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Best Ball Scout Championship

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

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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 [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 5

Player Notes
Christian Gonzalez Oct 6 9:10pm CT
Christian Gonzalez

The New England Patriots' defense tallied one interception and one fumble recovery while allowing just 15 points during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Christian Gonzalez registered the pick while New England's special teams unit was responsible for the fumble on a blocked punt. Miami also botched a field goal attempt on a bad snap, but the Dolphins were able to pounce on top of the loose ball, effectively ending the drive without crediting New England for a fumble recovery. Elsewhere on the stat sheet, the Patriots registered three sacks, five tackles for loss, and 372 yards allowed. Their road gets much tougher heading into a Week 6 clash with C.J. Stroud's Houston Texans.

From RotoBaller

Brenton Strange Oct 6 9:00pm CT
Brenton Strange

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange caught one of the two passing touchdowns quarterback Trevor Lawrence had in a 37-34 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Strange finished with 24 yards on four catches. The young tight end now has two touchdowns and 120 yards on the season. It seemed like Evan Engram (hamstring) had a decent chance of returning in Week 5, but that was not the case, so the second-year pro got the start for the third straight game. This could be the last start Strange gets, so his fantasy managers should be happy with his fantasy output over the past few weeks given his status as a backup tight end. If Engram were to miss even more time, Strange would continue to be a solid streaming option. The Jaguars face off against the Chicago Bears in London in Week 6, where it will be interesting to see how involved Strange is if Engram does return.

From RotoBaller

Ja'Lynn Polk Oct 6 9:00pm CT
Ja'Lynn Polk

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk converted six targets into just one catch for 13 yards during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. While the rookie's fantasy output was disappointing, managers should feel optimistic about some of his underlying statistics. For starters, Polk has 13 targets over the last two weeks combined, which is the highest mark on the team during that span. He also played 100 percent of snaps on Sunday, becoming the first Patriots wide receiver to play every offensive snap in a single game this season. (No New England wide receiver previously eclipsed the 85-percent mark.) Furthermore, he came very close to catching his second career touchdown pass, missing out on the go-ahead score by mere inches as his foot barely landed out of bounds. All in all, Polk has emerged as one of Jacoby Brissett's favorite weapons as of late. While it hasn't led to noteworthy fantasy production, he's still on the radar as an up-and-coming pass-catcher in the New England offense. He's worth monitoring in deeper leagues as the season carries on. His next chance to leave an impression will come in Week 6 when the Patriots host the Houston Texans.

From RotoBaller

Chuba Hubbard Oct 6 9:00pm CT
Chuba Hubbard

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard reeled off another excellent performance in the team's 36-10 loss to the Chicago Bears. Quarterback Andy Dalton threw for just 136 scoreless yards Sunday -- and was eventually benched for second-year QB Bryce Young in the waning minutes of regulation -- but that didn't stop Hubbard from ripping off another big stat line. The 25-year-old toted the rock 13 times, churning out 97 yards and a touchdown on the ground while hauling in all four of his targets for -2 "additional" yards. It marks the fourth-year back's third-straight outing with a touchdown and four in a row with at least four catches. Additionally, he was just three yards shy of eclipsing the century mark in his third consecutive game. The former fourth-round pick has been a pleasant surprise of fantasy output over the last few weeks. However, the question arises of his role if and when quarterback Bryce Young regains control of this offense. When that happens is anyone's guess, but until then, Hubbard can be considered a high-end RB2 with upside. He'll have a harder time reaching those marks against the Falcons in Week 6, but he is a must-start option.

From RotoBaller

Hunter Henry Oct 6 9:00pm CT
Hunter Henry

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry caught two of four targets for 32 yards through the air during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Henry has caught just two passes in four of his five games this season, with the lone exception being a somewhat anomalous eight-catch, 109-yard outburst back in Week 2. Despite playing a season-high 93.3 percent of snaps on Sunday, the 29-year-old veteran continues to have his fantasy value limited within the Patriots' struggling offense. He remains off the fantasy radar in most leagues ahead of a Week 6 clash versus the Houston Texans.

