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With August now less than two weeks away, fantasy football owners are starting to gear up for their ever-important drafts. While cheat sheets, depth charts and of course, copies of the NFL.com Fantasy Football Magazine and printouts from NFL.com's fantasy football draft kit are vital tools, an owner's final decisions can sometimes be based on more than just a player's value. In fact, the flow of the draft, bye weeks and in-the-moment alterations to particular strategies will all have an affect on your final roster. With that in mind, I've decided to take you on a round-by-round journey into June's NFL.com Experts League Draft and include what thoughts affected or altered the decisions that were made during the construction of my final roster.
ROUND 1
1. LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego
2. Shaun Alexander, RB, Seattle
3. Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis
4. Larry Johnson, RB, Kansas City
5. Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco
6. Willis Parker, RB, Pittsburgh: Parker was the sixth-ranked running back on my list at the time of this draft, but I've since moved him behind Joseph Addai and would have taken the Colts back if the draft were held now. The Steelers could throw the football a bit more in the offense of new coordinator Bruce Arians, but Parker will no doubt remain a very prominent component and is still an attractive No. 1 fantasy runner.
7. Joseph Addai, RB, Indianapolis
8. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis
9. Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia
10. Travis Henry, RB, Denver
11. Reggie Bush, RB, New Orleans
12. Rudi Johnson, RB, Cincinnati
ROUND 2
13. Laurence Maroney, RB, New England
14. Chad Johnson, WR, Cincinnati
15. Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami
16. Willis McGahee, RB, Baltimore
17. Edgerrin James, RB, Arizona
18. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville
19. Clinton Portis, RB, Washington: There are several questions surrounding Portis as we head into the regular season, but I still think he's a terrific No. 2 fantasy back. Barring injuries, the former Miami runner should record 1,000-plus rushing yards and six to eight touchdowns even if Ladell Betts does see additional work. If Portis continues to fall into the second round in drafts, I will continue to take him as a No. 2 back.
20. Deuce McAllister, RB, New Orleans
21. Thomas Jones, RB, N.Y. Jets
22. Steve Smith, WR, Carolina
23. Cedric Benson, RB, Chicago
24. Carson Palmer, QB, Cincinnati
ROUND 3
25. Torry Holt, WR, St. Louis
26. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans
27. Terrell Owens, WR, Dallas
28. Marvin Harrison, WR, Indianapolis
29. Tom Brady, QB, New England
30. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona: With two running backs on my roster, it's time to focus on the wide receiver position. I missed out on Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison, who were taken with the No. 27 and 28 overall selections, but Fitzgerald is one of the best young wideouts in the NFL and a solid starter. In what should be an improved Cardinals offense, he should record 1,000-plus receiving yards and eight-plus scores.
31. Marshawn Lynch, RB, Buffalo
32. Brandon Jacobs, RB, N.Y. Giants
33. Donovan McNabb, QB, Philadelphia
34. Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis
35. Carnell Williams, RB, Tampa Bay
36. Roy Williams, WR, Detroit
ROUND 4
37. Andre Johnson, WR, Houston
38. Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans
39. Marc Bulger, QB, St. Louis
40. Ahman Green, RB, Houston
41. Marion Barber, RB, Dallas
42. Lee Evans, WR, Buffalo
43. Javon Walker, WR, Denver: I was thrilled to see Walker still on the board as I had him rated ahead of Andre Johnson, Marques Colston and Lee Evans, all of whom went before him in the round. A viable No. 1 fantasy wideout, Walker joins Fitzgerald for what should form a nice core of receivers. With two runners and two receivers in tow, it's time to examine the flow of the draft and decide which position to target next.
44. Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego
45. Randy Moss, WR, New England
46. DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina
47. Anquan Boldin, WR, Arizona
48. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Cincinnati
ROUND 5
49. Donald Driver, WR, Green Bay
50. Ladell Betts, RB, Washington
51. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota
52. Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh
53. Jamal Lewis, RB, Cleveland
54. Fred Taylor, RB, Jacksonville: The running back position started to thin out a bit but there were still a number of attractive quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends on the board, so I decided to take Taylor as a No. 3 runner. He does have the same bye week as Portis, however, so at some point I know I'll have to either trade Taylor or take another back in the next few rounds. Luckily, I would get a break down the line.
