Best Ball Scout Championship
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.
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The Paur Report
Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 6
Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards (ankle) has been placed on the injured reserve ahead of their Week 6 matchup against the Denver Broncos. Edwards hasn't practiced all week and it doesn't sound like his injury is going to get better anytime soon. That being said, Edwards will head to the IR and miss the next four games. Edwards has taken a backseat to J.K. Dobbins over the last two weeks. The first two weeks Edwards saw 29 carries, but only had nine rushing attempts over the last two games. Dobbins has run away with the lead back gig, which means Edwards' absence won't make a huge impact. Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal could see a few touches, but Dobbins is going to be the primary running back going forward.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (ankle) is currently listed as questionable ahead of the Week 6 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Despite that, Johnson is expected to suit up for this divisional matchup. He has been limited in practice all week and played through the ankle injury last week. He finished with three receptions for 23 yards last week, so the ankle issue could've hindered his performance. The injury doesn't seem to be serious enough to force him out of action, but his value could take a hit if he's not 100 percent healthy. Fantasy managers should put him in the WR3 range if he does suit up this weekend. Otherwise, Xavier Legette and Jonathan Mingo will see more involvement in the offense.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins faces the Indianapolis Colts in a Week 6 matchup. After an incredibly slow start to the season - likely due to lasting effects from a knee injury - Hopkins has lead the Titans in receiving yards and targets for the last two weeks. That hasn't translated to a ton of fantasy production since this passing offense has been in flux, but it has a massive opportunity ahead of them now facing one of the worst secondaries in the NFL. The Colts have allowed the fourth most yards to WRs this season, and were just gashed by Trevor Lawrence, who threw for a career high 371 yards last week. If the Titans are not able to have success through the air in this one, the outlook of Hopkins will be bleak for the rest of the season, unless he is traded. The former Texans star should be a fine WR3 or flex option in this juicy matchup.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) has been ruled out for the Week 6 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. This seemed likely to happen considering Robinson wasn't able to practice all week. Robinson will sit out at least one game after suffering a knee injury during last week's win. The Commanders will likely split up the backfield duties between Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols. Ekeler has been pretty quiet this season, but did rush for 67 yards on six carries last week. However, McNichols has been seeing more redzone work with three touchdowns over the last two games. The assumption is Ekeler does more of the passing catching while McNicols gets the early work on the ground. The Ravens have done a good job at slowing down running backs on the ground, so Ekeler has more upside between the two.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (groin) has been ruled out for the Week 6 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Singletary will miss his second straight game after being limited in practice all week. His absence will mean that Tyrone Tracy Jr. will serve as the lead back once again. Last week, Tracy rushed 18 times for 129 yards in the win over the Seattle Seahawks. He figures to once again see heavy usage with the Giants being limited on viable options on offense. Fantasy managers should be able to trust Tracy as a RB2 for Week 6.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (hip) is listed as questionable on the team's final injury report heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. Conklin practiced on a limited basis all week and could be headed for a game-time decision, meaning fantasy managers counting on him might want to have a backup plan in place. If Conklin does play, he will go up against a Buffalo defense that is allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. Due to the injury and the tough matchup, Conklin lands as a mid-range TE2 in fantasy heading into Week 6.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (ankle) was removed from the injury report and will play in Week 6's Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills. After injuring his ankle in a Week 5 loss, Rodgers practiced on a limited basis on Thursday and Friday before getting upgraded to a full session on Saturday. He will draw a tough matchup against a Buffalo defense that is allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to the quarterback position this season. Rodgers has been a very mediocre fantasy quarterback this season and the tough matchup does not help. Treat him as a mid-range QB2 in fantasy heading into Week 6.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (ankle) is listed as doubtful ahead of the Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is bad news for the Raiders offense with Davante Adams (hamstring) already being ruled out. It could be an extremely busy day for tight end Brock Bowers. The absence of both Adams and Meyers would turn Tre Tucker into the WR1 on this roster. He figures to see heavy usage as well, so he should be a solid streaming choice. DJ Turner and Tyreik McAllister would be behind Tucker and Bowers on the pecking order.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is expected to play on Sunday according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Mixon has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury in their Week 2 victory over the Chicago Bears. After opening the week missing practice on Wednesday, Mixon was able to log a limited session on both Thursday and Friday which is also a very good sign. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status ahead of kickoff in case he faces a setback. The 28-year-old looked sharp in his Houston debut as he ran for 159 yards and a score on 30 attempts and should be locked into all lineups as a solid RB2 facing the New England Patriots.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (hamstring) is expected to play on Sunday according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Engram has been sidelined since Week 2 after suffering a hamstring injury during warmups of that week. The tight end was able to log three consecutive limited practice sessions this week. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status ahead of kickoff in case he faces a setback. Engram enjoyed a career-year last season as he caught an impressive 114 receptions for 963 yards and four touchdowns. Engram remains a solid TE1 when he travels to Tottenham and faces the Chicago Bears who have allowed the 10th-fewest points to opposing tight ends this season.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman should be viewed as a low-end flex option this week as he faces the New York Jets on Monday evening. Coleman saw a season-high five targets last weekend but was only able to bring in one of them for a 49-yard TD reception. Since scoring 0.0 PPR points in Week 2, Coleman has gone on to score at least 8.0 PPR points in each of the past three weeks. On Monday, the Bills could be without No.1 wideout Khalil Shakir (ankle) as he did not practice on Thursday and Friday. If Shakir is unable to play, Coleman could be worth a look as a flex option in all standard formats facing a tough New York defense who has allowed the seventh-fewest points to opposing wide receivers.