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 11
Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins missed both of his field-goal attempts and did not try an extra point in a 35-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 11. Hopkins misfired on attempts from 51 and 27 yards out in the second quarter when the game was still close. The veteran kicker has now made 14 of his 20 field goals and added 10 extra points through 10 games. He will look to bounce back against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12's Thursday night game.
From RotoBaller
The Cleveland Browns defense allowed 35 points while notching one sack and forcing two turnovers in a 35-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 11. Cleveland's defense played well until the fourth quarter when they allowed the Saints to score three unanswered touchdowns to ice the game. They had no answer for Taysom Hill, who ran for 138 yards and three touchdowns while tacking on eight catches for 50 yards. Cleveland's defense will be challenged again in Week 12's Thursday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews took a backseat in Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The veteran saw fewer targets than Isaiah Likely in his first game back. Andrews finished the game with two receptions for 22 yards on three targets compared to Likely's five targets and four receptions for 75 yards. Whenever Likely and Andrews are both healthy, they're difficult to predict. This marks Andrews' seventh week with less than nine fantasy points which is two more than he had all of last season. He'll try to bounce back against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers held the Baltimore Ravens to 16 points while recording two sacks, an interception, and two fumble recoveries in a Week 11 win. Baltimore has been a must-avoid matchup for fantasy DSTs this season, but Pittsburgh's defense proved itself against its toughest opponent yet. While the Steelers did allow running back Derrick Henry to find the end zone in the first half, MVP candidate Lamar Jackson was held scoreless until just over one minute remained in the fourth quarter. Former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen led the Steelers in tackles while star EDGE T.J. Watt tallied two QB hits and a sack. Rookie linebacker Payton Wilson made the defensive play of the game with an impressive interception in coverage with the game on the line in the fourth quarter. The Steelers DST should be rostered in all formats and considered a must-start against the Cleveland Browns in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell drilled all six of his field-goal attempts in an 18-16 victory over the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. This contest was projected to be a relatively high-scoring affair, and while it didn't quite live up to expectations, Boswell saw plenty of action. The Ravens limited Pittsburgh's offense in the red zone, forcing the Steelers to lean on Boswell time and time again. Fortunately for the team and fantasy managers alike, he answered each call. Boswell nailed long kicks of 50, 52, and 57 yards as easily as he converted on three chip-shots. The 10th-year veteran is on pace for a career-best campaign and has solidified himself as a fantasy asset. He'll face another AFC North opponent in the Cleveland Browns next week.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers salvaged his week with a late touchdown during the 18-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He ended the game with two receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown on six targets. The Steelers' pass rushers did a good job at making Lamar Jackson uncomfortable and they consistently had Flowers blanketed no matter where he went. On the plays where Jackson scrambles looking for an outlet, Flowers usually finds a way to get to the ball, but he was double-covered in some of those situations as well. He'll go up against another tough pass defense in the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku caught all nine of his targets for 81 yards in a 35-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 11. Njoku wound up first on the team in catches while finishing behind only Jerry Jeudy in targets and receiving yards. He also caught a two-point conversion from Jameis Winston in the third quarter. Njoku has now drawn at least seven targets in five straight games while notching two touchdown catches over that span. He has solidified himself as a top-six fantasy tight end going forward and should remain in lineups for Week 12's Thursday night matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed was able to salvage a quiet day on the stat sheet with a touchdown in the Packers' 20-19 victory in Chicago against the Bears. Reed only earned two targets on the afternoon from quarterback Jordan Love, but he caught both of them for 23 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown that kicked off the scoring for the Packers. In addition to the receiving work, Reed also had a rushing attempt but lost five yards. With the Packers set for an NFC showdown with the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12, Reed is more of a mid-range WR2 for fantasy football, as he has to compete with several other players for targets and attention from Love.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely led the team in receiving yards during their 18-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. In his first game back, Likely registered four receptions for 75 yards on five targets. He saw more targets and had a more successful day than his counterpart Mark Andrews. With Likely healthy again, the Ravens' tight end room remains the most difficult one to predict each week. They'll go up against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison caught 3-of-8 targets for 61 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 23-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans. The eight targets matched a season-high for the second-year wideout, and the score was his third on the season and second in three games. Addison's touchdown was a 47-yard catch-and-run in which he burned Tennessee's defense up the left sideline. It was a nice effort from the 22-year-old, who has had trouble building on his spectacular rookie season. However, seeing him match superstar Justin Jefferson's team-high of eight targets in the contest was encouraging. The former USC Trojan will get another staunch test next weekend when the Vikings square off against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Leading up to Week 11, the Bears had allowed the seventh-fewest passing yards per game to opposing offenses (190.4).