55. Plaxico Burress, WR, N.Y. Giants
56. Reggie Brown, WR, Philadelphia
57. Laveranues Coles, WR, N.Y. Jets
58. Santana Moss, WR, Washington
59. Julius Jones, RB, Dallas
60. Warrick Dunn, RB, Atlanta
ROUND 6
61. Chris Brown, RB, Tennessee
62. Brandon Jackson, RB, Green Bay
63. Joey Galloway, WR, Tampa Bay
64. Deion Branch, WR, Seattle
65. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit
66. Jerious Norwood, RB, Atlanta
67. Darrell Jackson, WR, San Francisco: I've always been one to take a chance on the high-risk, high-reward player, which is part of the reason I selected Jackson. While injuries have been a concern for most of his career, Jackson has 1,000-yard potential and is a solid No. 3 fantasy receiver in a league that requires owners to start three wideouts. Now I need one of two quarterbacks I've targeted to fall to me in Round 7.
68. Chester Taylor, RB, Minnesota
69. Kevin Jones, RB, Detroit
70. Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Seattle
71. Donté Stallworth, WR, New England
72. DeShaun Foster, RB, Carolina
ROUND 7
73. Tony Gonzalez, TE, Kansas City
74. Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco
75. Todd Heap, TE, Baltimore
76. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas
77. Terry Glenn, WR, Dallas
78. Vince Young, QB, Tennessee: A little bit of luck never hurt anyone, and I feel like I lucked out when Young fell to me with the No. 78 overall selection. A lot of people might not like him because of the lack of talent around him, but I think Young has proved that he is the sort of athlete who can put a team on his back and record solid numbers. However, the thoughts of a Madden Curse were in the back of my mind.
79. Jeremy Shockey, TE, N.Y. Giants
80. Tatum Bell, RB, Detroit
81. Chris Chambers, WR, Miami
82. Braylon Edwards, WR, Cleveland
83. Jerricho Cotchery, WR, N.Y. Jets
84. Jon Kitna, QB, Detroit
ROUND 8
85. Mark Clayton, WR, Baltimore
86. Chris Cooley, TE, Washington
87. Vernand Morency, RB, Green Bay
88. Chris Henry, RB, Tennessee
89. Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego
90. Santonio Holmes, WR, Pittsburgh
91. LaMont Jordan, RB, Oakland: To find a starting running back in the eighth round of a draft is rare indeed, so I took Jordan without hesitation. He doesn't have the same bye week as Parker, Portis or Taylor, so I can use him as a No. 2 runner or flex starter when needed. The fact that Dominic Rhodes will miss the first four games due to a league-imposed suspension makes Jordan an even more valuable No. 4 runner.
92. Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego
93. Eli Manning, QB, N.Y. Giants
94. Bernard Berrian, WR, Chicago
95. Chicago defense
96. Dominic Rhodes, RB, Oakland
ROUND 9
97. D.J. Hackett, WR, Seattle
98. Anthony Thomas, RB, Buffalo
99. Michael Turner, RB, San Diego
100. Leon Washington, RB, N.Y. Jets
101. Devery Henderson, WR, New Orleans
102. Joe Horn, WR, Atlanta: While he isn't on the same elite level that once made him an attractive No. 1 fantasy wideout, Horn is still well worth a late-round selection as a No. 4 receiver. Barring injuries, he has the potential to record 800-900 receiving yards and around four to six touchdowns in the offensive attack of new head coach Bobby Petrino. He could become a useful bye-week replacement as the season rolls on.
103. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh
104. Reuben Droughns, RB, N.Y. Giants
105. Benjamin Watson, TE, New England
106. Kevin Curtis, WR, Philadelphia
107. Michael Vick, QB, Atlanta
108. Kellen Winslow, TE, Cleveland
ROUND 10
109. Baltimore defense
110. Ronald Curry, WR, Oakland
111. Alge Crumpler, TE, Atlanta
112. Correll Buckhalter, RB, Philadelphia
113. Randy McMichael, TE, St. Louis
114. Jay Cutler, QB, Denver
115. Jason Witten, TE, Dallas: I was disappointed when Kellen Winslow and Alge Crumpler, who I noticed had fallen in the draft, were taken ahead of me. I still needed a tight end and the position started to thin, however, so I went ahead and selected Witten. He has averaged 72 receptions in the past three seasons, and I think he can score four-plus touchdowns in the offense of new coordinator Jason Garrett.
116. Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay
117. Drew Bennett, WR, St. Louis
118. New England defense
119. Muhsin Muhammad, WR, Chicago
120. LenDale White, RB, Tennessee
ROUND 11
121. Brandon Jones, WR, Tennessee
122. Jerry Porter, WR, Oakland
123. Matt Leinart, QB, Arizona
124. Mike Bell, RB, Denver
125. Brandon Marshall, WR, Denver
126. Brett Favre, QB, Green Bay: Since the prospect of the Madden Curse was still on my mind, it was time to add insurance for Young. I was set to take Matt Leinart, but he was selected three spots ahead of me. That left me to take the highest-rated quarterback on my board, and that was Favre. He is a solid No. 2 starter and will be a stud for me in Young's bye week when he faces a Minnesota team that he dominates.
