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FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Champions Draft Results

Wed Jul 3 10:36am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Hurts was first quarterback picked


RealTime Fantasy Sports is proud to present you the results of our “Champions Draft." The draft this season once again consists of the top rated fantasy players on our site. We invited players rated near the top of our Top Fantasy Players report. So this is the best of the best on our site.

In this column, we'll give you a round-by-round look at the draft. Each round includes some notes on that round, talking about what just went down. Hopefully, this gives you some insight into the draft and helps prepare you for all your drafts this coming year.

Before we get to that, here is a quick overview of the league format. We used the same rules as we do for the "All-Pro" fantasy leagues on our site. So you can view the entire set of rules on our main page for that game. But here is a brief look. Each team starts a quarterback, two running backs, two receivers, a tight end, a defensive/special teams, a kicker and a flex player (RB, WR or TE). Scoring is pretty standard. Touchdowns are worth six except for passing touchdowns, which are worth four. And it is a points per reception league, giving every player a point per reception. Defenses get points for sacks, interceptions and fumble recoveries. The rules are pretty standard with how many leagues operate these days.

ROUND 1

 1. Ballers - Christian McCaffrey RB, SF

 2. Birds - CeeDee Lamb WR, DAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Bijan Robinson RB, ATL

 4. Super Paurs - Breece Hall RB, NYJ

 5. Wreckingcrew - Tyreek Hill WR, MIA

 6. PaurPlay - Justin Jefferson WR, MIN

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Amon-Ra St. Brown WR, DET

 8. Bubbles Army - Ja'Marr Chase WR, CIN

 9. HORNS - Jahmyr Gibbs RB, DET

 10. Goodfellas - Puka Nacua WR, LAR

 11. Suncoast - A.J. Brown WR, PHI

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Saquon Barkley RB, PHI

NOTES: The first round was pretty chalk, going very similar to the current ADP. These savvy owners didn’t take many chances with the first round. There were five running backs and seven receivers picked in Round 1. It was not a surprise to see no tight ends or quarterbacks picked in the first round. The only mild surprise was seeing Jonathan Taylor failed to get picked this round. He normally goes at the end of the first round, but didn’t in this one.

ROUND 2

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Jonathan Taylor RB, IND

 2. Suncoast - Garrett Wilson WR, NYJ

 3. Goodfellas - Sam LaPorta TE, DET

 4. HORNS - Travis Etienne RB, JAX

 5. Bubbles Army - Davante Adams WR, LV

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Chris Olave WR, NO

 7. PaurPlay - Josh Jacobs RB, GB

 8. Wreckingcrew - Kyren Williams RB, LAR

 9. Super Paurs - Devon Achane RB, MIA

 10. CRUNCHY - Derrick Henry RB, BAL

 11. Birds - Isiah Pacheco RB, KC

 12. Ballers - Marvin Harrison Jr. WR, ARI

NOTES: Sam LaPorta was the first tight end picked, getting taken by Suncoast this round. He went a tad sooner, having an ADP of 24.99 but he wasn’t going to last to Suncoast when he picked again, so he had to pull the trigger now if he wanted him on his roster. . . . This was a running back heavy round, seeing seven go off the board. This is normally a trend in many drafts with a lot of owners going receiver in the first round. . . .Isiah Pacheco might have been the only surprise running back of this round. The Birds selected him with the 11th pick. This wasn’t too far off his ADP, though, normally going pick 26.62. . . . .Marvin Harrison continues to be the first rookie picked on draft day. The Ballers picked him with the last pick, making him the 24th pick overall.

