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.
- FANTASY EXCLUSIVE: Bender's Favorite NFL DFS Pickem Picks: Week 18
- FANTASY EXCLUSIVE: RealTime DFS Strategy: Week 18
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 18
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Bender's DFS Pickem Plays: Week 18
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 17
- Packers QB Jordan Love, WR Christian Watson injured
- Bills' Von Miller pockets $1.5M after recording sack
- Bears to interview interim coach Thomas Brown for job
- Falcons WR Darnell Mooney inactive vs. Panthers
- Cowboys QB Trey Lance to start vs. Commanders
- Browns fire OC Ken Dorsey after 3-14 season
- Eagles activate TE Dallas Goedert for finale vs. Giants
- Bengals top RB Chase Brown (ankle) out vs. Steelers
- Bills WR Amari Cooper (personal reasons) ruled out vs. Patriots
- Chiefs' flight to Denver delayed by severe weather storm
- Jaguars DE Josh Hines-Allen (personal) ruled out vs. Colts
- Ravens WR Zay Flowers (knee) ruled out vs. Browns
- Commanders activate RB Austin Ekeler (concussion) off IR
- Lions activate LB Alex Anzalone, WR/PR Kalif Raymond off IR
- Bucs S Jordan Whitehead hurt in car accident, out Sunday
- Top 10 Player Props For NFL Week 18
- Lions LB Alex Anzalone (arm) could be activated for Vikings' showdown
- Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (hip) doubtful to play against Jets
- Anthony Richardson out; Joe Flacco to start as Colts QB
- Chiefs opening window for CB Jaylen Watson
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football Start-Sit Week 18 | All Systems Go for Joe Flacco
- Fantasy Six Pack: NFL Week 18 Best Bets | Motivation is the Key
- Fantasy Life: Your Guide To Week 18 Fantasy Football
- Fantasy Life: Best Bets For Sunday Night Football Week 18: Lions vs Vikings
- Fantasy Life: The Race for the No. 1 Pick Culminates in Week 18
- Fantasy Life: Lions vs Vikings Predictions and Preview For Week 18
- Fantasy Life: Best Bet For Steelers vs Bengals Week 18
- Fantasy Life: Who Will Be The King Of The North?
The Paur Report
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 18
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle, hamstring) is officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Arizona Cardinals. He had been listed as questionable. Although the 49ers have already been eliminated from playoff contention, Kittle will be suiting up for the season finale. Quarterback Brock Purdy (elbow), however, won't play, which means Kittle will be catching passes from Joshua Dobbs. The 31-year-old ranks second among tight ends in fantasy points this season, and he enters the season finale as a high-end TE1.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (calf) and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (hamstring) are officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Miami Dolphins. Both players had been listed as questionable. Despite the Jets already being eliminated from playoff contention, they're still playing their starters (including Conklin and Williams) as they look to play spoiler against Miami. This news will be well received by fantasy managers invested in Conklin's production. The 29-year-old will look to build on last week's strong performance in which he caught eight passes for 57 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Williams remains an anchor on defense with his 37 tackles and six sacks through 15 contests in 2024.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson (hamstring) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the San Francisco 49ers. He had been listed as questionable. With Arizona eliminated from playoff contention, Wilson's season is officially over. He finishes the 2024 campaign with 47 catches, 548 yards, and four touchdowns. The second-year receiver currently ranks as the overall WR56 in PPR leagues, but he'll likely fall a few more spots once the remainder of Sunday's games go final. Fantasy managers should expect Greg Dortch to step up as the Cardinals' No. 2 wide receiver behind Marvin Harrison Jr.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (coach's decision) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Denver Broncos. He had been listed as doubtful, so his absence this weekend was widely expected. After all, the Chiefs' plan to rest many key starters has been well-documented. Jones finishes the regular season with 37 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble through 15 contests. A combination of Marlon Tuipulotu and Derrick Nnadi will replace Jones on the defensive side of the ball.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (coach's decision) and tight end Travis Kelce (coach's decision) are officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Denver Broncos. Both players had been listed as doubtful, so their absence this weekend was widely expected. After all, the Chiefs' plan to rest many key starters has been well-documented. Mahomes finishes the regular season with 3,928 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Meanwhile, Kelce registered 97 catches, 823 yards, and three touchdowns, ranking outside the top three fantasy tight ends for the first time since 2015. Carson Wentz will start at quarterback for Kansas City while Noah Gray and Peyton Hendershot operate as the Chiefs' top tight ends.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (coach's decision) and linebacker Nick Bolton (coach's decision) are officially active for Week 18 against the Denver Broncos. Both players had been listed as doubtful with the Chiefs planning to rest several key starters. Although they are ultimately active for Sunday's contest, they might not play any snaps. According to Tracy Wolfson of CBS, head coach Andy Reid kept a few starters, like Bolton and Hunt, active just in case "they are needed in spot duty [because] of altitude, long drives, or heath issues." Barring something unforeseen, neither Hunt nor Bolton will be very involved on Sunday. They should be avoided in fantasy football this week.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receivers Jaylen Waddle (knee) and Tyreek Hill (wrist, illness) are officially active for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New York Jets. Both players had been listed as questionable, but they will suit up with the AFC's No. 7 seed on the line. While Hill and Waddle are playing Sunday, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) is not, so the two receivers will be catching passes from Tyler Huntley. Hill ranks as a mid-to-low WR2 while Waddle belongs in the WR3/FLEX range.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will watch the rest of Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys from the sidelines. The rookie sensation will take a seat in a cautious move from the coaching staff with the playoffs right around the corner. Daniels finished with 38 yards on 6-for-12 throwing and four carries for 27 yards while getting sacked four times. When he went to the bench, the Commanders were down 9-3, and Marcus Mariota is now under center. Daniels will finish his rookie season with around 3,500 yards, 25 touchdowns, and nine interceptions to go along with 864 yards and six scores on 144 carries.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hip) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the New York Jets. He had been listed as doubtful despite being a limited participant in practice. As expected, Tyler Huntley will draw his second consecutive start. He led Miami to a victory last weekend, and now, he'll be tasked with keeping Miami's playoff hopes alive. The Dolphins can secure the No. 7 seed with a win plus a Broncos loss. Although they won't have Tagovailoa for Sunday's decisive game, the Dolphins will have both Jaylen Waddle (knee) and Tyreek Hill (wrist, illness) available. Huntley ranks as a QB3 in fantasy football this week.
From RotoBaller
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
