Over the last few months I’ve learned several things about social media. First and foremost it’s toxic! Second, people really like to look ahead. Third, crazier the comment then higher the likes.
In the spirit of social media toxicity what better way to join the party then with an early 2021 mock draft!
Over the last few months I’ve learned several things about social media. First and foremost it’s toxic! Second, people really like to look ahead. Third, crazier the comment then higher the likes.
In the spirit of social media toxicity what better way to join the party then with an early 2021 mock draft!
Ben is one of our resident college football fans and writers. He loves NFL mock drafts so who am I to stop him?
ROUND ONE
#1 New York Jets Gregory Rousseau DE
Miami DE Gregory Rousseau
Now let me be extremely clear here, I DO NOT think the New York Jets take Rousseau at number one overall! However, I do think they’ll trade down and grab him there.
Player comparison. Jason Pierre- Paul
#2 Jaguars Trevor Lawrence QB
Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence
Welcome Sunshine to the Sunshine State.
Player comparison. Andrew Luck
#3 Washington Justin Fields QB
Ohio State QB Justin Fields
River-Boat Ron gets his next Cam Newton.
Player comparison. Dak Prescott
#4 Cowboys Patrick Surtain II CB
Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II
No matter who the coach is next season in Dallas they HAVE to address their weak defense.
Player comparison. Byron Jones
#5 Chargers Penei Sewell OT
Oregon OT Penei Sewell
Getting some help to protect there franchise QB.
Player comparison. Taylor Lewan
#6 Dolphins Micah Parsons LB
Penn St LB Micah Parsons
Miami’s defense is playing better every week so let’s get them a play maker on defense!
Player comparison. KJ Wright
#7 Bengals Caleb Farley CB
Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley
Cincinnati got their Franchise QB last year and can absolutely score with the best of them. However, their defense is a total mess and adding a lock down corner is a step in the right direction.
Player comparison. Jimmy Smith
#8 Giants Kwity Paye DE
Michigan DE Kwity Paye
New York has played themselves out of a top-5 pick with their offense playing solid football despite losing Saquan Barkley so early. With that said they struggle getting pressure on the opposing offense.
Player comparison. Cameron Jordan
#9 Panthers Jaycee Horn CB
South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn
In a division where you have Pro Bowl receivers on every team, time to look at someone who can keep them in check.
Player comparison. Marlon Humphrey
#10 Falcons Trey Lance QB
North Dakota St QB Trey Lance
With the future of Matt Ryan in the air, Atlanta needs to start to thinking about an era without Ryan.
Player comparison. Colin Kaepernick
#11 Broncos Samuel Cosmi OT
Texas OT Samuel Cosmi
Denver’s offense is taking steps in the right direction but it’s the offensive line. It’s killing Drew Lock.
Player comparison. Jack Conklin
#12 San Francisco 49ers Zach Wilson QB
BYU QB Zach Wilson
San Francisco is in a perfect position this draft. They don’t have a lot of needs coming off a Super Bowl appearance last season but the injury bug has hit them hard.
Player comparison. Baker Mayfield
#13 Lions JaMarr Chase WR
LSU WR JaMarr Chase
With Kenny Golladay entering a walk year and Marvin Jones hitting the over 30 meter, Matt Stafford may need a new favorite target.
Player comparison. Victor Cruz
#14 Vikings Wyatt Davis IOL
Ohio State OL Wyatt Davis
Player comparison. David DeCastro
#15 Patriots DeVonta Smith WR
Alabama WR DeVonta Smith
Future QB of the most hated team in football needs someone to throw to.
Player comparison. Marvin Harrison
#16 Bears Kyle Trask QB
Florida QB Kyle Trask
If Matt Nagy can some how stick around he needs a new QB.
Player comparison. Ben Roethlisberger
#17 Browns Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah LB
Notre Dame LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Cleveland’s defense is God awful in the middle of field.
