2015’s fantasy football hindsight draft

As fantasy football’s regular season comes to a close, playoff-bound teams are evaluating their rosters for the title run.  Some of you may think you drafted the perfect team this year, but did you actually?

Giving myself the first overall pick, here is what the ‘perfect team’ would have looked like in a PPR, 10-team league:

1. (#1 overall) Adrian Peterson, ADP #2- Even in PPR, Adrian Peterson proved to be the best pick to start off the draft.  No, his weekly production doesn’t match the top WR’s, but at a position decimated with injuries and disappointment, Peterson has stayed healthy and consistent.

2. (#20 overall) DeAndre Hopkins, ADP #29- Out of all of the young wide receivers that everyone was projecting for a huge uptick in production, D-Hop came out on top convincingly.  He’s now competing with the likes of Antonio Brown and Julio Jones.

3. (#21 overall) Mark Ingram, ADP #32- It may seem like a reach back in the preseason, but Ingram finished up his 2014 campaign as a very reliable running back.  He flirted with RB1 status then, and now he’s a solidified top-10 option.

4. (#40 overall) Greg Olsen, ADP #49- With Gronk’s injury late in the season, it made Greg Olsen the clear pick for the TE slot.  The Carolina Panthers have been the surprise of the year, and Olsen is a big reason for that.  As Cam’s #1 option, Olsen brings consistent, solid production.  What else could you ask for?

5. (#41 overall) Brandon Marshall, ADP #57- The move to New York couldn’t have worked out better for Marshall or Marshall believers.  Many people expected Marshall’s production to drop considering the Jets didn’t have a reliable QB.  We shouldn’t have doubted this man’s talent.

6. (#60 overall) Todd Gurley, ADP #61- He didn’t get going until week 4, and he’s slowed down as of late, but Todd Gurley was a complete animal for a nice junk of the season.  RB depth is key, and when using 20/20 hindsight, it’s worth drafting.

7. (#61 overall) Allen Robinson, ADP #62- A Jacksonville Jaguar has the 6th most points among wide receivers?  Believe it or not, Allen Robinson has emerged as a legitimate star in the NFL.  We should have bought into his consistency last year because he’s doing it again.

8. (#80 overall) Larry Fitzgerald, ADP #86- In his 2nd year as a slot receiver, Fitz has finally changed his game to fit what Bruce Arians wants from him.  He’s averaging over 10 targets per game, and even though he’s lost some of his speed, his hands are as good as new.  It also doesn’t hurt that Carson Palmer has stayed healthy this year (so far).

9. (#81 overall) Devonta Freeman, ADP #93- whoever ended up with Freeman in your league is probably loving life this season.  The #1 RB to date, Freeman has rolled over his competition.  If only you could have seen this coming…

10. (#100 overall) Delanie Walker, ADP #110- The only receiver that Mariota can trust, and not a shabby backup tight end for your fantasy squad.

11. (#101 overall) Cam Newton, ADP #107- We all understood his potential due his running ability, but nobody was really buying in due to his lack of options surrounding him.  Nobody has truly emerged around him this year, but Cam has been money regardless.

12. (#120 overall) Carson Palmer, ADP #142- Like Cam, we knew Palmer had the potential.  His issue?  Staying healthy.  What has he done to date?  Stayed healthy.  Arizona runs a high tempo, high volume offense that allows his stats to accumulate, making Palmer an elite fantasy option.

13. (#121 overall) Michael Crabtree, ADP #140- Sneakily moving to Oakland, and sneakily producing.  Crabtree has been a reliable WR2 all year.

14. (#140 overall) DeAngelo Williams, ADP #153- With Le’Veon Bell suspended the first two games of the season, Williams had two games to himself in the Pittsburgh backfield.  Then with Bell’s torn ACL and MCL, Williams once again became the guy in one of the best offenses in the league.

15. (#141 overall) Stephen Gostkowski, #1 kicker taken- yay a kicker!  why is this still a position in fantasy?

16. (#160 overall) Denver DST, #8 defense taken- it baffled me to see Denver was the #8 defense taken on average.  They clearly have been the best option this year, easy pick.

 

The squad (position ranking by avg pgg (exclude players out for season)):

QB- Cam Newton (#2 QB), Carson Palmer (#3 QB)

RB- Devonta Freeman (#1 RB), Adrian Peterson (#2 RB), Mark Ingram (#3 RB), Todd Gurley (#9 RB), DeAngelo Williams (#14 RB)

WR- DeAndre Hopkins (#3 WR), Brandon Marshall (#5 WR), Allen Robinson (#6 WR), Larry Fitzgerald (#7 WR), Michael Crabtree (#17 WR)

TE- Greg Olsen (#2 TE), Delanie Walker (#3 TE)

K- Stephen Gostkowski (#1 K,tied with Graham Gano)

DST- Denver (#1 DST)

Ryan Jackson

About Ryan Jackson

My name is Ryan Jackson and I love fantasy sports. I graduated from the University of Maine in 2014 with a degree in Journalism, and I am now a graduate student at Quinnipiac University working on a sports journalism degree.