Week 1 Recap

BJ & Da’Bears vs Legion of Squirrels

I got in a hole early in this matchup and couldn’t quite dig myself out of it. Patrick Mahomes put up 26 points for my opponent on Friday and I never held a lead throughout the week.

The real difference in this matchup, however, was the running back position. I was outscored 38-26 at RB. Aaron Jones was decent, but I will need to get more out of David Montgomery & TreVeyon Henderson going forward.

I knew RB would be an issue for this squad after the draft, my hope was that my receivers and tight ends would make up for that. That didn’t play out in week one.

Brian Thomas Jr & Rome Odunze scored touchdowns, but I need more out of Thomas, especially. I need him to produce like the first round pick he was.

I also need more out of Trey McBride. I’d love to see him get more red zone targets.

If I had played Justin Fields instead of Caleb Williams or Keon Coleman over Tetairoa McMillan, I’d have won this matchup. Neither were considerations for me, so I cannot regret those non moves.

In a losing effort, my week one MVP was Ka’imi Fairbairn. My kicker outscored my opponent’s by 7 points, making up the difference between our quarterbacks.

It was a disappointing loss, but my team did end up with respectable numbers. My receivers must, and should, put up better numbers and hopefully my running backs won’t be as big a liability moving forward.

Week 2 Preview

BJ & Da’Bears vs Dawgs of the Gridiron

RT Sports gives me a 63% chance of winning this week. I think that’s too high, I believe this will be a tougher matchup than it may appear.

My opponent has a pretty solid starting lineup, and oddly enough, the exact same QB duo as I have in my other league. My only real advantage, on paper, is at TE. I need Trey McBride to win this matchup in a #2 TE vs #20 TE fashion.

I may make a switch at QB. Justin Fields was electric in week one and Buffalo doesn’t exactly have a shutdown defense. I’m still up in the air on this one and may not make a decision until Sunday.

I feel like I need to get Keon Coleman into my lineup, the question is where? Rookie WR Tetairoa McMillan or veteran RB David Montgomery are the two players I’m considering benching.

McMillan has the higher ceiling, but also the lower floor. Carolina’s offense looked disjointed in week one (as did Detroit’s, albeit against stronger competition). This is another decision that might take me until Sunday to make.

My defense will be either San Francisco, Arizona or New England, as those are the three I put waiver claims in on. Last week’s defense, Washington, has a very unfavorable matchup versus Green Bay.

I’ll also have a new WR on my bench this week, as I’ve put in waiver claims to replace Amari Cooper, who abruptly retired before week one. My waiver claims are, in order, Quentin Johnston, Kayshon Boutte and Tre Tucker.

I feel confident in this matchup, though not nearly as confident as RT Sports. I think, on paper, I should win, but I also think I need to make prudent decisions.

I think the keys for me are 1) My top three picks, Brian Thomas Jr, Trey McBride and TreVeyon Henderson need to perform that way. I cannot have all three put up single digits once again. 2) Making the right flex call. I’m 99.9% sure I’ll start Keon Coleman this week, who I decide to replace could be the difference between a win and a loss. 3) Making the right call at QB. Right now, I’m 50/50 on Caleb Williams or Justin Fields. I fear making the wrong choice could doom me to defeat.

Week 1 Recap

Trash Pandas vs Achilles Heels

I made a huge mistake in week one of the Thunderdome Fantasy Football league but, thankfully, it didn’t come back to haunt me.

I drafted Justin Herbert to be my QB1 and I felt confident that I could trot him out there every week and get a solid showing. Yet, I allowed myself to be convinced by a fantasy football blog that Trevor Lawrence was the safer play in week one.

All Herbert did was put up 47 fantasy points, while Lawrence managed a pedestrian 13. That’s 34 points on my bench. That could’ve spelled doom. Lucky for me, my opponent’s quarterback was equally pedestrian.

My running backs, including my top pick Jahmyr Gibbs, were disappointing. I was outscored at the running back position 17-12, but I more than made up for that at WR & TE.

I know Gibbs will eventually put up big numbers for me, and I truly believe that TreVeyon Henderson will eventually.

Neither Marvin Harrison Jr nor Rome Odunze had monster games, but they were both solid and both scored touchdowns. They also appear to be in line for plenty of targets this season.

The MVP of week one, however, was Brock Bowers, who put up 17 points, despite exiting the game with an injury and not scoring a touchdown. I outscored my opponent’s tight end by 16.

It’s always nice to start off the season with a victory, but this one was especially sweet. Achilles Heels are aptly named, from my vantage point, because I hadn’t beaten them since entering the league.

Finally, after 5 straight losses (4 in the regular season, 1 in the playoffs), I’ve slayed the dragon.

Week 2 Preview

Trash Pandas vs Mike’s Magnificent Team

ESPN gives me a 46% chance of winning this matchup, I think I can get that closer to 50% with a move at flex.

As of this writing, I have Jerome Ford slotted in as my flex play, but he will not be there come Sunday. He was nearly non existent in week one, and I’m not expecting much from him moving forward as Dylan Sampson gets more touches and Quinshon Judkins eventually hits the field. Ford is certainly on the chopping block for me, but I’ll keep him rostered for now, until someone emerges worth taking a shot on.

My draft day plan was always to have Jordan Addison fill the flex spot, but I had to navigate the first three weeks as he served his suspension. In the meantime, my options for week two are Quentin Johnston, DeAndre Hopkins or Darnell Mooney.

I have waiver claims in for Johnston & Hopkins, dropping Mooney in both cases. Mooney is my fall back should both waiver claims fail.

I think the keys for me this week are 1) Getting more production out of my RBs, especially Jahmyr Gibbs. 2) Brock Bowers continuing to make TE a dominant position for me. 3) My flex play getting closer to double digit points.

It’s tough matchup for the Trash Pandas this week, but I can see avenues to pulling off the win and moving to 2-0.

As Kyle Brandt says on Good Morning Football, “week one lies”. I’ll try not to overreact to what happened, though some statements were made, while questions were raised. Week two should tell the truth. Here’s where I have them ranked after week one:

#1 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (-)

Last Week: #1, Won vs Dallas, 24-20

It wasn’t as dominant as I expected, but Philly did nothing to lose the top spot.

This Week: at Kansas City

#2 GREEN BAY PACKERS (+3)

Last Week: #5, Won vs Detroit, 27-13

It pains me to say this, but Green Bay was the most impressive team in week one.

This Week: vs Washington

#3 BALTIMORE RAVENS (-1)

Last Week: #2, Lost at Buffalo, 41-40

For 55 minutes Sunday night, Baltimore looked like the most dominant team in the NFL. Then the wheels fell off. I still think they’re the best team in the AFC.

This Week: vs Cleveland

#4 BUFFALO BILLS (-)

Last Week: #4, Won vs Baltimore, 41-40

Buffalo was getting steamrolled until a Derrick Henry fumble and some Josh Allen heroics. I’m keeping them at #4 this week.

This Week: at NY Jets

#5 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (-2)

Last Week: #3, Lost vs LA Chargers in Brazil, 27-21

Losing a neutral site game against a 2024 playoff team isn’t enough to knock Kansas City out of the top five, yet.

This Week: vs Philadelphia

#6 LOS ANGELES RAMS (+3)

Last Week: #9, Won vs Houston, 14-9

The offense didn’t do much, but the Rams defense is definitely playoff caliber.

This Week: at Tennessee

#7 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (+3)

Last Week: #10, Won vs NY Giants, 21-6

It wasn’t flashy, but Washington dominated against New York.

This Week: at Green Bay

#8 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (+6)

Last Week: Won vs Kansas City in Brazil, 27-21

Big win for the Chargers against their arch nemesis. Can they keep the momentum?

This Week: at Las Vegas

#9 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (-2)

Last Week: #7, Won at Atlanta, 23-20

Tampa Bay solved their Atlanta problem, but I still drop them a couple spots, mostly because a few other teams were more impressive.

