Reviewing 2013 Fantasy Football Drafts: Part 2
The Worst 2013 Fantasy Football Draft
Draft day is by far and away the most important -- and if you're like me, most exciting -- day of the year when it comes to fantasy football. Yes, there are obviously crucial moves to be made throughout the entire season, but the easiest way to set yourself up for success in fantasy football is to have a solid draft. If you drafted Ray Rice with your first round pick in 2013, chances are your season went a little bit differently than someone who spent that same pick on Jamaal Charles.
Hindsight is 20/20 and at the end of every season, we get the luxury of going back and comparing how players did with how they were drafted. For this exercise, I went back and re-drafted a team from the fifth overall pick in a standard 10-team league. I went round by round and looked at the players who would have likely been available to you based on ESPN's average draft results and put together what I believe is the worst team you could have assembled on draft day (with the intent of assembling the best team possible).
This is meant to be a realistic team that somebody could have drafted prior to the season, so you're not going to see guys like Roddy White going in the 10th round, even though he would have still been overvalued there. If you drafted a team that's close to the one I assembled, then I have a tremendous amount of sympathy for you; these guys were universally valued much higher going into the season then where they currently are now. After your draft, you probably felt good about your chances of success in 2013, and rightfully so. However, sometimes the cards just fall the other way.
Billy Moy is a Fantasy Sports writer for www.RantSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter @William_moy6, "Like" him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
1st Round 5th Overall: Ray Rice
Ray Rice, RB Baltimore Ravens
ESPN Average Draft Position: 5.9
Ray Rice is the biggest bust of the 2013 fantasy football season. He was the sixth player drafted in most fantasy leagues and the fourth running back, but he's just the 28th-highest scoring fantasy back going into Week 16. He's been held to six fantasy points or less in nine of 13 games this season.
2nd Round 15th Overall: Steven Jackson
Steven Jackson, RB Atlanta Falcons
ESPN Average Draft Position: 18.9
Jackson was the 11th running back selected in most fantasy leagues, but he's currently just the 32nd running back in terms of total fantasy points.
3rd Round 25th Overall: Roddy White
Roddy White, WR Atlanta Falcons
ESPN Average Draft Position: 30.7
Steven Jackson's teammate was the seventh wide receiver drafted in most fantasy leagues, but is currently ranked 78th among wide receivers in total fantasy points behind guys like Brandon Gibson, Austin Pettis, Justin Hunter, Robert Woods, Ted Ginn and Dexter McCluster.
4th Round 35th Overall: Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan, QB Atlanta Falcons
ESPN Average Draft Position: 39.2
The Atlanta Falcons have had an extremely disappointing season and that has clearly translated to the fantasy world as well. Ryan was the seventh quarterback taken in fantasy drafts this season, but he's currently just 16th among quarterbacks in total fantasy points.
5th Round 45th Overall: Danny Amendola
Danny Amendola, WR New England Patriots
ESPN Average Draft Position: 50.2
Amendola was the 17th WR selected on draft day, but has missed five games this season. He has tallied five or fewer fantasy points in five other games, and is currently just the 58th-ranked receiver in total fantasy points.
6th Round 55th Overall: Hakeem Nicks
Hakeem Nicks, WR New York Giants
ESPN Average Draft Position: 55
Nicks was the 18th receiver chosen in drafts this season, but he has only had double-digit fantasy points in three games this season. He has yet to score a touchdown and is just the 51st-ranked wide receiver in total fantasy points.
7th Round 65th Overall: Chris Ivory
Chris Ivory, RB New York Jets
ESPN Average Draft Position: 71.6
Ivory is just the 34th-ranked running back with just 83 fantasy points this season, but he cost you a seventh- or eighth-round pick in fantasy drafts. Guys you may have passed up to draft Ivory include DeSean Jackson, Giovani Bernard, Julius Thomas, Pierre Garcon, Antonio Brown, Torrey Smith and Ryan Mathews.
8th Round 75th Overall: Tavon Austin
Tavon Austin, WR St. Louis Rams
ESPN Average Draft Position: 83.6
Tavon Austin was the 31st receiver selected on draft day but is currently just the 46th-highest scoring receiver in fantasy. From Weeks 3-9, he scored a total of seven fantasy points. Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon and Alshon Jeffery were all taken four rounds after Austin in most drafts.
9th Round 85th Overall: Antonio Gates
Antonio Gates, TE San Diego Chargers
ESPN Average Draft Position: 90.9
Gates got off to a hot start this season, which has helped him become the ninth-highest scoring tight end through the first 15 weeks, which is actually one spot higher than where he was drafted. Since Week 4, Gates has scored more than seven fantasy points just once and instead of drafting him in the 10th round, you could have used that pick on a guy like Le'Veon Bell or Josh Gordon and selected a guy like Martellus Bennett or Jordan Cameron rounds later.
10th Round 95th Overall: Mark Ingram
Mark Ingram, RB New Orleans Saints
ESPN Average Draft Position: 99.9
Mark Ingram had 21 fantasy points against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10. He has 34 fantasy points on the season. Ingram is ranked 63rd among running backs this season in total fantasy points and instead of him, you probably could have had Le'Veon Bell, Knowshon Moreno, Fred Jackson or Danny Woodhead.