Player comparison. Deion Jones
#18 Titians Jay Tufele DT
USC DT Jay Tufele
Player comparison. Kawann Short
#19 Eagles Rashod Bateman WR
Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman
Carson Wentz needs help, get the man some help!!
Player comparison. Allen Robinson
#20 Cardinals Eric Stokes CB
Georgia CB Eric Stokes
The Cardinals are a force to reckon with Kyler Murray! His Hail Murray’s are fantastic but they can’t guard at all in the secondary.
Player comparison. Xavier Rhodes
#21 Jets Jaylen Waddle WR
Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle
Get Sam some help people!
Player comparison. Santana Moss
#22 Dolphins Creed Humphrey OL
Oklahoma OL Creed Humphrey
Tua is looking like the real deal but his offensive line definitely needs work.
Player comparison. Alex Mack
#23 Colts Jalen Mayfield OT
Michigan OL Jalen Mayfield
Not a sexy pick at all but the Colts tradition of a great offensive will continue.
Player comparison. Joe Thomas
#24 Ravens Trevon Moehrig S
TCU Safety Trevon Moehrig
Player comparison. Minkah Fitzpatrick
#25 Jaguars Kyle Pitts TE
Florida TE Kyle Pitts
What’s a QB’s best friend? A good TE!
Player comparison. Darren Waller
#26 Raiders Marvin Wilson DT
Florida State DT Marvin Wilson
Vegas needs to address their defensive line and run defense what better way then an All ACC DT.
Player comparison. Akiem Hicks
#27 Buccaneers Joseph Ossai DE
Texas DE Joseph Ossai
Player comparison. Anthony Barr
#28 Bills Shaun Wade CB
Ohio State CB Shaun Wade
The Ohio St. product came back for one more run and it’s paid off! Looking like he’s played himself into the first round
Player comparison. James Bradberry
#29 Packers Terrence Marshall Jr. WR
LSU WR Terrance Marshall
I firmly believe this is the year the Packers finally draft a WR in the first round!
Player comparison. Michael Thomas
#30 Chiefs Alijah Vera-Tucker OL
USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker
Player comparison. Zack Martin
#31 Saints Dylan Moses LB
Alabama LB Dylan Moses
The Alabama prospect has turned in a very nice year after coming back to school for his senior season.
Player comparison. Myles Jack
#32 Steelers Alex Leatherwood OT
Alabama OL Alex Leatherwood
An aging Steelers offensive line that needs to do a better job at keeping Big Ben upright
When’s the last time a sequel was better then the original? When you enter into trilogy territory that’s when you know you’ve got a hit!
Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, Back to the Future and The Mighty Ducks are all on the list of greatest movie combos ever. If you’re into 1980’s horror slasher flicks like me, then a trilogy has a greater meaning! Halloween, Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street.
I’ve always antiquated football with the fall. The fall with horror movies. I Hate Fantasy Football Players deserved a third part thus, making it a trilogy. When discussing horror movie trilogies there are a few rules to discuss.
1. Sex = Death 2. Don’t drink and do drugs 3. Never say “I’ll be right back!” 4. Sequels are always bigger and bloodier 5. Sequel killers are basically superhuman 6. Anyone can die in a sequel
On social media you see everything! On social media anything goes. I look at fantasy football on Twitter and Facebook as being in an actual horror movie! The owners listed below are the same as a masked man carrying a large knife! They will chase you down, cause anxiety and murder your fantasy football joy!
1. Glad it’s a free league guy
I’m no big shot. I truly understand the excitement of drafting and building a team. Certain website allow you to draft at an instant. In turn you get people racking up 20-25+ free leagues and deserting most of them by week 3. Not to be rude but that’s none of my business. What is our business are all the preposterous trade offer screen shots littering social media. I don’t know about you but it tests my patience. Would you send and accept half the offers you receive if your current home league was free?