ROUND 3

 1. Ballers - Drake London WR, ATL

 2. Birds - Michael Pittman Jr. WR, IND

 3. CRUNCHY - Nico Collins WR, HOU

 4. Super Paurs - Deebo Samuel WR, SF

 5. Wreckingcrew - James Cook RB, BUF

 6. PaurPlay - Travis Kelce TE, KC

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Rhamondre Stevenson RB, NE

 8. Bubbles Army - Rachaad White RB, TB

 9. HORNS - Stefon Diggs WR, HOU

 10. Goodfellas - Joe Mixon RB, HOU

 11. Suncoast - Mike Evans WR, TB

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brandon Aiyuk WR, SF

NOTES: This round was a little more receiver heavy once again, having seven go off the board. This seems to be a trend in a lot of drafts, having owners get two receivers and a running back after three rounds. . . . .Travis Kelce is the second tight end picked, which is a little unusual for him, but definitely a trend. Kelce has an ADP of 30.8, going after LaPorta in most drafts. Paur Play is hoping he has at least one more big season in him. . . . .It is always interesting seeing how owners value the two top receivers for the Texans. Nico Collins went before Stefon Diggs in this draft. Collins was picked third this round by CRUNCHY while the HORNS picked Diggs with the ninth pick.

ROUND 4

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Jaylen Waddle WR, MIA

 2. Suncoast - Jalen Hurts QB, PHI

 3. Goodfellas - D.J. Moore WR, CHI

 4. HORNS - DeVonta Smith WR, PHI

 5. Bubbles Army - Josh Allen QB, BUF

 6. Crusty GON Pod - D'Andre Swift RB, CHI

 7. PaurPlay - Patrick Mahomes QB, KC

 8. Wreckingcrew - D.K. Metcalf WR, SEA

 9. Super Paurs - Amari Cooper WR, CLE

 10. CRUNCHY - Kenneth Walker III RB, SEA

 11. Birds - Lamar Jackson QB, BAL

 12. Ballers - Trey McBride TE, ARI

NOTES: This was a quarterback heavy round, seeing four go off the board. Jalen Hurts was the first quarterback selected, getting picked by Suncoast. He went ahead of Josh Allen, who normally is the first quarterback picked in drafts. . . . .Trey McBride was the third tight end picked, going to the Ballers with the last pick in this round. McBride is flying up draft boards this year after this strong finish last season. He has an ADP of 48.2, so this spot for him is not out of the norm. . . .There was just two running backs picked this round after seeing at least four picked each of the first three rounds. D’Andre Swift and Kenneth Walker were the backs picked this round.

ROUND 5

 1. Ballers - Zay Flowers WR, BAL

 2. Birds - Mark Andrews TE, BAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Aaron Jones RB, MIN

 4. Super Paurs - Cooper Kupp WR, LAR

 5. Wreckingcrew - C.J. Stroud QB, HOU

 6. PaurPlay - Alvin Kamara RB, NO

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Kyle Pitts TE, ATL

 8. Bubbles Army - Dalton Kincaid TE, BUF

 9. HORNS - Anthony Richardson QB, IND

 10. Goodfellas - James Conner RB, ARI

 11. Suncoast - David Montgomery RB, DET

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - George Kittle TE, SF

NOTES: David Montgomery was one of the top league winners last year but falls to the fifth round of this draft, going to Suncoast with the 11th pick. Fantasy owners have concerns for a repeat season from Montgomery, having an ADP of 68.9. This could end up being a make or break pick for the defending champ. . . . .Cooper Kupp is another polarizing figure this season. He was a very early pick last year, but goes to the Super Paurs with the fifth pick in Round 5. He has taken quite the fall in drafts, having an ADP of 46.5. . . .There were four tight ends pick this round. Dalton Kincaid is the biggest mover from last year. The Horns picked him with the eighth pick. Kincaid is normally the fifth tight end off the board, so Horns might have gotten a little value with him being the seventh tight end selected with this pick.