127. Matt Jones, WR, Jacksonville
128. Isaac Bruce, WR, St. Louis
129. Mike Furrey, WR, Detroit
130. San Diego defense
131. Byron Leftwich, QB, Jacksonville
132. Drew Carter, WR, Carolina
ROUND 12
133. Matt Schaub, QB, Houston
134. Maurice Stovall, WR, Tampa Bay
135. Troy Williamson, WR, Minnesota
136. Tony Hunt, RB, Philadelphia
137. Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Indianapolis
138. Michael Bush, RB, Oakland
139. L.J. Smith, TE, Philadelphia: Had I been able to land one of the elite tight end like Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez or Todd Heap, I might not have drafted a second tight end. But with Witten as my starter, I decided to take Smith and build some depth at the position. An underrated tight end, Smith has recorded 600-plus receiving yards in two consecutive seasons and should return from a hernia in time to contribute.
140. Derrick Mason, WR, Baltimore
141. Dallas Clark, TE, Indianapolis
142. Eddie Kennison, WR, Kansas City
143. Lorenzo Booker, RB, Miami
144. J.P. Losman, QB, Buffalo
ROUND 13
145. Kenny Irons, RB, Cincinnati
146. Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco
147. Dwayne Jarrett, WR, Carolina
148. Robert Meachem, WR, New Orleans
149. Dallas defense
150. Najeh Davenport, RB, Pittsburgh: With no real sleepers to take a chance on at the running back position, it was time to utilize the old handcuff strategy and take Davenport as insurance for Parker. I will have to keep close tabs on Pittsburgh's backfield situation as Verron Haynes and Kevan Barlow are also in the mix, but Davenport was the favorite to serve as the team's No. 2 runner when this draft occurred.
151. Jacksonville defense
152. Miami defense
153. Carolina defense
154. Sammy Morris, RB, New England
155. Michael Pittman, RB, Tampa Bay
156. Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh
ROUND 14
157. Jerome Harrison, RB, Cleveland
158. Reggie Williams, WR, Jacksonville
159. Adrian Peterson, RB, Chicago
160. Jeff Garcia, QB, Tampa Bay
161. DeDe Dorsey, RB, Indianapolis
162. Jake Delhomme, QB, Carolina
163. Nate Kaeding, K, San Diego: I never take a kicker or a defense until the last three rounds, so I was thrilled to see my top-ranked kicker, Kaeding, still on the board. He has a career field-goal conversion rate of 85.9 and has booted 50-plus extra points in two of the past three seasons. Behind a Chargers offense that will score a ton of points under new head coach Norv Turner, Kaeding will see countless opportunities.
164. T.J. Duckett, RB, Detroit
165. Brian Leonard, RB, St. Louis
166. Adam Vinatieri, K, Indianapolis
167. Robbie Gould, K, Chicago
168. Denver defense
ROUND 15
169. Shayne Graham, K, Cincinnati
170. Wali Lundy, RB, Houston
171. Ron Dayne, RB, Houston
172. Pittsburgh defense
173. David Akers, K, Philadelphia
174. Philadelphia defense: The Denver and Pittsburgh defense went between Kaeding and this selection, but the Philadelphia defense was still on the board. With the addition of LB Takeo Spikes, DT Ian Scott, DT Montae Reagor and rookies DE Victor Abiamiri, LB Stewart Bradley and FS C.J. Gaddis and return of DE Jevon Kearse from injury, this unit should continue to be a productive No. 1 fantasy defense in all formats.
175. Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City
176. Jeff Wilkins, K, St. Louis
177. Patrick Crayton, WR, Dallas
178. Jason Campbell, QB, Washington
179. Oakland defense
180. Neil Rackers, K, Arizona
ROUND 16
181. Sidney Rice, WR, Minnesota
182. Olindo Mare, K, New Orleans
183. Jason Hanson, K, Detroit
184. Michael Bennett, RB, Kansas City
185. Greg Olsen, TE, Chicago
186. Stephen Gostkowski, K, New England
187. Chris Henry, WR, Cincinnati: Some people might question the selection of Henry, who has been suspended for the first eight games of the regular season, but I'd rather take and stash him than draft a player I might just throw back to the waiver wire before the season even starts. A talented wide receiver, Henry could become a valuable asset down the stretch or a legitimate piece of trade bait when he returns.
188. Hank Baskett, WR, Philadelphia
189. Matt Stover, K, Baltimore
190. Tony Scheffler, TE, Denver
191. Sinorice Moss, WR, N.Y. Giants
192. Marty Booker, WR, Miami
