Guest of the League
All World League Est. 2003
FFL: Week 1 | NFL: Week 1

Best Ball Scout Championship

Wed Apr 17 9:26am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Get in the Scout Championship


RealTime Fantasy Sports is once again very excited to bring you the Best Ball Scout Championship this season. This contest is a little different from our normal Best Ball Championship. All these drafts take place before the NFL Draft, so you don’t know where any of the rookies are going this year. You are taking them blindly. This makes for even more strategy come draft day. Should you load up on rookies? Should you just avoid rookies? What is the winning strategy? We are here to help.

First of all, the winner of the Best Ball Scout Championship takes home $10,000. You also win money for finishing first or second in your 10-team league. The cost to enter the contest is just $20. There are a maximum of 10,000 teams in this contest. Rosters are 20 deep with starters consisting of a QB, two RBs, two WRs, one TE and two FLEX spots. There are no kickers and defenses. Remember, this is a best ball contest, so there is no roster management. Your roster is set once the draft is complete.

With that said, we thought it would be a good idea to look at the championship roster from last year to see what won it all. Here it is:

Round 1: Ja’Marr Chase, WR
Round 2: Davante Adams, WR
Round 3: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR
Round 4: DeVonta Smith, WR
Round 5: Deebo Samuel, WR
Round 6: George Kittle, TE
Round 7: Keenan Allen, WR
Round 8: Joe Mixon, RB
Round 9: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB
Round 10: Dak Prescott, QB
Round 11: Khalil Herbert, RB
Round 12: Jared Goff, QB
Round 13: Raheem Mostert, RB
Round 14: Ezekiel Elliott, RB
Round 15: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB
Round 16: Leonard Fournette, RB
Round 17: Tyler Boyd, WR
Round 18: Taysom Hill, TE
Round 19: Zach Ertz, TE
Round 20: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB

The big thing to notice on this roster is just one rookie was taken. Obviously, this owner hit big with that one rookie, taking Jahmyr Gibbs in Round 9. Gibbs was the 10th rated fantasy back last season. But the championship team from last year took just one rookie. This owner did not load up on rookies and waited until the middle rounds to take his one rookie target. This could be a good lesson learned for owners this season. Maybe going early on rookies or taking several is a losing strategy. Just something to keep in mind this year.

And like with many best ball owners, this roster had three quarterbacks and three tight ends. This owner did not take a quarterback early, waiting to take a quarterback until Round 10. But the owner did got a little early on a tight end, getting George Kittle in Round 6.

The other winning strategy for this owner was loading up on receivers early while waiting to get his running backs until later. This was a very interesting strategy that worked. The owner took five straight receivers to start the draft and didn’t get a running back until Joe Mixon was picked in Round 8. This is a little riskier but another strategy that can obviously worked. Take those sure thing receivers first and get a bunch of question mark running backs in the mid- to later rounds and hope some hit. The big hits for this owner was his pick of Gibbs and getting Raheem Mostert in Round 13. The Mostert pick likely was the big one that put him over the top, getting the fifth rated fantasy back in the back half of the draft. The owners also had some misses at running back with Leonard Fournette and Clyde Edwards-Helaire but that didn’t impact his team too much, hitting on some of those other backs. 

So overall, the winning strategy of last year’s Best Ball Scout championship team was going early on receivers, loading up on running backs with question marks in the middle to later rounds, take few rookies and wait on the quarterback spot.

There are numerous strategies to use but this was the winning one from last year. Just something to think about when drafting your team in this year’s Best Ball Scout Championship. Start drafting here.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

Week 1 Fantasy Preview

Player Notes
Kyle Pitts Sep 6 9:30am ET
Kyle Pitts

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (hamstring) was a limited participant at practice on Wednesday and then practiced in full on Thursday. As reported by D. Orlando Ledbetter, Pitts says that he'll be 100% ready to go on Sunday in their contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 23-year-old is entering a very important season in his career now that he has a quarterback with more throwing ability than any other one he played with so far. Expectations are higher for Pitts and the Falcons offense as a whole, so the fact that he says he should be 100% healthy is encouraging. With this news, fantasy managers should be more comfortable playing him against the Steelers as he tries to get back to big receiving numbers like his rookie season.

From RotoBaller

Christian McCaffrey Sep 6 9:20am ET
Christian McCaffrey

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) was officially placed on the team's injury report on Thursday, but it seems like he's on track to still play in Week 1. According to Ian Rapoport, the superstar back "should be fine" to suit up against the New York Jets on Monday night. It also helps that he gets one more day to get some rest and work out the calf and Achilles issues. This is huge news for all of the fantasy managers that spent a top-three pick on the RB1 from last season, especially with the 49ers backup, Elijah Mitchell (hamstring), out for the season. With McCaffrey likely in the lineup, fantasy managers will be able to start him with confidence as long as there aren't any setbacks before Monday.

