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: Injury Status: Week 11
- FANTASY EXCLUSIVE: Lineup Prep: Week 11
- FANTASY EXCLUSIVE: Waivering: Week 11
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 11
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 11
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 10
- Chiefs pluck untested Spencer Shrader from Jets, place PK Harrison Butker (knee) on IR
- Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill (wrist) plans to play, claims surgery on table
- Cowboys to proceed with Rico Dowdle as lead RB
- Lions TE Sam LaPorta (shoulder) misses practice again
- Week 11 TNF: Commanders-Eagles Preview, Props & Prediction
- Indy keeps Scouting Combine through 2026
- Jets' Aaron Rodgers expects to play next season
- Seahawks WR DK Metcalf (knee) returns to practice
- Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr. will be active for game vs. Eagles
- Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: Home burglary 'frustrating'
- Dolphins claim TE Jack Stoll, waive LB David Long Jr.
- Eagles activate LT Jordan Mailata from injured reserve
- Swelling sends QB J.J. McCarthy into second knee surgery
- Raiders ride with QB Gardner Minshew despite offensive changes
- Bears coach Matt Eberflus outlines decision to fire OC
- Colts QB Anthony Richardson to start vs. Jets, rest of season
- Bears release G Nate Davis
- Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence out, Mac Jones in vs. Lions
- 49ers' Deommodore Lenoir lands 5-year, $92M extension
- Giants GM: Starting QB post-bye will be 'football decision'
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football WR/CB Matchups Week 11 | Can Drake Bake?
- Fantasy Six Pack: NFL Weekly Projections
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football Start-Sit Week 11 | Lamb Chopped? Should You Start CeeDee Lamb?
- Fantasy Six Pack: IDP Streamers Week 11 | Depend on Carlton Davis
- Fantasy Life: What's Going On With Jayden Daniels?
- Fantasy Life: Fantasy Football Sleepers For Week 11: Drake Maye, Rome Odunze and More
- Fantasy Life: Fantasy Football Expert Roundtable: Disappointing Fantasy Starters, Kicker Problems and More
- Fantasy Life: Week 11 Fantasy Football Injury News: Aaron Jones, Tyreek Hill Updates
- Fantasy Life: Fantasy Football Week 11: 32 Facts For 32 Teams
- Fantasy Life: Anytime Touchdown Scorer Bets For Week 11: Jonathan Taylor Set To Smash
The Paur Report
Dynasty | Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had 146 rushing yards, two catches, 52 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a win against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Barkley just continues to roll this season and tonight's game put him well over 1,000 rushing yards in just ten games. When you add in his nine total touchdowns, you have a running back making a run at overall RB1 status. Barkley looks rejuvenated in the Philadelphia offense and while there are always going to be concerns about possible injuries, he's looking a lot like the player who dominated fantasy football at times early in his career.
Dynasty | Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 22-of-32 passes for 191 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a loss against the Eagles. Dynasty Analysis: After looking unstoppable early in the season, Daniels has now had two games where he's simply looked like a rookie. This is likely just a blip on the radar, but disappointing nonetheless. Daniels will look to get back on track but dynasty managers are clearly hoping this isn't the start of Daniels hitting a rookie wall. If anything, it could also open a quick buy low window for him in dynasty leagues. It's going to take a lot more than this to make him drop down in our dynasty rankings.
Dynasty | Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin had one catch for ten yards in a loss against the Eagles. Dynasty Analysis: Philadelphia clearly wanted to take McLaurin out of the game and they succeeded in doing so, Still, this is a shock as McLaurin has been one of the most dependable receivers all season. Dynasty managers shouldn't hesitate in using him moving forward as this likely nothing more than one bad game. McLaurin's dynasty value is actually on the rise of late as he's been paired with a stud quarterback in Washington.
Philadelphia Eagles TE Dallas Goedert caught all five of his targets for 61 yards against the Washington Commanders on Thursday, Nov. 14.
Fantasy Spin: In his second game back from injury, Goedert was more involved, matching A.J. Brown with five receptions and finishing just four yards behind him. It was the best we've seen from him in a game where both Brown and DeVonta Smith were available. With that in mind, the question becomes, is that all we can hope for from Goedert in an offense that hasn't completed 20 passes since Week 3? At this stage, he's a borderline TE1 that can be tried in the right matchups, but he lacks weekly appeal.
From TheHuddle
Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley posted 26 carries for 146 yards and a pair of touchdowns during a Week 11 win over the Washington Commanders. Barkley also caught two passes (on three targets) for 52 yards.
Fantasy Spin: Barkley wound up just two yards short of 200 total yards on Thursday night. Incredibly, he came within one yard of that mark in Week 9 against the Jaguars, scoring twice in that one as well. While he's hit or miss with the touchdowns due to Jalen Hurts' goal-line abilities, Barkley rates as an elite RB1.
From TheHuddle
Washington Commanders TE Zach Ertz had six receptions (on seven targets) for 47 yards and a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. He also caught a pass for a two-point conversion.
Fantasy Spin: Both the touchdown and conversion happened in the final minute of the game, so they had no impact on the outcome, but they still counted for fantasy owners. The veteran tight end is a nice safety blanket for Jayden Daniels, but he hasn't produced the weekly numbers to be more than a fantasy backup in leagues large enough to warrant carrying a TE2.
From TheHuddle
Washington Commanders WR Noah Brown was targeted four times, catching one pass for four yards against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11.