This Week: at Houston

#10 DENVER BRONCOS (-4)

Last Week: #6, Won vs Tennessee, 20-12

Denver’s defense was as good as advertised, but I saw some Mac Jones like regression in Bo Nix, so I dropped them a couple spots.

This Week: at Indianapolis

#11 CINCINNATI BENGALS (-)

Last Week: #11, Won at Cleveland, 17-16

Cincinnati narrowly avoided another bad week one loss, but it was considerably less than impressive.

This Week: vs Jacksonville

#12 DETROIT LIONS (-4)

Last Week: #8, Lost at Green Bay, 27-13

Detroit was never in the game versus the Packers, could be a sign they miss both their coordinators from last season.

This Week: vs Chicago

#13 PITTSBURGH STEELERS (+14)

Last Week: #27, Won at NY Jets, 34-32

Aaron Rodgers was everything Pittsburgh could hope for, Steelers make a huge jump up the rankings.

This Week: vs Seattle

#15 MINNESOTA VIKINGS (+4)

Last Week: #19, Won at Chicago, 27-24

Minnesota made a great comeback Monday night, and JJ McCarthy got better in the fourth quarter.

This Week: vs Atlanta

#16 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (-)

Last Week: #16, Won vs Carolina, 26-10

Jacksonville was firmly in control against a bottom ten team.

This Week: at Cincinnati

#17 NEW YORK JETS (-2)

Last Week: #15, Lost vs Pittsburgh, 34-32

The Jets gave Pittsburgh all they could handle, but shot themselves in the foot in the end.

This Week: vs Buffalo

#18 ARIZONA CARDINALS (-1)

Last Week: #17, Won at New Orleans, 20-13

Despite the win, Arizona showed the inconsistency that troubles me.

This Week: vs Carolina

#19 CHICAGO BEARS (-7)

Last Week: #12, Lost vs Minnesota, 27-24

Chicago showed flashes on Monday night, but they also showed they still haven’t figured out how to close a game out.

This Week: at Detroit

#20 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (-)

Last Week: #20, Won at New England, 20-13

Even with the win, I’m not sure Vegas is any threat in the AFC.

This Week: vs LA Chargers

#21 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (+2)

Last Week: #23, Won at Seattle, 17-13

San Francisco won a tough road game, but the injuries are already piling up.

This Week: at New Orleans

#22 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: (-4)

Last Week: #18, Lost vs San Francisco, 17-13

Seattle had a chance, but ultimately lost a tough one at home to a division rival.

This Week: at Pittsburgh

#23 ATLANTA FALCONS (-1)

Last Week: #22, Lost vs Tampa Bay, 23-20

Atlanta hung around and Michael Penix Jr showed enough to think this team should rise in the rankings.

This Week: at Minnesota

#24 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (+5)

Last Week: #29, Won vs Miami, 33-8

Indy was as impressive as any team in the NFL, but it did come against maybe the worst team. And this is still Daniel Jones.

#25 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-)

Last Week: #25, Lost vs Las Vegas, 20-13

New England still has a talent deficit compared to most teams.

This Week: at Miami

#26 NEW YORK GIANTS (-2)

Last Week: #24, Lost at Washington, 21-6

I think the Jaxson Dart watch has officially begun.

This Week: at Dallas

#27 CAROLINA PANTHERS (-6)

Last Week: #21, Lost at Jacksonville, 26-10

Carolina looked more like the team that earned the first pick in the 2024 draft than the team that surged down the stretch last season.

This Week: at Arizona

#28 CLEVELAND BROWNS (-2)

Last Week: #26, Lost vs Cincinnati, 17-16

Cleveland’s defense is good enough to keep them in most games.

This Week: at Baltimore

#29 DALLAS COWBOYS (-1)

Last Week: #28, Lost at Philadelphia, 24-20

I still feel like an implosion is coming in Dallas.

This Week: vs NY Giants

#30 TENNESSEE TITANS (+1)

Last Week: #31, Lost at Denver, 20-12

The trajectory should be upwards for Tennessee and Cam Ward.

This Week: vs LA Rams

#31 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (+1)

Last Week: #32, Lost vs Arizona, 20-13

New Orleans is a bad football team, but at least they play hard.

This Week: vs San Francisco

#32 MIAMI DOLPHINS (-2)

Last Week: #30, Lost at Indianapolis, 33-8

A couple more outings like that and Mike McDaniel won’t survive September. Either way, Miami will probably be in search of a new coach and quarterback for 2026.

This Week: vs New England

Dallas @ Philadelphia (-8.5)

I think Philly begins their title defense with a blowout of their bitter rivals. Phi 38-13.

Kansas City @ LA Chargers (+3)

Chargers are nominally the home team as this game will be played in Brazil. I like KC to win, but LA to cover. KC 28-27.

Cincinnati (–5.5) @ Cleveland

I think Cincy avoids a slow start this season and thumps Cleveland on the road. Cin 28-13.

Tampa Bay (-2.5) @ Atlanta

I think Tampa sends an early message that this is still their division. TB 24-20.

Arizona @ New Orleans (+6.5)

I think Arizona wins this, but 6.5 is a lot of points to lay on the road. Arz 24-20.

Miami (+1.5) @ Indianapolis

I think Miami will eventually implode this season, but they start with a road win. Mia 20-13.

New York Giants (+5.5) @ Washington

I think Washington will win at home, but the Giants will cover. Was 20-17.

Carolina (+3.5) @ Jacksonville

This is one of the tougher games for me to pick because I think both teams have some upside. I went with the home team to win, but Carolina to cover. Jax 24-21.

Las Vegas @ New England (-2.5)

Another tough game to pick because I think both teams will be improved. I’ll take NE by a field goal. NE 20-17.

Pittsburgh @ NY Jets (+3)

These are two teams I think are on different trajectories. I like the Jets. NYJ 17-16.

San Francisco @ Seattle (+2.5)

I’ll take Seattle & the points at home. Sea 21-17.

Tennessee @ Denver (-7.5)

Yeah, this is a mismatch. Denver rolls. Den 31-10.

Detroit (+2.5) @ Green Bay

I want to pick Detroit to win this, but I just can’t. I’ll take the points instead. GB 24-23.

Houston @ LA Rams (-2.5)

I think the Rams could be one of the better teams in the league if Stafford remains healthy. Rams 27-20.

Baltimore (+1.5) @ Buffalo

Baltimore gets revenge for last year’s playoff loss. Bal 31-28.

Minnesota @ Chicago (+1.5)

The Ben Johnson era starts with a win over a division rival. Chi 23-20.

This season I’ll be doing my own power rankings, hopefully every week. The inaugural list is purely speculative. Here we go:

1. Philadelphia Eagles– The defending champs remain the team to beat.
2. Baltimore Ravens– The best team in the AFC, can they finally get it done in January?
3. Kansas City Chiefs– As long as Mahomes is under center, KC is a legit Super Bowl contender.
4. Buffalo Bills– Josh Allen carried them as far as he could last year, did they add enough to get them over the hump?
5. Green Bay Packers– The acquisition of Micah Parsons pushes them into the top five, but I’m not convinced Jordan Love is a franchise QB and the NFC North is a very tough division.
6. Denver Broncos– They have an elite defense and one of the best coaches in football, if Bo Nix can improve on a pretty good rookie season, they could be the team to dethrone KC in the AFC West.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers– They own their division and their offense is a good as anyone’s, do they have the defense to truly contend?
8. Detroit Lions– This might still be one of the best teams in the NFC, but they lost a significant amount of their coaching staff. I think there may be some bumps in the road.
9. Los Angeles Rams– I’d rank them higher if I had more confidence Matthew Stafford can make it through the season.
10. Washington Commanders– The Commanders & Jayden Daniels are legit, but they won’t take anyone by surprise this year.
11. Cincinnati Bengals– If they avoid another slow start, this is a playoff team. Their nearly complete lack of defense limits their ceiling, though.
12. Chicago Bears– There will be hiccups in year one of the Ben Johnson/ Caleb Williams era, but the talent is there to take a big step forward.
13. Houston Texans– If they can protect CJ Stroud, and he proves last year was just a sophomore slump, Houston could rise in these rankings.
14. Los Angeles Chargers– Until they actually win in January, I’m hesitant to rank them higher.
15. New York Jets– I believe in Justin Fields and Aaron Glenn, not quite enough to get them into the playoffs.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars– If Liam Coen can do for Trevor Lawrence what he did for Baker Mayfield, this team could really rise.
17. Arizona Cardinals– I like a lot of the pieces Arizona has, I just don’t trust Kyler Murray.
18. Seattle Seahawks– Sam Darnold is another QB I just don’t believe in and that drags Seattle down in my rankings.
19. Minnesota Vikings– JJ McCarthy is essentially a rookie QB & the NFC North is the toughest division in the NFL, so I think the Vikings might be relegated to the basement.
20. Las Vegas Raiders– Vegas also has the misfortune of playing in a tough division. They’ll show improvement, but the AFC West is a minefield.
21. Carolina Panthers– I think Carolina could be one of the surprise teams in the NFL this year.
22. Atlanta Falcons– Until they prove otherwise, I always expect the Falcons to come up short.
23. San Francisco 49ers– There’s just been too much attrition in San Fran to think they’ll be serious contenders.
24. New York Giants– Legit defense, just not sure they’ll get enough from their QBs to actually contend.
25. New England Patriots– Vrabel will make New England better, but they still don’t have enough talent to truly contend.
26. Cleveland Browns– Another legit defense that just won’t produce enough on offense to contend.
27. Pittsburgh Steelers– I just don’t think Aaron Rodgers has it anymore and I think Pittsburgh might implode.
28. Dallas Cowboys– I feel an implosion of epic proportions coming in Jerry World.
29. Indianapolis Colts– There is little reason for optimism when Daniel Jones is your QB1, ask Giants fans.
30. Miami Dolphins– Another team that I feel like is in for an epic implosion.
31. Tennessee Titans– I think Tennessee can rise much higher in these rankings, but until I see it on the field, I’ll rank them here.
32. New Orleans Saints– Right now, I think they’re the heavy favorite to land the first overall pick in the 2026 draft.

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.

Fantasy Football time is upon us. I drafted two teams this weekend. This is the analysis of the first team I drafted, the Trash Pandas, in the Thunderdome Fantasy Football League.

This is my third season competing in Thunderdome and I’ve had mixed results the previous two years. In my inaugural campaign, I made the playoffs and had one of the stronger teams in the league. Unfortunately, there was a division rival I just couldn’t beat, going 0-3 against them, including a second round loss in the playoffs. I finished 5th for the season.

Last season, the wheels came off pretty early. Injuries mounted and I suffered through a six game losing streak en route to finishing 14th on the season.

This league presents different challenges and requires different strategy than any other leagues I’ve competed in. Most of the challenges stem from the size of the league and the scoring system, I’ll detail those shortly.

Another unique challenge arises from the fact that there are three other Chicago Bears fans in this league, besides me. I’ve never faced that problem before, I’m usually the only Bears fan in a league. Now I know how fans of the Eagles & Steelers feel. To get Bears players I want, I have to be willing to overdraft. To balance that with a desire to win, I have to weigh the actual cost of the overdraft.

I feel like I’ve managed it pretty well, thus far.

Now a bit about Thunderdome Fantasy Football:

16 team league.

18 man roster consisting of no more than 2 QBs, 4 RBs, 4 WRs, 2 TEs, 2 Kickers, 2 Team Defenses & 2 LBs.

Lineups consist of 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 Kicker, 1 Team Defense, 1 LB & a Flex which can be a RB, WR or TE.

Scoring by ESPN Fantasy Sports.

Single keeper league. Keeper does NOT count as a draft pick UNLESS being kept two years in a row, then it costs your first round pick.

Ladder draft, meaning the team drafting first in the first round picks last in the second round, while the team picking second in the first picks first in the second and the team picking third in the first picks second in the second and first in the third then last in the fourth round.

As I stated earlier, the size of this league and our rosters presents a unique challenge. The draft is SUPER important because the pickings on the waiver are very slim.

Do the math, there will be 32 QBs rostered, that’s basically every starting QB in the NFL. There will also be 32 team defenses, 32 kickers, 32 tight ends & 32 linebackers rostered.

For QBs, Team Defense and kickers, we’re basically stuck with who we drafted for the entire season, there may be a little wiggle room, but not much.

For TEs and LBs, there are waiver possibilities, but the pickings are slim.

There will be 64 RBs & 64 WRs rostered. For RBs this means the only options on the waiver wire are guys that may only get 5 touches a game, if you’re lucky. WR is deeper and you may be able to find some meaningful contributors on waivers.

The ladder style draft also adds a challenge. For most of the draft each team has 16 spots between their picks, except when it’s your turn to fall down the ladder. In my case, that happened in the fourth round.

I picked third in the first round, second in the second, first in the third and then 16th in the fourth. That’s 31 spots between picks. I had to think long and hard with my third round pick. Was there any player that I really wanted that might not be the highest ranked on my board, but there was no way he’d make it back to me?

Anyway, on with the draft, first the players that were protected and unavailable to be drafted:

Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders

De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Now, here’s how my draft went:

My Keeper– Marvin Harrison Jr, WR, Arizona Cardinals

My team was bad last year and Jahmyr Gibbs was the only player I really wanted to keep, but he was my keeper for last year and losing my first round pick is a tough pill to swallow. Luckily, because I was so bad, I had the third pick and I thought it was a reasonable gamble that Gibbs, or someone comparable, would be available at three, so I decided to take another chance on Harrison Jr’s upside.

Round 1– Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

My strategy worked perfectly. I wanted Gibbs back, I even had him ranked higher than Bijan Robinson who went with the first pick. I think Gibbs is going to have a monster season (check out my NFL Predictions for how big). When Ja’Marr Chase went second, I was ecstatic.

Round 2– Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

This was a pivot for me. The elite receivers were gone and I didn’t think any of the running backs were worth this pick. I don’t like going quarterback this early, even though not doing so cost me any shot at Caleb Williams.

In my opinion, Bowers was easily the best player on the board, so I eagerly started the tight end run.

Round 3– TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots

Henderson was one of my targets coming in. I love drafting rookie running backs with major upside. I had Henderson behind only Ashton Jeanty in this rookie class, fantasy wise.

There were no receivers I deemed worthy of this pick and I knew I couldn’t wait until my next pick to land Henderson.

Round 4– Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears

It was my turn to fall down the ladder. There were 31 players selected since my last pick. The way the board was falling, I was pretty sure this pick was going to be a receiver.

I considered Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith & Jameson Williams here, but passed on Waddle because I don’t trust Tua to stay healthy. I think Odunze has the potential to put up at least similar numbers to Smith. This was a bit of a homer pick, which is why Williams was never really an option.

Round 5– Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Travis Hunter almost made it back to me, but alas, he went two picks before me. Addison will serve a three game suspension to start the season, but he should give me three receivers with tremendous upside.

Round 6– Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers

It was time to land my quarterback or else I’d be stuck with Tua again, or worse. I learned my lesson last year. Herbert isn’t the elite fantasy quarterback he was his first couple years, but he’s a solid starter that should allow me to roll the dice on a possible breakthrough guy later on.

Round 7– Philadelphia Eagles Defense

This was a last second pivot on my part because Najee Harris got sniped the pick before me. I abandoned the idea of getting my third running back and became the second team to draft a defense.