From RotoBaller

Isaiah Likely Sep 6 9:00am ET
Isaiah Likely

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely posted a huge performance in the 20-27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday and almost became the game's savior. The 24-year-old saw 12 targets in the season opener and caught nine of them for 111 yards and a touchdown. His biggest play of the night came during the first snap of the fourth quarter when Likely caught a pass from a scrambling Lamar Jackson, ran down the sideline with some shifty moves, and walked into the end zone for a 49-yard score. Then, with time running out, Likely hauled in a difficult catch in the back of the end zone for what everyone thought was a touchdown. After a video review, it showed that his toe was on the end line and it was unfortunately waved off. As far as the first game goes, Likely seemed to be the TE1 on the team while Mark Andrews only saw two targets.

From RotoBaller

Mark Andrews Sep 6 8:42am ET
Mark Andrews

Dynasty | Ravens tight end Mark Andrews had just two catches for 14 yards in Baltimore's season-opening loss to the Chiefs. Dynasty Analysis: It's not time to panic with Andrews but let's just say we're at DEFCON 3 at the moment. First, Andrews didn't look completely healthy, thought that could be debatable. More importantly, Isaiah Likely looks like a player ready to take on a much bigger role this year, possibly eating into the target share of Andrews. A solid week two will get dynasty managers off the ledge but this was a concerning look on offense for anyone deploying Andrews at tight end.

Rashee Rice Sep 6 4:40am ET
Rashee Rice

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice caught seven passes for 103 yards on nine targets in the 27-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. Rice came out and proved what many believed to be the case, he is the WR1 for the Chiefs. The 24-year-old paced the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in this contest against a strong Ravens defense. Rice could continuously find soft spots in the secondary and connect with Mahomes to move the chains. While he finished without a touchdown in this contest, fantasy managers should be excited about this strong performance. Rice will build on this performance in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals allowed the sixth-most receiving yards to opposing wide receivers last year, so Rice is in a good spot. It will be interesting to see how his target share is impacted by the anticipated arrival of Marquise Brown next week, but Rice should still be the top dog in this Mahomes-led offense.

From RotoBaller

Xavier Worthy Sep 6 4:40am ET
Xavier Worthy

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy had two catches for 47 yards and a touchdown in the 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. The first-round rookie wasted no time making his mark in this game as he had a 21-yard touchdown rush on the Chiefs first drive. Worthy scored his second touchdown on a 35-yard strike from Patrick Mahomes in the fourth quarter. The rookie with record-breaking speed had 68 total yards and two touchdowns on just three touches in this contest. It was an exciting start to Worthy's career, and fantasy managers should be hopeful for his future in the Kansas City offense. Worthy and the Chiefs will face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. The Bengals allowed the sixth-most receiving yards to opposing wide receivers in 2023, so Worthy could be in for another big game. Worthy will likely have to compete with another receiver, Marquise Brown, in Week 2, but the rookie should see his whole in the offense expand as the season goes on. Worthy should be considered a high-upside flex play moving forward.

From RotoBaller

Travis Kelce Sep 6 4:30am ET
Travis Kelce

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce ended the night with three catches for 34 yards on four targets in the Chiefs 27-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. Kelce is a focal point of the Chiefs offense, but he was not a difference-maker in this contest. Kelce did not see a single target until halfway through the second quarter. The star tight end finished the game with four targets, good for second-most on the team, but was fourth in receiving yards. The tough Baltimore defense likely learned from their mistakes in the 2023 AFC Championship game, when Kelce had 11 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. The 34-year-old may be a declining talent while the rest of the Chiefs offense around him is ascending, but it will take more than one bad game to reach that conclusion. Kelce will get a chance to bounce back in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals gave up the third-most receiving yards per game to opposing tight ends in 2023. Kelce will still be ranked as a TE1 until proven otherwise.

From RotoBaller

Patrick Mahomes Sep 6 4:20am ET
Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 20 of 28 passes (71.4%) for 291 yards and a touchdown in the 27-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. Mahomes threw his first touchdown of the season in the fourth quarter of this game. He connected with first-round rookie Xavier Worthy for a 35-yard catch and run for the score. In the second quarter, Mahomes became the Kansas City Chiefs' all-time leader in passing yards on a pass to Travis Kelce. The Chiefs quarterback also threw an interception towards the end of the second quarter on a pass intended for Rashee Rice. Mahomes did enough to edge the Ravens in this contest despite the pedestrian stats. Mahomes will look to continue the Chiefs' winning streak against the Cincinnati Bengals next week. The Bengals allowed the 12th-most points per game to opposing offenses last season and have a high-powered offense, so their Week 2 matchup should be full of scoring. Mahomes will again be a strong QB1 next week despite his mediocre output this week.

