Wed Apr 17 9:26am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
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.
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 18
The Los Angeles Chargers have declared LB Denzel Perryman, QB Easton Stick, OG Jordan McFadden, WR Joshua Palmer, OT Rashawn Slater, RB Gus Edwards and DE Justin Eboigbe inactive for Week 18.
From TheHuddle
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) has officially been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears. He suffered a knee injury in the second quarter and the team will play it on the cautious side. Watson finishes the game with one target and no catches. Dontayvion Wicks, Jayden Reed, and Tucker Kraft have been the leading pass-catchers for the Packers in this game so far. Watson's status is worth monitoring heading into wildcard weekend for any DFS managers.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph took over as quarterback in the second half as Will Levis took a seat. The Titans could only muster up three points in the first half as Levis completed three of his five throws for 31 yards and was sacked once. Both quarterbacks have posted eerily similar stats this year, but Levis has started in one more win over Rudolph. They aren't playing for anything other than a better draft pick, so this seems to be a tryout to see if the team will hang on to both signal callers going into next season.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers DE A'Shawn Robinson (calf) suffered a calf injury during the Week 18 game and is considered questionable to return.
From TheHuddle
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (elbow) exited Sunday's game in the second quarter with what the team is calling a right elbow injury. Love expressed his discomfort after getting hit as he threw the ball and went to the sidelines shortly afterward. He posted 69 yards on 7-for-12 throwing before leaving, and Malik Willis has taken over at quarterback. The Packers likely won't rush him back since they've clinched a wildcard spot already.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) left Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears with an apparent knee injury and the team has ruled him questionable to return. The third-year receiver has appeared on the injury report a handful of times this season, so they may take the cautious route with the playoffs right around the corner. He saw one target but didn't register any stats before leaving. Dontayvion Wicks and Tucker Kraft have seen the bulk of the targets so far in this game.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was pulled from Sunday's AFC East clash with the Bills. The Pats are playing for draft picks, so the signal-caller will finish by failing to connect on his lone pass attempt. He wasn't the most reliable rookie quarterback during the 2024-25 campaign, throwing for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, adding 54 carries for 421 yards and two touchdowns. It's obvious New England has work to do to bolster depth on the offensive side of the ball. With that said, dynasty managers can consider retaining Maye for at least another season to see how things play out, although he may not be a viable fantasy starter in 2025-26. With Maye presumably done for the remainder of Week 18, Joe Milton III is in under center and has already thrown a touchdown.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons CB Mike Hughes (shoulder) suffered a shoulder injury during the Week 18 game and is considered questionable to return.
From TheHuddle
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud completed all six attempts for 50 yards in Sunday's meeting with the Titans. He also threw a touchdown, finding Nico Collins in the first quarter for a two-yard score. The Texans are locked into a spot for the postseason, so Stroud is presumably done for the remainder of the contest. However, this shouldn't surprise anyone. Overall, the signal-caller had a good year, throwing for 3,727 yards and 20 touchdowns (12 picks) and adding 52 carries for 233 yards. Although Stroud was more productive as a rookie, injuries on the offensive side of the ball likely prohibited him from being more potent from a fantasy standpoint. With Stroud out of the contest, Davis Mills is in under center.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen logged one play in Sunday's meeting with the New England Patriots. The Bills have already punched their ticket to the postseason, so the move to bench him was expected. The signal-caller had a quality 2024-25 campaign, throwing for 3,731 yards, 28 touchdowns, and a career-low six picks. He added 531 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Allen is in the MVP conversation. Although there are a few others in the mix, fantasy managers were more than satisfied with his production and he'll undoubtedly be one of the first fantasy quarterbacks off draft boards heading into next season. With Allen's departure from the game, Mitchell Trubisky is in under center, with Mike White behind him.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons CB Mike Hughes (head) left the Week 18 game early and is being evaluated for a concussion. He is considered questionable to return.
From TheHuddle
Updating a previous report, Atlanta Falcons CB Mike Hughes (head) has been cleared to return to the Week 18 game after being checked for a possible concussion.
