*2026 June Mock Draft No-Hassle Analysis*

[Fumbleweed]

Fumbleweed:

1.01- RB Bijan Robinson, Atl. 
2.12- RB Chase Brown, Cin. 
3.01- TE Trey McBride, Ari. 
4.12- WR Zay Flowers, Bal. 
5.01- QB Lamar Jackson, Bal. 
6.12- WR Brian Thomas, Jr., Jax. 
7.01- RB Chuba Hubbard, Car. 
8.12- WR Jordan Addison, Min. 
9.01- WR Jordyn Tyson, NO
10.12- WR Jakobi Meyers, Jax.
11.01- QB Jordan Love, GB
12.12- RB Brian Robinson, Jr., Atl. 
13.01- TE Oronde Gadsden, LAC 
14.12- K Eddy Pineiro, SF 
15.01- WR Jalen Nailor, LV 
16.12- D/ST, Cleveland Browns

Analysis: To my knowledge, this is the first time I have ever had the top overall pick in this draft and I was happy to have it as it set me up for a powerhouse team. Or so I thought. Robinson or Gibbs will be the question in August that confronts whoever gets to pick at the top and in the end, I think Robinson will get more volume, so I went with him. As the next few rounds came to fruition, I added one of the top two QBs in my personal rankings alongside the top tight end. So, top-2 positional players at three different spots and the guy at RB that I consider to be the quintessential RB2 for any team in the form of Chase Brown. That is powerhouse. That said, my top three wide receivers are Zay Flowers, Brian Thomas, Jr., and Jordan Addison or Jordyn Tyson. That is not powerhouse. There was a significant WR run after I took Jackson and Flowers at the 4/5 turn and in hindsight, I now wish I had gone WR-WR at that turn. Time will tell if it’s an error that ultimately leads my team away from any sort of contention in the fall. Typically, when you analyze your own team, you like what you see as it’s full of players you have some level of confidence in. And, I do think this will be a high scoring team many weeks of the season. But, the WR corps is suspect.

Key to No-Hassle Success: If the RB duo of Robinson and Brown stays healthy, I think this will be a top-five team, but only four RBs were drafted, so an injury really places pressure on Chuba Hubbard to hold on to the starting job in Carolina. Sure, I drafted Brian Robinson to “back up” Bijan, but Brian’s numbers last season in limited duties weren’t eye-popping by any means. With the WR group being bottom  half of the league at best, the five-pronged prowess that is Lamar Jackson, Bijan Robinson, Chase Brown, Zay Flowers, and Trey McBride must maintain health. And in Flowers’s case, top-12 numbers at his position are a must to keep this team competitive. That will depend some on how he is utilized in Baltimore’s new offense and with my fate tied to both him and Jackson, that Baltimore offense has to be at least as good as they’ve been in recent years if not better. Fingers crossed.

Favorite Pick: I loved my 2-3 turn of Brown and McBride. Sure, I could have nabbed a receiver or two at that turn, but I wanted the steadiness of Brown and the separation from other TEs (aside from Bowers) that Trey McBride provides. I was also happy to acquire four “J” players in the later rounds by way of taking Jordyn Tyson, Jakobi Meyers, Jordan Love, and Jalen Nailor. All four in my estimation will exceed their draft positions with Tyson having the most upside and Meyers giving me something of a safety net at the WR spot. Nailor may not do much in Las Vegas, but he’s also the de facto WR1 for now and I got him cheap.

Least Favorite Pick: This is an easy one. Brian Thomas, Jr. was my least favorite pick and it’s not close. I might have stomached selecting Thomas as my WR3 or certainly my WR4, but as a WR2, he’s got bust risk written all over him. I don’t have the first clue what to expect from Thomas this season and therein lies the problem.

Overall outlook: If a better/more reliable WR has fallen to me at 6.12, I would probably love taking this team into the No-Hassle arena this fall. As is, I am still excited to see if what I put together will produce, but realistically I know this team could prove to be poorly constructed in terms of WR strength and RB depth. Bijan Robinson could very well have a career year which for him would be saying something as he’s been top tier at RB for awhile now. The question then would be: Does the team have enough surrounding his greatness to make a title run? There are certainly some guys that are going to have to step up if that is to happen. Being able to build around Robinson should make this team a top-five contender realistically, but there are a couple of teams I like better than mine heading into the season.