From RotoBaller

Isiah Pacheco Sep 6 4:20am ET
Isiah Pacheco

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco had 45 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries in the 27-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. The Baltimore defense came to play as they held Pacheco to just 3.0 yards per carry in this contest. Pacheco's longest run of the game gained only five yards, but he still managed to find the endzone on a one-yard run in the third quarter. Despite his low rushing yardage in this one, the Chiefs lead running back still handled 15 of the 20 total carries for the team. Pacheco also corralled two of his three targets for 33 receiving yards in this contest. Pacheco is undoubtedly the lead back on this high-powered Kansas City offense and should be more productive in this role moving forward. The Chiefs take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. The Bengals gave up the seventh-most rushing yards per game in 2023. Pacheco will have a chance to bounce back on the ground in addition to his contributions in the receiving game.

From RotoBaller

JuJu Smith-Schuster Sep 6 2:43am ET
JuJu Smith-Schuster

Kansas City Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster was targeted once and did not have a catch against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Sept. 5.

From TheHuddle

Travis Kelce Sep 6 2:13am ET
Travis Kelce

Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce caught three of his four targeted passes for 34 yards during the team's Week 1 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

From TheHuddle

Patrick Mahomes Sep 6 2:03am ET
Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes went 20-for-28 for 291 yards, one touchdown, and one interception against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Sept. 5. Mahomes also ran twice for three yards and caught his own deflected pass for a two-yard gain.

From TheHuddle

Roquan Smith Sep 6 1:43am ET
Roquan Smith

Baltimore Ravens LB Roquan Smith had a team-leading seven tackles, including four solo tackles and a tackle for loss, a pass defensed, and an interception versus the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1.

From TheHuddle

Mark Andrews Sep 6 1:23am ET
Mark Andrews

Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews had two receptions (on two targets) for 14 yards during the club's Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Fantasy Spin: It's far too early to be concerned about Andrews, but watching Isaiah Likely serve as the Ravens' go-to guy on offense is definitely something to keep an eye on in Week 2. For the moment, stay the course with Andrews and be ready to plug him into your TE1 slot versus the Raiders.

From TheHuddle

Isaiah Likely Sep 6 1:13am ET
Isaiah Likely

Dynasty | Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely had nine catches for 111 yards and one touchdown in the Ravens season-opening loss against the Chiefs. Dynasty Analysis: Anyone who watched the game also knows he was one inch away from an even bigger night as his last second touchdown was called back after it was deemed his toe was out of bounds on the game-tying catch. Dynasty managers won't complain much as all the hype we've been hearing all off-season about Likely being a big part of this offense have proven to be more than just puff pieces. Likely will be climbing up the rankings this week.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Derrick Henry Sep 6 1:13am ET
Derrick Henry

Dynasty | Ravens running back Derrick Henry had 46 rushing yards and a touchdown in the Ravens season-opening loss to the Chiefs. Dynasty Analysis: Henry salvaged his night with a touchdown but was otherwise a non-factor as the Chiefs defensive line manhandled the Ravens offensive unit. There will be better days ahead for Henry but this performance showed he's going to be a thumper but a non-factor in the passing game, making him a bit of a boom or bust option each week.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Xavier Worthy Sep 6 1:13am ET
Xavier Worthy

Dynasty | Chiefs rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy had two catches for 47 yards and added 21 rushing yards with two touchdowns in his NFL debut. Dynasty Analysis: He certainly made the most of his four touches on the night. Worthy could battle some bouts of inconsistency this season but it's clear he adds a new dynamic to the Kansas City offense. In short, Worthy looks the part of a first round rookie pick, though he likely won't quite hit his current pace of 34 touchdowns (tongue in cheek).

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Rashee Rice Sep 6 1:13am ET
Rashee Rice

Dynasty | Rashee Rice led Kansas City with seven catches for 103 yards in the Chiefs opening night win against Baltimore. Dynasty Analysis: Rice looked the part of the Chiefs clear WR1 from the start as his nine targets were five more than any other Chiefs player. Rice is clearly under a dynasty microscope this year as we await his NFL suspension but it's also clear he's on the way to a possible breakout season. Buckle up.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Derrick Henry Sep 6 12:33am ET
Derrick Henry

Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry tallied 13 carries for 46 yards (3.5 YPC) and a touchdown versus the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, Sept. 5. Henry was targeted twice in the passing game but did not register a reception.

From TheHuddle

Lamar Jackson Sep 6 12:23am ET
Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson completed 26 of his 41 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown during the team's Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Jackson also ran the ball 16 times for a game-high 122 yards. The 16 rushing attempts were his most in a single game since Nov. 28, 2021.

From TheHuddle