Choosing Calvin Johnson #5

[Sox33OSU]

So I have one more league to draft in. PPR league with the following starting positions -

QB
RB
RB
WR
WR
W/R/T
TE

I'm very, very strongly considering Calvin with the #5. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like there are so many intriguing PPR value backs this season that can be had after the first 2 rounds - guys like Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles, Gio Bernard, Shane Vereen, and then other guys who are likely to get the bulk of the carries in their backfield like Mark Ingram (sleeper candidate IMO), Deangelo Williams, Ahmad Bradshaw, I feel like I can take 3-4 of those guys and be fine, and I've been really considering going Calvin-Brees in round 1 and 2. I know you need RBs, but whenever I look at my leagues, the guys who win always have star QBs. I've also considered Calvin-Graham

What's everyone think of this approach?

 

[wilwhite]

I'd be surprised if Reggie makes it past the second round in PPR, and Sproles is right on the cusp. If it's a 10-team league Sproles might make it to you in the 3rd.

On the other hand Megatron is a special value, especially in PPR. But if you want Bush you'll have to take him on the way back - if he's still there, that is.

 

[Sox33OSU]

I'd be surprised if Reggie makes it past the second round in PPR, and Sproles is right on the cusp. If it's a 10-team league Sproles might make it to you in the 3rd.

On the other hand Megatron is a special value, especially in PPR. But if you want Bush you'll have to take him on the way back - if he's still there, that is.

I've begun to think that myself, though in most of my mocks he does drop to 3rd/5. Then again, a lot of those guys are drafting for standard I bet.

 

[tlance]

I love Calvin, but I think your team would be better off if you took an RB who is heavily involved in the pass game. Guys like Spiller or Charles could be there. It would be a mistake to pass over them for Calvin.

Also, be careful reaching for a QB. Unless your league rewards QBs heavily, they are relatively less valuable in PPR leagues because they do not catch passes. Considering the depth at the QB position this year, I would wait until round 8 or so for a QB unless you have 6 point passing TDs or some other feature making them more valuable.

If it were me, I would take one of:

Spiller, Charles, TRich or McCoy first, then grab a WR or Graham second. Those pass catching RBs will still be available to you later as your RB2 and Flex.

 

[tlance]

Wil is right though. No way you get Bush in the 3rd.

 

[tlance]

Remember though, there are potential PPR monster WRs available in rounds 4-6 because of position depth. It will be much harder to get those RBs.

 

[Sox33OSU]

Remember though, there are potential PPR monster WRs available in rounds 4-6 because of position depth. It will be much harder to get those RBs.

Here's another question - in the 2nd round, would you rather have Forte or Bush?

 

[RobBase]

Next year, Bush will be a top three pick in Fantasy drafts everywhere. That's how good he'll be this year.

 

[wilwhite]

Megatron is going #4 in PPR drafts, so you'll be lucky to get him at #5. In PPR I think the drop-off from him to the WR you'd get on the way back (say Demaryius) is bigger than the drop off from Charles to someone like CJ1K or Reggie, and I'm very high on Charles in PPR.

 

[wilwhite]

I have Forte over Bush in PPR, but I'm high on both of them.

 

[Sox33OSU]

I have Forte over Bush in PPR, but I'm high on both of them.

Bush or CJ1K?

 

[tlance]

Here's another question - in the 2nd round, would you rather have Forte or Bush?

For me,

Forte
Bush
CJ1K

I am moving Forte up my rankings now. He looks like he is the perfect fit for Trestman's offense. There are a couple top 10 RBs I would take Forte ahead of in standard league. In PPR, I would rank him ahead of Foster, Lynch, Morris for sure, maybe Rice too.

 

[SteelersPride]

ITs a ppr league. If your not drafting with fools, your not getting akll those guys. Last year in our 12 team PPR leage 3 backs went in round 1............

this year 10 went.

Bush, sproles were gone by end of round 2 and they were taking early in round 2 rightfully so.........

ingram does not catch passes, bradshaw is hurt and do you wanna "hope" vereen gets in a game

 

[tlance]

Megatron is going #4 in PPR drafts, so you'll be lucky to get him at #5. In PPR I think the drop-off from him to the WR you'd get on the way back (say Demaryius) is bigger than the drop off from Charles to someone like CJ1K or Reggie, and I'm very high on Charles in PPR.

I am not so sure about this. The drop-off from Mega to Thomas may be greater than the drop off from Charles to Bush, but, that is not the actual cost of making this pick.

You may be able to draft Charles, Bush and a guy like Sproles and then take some really good WRs in rounds 4-6. If you take Bush as an RB1 instead of an RB2, your overall team may not be as strong.