From TheHuddle
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs acknowledged that he doesn't expect to handle a large number of touches during Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Chicago Bears. "Just being honest, being realistic, I don't see me taking that many carries in this game," Jacobs previously said. "Obviously, I want to play. I'm going to push to play, and I'm playing. But I don't see myself taking 30 carries." The Packers are locked into a Wild Card spot, so the Packers might consider reducing some of their starters' workloads to preserve their health. That list of players would surely include Jacobs, who has 1,625 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns this season. He could still lead the Green Bay backfield on Sunday, but we would expect Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson to remain involved so that Jacobs can stay fresh for the playoffs.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (rest) is not active for Week 18's game versus the New York Giants.
Fantasy Spin: Barkley participated in just one limited practice session during the week but probably would have been active for the game if playoff seeding was impacted. All Philly offensive players should be avoided for fantasy purposes this afternoon.
From TheHuddle
FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz reports that there is a league-wide understanding that a complete overhaul, including parting ways with general manager Trent Baalke, is necessary for the Jacksonville Jaguars to attract top coaching candidates, according to sources. There was a belief a few weeks ago that the Jaguars might retain Baalke, but apparently the organization's decision-makers decided this week that a full overhaul is in the best interest of the team moving forward. The expectation is that both Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson will get the axe on Black Monday. Jacksonville has plenty of young pieces in place on both sides of the ball to attract coaching candidates. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will be at the top of the list for head-coach candidates around the league, but it's unclear if the Jags can pry him away from Detroit or the Chicago Bears.
From RotoBaller
As expected, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (hand) is officially active and will start on Sunday against the division-rival Buffalo Bills in the Week 18 regular-season opener. Maye has been dealing with a right-hand injury, and although he was questionable to play, there was never much doubt that he'd be active to close out his rookie season. It's been an up and down first year in the NFL for Maye, as he enters Week 18 action with a 66.8 completion percentage, 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 12 games (11 starts). The North Carolina product has shown flashes of upside, though, and given the lack of talent around him, it's hard to be too critical of the rookie in his first year. Despite some starters resting around the league, Maye will merely be a QB2 with upside in Week 18 against a Bills defense that will be pulling starters early.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (ankle, quadriceps) is officially active for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Buffalo Bills. However, the team already ruled out cornerback Christian Gonzalez (concussion) after he suffered a concussion in last week's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Dugger has battled multiple lower-body injuries throughout the year but has mostly played through his ailments. Although the Patriots defense probably has more upside this weekend than they have all year with key starters on the Bills offense to play very little on Sunday, fantasy managers should continue to avoid their defense/special teams unit. In his fifth season with New England, Dugger enters the regular-season finale with 79 tackles (53 solo), one sack, eight tackles for loss, four pass breakups and a forced fumble in 12 starts.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants owner John Mara continues to evaluate head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen separately, according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. As of Sunday in Week 18, Mara remains undecided on the futures of Daboll and Schoen with the organization. Schultz notes that "exploratory calls and feelers about potential scenarios if one were retained and the other let go have happened in recent days." Daboll has gone just 18-31-1 through three seasons with the Giants. He led them to a winning season and playoff berth in his first season at the helm, but he owns a miserable .273 winning percentage since then. Schoen has been with the Giants for three years, as well. He has some impressive moves on his resume, including this year's selection of Malik Nabers and the reinforcement of New York's offensive line, but has also received much-deserved criticism for the Daniel Jones extension and Saquon Barkley departure, among other moves. With many coaching staff shakeups expected across the NFL over the next few days, time is running out for Mara to make key personnel decisions. We would expect more clarity on the futures of Daboll and Schoen by Monday afternoon.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring) is officially active for the Week 18 game.
Fantasy Spin: Shepard had a decent role in the passing game a few weeks ago but has been targeted only four times over the last two games. He probably will see a few targets this week, but fantasy players should have better options available and can avoid Shepard.
From TheHuddle
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel (rib) is officially active on Sunday for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival New England Patriots. Samuel will make his return after missing the last two weeks due to a rib injury. The 28-year-old hasn't had much of a role on offense for Buffalo in 2024, although he could get more run this weekend with Buffalo expected to sit their starters on both sides of the ball after a series or two. Amari Cooper (personal) was already ruled out. The Bills are locked into the No. 2 seed in the AFC for the postseason, so there is no benefit to them playing all their key players in this one. However, if Samuel sees a season-high in snaps on Sunday in New England, he'd mostly be working with backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Samuel could be busier than usual, but it's hard to put any fantasy faith in a player with only 201 receiving yards and one TD in 13 games.
From RotoBaller