IMHO?

[Wisk]

Nice draft and good banter on-line. Here is my "layman's" pick for favorites for this 2005 Season!:

Bengals' Bad Boy - Good snag of QB McNabb with "value" pick. WRs are thin (Billy - Pinkston is injured!) Rudi poised for a big year at RB but big drop-off at RB after him carrying the rock. Bettis could emerge though with Staley's health issue. Shockey could be hit or miss at TE...we'll see. But RACKERS? And "homer pick" of Bengal D was a reach...could have gotten them later I think...But I hope you are right and they have a big upside with their takeaway and big play potential. Grade B-

Southern Thunder - Complete team from top to bottom of starting lineup - with exception of Brees (does Rivers take the helm from him?) One of the top RB corps in league with D. Davis and Dillon. Great WR group and K Elam and PHL D are solid. Grade A-

Envy - Can't ignore the Manning to Harrison hookup here....Could be dangerous. But questions abound in this starting lineup. Does Mason spark the Ravens passing game?...(he still has to get the ball from Boller) Does C. Brown stay healthy and does he fend off Henry to carry the ball? Does TE McMichael go to jail as expected?....OUCH! K Longwell and Carolina D are solid. But the drop-off after Manning-Harrison-J. Jones was big. (Jones could be huge pick) Grade C+

Oxpaws - Another decent team w/question marks. Great backfield of A. Green and J. Lewis. But does Green get healthy? - Mixed reports out of GB. Could have handcuffed N. Davenport to protect that one. Does WR Ward report? Does WR Rogers finally stay healthy and does he hold off Mike Williams to start? Grade C

Madieu's Maniacs - Fine draft with big upside if it pans out. Top RB tandem of Alexander and S. Jackson but questions after Holt in the WR unit. Does S. Moss produce in Washington? - With Ramsey at QB I would think not. Washington is a team in disarray. And although Muhammad was the top WR in 2004, can Grossman reproduce that again for him in 2005? With Moss gone and a rookie likely to start at WR for the Vikes, Wiggins may have to step up there and very well may. K Vandy and Pitt D are top-tier. Grade B+

The Kirk - Reaching for the Ravens D in round 4 elicited a "WTF" response from this writer. But as it turned out...did not hurt "the Starship Commander" too badly! Can't dispute T. Green's consistency over the last 3 years. But the Ravens pick did downgrade the RBs and WRs here. R. Moss is poised for a "monster year" as he can do when he is determined. But it drops off significantly after that to J. Smith and McCardell. At RB, does Bell carry over Mike Anderson or is Shanahan just stoking the fire among the DEN RBs as he is apt to do?. He says Anderson will still get "the rock" at "the stripe". Does RB Dunn still reside in the ATL backfield timeshare with Duckett? And does Franks finally sign the Transitional Tender offered to him and report to play in GB? Who knows? K Vinatieri and Ravens D are top-shelf! But too many questions. Grade C

CJ4MVP85 - First, I hope this owners team name is prophetic! Stud RBs in James and Barber but after that - He has 3 starting WRs that aren't even #1 WRs on their own teams - Wayne, Driver and Bruce. Granted, Wayne is probably as good as any #1 and is probably a better "value pick" than even #1 Harrison. But I see depth problems at WR (but then again - I wear glasses for a reason) Another glaring void - Putzier is #2 behind Alexander at TE in DEN. Why draft a #2 TE? Grade C-

Showboats - Solid team and Solid draft with huge upside. Vick could roll (or bust) as we know. Big hitters at WR - Bennett finished strong in 2004 and should thrive without Mason in TEN. Coles returns a better situation in NYJ - look for big #'s. And is Fitzgerald's "break-out" year? Probably. Top RBs in Holmes and Portis. Stole top TE Gates in round 3 (right ahead of me dammit!) But did not hurt WR/RB lineup by reaching early for the big TE. And K Nugent should have many opportunities to kick/develop for the NYJ. If Vick produces (and that's a big IF!), this may be the team to beat Grade A

Cincy Wrecking Crew - Tidy draft of "value" picks produces a fine lineup. Brooks needs consistency but can produce. After that, CWC is solid. Great WRs with Owens, Clayton and Porter. Top young backs in K Jones and McGahee (if BUF can move the ball with Losman ...pronounced Lahs-man....Is it just me or does everyone else get tired of reading that every time the BUF QB's name is mentioned?) K Graham and NE D are again - top shelf! CWC should contend. Grade A-

Irish Bengal - Reaching for TE Gonzalez in round 2 probably cost this team strength at WR and RB - big drop offs in talent after Tomlinson at RB and S. Smith at WR. ( But then again - after drafting Ladanian, you have nowhere to go but down!) Collins could be this year's QB wonder after re-tooling the OAK offense. But damage was done in round 2. Grade C-

Green Leafs - Decent draft, but questions again are rife. How does Culpepper produce w/o Moss and a Rookie replacement in MIN? Does Super Bowl MVP Branch continue his roll into the 2005 season - does he stay healthy? Can "Old Man" Curtis Martin survive another season and produce at his 2004 level? Can "Whiner Westbrook" run "the Rock" with his "pouty-face"? Can Eagles Coach Andy Reid handle diaper changes for 2 players on the SAME TEAM? (But I digress...) Can Stokely get healthy for the regular season? Get the answer to these questions and more with your DirecTV NFL Ticket Subscription! (Ooops! There I go again!) Bottom line....too many unknown factors on this team. Grade C+