2. “Thoughts” guy
Literally the worst! From what I’ve seen a lot of fantasy football groups on social media have banned this exact statement! Made this trade, thoughts? Most of these questions don’t include league size, scoring format or current roster. At this point in the article hopefully you’re upset. Just as pissed as I am! Please dear Lord don’t be thoughts guy! It’s lazy and upsets people! Most of the time there is a huge fight in the comment section. People get upset and they answer with a smartass reply. That leads to more smartass comments and before you know it there’s a full blown Royal Rumble going on.
3. Will I win guy?
My worst fear!
If you have to ask probably not. Before we jump to conclusions I do get the idea. Some of us are wound tight. We get nervous. We want others to back us up. In all my years of playing fantasy football I’ve never seen anything good come from this question. In today’s day and age of social media you’ll always wind getting made fun of and/or put down. Trolls right? They are everywhere!
4. Get back in 5 guy
Ghosting 101…
We all know what this is. The blow off move. When another team owner is scared or doesn’t want to hurt your feelings, “I’ll be right baaaaaaack!” No you won’t!
5. Over thinking guy
Start? Sit? Add? Drop?
Hopefully by now you understand I’m not putting anybody down. Heck, I’ve done each and every one of these! Over thinking anything is just a by product of being thorough. Wanting to be absolutely right in every way. Which as you know is impossible! If it seems too good to be true it usually is. If it feels off and not right it usually is. With fantasy sports so prevalent on social media now a days a quick poll should do the trick. Or a quick message to your most trusted friend. Nothing good comes from over thinking. It creates unwanted stress and anxiety. The whole point of this is fun! Connecting with others. Building relationships with others. Make a decision and stick with it! Easier said then done I know but just try it this week! Lets see what happens.
6. Toilet tinkered guy
Where some of my best ideas come!
Some of my best work is done on the toilet! Not bring crass or rude, it’s just the truth! We can tinker with our seasonal lineups and our DFS lines and both are deadly! Everybody has a smart phone. Meaning we have everything at our finger tips at a moments notice! Games, banking apps, news apps, sports apps and our fantasy sports apps. Oh! What better time to check the waiver wire while we have a few moments alone on the toilet right? I set my seasonal lineup Sunday night or Monday morning for the following week. I check back Tuesday to get in my waiver claims. Wednesday morning I shuffle my roster around and leave it be! Sunday morning I check the news and injuries and give it one last look over before lock at 1p EST. My point, if we make our decisions early in the week they come from a place of confidence! A gut reaction that is normally right and spot on! When it comes to DFS enter enter all week then edit right before lock. Tinkering will be the death of your team. Unless that’s the fun?
7. Victory lap guy
This is a huge topic of discussion on social media. For those of you who don’t know let me briefly explain. A victory lap is just a told you so. A parade thrown for yourself after getting a certain projection or ranking correct. For example, “Ahhhh I told you Ke’Shawn Vaughn wasn’t a top-10 dynasty rookie RB!”. Vaughn has been in street clothes so far this season meaning the victory lappers have decided enough time has passed to solidify their stance on him. I’m being objective here! No opinion one way or another. Just shining light on the topic. Most recently victory lappers will now ask ahead of time. For example, “May I take my victory lap on Brandin Cooks now?” which is very thoughtful and we all appreciate you! In some cases the victory lapper will lay out their plans, “If Julian Edleman doesn’t catch 10 passes today I’m going to take my victory lap.” Another nice and thoughtful idea. I’ve also noticed their have been a few rules placed on victory lapping. To me, the most important one, the injury victory lap. Don’t victory lap when a player gets hurt. That’s in poor taste right? Overall I find the victory lap very perplexing.
8. Inappropriate group chat guy
We all know this guy. Most of the time we tell each other, “Oh don’t mind Steve he’s a miserable human being to begin with!” Steve is always sending awful meme’s or sexually explicit photos/videos in you leagues group chat. In certain cases that’s all he’s known for. We even stick up for him in advance of said meme’s and gif’s. “I want to warn you Chris, Steve is a little off and he says weird things sometimes.” It helps soften the blow. If you’re reading this and laughing hysterically saying, “dang that’s funny but we don’t have a guy like Steve in our group chat!” Then you’re Steve! You’re the inappropriate group chat guy! Never change Steve!