From TheHuddle
Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz converted seven targets into six catches for 47 yards and one touchdown during Thursday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Ertz found the end zone with 31 seconds left and proceeded to earn an "octopus" by adding a successful two-point conversion catch one play later. Ertz has been a top-12 fantasy tight end this season and continued to put together a strong age-34 campaign as he finished Week 11 with more catches, yards, and touchdowns than all of Washington's wide receivers combined.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders RB Austin Ekeler led the team in targets (9), receptions (8), and receiving yards (89) versus the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11. He also ran the ball twice for seven yards.
Fantasy Spin: On a night when the Eagles locked down Washington on the outside, Ekeler was Jayden Daniels' primary target, ultimately falling just shy of 100 total yards even with Brian Robinson back in action. The veteran back is a capable flex option that can creep into RB3 territory some weeks.
From TheHuddle
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught just one of two targets for 10 yards during Thursday's Week 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. It was a painfully unproductive performance from McLaurin, but he still managed to lead the Commanders' wide receivers in targets and yardage. The veteran receiver's streak of scoring 14-plus fantasy points (PPR) has ended at eight games. He'll look to bounce back as a mid-to-high fantasy WR2 heading into next week against the Dallas Cowboys.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. rushed 16 times for 63 yards and one touchdown during Thursday's Week 11 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He also converted his lone target into a nine-yard reception. Robinson had missed Washington's last two contests due to injury but picked up right where he left off Thursday, scoring his sixth touchdown over the last six games. The 25-year-old ranks as a mid-to-low fantasy RB2 heading into next week's game against the Dallas Cowboys.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler rushed for just seven yards on two carries during Thursday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He was much more heavily involved in the passing game, catching eight of his nine targets for an additional 89 yards through the air. The veteran running back was the Commanders' leading receiver as quarterback Jayden Daniels threw a heavy amount of short-range passes on Thursday night. The 29-year-old has posted at least 17 fantasy points (PPR) in each of his last three games and should be treated as a strong RB3 option going into Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 22 of his 32 pass attempts for 191 yards, one touchdown, and one interception during Thursday's Week 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He also took three sacks and rushed for just 18 yards on seven attempts. Daniels got off to an incredibly hot start in his rookie season, but he has quieted down over the last two games, tallying one touchdown, one turnover, six sacks, and 23 rushing yards during that span. This year's No. 2 overall pick still has an impressive track record through just half a season in the NFL and should be treated as a mid-to-low fantasy QB1 heading into Week 11 versus Dallas.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown caught just one of four targets for four yards during Thursday's Week 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Although Brown had his quietest game of the season, it's still promising given that he led the Commanders' wide receiver room in snaps, targets, and routes run. He was even more involved than Terry McLaurin. Brown should be treated as a high-end fantasy WR4 heading into next week's battle with the Dallas Cowboys.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets kicker Anders Carlson is likely to handle the kicking duties during the Week 11 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. It has been musical chairs at the kicker spot for the Jets over the last few weeks. Carlson figures to become the fourth kicker for the team over the four games. Spencer Shrader was kicking for the Jets last week, but he has been signed to the Kansas City Chiefs active roster. Carlson is 5-for-5 on field goal attempts this season from his two-game run with the San Francisco 49ers. Carlson struggled as a rookie last season, but maybe can settle down with the Jets and become their full-time kicker.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars running back D'Ernest Johnson (hamstring) was a limited participant during Thursday's practice. This is now back-to-back days that Johnson has been limited due to a lingering hamstring issue. Johnson has been quiet lately and only played four offensive snaps during last week's loss to the Minnesota Vikings. However, Johnson could see a bigger role this weekend with Tank Bigsby (ankle) unable to practice yet this week. Johnson would be the primary backup if Bigsby is unable to play, which would give him an uptick in value.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (foot) was upgraded to a full participant during Thursday's practice session. Henry was limited to open the week, but the veteran tight end appears to be fine now. Fantasy managers shouldn't be worried about his status for this weekend after Henry got in a full practice session here. He figures to be ready to play against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1. Henry is looking to bounce back after posting a dud against the Chicago Bears last week. The 29-year-old has looked solid as the safety blanket for rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Harrison Bryant (ankle) was able to get through a limited practice session on Thursday. Bryant suffered an ankle injury during the Week 9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He was off last week with the Raiders having a bye week. Bryant didn't practice to open the week, but returned as a limited participant on Thursday. He seems to have a decent chance at suiting up for the Week 11 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Bryant has seven receptions for 65 yards over his last three games, but doesn't have much fantasy value with Brock Bowers ahead of him on the depth chart.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (groin) was unable to suit up for practice on Thursday. This is now back-to-back missed practices for Fant to start the week. This is not a good sign for Fant coming out of the bye week. He appears to be trending in the wrong direction ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. If he sits, AJ Barner figures to see a majority of the snaps as the starting tight end. The rookie tight end hauled in four of his seven targets for 27 yards in Week 9. He's a possible deep league option if Fant is unable to play this weekend.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee) was able to practice in full for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Metcalf appears to be much healthier coming out of the team's Week 10 bye after missing each of the previous two games with a sprained MCL that he suffered in Week 7. Barring a setback on Friday, it seems as though he'll be cleared to play on Sunday against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. The 26-year-old should see a normal workload in his return, too, meaning fantasy managers should be ready to throw him back into their starting lineups if he's cleared to face the Niners. Metcalf only had three catches on 11 targets for 48 yards in the first meeting with San Fran on Oct. 10, but he's averaging 13.2 half-PPR points per game, which ranks 13th among all receivers. Metcalf's impending return inevitably means fewer targets for both Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett.
From RotoBaller