The fantasy “experts” will say I reached by making Philly the second team defense off the board, but I’m a big believer in this Eagles squad.

Round 8– Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns

I needed a third running back to cover the bye weeks of Gibbs & Henderson. My first choice has the same bye week as Gibbs, so I went with Ford.

Ford will be Cleveland’s lead back, for at least a few weeks and while he may lose some goal line touches, he does offer some receiving production and big play ability.

Round 9– Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

With my running back bye weeks covered, I went back to the guy I wanted in the previous round. I actually had Tuten rated higher than the other Jacksonville backs, Travis Etienne & Tank Bigsby.

Round 10– Darnell Mooney, WR, Atlanta Falcons

My plan was to take Xavier Legette here and then Bryce Young in the next round, but that was blown up when Young got picked earlier in this round.

I went back to an old friend in Mooney and turned my attention to Michael Penix Jr.

Round 11– Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Curses! Foiled again. Penix Jr didn’t make it back to me. I had to get a quarterback here, or I’d be left with a terrible choice between Sam Darnold or Joe Flacco (because there is no way in hell I’m drafting Aaron Rodgers, Daniel Jones sucks & Russell Wilson is blacklisted.)

In hindsight, this pick worked out well for me. Lawrence has tremendous potential in this offense & he could supplant Herbert as my number one by season’s end.

Round 12– Ernest Jones IV, LB, Seattle Seahawks

I have my roster spots filled at quarterback, running back & wide receiver at this point. With Bowers at tight end, a backup isn’t a priority (and they were pretty picked over at this point).

My aversion to kickers made me go LB here. I just looked at ESPN’s linebacker rankings and took the top one still available.

Round 13– Cairo Santos, K, Chicago Bears

Okay, screw it, let’s get a kicker. Might as well make it a homer pick. Bear Down!

Round 14– Arizona Cardinals Defense

In a league where I can stream defenses, I’d never roster a second, but in this league I need to. Arizona has the best matchup, of the available defenses, the week Philly is on bye, so I went with them.

Round 15– Daniel Carlson, K, Las Vegas Raiders

Again, in a smaller league, I’d never roster a second kicker, but it’s a must here. Carlson was the highest ranked one left on ESPN’s board.

Round 16– Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Carolina Panthers

I was actually targeting Elijah Arroyo here, until I realized Seattle & Vegas have the same bye week. Sanders showed flashes last year and I only need him for one week.

ANALYSIS

Overall, I’m pretty pleased with the team I ended up with. I got sniped a few times on players I was targeting, but I was able to pivot and find decent alternatives. The pivot I made at backup quarterback, I think, could end up paying huge dividends.

Trash Pandas Roster

Quarterbacks

Justin Herbert, Chargers *

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

Running Backs

Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions *

TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots *

Jerome Ford, Browns

Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars

Wide Receivers

Marvin Harrison Jr, Cardinals *

Rome Odunze, Bears *

Jordan Addison, Vikings

Darnell Mooney, Falcons

Tight Ends

Brock Bowers, Raiders *

Ja’Tavion Sanders, Panthers

Kickers

Cairo Santos, Bears *

Daniel Carlson, Raiders

Team Defense

Philadelphia Eagles *

Arizona Cardinals

Linebacker

Ernest Jones IV, Seahawks *

*Starter

My flex position will be rather fluid early on, though I expect Addison to fill that role once his suspension is over.

I think wide receiver is my strongest position group. There is no elite talent there, though Harrison Jr does have the potential. All four are solid fantasy football contributors. Barring injuries, I can see all four remaining on my roster the whole season.

My running backs have potential, but on paper, it is a weak and unproven group. Gibbs is elite, though, and I certainly believe Henderson can get there. Tuten is an upside gamble and possibly one of the first players I look to replace.

My starting tight end, Bowers, is also elite, which is why I won’t pay much attention to his back up or the waiver wire unless someone bursts onto the scene.

I am quite pleased with the quarterbacks I ended up with. Herbert is solid and I’ll have no issue starting him every week, but the upside of Lawrence is tantalizing. If Liam Coen can do for him what he did for Baker Mayfield, the sky is the limit for my team.

I don’t strategize in regard to kickers, but in this league I might have to start doing so. Scoring for kickers is heavily skewed towards long fields goals. A kicker getting a couple 50+ yarders in a game could win the week for you. I didn’t take that into account, really.

I didn’t really have a plan to take a team defense when I did, the board just kind of presented itself that way. No fantasy football cheat sheet had the Eagles as the second defense, but I really like them and went with my gut.

The keys to my season with this team are:

• Marvin Harrison Jr needs to approach the elite level of wide receivers & Rome Odunze needs to become that high end #2 type receiver.
• TreVeyon Henderson needs to become breakout running back I believe he can be as quickly as possible.
• If Liam Coen can unlock Trevor Lawrence the way he did Mayfield, I really think this could potentially be a championship squad.

AFC EAST

1. Buffalo Bills (12-5)- The Bills still rule the division, and as long as Josh Allen is healthy, nobody will challenge them.
2. New York Jets (8-9)- I’m a Justin Fields believer and I think Aaron Glenn will help the Jets make strides, but the AFC is just too stacked for them to make a breakthrough.
3. New England Patriots (6-11)- The Patriots will be better, and Mike Vrabel will make them competitive, but the talent deficit is just too great.
4. Miami Dolphins (5-12)- I hate to predict injuries, but Tua Tagovailoa just can’t stay healthy and the Dolphins will implode without him.

AFC NORTH

1. Baltimore Ravens (13-4)- The Ravens are the most loaded team in the AFC & Lamar Jackson is a perennial MVP candidate.
2. Cincinnati Bengals (10-7)- If they can avoid the slow starts they’ve had the past couple years, Joe Burrow should lead the Bengals back into contention, but the defense (or lack thereof) will keep them from the peak.
3. Cleveland Browns (7-10)- The Browns are the opposite of Cincy, they have a playoff caliber defense, but how much can a Joe Flacco led offense produce.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-12)– The streak of winning seasons comes to a crashing halt. Aaron Rodgers is a first ballot Hall of Famer, but he’s been washed for a couple years. Will this catastrophe cost Mike Tomlin his job?

AFC SOUTH

1. Houston Texans (10-7)- CJ Stroud should rebound from uneven sophomore campaign, enough for the Texans to carry the weakest division.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-9)- Will Trevor Lawrence finally reach his full potential? If he does, the Jaguars could dominate this division.
3. Indianapolis Colts (5-12)- The Colts will realize quickly that Daniel Jones is not the answer at quarterback.
4. Tennessee Titans (4-13)- If Cam Ward can prove worthy of the number one pick, the Titans could surge out of the division basement.

AFC WEST

1. Kansas City Chiefs (11-6)- This division still belongs to Patrick Mahomes & the Chiefs until someone takes it from them.
2. Denver Broncos (10-7)- Bo Nix & the Broncos could give KC their first serious challenge for division supremacy in years.
3. Los Angeles Chargers (9-8)- Justin Herbert & Jim Harbaugh will keep the Chargers in contention until the very end.
4. Las Vegas Raiders (7-10)- The Raiders will be better under Pete Carroll, but it won’t be enough to get them out of the basement in a tough division.

AFC PLAYOFFS

#2 Buffalo over #7 Chargers

Allen & the Bills are just too much for LA.

#3 Kansas City over #6 Broncos

Mahomes isn’t going out in the first round against upstart Denver.

#5 Cincinnati over #4 Texans

The Bengals offense will overwhelm Houston.

#3 Kansas City over #2 Bills

Buffalo still can’t beat the Chiefs when it matters.

#1 Baltimore over #5 Bengals

Cincy’s lack of defense will be their Achilles heel against the Ravens.

#1 Baltimore over #3 Chiefs

The Ravens are the team to finally dethrone KC.

