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FFL: Week 1 | NFL: Week 1

Best Ball Scout Championship

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

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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.

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The New Orleans Saints have listed quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener as co-backups on their first official depth chart for the 2024 season behind starter Derek Carr. The Saints apparently couldn't decide on either Rattler or Haener as the primary backup behind Carr after they competed all throughout training camp and the preseason. Neither signal-caller stood out over the other during preseason games, so it's anyone's guess who will be active behind Carr this Sunday for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the division-rival Carolina Panthers. Rattler was a fifth-rounder back in April, and the Saints want to develop him for a potential starting role down the line. Haener, 25, was a fourth-round selection back in 2021 but has yet to make his NFL debut.

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Jawhar Jordan Sep 3 7:50pm ET
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The Houston Texans reached injury settlements with rookie running back Jawhar Jordan (oblique) and defensive tackle Pheldarius Payne (hamstring) on Tuesday, waiving them from Injured Reserve. Jordan was taken in the sixth round this past April out of Louisville by the Texans, but he won't make his NFL debut in Houston. The 25-year-old will need to prove his healthy before potentially joining another organization, most likely on the practice squad. Jordan lacks size and physicality, but he could eventually develop into a third-down back somewhere if he can stay healthy because of his vision on the field and his blocking skills in pass protection. Payne, 24, is expected to join the team's practice squad after reaching an injury settlement. He suffered his hamstring injury in the team's preseason finale.

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Rasheen Ali Sep 3 7:40pm ET
Rasheen Ali

Baltimore Ravens rookie running back Rasheen Ali (neck) stayed limited in practice for the second straight day on Tuesday as the team prepares for their Week 1 regular-season opener on Thursday Night Football against the defending Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs. Ali suffered a stinger in the team's preseason opener and is still recovering, but the good news is that the 23-year-old has avoided a concussion and should have a good shot to make his regular-season NFL debut on Thursday night. However, the fifth-round selection didn't look impressive at all in training camp and will be the RB3 if active this week behind starter Derrick Henry and backup Justice Hill. For now, Ali is only worth stashing in dynasty/keeper fantasy leagues.

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Tyler Conklin Sep 3 7:30pm ET
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The New York Jets restructured the contracts of tight end Tyler Conklin and linebacker Quincy Williams on Tuesday to create $8 million in salary cap space for the upcoming 2024 campaign. The specifics of the restructure of Conklin's contract weren't available, but these moves will give the Jets a little more roster flexibility this year. Conklin was a little bit better in his second year with the Jets in 2023, catching 61 of his 87 targets for a career-high 621 yards, although he failed to find the end zone for the first time since 2019, his second year in the league. The 29-year-old should operate as the team's top pass-catching tight end again in 2024, and if quarterback Aaron Rodgers can stay healthy all year, Conklin could surprise some folks as a TE2 in fantasy.

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Quincy Williams Sep 3 7:30pm ET
Quincy Williams

The New York Jets restructured the contracts of linebacker Quincy Williams and tight end Tyler Conklin on Tuesday to create $8 million in salary cap space for the upcoming 2024 season. Details of Williams' contract restructure weren't immediately available, but the moves will give the Jets some more roster flexibility this year. Williams was a first-time All-Pro selection in his third year with Gang Green in 2023, totaling a career-high 139 tackles (95 solo), two sacks, 15 tackles for loss, an interception, 10 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 17 games. The 28-year-old former third-rounder by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019 out of Murray State has suddenly become a weekly lineup option in IDP leagues after drastically improving in coverage at the linebacker position last year.

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Justin Tucker Sep 3 7:20pm ET
Justin Tucker

The Baltimore Ravens restructured the contract of All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker on Tuesday, in addition to defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike and linebacker Roquan Smith, to create $9.3 million in salary cap space for the 2024 season. The move gives the Ravens more roster flexibility as they compete to get past the hump and to the Super Bowl this year. Believe it or not, Tucker wasn't the most valuable fantasy kicker in 2023; it was the Cowboys' Brandon Aubrey. Tucker missed five of his 37 field-goal attempts last year and one of his 52 extra-point tries, but he still managed to finish as the No. 2 fantasy kicker despite what was a down year for his standards. Nobody is panicking, though. The 34-year-old veteran still has an NFL-record 90.2% success rate and should remain one of the top fantasy kickers again in 2024 in a strong offense in Baltimore.

