League expanding, need to protect 10 players

[jmajewski]

Team 3 is expanding from 8 to 10 teams. I need to protect 10 players. 3 players from each team will be taken. It's a salary cap league ($72m) and I'm right up against the cap. I'd like some room to buy some free agents, as there are some good ones available. Also, we can franchise tag up to 3 players (the guys with 0 year contracts), but their salaries go up by 1 mil every year they are tagged.

Wentz - 3 years @ 3 million
Winston - 2@6
Mariota - 2@5

Zeke - 3@1
Hunt - 2@0.5
Kamara - 3@0.5
Mixon - 4@1
Lynch - 1@2.5
Montgomery - 1@2.5
Coleman - 0@0.5
Ajayi - 0@0.5

Hopkins - 2@9
Evans - 2@7
Hill - 4@3.5
Thielen - 1@1.5
Adams - 0@0.5
C Davis - 4@1
ARob 3@8
Parker - 1@3
Crowder - 1@3
Moncrief - 1@4
Pryor - 1@3.5
Matthews - 1@1

Graham - 1@2.5
Eifert - 1@0.5

I'm definitely going to protect Wentz, Zeke, Hunt, Kamara, and Hill because they are locked up and/or cheap. However, I am torn on who to protect among Hopkins, Evans, Adams, Thielen, Mixon, Davis due to their contracts being either expensive or soon-to-be expiring, or both. Basically, I am going to have to leave one of these guys unprotected. Right now, I am leaning toward Thielen. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[jeffster]

Man, that team is good.

I feel like I might actually keep Thielen for 1@1.5 over Davis for 4@1. That might be a minority opinion, but if Davis takes another year or two to emerge after his 300 yard rookie campaign, you'll end up getting nothing out of him until he's down to a year or so, and that seems plausible. Thielen, on the other hand, will spend that entire time contributing and is probably worth franchise tagging for a few years after his 1 expires, especially if they actually sign Cousins.

Mixon is my other lower choice. And with this being two QB, I might actually want to leave two from your 11 unprotected in order to keep Mariota also. I wouldn't consider ditching Hopkins or Evans unless you're forced to by the budget.

[BelichekYourSelf]

I'd keep
Wentz, Winston, Mariota
Zeke, Hunt, Kamara
Hopkins, Evans, Hill, Adams

[slaughterrt]

Can you trade some of those guys for picks?

[HughHoney]

Taking into account salaries and contracts, I’d keep:

Wentz
Zeke, Hunt, Kamara, Mixon
Hopkins, Hill, Thielen, Adams, Davis

[metoxen33]

I would keep at least two QB's, because of the 2 QB starting requirements

[HughHoney]

Taking into account salaries and contracts, I’d keep:

Wentz
Zeke, Hunt, Kamara, Mixon
Hopkins, Hill, Thielen, Adams, Davis

Missed it’s 2 QB. Would keep Mariota instead of Adams or Thielen. Since you would have to franchise Adams I’m reading that as both would cost 1.5 for 1 season. I’d keep Adams.

[vixen]

Wentz - 3 years @ 3 million
Winston - 2@6
Mariota - 2@5

Zeke - 3@1
Hunt - 2@0.5
Kamara - 3@0.5
Mixon - 4@1


Hopkins - 2@9
Adams - 0@0.5
C Davis - 4@1


but honestly not sure what 0 @ .5 for Adams means...does this mean that you lose him after this season? if that is the case, i would probablt keep Hill 4 @ 3.5 instead of Adams

[jmajewski]

I wouldn't consider ditching Hopkins or Evans unless you're forced to by the budget.

Yeah, I don't want to lose those guys, but they are expensive. I was thinking that leaving one of them unprotected might make sense because 1) maybe they won't be taken based on their price and 2) even if they are taken, that frees up cap space to use on free agents.

Can you trade some of those guys for picks?

Possible but unlikely. There haven't been many trades in this league and teams are hesitant to trade draft picks, which allow you to lock guys up cheaply. Draft picks are even more overvalued in this league than a normal dynasty league.

I would keep at least two QB's, because of the 2 QB starting requirements

True, but Goff and Jimmy G are FAs and could possibly be had for the same price as Mariota or Winston. It's risky, though, since the new teams will probably need QBs and have a lot of cap space, so I should probably consider keeping 2 QBs.

but honestly not sure what 0 @ .5 for Adams means...does this mean that you lose him after this season?

Sorry for the confusion. Contracts listed at 0 years are up this year -- If I don't franchise tag them this offseason, they go into the free agent pool. If I franchise tag them, their salaries will go up by 1 million every year. So if I protect and tag Adams, he'll be 1.5m this year. I could tag him again next year and keep him for 2019 for 2.5m. We only get 3 franchise tags, though.

[BelichekYourSelf]

Team 2 in my sig did something similar before last season. Multiple people dropped QBs thinking they could get them back for cheaper. It didn't happen. The QBs were like gold and the salaries got insane during the bidding. If you have 3 relatively cheap ones you can use that extra cash on your WRs/RBs.

[hockeyBjj]

Even on the scale of an 8 team league, that team looks good. I do feel bad for the two new owners getting a team with presumable no one in the top 60 at all

Anyways Wentz, Zeke, Hunt, Kamara, and Hill are the correct call for the surefire keeps. I would add Hopkins, although expensive, and Evans to that list. Mixon is a hold since you have him for 4 years same with Davis, 2QB I would actually then keep both Winston and Mariota. That's 11, so drop your choice of Davis or Mixon

Arob is expensive piece to let go to use that 8 mill on other free agents in my opinion

[meineymoe]

[quote=j
Wentz - 3 years @ 3 million
Mariota - 2@5

Zeke - 3@1
Hunt - 2@0.5
Kamara - 3@0.5
Mixon - 4@1

Hopkins - 2@9
Evans - 2@7
Hill - 4@3.5
Adams - 0@0.5
[/quote]

I like to play to win every year.
You can still play the free agent market - based on the roster you accumulated, I think you are up to the challenge of less cap space to get quality players.
I'd rather hang onto Evans/Hopkins at the higher price because their trade value is much more than what you would get with the extra cap space.
Good luck and have fun!

-oo-