Well boys, we have officially begun our 3rd season of fantasy football together. This season is sure to be filled with intense battles, active waiver wires, plenty of trades, and all the ape city we can handle. We step into our 3rd season with more experience and competence than ever before, and it was evident in everyone’s drafts. This draft recap will be less comedic than my typical flavor of newsletters are, and will focus more on my assessment on each league member’s draft. So without further ado, let’s jump in.

Draft Recaps

Le Petite Prince

Grade: C+

Dopes:

This was without a doubt Keegan’s best WR1 draft. Amari Cooper, Deebo Samuel, Mike Evans, and Hollywood Brown make up Keegan’s best WR1 corps that he’s ever had. Sure, Samuel, Evans, and Brown all are tossups because of different roles or uncertain QB situations, but Cooper could be a top-10 WR this season. Mahomes and Kelce should continue to produce, even if it doesn’t end up being quite as much as last season. Keeg also got a few investments that could pan out as solid fantasy producers in Khalil Herbert and Samaje Perine.

Nopes:

Even though Keegan has a lot of wide receivers that could be pretty decent this season, he can only play 3 of them on any given week. Keegan is very weak at RB, with virtually no depth at the position. Many of his RB’s are backups, or fingers crossed type of players. I’m also not sold on Travis Etienne, especially not with a 2nd round price tag. He has never been the Jaguars’ go-to guy on third down or goal line, and he isn’t seeming to separate himself from the other RBs on his team in any field except pass catching. I also believe that Kelce is bound to drop off at some point, and Mahomes has perhaps the worst WR room in the NFL this year. So I would not expect the same type of production they had last year. I wouldn’t be that surprised if Keegan ends up around 8th like he is projected, unless he figures out a way to improve his RB situation.

My Favorite Pick: Jameson Williams (Round 15, Pick 6)

Williams could seriously be a keeper for Keegan next year. He was electric in college, and was one of the best WR’s in his draft class. Once he comes back, he could go off with Jared Goff showing tons of improvement last year.

Ozark’s Revenge

Grade: C

Dopes:

Andrew’s top WRs in Diggs and Lamb could both finish top-10, possibly even top-5. I also expect Jalen Hurts to finish as a top-5 QB because of him being the best dual threat QB in the league. That right there is enough to give Andrew a shot in most games. Pair it with DJ Moore, Jordan Addison, and Tee Higgins, and Andrew has a really solid WR corps, one of the best in the league.

Nopes:

While Andrew has one of the best groups of WRs in our league, he definitely has the worst group of RBs in our league. It’s also never a good sign when Andrew started regretting his RBs immediately after the draft, especially AJ Dillon. James Conner may end up producing simply based off how bad everyone else on the Cardinals is, but that’s it. Andrew desperately needs to trade for a running back. Evan Ingram is also a big question mark. He finished last year as the TE5, but that was largely because of a 40 point performance at the end of the season. I also have questions about CeeDee Lamb with last season’s interception leader throwing to him. And then there is the question of how much a WR2 can really produce each week with Tee Higgins, who Andrew drafted at his absolute ceiling in the 3rd round. Andrew is projected to finish 6th, and I think we should expect to see him end up somewhere a little lower.

My Favorite Pick: DJ Moore (Round 5, Pick 3)

DJ Moore is a yards after catch monster. He steps into a role on the Bears as their WR1 by a long shot. Sure, we don’t know what Justin Fields will be able to do in the air, but it can’t be worse that Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield, and Moore did decent with both of them. I expect him to have a big year.

40K Magic

Grade: C

Dopes:

Matt has one player in each position that will act as his anchors this season. Herbert, Chubb, Hill, and Andrews should all serve as reliable starters that can put points on the board week after week. Chubb has potential to finish as the overall RB1, and Tyreek could finish as the WR1. Matt also took a shot on Zay Flowers and Jaylen Warren in later rounds that could both pay off big time.