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Roquan Smith Sep 3 7:20pm ET
Roquan Smith

The Baltimore Ravens restructured the contracts of defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike and linebacker Roquan Smith on Tuesday, in addition to All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker, to create $9.3 million in salary cap space for the 2024 season. The Ravens will have some extra roster flexibility as they look to finally get over the hump in the AFC and get back to the Super Bowl. Madubuike just signed a huge four-year, $98 million deal in early March after the Ravens initially placed the franchise tag on him. The 26-year-old had the best season of his career in 2023 with 56 tackles, 13 sacks and two forced fumbles. He may not be worth starting in IDP leagues in Week 1 against the Chiefs, but he's at least worth a bench spot. Smith, 27, finished sixth in the NFL with 158 total tackles last year and is a top-five, must-start IDP linebacker in 2024.

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Michael Carter Sep 3 7:00pm ET
Michael Carter

The New York Jets agreed to terms on a three-year $30.75 million contract extension with defensive back Michael Carter II on Tuesday, making him the highest-paid slot corner in the NFL. The deal is worth up to $33 million with slightly more than $19 million in total guarantees. Carter is the Jets' nickelback and has been an important member of the defense over the last three seasons. Carter did not record an interception in 2023, but he did manage 50 total tackles and nine passes defensed. Carter's extension keeps an excellent Jets defensive core intact. The Jets' team defense should be a hot commodity in fantasy football in 2024.

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Jaylen Warren Sep 3 6:40pm ET
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Deebo Samuel Sep 3 6:40pm ET
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Josh Allen Sep 3 6:30pm ET
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Kadarius Toney Sep 3 6:10pm ET
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Free agent wide receiver Kadarius Toney visited the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday. The Chiefs released Toney during roster cuts after he struggled with injuries and drops during his Chiefs tenure. The 25-year-old caught 27 passes for 169 yards and one touchdown in 13 games in 2023. While he was once a first-round draft pick, Toney has largely become a gadget player in the NFL. However, there is no denying Toney's quickness and ability to make defenders miss. He has been especially valuable in the return game. While Toney would not usurp DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, or Jaxon Smith-Njigba as Seattle's top receivers, he would have a chance for a role in an offense that should be creative under new coordinator Ryan Grubb. If signed, Toney would be far more important to the Seahawks' success than that of your fantasy team.

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Emanuel Wilson Sep 3 5:50pm ET
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Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson (hip) is listed on the team's first official injury report on Tuesday and was given a limited tag at practice. Wilson should be able to suit up for the Week 1 regular-season opener this Friday in Brazil against the Philadelphia Eagles, but his status will be worth watching later in the week. The 25-year-old's status is worth watching even closer, considering that rookie MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring) didn't practice on Tuesday, although he's still expected to be fine to play in Week 1. Wilson will have a bigger role in his second year in the league with AJ Dillon (neck) out for the year, but he's currently the RB3 in Green Bay and should be on the waiver wire in standard 12-team leagues to kick off the year. Wilson had only 14 carries but gained 85 yards in seven games in his rookie campaign last year, also catching four passes for 23 yards.

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Romeo Doubs Sep 3 5:40pm ET
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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (hand) finds himself on the team's first official injury report on Tuesday and he was listed as a limited practice participant leading up to Friday's Week 1 regular-season opener in Brazil against the Philadelphia Eagles. Doubs is dealing with a hand contusion and is considered day-to-day, but it shouldn't impact his availability at all in the season opener. The 24-year-old has plenty of talent but was merely a late-round flier for receiver depth in most fantasy drafts because of Green Bay's crowded receiving corps that also includes Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. Don't sleep on Doubs, though, as he could emerge as one of the team's most productive pass-catchers after scoring eight times on 59 receptions for 674 yards during the regular season. Treat him as a WR5/flex in deeper fantasy leagues in Week 1 this Friday.

