The second fantasy football draft I participated in this week was for the Lancaster Fighting Amish league. I’ve been in this league since 2006 and I routinely change the team name, this year I’ve gone with BJ & Da’ Bears to celebrate Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach of my beloved Bears.

As I said, I’ve been in this league since 2006, and while I’ve never won the title, I’ve been runner up three times and I’ve made the playoffs more often than not.

I’ve also twice won the Toilet Bowl and I’m one of only two teams in the history of this league to complete a winless regular season (but I did win three straight to capture the Toilet Bowl that season).

This league is a more conventional fantasy football league than my other. Smaller league, smaller rosters, mostly traditional scoring and a snake draft.

Where this league may differ from others is the keeper system. We can protect up to three players at the draft position we originally took them. For example, last year I drafted Caleb Williams in the ninth round, I can now protect him every year as my ninth round selection for as long as I want, so long as he is continuously on my roster.

Here’s a quick overview of Lancaster Fighting Amish:

12 team league.

16 man roster consisting of no more than 3 QBs, 6 RBs, 6 WRs, 4 TEs, 3 Kickers & 3 Team Defenses.

Lineups consist of 1 QB, 2-3 RBs, 2-4 WRs, 1-3 TEs, 1 Kicker & 1 Team Defense.

Scoring by RT Sports.

Limited keeper league. Keep up to 3 players at the spot you originally drafted them at. (See above)

Snake draft. We go 1-12, then 12-1, 1-12 and so on through 16 rounds.

My strategy is the same here. I highly value running backs and receivers, with RB being the highest priority. I stream defenses in this league and flat out cut my kicker on his bye week, so those are nearly always my 15th and 16th picks.

Now, onto the draft. First the protected players and where they were protected:

Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons (1st Round)

Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (1st Round)

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings (2nd Round)

Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans (2nd Round)

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions (2nd Round)

Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers (3rd Round)

Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets (3rd Round)

Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons (3rd Round)

Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens (3rd Round)

Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles (4th Round)

Devon Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins (4th Round)

Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants (5th Round)

Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders (6th Round)

Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (6th Round)

George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys (8th Round)

Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders (8th Round)

DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (8th Round)

Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (9th Round)

CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys (9th Round)

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills (10th Round)

Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals (11th Round)

Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11th Round)

CJ Stroud, QB, Houston Texans (12th Round)

Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12th Round)

Pittsburgh Steelers Defense (12th Round)

Michael Penix Jr, QB, Atlanta Falcons (14th Round)

Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings (16th Round)

Jonnu Smith, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers (16th Round)

Now, here’s how my draft went:

Round 1– Brian Thomas Jr, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

I had the fifth pick and things did not go my way. Jahmyr Gibbs and Derrick Henry were the first two off the board. I had a glimmer of hope when Jayden Daniels went third, but that was dashed when Ashton Jeanty went the pick before me.

Perhaps I was thrown off by not catching a break here, but as good as Thomas Jr was last year and can be this year, I can’t believe I didn’t more strongly consider Kyren Williams, Omarion Hampton or Chase Brown here.

Round 2– Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals

This draft is definitely not going the way I expected it to. James Cook went the pick ahead of me and suddenly I’m looking at getting shut out of the high end running back market.

Second draft in a row that I went tight end in the second, never thought I’d ever do that. I could justify the first time because it was a bigger league and I already had my RB1. Harder to justify this one and that’s not a knock on McBride.

Round 3– TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots

Okay, I got my running back. As I said in my last post, I really like Henderson and I expect big things from him. Now, I need him to be what I believe he will be, because here he’s not my number two, but my number one back.

Round 4– Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers

Two Bears I had my eye on went off the board since my last pick. I’m not sure I would have taken D’Andre Swift, but I definitely would have grabbed DJ Moore but he went one pick before mine.

I like Bryce Young this year and I think McMillan will be his number one guy sooner rather than later. I have no problem getting a young wide receiver with major upside.

Round 5– Aaron Jones, RB, Minnesota Vikings

I was hoping Isaiah Pacheco would make it back to me, but he didn’t.

Have you ever watched a guy repeatedly rip the heart out of your team, over and over, even after changing teams, that you eventually come to respect him?

That’s me & Aaron Jones. I never would have taken Jones when he was a Packer, but on the Vikings I didn’t hesitate.

Round 6– David Montgomery, RB, Detroit Lions

Old friend alert! Okay, now I’m feeling much better about my running backs. Jones and Montgomery are solid veterans and should give me consistent production.

Round 7– Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears

After missing out on DJ Moore, landing Odunze became a priority and here was the spot to do it.

If I hadn’t added Jones & Montgomery with my previous two picks, I might have been more upset that Bill Croskey- Merrit went one pick before me.

