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Best Ball SCOUT 2809
FFL: Week 4 | NFL: Week 4

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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Player Notes
Jordan Love Sep 27 3:50pm CT
Jordan Love

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The 25-year-old was able to log a limited practice every day this week and could return to action after missing the previous two weeks. Love was diagnosed with a knee injury following their Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. Over the past two weeks, Malik Willis has led Green Bay to two straight victories and will get another start if Love is unable to suit up. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to any updates regarding Love, as he should be started in all formats if he is a 'full-go.'

From RotoBaller

Calvin Ridley Sep 27 3:50pm CT
Calvin Ridley

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley faces the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. Ridley put up a near-dud last week with only one-catch for nine yards after torching the Jets lockdown secondary a week prior. Through three weeks it's fairly evident that he will be a boom/bust player given the inconsistencies of quarterback Will Levis, along with the emergence of DeAndre Hopkins last week. While Ridley was looking like the clear-cut top option in this passing attack, he took a clear back seat to Hopkins in Week 3 so that is definitely something to monitor. The way to beat Miami is on the ground so it's likely this upcoming game won't feature a ton of passing volume, making Ridley a risky WR3.

From RotoBaller

Tank Dell Sep 27 3:40pm CT
Tank Dell

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (chest) was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The sophomore wideout suffered a chest injury in last week's game against the Minnesota Vikings and was not able to log a practice throughout the week. Dell will now set his sights on returning in Week 5 when the Texans face the Buffalo Bills. The 24-year-old has had a modest start to the season but did post a season-best 62 yards in last week's game but has yet to find the end zone. Fantasy managers should expect Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs to see the majority of targets this weekend, with Robert Woods and Xavier Hutchinson rotating as the No.3 option.

From RotoBaller

Tyjae Spears Sep 27 3:40pm CT
Tyjae Spears

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears faces the Miami Dolphins this coming Monday night in Week 4. The sophomore running back put up his highest yard total of the season last week with 61, and was on the field quite a bit when the Titans were playing catch up vs. Green Bay. He's still been a clear RB2 behind Pollard in terms of opportunities, but with how poor Miami is at defending the run and Spears ramping up in the passing game, he could be a sneaky good option for a flex spot, albeit in deeper leagues.

From RotoBaller

Joe Mixon Sep 27 3:40pm CT
Joe Mixon

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game with an ankle injury. Mixon suffered the injury in Week 2 against the Chicago Bears and was held out of action last weekend. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to any updates regarding the 28-year-old's status over the weekend. The Texans will already enter this game shorthanded with wideout Tank Dell (chest) and No.2 running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) already ruled out. If Mixon misses his second-straight game, fantasy managers should expect Cam Akers to lead the backfield again in a favorable matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have allowed the 29th most points to running backs this season.

From RotoBaller

Ja'Marr Chase Sep 27 3:30pm CT
Ja'Marr Chase

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (shoulder) does not carry an injury designation and is set to play on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Chase opened the week on Wednesday as a limited participant with a shoulder injury but logged a full practice on Thursday and Friday. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable locking the LSU standout in their lineup as a high-end WR1 for the remainder of the season. After starting the season slowly through the first two weeks, Chase broke out in a big way on Monday night as he caught six passes for 118 yards and two scores against the Washington Commanders.

From RotoBaller

Will Levis Sep 27 3:30pm CT
Will Levis

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis faces the Miami Dolphins in a Week 4 Monday Night Football road showdown. Levis has been on the front page of every NFL meme account due to his not-top ten plays through the first three games of the year. The young quarterback has seen pressure at one of the highest rates in the NFL which has made moving the ball downfield very difficult for this Titans' offense. On the road against a formidable defense with the lowest over/under on the Week is not a good spot for Levis to bounce back. While he did throw for a career high 327 yards last year in an almost identical spot last season, Levis cannot be trusted in any formats as the QB28 through three weeks.

From RotoBaller

Chris Olave Sep 27 3:30pm CT
Chris Olave

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (hamstring) reportedly suffered a hamstring injury during Friday's practice, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Schefter further noted that the 24-year-old wideout is considered "day-to-day" for the time being. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the injury report later this afternoon, as it should provide clarity on Olave's status for Sunday's game. Olave has posted back-to-back games of at least 80+ yards and scored his first touchdown of the 2024 season last week against the Philadelphia Eagles. If Olave is able to suit up this weekend, he should be viewed as a high-end WR2.

