ESPN public league, ten team, snake draft. 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 RB/WR, 1 TE, 1 S/D, 1 K. I drafted 7 in the first round.

7- Deangelo Williams
14- Frank Gore
27- Pierre Thomas
34- Marques Colston
47- Bernard Berrian
54- Anthony Gonzalez
67- Greg Olsen
74- Ray Rice
87- Jay Cutler
94- Matt Hasslebeck

Will not post rest of picks till after Lanys draft due to sleepers

Def- Vikings
K- Jason Elam

Worst part of the draft was that the QB were going early, which was perfect for me because it got down to me and one other guy and Schaub and Ryan were left... so I felt I would get outstanding value for either in a later round. That is why I went with Gonzalez and Rice on the bench so in the event of injuries/matchups/etc etc I can go with them. However, the team that drafts Favre in round 3 (!) takes Ryan in round 6 (!!!)... and the team that drafts Rivers in round 3 (!) takes Schaub in round 7 (!!!). I was going to take Schaub once I saw Ryan go but he went before I could get him in round 7.

This left just McNabb, Cassell (ugh), Cutler, Palmer, Garrard and Hasselbeck as the remaining viable options. I thought about McNabb but I value him as much as I do the other ones (except Cassell- won't be going for him) which is why I went TE and Rice next... figuring I could pick up any of those QB later. I grabbed Hasselbeck primarily for insurance and matchup, plus I figure if Cutler bombs in Chicago's run offense then at least I got a possible playoff QB without a running game to get some points on. Felt it was great value then, even though I don't like having two QB of the same tier on my team.

Didn't like drafting Gore but the only other candidate at RB I thought was close to upper tier was Westbrook... and I just don't really like drafting Westbrook unless I absolutely have to. And Singletary has said he wants to run a lot more, and now with Martz not being there... maybe it works out. If not I have Thomas (current flex) and Rice there if necessary. And I feel my WR are solid (if not spectacular, don't have the stud I was hoping for) and should get points based off of matchups and how they progress.

This is the first league I have ever been on where I don't have a Lion on my roster. Maybe that means success this year

_________________

Whatever happened to just good ol looking at rosters

I won't comment until after the draft.

You obviously have great RBs. Williams will still be a very good player even as he regresses from last year's performance and getting him seventh was a good value, considering Johnathon Stewart has become less of a threat to his production. Gore will benefit from a stable QB situation this year. He has a shot at 1500+ yards and double digit TDs, and he should give you consistent production. Thomas is an excellent third option.

I like Olsen at TE, and Cutler should be an adequate QB, but I don't like your recievers. This year, I think there are large drop offs in each WR tier and the guys you picked to start are on the wrong side of the drop offs. Brees hasn't really developed a connection with Colston and while he will be productive I don't think he'll deliver value for where you drafted him. Berrian's value relies on big plays and I think Favre's inconsistency will turn him into a big boom/bust player with some amazing weeks and some real stinkers. I do like Anthony Gonzalez a lot, though.

It can be difficult to make one of the 4 playoff spots in a 10-team league and I think you're going to need a little luck to get there.

Here's a team I have in a 14-player Yahoo league with standard scoring (4/-1 for QBs, 2RB 3WR 1 FLEX) that I don't like very much. I picked 8th, and no one ever dropped to me.

1. (8) Larry Fitzgerald
2. (17) Steve Slaton
3. (32) Dwayne Bowe
4. (41) Marshawn Lynch
5. (56) Dallas Clark
6. (65) LenDale White
7. (80) Carson Palmer
8. (89) Baltimore
9. (104) Fred Jackson
10. (113) Domenik Hixon
11. (128) LeSean McCoy
12. (137) Josh Morgan
13. (152) Patrick Crayton
14. (161) Shaun Hill
15. (176) Robert Meachem (dropped for Chris Henry)
16. (185) Robbie Gould

There are only 4 playoff spots and I don't feel confident that I can compete for one with my crappy RBs. I reached for a DEF and went TE early to try and compensate but I doubt it will be enough.

Draft position has been playing a huge effect this year from what I've seen. The first five picks are very useful this year since not only do I like picking there in the first round but I feel like I can find good value with them at the 2nd/3rd round turn right before there's a major drop off in quality.

The middle picks are troublesome in the first round and in the later rounds I feel like I can only get good value there if players drop due to early runs or through oversight, and in this draft I definitely had no luck with that. Picking in the middle of this draft, I feel like I should have reached for a QB or something earlier and taken on some risks at WR instead of trying a more measured approach.

I think the end of round picks are great for rounds 1 and 2, where there's a ton of value available, but by the time the end of the third round comes along there's been a huge dropoff in value and having a late pick there usually means taking on guys without much upside. Eventually it evens out though, as I think picking around the turns makes it easier to target sleepers and lets you avoid becoming stuck in the middle of runs.