9. Neglects an entire position guy
This one is exactly what you think it is! Zero RB guy! Or zero WR guy. Let’s fool around during the draft and try to outsmart everybody else! In the end it never works out well. Let’s say over the years a team was orphaned in your league. New owner comes in and trades most of the talent away. In turn, they have Julio Jones, Davante Adams and Michael Thomas at WR. Pretty sweet right? Until you notice their starting RB’s are Frank Gore and LeSean McCoy. A top heavy team that never really competes due to neglect at one position. Again, it’s none of my business how you run your team. That’s the beauty of this! We’re our own teams general manager! Just bringing awareness.
10. Commish with no plan guy
Full disclosure, I was struggling with the last, “Guy” on this list. Ten is just a nice round number. When have you read a list that ended with nine. After the breaking news Cam Newton tested positive for COVID-19 and the New England at Kansas City was delayed a lot of fantasy managers were scrambling for replacements. Even more so after the postponement of Pittsburgh at Tennessee. Throughout the weekend I’ve seen a ton of advice and overall disappointment in leagues commissioners. Rightfully so if you’re now left holding you hat with an incomplete roster. We all knew this 2020 NFL season was going to be unlike any season we’ve experienced before. Certain votes were cast before the draft and some after. Any way you slice it we need contingency plans. Anything! To sit back and do nothing isn’t fair. It’s not right to us and all fantasy managers alike.
Is it over?
Hope you had fun! Is the idea now dead? Like Michael Myers at the end of Halloween? Who knows! You’ll just have to wait and see!
Thank you for reading! Any questions or comments?
Did I miss someone? Who would you add? Let’s talk about it!
Football is here! We’ve made it! Damn this feels good!
Last time we spoke Bottom of the Barrel wasn’t much of a thing. Yes I’ve written B&B for the better part of five seasons but things have changed. Social media has welcomed me with open arms. I’ve been able to grow and expand my content big time. For that I’m grateful and thankful for the support!
What is Bottom of the Barrel? Just a silly idea that came to me a few years ago. Since then DFS has really taken off! We all know the high priced studs to start week to week right? Unfortunately there is a cap on Fanduel and Draftkings so we have spend to wisely. B&B helps you fill in your DFS lineups with cheaper high upside guys!
Social media has been jam packed with fantasy football content for months now. Some good and some bad. It’s Twitter though so that’s to be expected. In turn, what should we expect the first week of the NFL season? As it stands now there are a ton of questions! Realistically we don’t know how the targets and touches are going to shake out across the board.
With week one upon us let me help! Let’s work it out together!
QUARTERBACK
I have a new idea! A new feature if you will. Give out the most expensive player at each position as we get to it. Putting into perspective the B&B prices!
Patrick Mahomes KC v HOU(31st)(FD-$9,500)(DK-$7,400)
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes
Here are some cheaper options I’m considering at QB!
Cam Newton NE v MIA(30th)(FD-$7,400)(DK-$6,100)
New England QB Cam Newton
Cam is the Patriots new shiny toy! Week 1 vs. a divisional rival? Admittedly there are a few questions marks in terms of his rushing yardage but at the price I’m in!
Jimmy Garoppolo SF v ARZ(32nd)(FD-$7,300)(DK-$5,800)
This one isn’t sexy but facing the 32nd ranked DST vs. QB’s is very sexy! Plus I’ve heard he’s been working on his deep passing!
Tyrod Taylor LAC @ CIN(28th)(FD-$7,000)(DK-$5,600)
Chargers QB Tyrod Taylor
As a starting QB Tyrod has preformed at or above all of his seasonal projections. Not to mention all the weapons at his disposal! Mix in some rushing yards and it’s a no-brainer.