NFC EAST

1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)- The defending champs are still the most complete team in the NFL, in my opinion.
2. Washington Commanders (10-7)- Washington went all in behind Jayden Daniels, but they’re no closer to Philly.
3. New York Giants (7-10)- The Giants have a ferocious defense, but the Jaxson Dart era won’t start soon enough to save them this season.
4. Dallas Cowboys (5-12)- I just feel an implosion coming in Dallas this year.

NFC NORTH

1. Green Bay Packers (11-6)- I’m not convinced that Jordan Love is an elite QB, but the Pack has enough talent to win this division.
2. Detroit Lions (10-7)- Detroit will have an uneven season after losing both their coordinators.
3. Chicago Bears (9-8)- There will be hiccups in Ben Johnson’s first season at the helm, but the improvement in Chicago will be evident.
4. Minnesota Vikings (8-9)- JJ McCarthy being essentially a rookie will relegate the Vikings to the basement in the toughest division in football.

NFC SOUTH

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)- This is the Bucs division until someone takes it from them.
2. Carolina Panthers (8-9)- Bryce Young continues to ascend but the Panthers fall short of the playoffs.
3. Atlanta Falcons (7-10)- The Falcons are perennially one of the most underachieving teams in the NFL.
4. New Orleans Saints (3-14)- The number one pick in the 2026 draft will belong to New Orleans. Arch Manning, anyone?

NFC WEST

1. Los Angeles Rams (11-6)- As long as Matthew Stafford can stay healthy, the Rams are legit contenders.
2. Arizona Cardinals (8-9)- The Cards will show flashes, but I don’t trust Kyler Murray enough to put them in the playoffs.
3. Seattle Seahawks (7-10)- I think Sam Darnold comes back down to earth and takes the Seahawks with him.
4. San Francisco 49ers (6-11)- The Niners lost too many key pieces for Brock Purdy to carry them into contention.

NFC PLAYOFFS

#7 Chicago over #2 Packers

Start building the statues of Caleb Williams & Ben Johnson after they oust their bitter rivals.

#3 Los Angeles over #6 Commanders

The Rams end Washington’s Super Bowl dreams.

#5 Detroit over #4 Buccaneers

The Lions will start cooking at the right time of the season.

#5 Detroit over #3 Rams

The Lions oust LA & their old friend, Matthew Stafford.

#1 Philadelphia over #7 Bears

The Birds steamroll Chicago, who is still giddy over their victory in Lambeau the week before.

#1 Philadelphia over #5 Lions

As I said earlier, Philly is the most complete team in the NFL.

SUPER BOWL PREDICTION

Philadelphia Eagles over Baltimore Ravens

On paper, this could be one of the best Super Bowl matchups ever.

Some Awards Predictions

MVP- Lamar Jackson, Baltimore

Some might argue that he should be going for a three peat here.

Offensive Player of the Year- Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit

He won’t put up Saquon Barkley numbers, but I think Gibbs will lead the league in total yards.

Defensive Player of the Year- Jalen Carter, Philadelphia

This is the year I think Carter becomes the second coming of Aaron Donald.

Offensive Rookie of the Year- Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas

The Raiders will lean on Jeanty and it will pay off.

Defensive Rookie of the Year- Abdul Carter, NY Giants

Carter will become another Penn State alum wreaking havoc in NFC East backfields.

Protector of the Year- Pennei Sewell, Detroit

I feel like this first time award will go to a tackle and I’m picking Sewell.

Comeback Player of the Year- Isaiah Pacheco, Kansas City

Tough award to pick, because what actually constitutes a comeback?

Coach of the Year- Ben Johnson, Chicago

Getting the Bears to the playoffs should be enough to get Johnson this award.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

Round 1 (16)– Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss (above)

Round 2 (15)– Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

Round 3 (14)– Jordan Burch, EDGE, Oregon

Round 4 (13)– Cody Simon, LB, Ohio State

Round 5 (38)– Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State

Round 6 (35)– Hayden Conner, OG, Texas

Round 7 (9)– Kitan Crawford, S, Nevada

I like the Cardinals draft class. They went heavy on defense, but that was their biggest weakness. Nolen and Burch should have an instant impact on their pass rush. Johnson has injury concerns, but if he can overcome them he could be one of the steals of this draft. I like the double dip at cornerback, especially given Johnson’s health concerns, and Burke could develop into a starter, as could his fellow Buckeye, LB Simon. Getting Crawford in the seventh round is tremendous value.

You might have wished for Arizona to address their offensive line before the sixth round and maybe add another receiver to complement Marvin Harrison Jr, but Arizona landed some pretty good players.

ATLANTA FALCONS

Round 1 (15)– Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia (above)

Round 1 (26)– James Pearce Jr, EDGE, Tennessee

Round 3 (32)– Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame

Round 4 (16)– Billy Bowman Jr, S, Oklahoma

Round 7 (2)– Jack Nelson, OT, Wisconsin

The Falcons finally addressed their defense in the draft, after years of focusing on offensive skill positions. Having Walker fall in their laps was fortuitous. Watts is excellent value in the late third and Bowman could eventually join him as a starting safety for Atlanta. Grabbing an offensive lineman from Wisconsin with some upside in the seventh round is never a bad idea.

My feelings on Atlanta’s draft class are tempered, however, by the price they paid to move up and get Pearce. I like the player, but Atlanta gave up a 2026 first, a price usually reserved for quarterbacks.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Round 1 (27)– Malaki Starks, S, Georgia (above)

Round 2 (27)– Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall

Round 3 (27)– Emery Jones Jr, OT, LSU

Round 4 (27)– Teddye Buchanan, LB, California

Round 5 (3)– Carson Vinson, OT, Alabama A&M

Round 6 (2)– Bilhal Kone, CB, Western Michigan

Round 6 (10)– Tyler Loop, K, Arizona

Round 6 (27)– LaJohntay Wester, WR, Colorado

Round 6 (34)– Aeneas Peebles, DT, Virginia Tech

Round 6 (36)– Robert Longerbeam, CB, Rutgers

Round 7 (27)– Garrett Dellinger, OG, LSU

The Ravens are one of the better drafting teams in the NFL. Part of it is luck, like Starks still being on the board at 27, but when it consistently happens year after year, you have to believe they have a hand in making their own luck. Green had character concerns, but getting him at the end of the second is great value, he’s a first round talent.

The day three haul was vast and sprinkled with players with starter upside including Buchanan, Vinson, Peebles & Dellinger. Does the selection of a kicker signal the end of the road for Justin Tucker in Baltimore?

BUFFALO BILLS

Round 1 (30)– Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky (above)

Round 2 (9)– TJ Sanders, DT, South Carolina

Round 3 (8)– Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas

Round 4 (7)– Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky

Round 5 (34)– Jordan Hancock, CB, Ohio State

Round 5 (37)– Jackson Hawes, TE, Georgia Tech

Round 6 (1)– Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech

Round 6 (30)– Chase Lundt, OT, Connecticut

Round 7 (24)– Kaden Prather, WR, Maryland

The Bills are in a Super Bowl window as long as Josh Allen is under center, but they have to get past some offensive juggernauts in the AFC, so it makes total sense to focus on defense. I think Hairston & Sanders, while good players, were slight reaches by Buffalo. However, they got good value for Jackson & Walker.

I like both of their day three corners. Buffalo hopes their defensive additions push them over the hump in the AFC.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Round 1 (8)– Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona (above)

Round 2 (19)– Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M

Round 3 (13)– Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss

Round 4 (12)– Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia

Round 4 (20)– Lathan Ransom, S, Ohio State

Round 5 (2)– Cam Jackson, DT, Florida

Round 5 (27)– Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame

Round 6 (32)– Jimmy Horn Jr, WR, Colorado

I was sure that the Panthers were going defense with their first pick, but McMillan was a good curveball. He’s the big bodied, contested catch receiver that should help Bryce Young take the next step. Carolina transformed their pass rush by adding both Scourton & Umanmielen. Ransom was a good addition to their secondary on day three.

