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.
The Arizona Cardinals have traded linebacker Cam Thomas to the Kansas City Chiefs for a seventh-round pick. Thomas, who struggled in his second NFL season with no sacks after a rookie year of three, had a standout performance in the Cardinals' second preseason game, recording two sacks, a tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits. With the Chiefs' defensive line missing Charles Omenihu (ACL) for a significant part of the season, Thomas will provide much-needed depth. The Chiefs' defensive line, led by George Karlaftis and Chris Jones, along with role players like Mike Danna, should benefit from Thomas's contributions. This move bolsters the Chiefs' defense, which is expected to be a key fantasy asset again this season.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat feels he is in a much better place with his new team than he was during his time with the Washington Commanders. Sweat described his experience in Washington as "toxic" and noted the heavy toll of constant losing, as the Commanders went 28-45-1 during his four-plus seasons there. Since joining the Bears, Sweat has thrived, posting a career-high 12.5 sacks, 57 tackles, three forced fumbles, 25 quarterback hits, and 14 tackles for loss in 17 games in 2023. Chicago rewarded him with a four-year contract extension worth $105 million this offseason, including $72.9 million guaranteed. His presence has been a critical factor in the Bears' improvement, as they went 5-4 after his arrival and held opponents to 20 points or fewer in their final six games. Sweat and the Bears will open the season on September 8 against the Tennessee Titans but return to Washington to face the Commanders on October 27.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring) will likely start the season on Injured Reserve. If his recovery takes longer than expected, Green Bay could use one of their two pre-cutdown IR spots for him, allowing them to keep Josh Jacobs, AJ Dillon, and Emanuel Wilson on the initial 53-man roster. Wilson has demonstrated reliability as a third running back and can fill in when needed. By placing Lloyd on IR, he could be eligible to return after Week 4, giving him the chance to recover from his challenging hamstring injury fully. Lloyd has potential as Green Bay's future running back and could be the No. 2 option in 2024 once he's healthy. If anything happens to Jacobs this season, he's worth watching as a high-upside lottery ticket.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions DT D.J. Reader (quadriceps) returned to practice on Sunday, Aug. 25, and the team is targeting Week 2 for his debut, although head coach Dan Campbell didn't rule out Reader playing in Week 1.
From TheHuddle
Dynasty | The 49ers have released running back Matt Breida. Dynasty Analysis: The 49ers have Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, and Jordan Mason, so Matt Breida and Ke'Shawn Vaughn (also released) were deemed expendable. Breida had some moments with Miami and New York but seems like a replacement-level running back at this point. He doesn't belong on dynasty rosters at this point.
Dynasty | The Lions have released wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. Dynasty Analysis: DPJ was traded to Detroit last season in the hopes he could make an impact but he failed to do so. The Lions have a loaded receiving corps, so he was expendable. The former Brown will look to latch on somewhere else but this move doesn't bode well for his dynasty value.
Dynasty | The Denver Broncos are looking to trade running back Samaje Perine. Dynasty Analysis: Perine looks to be the odd man out as Denver is surely keeping Javonte Williams, Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin and maybe even Blake Watson. Perine is likely to garner some interest, though he may need to be released and sign as a free agent should Denver not find a trade partner. Perine isn't roster worthy at this point but could be depending on where he ends up.
Dynasty | The Denver Broncos are trying to trade Tim Patrick. Dynasty Analysis: Denver will reportedly release the veteran wide receiver if they can't find a suitable trade. Patrick is attempting to come back from a torn ACL in 2022 and torn Achilles in 2023 but didn't make enough of an impression for the Broncos to hold on to him. It seems there are a number of teams interested so this story seems to be pretty fluid. Regardless, it's hard to see Patrick carving out meaningful dynasty value, at least in the short term.
Dynasty | The Tennessee Titans have traded quarterback Malik Willis to the Green Bay Packers. Dynasty Analysis: Willis was outplayed by Mason Rudolph in the battle to back up Will Levis in Tennessee but should be good enough to supplant Sean Clifford or Michael Pratt in an effort to back up Jordan Love. Willis is still an intriguing talent but it would take a catastrophe for him to see the field any time soon. He's a tough hold even in a deep 2QB / Superflex draft.
Dynasty | The Dallas Cowboys are bringing in free agent running back Dalvin Cook for a visit. Dynasty Analysis: Cook was famously signed as a free agent by the Jets last year, only to hardly ever see the field, He had a brief stint with the Ravens after being released by New York but failed to make an impact there, either. It's possible the former Viking is simply cooked but Dallas will attempt to see if he has anything left in the tank. His addition would muddy an already convoluted depth chart that features Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and a host of others. Stay tuned.
