Guest of the League
Alliance FFL Est. 2005
FFL: Offseason | NFL: Superbowl

Best Ball Scout Championship

Wed Apr 17 9:26am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

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.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

RTSports Super Bowl Preview

Player Notes
Sam Darnold Feb 6 12:20am ET
Sam Darnold

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced on Wednesday evening that they agreed to terms with Minnesota Vikings assistant offensive coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski to become their next offensive coordinator under first-time head coach Liam Coen. Udinski was a popular name for open offensive-coordinator jobs around the league this cycle and will ultimately land in Jacksonville after serving as an assistant head coach in Minnesota the last three years under head coach Kevin O'Connell. The 29-year-old previously served as a coaching assistant with the Carolina Panthers from 2020-21. Along with QBs coach Josh McCown and McConnell, Udinski helped quarterback Sam Darnold have the most productive year of his career in 2024. While the move to Jacksonville is a promotion for Udinski, Coen will be the one calling offensive plays for the Jags in 2025.

From RotoBaller

Britain Covey Feb 5 10:00pm ET
Britain Covey

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey (neck) was a full participant at practice to kick off their week of Super Bowl prep. The Utah product is working back from his second stint on injured reserve this season. Covey's first stay on IR came in late September for a shoulder injury. He'd eventually work his way back to the field in Week 12 but played just two weeks before sustaining a neck ailment that's kept him from action since. The team opened his practice window two weeks ago, though Wednesday was his first full session. The 27-year-old is not heralded for his pass-catching chops but is better known for his work as a kick returner -- a position he held for Philly over the past two seasons. If he can get healthy enough to suit up for Sunday's outing against the Kansas City Chiefs, that's likely the role he'll operate in.

From RotoBaller

C.J. Uzomah Feb 5 9:50pm ET
C.J. Uzomah

Philadelphia Eagles tight end C.J. Uzomah (abdomen) was listed as a full participant in Wednesday's team practice. The 32-year-old picked up an abdomen injury back in Week 17 and could not participate in team activities until last week when his 21-day practice window was opened. Fortunately, he's continued to practice fully, putting him on track to potentially be ready to go for Sunday's Super Bowl showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs. Considering Uzomah hasn't suited up in over a month, he'd likely be on a snap count even if he did play. Look for fellow tight ends Grant Calcaterra and E.J. Jenkins to continue rotating in behind Dallas Goedert on the Eagles' offense if that's the case.

From RotoBaller

Josh Jacobs Feb 5 9:30pm ET
Josh Jacobs

Per Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com, Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs told 97.3 The Game that he thinks his team should invest in a true standout WR1 moving forward. "We've got a really young group of receivers. All can be really, really, really special," said Jacobs. "But I think personally we need a guy...that we know is going to be a little bit more consistent." Green Bay enjoyed much success this season -- finishing 11-6 -- but could not gain any traction in the playoffs. Despite the Packers bolstering four wideouts aged 25 or younger that eclipsed 400 receiving yards in 2024, none of them reached the 1,000-yard mark. However, Green Bay did rank eighth in the league with 26.1 points per game and lost their best deep threat (WR Christian Watson) to a late-season ACL injury. We'll see if the Pack move to secure a new alpha with a few big-name free-agent wideouts available in 2025, such as Tee Higgins, Cooper Kupp, and Amari Cooper.

From RotoBaller

Cam Skattebo Feb 5 8:40pm ET
Cam Skattebo

Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo skipped last weekend's Senior Bowl to focus on the upcoming NFL draft and scouting combine later this month. Skattebo had a huge 2024 season for the Sun Devils, recording 1,711 rushing yards (5.8 yards per carry) , 605 receiving yards (13.4 yards per catch) and 25 total touchdowns while helping ASU to an 11-3 record and a Big 12 championship. The 23-year-old forced 102 missed tackles, behind only Ashton Jeanty among RBs last year. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound back is powerful but also has good hands, catching 69 passes in his two years at Arizona State. While he's a physical RB, Skattebo isn't expected to wow at the combine and isn't expected to come off the board in April's draft in the first couple of rounds. Skattebo will be hoping to improve his draft stock at the scouting combine in Indianapolis and at ASU's pro day.

