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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
Fred Warner Oct 8 12:10am CT
Fred Warner

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) was listed as a limited participant on Monday's practice estimation. The star defender has been dealing with a lingering ankle issue over the last couple of weeks. While it hasn't caused him to miss a game yet, it has kept him on the injury report and impacted his practice participation. Fortunately, the fact that he's listed as limited with three days until Thursday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks is a good sign. Warner is trending in the right direction and should be able to suit up in Week 6, barring a setback. He'll look to build on an impressive campaign that has included 39 tackles, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, one touchdown, and one sack.

From RotoBaller

Charvarius Ward Oct 8 12:00am CT
Charvarius Ward

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward (knee) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (wrist) were both listed as non-participants on Monday's practice estimate. The 49ers didn't actually practice, but if they had, Ward and Hufanga would have been absent. This raises some concerns for their Week 6 availability given that there are less than three days until the Niners face the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. If San Francisco ends up being without Ward, who has 22 tackles this season, Isaac Yiadom would step up in his absence. Meanwhile, Hufanga, who has eight tackles through two games, would be replaced by George Odum.

From RotoBaller

Chris Conley Oct 8 12:00am CT
Chris Conley

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Chris Conley (oblique) was officially estimated as a non-participant on Monday. The 31-year-old missed Week 5 and now runs the risk of missing Week 6, too. The Niners are on a short week with their next game scheduled for Thursday night against the Seattle Seahawks. On a positive note, Conley still has two more days to practice in any capacity before the Seahawks have to make an official decision on his game status. In the event that he can't suit up, Jacob Cowing, Ronnie Bell, and Trent Taylor could all earn additional opportunities. Regardless of Conley's status, he remains off the fantasy radar in all leagues.

From RotoBaller

Dee Williams Oct 7 11:50pm CT
Dee Williams

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (ankle) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice estimate. As the Seahawks gear up for Thursday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers, they could be without their talented cornerback. Woolen, who has registered 13 tackles and one interception this year, has two more days to get back on the field in some capacity before Seattle makes an official decision on his status. If he can't suit up against the Niners, Dee Williams and Nehemiah Pritchett would be in line to earn more opportunities on defense.

From RotoBaller

Pharaoh Brown Oct 7 11:50pm CT
Pharaoh Brown

Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown (groin) was listed as a limited participant on Monday's practice estimate. It's too early to tell whether he'll be able to suit up on Thursday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. He still has two more days to maintain or improve his practice status before the Seahawks have to make an official decision on his Week 6 status. Brown has caught just one pass in each of his last three games, logging a 14 percent snap share in Week 5. He remains behind Noah Fant and AJ Barner on the depth chart and can be avoided in all fantasy football leagues.

From RotoBaller

Derick Hall Oct 7 11:40pm CT
Derick Hall

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (thigh) will not play in Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers, head coach Mike Macdonald told the media on Monday. Nwosu made his season debut on Sunday but played just 20 percent of snaps and registered three tackles before picking up a thigh injury and exiting the game. With the 27-year-old slated to miss Thursday Night Football against the 49ers, look for Dre'Mont Jones and Derick Hall (foot) to earn more opportunities on defense.

From RotoBaller

Derek Carr Oct 7 11:30pm CT
Derek Carr

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) suffered what head coach Dennis Allen described as a left side injury during Monday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Carr, who exited in the fourth quarter, said postgame that he feels "not good" and left the game because he was unable to make necessary movements or throws. He finished Week 5 with 18 completions, 165 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The veteran quarterback will undergo an MRI and additional testing to determine the severity of his injury when the Saints return to New Orleans on Tuesday. Depending on what those tests reveal, Carr could be at risk of missing next Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jake Haener, who relieved Carr in the fourth quarter against Kansas City, would be in line to start for New Orleans if the veteran is forced to miss additional time. Such a change at quarterback would lead to reduced fantasy value for Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed.

From RotoBaller

Derek Carr Oct 7 10:20pm CT
Derek Carr

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) was injured in Monday night's game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter and is considered questionable to return. Carr went into the blue medical tent on the sideline with trainers before eventually walking back to the locker room to be checked out. If Carr is unable to return to this game, Jake Haener will finish it out under center for the Saints. Before leaving the game, Carr had gone 18-for-28 for 165 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while being sacked only once. His favorite target was receiver Rashid Shaheed, hooking up with him four times on nine tries for 86 yards, including another long 43-yard touchdown strike. Losing Carr for any amount of time would obviously be a big blow for the Saints' offense. New Orleans next plays this coming Sunday at home against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6.