Nopes:

Sure, Matt has solid pieces at each position, but his supporting staff is rough. Matt had a number of blunders in the draft. In rounds 5–8, Matt took Brandon Aiyuk, George Pickens, Alvin Kamara, and Michael Pittman. Aiyuk is a big boom or bust player, Pickens can’t catch something without offensive pass interference, Kamara is suspended, and Pittman is only going to get thrown the ball a fraction of the time. Justin Herbert also finished in the top-10 fewer times than Kirk Cousins last year, and Matt spent a 4th round pick on him. And not to pile it on, but Rhamondre Stevenson is almost surely going to see decent regression since he’s in a Bellichick offense that added Ezekiel Elliott (think Najee Harris from last year type of regression). Matt is projected to finish 7th overall, and that may be spot on.

My Favorite Pick: Zay Flowers (Round 9, Pick 4)

Zay Flowers has shown lots of promise up to this point, and finds himself in an offense that desperately needs a WR1. I don’t expect OBJ to do anything, and Flowers could emerge as the top dog in Baltimore. If he does, Matt may have found himself a crazy value for keeper next year.

Sauce Boss

Grade: D

Dopes:

Joe has some young players on his team that could be very exciting. Jahmyr Gibbs and James Cook are sure to play a pretty big role in the Lions and Bills’ offenses, and are both good pass catching backs. Amon-Ra and Chris Olave are also two wideouts that I’m pretty sure will take the next step in their careers this year, especially Olave. I believe Derek Carr can throw for 4,000–5,000 yards again, and the Saints have one of the easiest strength of schedules in the NFL. Olave could go crazy this year. Joe also took a shot on a few rookies that could be great in Quentin Johnson and Zach Charbonnet.

Nopes:

Cooper Kupp at 1.1 may haunt Joe forever. This situation seems more severe than the Rams are letting people know, and Kupp is getting up there in age. Joe also took Lamar Jackson in the 2nd round, and he would have to have another MVP season to warrant that price. Gibbs may also be great, but the fact that he is mainly a pass catching RB takes away from his upside since Joe is very heavily dependent on the Lions’ passing game. I have no faith in Kyle Pitts as well, because for two seasons he has done nothing but let people down. But the worst thing Joe did was draft OBJ in the 9th round. This is a 30 year old WR coming off of two season ending injuries over the last three years, and he hasn’t played football in over a year. I expect him to be dropped from Joe’s team by week 4. Joe is projected to finish 2nd, but I think there is no way Joe makes the playoffs without significant trades.

My Favorite Pick: Quentin Johnson (Round 11, Pick 1)

Think of Johnson similarly to Zay Flowers. Johnson has an opportunity to takeover WR1, with Keenan Allen being old and Mike Williams be seriously inconsistent. The difference between Johnson and Flowers, however, is that Johnson finds himself on a better offense with a QB that has a better arm. This was a sneaky good pick by Joe.

Panda Express

Grade: D

Dopes:

Luke’s starting RB’s are Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry. That is elite, and competes for the best RB duo in our league. Hockenson will also play more heavily in a Vikings offense that will primarily focus on its air attacks. Drake London is another player that could be pretty decent. He showed a lot of promise his rookie season, and will be the Falcons’ primary target. Round that out with Joe Burrow under center, and Luke has some decent pieces.

Nopes:

Luke has a terrible WR room, possibly the worst in the league. Chris Godwin in the 3rd round is crazy, considering he has no one throwing to him and isn’t even the WR1 on his team. Terry McLaurin is also very overrated, currently dealing with an injury, and is being outshined by Jahan Dotson on a regular basis. Luke also doesn’t have good bench depth to his team. Javonte Williams is injury prone and unreliable, Gabe Davis is boom or bust, and Jerrick McKinnon is forgettable. Luke is projected to finish 5th, but if he doubled that number it would probably be more accurate.

My Favorite Pick: Brandin Cooks (Round 9, Pick 10)

Cooks has had at least one season with over 1,000 yards on every team he has played for in his career. He is still building rapport with Prescott, but he could be a decent FLEX play for Luke this year. He just has to pray Dak stops throwing interceptions long enough to get him the ball.