Robb:

1.02- RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Det. 
2.11- WR Chris Olave, NO
3.02- TE Brock Bowers, LV
4.11- WR Terry McLaurin, Was. 
5.02- RB Bhayshul Tuten, Jax. 
6.11- WR D.K. Metcalf, Pit. 
7.02- QB Jalen Hurts, Phi. 
8.11- WR Ricky Pearsall, SF 
9.02- RB Jordan Mason, Min. 
10.11- RB Zach Charbonnet, Sea. 
11.02- QB Tyler Shough, NO
12.11- D/ST, Los Angeles Rams 
13.02- TE Brenton Strange, Jax.
14.11- K Jason Myers, Sea.  
15.02- WR K.C. Concepcion, Cle. 
16.11- D/ST, Los Angeles Chargers

Analysis: When I noted above that there were a couple of teams I liked a little bit better than mine, Robb’s team was one of the ones I was referencing. As was the case with my top three picks, Robb also chose a stud RB and a stud TE in rounds one and three, but he also obtained a much better trio of wide receivers than I did with Chris Olave, Terry McLaurin, and D.K. Metcalf taking up the mantle. He also was able to select a consensus top-6 QB in Jalen Hurts and while I like Lamar Jackson better than Hurts, one could argue they are of similar value despite Robb getting his guy 25 spots later. About the only thing I can hang my hat on when comparing apples to oranges is that my RB2 is proven while Robb’s (Bhayshul Tuten) is not. This is an impossible draft to get everything you ultimately want, so Robb having to rely on Tuten as his RB2 was likely unavoidable if he wanted to fortify his other spots in the starting lineup. Jahmyr Gibbs gives this team the foundation that Robinson gives mine and one could even argue that Gibbs has the most upside of the two players with David Montgomery now playing in Houston. I wasn’t crazy about some of Robb’s late round picks, but it’s impossible not to notice how formidable his starters are going to be.

Key to No-Hassle Success: Gibbs is dynamic and foundational as noted above, but beyond him at RB, this team has question marks not only due to Tuten being the RB2, but with Jordan Mason being in a full-blown committee in Minnesota and Zach Charbonnet being hurt to start the season. Given that uncertainty, I would have looked to add a fifth RB for best ball purposes, but Robb stayed the course on his four guys. So, getting back to keys to success, somebody must step up and provide backfield support for Gibbs. And, on a much smaller scale, Robb’s choice to be the only team with two defensive units needs to pay dividends. The uncertainty of Charbonnet would make me nervous. Nervous enough to bypass that second defense and find another reinforcement. That said, if Tuten enjoys a break-out year, this team could win a league title. As such, he’s probably the biggest “key”.

Favorite Pick: In Rounds Two, Four, Six, and Eight (first four “even” rounds), Robb made one solid WR pick after another. Olave finished last season on a tear and should be even better with Tyson on the other side to keep defenses honest. McLaurin is no longer distracted by his contract and is a great bounce back candidate for Washington. And, Metcalf and Pearsall were just solid choices to round out those even rounds. Throw in the late selection of Concepcion for upside purposes, and I just liked everything Robb did in selecting his WR group. I would trade mine for his in a heartbeat and lament not having that option.

Least Favorite Pick: Hard to find fault with any one individual pick. I am just uneasy about Charbonnet, particularly if Jadarian Price bursts out of the gates and makes his role minimal. So, I guess Charbonnet would be the pick I liked least, but I can’t fault Robb for making it. After all, with Walker gone in Seattle, that could turn out to be steal. Risky.

Overall outlook: There’s a lot to be excited about with respect to this team’s outlook. Alongside having one of everyone’s top two running backs, this team has adequate firepower at QB, a deep WR corps with upside, and a tight end who could leave all other TEs in the dust with better QB play in Las Vegas almost a certainty. By waiting until 7.02 to take Hurts, Robb was able to create a more balanced unit across the board than I did and again, I would likely trade my team for his as a result. I am much more comfortable with Chase Brown than Bhayshul Tuten, but aside from that, I love what Robb put together from the two-spot. I would be shocked, barring an injury to Gibbs, if this team’s doesn’t contend for a title all season long. Good draft strategy here turned into great results from where I sit.

Ray Lewis’ Limo Driver:

1.03- WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cin. 
2.10- RB Jeremiyah Love, Ari. 
3.03- RB Breece Hall, NYJ
4.10- WR Malik Nabers, NYG
5.03- WR Jameson Williams, Det. 
6.10- QB Caleb Williams, Chi. 
7.03- TE Harold Fannin, Jr., Cle. 
8.10- RB R.J. Harvey, Den. 
9.03- QB Trevor Lawrence, Jax. 
10.10- WR Jayden Reed, GB
11.03- TE Isaiah Likely, NYG
12.10- D/ST, Denver Broncos
13.03- K Brandon Aubrey, Dal. 
14.10- RB Nicholas Singleton, Ten. 
15.03- WR Tre' Harris, LAC 
16.10- RB Tyler Allgeier, Ari.