From RotoBaller

Rashee Rice Oct 7 10:13pm CT
Rashee Rice

Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice may have only torn his LCL and avoided other major ligament damage. Dynasty Analysis: While a torn LCL is nothing to sneeze at, it's better than a torn ACL, MCL, PCL, meniscus or whatever you want to spin on the "wheel of ligaments." Rice is still likely going to miss the entire season but his timetable may be moved up a few months. More will be known in the coming days but it seems Rice may have at least received some promising news today.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Aidan O'Connell Oct 7 10:13pm CT
Aidan O'Connell

Dynasty | Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce was non-committal when asked about his starting quarterback moving forward. Dynasty Analysis: It's pretty rare when radio silence means your current starter is keeping their job and this doesn't look good for Minshew, who was replaced by Aidan O'Connell on Sunday after he threw a backbreaking "pick-six." Minshew hasn't been the biggest problem for Las Vegas but he also hasn't been much of the solution, either. O'Connell could provide a short-term boost for the offense but he hasn't exactly looked the part of a franchise quarterback, either. The Raiders are likely looking for a long-term solution this Spring. Both quarterbacks currently have some value, but Minshew will be a tough hold in a non-Superflex league should he lose his job.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Deshaun Watson Oct 7 10:13pm CT
Deshaun Watson

Dynasty | Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has settled his latest civil suit out of court. Dynasty Analysis: No details have emerged and they likely won't at this point. All we know is the latest legal issue with Watson has now been put to rest. Unfortunately, that won't put many minds at ease as Watson has been simply terrible on the field since arriving in Cleveland. The Browns were willing to take the obvious PR hit with Watson since he was considered an elite-level player. However, it's fair to wonder how long they're going to stick with him now that he clearly isn't. Watson's dynasty value is in the tank, despite him likely not facing league discipline over his latest transgression (or accusation).

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Deshaun Watson Oct 7 10:00pm CT
Deshaun Watson

A new lawsuit accusing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and battery has been resolved, according to the plaintiff's lawyer, Tony Buzbee. Watson denied the allegations in a statement issued by his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The NFL has been reviewing the complaint under their personal-conduct policy but did not place Watson on the commissioner's exempt list because there haven't been formal charges filed. The 29-year-old Watson served an 11-game suspension in 2022 after more than a dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions. It's unclear if he's in danger of being suspended by the NFL again. Watson has not played well in five games in 2024 and is currently the QB20 in fantasy points, but the Browns will continue to stick with him heading into a Week 7 contest versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

From RotoBaller

George Kittle Oct 7 9:10pm CT
George Kittle

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ribs) is still listed on the team's injury report on a short week with a divisional matchup coming on Thursday night on the road at Lumen Field against the Seattle Seahawks. Although the Niners didn't practice on Monday, they listed Kittle as limited on their estimated practice report. Kittle suffered a rib injury in Week 4 but played through the injury in the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals and was no worse for the wear, catching eight pass on 12 targets for 64 yards and a touchdown. The 30-year-old missed Week 3 with a hamstring injury but has caught a touchdown pass in each of his last three games. He should be fine to suit up this Thursday and will be a must-start TE1 for fantasy managers after seeing a season-high 12 targets against the Cardinals.

From RotoBaller

Sydney Brown Oct 7 9:00pm CT
Sydney Brown

Philadelphia Eagles safety Sydney Brown (knee) has been designated to return from the Physically Unable to Perform list on Monday. Brown has been working his way back from suffering a torn ACL in Week 18 of last season. Before that, Brown recorded 45 tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception in 14 games (six starts) with the Eagles in 2023. The 24-year-old put together a fairly solid rookie season before going down last season. He'd certainly offer the Eagles help at free safety with Reed Blankenship being their primary option right now. The Eagles still have a few weeks to ramp up Brown's activities before having to activate him or shut him down for the season.