Teddy Bridgewater CAR v OAK(25th)(FD-$6,800)(DK-$5,900)
Let’s be honest and say what we’re all thinking. One or two passes to CMC could make Teddy’s price gravy. Throw in DJ Moore and the upside is there!
Gardner Minshew II JAX v IND(21st)(FD-$6,700)(DK-$5,800)
Jacksonville Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew
There is something about this guy! He’s likeable and people are drawn to him. Fandom isn’t going to win us money but his rushing yards just might!
RUNNING BACK
Christian McCaffrey CAR v OAK(19th)(FD-$10,000)(DK-$10,000)
Carolina Panther RB Christian McCaffrery
Here are some cheaper options I’m considering at RB!
Jonathan Taylor IND @ JAX(31st)(FD-$5,300)(DK-$5,700)
Colts rookie RB Jonathan Taylor
Recently JT has taken a beating for dropping a few passes. He’s been the talk of social media for week 1 so who am I to disagree? Plus I’m thinking this will be the cheapest he ever is on both sites.
James White NE v MIA(26th)(FD-$5,300)(DK-$6,000)
Patriots RB James White
I don’t know about you but Cam has only excited me more for White! Sony, Rex or the recently cut Lamar Miller doesn’t change White’s value. He’s pure gold on site like FD with PPR points.
Tarik Cohen CHI @ DET(29th)(FD-$5,200)(DK-$4,900)
Chicago RB Tarik Cohen
Cohen hasn’t missed a game in three season and you know what you’re getting. He’s the textbook complimentary RB on your DFS roster. Opening the season in Detroit with Mitch at QB isn’t as awful as you think!
Boston Scott PHI @ WSH(30th)(FD-$4,700)(DK-$4,800)
Eagles RB Boston Scott
Scott has been able to get more first team reps recently with Sanders sidelined. Humor me a moment, PHI gets up big and Scott sees a full quarter maybe more chalked full of garbage time! Still counts people!
Nyheim Hines IND @ JAX(31st)(FD-$4,900)(DK-$4,000)
Indianapolis Colts RB Nyheim Hines
Mack and JT, all we’ve heard about this off-season. What if I told you Hines could become what James White is in New England! You heard it here first!
Antonio Gibson WSH v PHI(5th)(FD-$4,600)(DK-$4,000)
Normally I march to the beat of my own drummer and I am now. I’m bringing up Gibson to tell you one thing. Use at your own risk. He might be the chalkiest RB going week 1. So do you want to join the masses or do you want to win money? The choice is yours. Exercise caution here!
WIDE RECEIVER
Michael Thomas NO v TB(32nd)(FD-$8,800)(DK-$9,000)
New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas
Here are some cheaper options I’m considering at WR!
DeSean Jackson PHI @ WSH(21st)(FD-$5,600)(DK-$4,900)
Cut after cut and Harry is still standing! Strong as ever! Get in on the ground floor here! Oh yeah MIA is a very favorable match-up!
Russell Gage ATL v SEA(14th)(FD-$4,800)(DK-$4,300)
Falcon WR Russel Gage
Julio and Ridley. Julio and Ridley. Reminds of Jane from the Brady Bunch always feeling left out! Gage gets his week 1!
Greg Ward PHI @ WSH(21st)(FD-$4,900)(DK-$4,200)
Nothing fancy here, Greg is in the mix after a WR process of elimination. Alshon is out. Rookie Jalen Reagor is out. Everybody is on Ertz/Jackson so sneak in Greg Ward!
Trent Taylor SF v ARZ(25th)(FD-$4,700)(DK-$3,900)
The sneakiest of plays! Taylor missed the entire 2019 season with a foot injury and now he’s a healthy WR among a slew of unhealthy SF WR’s! Would it be wild to roster a Jimmy G/Trent Taylor stack?