ROUND 6

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Malik Nabers WR, NYG

 2. Suncoast - Najee Harris RB, PIT

 3. Goodfellas - Jaylen Warren RB, PIT

 4. HORNS - Zack Moss RB, CIN

 5. Bubbles Army - Christian Kirk WR, JAX

 6. Crusty GON Pod - George Pickens WR, PIT

 7. PaurPlay - Calvin Ridley WR, TEN

 8. Wreckingcrew - Jordan Love QB, GB

 9. Super Paurs - Zamir White RB, LV

 10. CRUNCHY - Tee Higgins WR, CIN

 11. Birds - Jayden Reed WR, GB

 12. Ballers - Tony Pollard RB, TEN

NOTES: The one pick that stands out in this round was the Birds taking Jayden Reed with the 11th pick. He has an ADP of 86.9, so they might have went a little early on Reed. He certainly has potential after scoring eight touchdowns his rookie season, but the Birds might have been able to get him a few rounds later. . . .The quarterback position slowed down a little this round with Jordan Love the only quarterback selected. He goes with the eight pick to Wreckingcrew. Love was fifth overall in fantasy quarterback scoring last year, so getting him after the elite guys are gone could turn out to be good value for Wreckingcrew. . . . .Some running backs that could be splitting work this year flew off the board. Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Zack Moss, Zamir White and Tony Pollard were all picked. They all have some question marks about playing time but if one emerges, they could be great value in Round 6.

ROUND 7

 1. Ballers - Terry McLaurin WR, WAS

 2. Birds - Jonathon Brooks RB, CAR

 3. CRUNCHY - Rashee Rice WR, KC

 4. Super Paurs - Joe Burrow QB, CIN

 5. Wreckingcrew - Evan Engram TE, JAX

 6. PaurPlay - Diontae Johnson WR, CAR

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Keenan Allen WR, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Austin Ekeler RB, WAS

 9. HORNS - Chris Godwin WR, TB

 10. Goodfellas - Tank Dell WR, HOU

 11. Suncoast - Javonte Williams RB, DEN

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Raheem Mostert RB, MIA

NOTES: Our first rookie running back was picked this round, seeing the Birds take Jonathan Brooks with the second pick. Brooks could start the year slow, recovering from his knee injury, but could be a huge factor down the stretch for the Birds. Brooks went around 10 spots later than normal, having an ADP of 64.3. . . .Rashee Rice is a player facing a possible multi-game suspension. If not for that, he would be going much higher. Instead, he falls to CRUNCHY with the third pick this round. Rice has an ADP of 81.6, so he goes about where he normally does in drafts. If he can end up avoiding a suspension, this pick will be a huge steal for CRUNCHY. . . .Raheem Mostert is another intriguing player to watch in drafts. He was a league winner for many last year but is not getting drafted like that. AlwaysBetOnBlack gets him with the last pick this round. Mostert has an ADP of 84.8, so most drafters are not betting on a repeat of his huge season.

ROUND 8

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brian Robinson Jr. RB, WAS

 2. Suncoast - Marquise Brown WR, KC

 3. Goodfellas - Dak Prescott QB, DAL

 4. HORNS - Nick Chubb RB, CLE

 5. Bubbles Army - Devin Singletary RB, NYG

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Tyjae Spears RB, TEN

 7. PaurPlay - J.K. Dobbins RB, LAC

 8. Wreckingcrew - Blake Corum RB, LAR

 9. Super Paurs - David Njoku TE, CLE

 10. CRUNCHY - Jake Ferguson TE, DAL

 11. Birds - Christian Watson WR, GB

 12. Ballers - Trey Benson RB, ARI

NOTES: Nick Chubb is returning from another major injury and lasts until the fourth pick of Round 8. He has big question marks, but the Horns could take a chance on him with three quality backs already on his roster. . . .The Ballers took a chance on rookie Trey Benson in Round 8. After taking Christian McCaffrey with the first pick, the Ballers filled up other positions on his roster before taking chances on running backs later in the draft. . . . .There were seven total running backs picked this round. Many owners are hoping to find that great mid-round value, looking for the Raheem Mostert of this season.

ROUND 9

 1. Ballers - Zach Charbonnet RB, SEA

 2. Birds - Ezekiel Elliott RB, DAL

 3. CRUNCHY - Kyler Murray QB, ARI

 4. Super Paurs - Ty Chandler RB, MIN

 5. Wreckingcrew - DeAndre Hopkins WR, TEN

 6. PaurPlay - Chase Brown RB, CIN

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Caleb Williams QB, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Jordan Addison WR, MIN