11th Round 105th Overall: Kenny Britt
Kenny Britt, WR Tennessee Titans
ESPN Average Draft Position: 113.9
Kenny Britt was the 38th receiver on draft day, but he is currently just the 149th-ranked receiver in total fantasy points. Britt has five fantasy points this season.
12th Round 115th Overall: Chris Givens
Chris Givens, WR St. Louis Rams
ESPN Average Draft Position: 118.8
Givens was the 41st receiver selected on draft day, but he's just 74th on the season in fantasy points among wide receivers. He hasn't scored more than six fantasy points in a game since Week 2.
13th Round 125th Overall: Zach Sudfeld
Zach Sudfeld, TE New England Patriots/New York Jets
ESPN Average Draft Position: 132.1
Zach Sudfeld was one of the hottest sleepers going into fantasy drafts this season. He was selected as the 17th tight end on draft day and cost owners a 14th-round pick. The tight end has caught just four passes and scored just five fantasy points so far this season.
14th Round 135th Overall: Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman, QB Minnesota Vikings
ESPN Average Draft Position: 137.1
Josh Freeman was the 25th -- likely the last -- quarterback selected in fantasy drafts, but is 45th among quarterbacks in total fantasy points. He hasn't made a start since Week 7.
15th Round 145th Overall: Cameron Wake
Miami Dolphins Defense/Special Teams
ESPN Average Draft Position: 146.4
Look, it's really tough to mess up on picking a kicker and defense in the last two rounds and as long as you wait till the waning moments of your draft to fill those two spots, you're going to be fine. The Dolphins' defense was the 17th defense selected on draft day and they're actually currently the 12th-highest scoring defense. There were four defenses that went undrafted that currently have more fantasy points than them, including the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers, who are first and third in total fantasy points.
16th Round 155th Overall: Josh Brown
Josh Brown, K New York Giants
ESPN Average Draft Position: 152.3
If Brown was the kicker you chose in your fantasy draft, then he was likely one of the last kickers selected and probably your last pick. Like I mentioned with the defenses, you can really do no harm to yourself if you save defense and kicker for your last two picks, or at least two of your last three. Brown is 31st among kickers in total fantasy points and hopefully you dropped him for a guy who's had more success.
If you haven't yet checked out part one of the fantasy draft review, where I did the same thing except I assembled the ultimate team you could have had in 2013 make sure you do!
The Worst 2013 Fantasy Football Draft
Draft day is by far and away the most important -- and if you're like me, most exciting -- day of the year when it comes to fantasy football. Yes, there are obviously crucial moves to be made throughout the entire season, but the easiest way to set yourself up for success in fantasy football is to have a solid draft. If you drafted Ray Rice with your first round pick in 2013, chances are your season went a little bit differently than someone who spent that same pick on Jamaal Charles.
Hindsight is 20/20 and at the end of every season, we get the luxury of going back and comparing how players did with how they were drafted. For this exercise, I went back and re-drafted a team from the fifth overall pick in a standard 10-team league. I went round by round and looked at the players who would have likely been available to you based on ESPN's average draft results and put together what I believe is the worst team you could have assembled on draft day (with the intent of assembling the best team possible).
This is meant to be a realistic team that somebody could have drafted prior to the season, so you're not going to see guys like Roddy White going in the 10th round, even though he would have still been overvalued there. If you drafted a team that's close to the one I assembled, then I have a tremendous amount of sympathy for you; these guys were universally valued much higher going into the season then where they currently are now. After your draft, you probably felt good about your chances of success in 2013, and rightfully so. However, sometimes the cards just fall the other way.
Billy Moy is a Fantasy Sports writer for www.RantSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter @William_moy6, "Like" him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
1st Round 5th Overall: Ray Rice
Ray Rice, RB Baltimore Ravens
ESPN Average Draft Position: 5.9
Ray Rice is the biggest bust of the 2013 fantasy football season. He was the sixth player drafted in most fantasy leagues and the fourth running back, but he's just the 28th-highest scoring fantasy back going into Week 16. He's been held to six fantasy points or less in nine of 13 games this season.
2nd Round 15th Overall: Steven Jackson
Steven Jackson, RB Atlanta Falcons
ESPN Average Draft Position: 18.9
Jackson was the 11th running back selected in most fantasy leagues, but he's currently just the 32nd running back in terms of total fantasy points.
3rd Round 25th Overall: Roddy White
Roddy White, WR Atlanta Falcons
ESPN Average Draft Position: 30.7
Steven Jackson's teammate was the seventh wide receiver drafted in most fantasy leagues, but is currently ranked 78th among wide receivers in total fantasy points behind guys like Brandon Gibson, Austin Pettis, Justin Hunter, Robert Woods, Ted Ginn and Dexter McCluster.