From RotoBaller

Skyy Moore Feb 5 8:00pm ET
Skyy Moore

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Skyy Moore (abdomen) was the only player on the team listed as limited in their first practice of the week on Wednesday. The Chiefs opened Moore's practice window last week to return from Injured Reserve potentially for the Super Bowl this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, although the Chiefs listed him as doubtful last Friday. The 24-year-old is going to have to upgrade to a full practice on either Thursday or Friday to improve his already dim chances of being activated from IR and suiting up this weekend in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX. He has been on IR since October with a core-muscle injury, so even if he were to be activated, he may not even see the field at all. Moore has so far been a bust for the Chiefs since being taken in the second round in 2022, catching 43 of 74 targets for 494 yards and one touchdown in three seasons.

From RotoBaller

Brandon Graham Feb 5 7:40pm ET
Brandon Graham

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (triceps) said he remains on track to play on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX in what will be his final NFL game, according to FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. Graham suffered a torn triceps in Week 12 against the Los Angeles Rams and had surgery in late November, but he returned to limited practices last week and was also limited on Wednesday. The 36-year-old has a couple more days to prove to the Eagles coaching staff that he deserves to be activated from Injured Reserve by Saturday to play in the Super Bowl. The former first-rounder's return would be a boost to an already strong defense, but given his extended absence, we would expect Graham to be on a limited snap count if he's active. He had a career-high 11 sacks in 2022 but has just 6.5 sacks in 28 games since.

From RotoBaller

Kenneth Gainwell Feb 5 7:30pm ET
Kenneth Gainwell

Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell (concussion, knee) returned to practice on Wednesday and was limited. Gainwell suffered a concussion and knee injury in the victory over the division-rival Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship and was unable to practice at all last week. While his availability for Super Bowl LIX this Sunday in New Orleans against the Kansas City Chiefs is still up in the air, it's a good sign that Gainwell is back at practice to begin the week. The 25-year-old will likely need to upgrade to a full participant in practice by the end of the week, though, in order to be cleared by an independent neurologist to play in the Super Bowl. If Gainwell does gain clearance to play this weekend, he could have an even smaller workload behind starter Saquon Barkley and cede touches to third-stringer Will Shipley.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Goedert Feb 5 7:30pm ET
Dallas Goedert

Despite not practicing at all last week, Philadelphia Eagles tight ends Dallas Goedert (ankle) returned to a full practice session on Wednesday. TE C.J. Uzomah (abdomen) was also a full-go. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise after the Eagles didn't list Goedert on last Friday's final injury report. They were merely giving the 30-year-old tight end some extra rest in the extra week leading up to Super Bowl LIX. Goedert will be a full-go this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs and should remain a focal point of Philly's passing attack as the team looks to prevent the Chiefs from winning their third straight Lombardi Trophy. He was also listed with an ankle injury in the week leading up to the NFC Championship against the division-rival Washington Commanders, but he played and caught seven passes for 85 yards. Goedert has been busy with 15 receptions, 188 yards and a score in three postseason games this year.

From RotoBaller

DeVonta Smith Feb 5 7:20pm ET
DeVonta Smith

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) was listed as a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. Smith picked up a hamstring injury in the NFC Championship win over the division-rival Washington Commanders and was held out of practice all of last week. However, he has now returned to the practice field and should be able to upgrade to a full session by either Thursday or Friday. Smith shouldn't be in any danger of missing Super Bowl LIX this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, where he'll be looking for his first touchdown of the postseason after catching four touchdown passes in his last four games of the regular season. The 26-year-old was cleared from the final injury report last Friday despite not practicing all week and will be a vital part of Philly's passing game as the Eagles look to prevent KC from becoming the first team to win three straight Super Bowl rings.