SPHACE

Grade: A

Dopes:

Seth impressed me this year. Ekeler and Jacobs is a crazy RB duo that will surely provide all the consistency and more that Seth needs week-to-week. Having Garrett Wilson as an 11th round keeper pick is also insane, as the lowest he was dropping in mock drafts was the 2nd round. Waddle also proved he can produce even as the WR2 on his team, even if Seth may have taken him a little early. Justin Fields will also surely be a top-5 QB, simply because of his rushing ability. Seth also has decent depth at RB if Swift and Montgomery can stay healthy. I’m also sold on Thielen after he was the only person that Bryce Young threw to in the preseason game we went to.

Nopes:

Seth has a strong team, but it has its weaknesses. Keenan Allen in the 3rd round is a huge risk. He is getting older and can’t stay healthy. So 3rd round is very high if he doesn’t play the whole season. I also think Kittle is going to be limited this season, because I don’t believe in Brock Purdy and the fact that the Niners simply have so many weapons. And Tyler Lockett is finding himself in an overcrowded WR room where JSN and Metcalf are both better than him. Even with these flaws, I think Seth’s team is the real deal. He’s projected to win it all, and I think he just might.

My Favorite Pick: Justin Fields (Round 5, Pick 7)

Seth didn’t use a keeper pick on Fields, but he got his boy anyway. Fields took off last year in fantasy, simply because of his prowess as a rushing QB. He also has significantly better targets downfield, and should improve his passing game. I expect him to finish top-5, potentially even somewhere in the top three fantasy QBs.

You Just Got Cammed

Grade: A-

Dopes:

Bijan Robinson and Tony Pollard as my starting RB’s is crazy. They both have significant roles on their offenses and can get it done on the ground, goal line, and by the air. They may be PPR monsters. Justin Jefferson will also anchor my team’s WRs, as he has proven for 3 years in a row how he is one of the best WRs in the NFL. Diontae Johnson didn’t score a single TD last year, so he is surely going to do significantly better than last year as we have seen Kenny Pickett take a step in the right direction. I took some risks on young players that could go off in Breece Hall, Jahan Dotson, and Elijah Moore. And at TE, Sam LaPorta and Dalton Kincaid were on the field for 80% of their team’s snaps and could play significant roles in the passing game on two electric offenses.

Nopes:

My weakest positions by far are at QB and TE. I went for value in the draft and took a long shot on both positions. Watson could continue to be horrendous, and both of my TEs are unproven and big question marks. Breece Hall could be really good, but he also might have a reduced role with the addition of Davin Cook. I also don’t know if he will be the same after his injury. Jerry Jeudy also took a step in the right direction at the end of last season, but he’s already injured and the Broncos might keep sucking (Let’s Ride). I also may have gotten played by Aaron Jones and Michael Thomas yet again. So depth at WR may end up being an issue. I am projected to finish 4th, but I’ve exceeded projections every year. Why not do it again?

My Favorite Pick: Jahan Dotson (Round 7, Pick 9)

Dotson was a TD machine last year. He proved quickly that he could be fantasy relevant, even with Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinecke throwing to him. If he can stay healthy, I think he is Sam Howell’s favorite target and could put up crazy numbers this year.

AL’S Chicken

Grade: A+

Dopes:

Allen decided he wanted to stay in our league, and also decided he wanted to compete for the title. Allen has one of the strongest starting lineups in the league. Saquon returned to form last year, and Dameon Pierce enters his second season with more help on offense to alleviate pressure and hopefully open up more opportunities. JaMarr Chase and Calvin Ridley might prove to be deadly. And Goedert is reliable points on the board. JSN proved at Ohio St. that he could separate himself from other talented wide receivers, and he just might do the same in Seattle. Allen also got Aaron Rodgers, who I think is far from done. Allen drafted a great starting lineup.

Nopes:

Allen does not have the craziest depth on his bench. There are some questions on if Courtland Sutton can prove to be a viable fantasy option or not. And there are huge questions about if Ridley will return to his former self. If not, the 3rd round is a high price to pay. I’m also not convinced Miles Sanders is the real deal. Kadarius Toney could be great if he could stay healthy, but I doubt he will be able to do that. And Mike Williams is the king of boom or bust. I wouldn’t trust him. Allen is projected to finish 9th somehow, but I think if Allen doesn’t make any crazy trades that he will be in the playoffs for the first time.