 9. HORNS - T.J. Hockenson TE, MIN

 10. Goodfellas - Gus Edwards RB, LAC

 11. Suncoast - Courtland Sutton WR, DEN

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Trevor Lawrence QB, JAX

NOTES: Three quarterbacks go this round, giving every team at least one quarterback except one. Ballers is the only team that doesn’t have a quarterbacks after nine rounds. The three quarterbacks picked this round were Kyler Murray, rookie Caleb Williams and Trevor Lawrence. . . .Teams continues to load up on mid-round running backs with five getting of the 12 picks being running backs. None of these backs are sure things but both Ezekiel Elliott and Gus Edwards have some touchdown potential on their teams. . . .DeAndre Hopkins is not getting drafted as he was in the past. He goes with the fifth pick to Wreckingcrew. This spot is even later than normal for Hopkins, who has an ADP of 79.6.

ROUND 10

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Xavier Worthy WR, KC

 2. Suncoast - Dallas Goedert TE, PHI

 3. Goodfellas - Ladd McConkey WR, LAC

 4. HORNS - Keon Coleman WR, BUF

 5. Bubbles Army - Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR, SEA

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Jerome Ford RB, CLE

 7. PaurPlay - Jameson Williams WR, DET

 8. Wreckingcrew - Rico Dowdle RB, DAL

 9. Super Paurs - Mike Williams WR, NYJ

 10. CRUNCHY - Brian Thomas Jr. WR, JAX

 11. Birds - Curtis Samuel WR, BUF

 12. Ballers - Brock Purdy QB, SF

NOTES: Round 10 is the round of the rookie. There were four rookie receivers picked this round, including Xavier Worthy, Ladd McConkey, Keon Coleman and Brian Thomas. These are four receivers that all have the chance to emerge as top playmakers in their respective offenses. . . . .Ballers is the last team to take a quarterback, picking Brock Purdy with the last pick in Round 10. Purdy was seventh overall in fantasy quarterback scoring last year. . . . Suncoast was the last team to select a tight end, taking Dallas Goedert with the second pick. Goedert can be erratic but has a high weekly ceiling in his offense.

ROUND 11

 1. Ballers - Kendre Miller RB, NO

 2. Birds - Josh Downs WR, IND

 3. CRUNCHY - Rome Odunze WR, CHI

 4. Super Paurs - Gabriel Davis WR, JAX

 5. Wreckingcrew - Brandin Cooks WR, DAL

 6. PaurPlay - Jahan Dotson WR, WAS

 7. Crusty GON Pod - Cole Kmet TE, CHI

 8. Bubbles Army - Brock Bowers TE, LV

 9. HORNS - Jerry Jeudy WR, CLE

 10. Goodfellas - Jayden Daniels QB, WAS

 11. Suncoast - Tyler Lockett WR, SEA

 12. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Brandon Aubrey K, DAL

NOTES: We had our first team take a second quarterback. Goodfellas took rookie Jayden Daniels with the 10th pick. They picked Dak Prescott two rounds earlier, giving him what could be a potent one-two punch at quarterback. . . .Our first kicker was picked. Brandon Aubrey was taken with the last pick this round by AlwaysBetOnBlack. It is a tad earlier than normal for our first kicker. Aubrey has an ADP of 133.1. . . .The top tight end in this year’s draft, Brock Bowers, was picked by Bubbles Army with the eighth pick. Bubbles is hoping Bowers is the Sam LaPorta of this year’s rookie class.

ROUND 12

 1. AlwaysBetOnBlack - Dallas Cowboys Def/ST, DAL

 2. Suncoast - Jakobi Meyers WR, LV

 3. Goodfellas - Kimani Vidal RB, LAC

 4. HORNS - Khalil Shakir WR, BUF

 5. Bubbles Army - MarShawn Lloyd RB, GB

 6. Crusty GON Pod - Antonio Gibson RB, NE

 7. PaurPlay - Justin Herbert QB, LAC

 8. Wreckingcrew - Pat Freiermuth TE, PIT

 9. Super Paurs - Jared Goff QB, DET

 10. CRUNCHY - Kirk Cousins QB, ATL

 11. Birds - Tua Tagovailoa QB, MIA

 12. Ballers - Chuba Hubbard RB, CAR

NOTES: AlwaysBetOnBlack took the first kicker and followed that by picking the first defense. The Cowboys defense is the first off the board, giving AlwaysBetOnBlack both the Cowboys kicker and defense. . . . .There were a couple rookie running backs picked this round. Kimani Vidal and MarShawn Lloyd don’t have a clear path to playing time with their respective teams but have some potential if given the opportunities. . . .Four teams took backup quarterbacks this round. It is interesting to see Justin Herbert fall so far, but he has question marks because of a new offense and lack of playmakers in the passing game.