4th Round 35th Overall: Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan, QB Atlanta Falcons
ESPN Average Draft Position: 39.2
The Atlanta Falcons have had an extremely disappointing season and that has clearly translated to the fantasy world as well. Ryan was the seventh quarterback taken in fantasy drafts this season, but he's currently just 16th among quarterbacks in total fantasy points.
5th Round 45th Overall: Danny Amendola
Danny Amendola, WR New England Patriots
ESPN Average Draft Position: 50.2
Amendola was the 17th WR selected on draft day, but has missed five games this season. He has tallied five or fewer fantasy points in five other games, and is currently just the 58th-ranked receiver in total fantasy points.
6th Round 55th Overall: Hakeem Nicks
Hakeem Nicks, WR New York Giants
ESPN Average Draft Position: 55
Nicks was the 18th receiver chosen in drafts this season, but he has only had double-digit fantasy points in three games this season. He has yet to score a touchdown and is just the 51st-ranked wide receiver in total fantasy points.
7th Round 65th Overall: Chris Ivory
Chris Ivory, RB New York Jets
ESPN Average Draft Position: 71.6
Ivory is just the 34th-ranked running back with just 83 fantasy points this season, but he cost you a seventh- or eighth-round pick in fantasy drafts. Guys you may have passed up to draft Ivory include DeSean Jackson, Giovani Bernard, Julius Thomas, Pierre Garcon, Antonio Brown, Torrey Smith and Ryan Mathews.
8th Round 75th Overall: Tavon Austin
Tavon Austin, WR St. Louis Rams
ESPN Average Draft Position: 83.6
Tavon Austin was the 31st receiver selected on draft day but is currently just the 46th-highest scoring receiver in fantasy. From Weeks 3-9, he scored a total of seven fantasy points. Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon and Alshon Jeffery were all taken four rounds after Austin in most drafts.
9th Round 85th Overall: Antonio Gates
Antonio Gates, TE San Diego Chargers
ESPN Average Draft Position: 90.9
Gates got off to a hot start this season, which has helped him become the ninth-highest scoring tight end through the first 15 weeks, which is actually one spot higher than where he was drafted. Since Week 4, Gates has scored more than seven fantasy points just once and instead of drafting him in the 10th round, you could have used that pick on a guy like Le'Veon Bell or Josh Gordon and selected a guy like Martellus Bennett or Jordan Cameron rounds later.
10th Round 95th Overall: Mark Ingram
Mark Ingram, RB New Orleans Saints
ESPN Average Draft Position: 99.9
Mark Ingram had 21 fantasy points against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10. He has 34 fantasy points on the season. Ingram is ranked 63rd among running backs this season in total fantasy points and instead of him, you probably could have had Le'Veon Bell, Knowshon Moreno, Fred Jackson or Danny Woodhead.
11th Round 105th Overall: Kenny Britt
Kenny Britt, WR Tennessee Titans
ESPN Average Draft Position: 113.9
Kenny Britt was the 38th receiver on draft day, but he is currently just the 149th-ranked receiver in total fantasy points. Britt has five fantasy points this season.
12th Round 115th Overall: Chris Givens
Chris Givens, WR St. Louis Rams
ESPN Average Draft Position: 118.8
Givens was the 41st receiver selected on draft day, but he's just 74th on the season in fantasy points among wide receivers. He hasn't scored more than six fantasy points in a game since Week 2.
13th Round 125th Overall: Zach Sudfeld
Zach Sudfeld, TE New England Patriots/New York Jets
ESPN Average Draft Position: 132.1
Zach Sudfeld was one of the hottest sleepers going into fantasy drafts this season. He was selected as the 17th tight end on draft day and cost owners a 14th-round pick. The tight end has caught just four passes and scored just five fantasy points so far this season.
14th Round 135th Overall: Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman, QB Minnesota Vikings
ESPN Average Draft Position: 137.1
Josh Freeman was the 25th -- likely the last -- quarterback selected in fantasy drafts, but is 45th among quarterbacks in total fantasy points. He hasn't made a start since Week 7.
15th Round 145th Overall: Cameron Wake
Miami Dolphins Defense/Special Teams
ESPN Average Draft Position: 146.4
Look, it's really tough to mess up on picking a kicker and defense in the last two rounds and as long as you wait till the waning moments of your draft to fill those two spots, you're going to be fine. The Dolphins' defense was the 17th defense selected on draft day and they're actually currently the 12th-highest scoring defense. There were four defenses that went undrafted that currently have more fantasy points than them, including the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers, who are first and third in total fantasy points.
16th Round 155th Overall: Josh Brown
Josh Brown, K New York Giants
ESPN Average Draft Position: 152.3
If Brown was the kicker you chose in your fantasy draft, then he was likely one of the last kickers selected and probably your last pick. Like I mentioned with the defenses, you can really do no harm to yourself if you save defense and kicker for your last two picks, or at least two of your last three. Brown is 31st among kickers in total fantasy points and hopefully you dropped him for a guy who's had more success.
If you haven't yet checked out part one of the fantasy draft review, where I did the same thing except I assembled the ultimate team you could have had in 2013 make sure you do!
