Draft Review: Marvel

Last year we had a brisk ninety-minute draft and this year went just two hours on the dot. Not bad! Once again, we all were present and we get another year of eighteen man rosters, ready to compete. [2017 Inscrutable Drama Kings draft review]

Chunky Monkeys (4-9)
After winning the Toilet Bowl and getting ranked as the worst keeper core in CTDB, Monkeys went a long way toward rebuilding after selecting consensus beast Saquon Barkley with the first overall pick. And then it got weird… Michael Crabtree and Mark Ingram were first out of the gate and its safe to say both players have seen better days. Sleeper tight end Trey Burton was a nice get in RD4 and Evan should hit on one of his young guys like Marquise Goodwin, Christ Thompson, Kenny Stills, or Chris Godwin. Kirk Cousins will lead this team out of the cellar — or Matt Stafford — and well, that’s about it. Still, for all his work behind-the-scenes, and for that incredible draft spreadsheet, we can’t give Monkeys anything less than a stellar score.
Grade: A++

LA Buffy (5-8)
It’s been a long drought for Roger, our three-time champs who has gone a long six years (and counting) between titles. It was time for new blood — Buffy had the oldest team in 2017 — after last year’s debacle and our second place Toilet Bowl finisher loaded up on Royce Freeman at 1.2, Ronald Jones at 2.2, and another rookie runner, Jordan Wilkins at 9.2. With the pre-draft addition of Jerick McKinnon, Buffy should have a backfield full of excitement. The receiving corps is a bunch of semi-old to straight up old guys, save the always underperforming Sammy Watkins. AJ Green, Larry Fitz, and Doug Baldwin will be joined by Julian Edelman, Randall Cobb, and Donte Moncrief. The duo of Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck will be solid, and when you go kicker in RD6, you are declaring your intentions for some wins. Who gets to four titles first: Chunky or Buffy? Shout out to Roger for throwing out potential new division names, and giving us our favorites, “Marvel vs Capcom.”
Grade: B

Tiiite End Jammers (6-7)
The Jammers are loaded, with their keeper core being ranked number one overall by analysts. Our champ from 2014 couldn’t resist the best quarterback in the land coming to them at 1.4 and now this keeper core is by far the best around. If Rodgers can stay on the field, watch out! Rookies Sony Michel and Kerryon Johnson compete for a starting gig while a strange backup receiver core of Jordy Nelson, Dez Bryant (still unsigned), and Kelvin Benjamin will likely not even see the field, especially with 5.1 Emmanual Sanders in front of them. We like the combo of Delanie Walker and Tyler Eifert at tight end, but to be real, it’s going to be a gigantic year of Jammers to use Rodgers and his all-world potential to take pole position for the 2018 season.
Grade: A-

Athena Nike (8-5)
Despite sort-of trying to tank last year, Athena went 8-5 and almost won the division! The core five are fantastic and with three extra picks in RD2 and RD3, Frank got to work mining for more gems. Armed with 2.7, 2.8, and 2.10, Nike drafted Mike Williams, Michael Gallup, and Donta Foreman (who will start the season on the PUP list). Back-to-back picks at 3.7 and 3.8 brought in yet another rookie receiver, Courtland Sutton, and the shocking selection of Adrian Peterson, who wasn’t even on Evan’s big board. But when you got lots of picks you can afford to take big swings. Packers sophomore running back Jamaal Williams is the guy to have in Green Bay, and then Derrius Guice, the likely number-two rookie before his injury, will be an auto-IR candidate for a draft-and-stash. Whew! Add in Josh Doctson, Jordan Reed, more rookies in Kalen Balalge, Matt Breida, and Christian Kirk, and our favorite last round pick: Lamar Jackson, and this team might not even miss Aaron Rodgers. Speaking of Rodgers, the new starting quarterback, Cam Newton (1.8) was the result of some controversy as Frank came to the draft late and was given Newton by a certain someone — thus missing out on his pre-season 1.8 target: Calvin Ridley. Still, Nike is the presumptive 2019 favorite, even while being a true contender with that talented core in 2018.
Grade: B+, but probably A- without the tardiness

Dirty Birds (8-5)
Our reigning champs -- and four-time winners -- might have snaked Calvin Ridley away at 1.10, but the next great Falcon probably won’t grade out as more than a WR4 this season. So with that in mind, Jon took four other receivers, all young but mostly flashes in the pan: Nelson Agholor, Rishard Matthews, Jamison Crowder, Martavis Bryant, and over-the-hill Pierre Garcon. However, getting a top DEF (5.10 - Rams) and K (10.10 - Justin Tucker) means Dirty Birds are here for business, and with Drew Brees leading the way, they’ll look to get the first repeat in CTDB history. Oh yeah, OJ Howard and Cameron Brats are the tight ends here, so that’s like, whatever. Let's go Birds!
Draft: C-