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love put up a solid line for the Packers as the team escaped with a 20-19 victory against the Chicago Bears. Love was 13-of-17 passing for 261 yards and tossed his only touchdown pass on the afternoon to wide receiver Jayden Reed. Love's 15-yard touchdown to Reed capped off the opening drive of the game. The Packers took the lead for good thanks to Love's rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to put them up 20-19, as Love also added 18 rushing yards on the ground to his ledger. With an NFC showdown looming at Lambeau Field against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12, Love should be considered a low-end QB1 option for fantasy managers.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson reeled in 6-of-8 targets for 81 yards in the team's 23-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 11. Ho-hum. It was another solid day for the fantasy stalwart, as he's now registered at least six receptions and 81 receiving yards in seven of his last eight outings. The only thing missing from his line was a touchdown. Still, it was yet again a strong effort from the former LSU Tiger as he continues to be a source of consistent production for fantasy managers. Jefferson will be a top-flight WR option in Week 12 when the Vikings line up against the Chicago Bears on the road in a divisional clash.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hauled in eight of 12 targets for 89 yards in an 18-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Although this was far from a career-best performance for Pickens, the 23-year-old did set new single-game highs for himself in both targets and receptions. His most memorable play of the contest came on a beautiful deep ball from quarterback Russell Wilson for a 37-yard gain late in the third quarter. He was targeted in the end zone multiple times but could not score a touchdown as Pittsburgh was forced to settle for six field goals. Fantasy managers who are slightly disappointed in Pickens' output given the favorable matchup should be encouraged by the elite usage he continued to see with Wilson under center. He'll have another opportunity for a big showing against the Cleveland Browns next week.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones rushed for 39 yards on his 15 carries in Week 11's 23-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans. He added four yards receiving on his lone target. Tennessee's defense was as advertised, holding the 29-year-old to 2.6 yards per carry -- his least efficient outing of the season. Additionally, his receiving output was his lowest total of 2024. There are better days ahead for the eighth-year veteran, and they could come as soon as next weekend when he lines up against Minnesota's in-division rivals, the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Chicago let up 4.8 yards per rush attempt to their opponents heading into Week 11 -- the fifth-highest mark in the league -- and have been tough to beat through the air thus far. Jones will be a strong RB2 play for the contest.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry posted one of his worst weeks of the season in the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The good news is that Henry did find the end zone while accumulating 65 yards on 13 carries. He also registered his third fumble of the season, however, which brought his total to just barely hitting double-digits. Since the offense was kept in check the entire game, the Ravens also had to abandon the run late in the game. Henry's next opportunity to break off some bigger runs will be against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson completed 23 of 36 pass attempts for 205 yards and an interception while adding one rushing yard on four carries in an 18-16 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. This battle of two AFC North contenders was not the shootout many had hoped for, and although Wilson did just enough to get the win, he failed to lead a single touchdown drive for the first time this season. Both defenses stepped up in the red zone as nine total field goals were attempted in the contest. Wilson will still be worthy of fantasy consideration in the right matchups going forward, but he is best viewed as a solid QB2 rather than a locked-and-loaded QB1. That said, there are likely better streaming options available for Week 12 when Wilson and the Steelers go on the road to face the Cleveland Browns.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris turned 18 carries into 63 yards and four receptions into 30 yards on five targets in a Week 11 win over the Baltimore Ravens. While Harris only managed 3.5 yards per rush attempt against a stingy Baltimore defense, he ran hard and demonstrated great vision numerous times. He saw an uptick in utilization through the air as his four catches were his most in a contest since Week 3. Jaylen Warren continued to serve as a nice change-of-pace back, but there is no doubt at this point in the season that Harris is the player Pittsburgh leans on in the running game. The 26-year-old has been a consistent fantasy option recently and should be viewed as a volume-based RB2 heading into a Week 12 bout with the Cleveland Browns.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 20-of-32 pass attempts for 246 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 23-13 win over the Tennessee Titans. He added 18 yards and a touchdown on the ground on his eight rush attempts. It was an excellent bounce-back effort for the 27-year-old against a tough Titans defense after tossing three interceptions in Week 10 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. His only miscue was a lost fumble on the team's opening drive of the game. Darnold completed a pass to nine different Minnesota pass-catchers on the day and has now thrown for at least 240 yards in five straight contests. Additionally, the USC product has multiple touchdown passes in 7-of-10 outings. He'll get another tough task on the road in Week 12 against the Vikings' division-rival Chicago Bears.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy turned in a huge outing in a 35-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 11. Jeudy caught six of his 11 targets for 142 yards and a touchdown but it wasn't enough in the loss. The veteran wide receiver did most of his damage on an 89-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter on the way to posting the first 100-yard game of his Browns career. Jeudy's arrow in fantasy is pointing up after he has now drawn 30 targets over the past three games while reaching at least 73 receiving yards in each contest over that span. He will be a WR3 in Week 12's Thursday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore caught six of his eight targets for 66 yards and a touchdown in a 35-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 11. Moore found the end zone for the first time all season on a 30-yard pass from Jameis Winston in the third quarter. The veteran receiver's fantasy value has come to life with the switch to Winston at quarterback as Moore has drawn at least eight targets in each of his past three games. Moore sets up as a decent flex option heading into Week 12's Thursday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From RotoBaller