Analysis: Have you ever seen an assembled team in which nearly every single player has wild upside? If not, now you have. After making one of the safest picks in the fantasy football universe (Ja’Marr Chase), Ray went and got, in my estimation, the QB, RB, WR, and TE with the highest upside in relation to draft position. It started with Jeremiyah Love, who many felt would be a first-round fantasy pick this summer prior to him landing with the Cardinals. It still seems as if Ray paid a bargain price for Love’s services. Beyond Love, the selections of Malik Nabers, Caleb Williams, and Harold Fannin, Jr.  represented an attempt to overwhelm the league with talent. The flip side of that coin, though, is that there are some question marks. Nabers is certainly a question mark coming into the season and even though I think too many drafters here passed on him for too long, there were reasons that so many did so. Caleb Williams and Fannin carry some risk as well as both are seeking to take a step forward into new territory, production-wise. In both cases, though, Ray did a great job acquiring backups at those positions who could perform like starters (Lawrence, Likely). If Breece Hall and Jameson Williams can just be steady, this could be a scary team.

Key to No-Hassle Success: Getting back to the way in which Ray hedged his bets at QB and TE, I think he’ll be fine there in a best ball format at worst and terrific at best. As such, I think Nabers and Love are the two biggest factors in whether or not this team excels. With Chase and Jameson Williams also in the fold, a resurgent Nabers might give Ray the best WR trio in the entire league hands down. In many ways, Ray was fortunate to get a WR of Nabers’ ability given that he went RB-RB at the 2-3 turn. That emphasis on RB in those rounds turned out to be a great call, though, not only because of landing Nabers, but also because the RB position was starting to dry up in terms of value long before Ray’s pick at 4.10. It’s hard for me to imagine a team with this much upside not coming through, but with rookies and players coming off of significant injuries, you never know until you know.

Favorite Pick: There is so much that I loved about this draft. Getting Jeremiyah Love at 2.10 seems like robbery to me just as the pick of Nabers at 4.10 was. I also think Jameson Williams is vastly underrated in the non-PPR format and could give Ray three top-10 WRs in terms of scoring by season’s end. It also didn’t escape me that Ray took both the top kicker and the top defense on my board, rounding out a team that just seems to have an abundance of firepower to utilize weekly. Finally, I think Williams/Lawrence is a fantastic QB combo and I think that will pay dividends big time.

Least Favorite Pick: R.J. Harvey and Jayden Reed operate in crowded situations as neither is promised the touches that Ray is likely counting on by way of taking the pair in the eighth and tenth rounds respectively. I am fine with both, but if you forced me to choose a couple of picks I wasn’t crazy about on a team that I love, this would be the two.

Overall outlook: Again, would I trade my team post-draft for this one as was the case with Robb? I just might. While Robb acquired a solid trio of WRs, they don’t hold a candle to the upside of what Ray put together here and I think as the season goes on, Love and Nabers will get better and better in terms of what they’ll bring to the table. I suppose there’s a scenario where this team is middle of the pack, but frankly I don’t see it. I think this team will contend from the start with a chance to have an incredibly strong kick down the stretch. Even the last few selections here were solid as Ray found a way to get Allgeier as Love’s backup and landed the intriguing duo of Nicholas Singleton and Tre’ Harris as well. Watch out for this team. They could be very noisy…in a good way.

Hawkeye21:

1.04- RB Jonathan Taylor, Ind. 
2.09- WR Nico Collins, Hou. 
3.04- WR George Pickens, Dal. 
4.09- RB Quinshon Judkins, Cle. 
5.04- TE Tucker Kraft, GB 
6.09- WR Rome Odunze, Chi. 
7.04- QB Justin Herbert, LAC
8.09- WR Alec Pierce, Ind. 
9.04- RB Rico Dowdle, Pit. 
10.09- RB Tyrone Tracy, Jr., NYG
11.04- WR Makai Lemon, Phi. 
12.09- QB Malik Willis, Mia. 
13.04- TE Kenyon Sadiq, NYJ
14.09- K Cam Little, Jax. 
15.04- D/ST, Jacksonville Jaguars 
16.09- RB Kaytron Allen, Was.