My Favorite Pick: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Round 9, Pick 2)

JSN might work his way into becoming Seattle’s go-to guy by the end of the year. He was phenomenal at Ohio St., even though Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson were there too. Allen may have found himself a potential keeper.

Mixon Match

Grade: B

Dopes:

Alex impressed me for the second year in a row with his draft. Alex has one of the best starting lineups in our league. Joe Mixon and Najee Harris provide Alex with a great starting lineup for RB, and Mixon could have a great year as Cincinnati’s only real running back. Alex’s WRs are also solid, with Davante Adams, Deandre Hopkins, and Devonta Smith leading the charge. All three of them could have good to great seasons, with Davante Adams never out of the conversation to finish top-10. Josh Allen is always consistent points, and Darren Waller is reportedly Daniel Jones’ favorite target.

Nopes:

Alex doesn’t have a deep team. When bye weeks hit, I believe he will struggle to find replacements for his gaps. Dobbins is the lead back in Baltimore, but I don’t know what he can do because he has never stayed healthy long enough to figure it out. Also, Alex’s only WR on his bench is Jakobi Meyers, and I have no faith in him whatsoever. Sure Josh Allen is good, but he is not so much better than Tua or Cousins that Alex needed to draft him in the 2nd round. And while Hopkins and Adams should be good, they are limited by their QBs. Depth might come to bite Alex in the butt later in the season when every game counts in order to make it to the playoffs. Alex is projected to finish 3rd, and I would expect that to be the highest he finishes.

My Favorite Pick: Joe Mixon (Round 3, Pick 5)

Mixon is the only RB option on an electric offense. Mixon finished as the RB10 last season, and had the worst rushing season of his career. If those numbers go up at all and his receiving numbers stay where they were, Mixon could be looking at a top-5 fantasy RB season.

Bye Week

Grade: B-

Dopes:

I actually think Matt has a pretty solid team. AJ Brown, DK Metcalf, Christian Watson (I believe in Jordan Love), and Christian Kirk is a sneaky good WR corps, with all of those players being proven producers last season. Cam Akers and Alexander Mattison could also have big seasons simply because of their situations as the primary workhorse backs on their teams. Kenneth Walker will surely be good enough to make Matt happy that he used a keeper on him, and Trevor Lawrence took a huge step in the right direction last season.

Nopes:

AJ Brown being drafted in the 1st round is kind of tough. Last year was Browns ceiling, and he finished as the WR6. I think he will surely see regression this season, with Devonta Smith proving he deserves an increased role in the passing game. Metcalf may also face woes in Seattle in a crowded WR room. And Jonathan Taylor in the 3rd round is an all time bad pick considering his situation. Other than those though, I think Matt’s team is good. Matt is projected to finish 10th, but I think he is a borderline playoff team. His draft might have kept him from having to wear another clown outfit.

My Favorite Pick: Cam Akers (Round 5, Pick 8)

Akers started last season as nothing but a regret for managers across the league. But over the last 6 weeks of the season he was a top-15 RB. He should see a crazy volume of carries this season and could finish top-15 if he stays healthy.

Matchup of the Week

Le Petite Prince (0–0) vs. Ozark’s Revenge (0–0)

In our matchup of the week, we have a rematch of last years championship game. Andrew seeks to set Ozark’s Revenge in motion for the second time in three years, and Keegan seeks to start his defense tour of his crown. Both teams should be decently matched, and I expect it to be close if Kelce doesn’t play. But even if Kelce doesn’t play, I’m picking Keegan for this one. Keegan also picked himself. Matt S. says to give him Andrew, because he believes that Diggs will destroy the Jets on 9/11.

My Matchup of the Week record: 0–0

Keegan’s Matchup of the Week record: 0–0

Matt’s Matchup of the Week record: 0–0