Round 8– Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears (keeper)

This is why I wanted one of Moore or Odunze, to pair with my franchise quarterback. I fully expect Ben Johnson to tap Williams’ enormous potential and Williams to become the first 4,000 yard passer in Bears franchise history.

Round 9– Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots

Not counting defense and kicker, I have my starting lineup set, including flex positions. It’s time to work on the bench.

I figured getting the handcuff for my rookie RB1 was a pretty solid plan.

Round 10– Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills

Not going to lie, I was really hoping Jordan Addison would make it back to me, but alas it wasn’t to be.

Coleman is young and talented enough to really ascend in the Bills offense.

Round 11– Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears

I am ecstatic about this pick, For this year and the future. Loveland may develop into a possible flex play this year and he should become a cheap (fantasy draft wise) TE1 for years.

Round 12– Justin Fields, QB, New York Jets

Another old friend alert! I actually started targeting Fields as my back up a couple rounds prior. I put off making the pick as I grabbed more important bench pieces, but the time came to make the move.

I am still a very big Justin Fields fan!

Round 13– Dylan Sampson, RB, Cleveland Browns

This is what I look for in back of the bench running backs. Rookies with some upside. He may be a goal line vulture this year, as well.

Round 14– Amari Cooper, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

I already had 4 very young receivers with upside, so I decided to add a veteran that might still have something in the tank after a change of scenery.

Round 15– Ka’imi Fairbairn, K, Houston Texans

A lesson I learned in my other draft. I googled what kicker made the most 50+ yard field goals. Fairbairn was second to Brandon Aubrey, who was already off the board.

Round 16– Washington Commanders Defense

Before leaving for the draft, I looked at the week one schedule and listed my five favorite defensive matchups. Washington was my second pick after Denver, which had already been drafted.

ANALYSIS

After some early consternation, I think I had a decent draft. I got sniped a few times early on, but I stayed patient, for the most part, and stuck to my plans. When the time was right, I pulled the trigger on some moves I had been patiently waiting on.

BJ & Da’ Bears Roster

Quarterbacks

Caleb Williams, Bears *

Justin Fields, Jets

Running Backs

TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots *

Aaron Jones, Vikings *

David Montgomery, Lions

Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots

Dylan Sampson, Browns

Wide Receivers

Brian Thomas Jr, Jaguars *

Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers *

Rome Odunze, Bears

Keon Coleman, Bills

Amari Cooper, Raiders

Tight Ends

Trey McBride, Cardinals *

Colston Loveland, Bears

Kicker

Ka’imi Fairbairn, Texans *

Team Defense

Washington Commanders *

*Starter

David Montgomery & Rome Odunze will also start as flex plays early on.

Tight end is probably my strongest position group. McBride is a high volume target machine that should score more touchdowns this year. Loveland is a major upside rookie that I think could be a flex play for me later this season. He’s also a prime keeper candidate as an 11th round pick.

My wide receivers have plenty of potential, but only Thomas Jr and Cooper have produced like a WR1. Thomas is entering his second year, and should be reliable. Cooper, however, is on the downside of his career and I’m not sure how much he’ll produce for me.

I’m quite happy with my quarterbacks. I honestly believe Ben Johnson will help Caleb Williams become an elite fantasy quarterback. I believe in Justin Fields, as well, and worst case scenario is he’s still a decent play with the chance for the occasional monster week.

My running back group actually turned out better than I feared it might. I’d be more comfortable with Henderson as my RB2, but I certainly think he’ll become a legit RB1. Jones & Montgomery aren’t elite fantasy options, but they’re solid veteran options that should offer consistency. Stevenson is merely a handcuff on Henderson, while Sampson is an upside gamble.

Fairbairn is actually a good enough kicker that I may try to protect him on his bye week.

I stream defenses in this league, so week one may be the only time I use the Commanders defense.

The keys to the season for this team are:

• I have a lot of young guys with vast potential, I need more than a few of them to realize that potential. First, and foremost, is Caleb Williams. As my only keeper, I basically rested my hopes on Williams becoming the superstar the Bears drafted him to be.
• TreVeyon Henderson needs to become the stud I think he should and quickly. I’m counting on him to be a legit RB1.
• Brian Thomas needs to be exactly what he was as a rookie. McMillan & Odunze need to prove they were worth being top ten picks in the past two NFL Drafts.
• Trey McBride needs to find the end zone more often. It would also be really nice if Loveland becomes a viable flex option as soon as possible.

I’m less confident in this squad than the one I drafted yesterday, mainly because this roster lacks any truly elite players, as of now. The potential is there, but until it materializes, I’m skeptical.