From RotoBaller

Brock Purdy Oct 6 9:00pm CT
Brock Purdy

Quarterback Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers fell short in a 24-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Santa Clara. He finished with 19 completions of 35 attempts for 244 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Purdy also gained 33 rushing yards on four scrambles. While fantasy managers would much rather see more passing touchdowns, it's worth noting that he's been much more adept at contributing on the ground this year. After today, he's averaging 21.6 yards rushing per game, much higher than his nine yards per carry last year. The interceptions certainly stung in this one, but Purdy was a victim of bad luck as one of his interceptions was batted at the line and the other popped high into the air when he was hit as he threw. The third-year pro showed a renewed rapport with receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who he targeted 12 times for 8 receptions and 147 yards. Purdy has a short turnaround as he hits the road to face the Seattle Seahawks for the first time this year on Thursday Night Football.

From RotoBaller

Matthew Stafford Oct 6 8:50pm CT
Matthew Stafford

The Green Bay Packers' defense and special teams unit was very active against the Los Angeles Rams in their 24-19 victory in Week 5. The defense pressured Matthew Stafford into three sacks and an interception, plus forced and recovered a fumble of Kyren Williams in the first Rams drive of the second half. The Packers D/ST allowed 370 total yards and put up some healthy stats for fantasy managers on the afternoon from a team that was missing their top two wide receivers. The Packers will head home and host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, where there could be some points put up by the Cardinals. Still, with the Packers performing the way they are, they're easily a startable fantasy defense moving forward.

From RotoBaller

Greg Joseph Oct 6 8:50pm CT
Greg Joseph

New York Giants kicker Greg Joseph continued his perfect streak in Sunday's 29-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, going 3-for-3 on field goals for the second straight week. Joseph drilled a long of 38 yards and added two extra points, contributing 11 total points to the Giants' win. His reliability on special teams has been crucial, as he remains flawless through two weeks, consistently converting his opportunities. With his 100% field goal percentage intact from the past two games, Joseph is shaping up as a strong fantasy kicker option, especially for teams seeking steady production.

From RotoBaller

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Oct 6 8:50pm CT
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

The Cleveland Browns defense struggled in a 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 5. Cleveland allowed 34 points and 434 yards of total offense to the Commanders in the blowout road loss while notching three sacks and forcing two turnovers. The Browns were led by Za'Darius Smith, who had one sack, and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who had an interception, a forced fumble, and five total tackles in the contest. Things won't get much easier for the Browns as they will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Demario Douglas Oct 6 8:50pm CT
Demario Douglas

New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas caught six of nine targets for 59 yards during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The 23-year-old played two-thirds of the team's offensive snaps, which was his second-highest mark of the season. It's been an inconsistent start to the year for Douglas, who has two games with nine targets and three games with three or fewer targets. He's difficult to trust given the Patriots' subpar offense, but managers have to be at least somewhat optimistic about his rest-of-season value given his short-yardage role on a team that will spend most of this season playing from behind. Even with Kendrick Bourne returning to the mix and Ja'Lynn Polk taking on an enormous role, Douglas maintains his stand-alone WR3/FLEX value in deeper fantasy football leagues.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Jones Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Daniel Jones

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones delivered a game-winning performance in Sunday's 29-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks despite missing rookie sensation Malik Nabers and starting running back Devin Singletary. Jones completed 23 of 34 passes, throwing for 232 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, averaging 7.6 yards per attempt. He also added 38 rushing yards, though he was sacked three times and didn't find the end zone on the ground. With 22.08 fantasy points, Jones showcased his ability to manage the game effectively, making key throws in a shorthanded offense, and remains a reliable QB2 option, especially with his dual-threat capabilities.

From RotoBaller

Tyrone Tracy Jr. Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Tyrone Tracy Jr.

New York Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. made the most of his starting opportunity in Sunday's 29-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks, filling in for the injured Devin Singletary (groin). Tracy rushed for an impressive 129 yards on 18 carries, averaging 7.2 yards per attempt, with his longest run going for 27 yards. While he wasn't a factor in the passing game, recording just one catch for one yard, his strong ground performance helped the Giants control the clock and pace of the game. Despite not finding the end zone, Tracy's 13.5 fantasy points make him a solid waiver-wire pickup in deeper leagues, especially if Singletary's injury lingers.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Akins Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Jordan Akins

Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Akins caught all three of his targets for 22 yards and a touchdown in a 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 5. Akins scored Cleveland's only touchdown in garbage time as he hauled in a 10-yard score with 7:06 left in the game, cutting the Commanders' lead to 34-12. The veteran tight end was expected to see his role scaled back with David Njoku returning from an ankle injury in Week 5, but Njoku injured his knee during the loss to the Commanders and could be looking at another absence. Akins is worth a look in deep leagues and tight-end premium formats if Njoku ends up missing time with his latest ailment.

