Maximizing your players’ draft position or auction price

Posted by Joseph Buccellato August 12, 2009

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Reach: Ray Rice, RB, BAL

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I own Rice in one of my leagues, so it hurts to consider him a “reach”. I have ethics, so I must be honest to my consumers. For starters, if he were really this good, he would have beaten out Willis McGahee last season. Second, McGahee is still on the team and he has been earning the coaches’ praise during training camp. Third, Le’Ron McClain is going to steal a bunch of short yardage TDs. Dealing with your standard running-back-by-committee is difficult enough, but the Ravens will employ three capable backs all season long. Fortunately for me, I am able to stash Rice in my Keeper league Taxi (it’s like the minors). But you probably don’t have that luxury, especially in leagues starting up this season. Rice’s Dynasty/Keeper league running back projection is in the high-20’s. That’s an appropriate position if you are dying to land him. Some folk will jump into the low-20’s to draft him. I wouldn’t touch him until the high-30’s.

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Value: Justin Forsett, RB, SEA

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 I’ve already noted my opinion about Julius Jones. Summary: He stinks. Get to know Justin Forsett. He will become the most added play in fantasy football in 2009. NFLfans.com (great prospect resource) noted Forsett as having “Toughness, hands, ability to come up big in the biggest games. Has good vision, balance, and patience. Capable blocker. Although small in stature, runs much quicker and tougher than he appears on film.”. NFL.com compared him to Maurice Jones-Drew. Nice praise, but as of now he’s still a deep prospect playing second fiddle to a terrible back and running behind a questionable offensive line. It’s a perfect scenario to grab him super late in your fantasy draft or pay a lousy buck for him in auction leagues. His Dynasty/Keeper league running back projection so low he’s barely ranked. I only found one of seven free Dynasty sites that have him ranked (71). Make sure you lock him up. He may not arrive like Willie Parker circa 2005 (1420 yards, five TDs), but the similarities are there to come close. FWP was undrafted, and had Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley as competition. Forsett was undrafted, and has Jones and T.J. Suckett (oops) as competition. I like Forsett’s odds, especially if the Seahawks medical staff can fix LT Walter Jones.

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Dynasty/Keeper League Rankings Excel Tool

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