Scotty Miller TB @ NO(27th)(FD-$4,500)(DK-$4,000)
Tampa Brady WR Scotty Miller
Little to no talk about Scotty! Rightfully so given the plethora of studs in Tompa Bay right now! It looks as if Scotty has locked down the slot role in TB. Which is sweet gig when TB12 is your QB. There should plenty of room for the 23 year old speedster to find in New Orleans week 1.
TIGHT END
George Kittle SF v ARZ(32nd)(FD-$8,000)(DK-$7,200)
San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle
Here are some cheaper options I’m considering at TE!
Jonnu Smith TEN @ DEN(13th)(FD-$4,900)(DK-$4,400)
Titans TE Jonnu Smith
Have any of you seen the twitter photo of Jonnu last month? He’s the unquestioned TE1 in Tennessee on a damn good offense. He’s priced very reasonably for the type of production I expect in week 1.
Irv Smith Jr. MIN @ GB(28th)(FD-$4,800)(DK-$3,100)
Vikings TE Irv Smith Jr.
We’ve all heard how Irv Jr. is expected to see a larger role right? Well let’s quit talking about it and be about it! No time like the present!
Cole Kmet CHI @ DET(15th)(FD-$4,500)(DK-$3,400)
Are you scared of Jimmy Graham? I’m not! Guy is a shell of himself. Hurts to say this but the Bears torched the Lions TWICE last season! While Mitch threw six total TD’s. This could be a case of Chicago trying out their new 6’6 TE in the red zone once or twice. Just the dart throw I’m looking for at TE!
Here are two of my sample lines I’m going to use for week 1! Keep in mind these lines are for entertainment purposes! Please play responsible!
FD 8:20p ET (Thu-Mon)
Also look for updated lines closer to the start of the season! This Thursday 9/10 and Sunday morning 9/13!
The Detroit Lions. Where do I start? How can I tone this down and keep it classy? Being classy isn’t the problem, toning it down is!
I’ve racked my brain for ideas. In turn keeping this fresh and new. While the Lions are never fresh or new. It’s the same recycled nonsense every season. As a life long Detroiter and Lions fan safe to say I’ve seen it all.
So let’s fast forward to the 2020 season. Once again the spring and summer is littered with the same buzz words and optimistic tones. “Matthew Stafford looks good!” Or how about this one, “The Lions rookie running back is strong and making an impression on his coaches!” I can set my watch by these comments and lazy observations.
“The defensive coordinator is excited about the young athletic core!” Yeah I know, we get it. To me, its just a copy and paste job. The city of Detroit has remained apologetically behind this organization through thick and thin. Almost to the point where it becomes harmful. Ownership seemingly doesn’t care, they plug and play the same mediocre talent year in and year out. After a certain point during the season the coaching staff settles for, “that was fine.” or, “that is good enough!” While the city and it’s fanfare are clamoring for change.
The definition of insanity, as I’ve understood it, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. The Lions should have that hanging in their locker room. On a plaque they can slap above the locker room door as they take the field.
You might ask yourself, “Geeze this Chris guy such is a jerk!” or even think, “Is this guy even a fan of the Detroit Lions?” Let me answer these self imposed questions for you. I love my city so much! To a point where it hurts. I’d give anything to see the city of Detroit succeed. I will never apologize for being from Detroit. I will never apologize for loving the Detroit Lions.
The city of Detroit has made me Chris. It’s taught me lessons, it’s showed me respect and it’s shaped me. So when asked to briefly give my opinion on the Lions 2020 outlook one thing was clear. It’s not about the 2020 season. It’s about a lifetime commitment to the city of Detroit and a decision to support the Lions at all times. Being passionate about sports and the Lions wasn’t a decision I made. It’s a birth right here in the city.
So to answer the question and give my opinions on the 2020 Detroit Lions, regardless of their record at seasons end I will be here. I will be here wearing my Lions hat and Lions hoodie supporting them every step of the way!
