TTR - 2021 Draft

Welcome to the 2021 ManChild Draft Review. I took a simple approach this year and simply mentioned pick(s) I love and hate for each team. Additionally, I added a pick(s) that I thought had an interesting range of outcomes. Just as a guide for my evaluation process, I generally love picks that value low risk, high upside, and high touches/opportunity and I hate picks with lots of questions, taking QBs early, and drafting DSTs and Ks in any round that isn’t the 14th or 15th. You might disagree, but that’s why you’re wrong.

*I wrote most of this right after the draft, and will appropriately notate all comments colored by recent developments

#1: Josh T.

Love It: Ridley, WR7, Rd. 2 - a potentially top-3 pick at the end of Rd. 2 is great value

Hate It: Dak, QB6, Rd. 4 - yes, there is high upside, but taking a QB here means that Dak has to return to 2019 and early 2020 form immediately. *I obviously hate this pick a little less after Week 1.

We’ll See: CEH, RB14, Rd. 3 - I love CEH’s game, I even drafted him last year in Rd. 1, but I just don’t know if the conventional wisdom about the lead back in an Andy Reid offense holds true anymore.

#2: Kommish

Love It: Henry - we knew it was coming, to quote Draft Day, “He took a chance and went with his gut and took his guys. Make no mistake about it, the Cleveland Browns are his team now for sure.” I also liked the Lindsey pick in the 15th, he could end up as the top RB in HOU.

Hate It: WFT and Koo - what the hell, are we doing this again!?! You can look up my past rants to understand my distain.

We’ll See: Josh Jacobs, RB15, Rd. 3 - 2019 Jacobs or 2020 Jacobs?

#3: 0.5

Love It: Swift, RB25, Rd. 5 - early career Kamara production in the 5th, all-day, err-day!

Hate It: (with a passion) Chase, WR14, Rd. 4 - no excuses but this shoulda been Woods, Lamb, Kupp, Cooper, Lockett, or Thielen. *I don’t hate this one as much as I originally did, but still not great value in the 4th.

We’ll See: Just about every pick after Rd. 5 - I set out to chase upside, and my oh my did I succeed. I just hope a few of these pay off.

#4: Travan

Love It: Hurts, QB12, Rd. 9 - Top-10 potential in the 9th round. *Looks like a great pick so far!

Hate It: Rodgers, QB 9, Rd. 6 - The hate here is about roster construction, instead of a QB this pick should have been an RB3. I know why it happened, but that doesn’t excuse the results

We’ll See: Smith, WR29, Rd. 7 - The Heisman Trophy winner might be this year’s Justin Jefferson, or maybe Smith will be this year’s Jalen Reagor.

#5: Jason

Love It: WR room - Jason got great value by getting Robinson in the 4th, CeeDee in the 5th, and Sutton in the 9th.

Hate It: Zeke, Rd 1 - It’s 2021, not 2019.

We’ll See: Montgomery in the 3rd and Harris in the 7th - There is potential for two solid RB1/2s or for 2 busts in the early rounds, these were high risk, high upside picks. *The news of Michel’s release certainly helps the Harris pick look better.

#6: Andy

Love It: WR depth - Robby Anderson in the 9th and AB in the 10th give Andy great depth at WR. *These picks look even better after Week 1.

Hate It: RB depth - RoJo in the 2nd and Edmonds in the 3rd were picks with lots of questions, these pick could have been Sanders, Gaskin, Dobbins, Swift, Carson, or Davis all with much better defined roles and higher upside. Also, Bills DST in the 7th…what in the actual fuck!

We’ll See: Tannehill in the 6th - Maybe Tannehill is better than Herbert, Rodgers, and Brady…maybe?!?

#7: JWilli

Love It: Nelson Agholor in the 15th - a pedigreed WR and potential WR1 on his team in the final round is the kind of value that tickles the gooch.

Hate It: Waiting until Rd 11 for RB3 - taking 2 QBs and a DST (for fuck’s sake) before getting a backup RB is crazy!

We’ll See: Najee in the 2nd - I know the arguments for, but it’s still a crapshoot in the 2nd especially with Gibson and Mixon still on the board.

#8: Wes

Love It: M. Davis in the 4th and Mostert in the 5th - these are the kind of picks you need to make a zero RB draft work. *Unfortunately Mostert is already on IR.

Hate It: DST/K - seriously!

We’ll See: The entire draft strategy - Wes’ entire draft strategy is a giant question mark.

#9: Zak

Love It: Ekeler in Round 1 - not much to say here except that I think Ekeler has a career year, full disclosure, Matthew Berry made Ekeler his “Ride or Die” this year so I guess I am not alone.

Hate It: M. Thomas in the 5th - We knew Thomas was gonna miss time before the draft making this a really risky WR2 pick this early in the draft.

We’ll See: Rams DST - it’s homer pick I know, but DST dominance is difficult to sustain year to year plus REALLY A DST IN A SINGLE DIGIT ROUND!!!

#10: Angel

Love It: Gaskin in 3, Carson in 4, and Hunt in 5 - a nicely executed zero RB draft.

Hate It: Kittle over Waller - this is probably personal preference, but I don’t think it’s as close fantasy wise as it is in real life football.

We’ll See: OBJ - the player hardest to slot with the widest range of outcomes.

#11: Chris

Love It: WR Room - I especially Amari in 5 and Claypool in 7, nice value picks here.

Hate It: No QB2 - 1 QB is often recommended by fantasy “experts”, but the same “experts” would also recommend knowing your league. In ManChild, where almost everyone takes 2-3 QBs, the pool is depleted, and running with 1 QB isn’t recommended.

We’ll See: Pitts, Rd 6 - great value or too much hype?

#12: David

Love It: Kelce in the 12 hole! I am surprised that he dropped this far and I am sure David was elated he did.

Hate It: Rounds 9-11 - I hate the Cousins pick because your ruined my draft plan and then a DST and K…no bueno David, no bueno!

We’ll See: Henderson - Instead of Carson, Davis, and Swift…it’s homer pick for sure.

Rudys

Love It: You made it through the draft.

Hate it: You drafted on index cards.

We’ll See: If I spend more than 30 seconds thinking about what happens in the Rudy league each week.

All Hail ManChild.

0.5 Commish, OUT!