From RotoBaller

Theo Johnson Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Theo Johnson

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson had the biggest game of his rookie season in Sunday's 29-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks, hauling in all five of his targets for 48 yards. Johnson's 22-yard catch highlighted his afternoon, helping the Giants sustain key drives. Averaging 9.6 yards per reception, he proved to be a reliable short-to-intermediate option for Daniel Jones in a game where others had to step up due to injuries. While his 7.3 fantasy points aren't eye-popping, Johnson's growing involvement in the offense makes him an intriguing stash in deeper leagues, especially as he gains more trust in critical situations.

From RotoBaller

Wan'Dale Robinson Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Wan'Dale Robinson

New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson stepped up in Sunday's 29-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks, helping fill the void left by Malik Nabers' absence. Robinson caught six of his nine targets for 36 yards, averaging just six yards per reception, but he made his mark with a crucial receiving touchdown. Though his longest catch was only nine yards, his consistent involvement in the short passing game was vital for the Giants' offense. Robinson's 13 fantasy points, boosted by his touchdown, make him a valuable flex option moving forward, especially if Nabers remains out and Robinson continues to see an expanded role.

From RotoBaller

Dustin Hopkins Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Dustin Hopkins

Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins made both of his field goals and added an extra point in a 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 5. Hopkins made field goals from 51 and 31 yards out in the blowout loss to Washington. The veteran kicker has been a reliable field-goal maker for the Browns this season, making seven of his eight attempts and six of his seven extra points. Hopkins has shown a big leg since joining the Browns ahead of the 2023 season, hitting 11 of his 12 attempts from 50+ yards. Hopkins will now begin preparing to take on the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Darius Slayton Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Darius Slayton

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton capitalized on an uptick in playing time due to Malik Nabers' injury in Sunday's 29-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks, delivering a standout performance with eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown. Slayton was heavily involved in the passing game, seeing 11 targets, and his 41-yard deep reception was a highlight. Averaging 15.3 yards per catch, he consistently stretched the field, providing a reliable deep threat for Daniel Jones. His increased role resulted in 22.2 fantasy points, making him a possible start in Week 6 if Nabers remains sidelined, especially given his enhanced target volume and ability to make big plays downfield.

From RotoBaller

Jacoby Brissett Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Jacoby Brissett

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett completed 18 of 34 passes for 164 yards, zero touchdowns, and zero turnovers during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He also rushed for 10 yards and took two sacks. Although it was promising to see Brissett play turnover-free football for the fourth time in five weeks, it was just as frustrating to watch him finish his third game of the year without a single touchdown pass. The veteran failed to lead a potential game-winning drive and still hasn't eclipsed 170 passing yards in a single game this season. Fantasy managers should continue to avoid Brissett, whose job security has dwindled even further as Drake Maye waits in the wings.

From RotoBaller

Bradley Chubb Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Bradley Chubb

Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland (hand) was forced from the team's 15-10 victory over the New England Patriots with a broken bone in his hand and did not return to the contest. Holland is the team's fourth-leading tackler and defended his first pass of the season in Miami's win on Sunday. However, he was spotted in a cast after the game and will miss time after breaking a bone in his left hand. It's another blow to the Dolphins' lineup as the injuries keep piling up on both sides of the ball. In addition to losing linebacker Jaelan Phillips (knee) to a season-ending knee injury, safety Jordan Poyer (shin) was also unavailable for Sunday's contest. Not to mention, edge rusher Bradley Chubb has not been in the lineup all season. While the severity of the 24-year-old's injury has yet to be determined, it's expected he'll need some time to recover. In his stead, safety Elijah Campbell will be in line for an uptick in snaps. However, with the team on bye in Week 6, Holland and the remaining injured Dolphins will have an extended recovery period ahead of a Week 7 road matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

From RotoBaller

Christian Kirk Oct 6 8:40pm CT
Christian Kirk

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk had a solid outing in a 37-34 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Kirk finished with four catches on four targets for 88 yards, including a 61 yard reception. Both Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr. have become reliable receiving options for Trevor Lawrence, combining for 210 of Lawrence's 371 passing yards on the day. Kirk wasn't as heavily targeted as he has been in recent games, but he made the most of them. The 27-year-old receiver now has put together three straight good performances after two horrid performances to start the year. It seems the first two games are well behind him at this point. While BTJ has been the standout option for the Jaguars in fantasy, Kirk has been great as well and should continue to produce going forward as the offense continues to improve. Kirk and the Jaguars take on the Chicago Bears in London in Week 6.

From RotoBaller