Yanks Go Yard Fantasy Football Draft Recap

With the NFL season set to get underway tonight up in Foxboro, Massachusetts, it’s time to kick off our official coverage of the Yanks Go Yard Fantasy Football League. This year the 2015 YGY Fantasy Football Leaguse consists of staff members both past and present, including our editor Mike Cambria, podcast specialist Ricky Keeler and former editor Jason Evans just to name a few. Following today’s draft recap, we will give you, the greatest fans in the world, weekly reports and up-to-date standings throughout the NFL season.

Now I know what you’re all thinking… What do a bunch of baseball writers know about fantasy football?

Well, on Tuesday night the boys all took a break from covering the Yankees and participated in a live online fantasy draft, and pending the results, some of us may actually prove you right.

Here’s our official 2015 Draft Recap… or should we call it roast, hosted by yours truly.

Let’s work our way from the bottom to the top.

Calebs Team: GM Caleb Gabrewold

Andrew Luck – QB

Calvin Johnson – WR

DeAndre Hopkins – WR

Marshawn Lynch – RB

Joseph Randle – RB

Jimmy Graham – TE

DeSean Jackson – FLEX

Adam Vinatieri – K

Seattle – D/ST

Sammy Watkins – BE

Steve Smith Sr. – BE

Eric Decker – BE

Giovani Bernard – BE

Anquan Boldin – BE

R0ddy White – BE

Not only does Caleb earn the award for the most original team name, but he also wins the award for the most bizzare draft strategy these eyes have ever seen. Caleb took the second overall pick and turned it into a dissapointing fantasy football team at best. He is projected by Yahoo to finish with a record of 2-12-0, good enough for last place in this years rendition of YGY Fantasy Football. Yes, he has a solid core of QB Andrew Luck, RB Marshawn Lynch, WR Calvin Johnson and TE Jimmy Graham, but his additions of Joseph Randle and Giovani Bernard gives him the lowest predicted scoring group of runnings backs in the entire league! But don’t worry Caleb, maybe your eight wide receivers can help turn things around and prove the naysayers wrong.

Overall Draft Grade: C +

Antonio’s Team: GM Antonio Mendes

Drew Brees – QB

Demaryius Thomas – WR

Emanuel Sanders – WR

Le’Veon Bell – RB

Frank Gore – RB

Martellus Bennett – TE

Amari Cooper – FLEX

Cody Parker – K

Arizona – D/ST

Kansas City – BE

Ryan Tannehill – BE

Cam Newton – BE

Rashad Jennings – BE

Owen Daniels – BE

Dorial Green-Beckham – BE

Another very original team name here might I add, the Antonio Brown-less Antonio’s Team is projected by Yahoo to finish in seventh place with a record of 4-10-1 and 1,535 points. With the fifth overall pick, Antonio managed to snag Le’Veon Bell, … who won’t be playing until week three, and will face the St.Louis Rams, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chief defense in consecutive weeks…ouch. It’s also safe to say that with Demaryius Thomas and Emanuel Sanders, not only does Antonio’s season sit on the shoulders of the Denver Bronco’s passing game, but with Amari Cooper in the FLEX and the other Beckham guy as his depth receiver, he drafted one of the lowest scoring groups of wide receivers in the entire league.

Overall Draft Grade: C +

Used to Be Dan: GM Jason Evans

Ben Roethlisberger – QB

Dez Bryant – WR

Brandin Cooks – WR

Jeremy Hill – RB

Lamar Miller – RB

Delanie Walker – TE

Andre Johnson – FLEX

Mason Crosby – K

Philadelphia – D/ST

T.J. Yeldon – BE

Doug Martin – BE

Charles Johnson – BE

Tevin Coleman – BE

Devin Funchess – BE

Teddy Bridgewater… Yes, Teddy Bridgewater – BE

Very clever team name, as our former editor Jason was a late addition to the league, taking over for staff writer Dan Dechenaux. While Jason’s team has many flaws, it can still reach playoffs if everything goes his way. Jason and the Used To Be Dan’s are projected by Yahoo to finish 6-8-0 with 1,532 points, good enough for fifth place, which will put him right on the playoff buble. He managed to snag Dez Bryant (8th) and Jeremy Hill (9th) with back-to-back picks, but the rest of Jason’s draft can be summarized in one phrase… “Reach City Kid.. Reach Reach City”. I mean come on, I can understand Brandin Cooks at 24, but Lamar Miller at 25 and Andre Johnson at 41? Not to mention the duo of Big Ben and Teddy B gives Jason the lowest-scoring pair of QBs in the entire league, but at least he does have two QB’s, unlike Caleb!

Overall Draft Grade: B –

Cinco DeMarco: GM Harrison Marder

Matty ‘Ice’ Ryan – QB

Odell Beckham Jr. – WR

TY Hilton – WR

DeMarco Murray – RB

Matt Sippin’ on a Forte – RB

Jordan Cameron – TE

Melvin Gordon – FLEX

Justin Tucker – K

Baltimore – D/ST

New York Jets – BE

Golden Tate – BE

Andre Ellington – BE

Vincent Jackson – BE

Matthew Stafford – BE

Larry Fitzgerald – BE

Harrison is our rookie on staff, and his draft results make him look like a fantasy football rookie to boot. Picking at sixth overall, Cinco DeMarco drafted a team that well… Yahoo projects to finish in the very same position (sixth) with a 4-10-0 record and 1,548 points. It’s evident that Harrison is big on the running game, using three of his first five picks to select running backs (Murray, Forte and Gordon), but this eventually back fired on him, giving him one of the worst combos of QBs in the entire league. The good news for Harrison is that neither of his top five players share the same bye week, so he should have a decent lineup each and every week. Do you see a Rookie of the Year performance in the future? I sure don’t, but hey, who knows what can happen.

