Out of the 30-plus million people who participate in fantasy football leagues, most play in what are called re-draft leagues. That's where you select a completely different team before each season. A lot of the die-hards (or fantasy nerds like me) prefer a league that is more like the actual NFL, where you have one "traditional" draft followed by yearly rookie drafts. That's what is called a dynasty league.
Our NFL.com in-house dynasty league is comprised of 12 teams using a PPR scoring system that rewards players for return yards and touchdowns. Each team is allowed to roster 24 players (10 starters) along with two reserve or "suspended" spots. You can view the league and last season's results here. In the inaugural draft (2014), I landed Montee Ball, Zac Stacy and picked Jimmy Graham in the first round. You can guess how I did. We held our first rookies only draft this week, which lasted four rounds.
Remember, these players were all drafted with the intent of being retained on an unlimited basis. So unlike traditional fantasy football, choosing poorly can have serious long-term repercussions ... think Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Round 1
Analysis: It's a surprise to no one that Gordon and Gurley were the first two selections. Despite the shorter shelf life of most running backs at the pro level, both of these players have the tools to be true featured runners. That is difficult to find in this age of backfield committees. ... I was thrilled to land Gurley, as I see him as the gem of this class. ... Amari Cooper went third overall but could be the top overall selection in PPR dynasty leagues. His upside is enormous, even in Oakland. ... I was surprised to see Winston picked in the top five, ahead of players like Yeldon, Abdullah and even Coleman. Speaking of Coleman, he could be a decent value at the end of Round 1. He's the future of Atlanta's backfield, at least right now.
Round 2
Analysis: I like the selection of Dorsett at the top of the second round. If the Colts decide to let T.Y. Hilton walk after this season, the Miami (FL) product will be a big breakout candidate in 2016. ... Speaking of former Hurricanes, it's always worth your while to nab runners from that school. Duke Johnson is the latest. ... The best bargain in the round was without question Agholor. I don't typically love USC wide receivers, but the departure of Jeremy Maclin puts him in a great spot to find success under coach Chip Kelly. He should be a first rounder in most dynasty drafts. ... I wouldn't be a bit shocked to see Cobb overtake Bishop Sankey as the top runner in Tennessee. ... I drafted Funchess, who should start for Carolina.
Round 3
Analysis: I needed an infusion of youth at wide receiver, thus the selection of Conley in the third round. He doesn't have a long way to the second spot on Kansas City's depth chart. ... Artis-Payne is an interesting pick, as Jonathan Stewart has never been what you would call durable at the pro level. ... The PPR format made Allen, a brilliant pass catcher in college, a solid choice. We all know how much Ravens OC Marc Trestman likes to use his runners as receivers out of the backfield. ... Zenner went unselected in the NFL Draft but was worth a flier. He was a dominant back at South Dakota State. ... Hardy is likely to fill Harry Douglas' vacant role as the slot receiver in Atlanta, making him well worth a look at this stage of the draft.
Round 4
Analysis: At this point in most dynasty drafts, almost every single pick is a flier. Of course, you never know when you'll hit on the next Terrell Davis or Marques Colston. ... Montgomery won't do much aside from play special teams as a rookie in Green Bay, but there's long-term potential when a wideout is catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. ... Grayson is a long-term hold, as Drew Brees isn't getting any younger in New Orleans. ... Robinson is an interesting pick, as Frank Gore is 32 and the Colts don't have a young runner waiting in the wings (until now, maybe). ... Davis' stock is tied at least in part to Kelly's offense. ... I took a chance on Waller, a huge target (6-6, 238) out of Georgia Tech with no bulk of wideouts ahead of him in Baltimore.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