Bad Boy's Big Bro' - Slight disappointment in Rd 1 - In seeing Holmes go right ahead of me - turned to relief in Rd 2 - by drafting Chad Johnson. Returning to disappointment of seeing TE Gates fall 1 pick before me in RD 3 - and then again, relief when Lamont Jordan was available in Rd 4 (But does Jordan carry the ball into the end zone or does Crockett handle the "surrogate deliveries"?) Can a team that is last to pick at QB (Hasselbeck) and a D (Jacksonville) make the playoffs? (Exactly - NOT!) Ironically, this teams fortunes may rest on a very good WR group - C.Johnson, Horn, Roy Williams and late RB picks - Suggs, Henry and 14th-rounder Rickey Williams (Doh!). Look for this team to work the trade/waiver wire...In fact - We are now - OPEN FOR BUSINESS! Bottom line...Grade C (Could be lower, but, after all, I am the one writing this post and I'll assign myself any grade I #@$$%&ing want!)

Should be a fun season. Keep the trash talk flowing and of course remember in 2005!....GO BENGALS! WHO DEY BABY!

[Kirkendall]

Great write up Wisk!

You can see my thought process here. http://blogs.bengalszone.com/

[Kirkendall]

More specifically, here.. http://blogs.bengalszone.com/index.php?op=...eId=42&blogId=1

[Kirkendall]

In other words, I choose players respective towards their teams rather than towards fantasy points. It'll probably bite me in the arse, but we'll see. I did have a plan but that quickly dissovled after 4-5 minutes...

[DesperateDerelict]

The first fantasy football league, the elite division, drafted their team last night

I'm sorry, Captain Kirk, but Scotty leads the "elite' division - League IV Perhaps a post-season super bowl might be in order?

BTW, Wisk, excellent commentary on everyone's trials and tribulations last night!

[jditty47]

well thats what i get for missing the draft.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Nice draft and good banter on-line.  Here is my "layman's" pick for favorites for this 2005 Season!:

Bengals' Bad Boy - Good snag of QB McNabb with "value" pick.  WRs are thin (Billy - Pinkston is injured!)  Grade  B-

Southern Thunder - Complete team from top to bottom of starting lineup. Grade A-

Envy - drop-off after Manning-Harrison-J. Jones was big.  (Jones could be huge pick)  Grade C+

Oxpaws - Another decent team w/question marks.  Grade C

Madieu's Maniacs - Fine draft with big upside if it pans out.  Grade B+

The Kirk - Reaching for the Ravens D in round 4 elicited a "WTF" response from this writer.  Grade C

CJ4MVP85 - First, I hope this owners team name is prophetic!  Grade C-

Showboats - Solid team and Solid draft with huge upside.  Grade A

Cincy Wrecking Crew - Tidy draft of "value" picks produces a fine lineup. CWC should contend.  Grade A-

Irish Bengal - Reaching for TE Gonzalez in round 2 probably cost this team strength at WR and RB  Grade C-

Green Leafs - Decent draft, but questions again are rife.  Grade C+

Bad Boy's Big Bro' - Look for this team to work the trade/waiver wire...In fact - We are now - OPEN FOR BUSINESS!  Bottom line...Grade C  (Could be lower, but, after all, I am the one writing this post and I'll assign myself any grade I #@$$%&ing want!) 

Should be a fun season.  Keep the trash talk flowing and of course remember in 2005!....GO BENGALS!  WHO DEY BABY!

As you guys can see from my brothers *edited* post here, the "Yakking" gene is a dominant gene in my family!

  Keep the trash talk flowing

This gene is not exactly what you call "recessive" either!

Good synopsis Jim, but I think you graded you bro a bit too high. That Pinkston pick was stupid, but they had no data right there for that. He was the last (Mr Irrelevant) pick of the draft anyways. I give myself a "C" at best.

Hey! That's just like my old High school grade average was too! What happened to you "Mr. Honor Society?" Just like livin' the Low Life?

Hey Jimmy, remember back when...

......

[as_v_1]

Showboats - Solid team and Solid draft with huge upside. Vick could roll (or bust) as we know. Big hitters at WR - Bennett finished strong in 2004 and should thrive without Mason in TEN. Coles returns a better situation in NYJ - look for big #'s. And is Fitzgerald's "break-out" year? Probably. Top RBs in Holmes and Portis. Stole top TE Gates in round 3 (right ahead of me dammit!) But did not hurt WR/RB lineup by reaching early for the big TE. And K Nugent should have many opportunities to kick/develop for the NYJ. If Vick produces (and that's a big IF!), this may be the team to beat Grade A

I was worried that I would not even be able to draft. My DSL Screwed up right when the draft started and it auto picked my first round pick, But it started working 1 pick before mine in the second round. I just hope Vick pans out for me this season.

[Ox]

It's gonna be a slobber-knockin' hell of a good time this year! With people already hitting the waiver wires, you know that the competition will be fierce.

Isn't Ditty already trying to pawn off Mcnair?

Damn I can't wait till the season!

:player: :player: :player: :player:

[Bobcat Bengal]

well thats what i get for missing the draft.

hahaha

Karma baby.

It can happen to you!

[jditty47]

well thats what i get for missing the draft.

hahaha

Karma baby.

It can happen to you!

haha unfortunately for you guys im a FF guru and will still be fine. (ya right Julius Jones and Stephen Jackson are my starting RB's) WOW is this season gonna be rough.