This is the second season after a late summer 2015 start up where I used a lot of UTH philosophies. As you will read below, the season did not go as planned, but my approach left me flexibility entering into Year 3. The format is a start 1QB, 1RB, 3WR, 1TE, 2Flex, Kicker, and DST, with standard PPR scoring.
2016 Roster Review Draft Review
Entering the 2016 season, my quarterback and running back positions were the weakest aspects of my roster. At quarterback, I had Alex Smith and Teddy Bridgewater.
My start-up strategy targeted T.J. Yeldon in the fourth, Bishop Sankey in the ninth, and Jay Ajayi and Ryan Matthews in the 12th and 13th rounds respectively. Entering the season, Sankey was of little value. I also sold Jay Ajayi for 1.06. He was a healthy return on my investment, but I was left with little beyond Yeldon and free agent acquisition Darren Sproles in my backfield.
Receivers were the strength of my roster with Mike Evans, Brandin Cooks, Michael Floyd, Jordan Matthews, Breshad Perriman, Sammie Coates and preseason hype player Tyler Lockett. With the option to start five wide receivers, I felt secure in my receiving corps.
Tyler Eifert and Eric Ebron also provided me solid options at tight end.
2016 Rookie Draft
Entering the 2016 rookie draft, I had 1.04, 1.06, 2.04 and 3.04.
With 1.04 I was able to secure Corey Coleman, the No.2 player on my board, and a good long-term asset to add to my receiver depth. When I was on the clock at 1.06, I received an offer of 2.06 and a 2017 1st for the pick. Derrick Henry was gone at 1.05, so adding a running back at that point was not a realistic option. In a weak class, I pounced on the offer, as I thought the 2017 1st was likely to be a top 4 pick. I proceeded to add Leonte Carroo at 2.04, Jared Goff at 2.06, and Bruce Ellington at 3.04.
2016 Season Failure
With two 2017 1st round picks, my plan entering the season was simple: wait out the start of the season to see where my roster left me midseason. If competitive, multiple 2017 1sts and youth at wide receiver could be leveraged to upgrade at quarterback and running back. If I fell out of contention, I could sell production for 2017 picks in a perceived strong running back class.
The plan called for me to play matchups between Bridgewater and Smith and hope for high QB2 production and mid-RB2 type production between Yeldon, Mathews and Sproles. This, coupled with strengths at wide receiver and tight end could keep me competitive while maintaining a young core.
The plan worked well, for one week. My lineup posted the highest score in the league in the first week and proceeded to lose seven straight. Injuries and underperformance defined the season. Bridgewater, Coleman, Lockett and Eifert all suffered injuries. Likewise, Yeldon, Floyd, Matthews, Coates and Perriman all underperformed expectations.
Fortunately, I was able to make valuable additions in season. Cameron Meredith, Terrance West, Dwayne Washington and Tim Hightower were helpful waiver wire acquisition. I again struck good value during the bye weeks adding C.J. Prosise off waivers when he was cut.
I was conservative in the running back trade market because I saw few safe assets with the upcoming 2017 draft class. I planned to spend on running back in the trade market only if my roster was a true playoff contender in midseason. This plan allowed me to remain flexible with long-term value simmering on my roster. With the injuries and poor production at key spots in my lineup, I was unwilling to trade for immediate production.
Similarly, quarterbacks were hard to acquire at a reasonable price so I rode out Smith and an occasional streamer. I turned and flipped Terrance West for a 2017 second during his productive midseason stretch.
My season turned into a bust, as I finished the season 3-10 with the 1.02 in the 2017 rookie draft. Fortunately, I added some valuable pieces in season in Meredith and Prosise. Waiting on adding risky assets left the roster with plenty of package up opportunities in the offseason. Better yet, the 2017 1st I acquired is 1.01.
2017 Outlook
Looking toward 2017 a number of objectives are clear. First, adding running back talent is vital. Yeldon and Prosise are nice pieces, but difficult to count on for RB2 production. With 1.01 and 1.02, I am sitting dead red with my eye on Dalvin Cook and Leonard Fournette. I also have two 2017 seconds with a plan to add at least three rookie running backs with the picks in the draft.
Second, remain patient at wide receiver while looking for opportunities to package up. Selling high on Meredith and packaging up with Perriman and Coates are all goals at the right price.
Third, upgrading at quarterback at a reasonable price is imperative to contending.
My roster sits in the 380s in the trade calculator including the value of the four top-16 picks. Accomplishing all three of the goals should help take a huge leap in 2017.
Roster
Alex Smith, Teddy Bridgewater, Jared Goff
T.J. Yeldon, C.J. Prosise, Wendell Smallwood, Dwayne Washington, Tim Hightower, Darren Sproles
Mike Evans, Brandin Cooks, Corey Coleman, Jordan Matthews, Michael Floyd, Tyler Lockett, Cameron Meredith, Breshad Perriman, Sammie Coates, Leonte Carroo, Bruce Ellington, Brian Quick
Tyler Eifert, Eric Ebron