Overall Draft Grade: B –

Bye Bye Bird-E: GM Matt Curran

Sam Bradford – QB

Antonio Brown – WR

Jordan Matthews – WR

Justin Forsett – RB

Letavius Murray – RB

Rob Gronkowski – TE

Carlos Hyrde – FLEX

Steve Hauschka – K

New England – D/ST

Ameer Abdullah – BE

Keenan Allen – BE

Julian Edelman – BE

Todd Gurley – BE

Allen Robinson – BE

Philip Rivers – BE

Behind GM Greogry Bird…oops I meant Matt Curran, the Bye Bye Bird-E’s are projected by Yahoo to finish fourth with an 8-6-0 record (1,598 points), which is pretty good, but not great. Similar to Harrison, Matt is very big on the running game, using four of his first seven picks to draft running backs Justin Forsett, Latavius Murray, Ameer Adbullah and Carlos Hyde. Ironically, with a QB duo of Phillip Rivers and Brotherly Love’s own Sam Bradford, it looks like his quater backs will be playing more Hyde and Seek with Carlos than producing big fantasy points this season. Good luck Curran!

Overall Draft Grade: B

Tickle Me Al-Mo: GM Your Host, Michael Cambria

Aaron Rodgers – QB

Mike Evans – WR

Devante Adams – WR

Eddie Lacey – WR

C.J. Anderson – WR

Jason Witten – TE

Alfred Morris – FLEX

Phil Dawson’s Creek – K

St.Louis Rams D/ ST

Jeremy Maclin – BE

LeGarrette Blount – BE

Eli Manning – BE

Jarvis Landry – BE

C.J. Spiller – BE

John Brown – BE

I’d like to start off by saying the GM of Tickle Me Al-Mo turned in a solid draft performance, using the third overall pick to field a team of winners. Yahoo projects the Tickle Me Al-Mo’s to finished 10-4-0 with 1,599 points, which is what we like to call a potential playoff contender! With the first five picks of the draft, Mike balanced out his offense with Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacey, C.J. Anderson, Mike Evans and Davante Adams. According to Yahoo, Mike drafted the worst group of wide receivers in the league, but do they know Jeremy Maclin is back with Andy Reed and that Davante Adams is Rodgers number one receiver now that Jordy Nelson is out for the year? Hmm.. Got enough cheese Mike?

Overall Draft Grade: B+

Boston Loves the D: GM Scott Alfano

Tom Brady – QB

Julio Jones – WR

Randall Corn on the Cobb – WR

Jamaal Charles – RB

Chris Ivory – RB

Travis Kelce – TE

Alshon Jeffery – FLEX

Stephen Gotskowski – K

Houston – D/ST

Green Bay – BE

Russell Wilson – BE

Jonathan Stewart – BE

Mike Wallace – BE

Alfred Blue – BE

Tyler Eifert – BE

While we love the team name here at Yanks Go Yard, we’re not sure how the BoSox Injection feels about it… but let’s be honest, do we care? Scott Alfano proved that he could certainly mimic the likes of Kevin Costner on draft day, building one of the stronger teams in the league. Scott is projected by Yahoo to finish second with an 11-3-0 record. He stocked up on the passing game early, drafting Julio Jones, Randall Cobb and Alshon Jefferey, giving him the best WR tandem in the league. As the season is set to get underway I have all but one thing to say to Scott, the commissioner of the YGY Fantasy Football League holds much more leverage than Mr. Roger Goodell in the NFL… so NO DEFLATED FOOTBALLS, or else you’ll be forced to start Vontae Mack no matter what!

Overall Draft Grade: A-

Ricky’s Team – GM Ricky Keeler

Peyton Manning – QB

A.J. Green – WR

Brandon Marshall – WR

Adrian Peterson – RB

LeSean McCoy – RB

Greg Olsen – TE

Mark Ingram – FLEX

Dan Baley – K

Buffalo – D/ST

Miami – BE

Arian Foster – BE

Nelson Agholor – BE

Tony Romo – BE

Marques Colston – BE

Danny Woodhead – BE

Having the number one overall pick in the draft isn’t necessarily a great thing when it comes to building playoff caliber football teams, but in this case, it is. Ricky used the combination of Adrian Peterson at first overall and back-to-back picks the rest of the way to build an offensive explosion, projected by Yahoo to finish in first place. Ricky used three of his top five picks to select AP, LeSean McCoy and Mark Ingram, the best group of running backs in the entire league. He also stayed true to his native New York grass roots, selecting Jets receiver Brandon Marshall and the Buffalo Bills defense to tie his roster together. We’re expecting big things from Ricky this season, but we’re hoping tending to his football team doesnt get in the way of his Weekly Podcasts or Rewinds!

Overall Draft Grade: A

What do you think of these draft grades fans? Which staff member has the best team? Let us know in the comments below!

Let the games begin gentleman!

Yanks Go Yard Fantasy Football Draft Recap

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