Think I'm killing my draft....

[SteelFaninBMore]

Self-serving thread, I know. In the midst of the e-mail (meaning slow moving) draft of my 10-team money league right now. All co-workers and we're all football addicts and seasoned fantasy players. Money isn't that big ($30 a team plus $2 per transaction), but the best part is bragging rights all year long.

It's PPR for WR/TE, no PPR for RB. Other than that, standard scoring. It's a keeper league, but we had a few new faces joining this year, so we decided to blow it up and redraft this season. Had the #2 pick....

1.2 (2nd overall): RB Jamaal Charles, KC

Other players available: Rice, Peterson, Johnson

Synopsis: Don't like Johnson's holdout, and don't like Peterson's offensive situation. Had a hard time picking between Rice and Charles, but in the end I couldn't make myself root for Ray Rice every week. I was on the Charles bandwagon last year, drafted him very early, and enjoyed it. Think I'll get the same satisfaction this year. Really can't go wrong with any of the top RBs here, though.

Suprise 1st round picks: Tom Brady, who went 6th, over Vick and Rodgers.

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2.9 (19th overall): WR Hakeem Nicks, NYG

Other players available: MJD, Turner, Gore

Synopsis: The 2nd round saw a mini run on top tier receivers (including Johnson and White, who went at the end of the first). Didn't feel comfortable going into the 3rd without one of the top WRs, and Nicks was the last guy left in my top tier. I liked the RBs still on the board, but felt confident that at least one would make it back to me 2 picks later.

Suprise 2nd round picks: Vick and McCoy (both for lasting that long)

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3.2 (22nd overall): RB Frank Gore, SF

Other players available: MJD, Turner, Forte, Hillis, S. Jackson

Synopsis: All three RBs made it back around to me, and then some. I'm really low on MJD and Turner this year (see my overvalued/undervalued thread). Struggled between Forte, Gore, and Jackson, but out of the three I see Forte and Jackson's ceiling at high RB2, while Gore has the chance at a top 10 finish.

Surprise 3rd round picks: None

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4.9 (39th overall): WR Vincent Jackson, SD

Other players available: Miles Austin, P. Manning, M. Colston

Synopsis: Was so glad to get Jackson to fall to me, while watching a run of Bowe, Wallace, Wayne, and Colston in the late 3rd, early 4th. I hate Colston, am lukewarm on Austin. Jackson has been tearing it up this preseason, and should finish as a top 10 receiver. So 4 picks in and I have two probable top 10 RBs, and two probable top 10 receivers. I made a note of Manning here, but the guy picking between me already had Rivers, so I knew Manning would come back around.

Surprise 4th round picks: Schaub at 4.3 (with Manning on the board?)

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5.2 (42nd overall): QB Peyton Manning, IND

Other players available: No one of comparable value

Synopsis: Injury is scaring way too many people off. He's already off the pup list. I see little chance of him missing Week 1, and even if he has some early struggles, his final 12 weeks feature 9 defenses who were 21st or worse in pass defense last year. His only challenge is the Saints (4th last year), and that's going to be a shootout anyway. A top 5 QB in the 5th round. Now 9 out of 10 owners have a QB, meaning that I can wait a couple rounds and be sure to get Roethlisberger or Ryan, which will be all the insurance I need at QB (possibly some trade bait later on, too).

Surprise 5th round picks: Hightower at 5.4 (I know his stock is rising fast after Thursday, but wow)

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Will update as more picks come in. Have to say this is the best I've felt about a draft in a long time. There's still a ton of WRs that I love on the board (Austin, Holmes, Bryant, Welker, Harvin, Boldin), as well as some excellent RB3 options (D. Williams, Best, Grant).