Rookie Draft before NFL Draft

[broncohead]

Last year I was in a startup draft that included rookies and the entire draft happened before the NFL draft which was kind of fun. Here's a look at where some of the key rookies went in the draft, Only including rookie draft number, not overall draft number. This was a superflex PPR league format

Draft took place @ end of February 2017 - so this was even before the combine
1.01 - Fournette
1.02 - Cook
1.03 - Mike Williams
1.04 - Corey Davis
1.05 - Desean Watson
1.06 - Juju
1.07 - McCaffrey
1.08 - Kizer
1.09 - Trubisky
1.10 - Kamara
1.11 - Mixon
1.12 - Perine
2.01 - John Ross
2.02 - Donta Foreman
2.03 - Malachi Dupre
2.04 - Pat Mahomes
2.05 - Curtis Samuel
2.06 - OJ Howard
2.07 - KD Cannon

Hunt @ 3.06

It's fun to look back at the what-ifs but that also drives me crazy

But people will argue mike Williams wasn't considered top 4 pre draft and is only worth mid to late 1st

[clarion contrarion]

malachi dupre & kd cannon owners disapprove of this format ?

[dynastyninja]

Last year I was in a startup draft that included rookies and the entire draft happened before the NFL draft which was kind of fun. Here's a look at where some of the key rookies went in the draft, Only including rookie draft number, not overall draft number. This was a superflex PPR league format

Draft took place @ end of February 2017 - so this was even before the combine
1.01 - Fournette
1.02 - Cook
1.03 - Mike Williams
1.04 - Corey Davis
1.05 - Desean Watson
1.06 - Juju
1.07 - McCaffrey
1.08 - Kizer
1.09 - Trubisky
1.10 - Kamara
1.11 - Mixon
1.12 - Perine
2.01 - John Ross
2.02 - Donta Foreman
2.03 - Malachi Dupre
2.04 - Pat Mahomes
2.05 - Curtis Samuel
2.06 - OJ Howard
2.07 - KD Cannon

Hunt @ 3.06

It's fun to look back at the what-ifs but that also drives me crazy

But people will argue mike Williams wasn't considered top 4 pre draft and is only worth mid to late 1st

Those two aren't mutually exclusive. He started sliding after the draft and hasn't done anything to improve his stock in the year since then. Talented or not, he hasn't helped himself at all.

[broncohead]

Last year I was in a startup draft that included rookies and the entire draft happened before the NFL draft which was kind of fun. Here's a look at where some of the key rookies went in the draft, Only including rookie draft number, not overall draft number. This was a superflex PPR league format

Draft took place @ end of February 2017 - so this was even before the combine
1.01 - Fournette
1.02 - Cook
1.03 - Mike Williams
1.04 - Corey Davis
1.05 - Desean Watson
1.06 - Juju
1.07 - McCaffrey
1.08 - Kizer
1.09 - Trubisky
1.10 - Kamara
1.11 - Mixon
1.12 - Perine
2.01 - John Ross
2.02 - Donta Foreman
2.03 - Malachi Dupre
2.04 - Pat Mahomes
2.05 - Curtis Samuel
2.06 - OJ Howard
2.07 - KD Cannon

Hunt @ 3.06

It's fun to look back at the what-ifs but that also drives me crazy

But people will argue mike Williams wasn't considered top 4 pre draft and is only worth mid to late 1st

Those two aren't mutually exclusive. He started sliding after the draft and hasn't done anything to improve his stock in the year since then. Talented or not, he hasn't helped himself at all.

Seems super early to write a WR off doesn't it? I mean how many WRs have good rookie years? Davis' value is about the same as last year.

[Goirish374]

i see a lot of negativity cast at the idea from people who don't participate in leagues that draft before the NFL draft. i understand why that would be the case. maybe it seems like it doesn't make sense, maybe it seems like the scouting demands would be too high, maybe it seems like the rookie picks are devalued...i understand why it would seem that way if you've never done it.

i think it's worth mentioning that the commentary from those who do participate in those leagues is universally positive.

certainly there is some selection bias there but, even so, it tends to have the look and feel of something that, once you've gotten your hands dirty with it, or maybe once its gotten its hooks in you, makes sense in ways that aren't apparent until you've experienced them.

as someone who's in two leagues that do this i can say it has nothing at all to do with being smarter than anyone else. if any of my posts came off that way i apologize--its about a different kind of challenge, one that people who have not tried it tend to oppose and that people who have tried it find they prefer. its tremendous fun for reasons outlined in earlier posts.

[thebeast]

How’s this working out for those of you who drafted early tonight? You all happy with results so far and sticking with your predraft evaluations?

[clarion contrarion]

my highest drafted players - freeman - st,brown still on the board - I did draft penny at 12
(9th player selected as I have a college player reserve tie in ) but immediately traded him and then selected freeman . So the jury is still out . In that league the player order was barkley guice jones chubb moore michel ridley sutton penny freeman johnson kirk washington.
16 team 1 qb league and 5 1st round qbs went in 7 pick span from 2:14 to 3:4.
The manager I traded penny to is a hawk fan so he has that to relish but he was less than thrilled hawks passed on guice !

[cd6696]

I've done a few drafts before the NFL, for sure makes the draft more interesting. For those that seem strongly against it, just think of it as a really really late devy draft, except you already know combine, pro day etc

With that mindset it's a super safe devy draft instead of a risky rookie draft

[Goirish374]

Across my leagues that draft in April I only had a single first round pick (1.07) which i used to take ridley...yes, yes, i know we are supposed to be agin’ him, here...but he was the one Day 1 guy i was holding on to.

I was pretty worried at all the mocking that had Carolina taking him. That would have been awful, imho.

I am far more excited about ATL as a landing spot.

Today is the day that makes fantasy football drafts, however.