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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Drake London Jul 26 12:20pm CT
Drake London

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London appeared to be suffering from cramps during Friday's training camp practice when he left early. The Falcons later announced that London was "over-heated" during the team's second training camp practice. It's good news for the 23-year-old that he was only dealing with cramps. It's possible that he'll be a full-go for the team's next practice this weekend as he works to gain chemistry with new quarterback Kirk Cousins. The former eighth overall pick in 2022 out of USC enters the 2024 campaign as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 now that Cousins is in town. He has 69 receptions on 110 targets for 905 yards and just two touchdowns in 16 starts in his second year in 2023. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is expected to favor the passing game in Atlanta over former head coach Arthur Smith.

From RotoBaller

Jabrill Peppers Jul 26 12:20pm CT
Jabrill Peppers

The New England Patriots and safety Jabrill Peppers finalized a three-year contract extension on Friday with a base value of $24 million, according to a source. The deal is worth up to $30 million. It's a nice reward for the Patriots' best defensive player last year. Peppers, a former 25th overall selection by the Cleveland Browns in 2017 out of Michigan, had 78 tackles (52 solo), one sack, five tackles for loss, a career-high two interceptions, eight pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 15 starts for the Patriots in his second year with the team. The 28-year-old is best known for being a standout in run defense, which makes him at least worth a bench spot in deeper IDP fantasy formats. Peppers has racked up 471 total tackles (311 solo) with 5.5 sacks in 93 career games (79 starts) with the Browns, New York Giants and Patriots.

From RotoBaller

Deshaun Watson Jul 26 12:10pm CT
Deshaun Watson

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) threw in 11-on-11 drills at training camp practice on Friday for the first time since last season. The Browns are currently unsure if Watson will get repetitions in the preseason this year after having season-ending shoulder surgery in 2023, but he's taking part in practices early in camp and should be fully ready for Week 1 of the 2024 regular season, barring a setback. The 28-year-old took part in 7-on-7 drills in spring practices and is not being limited early in training camp. It's a great sign for Watson, who will be looking to stay healthy and play a full season for the first time with the Browns this year. Watson has proven to be a dynamic QB when healthy, and he has plenty of playmakers around him in Cleveland, but he's going to need to stay healthy and push the ball downfield to prove he's more than a QB2 in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Tua Tagovailoa Jul 26 12:10pm CT
Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was a full participant in Friday's training camp practice after he was limited on Wednesday and didn't take part on Thursday. Tagovailoa isn't injured this summer, but he was expected to hold in at camp while he and the Dolphins continue to work on a much-deserved long-term contract extension. A hold-in from the 26-year-old former first-round signal-caller is out the window now, and it would be a surprise if the two sides don't work something out before the start of the regular season this fall after Tagovailoa put up a career year in 2023. In 17 regular-season starts, Tagovailoa led the NFL with 4,624 yards and added a career-high 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He has one of the best one-two punches at receiver in the league, but his floor as a QB1 is lower than some of the other big names at the position because of his lack of rushing statistics.

From RotoBaller

Roman Wilson Jul 26 10:10am CT
Roman Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan answered questions from the media at training camp on Thursday and said, "There's nothing going on right now," in terms of a trade for a wide receiver. Outside of George Pickens and Calvin Austin III, the rest of the receiving corps is new to the team. Roman Wilson, the rookie from Michigan, seems to be battling for the third spot, while Van Jefferson appears to be the front-runner for the second receiver. There's still plenty of time between now and the start of the season, but the Steelers appear to be comfortable with the state of their receivers right now.

From RotoBaller