So They Had a Draft? What's That Mean For Yours?

By: Matt Prendergast

Hey kids! Long time no talk....been busy with my macrame sculptures and innovations in the field of 'sitting around', but we're at that time....WELCOME TO THE RELAUNCH OF FANTASY CORNER AT RECLINERQB!

Yes, I know. It's June. And I hear you: 'Why in the good gosh darn would I think about my fantasy football league in June? I have Kobe Beef and British Colombian Salmon on my new Big Green Egg! THESE THINGS ARE GETTING RUINED WHILE I READ THIS! Also, please don't ask why I invested well over twelve-hundred dollars specifically on this get-together with my neighbor who has that kick-ass riding mower. That dude needs to know who's the boss, that's all.'

And that kind of attitude is exactly why you take seventh every freaking year in your re-draft league.

Now. Right now. This is when you begin to plan....and that's why ReclinerQB.com is here today; to lovingly take care of you. So let's get to the point of caressing of your wondering mind in regard to the newly christened 'changers of the game'!  Specifically, how should you be approaching the big-named players that scattered throughout the league in last month's NFL Draft?

THAT WHICH YOU DO NOT EXECUTE:

'I may not even put on my helmet the whole year'

1) DO NOT DRAFT ANDREW LUCK - Certainly deserving of his destined position as 'first pick of the whole entire draft OMG!'. Also certainly not deserving of any of your picks in your fantasy draft. And by that I mean: you'd be much better off using your eighth round pick on Alex Smith, or Blaine Gabbert, or possibly a punter.

Did you see the Colts last year? I'm being serious, did you watch ANY of their games, even for five minutes? That is a HORRIBLE team. In one of those 'maybe if we close our eyes for seven years it'll be all right' definitions of 'horrible'.  Peyton Manning might get my vote for 'All-Time MVP of the NFL Ever' for the fact that he clearly covered a nearly-incomprehensible number of holes on that team. And those holes? This year with even more gaping power.

Oh yes, and to welcome Andrew in? They let everybody even halfway decent go. Except for Reggie Wayne, who passed by the deserved 'I just want to win another ring' exit strategy in lieu of choosing the 'I won't get hit the next two years because this guy won't have time to find me' route. Smart choice. Oh, and Dwight Freeney, who doesn't catch footballs.

Vintage Double D:
Sure hands across the middle for victory.

2) DO NOT DRAFT ANY OF THE ROOKIE WIDE RECEIVERS -  But you're saying 'remember AJ Green last year'? Yes I do. I also remember two other things: a) he was available in 80% of my leagues in week 2, and b) He didn't do one god-freaking thing to help out during the playoff run.  Now granted, I play primarily in Non-PPR leagues, so I may have a grudge against dudes that only score one touchdown the last six weeks, but that's me. (Don't come at me with your Julio Jones nonsense, btw, that was an aberration of a rookie WR season).

Who's the biggest impact from-out-of-nowhere WR this year? Some dude you didn't even think about, that's who. (See: Cruz, Victor) Truth being truth, you should easily pick up ANY of the rookie WRs before week three, so use that draft choice you're thinking about in round eleven on  Donald Driver (the only GB receiver to actively participate in 'catching' during their last playoff game), or Santana Moss (yes, I said that out loud) or even Whatever Bears' Cast-off Ends Up the #3 Wideout on the Vikings (This year it's Jerome Simpson! Wait, he's not a former Bear! Tricky, Vikings....). I still prefer any veteran in a situation where they can maybe shine early to a rook with breakout potential at the start of the season. Because the best rookie receiver will have been either taken way too high, or not taken at all.

THAT WHICH YOU DO EXECUTE:

'I said: Where's. My. GATORADE. AT. REX?'

1) DRAFT RGIII - Okay, I say this with a caveat emptor: where you should take him, you won't get him. The absolutely perfect 'Cam Newton Part II' selection, but because the Redskins have nothing to lose, and everything to gain, he'll be taken in the fifth or sixth round of your draft, and by a guy who's intending on starting him. Let that go.

But on the off-chance that Robert Griffin the Third is still there in the ninth round: just do that thing. And then sit back and be patient, for his time will come, maybe even early and often.

The 'Skins brought a lot of hungry receiving talent in - rather than break the bank on one marquee dude (like Vincent Jackson), they went with a couple of young guys that have shown some flash, but still have big axes to grind in Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan - with Santana Moss still hanging around to provide the veteran stability, and the critical re-upping of Fred Davis (plus Cooley's still hobbling about), Washington put a lot of little pieces together nicely to help aid RG3 in his quest to make Cam Newton 2011 look like a chump.  Good luck to you.

Has Hillis beat in hat/hair/glasses category already

2) GO AHEAD WITH THAT TRENT RICHARDSON IDEA, AND PLAN ON STARTING HIM - Let's think about this, rationally. The Browns have next to nothing going for them. Still. A QB Battle between  Colt Malt Liquor and Red Wheeden? There's no winners there, not this year. There's losers, though, namely Greg Little and Mohammed Massaquoi (who, let's be honest, has looked like a potentially shiny diamond ring the last two years primarily because you're viewing him inside a giant box brimming over with dung).

But the one thing the Browns can kinda do is block, son. Ask Peyton Hillis or Montario Hardesty - in the last two years, both had flashes of world-conquering magic as Cleveland Freaking Browns. Barring a catastrophic leg injury between now and week one, they've got a headlining act in Richardson - and even if he's somehow healthy this year, Montario isn't going to be cutting in on those carries much.

An additional plus point here: since he is a rookie on the Browns, unless you're playing in a dynasty or die-hards league, he'll be there in the fourth or fifth round. That's solid value for what should be a weekly starting 2nd RB with minimal time-sharing. Just hope to god he doesn't get injured like every other Cleveland RB draft pick in the last six years.

NOTE: This is advice for your 2nd RB only. If you decide to go 'all in' on any Brown BEFORE the fourth round, at the VERY earliest, I wish you a tremendous day at your job taste-testing used gum for 'flavor retentionability'.

So there you have it: Four early rookie questions answered....come early August, when the other league owners are just picking up their Pro Football Weekly preview mags, you'll already be winning the draft.

More soon.....

Follow Matt on Twitter:  @amazingmattyp.  He is filled with jolly things

Don't Forget to Follow ReclinerQB's other contributors on Twitter:  @ReclinerQB, @heartsfootball, @SonnyPrier, @CoreyDoiron, and @mwyche2 . If you don't, Terrell Owens is going to coach your kid's Pop Warner team this year.