From RotoBaller

Pharaoh Brown Oct 7 8:40pm CT
Pharaoh Brown

Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown (groin) was estimated as a limited participant during Monday's walkthrough. Fantasy managers shouldn't read much into this as it's not an official practice. Regardless, Brown hasn't been much of a fantasy asset this season anyway. He finished with one reception for seven yards during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the New York Giants. The 30-year-old mainly serves as depth with Noah Fant being the primary tight end in Seattle. The Seahawks are on a short week with a Thursday matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. The absence of Brown would probably mean that AJ Barner has a slightly bigger role.

From RotoBaller

Devin Duvernay Oct 7 8:30pm CT
Devin Duvernay

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Devin Duvernay (lower body) could be in danger of missing the Week 6 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Duvernay suffered a lower body injury during Sunday's win over the Indianapolis Colts. The former third-round pick played a big role during this Week 5 win. Duvernay had a 53-yard punt return that set up running back Tank Bigsby for a big third quarter touchdown. Head coach Doug Pederson reportedly seemed concerned about Duvernay's status heading into their matchup with the Bears. The assumption is that wide receiver Parker Washington could be asked to fill in at punt return duties if Duvernay is unable to play. The absence of Duvernay won't have much of an impact for fantasy purposes with him serving mostly as depth, but he's still important to this roster.

From RotoBaller

Matt Prater Oct 7 8:20pm CT
Matt Prater

Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater (knee) was unable to suit up during Sunday's win over the San Francisco 49ers. The veteran kicker has been dealing with a left knee issue and was only able to get through one limited practice last week. That being said, the Cardinals held out Prater in Week 5 and elevated Chad Ryland to serve as the kicker. Ryland connected on 3-of-4 field goal attempts with his only miss being blocked. Head coach Jonathan Gannon said on Monday that the team will wait and see how Prater does in practice before making a decision for Week 6. Fantasy managers who have Prater rostered should get another kicker in line just in case he misses another game.

From RotoBaller

Marshawn Kneeland Oct 7 6:40pm CT
Marshawn Kneeland

Dallas Cowboys rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) avoided a serious injury in the Week 5 win on Sunday night over the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to sources. Kneeland didn't suffer a season-ending torn ACL, but he did suffer a partial tear to his LCL and will have surgery on Tuesday, according to sources. ESPN Dallas' Todd Archer reports that Kneeland is expected to miss four to six weeks. The 23-year-old could be placed on Injured Reserve, but the good news is he'll have a chance to return down the stretch. The Cowboys defense has been bombarded by injuries to key players in recent weeks. With Kneeland out of action for the foreseeable future, Tyrus Wheat and KJ Henry will have opportunities to step up for Dallas on D. Micah Parsons is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, and DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) landed on Injured Reserve last week.

From RotoBaller

Tommy Tremble Oct 7 6:40pm CT
Tommy Tremble

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble (concussion) is officially in the league's concussion protocol on Monday after suffering a head injury in the team's Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Tremble was knocked out cold by Bears safety Jaquan Brisker after a catch on Sunday, and just by the way it looked, we would not be surprised if Tremble was unavailable to play in Week 6 against the division-rival Atlanta Falcons this weekend. He has only seven catches on nine targets for 59 yards and no touchdowns in four games this year and isn't a realistic fantasy tight end in most leagues when he's healthy. If Tremble is forced to miss any time, rookie Ja'Tavion Sanders would see an elevated role in the passing game in Carolina, although he, too, wouldn't really move the fantasy needle as anything more than a deep TE2 sleeper.

From RotoBaller

Mecole Hardman Oct 7 6:30pm CT
Mecole Hardman

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman (knee) is officially active for the Week 5 contest on Monday Night Football against the visiting New Orleans Saints. Hardman will be able to go this week despite battling through a knee injury. Even with Rashee Rice (knee) potentially out for the rest of the season, Hardman hasn't been a popular waiver-wire pickup in fantasy. The 26-year-old played a season-high 16% of the offensive snaps in the Week 4 win over the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers after Rice hurt his knee early in that game, but he wasn't targeted at all and has not been targeted a single time in five games in 2024. Hardman should have more chances moving forward, but the Chiefs will mostly be relying on rookie Xavier Worthy, Justin Rice, JuJu Smith-Schuster and even Skyy Moore at receiver.

From RotoBaller