instead. I might have gone with Odell Beckham or Jonathan Taylor if I didn't think there was a good chance one might fall to Round 3.
3.9 Adam Thielen -- Neither Beckham nor Taylor came close to falling, and even James Conner went one pick before me, so I took the top receiver on my board. I'm a little worried about Thielen's age and soft tissue injuries from last year, but if he's healthy he could lead the NFL in targets.
4.4 Melvin Gordon -- This might be the one I regret. I like Gordon at this price, but I read a note after the draft that he's out again with a rib injury. I could have had DK Metcalf or DJ Chark instead.
5.9 Dak Prescott -- With CeeDee Lamb in the fold, and red-zone pass-happy Mike McCarthy coaching, Prescott is closer to the Mahomes/Lamar Jackson tier than the Russell Wilson/Deshaun Watson one. It's hard to build a team with an expensive QB and TE, but I was up for the challenge.
6.4 Ronald Jones -- I passed on Michael Gallup and DeVante Parker for him, but Jones is the Bucs' undisputed starter right now, and he shouldn't be available this late. Plus he fills the flex and gives me depth behind a banged-up Gordon.
7.9 CeeDee Lamb -- Gallup was gone, but I'm happy to take the rookie who's having a monstrous camp and pair him with Prescott.
8.4 Darius Slayton -- He was great last year while dealing with the rookie version of Daniel Jones and the carcass of Eli Manning. Slayton should be better in Year 2, and the so should the situation. There are a lot of mouths to feed in the Giants offense, but there should be a lot of passes to go around given the state of their defense.
9.9 Mecole Hardman -- He's blocked by Tyreek Hill and even Sammy Watkins, but one injury could make him a top-15 WR in that offense. I also love betting on Year 2 WR like Slayton and Hardman.
10.4 Preston Williams -- Another Year 2 receiver making a good impression in camp. He's coming back from an ACL tear, but reports are good so far, and the Dolphins passing game has a narrow tree.
11.9 T.J. Hockenson -- A pure value-take here as I had Kittle already, but TEs are injury prone, and I can use him in the flex if need be. Hockenson has been great in camp and was the No. 8 overall pick in last year's NFL draft.
12.4 Nyheim Hines -- I needed another RB, and Hines should be useful enough in PPR with checkdown king Philip Rivers.
13.9 Justin Tucker -- In BCL1, taking Brandon Aiyuk cost me Tucker, and I was mad. This time, taking Tucker cost me Aiyuk who went three picks later. I know you're not supposed to take a kicker this early, but this is the greatest kicker of all time playing on a top-five offense in a scoring system that's generous to kickers. He and Harrison Butker are worth it, but once they're gone, wait five more rounds.
14.4 N'Keal Harry -- Another second-year wideout with upside if he clicks.
15.9 Joe Burrow -- I couldn't believe he was still around, and I value took for my No. 2 QB. Hopefully, I'll only use him when Prescott's on bye.
16.4 Van Jefferson -- The rookie has been killing it in Rams camp, and Josh Reynolds is not a difficult obstacle to surmount. The Rams should throw it a lot, and Jefferson could push for a big role.
17.9 Chargers Defense -- Derwin James, Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram, Chris Harris, Casey Hayward -- it's a very good real life defense at least.
18.4 Trent Taylor -- He could be the 49ers leading target getter after Kittle if Deebo Samuel and Aiyuk are out for a while. I probably should have waited another round and taken the Colts defense (who get the Jaguars Week 1) instead, but if you're going to make an error, do it in the 18th round.
19.9 La'Mical Perine -- Le'Veon Bell and Adam Gase don't seem to be getting along, and 37-year old Frank Gore is not the answer, no matter what an obsequious media might tell you.
20.4 Football Team Defense -- The defense wasn't bad last year, and they added edge-rushing monster Chase Young (though he's banged up in camp.)
By-Position Roster
QB: Dak Prescott
RB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire/Melvin Gordon
WR: Adam Thielen/CeeDee Lamb/Darius Slayton
TE: George Kittle
D: Chargers
Bench: Mecole Hardman/Preston Williams/T.J. Hockenson/Nyheim Hines/N'Keal Harry/Joe Burrow/Van Jefferson/Trent Taylor/La'Mical Perine/Football Team Defense