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Jahmyr Gibbs Sep 3 5:20pm ET
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Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (hamstring) said that he's ready to go for Week 1 of the regular season on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. Gibbs said he feels around 98-100% healthy after tweaking his hamstring early in training camp while running routes. "I'm good, just had a little tweak," Gibbs said. The second-year RB also said he's "more confident overall" entering Year 2. The 22-year-old returned to practice a week ago, and although he may be listed on the team's first official injury report on Wednesday, fantasy managers that invested in him at the end of the first round or early in the second round of drafts this year should feel confident that he'll be active on Sunday. Gibbs will be a must-start RB1 each week he's active, but he'll carry more bust potential in the season opener if the Lions decide to lean more towards backfield mate David Montgomery to ease Gibbs in.

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Christian McCaffrey Sep 3 3:30pm ET
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As expected, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (calf) was officially back on the practice field on Tuesday as the team prepares for their Week 1 regular-season opener on Monday Night Football against the New York Jets. Even though a calf injury caused McCaffrey to miss most of training camp and all of the preseason, he was still the consensus No. 1 overall fantasy pick after leading the NFL with 1,459 rushing yards and 21 total touchdowns (14 rushing, seven receiving) in 16 regular-season games last year. CMC played in a combined 10 games due to injuries with the Carolina Panthers in 2020-21, but he's played in 33 regular-season contests the last two years and is the best fantasy player, hands down, when he's on the field. The 28-year-old is a must-start when active, but he'll certainly have more of a bust factor in Week 1 given all the time he missed in camp, especially with a tough matchup on tap.

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Ricky Pearsall Sep 3 3:30pm ET
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San Francisco 49ers rookie first-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (chest) was back at the team's facilities and in the weight room around 48 hours after being shot in the chest during a robbery attempt over the weekend. Pearsall was put on the Non-Football Injury list on Monday, meaning he'll have to miss at least the first four games of his rookie season after the scary incident. The 23-year-old was released from the hospital on Sunday and will now get to work on his recovery as he looks to make an impact at some point for the Niners in 2024. Pearsall already missed valuable development time in training camp this summer due to injuries and will now fall behind even further, so fantasy managers hoping for some production in redraft leagues can probably leave him to the waiver wire for now. Pearsall is pretty much only worth stashing in dynasty/keeper formats.

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Marquise Brown Sep 3 3:20pm ET
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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that wide receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder) will be the only player on the team listed as out for Thursday night's Week 1 regular-season opener against the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of last year's AFC Championship. Brown was never expected to play in the season opener after suffering a sternoclavicular injury in the preseason opener. The 27-year-old big-ticket free-agent acquisition has yet to return to practice and is iffy to make his Chiefs debut in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals next week. When Hollywood does return, though, he'll be one of quarterback Patrick Mahomes' top targets, making him stash-worthy in all fantasy formats. Tight end Travis Kelce and receivers Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy should be the Chiefs' top three pass-catchers while Brown is sidelined.

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Olamide Zaccheaus Sep 3 3:00pm ET
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Washington Commanders wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus is listed as a starter alongside Terry McLaurin and Luke McCaffrey to begin the 2024 campaign. This is somewhat of a surprise, but he has been gaining ground on the depth chart following the departure of Jahan Dotson, who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Dan Quinn was a part of the Atlanta Falcons staff that brought Zaccheaus in as an undrafted free agent in 2019, so he has familiarity with the culture Quinn is trying to establish. Although the 27-year-old wideout has flashed at times throughout his career, his overall numbers of 104 receptions for 1,492 yards and 10 touchdowns in 72 career games aren't all that impressive. Either way, he should have his best opportunity to produce in 2024, though his upside is likely limited with rookie Jayden Daniels starting at quarterback.

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MarShawn Lloyd Sep 3 3:00pm ET
MarShawn Lloyd

Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring) did not practice on Tuesday as he continues to work through a hamstring injury. However, head coach Matt LaFleur said this was a planned absence and part of his preparation to play. The third-round rookie out of USC is an intriguing bench stash behind starter Josh Jacobs, as Green Bay has preferred to split touches in the backfield during LaFleur's tenure. However, Lloyd battling injuries to begin his career is not a great sign, and it wouldn't be surprising if he's sparsely utilized in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles -- if he even suits up. He might have fantasy value this season, but he should not be trusted in starting lineups this week.

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