From RotoBaller

Tony Pollard Sep 27 3:30pm CT
Tony Pollard

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard heads to Miami to face the Dolphins in a Week 4 primetime matchup. After two strong weeks to start the season Pollard took a major step back last week with only 4.4 points in half-PPR scoring. The positives were that he still drew four targets, and managed to out-rush his backfield mate Tyjae Spears for the third consecutive week. With Levis' struggles at the helm of this offense, the Titans may opt to lean on their dynamic RB duo more often, and this coming week against a porous rush defense that just let James Cook go hog-wild, Pollard remains a strong play.

From RotoBaller

Sam LaPorta Sep 27 3:30pm CT
Sam LaPorta

With Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (ankle) returning to practice on Friday and the Lions playing on Monday night against the Seahawks in Week 4, it makes for a risky proposition to start LaPorta on fantasy teams. The Iowa product has not had a large role in the Lions' offense so far and coming off the injury he could remain a secondary target for Jared Goff against Seattle. LaPorta's season-high in targets was five in Week 1 against the Rams. It is worth monitoring Saturday's practice to make sure he is a participant. If he is, that is a good sign he will be able to suit up after getting in a Friday practice. It is tough to move off of LaPorta and onto another tight end with all the injuries at the position so far this season. It is understandable for fantasy managers to want to pencil in LaPorta for Monday night if he practices on Saturday. But he has yet to show the same target share as last season.

From RotoBaller

DeVonta Smith Sep 27 3:20pm CT
DeVonta Smith

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (concussion) will not play this Sunday due to a concussion. The 25-year-old took a hard helmet-to-helmet hit during last weekend's game and will need at least another week to recover from his injury. However, fantasy managers could expect the Alabama product to potentially return in his next game in Week 6 as the Eagles are off next weekend. This weekend, Jahan Dotson and Johnny Wilson should continue to see an increased role in this offense, while No.1 wideout A.J. Brown (hamstring) remains questionable for Sunday's game. Smith has performed very well in the revamped Kellen Moore passing attack this season, averaging 17.0 PPR points per game.

From RotoBaller

Jameson Williams Sep 27 3:20pm CT
Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is coming off a lackluster Week 3 performance at Arizona and should continue to be behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, and David Montgomery in the offensive pecking order as far as touches. What Williams brings, however, is the ability to turn one touch into a big play. His deep-ball threat is there in every game but Seattle has two good corners on the outside in Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen. This projects as a tough matchup for Williams as the running back duo figures to be heavily involved and St. Brown should see a majority of the wide receiver targets. So Williams will be reliant on the big play in this matchup making him a somewhat risky option. The upside is certainly there but there is also a low floor.

From RotoBaller

David Montgomery Sep 27 3:10pm CT
David Montgomery

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery should continue his featured rushing role in the team's backfield in a Week 4 matchup against Seattle on Monday night. Star center Frank Ragnow (pectoral) has already been ruled out, but the Lions' talented offense line should still be able to create holes for the powerful back. Jahmyr Gibbs will be involved in the game plan as well but Montgomery is coming off a game of 23 carries with 105 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals in Week 3. He also caught three passes in that game. Montgomery has a rushing touchdown in each of the first three games for the Lions and is a good bet to find the end zone again on Monday. He should be locked and loaded as a starting fantasy running back.

From RotoBaller

Bijan Robinson Sep 27 3:10pm CT
Bijan Robinson

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (shoulder) logged a full practice on Friday and does not carry an injury designation heading into Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. Robinson popped up on Thursday's injury report as a limited participant but returned in full on Friday, suggesting this was a very minor injury. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable locking in Robinson as their RB1 this weekend. The Texas standout scored his first touchdown of the campaign last weekend as he ran for 31 yards with a score and added 21 yards off two catches. Robinson remains one of the top running backs in fantasy due to the elite volume he will see both as a runner and a pass-catcher on a weekly basis.