I feel Carolina reached a bit on Etienne & Evans, but both have upside if they stay healthy.

CHICAGO BEARS

Round 1 (10)– Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan (above)

Round 2 (7)– Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

Round 2 (24)– Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College

Round 2 (30)– Shemar Turner, DT, Texas A&M

Round 4 (30)– Ruben Hyppolite II, LB, Maryland

Round 5 (33)– Zah Frazier, CB, UTSA

Round 6 (19)– Luke Newman, OT, Michigan State

Round 7 (17)– Kyle Monangai, RB, Rutgers

The Bears surprised me in this draft because they went in directions I wasn’t expecting. Taking Loveland over Tyler Warren was a shock, but I have to trust Ben Johnson on this. Burden wasn’t on my radar because Chicago didn’t have a glaring need at wide receiver, but this is a slam dunk pick. Burden has first round talent.

Trapilo was my favorite pick because he was the one non-first round tackle that I felt had the potential to be a starter at left tackle. I thought they’d go for more of a run stuffer at defensive tackle, but Turner is a good interior pass rusher and is no slouch at run defense.

It became obvious that Chicago’s day three approach was athletic upside. All four of their picks on day three offer that, even if Hyppolite feels like a massive reach.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Round 1 (17)– Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M (above)

Round 2 (17)– Demetrius Knight Jr, LB, South Carolina

Round 3 (17)– Dylan Fairchild, OG, Georgia

Round 4 (17)– Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson

Round 5 (17)– Jalen Rivers, OG, Miami-Fl

Round 6 (17)– Tahj Brooks, RB, Texas Tech

Defense has been the Achilles heel for the Bengals for years, so focusing there was smart. Stewart is an athletic freak, but he might have the highest bust potential of any first round pick. I like both Knight & Carter, but double dipping at linebacker and not hitting the secondary is questionable.

I like the Fairchild pick and think he could become a starter on Cincinnati’s offensive line, but I hate the Rivers pick. It was a reach and he’s a penalty machine. He’ll really need to clean up his game to see the field.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Round 1 (5)– Mason Graham, DT, Michigan (above)

Round 2 (1)– Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA

Round 2 (4)– Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State

Round 3 (3)– Harold Fannin Jr, TE, Bowling Green

Round 3 (30)– Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon

Round 4 (24)– Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee

Round 5 (6)– Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

Did any team have a more interesting draft than the Browns? From giving up Travis Hunter for a massive haul to ending the unprecedented slide of Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland made this draft interesting.

Graham & Schwesinger instantly upgrade Cleveland’s defense. Judkins & Sampson should complement each other well in the backfield.

The double dip at quarterback is questionable, but it makes for the most interesting training camp competition in the NFL.

DALLAS COWBOYS

Round 1 (12)– Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama (above)

Round 2 (12)– Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College

Round 3 (12)– Shavon Revel Jr, CB, East Carolina

Round 5 (12)– Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas

Round 5 (16)– Shemar James, LB, Florida

Round 6 (28)– Ajani Cornelius, OT, Oregon

Round 7 (1)– Jay Toia, DT, UCLA

Round 7 (23)– Phil Mafah, RB, Clemson

Round 7 (31)– Tommy Akingbesote, DT, Maryland

Hard to find fault with a draft class in which the Cowboys landed three players; Booker, Ezeiruaku & Revel that I had pegged as potential first rounders. All three should have starting or rotational roles this season.

Blue could prove to be the running back Dallas has been searching for. The only real negative from this draft is not landing a wide receiver.

DENVER BRONCOS

Round 1 (20)– Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas (above)

Round 2 (28)– RJ Harvey, RB, Central Florida

Round 3 (10)– Pat Bryant, WR, Illinois

Round 3 (37)– Sai’vion Jones, EDGE, LSU

Round 4 (32)– Que Robinson, EDGE, Alabama

Round 6 (40)– Jeremy Crawshaw, P, Florida

Round 7 (25)– Caleb Lohner, TE, Utah

The Broncos already had a good defense, the addition of nickel corner Barron and edge rushers Jones & Robinson could take them to another level.

After passing on running back in the first round, Denver might have landed the perfect one for Sean Payton’s offense in Harvey. Basketball player turned tight end Lohner is the type of seventh round flier I love to see.

DETROIT LIONS

Round 1 (28)– Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State (above)

Round 2 (25)– Tate Ratledge, OG, Georgia

Round 3 (6)– Isaac TeSlaa, WR, Arkansas

Round 5 (35)– Miles Frazier, OG, LSU

Round 6 (20)– Ahmed Hassanein, EDGE, Boise State

Round 7 (14)– Dan Jackson, S, Georgia

Round 7 (28)– Dominic Lovett, WR, Georgia

The Lions had a bit of an uneven draft. Williams was a bit of a surprise, but a very good player. Ratledge feels like he was made to play for Dan Campbell and Frazier adds depth to the offensive line.

I think Detroit reached on TeSlaa and they definitely overpaid to move up to pick him. Stockpiling Georgia players has worked for Philadelphia, so Detroit grabbing two Bulldogs in the seventh round is a smart move.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Round 1 (23)– Matthew Golden, WR, Texas (above)

Round 2 (22)– Anthony Belton, OT, NC State

Round 3 (23)– Savion Williams, WR, TCU

Round 4 (22)– Barryn Sorrell, EDGE, Texas

Round 5 (23)– Collin Oliver, LB, Oklahoma State

Round 6 (22)– Warren Brinson, DT, Georgia

Round 7 (21)– Micah Robinson, CB, Tulane

Round 7 (34)– John Williams, OT, Cincinnati

The Packers made their fans happy by taking a wide receiver, Golden, in the first round for the first time in 22 years. Then, they doubled down on wide receiver in the third with Savion Williams. Green Bay also had one of the feel good stories of the draft by picking Sorrell, the last player still in the green room.

With the questions surrounding Jaire Alexander, I would have thought Green Bay would’ve addressed cornerback before the seventh round.

HOUSTON TEXANS

Round 2 (2)– Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State (above)

Round 2 (16)– Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota

Round 3 (15)– Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State

Round 3 (33)– Jaylin Smith, CB, USC

Round 4 (14)– Woody Marks, RB, USC

Round 6 (11)– Jaylen Reed, S, Penn State

Round 6 (21)– Graham Mertz, QB, Florida

Round 7 (8)– Kyonte Hamilton, DT, Rutgers

Round 7 (39)– Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa

After trading out of the first round, the Texans doubled down on Iowa State receivers, Higgins & Noel, that complement each other. They were also able to land the top offensive tackle still on the board after the first round, Ersery.

Houston reached quite a bit on Marks, but they found good value in Reed & Lachey.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Round 1 (14)– Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State (above)

Round 2 (13)– JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State

Round 3 (16)– Justin Walley, CB, Minnesota

Round 4 (25)– Jalen Travis, OT, Iowa State

Round 5 (14)– DJ Giddens, RB, Kansas State

Round 6 (13)– Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame

Round 6 (14)– Tim Smith, DT, Alabama

Round 7 (16)– Hunter Wohler, S, Wisconsin

Well, the Colts ended up with two players that I was targeting for the Bears, Warren & Tuimoloau, so that grades well for them.

Indianapolis was rather ho-hum the rest of the draft, but don’t be surprised if Leonard makes a little noise in Indy’s quarterback competition.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Round 1 (2)– Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado (above)

Round 3 (24)– Caleb Ransaw, CB, Tulane

Round 3 (25)– Wyatt Milum, OG, West Virginia

Round 4 (2)– Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech

Round 4 (5)– Jack Kiser, LB, Notre Dame

Round 6 (18)– Jalen McLeod, LB, Auburn

Round 6 (24)– Rayuan Lane III, S, Navy

Round 7 (5)– Jonah Monheim, C, USC

Round 7 (20)– LeQuint Allen, RB, Syracuse

I like the Jaguars being aggressive and moving up to get the guy they wanted in Hunter, but they paid a quarterback premium to do so. I wanted to trash Jacksonville for that, but the truth is I rather like their draft class.