From RotoBaller

J.J. McCarthy Feb 5 4:00pm ET
J.J. McCarthy

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) missed his entire rookie campaign after suffering a preseason ACL tear ahead of the 2024 campaign. The No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was expected to be brought along slowly, but there was a chance he would see playing time in Year 1. With McCarthy sidelined, veteran Sam Darnold started 17 games and threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Darnold is set to become a free agent this offseason, but the team could opt to bring him back. During an appearance on the "Rich Eisen Show," McCarthy said, "All I can ask for is a fair opportunity. That's the one that I feel like everybody's given and it's fundamental. When money gets involved, things get complicated, and reps get skewed and there's different things that come into the whole 'political' world that everyone talks about." It's unclear if the 22-year-old is feeling uneasy about his future with Minnesota following Darnold's breakout season, but it would be a surprise if the Vikings pulled the plug on their latest No. 10 overall pick so early.

From RotoBaller

Patrick Mahomes Feb 5 3:50pm ET
Patrick Mahomes

Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter (illness) missed his media availability on Wednesday due to an illness, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Philadelphia has yet to release a practice report for Wednesday, so it remains to be seen if he took part in the first official session of the week. Needless to say, it would take a lot for a player to miss the Super Bowl, so it would be a shocking development if he wasn't ready to suit up against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The 23-year-old made his first Pro Bowl roster and earned a second-team All-Pro nod in just his second NFL season this year and will be a major factor in whether the Eagles can limit Patrick Mahomes by providing pressure against the Chiefs' stout interior offensive line.

From RotoBaller

Courtland Sutton Feb 5 3:40pm ET
Courtland Sutton

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said the team needs a "joker" on an appearance on the "Up & Adams" show. The longtime NFL head coach explained he is referring to a tight end or running back with "exceptional" receiving skills. "They have to be elite receivers that play tight end or running back." Payton expressed confidence in his wide receiver group consisting of Courtland Sutton, Devaughn Vele, and Troy Franklin. While you should always take a head coach's statements with a grain of salt, this could suggest Denver will target a tight end or running back in the first two rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Glenn Feb 5 3:20pm ET
Aaron Glenn

New York Jets linebacker Jermaine Johnson (Achilles) said he will be ready for OTAs this offseason following an Achilles tear in Week 2 of the 2024 campaign. "I'll be ready to go by OTAs," Johnson said. "I spoke to the doc on Saturday and he said everything looks perfect. He said that thing ain't re-tearing. Everything is looking good. The explosion is coming back. I'm excited." The 2022 first-round pick had a lackluster rookie season with just 2.5 sacks before posting 7.5 sacks in 2023. He was viewed as a potential breakout candidate heading into 2024 before his season ended in a flash. Johnson could start slow as he recovers from the major injury in 2025, but the 26-year-old could still pan out as a potential difference-maker for new head coach Aaron Glenn's defense.

From RotoBaller

Todd Bowles Feb 5 3:10pm ET
Todd Bowles

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hiring longtime college football coach Charlie Strong to serve as the defensive line coach ahead of the 2025 NFL season. Strong began his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 1983 with the University of Florida and has held several jobs for nearly a dozen college football programs. He was the head coach of Louisville while Teddy Bridgewater played quarterback for the Cardinals and spent three seasons at Texas and three seasons at South Florida as a head coach. The 64-year-old has just one season of NFL coaching experience with the Jaguars as a linebackers coach in 2021. However, Strong has a wealth of defensive knowledge and could be an impactful addition to Todd Bowles' staff.