From RotoBaller

Amon-Ra St. Brown Sep 27 3:10pm CT
Amon-Ra St. Brown

After a quiet Week 1, Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has started to make some noise again the past two weeks. He saw 18 targets and caught 11 passes for 119 yards in Week 2 against Tampa Bay. In Week 3 at Arizona, St. Brown hauled in seven of his eight targets for 75 yards and a touchdown. He faces a tough matchup against a talented Seahawks secondary on Monday night. But expect St. Brown to move around the formation and be a target for Jared Goff in the middle of the field. He is starting to pick up steam of late and looks like a good play in Week 4. He is a PPR monster because of his heavy involvement. Against a high-powered Seattle offense, this matchup could be high-scoring so there figure to be plenty of opportunities for St. Brown.

From RotoBaller

A.J. Brown Sep 27 3:10pm CT
A.J. Brown

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game. The standout wide receiver returned to practice in a limited capacity on Friday after not participating earlier in the week. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to any updates regarding Brown's status ahead of Sunday's game against Tampa Bay. Brown was sidelined over the past two games due to a hamstring injury and would be a welcomed addition to the offense, as DeVonta Smith (concussion) will not suit up this weekend. If Brown is able to play, fantasy managers should view him as a WR1 with upside. If the 27-year-old misses his third-straight game, Jahan Dotson and Johnny Wilson should serve as the starting wideouts on Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Bradley Chubb Sep 27 3:00pm CT
Bradley Chubb

There is currently no timetable for Miami Dolphins pass-rusher Bradley Chubb (knee), who is eligible to come off the Physically Unable to Perform list next week. "Chubb is in all of our meetings - gives me the feel we will see him at some point this year," defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said. The fact that Chubb doesn't have a clear timetable yet leads us to believe that he probably won't be officially activated off the PUP list next week. The 28-year-old former Denver Broncos pass-rusher is recovering from a torn ACL in his knee that he suffered in Week 17 of 2023. The Dolphins are holding out hope that he will be able to return to their defense later this season, but it also sounds as though he has plenty of work to do. Chubb probably isn't going to be on the IDP radar this year as he eases his way back onto the field for the Dolphins.

From RotoBaller

Jahmyr Gibbs Sep 27 3:00pm CT
Jahmyr Gibbs

Jahmyr Gibbs has been featured in the Lions' backfield so far this season alongside David Montgomery and that should continue to be the case in Week 4. The versatile running back had a season-high 16 carries against the Cardinals in Week 3 and scored a touchdown on a lateral play after a catch by Amon-Ra St. Brown. He had 20 total touches in Week 2 and 15 touches in Week 1, so expect him to continue to be a focal point of the Lions offense and remain involved in the passing game. As always, Montgomery will be involved as well. But expect the Lions to pound the ball on the ground despite having center Frank Ragnow (pectoral) already ruled out for Monday's game. The absence of Ragnow could hurt the rushing attack but the Lions have a well-balanced offensive line and Gibbs can always fall back on his pass-catching chops out of the backfield. Gibbs should continue to be started with confidence.

From RotoBaller

Jared Goff Sep 27 2:50pm CT
Jared Goff

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff faces a stiff test with the Seattle Seahawks defense on Monday night. The Seahawks come in with the No. 2 overall defense and No. 1 pass defense in the NFL through three weeks. At the same time, Goff represents the best quarterback the Seahawks will have faced after matching up with Denver's rookie Bo Nix, New England's Jacoby Brissett, and Miami's Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle. Seattle boasts a strong secondary and Goff has yet to break out through three weeks of this season. Expect a run-heavy focus for the Lions' offense on Monday night with Goff attempting to get the ball to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams whenever possible against Seattle's tough corners in Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen. Goff profiles as a mid-range QB2 in this matchup with better options available.

From RotoBaller

Nico Collins Sep 27 2:40pm CT
Nico Collins

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) popped up on the Week 4 injury report on Thursday and was limited in practice the last two days, but he says he's good to go on Sunday against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars. It's good news for Houston's offense with fellow wideout Tank Dell (chest) unlikely to play after missing practice all week. Mid-week additions to the injury report usually aren't a good sign, but the fact that Collins practice on Thursday and Friday give him a good shot to play in Week 4 and see his typical amount of snaps. And with Dell unlikely to play, both Collins and Stefon Diggs have higher ceilings and floors against a Jaguars defense that was torched by the Buffalo Bills in Week 3. Collins, who leads the league through three weeks with 112.7 yards per game, should be locked in as a high-end WR1 this weekend.

From RotoBaller