Milum should eventually earn a starting role and he’ll reset the tone of that group. Tuten could be a home run pick, even if the Jacksonville running back room is crowded. Kiser could carve out a role and Monheim was good value in the seventh round.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Round 1 (32)– Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State (above)

Round 2 (31)– Omarr Norman-Lott, DT, Tennessee

Round 3 (2)– Ashton Gillotte, EDGE, Louisville

Round 3 (21)– Nohl Williams, CB, California

Round 4 (31)– Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State

Round 5 (20)– Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Oregon

Round 7 (12)– Brashard Smith, RB, SMU

The Chiefs had a pretty nice draft. If fully healthy, Simmons may end up being the best tackle in this class. Royals & Bassa were both great value picks.

Kansas City really only reached on Williams, and that was only a slight reach.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Round 1 (22)– Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina (above)

Round 2 (23)– Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss

Round 3 (22)– Jamaree Caldwell, DT, Oregon

Round 4 (23)– Kyle Kennard, EDGE, South Carolina

Round 5 (22)– KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR, Auburn

Round 5 (29)– Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse

Round 6 (23)– Branson Taylor, OT, Pittsburgh

Round 6 (38)– RJ Mickens, S, Clemson

Round 7 (40)– Trikweze Bridges, S, Florida

I can’t find any fault in the Chargers draft. I love Hampton and he’ll make a good one-two punch with Najee Harris in the running game. Tre Harris is a good complement to Ladd McConkey at wide receiver, while Lambert-Smith gives them a speed element.

Los Angeles took Caldwell a little sooner than projected, but I am a fan of his. Gadsden is more of a big receiver type tight end than the physical blocker that you’d think Harbaugh would prefer.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Round 2 (14)– Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon (above)

Round 3 (26)– Josaiah Stewart, EDGE, Michigan

Round 4 (15)– Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn

Round 5 (10)– Ty Hamilton, DT, Ohio State

Round 5 (36)– Chris Paul Jr, LB, Ole Miss

Round 7 (26)– Konata Mumpfield, WR, Pittsburgh

The Rams get high marks from me just for fleecing Atlanta to move out of the first round. Ferguson was a bit of a reach with their first pick, but I trust McVay will make the most of him.

Los Angeles found good value with Paul in the late fifth round.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

Round 1 (6)– Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State (above)

Round 2 (26)– Jack Bech, WR, TCU

Round 3 (4)– Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State

Round 3 (34)– Caleb Rogers, OT, Texas Tech

Round 3 (35)– Charles Grant, OT, William & Mary

Round 4 (6)– Dont’e Thornton Jr, WR, Tennessee

Round 4 (33)– Tonka Hemingway, DT, South Carolina

Round 6 (4)– JJ Pegues, DT, Ole Miss

Round 6 (37)– Tommy Mellott, WR, Montana State

Round 6 (39)– Cam Miller, QB, North Dakota State

Round 7 (6)– Cody Lindenberg, LB, Minnesota

The Raiders had a solid if somewhat weird draft. What needs to be said about Jeanty? He’s the next great NFL running back. Vegas double dipped at three positions; wide receiver, offensive tackle & defensive tackle, in all three cases I preferred the player they took second. In this case, I preferred Thornton over Bech, Grant over Rogers & Pegues over Hemingway. This isn’t to disparage Bech, Rogers & Hemingway, just stating how I saw it.

Las Vegas gets point for going with late sixth fliers on small school receiver Mellott & quarterback Miller.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Round 1 (13)– Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan (above)

Round 2 (5)– Jonah Savaiinaea, OG, Arizona

Round 5 (5)– Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland

Round 5 (13)– Jason Marshall Jr, CB, Florida

Round 5 (19)– Dante Trader Jr, S, Maryland

Round 6 (3)– Ollie Gordon, RB, Oklahoma State

Round 7 (15)– Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas

Round 7 (37)– Zeek Biggers, DT, Georgia Tech

The Dolphins had a decent draft, addressing several needs. Grant was a bit of a surprise, but Miami needed interior defensive lineman. I’m not sure they needed to triple dip on the defensive line, especially since they only added one offensive lineman.

That lineman, Savaiinaea, is a good one, though. I fully expect him to win a starting position this year. Marshall & Trader address needs and should be able to find roles as rookie. Ewers was a good seventh round flier, especially given Tua Tagovailoa’s ongoing health concerns.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Round 1 (24)– Donovan Jackson, OG, Ohio State (above)

Round 3 (38)– Tai Felton, WR, Maryland

Round 5 (1)– Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, EDGE, Georgia

Round 6 (25)– Kobe King, LB, Penn State

Round 6 (26)– Gavin Bartholomew, TE, Pittsburgh

I like Jackson, a lot, but the Vikings had more pressing needs. I think Minnesota got great value with both of their sixth round picks, King & Bartholomew.

Minnesota only had five picks, I expected them to use at least one on their secondary.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Round 1 (4)– Will Campbell, OT, LSU (above)

Round 2 (6)– TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State

Round 3 (5)– Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State

Round 3 (31)– Jared Wilson, C, Georgia

Round 4 (4)– Craig Woodson, S, California

Round 4 (35)– Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida State

Round 5 (8)– Bradyn Swinson, EDGE, LSU

Round 6 (6)– Andres Borregales, K, Miami-Fl

Round 7 (4)– Marcus Bryant, OT, Missouri

Round 7 (35)– Julian Ashby, LS, Vanderbilt

Round 7 (41)– Kobee Minor, CB, Memphis

The Patriots knocked this draft out of the park. The landed the best tackle in the draft, Campbell, who will fight & die for Drake Maye. They got a three down running back, Henderson, who isn’t just a home run threat with the ball in his hands, he’s also maybe the best pass blocking back in this class. They also gave Maye a new receiver and a new center, Williams & Wilson, respectively.

New England found good day three value in Woodson, Farmer & Swinson. This is such a good draft, I’m not even going to ding them for picking a kicker AND a long snapper!

Kobee Minor is Mr. Irrelevant, 2025.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Round 1 (9)– Kelvin Banks Jr, OT, Texas (above)

Round 2 (8)– Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville

Round 3 (7)– Vernon Broughton, DT, Texas

Round 3 (29)– Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia

Round 4 (10)– Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma

Round 4 (29)– Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville

Round 6 (8)– Devin Neal, RB, Kansas

Round 7 (32)– Moliki Matavao, TE, UCLA

Round 7 (38)– Fadil Diggs, EDGE, Syracuse

The Saints took Banks a little earlier than I had projected, but he’s still a great pick. New Orleans found good day three value in Stutsman, Neal & Diggs.

Ultimately, this draft will be judged on how Shough turns out and also the fate of Shedeur Sanders.

NEW YORK GIANTS

Round 1 (3)– Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State (above)

Round 1 (25)– Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss

Round 3 (1)– Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo

Round 4 (3)– Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State

Round 5 (18)– Marcus Mbow, OG, Purdue

Round 7 (3)– Thomas Fidone II, TE, Nebraska

Round 7 (30)– Korie Black, CB, Oklahoma State

The Giants absolutely crushed this draft. First, they didn’t overthink it and just took one of the two best players in this draft, Carter, with the third pick. Then, they traded back into the first round for their quarterback of the future, and they didn’t sacrifice a future first round pick to do it. Alexander & Skattebo were great picks, as well, and should play major roles immediately.

New York got great day three value in Mbow & Black, both have eventual starter upside.