From RotoBaller

Brock Purdy Feb 5 1:10pm ET
Brock Purdy

Despite underwhelming in 2024 after throwing for a single-season franchise record of 4,280 passing yards in 2023, The Athletic's Dianna Russini thinks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy could make up to $55-$60 million on his next deal. Purdy is entering the final year of his rookie deal in 2025 and is set to become the highest-paid player in franchise history. In a worst-case scenario if the Niners don't sign Purdy to an extension this offseason, they could franchise tag him so that he doesn't reach the open market next year. "Let's make it clear though, I don't think Brock Purdy's sitting there going, 'I'm demanding I want to be the highest-paid quarterback,'" Russini said. Purdy finished with 3,864 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games, but he wasn't helped by season-ending injuries to Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk. He could rebound in 2025 as a QB1 for fantasy managers.

From RotoBaller

Wil Lutz Feb 5 12:30pm ET
Wil Lutz

The Athletic's Nick Kosmider writes that it's probably a no-brainer decision for the Denver Broncos to bring back veteran kicker Wil Lutz in 2025 despite the fact that he has no guaranteed money left on his current deal. If the Broncos wanted to, they could cut Lutz this offseason for a savings of at least $3 million with limited dead money left behind. Lutz is scheduled to make $3.89 million in 2025, but after being one of the most accurate and trustworthy kickers in the NFL this past season, it would be a surprise if the Broncos cut him. Not only does head coach Sean Payton have plenty of trust and history with Lutz, but Lutz also kicked for the New Orleans Saints under Darren Rizzi, who is likely to become Denver's next special teams coordinator. The 30-year-old finished as the No. 7 kicker in overall fantasy points by making 31 of his 34 field goal-attempts and all 46 of his extra points in 17 regular-season games.

From RotoBaller

Myles Garrett Feb 5 12:30pm ET
Myles Garrett

The Athletic's Dianna Russini said on the Dan Le Batard Show that the situation with All-Pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns could "get really messy" this offseason. "I had somebody in the league share with me yesterday that they just think this could get really messy. This is about winning for Myles Garrett. This is about him wanting to go be part of an organization that is built toward winning," Russini said. Garrett made public his desire to be traded on Monday. The Browns are holding firm on their stance that they have no intentions of trading the star pass-rusher and are likely prepared to overpay to keep him in Cleveland. However, this isn't about money for Garrett, but rather playing for an organization that has a realistic shot at winning a Super Bowl. If the Browns eventually give in and trade the 29-year-old, they could easily get multiple first-round picks for him. Stay tuned this offseason.

From RotoBaller

Nik Bonitto Feb 5 12:20pm ET
Nik Bonitto

Although Denver Broncos general manager George Paton said the team hasn't had conversations yet, The Athletic's Nick Kosmider thinks it will be a pressing question this offseason as to whether the team will agree to a lucrative contract extension with pass-rusher Nik Bonitto. The former second-rounder in 2022 is entering the final year of his rookie deal in 2025 after he finished third in the NFL with 13.5 sacks to earn Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. Denver just signed pass-rusher Jonathan Cooper to a four-year extension worth up to $60 million last November. The Broncos could wait until just before training camp this summer to sign Bonitto to an extension, but the franchise tag is another option to keep him from reaching free agency next offseason. If an extension gets done with the 25-year-old, it could be the most lucrative contract in franchise history.

From RotoBaller

Rashee Rice Feb 5 12:10pm ET
Rashee Rice

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee), who is on Injured Reserve, is doing well, which is "a good sign for next year." Rice will not play in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Feb. 9, against the Philadelphia Eagles after he had surgery to fix the LCL in his right knee way back in October of last year. The 24-year-old also suffered a tear of his hamstring in 2024, but the good news is that barring any setbacks this offseason, he should be fully ready for the start of the 2025 season this fall. And when fully healthy, Rice should return to being quarterback Patrick Mahomes' No. 1 target in the passing game. Before suffering his season-ending injury, the former third-rounder had 24 catches on 29 targets for 288 yards and two touchdowns. The only thing standing in the way of his fantasy value for next season is a potential suspension for an off-the-field incident last March.

From RotoBaller