Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
I selected fifth overall in this 10-teamer and am pretty pleased with how it turn out, even if I did take plenty of risks. Upside, upside, upside.
Round 1: Jamaal Charles
Related: 2013 Fantasy Football IDP Profile: Chad Greenway
It was a coin flip between Charles and the back Coach Andy Reid made a star of in Philly, LeSean McCoy. I ended up taking Charles in the (very slight) hopes that McCoy would remain available at No. 16. As it turns out, McCoy was not.
Round 2: Rob Gronkowksi
What did bother me was that Jimmy Graham came off the board, so I took the injury risk to nab the other elite TE. At the very least I’m hoping for absurd production come stretch run and fantasy playoffs. I figured to grab a high-upside TE late to fill in where needed.
Round 3: Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson should benefit mightily from a road-grader like Chance Warmack bolstering the guard spot. Less dancing I presume.
Round 4: David Wilson
I’m a conductor on the Wilson bandwagon and believe he will win a high majority of carries (and catches!) sooner rather than later.
Round 5: Hakeem Nicks
Nick was considered a top-five wide out last year and is now mostly healthy again. Upside through the roof.
Rounds 6-8: 6) James Jones 7) Ryan Mathews 8) Tony Romo
The light went on for Dez Bryant last year and this should mean great things for Romo, who finished third in passing yards. I don’t think Jones’ TDs will regress as much as everyone thinks and his catches could well increase. Mathews is a likely to top 50 catches even with Danny Woodhead in the backfield rotation.
Rounds 9-11: 9) Michael Vick 10) Kenny Britt 11) New England Patriots Team D
In a 10-teamer like this, it’s critical to just shoot for upside with your backups at quarterback and receiver this late. Round 11 is also a decent point to go after team defenses you’re keen on. Think Pats D makes a comeback this year.
Rounds 12-15: 12) Jermichael Finley 13) Jay Cutler 14) Bryce Brown 15) Phil Dawson
Brown could have plenty of carries go his way as a backup in a run-heavy offense. Finley is my Gronk insurance. Cutler should benefit greatly from Marc Trestman. Dawson comes off a career year to join a higher-scoring offense.
Starters:
QB: Romo
RB: Charles, Johnson
WR: Nicks, Jones
Flex: Wilson
TE: Gronkowski
Team D: Patriots
K: Dawson
Bench:
QBs Vick and Cutler, RBs Mathews and Brown, WR Britt, TE Finley
Conclusion:
I was thrilled to get CJ2K in Round 3 and Charles at pick No. 5. The critiques I could see coming in are around Gronk’s uncertain health status, along with neither Jones or Nicks hitting the 80-catch mark last season, so why am I taking them in PPR. In short, I’m looking for elite upside and believe all three of those have a good chance at tapping that potential in 2013. If Gronk misses the first six weeks but tears it up from Week 7 through the fantasy playoffs, that’s still worth it to me with the amazing depth at tight end this year. I wanted one of the two elite guys at that position for the stretch run.
Thomas Emerick is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEmerick, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