NEW YORK JETS

Round 1 (7)– Armand Membou, OT, Missouri (above)

Round 2 (10)– Mason Taylor, TE, LSU

Round 3 (9)– Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State

Round 4 (8)– Arian Smith, WR, Georgia

Round 4 (28)– Malachi Moore, S, Alabama

Round 5 (26)– Francisco Mauigoa, LB, Miami-Fl

Round 5 (40)– Tyler Baron, EDGE, Miami-Fl

I love what the Jets did in this draft. The addition of Membou gives Justin Fields the best offensive line he’s ever played behind. Taylor is a sure handed security blanket and Smith is a deep threat complement to Garrett Wilson.

Thomas & Moore address needs in New York’s secondary. The only pick I have any issue with is Mauigoa, who I feel was a reach.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Round 1 (31)– Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama (above)

Round 2 (32)– Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas

Round 4 (9)– Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska

Round 5 (7)– Mac McWilliams, CB, Central Florida

Round 5 (25)– Smael Mondon Jr, LB, Georgia

Round 5 (32)– Drew Kendall, C, Boston College

Round 6 (5)– Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse

Round 6 (15)– Myles Hinton, OT, Michigan

Round 6 (31)– Cameron Williams, OT, Texas

Round 6 (33)– Antwaun Powell-Ryland, EDGE, Virginia Tech

Howie Roseman put on another drafting master class for the Eagles. I cannot believe the rest of the NFL let Campbell fall to the Super Bowl Champions. Mukuba was a safety I had targeted for the Bears.

Philadelphia added depth to the best offensive line in the league with Kendall, Hinton & Williams. Williams was especially good value. Speaking of day three value, Mondon was a great add.

To top it off, Philly added my favorite developmental quarterback in this draft in McCord.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Round 1 (21)– Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon (above)

Round 3 (19)– Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa

Round 4 (21)– Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State

Round 5 (28)– Yahya Black, DT, Iowa

Round 6 (9)– Will Howard, QB, Ohio State

Round 7 (10)– Carson Bruener, LB, Washington

Round 7 (13)– Donte Kent, LB, Central Michigan

The Steelers had a solid draft. Harmon is a stud. Johnson & Sawyer were great additions and great value picks. Howard is the perfect developmental quarterback to learn from a certain future Hall of Famer.

Pittsburgh took a seventh round flier on a legacy pick, Bruener is the son of a former Pittsburgh draft pick.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Round 1 (18)– Grey Zabel, OG, North Dakota State (above)

Round 2 (3)– Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Round 2 (18)– Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami-Fl

Round 3 (28)– Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama

Round 5 (4)– Rylie Mills, DT, Notre Dame

Round 5 (30)– Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State

Round 5 (39)– Robbie Ouzts, TE, Alabama

Round 6 (16)– Bryce Cabeldue, OT, Kansas

Round 7 (7)– Damien Martinez, RB, Miami-Fl

Round 7 (18)– Mason Richman, OT, Iowa

Round 7 (22)– Ricky White III, WR, UNLV

The Seahawks had an excellent draft, in my opinion. Their first two picks, Zabel & Emmanwori, were two of my favorite players in this draft. Arroyo has serious upside if he can stay healthy. Seattle will have special offensive packages for Milroe immediately and hopefully he can develop like Jalen Hurts did in Philly.

Seattle got great seventh round value in Martinez & White. White will make an instant impact on special teams and he was another one of my favorite players in the draft.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Round 1 (11)– Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia (above)

Round 2 (11)– Alfred Collins, DT, Texas

Round 3 (11)– Nick Martin, LB, Oklahoma State

Round 3 (36)– Upton Stout, CB, Western Kentucky

Round 4 (11)– CJ West, DT, Indiana

Round 4 (36)– Jordan Watkins, WR, Ole Miss

Round 5 (9)– Jordan James, RB, Oregon

Round 5 (24)– Marques Sigle, S, Kansas State

Round 7 (11)– Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana

Round 7 (33)– Connor Colby, OG, Iowa

Round 7 (36)– Junior Bergen, WR, Montana

I’m just not a fan of this draft by the 49ers. It started well, Williams should be a stud pass rusher, but other than him and fourth rounder, West, all of their picks feel like reaches.

With holes on both sides of the ball, it’s odd that San Francisco went exclusively defense through two days of the draft. It’s also highly questionable not to take an offensive lineman until the late seventh round.

There should be a couple hits in here, Williams, West & Collins seem likely, but all in all I feel like the Niners missed in this draft.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Round 1 (19)– Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State (above)

Round 2 (21)– Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame

Round 3 (20)– Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State

Round 4 (19)– David Walker, EDGE, Central Arkansas

Round 5 (21)– Elijah Roberts, EDGE, SMU

Round 7 (19)– Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon

With Chris Godwin coming off a serious injury and Mike Evans another year past thirty, the Buccaneers going with Egbuka in the first is a good move.

Tampa Bay only had six picks, so doubling up on wide receiver, cornerback & edge rusher seems a bit unwise. I do like most of their picks, though, and Johnson was particularly good value in the seventh.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Round 1 (1)– Cam Ward, QB, Miami-Fl (above)

Round 2 (20)– Oluwafemi Oladejo, EDGE, UCLA

Round 3 (18)– Kevin Winston Jr, S, Penn State

Round 4 (1)– Chimere Dike, WR, Florida

Round 4 (18)– Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas

Round 4 (34)– Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford

Round 5 (31)– Jackson Slater, OG, Sacramento State

Round 6 (7)– Marcus Harris, CB, California

Round 6 (12)– Kalel Mullings, RB, Michigan

The Titans draft will ultimately be judged on the success of Ward. He was the best quarterback in this class, by far, and he is a clear upgrade on Will Levis, but turning down the haul they could have gotten, or landing one of the true blue chippers is a choice. If Ward becomes the franchise quarterback Tennessee has lacked since Steve McNair, all good. If not, well, they’ve set themselves back another 4-5 years.

Tennessee did land some players besides Ward that I like. I especially like the fourth round selections of Helm & Ayomanor.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

Round 1 (29)– Josh Conerly Jr, OT, Oregon (above)

Round 2 (29)– Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss

Round 4 (26)– Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia Tech

Round 6 (29)– Kain Medrano, LB, UCLA

Round 7 (29)– Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Arizona

Taking an offensive tackle that might not see the field much his rookie year might not have been the wisest choice, especially given the need for a pass rusher, but I love Conerly, so I won’t ding the Commanders for it. I will ding them for not getting an edge rusher in this draft.

Washington has a smaller draft class, but I do like every player they drafted. I think Amos, especially, could pay dividends his rookie season.

This year’s draft will be talked about for years as the Shedeur Sanders draft. We’ve seen draft slides before, but never like this.

Nobody has an answer. We don’t know what happened behind closed doors in team meetings with Sanders. We are all just speculating.

So, I’m going to add my two cents, since that is the motto of my blog.

This is happening because his name is Sanders and his dad is Coach Prime. No, I’m not implying that NFL franchises have colluded to stick it to the Sanders family.

What I am implying is that his value was over inflated from the start because of his bloodline. Everyone, from the media to the fans had a higher opinion of him, because his name was Sanders, than the actual decision makers in the NFL.

Read some of the media scouting reports on Shedeur Sanders, they are basically calling him average, they don’t point out any elite traits, and then they projected him as a first rounder.

Some mention that he is a winner, having a hand in turning around two programs, but that doesn’t make him worthy of being a high round pick. The two quarterbacks from the National Championship game, Will Howard & Riley Leonard haven’t been drafted and they’ve won far more than Shedeur Sanders.

To put it as simply as I can, we were all fooled by the Sanders name and we ignored the fact that Shedeur Sanders was an average athlete with an average arm and he was always seen, by NFL scouts as a back up quarterback.

Some of the former scouts and executives now working in media may have heard the talk, some even saw it with their own eyes, but no one wanted to be the first to drop Sanders down to where he actually should have been ranked.

By not being honest in their assessments, they did all of us a disservice and they especially did Shedeur Sanders a disservice.

With that being said, here’s rounds 4 through 7: