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Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Catch me if you can

My main fantasy football draft was a bit early this year, and I started the rankings a bit late, so therefore I have already drafted my team. I had the fourth pick in a 10 team draft, and I chose to pick fourth (I had the option of any of the 10 spots due to a contest victory). I expect this to be my starting lineup for week one:
QB: Matthew Stafford
RB: Mark Ingram
RB: Matt Forte
WR: Julio Jones
WR: Keenan Allen
Flex: Jordan Matthews
Flex: Tavon Austin
TE: Clive Walford
K: Cairo Santos
DEF: Vikings
BN: Chris Ivory, Jonathan Stewart, Mohamed Sanu, Stefon Diggs, Marvin Jones Jr. and Tevin Coleman.

What do you think? Any thoughts would be great. It is a 6-point for touchdown passes league, along with .5 points per reception, and there are points for return yards.

Anyways, I will be ranking WR this week, so pay attention to how I did a year ago:

Picked No. 1 for 2015, Antonio Brown. Actually finished: 1. Not a tough pick to make, and he is expected to do the same again this year.
Picked No. 2 for 2015, Odell Beckham Jr.. Actually finished: 5. Strong pick, and you can't knock a guy for getting nearly 1,500 yards and 13 TDs. He produced as expected.
Picked No. 3 for 2015, Julio Jones. Actually finished: 2. He had a stellar year. If he is healthy, he is dominant, and he sure was a year ago, another good pick.
Picked No. 4 for 2015, Dez Bryant. Actually finished: 83. Ouch. His injury not only hurt my rankings here, but I drafted him in the first round last season, and that bit me in the butt big time.
Picked No. 5 for 2015, AJ Green. Actually finished: 8. Strong pick. Had a great year, probably would have been top five if he had Dalton at the end of the year.
Picked No. 6 for 2015, Mike Evans. Actually finished: 28. May have been a year early. Should be better with Famous Jameis as a sophomore.
Picked No. 7 for 2015, TY Hilton. Actually finished: 25. Did not expect Andrew Luck to play so poorly, and then get injured on top of that. It hurt Hilton.
Picked No. 8 for 2015, DeAndre Hopkins. Actually finished: 4. Solid pick here. He did even better than my expectations, despite a tumultuous quarterback situation all season.
Picked No. 9 for 2015, Demaryius Thomas. Actually finished: 12. Not terrible considering Peyton's woes.
Picked No. 10 for 2015, Calvin Johnson. Actually finished: 11. Another good pick. Too bad he's retired after a strong season, or he could have moved into the top 10.

Wow. Surprisingly strong there, but with all the injuries that befall players in the NFL, I'd be surprised if I could be that accurate again, but that won't stop me from trying: 

1. Antonio Brown: After a second straight season of dominating numbers, totaling his highest in a season to date, it's hard to doubt his spot at the top.
2. Julio Jones: Although after the jaw-dropping numbers from Jones, there is an argument to be had for him at the top. Jones has been healthy two years running, and is an athletic freak.
3. Odell Beckham Jr.: Speaking of talent and athleticism, OBJ has that in spades. He can be a bit of a headcase, but he'll put up the numbers if he's on the field.
4. DeAndre Hopkins: Again holding him back is who he has throwing to him. However, that wasn't a problem last year, so he should stay in the top five.
5. AJ Green: He is as solid as ever, and his role is certainly not in jeopardy in Cinci.
6. Dez Bryant: Assuming he can recover from the concussion he suffered yesterday in practice, and stay healthy thereafter, Dez is a surefire performer.
7. Allen Robinson: Broke out last season, and he and Blake Bortles have a good connection down in Jacksonville.
8. Keenan Allen: He has been a target monster in the past. In fact, before his freak injury a year ago (lacerated spline/kidney or something) he averaged more than 11 targets a game, which would have been fourth in the league.
9. Mike Evans: I picked him to be strong a year ago, and he dipped a bit, but I still think he has the talent to be a top 10 receiver.
10. Brandon Marshall: He is starting to get up to that age (32) where receivers tend to decline, but I could totally see him have another season with 80+ catches 1,300+ yards and 10 tds.

Anyway, look forward to ranking Tight Ends next week. Enjoy a few photos from the Aug. 13 Region 8C Amateur baseball championship game between Nisswa and Sobieski and one Swanville volleyball practice photo.


Kyle Boser, a Sobieski draftee from Randall, started the game, Saturday, Aug. 13

Skis catcher Riley Hirsch picks up a bunt near the foul line in the 6-3 loss to Nisswa.

Thomas Miller came in to pitch in relief of Boser.

Skis' No. 3 hitter Joey Hanowski fouls off a pitch.

Hirsch fires to first for an out.

Skis shortstop Colin Eckman knocks down a ball that had a big hop.

Austin Weisz, Sobieski left fielder, rips a big hit.

Swanville junior Brooklyn Thieschafer warms up at an Aug. 17 practice at Swanville High School.

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