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (knee) is expected to play on Sunday according to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. Bourne opened the campaign on the PUP list and made his season debut last weekend against the Miami Dolphins. In this game, the 29-year-old logged only 15 total snaps, which was the lowest among New England wideouts. This week, Bourne was a limited participant during all three practice sessions. Fantasy managers should leave Bourne out of their lineups this weekend until he is able to emerge as a proven starter in the passing attack.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills rookie running back Ray Davis could see increased usage on Monday evening. No.1 running back James Cook (toe) did not practice on Thursday and Friday and could be in danger of missing Monday's game depending on his practice status on Saturday. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the injury report as it could provide clarity on Cook's injury designation. From Weeks 2 through 4, the rookie saw at least seven carries in each game. However, last weekend, Davis did not see an attempt but did catch his lone target. If Cook is unable to suit up, fantasy managers should expect Davis and Ty Johnson to split backfield duties with Johnson likely seeing more pass-catching work and Davis seeing the short-yardage opportunities.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen remains a high-end QB1 despite the difficult matchup on Monday evening against the New York Jets who have allowed the second-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks this season. Allen got off to a hot start this season as he topped 30.0 PPR points in two of the first three games. During this span he scored nine total touchdowns. However, over the past two weeks, Allen has been in a bit of a slump as he has averaged just 13.6 PPR points per game with just one total score. In addition, he could be without running back James Cook (toe) and No.1 wideout Khalil Shakir (ankle) who did not practice on Thursday and Friday. Despite this, fantasy managers should feel confident starting Allen in all formats given his incredible track record.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Roman Wilson is expected to be active in Week 6 on Sunday on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to source, which will be his NFL debut. An ankle injury slowed Wilson to start the year, but he'll rejoin them now and give quarterback Justin Fields another option in the passing game moving forward. Despite not being on the injury report, Wilson was a healthy scratch in the last three contests after being out with his ankle injury in the first two weeks of his rookie season. The 23-year-old third-rounder has an opportunity in Pittsburgh's thin receiving corps, but for now he'll likely be mixed in as depth behind George Pickens, Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III. Eventually, Wilson profiles as a medium-volume deep threat for a Steelers offense that doesn't really stretch the field much, at least with Fields under center. At best, Wilson is a watch-list candidate in 12-team fantasy leagues right now. Stash him in dynasty formats.
From RotoBaller
The Indianapolis Colts signed running back Evan Hull from the practice squad to the 53-man active roster on Saturday with Jonathan Taylor (ankle) missing his second straight game due to a high-ankle sprain this Sunday against the division-rival Tennessee Titans. The Colts need extra RB depth this weekend behind Trey Sermon, who will be starting for the second straight week, and Tyler Goodson. The 23-year-old was on the active roster last week as well in the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars but didn't play a single offensive snap. The former fifth-round selection in 2023 out of Northwestern played in just one game in his rookie campaign and had one carry for one yard and caught his only target for a gain of six yards. Hull remains well off the fantasy radar and may only play if one of Sermon or Goodson get injured on Sunday against the Titans.
From RotoBaller
The New York Giants will place linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (wrist) on Injured Reserve on Saturday, according to source. Thibodeaux broke the scaphoid bone in his wrist in last week's win over the Seattle Seahawks and will now miss at least the next four games. A source said Thibodeaux has a four- to six-week timeline. If he only misses the required four games, Thibodeaux could return for a Week 10 date against the Carolina Panthers. But with the Giants having their bye in Week 11, there's a better chance that we don't see him again until Week 12 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 23-year-old had surgery on his wrist on Wednesday. The former fifth overall pick in 2022 out of Oregon had only 12 tackles (eight solo), two sacks, three tackles for loss and seven QB hits in five games into his third NFL season before getting injured. Azeez Ojulari and Patrick Johnson will be expected to step up with bigger workloads with Thibodeaux out for the G-Men.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back/kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle) missed practice all week and was ruled out for the Week 6 contest this Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Patterson hurt his ankle in the Week 4 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and missed the Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The 33-year-old hasn't practiced in the last two weeks, so he could be in danger of missing another game in Week 7 against the New York Jets. His absence will be felt more for Pittsburgh on special teams than it will on offense, and the backfield will be getting a boost with Jaylen Warren (knee) returning after sitting out last week. Patterson, a four-time Pro Bowl kick returner, has seen only 16 carries in four games this season in his first year in Pittsburgh for 92 rushing yards, also catching five passes for 34 yards. He belongs on the waiver wire in most fantasy formats.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl running back James Cook (toe) will practice on Saturday despite his toe injury and plans to play on Monday night against the division-rival New York Jets in Week 6, according to his agency LAA. Head coach Sean McDermott said that Cook will be listed as questionable on the final injury report. As long as the 25-year-old doesn't suffer a setback at practice on Saturday, it's looking like fantasy managers will be able to keep him in their starting lineups. Cook didn't practice on Thursday and Friday and was looking more likely to miss the Week 6 contest before this news. It's good news that he's expected to play, but fantasy managers should expect more bust potential from Cook this week, as both Ty Johnson and rookie Ray Davis could spell him more often, and the matchup against a tough Jets defense doesn't help matters.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that wide receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) will be listed as questionable for the Week 6 divisional showdown on Monday night against the New York Jets. Shakir was unable to practice on Thursday and Friday, so he's apparently going to return to the practice field on Saturday in order to give himself a shot at suiting up in primetime on Monday. The 24-year-old pass-catcher injured his ankle in the Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and sat out of the Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans. It's good news that he's made some progress, but he's firmly in danger of missing his second straight game and is an extremely volatile fantasy option this weekend with Buffalo's game being on Monday night. If Shakir misses another game, rookie Keon Coleman, Mack Hollins and Curtis Samuel will be more involved in the passing game, as well as tight end Dalton Kincaid against a stout Jets defense.
From RotoBaller