Dynasty | The Steelers have released running back Daijun Edwards. Dynasty Analysis: The former Georgia Bulldog looked to have a fighting chance to make the roster but just couldn't make enough progress for the Steelers to keep him on their initial 53. He'll have a good chance to make a practice squad somewhere but he's now clearly off the dynasty radar.
Dynasty | The Bucs have placed running back Chase Edmonds on injured reserve. Dynasty Analysis: He could still be activated at some point but this is bad news for his dynasty outlook in 2024. Tampa Bay looks to be rolling with Rachaad White, Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker to start the year and it's hard to see Edmonds making much of an impact, even if he does come back. He's clearly droppable in dynasty leagues.
Dynasty | The Ravens have released wide receiver Russell Gage. Dynasty Analysis: Gage was attempted to re-ignite his career in a thin Baltimore receiving corps but it obviously didn't work out. The former Falcon and Buccaneer should land on his feet as a veteran presence somewhere in the league but his dynasty relevance just isn't enough to merit a roster spot.
Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku (undisclosed) is expected to return to practice on Tuesday, Aug. 27, head coach Kevin Stefanski said.
From TheHuddle
Cleveland Browns CB Denzel Ward (concussion) remains in the concussion protocol, head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Monday, Aug. 26.
From TheHuddle
New England Patriots veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett (shoulder) left the team's preseason finale early on Sunday night against the Washington Commanders after his opening drive, but he could have returned if needed, according to head coach Jerod Mayo. It's an injury that shouldn't keep Brissett from being available for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 8. The bigger concern for the 31-year-old signal-caller is that rookie first-rounder Drake Maye has outplayed him for much of training camp and the preseason, and it feels as though things are trending towards the Patriots naming Maye as their Week 1 starter. Even if Brissett is given the Week 1 start so that Maye is allowed more time to learn on the sidelines, the veteran is no more than a QB3 option in superflex leagues and will probably be on the bench sooner than later in 2024.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said the team has to make a decision on whether to put rookie running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start the regular season. Brooks hasn't practiced since being selected in the second round of the NFL draft in April. At this point, given all the time the 21-year-old has missed this offseason and through the summer, it would be a surprise if he didn't start his first year in the league on the PUP list, which would require him to miss at least the first four games. His injury has caused his draft stock to fall in single-year formats, but the rookie is still worth taking a late-round flier on and stashing in most leagues. If Brooks does end up landing on the PUP officially, it will only increase Chuba Hubbard's early-season fantasy standing as Carolina's lead back.
From RotoBaller
The Cleveland Browns activated left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee) from the Physically Unable to Perform list on Monday after he cleared his physical. In addition to Wills, right tackle Jack Conklin (knee), cornerback Greg Newsome II (hamstring), defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (knee) and safety D'Anthony Bell (shin) also came off the PUP list, giving the Browns some much-needed reinforcements with the regular season quickly approaching. Wills, 25, missed all of the preseason after having surgery last December on his knee. Despite all the time missed this summer in the preseason and at training camp, the Browns are expecting Wills to start on quarterback Deshaun Watson's blind side in the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sept. 8 against the Dallas Cowboys. The activation of both Wills and Conklin is great news for Cleveland's offense.
From RotoBaller
Four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook is flying to Dallas on Monday night for a visit with the Cowboys, according to sources. Unlike a year ago when Cook was rehabbing from shoulder surgery, he has been hitting the weights all offseason and said he feels the best he has in years. Cook looked washed up in his time with the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens last year, but the Cowboys are going to take a look as they attempt to bolster their backfield depth with the regular season less than two weeks away. The 29-year-old averaged just 3.2 yards per carry on 67 attempts, gaining 214 scoreless yards. He also added 15 catches for 78 yards. Cook could be more productive with better health in 2024, but even if he signs with Dallas, he'll be too far down the depth chart to be much of a fantasy option to begin the year. As things stand now, Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman and Deuce Vaughn are their top four RBs.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said that linebacker Ernest Jones IV did not request a trade and that the situation is ongoing. Jones was absent from training camp practice on Monday after the team granted him permission to seek a trade on Sunday. The Rams are ready to move on from the 24-year-old, who is heading into the final year of his rookie deal in 2024. Jones enters the 2024 season as a top-five IDP linebacker in fantasy leagues, so a move elsewhere could slightly affect his value going forward. The former third-rounder in 2021 out of South Carolina had a career year in 2023, recording 145 tackles (74 solo), 4.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, six QB hits and six passes defended in 15 regular-season starts. If Jones can continue to rush the passer like he did in 2023, he should be a weekly starter in IDP leagues at linebacker, regardless of whether he stays with the Rams.
From RotoBaller