2014 TLB Draft Rankings

Toughest draft to date. No doubt. The keeper adds the need to balance the players with immediate value with the guys with long term potential. I noticed a lot more speculative picks this season, which means, of course, that a lot of you were doing your homework. I'd expect nothing less from a league this competitive.

Now about these rankings... What do I look for when rating a team. I look for a solid squad top to bottom. I think RBs and WRs are more important than QBs and TEs. Why? You start a bunch of RBs and WRs and when they get hurt it affects your team much more aversely. Which is why depth is so important. Someone waiting in the wings when injury strikes, is very important. Some of you may have different philosophies. I encourage you to do your own competing rankings. I'd love an alternate viewpoint. I'd also like someone else to have first hand knowledge of how difficult this shit is. Oh and someone else to hear the low ranking teams complain about how I rated them. I'd share that responsibility in a heart beat.

Getting on with it, here are the rankings. It's close. Everyone has a good team and can be in the hunt. Also we've learned that having a good draft doesn't win you a title. You gotta manage the team for an entire season, making the right moves, evaluating players every week to even have a shot at the title. Anyway here you go.

• 10. Va Sixpack - The good is that the two time champ has great Qbs, the best TE in the game and aa okay set of RBs. I'm just not sold on his WRs. I don't think there is a true WR1. A lot of guys who will have a good week and then go missing the next. Ohh and I hate to say it, but I don't think the Steelers' D is going to be a top 15 defense this year. I hope I'm wrong, but aside from Shazier, they haven't looked great.
• 9. Duke Dawgs - The "Surrogate" draft that was only approved to keep me from drafting between an aurtodrafter. I like Doug Martin, he's looked good, D. Thomas is a lock, but everyone else has a question mark next to their name. Still a couple of those late round rookies pan out and the defending champs could be right back in contention.
• 8. Heaven's Own - This draft is rated low solely on the absis of RB question marks. His WRs are in the argument for best in the league. (Megatron will maybe give him the edge.) But all those injury prone running backs make me nervous. Still if Gronk plays most of the season Kev's a real threat.
• 7. GAC Nation - This ranking feels a little low, but I'm not sure who I'd downvote. Gabe has solid RBs and good depth. His WRs are a little rough around the edges tho. Also GAC Nation is married to the Redskins. If Washington succeeds so will Gabe. They've looked pretty damn rough in the preseason tho. Also G pulled the trigger on Josh Gordon way early in my opinion. We'll see if he even gets to play.
• 6. Innsmouth Fisheyes - Scard of Lynch after several seasons of heavy carries, especially going all the way to the SB last season. Starting WRs are impressive. I wanted Keenan Allen to fall another two spots so I could grab him. I'm also intrigued by Dexter McCluster, who has always looked like he should be doing more. Maybe he will as a Titan. If so, the Fisheyes will see the playoffs.
• 5. FSU Warchant - Steady Cal has another good draft. He has some serious PPR RBs, although I'll never get over the way Trent Richardson fouled my team last season. That may be why Warchant is so low. Another strike is Cal dropping his kicker. I judge complete teams. I understand the wait and see approach at play here, I just deduct points for missing positions.
• 4. Evil Penguin - The more I look at my team the less I like it. The questions just jump out at me. Gio hasn't looked his best this preseason. Will Vereen be boom or bust every week? Am I really going to start the Bills defense regularly? Can any of my rookie players become the lottery winner I want them to be? That said, it's still pretty good. No?
• 3. Dallas Danglers - Solid list top to bottom. Romo has to stay healthy or Mike will be hitting the waiver wire hard for a replacement. I'm not all in on Zac Stacy with Bradford down for the season, but there's some potential on the bench. Harvin is also a boom or bust play. He could be gold or he could be pyrite. We'll have to wait and see.
• 2. Leesburg Leghounds - Nobody puts more effort into the draft than Adam. It paid off. Solid RBs and a good starting lineup of WRs. He could use one of his long shots to pan out to give him a little breathing room there, but it seems likely one will. I am a little amused by all his preseason moves tho. It shows a little lack of confidence in some of his picks.
• 1. Team Vipperman -  Nick is looking to put the Asterisk to bed. He did his homework and comes out with a pretty great draft. Solid RBs, although maybe missing a little depth there. A top tier receiving corps. that looks devastating. He's got Charles Clay in at starter... Dolphin fandom does odd things to a man. Rudolph will be there soon enough, I'm sure. And the Seahawks' D. The Commish has set himself up well for a second title run. 

That's it folks. I know at least half of you are upset. Sorry.  It's close. I mean last season if I recall correctly in the last few weeks of the regular season six teams were still in the playoff hunt. That's insane! it came down to the most ridiculous tiebreakers to decide who made it. (Completely ridiculous because they didn't break my way.) So there you go. Here's to 10 years in the TLB!