Here is what I mean. Here are potential results assuming you take RBs in rounds 2 and 3 either way:

Drafting Charles (or first round equivalent)
1- RB- Charles
2- RB- Bush
3- Flex- Sproles
4- WR- Amendola
5- WR- Hilton
6- Some QB

Drafting Mega
1- WR- Mega
2- RB- Bush
3- RB- Sproles
4- WR- Amendola
5- Flex- Hilton
6- Some QB

The thing about taking Megatron is that you lose all flexibility. You almost have to take RBs in rounds 2 and 3 going that route. If you take an RB in round 1, you have a little more freedom to look for values. Having a guy like Sproles as a flex instead of RB2 makes a huge difference to me. It is far easier to find WR values late than it is to find RBs with PPR value.

 

[SteelersPride]

I wanna be in a PPR league where i can get Megatron/charles in round 1, bush and sproles in rounds 2 and 3, and tom bradys new toy in round 4.....

 

[Sox33OSU]

So I've all but given up on taking Calvin at 5. However, one name that is climbing for me is Ray Rice. It's stupid, because he's an incredible PPR back, but it seems like 5 is almost too high for him based on what I'm seeing, but something makes me think he is in line for a monster year. I like that Leach is back, and Bernard Pierce hasn't looked that great IMO. They're looking to become more of a passing team, and with Boldin gone, Pitta out, Dickson banged up and nobody really stepping up for the #2 spot, I like his already elite PPR-prowess even more.

Would you all rather have Spiller/Charles/Martin/McCoy, or Rice?

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Here's my theory, a receiver in the 3rd/4th rounds has far more value than a running back in those same rounds. The drop off between top tier running backs and the next tier is pretty drastic whereas the 2nd tier of receivers isn't nearly as bad. Example, a guy like Miles Austin will be there in the later rounds and can still be a very serviceable wideout. Can you get a quality running back as late in the draft as a Miles Austin type receiver? I say absolutely not.

 

[PhilSimms11]

So I have one more league to draft in. PPR league with the following starting positions -

QB
RB
RB
WR
WR
W/R/T
TE

I'm very, very strongly considering Calvin with the #5. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like there are so many intriguing PPR value backs this season that can be had after the first 2 rounds - guys like Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles, Gio Bernard, Shane Vereen, and then other guys who are likely to get the bulk of the carries in their backfield like Mark Ingram (sleeper candidate IMO), Deangelo Williams, Ahmad Bradshaw, I feel like I can take 3-4 of those guys and be fine, and I've been really considering going Calvin-Brees in round 1 and 2. I know you need RBs, but whenever I look at my leagues, the guys who win always have star QBs. I've also considered Calvin-Graham

What's everyone think of this approach?

I went Calvin Johnson with the #5 pick. I got Julio Jones 2nd, Jimmy Graham 3rd, Matt Ryan 4th, and David Wilson 5th. I was hoping to go in the 2nd half of the draft and I did.

 

[Sox33OSU]

I went Calvin Johnson with the #5 pick. I got Julio Jones 2nd, Jimmy Graham 3rd, Matt Ryan 4th, and David Wilson 5th. I was hoping to go in the 2nd half of the draft and I did.

You definitely had an opportunistic draft date. David Wilson went in the 2nd round in my draft (just had it Sunday which was after the Brown injury), even before Reggie Bush. I gave a lot of thought to it, but in the end I couldn't pass up Charles. I will say the guy who took Calvin at #7 got 2 decent RBs in Chris Johnson and Darren Sproles, so he isn't in bad shape. Had I gone Calvin at #5, I could've ended up with Reggie Bush in the 3rd and one of MJD/Frank Gore/Steven Jackson at the end of the 7th and also gotten Gio in the 4th, so I wouldn't have been in bad shape, but like I said, I couldn't pass on a guy like Charles in Andy Reid's offense.

 

[PhilSimms11]

You definitely had an opportunistic draft date. David Wilson went in the 2nd round in my draft (just had it Sunday which was after the Brown injury), even before Reggie Bush. I gave a lot of thought to it, but in the end I couldn't pass up Charles. I will say the guy who took Calvin at #7 got 2 decent RBs in Chris Johnson and Darren Sproles, so he isn't in bad shape. Had I gone Calvin at #5, I could've ended up with Reggie Bush in the 3rd and one of MJD/Frank Gore/Steven Jackson at the end of the 7th and also gotten Gio in the 4th, so I wouldn't have been in bad shape, but like I said, I couldn't pass on a guy like Charles in Andy Reid's offense.

I got Reggie Bush in the 6th round, right after Wilson. I've never had Bush....or the RB out of USC on my fantasy team.