Analysis: Jonathan Taylor had a terrific season in 2025, but his best production came at the onset of the season and he wasn’t nearly as explosive down the stretch. Some of that can be attributed to Daniel Jones getting injured, but I also would worry a bit about hitching the wagon to him this season. I think he’s definitely a step down in value from Robinson and Gibbs. That said, he’s a solid anchor for this team and much like the previous two teams, Hawk really did a good job putting together a WR trio to get excited about. Collins and Pickens are in situations in which they’ll likely thrive while Hawk has to hope that Rome Odunze continues to be a focal point in the Bears’ offense. Luther Burden and Colston Loveland surged late last season leaving Odunze as something of an afterthought. But, there’s no denying the high octane potential of the Chicago offense as a whole. Beyond Taylor, though, this team is a bit soft at RB with Quinshon Judkins being asked to do a lot to keep that part of the lineup competitive. Further, the RB depth features three players whose touch counts are very uncertain. All in all, there are pieces to like interspersed throughout this roster, but there aren’t any real studs on this team outside of Taylor.

Key to No-Hassle Success: I would much more prefer Quinshon Judkins as my RB3 to my RB2, so Hawk getting from him what he’s counting on is a big key for this team. In addition, it was noted that this team has no real fantasy stars on it aside from Taylor, but that could be poor conjecture on my part. If either Nico Collins or George Pickens could perform at a top-5 level, it would significantly alter that landscape and give Taylor the running mate he needs in making this team a contender. I also think there is real upside with the selections of both Alec Pierce and Makai Lemon for different reasons. Should Pierce get healthy and live up to the contract that he signed, he could be one of the steals of this draft at 8.09. Likewise, Lemon could become a fantastic weapon in Philadelphia. One of those two things happening smells like a key to success as well, albeit a less prominent key.

Favorite Pick: I wasn’t overly excited about this team through five rounds, but I really liked some of the mid-round picks. Odunze and Pierce stand out as two that I really liked as I think this wide receiver group could really excel with them in tow. Adding Lemon later was icing on the cake and in the end, I just believe the best-ball potential for the group is incredibly high. In addition, getting Kenyon Sadiq in Round Thirteen seemed like a very solid gain to me. The Jets have a whole bunch of targets to figure out with Garrett Wilson being their only proven option. Sadiq could yield high-end return on a low-end investment.

Least Favorite Pick: Tucker Kraft got off to an extraordinary start last year before succumbing to injury and I would have waited longer to grab him based on him still being in recovery. I also might have taken my second running back sooner as again, Judkins is no guarantee to produce as he did last season initially.

Overall outlook: Hawkeye nearly won this league last year with a finishing kick down the stretch that few could ever hope to match. As such, he’s earned some credibility with respect to team composition and while I don’t love this team, I do respect both the drafter and the balance the team possesses across the board. I don’t think the quarterbacks offer much upside, so I think a lot of this team’s success will ultimately fall on Taylor. Can he be the running back he was last year when Daniel Jones was the quarterback? Or was that peak Taylor and now we’re going to see a RB whose numbers resemble a lower end RB1? We shall see. Don’t be shocked, though, if this WR corps carries this team at times during the season and keeps the group competitive overall.

White Wonder:

1.05- RB James Cook, Buf. 
2.08- WR A.J. Brown, NE
3.05- RB Javonte Williams, Dal. 
4.08- WR Rashee Rice, KC 
5.05- RB TreVeyon Henderson, NE 
6.08- WR Luther Burden III, Chi. 
7.05- TE Sam LaPorta, Det. 
8.08- WR Quentin Johnston, LAC
9.05- RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Was. 
10.08- QB Kyler Murray, Min. 
11.05- QB Sam Darnold, Sea. 
12.08- TE Hunter Henry, NE 
13.05- WR Josh Downs, Ind. 
14.08- RB Dylan Sampson, Cle. 
15.05- K Jake Bates, Det. 
16.08- D/ST, Baltimore Ravens

Analysis: Wonder’s first round pick was a surprise to me as I really thought Nacua and Smith-Njigba would line up as the picks behind Taylor. Instead, Wonder chose to make James Cook the foundation of his team- a move he may or may not question as the season wears on. Wonder then went on to make two solid, but potentially unspectacular picks in veterans A.J. Brown and Javonte Williams. Both are real wild cards with Williams possibly enjoying his career year last year and Brown having already worn out his welcome on two different teams. I did think it imperative that Wonder grab another RB in the third round and Williams did represent the best option along those lines at that point in time. Then, came Round Four-Six where I thought Wonder went from a decent team to a potentially great one. Rashee Rice, TreVeyon Henderson, and Luther Burden are all young, exciting players and each one could prove a steal this season. If they prove to be a collective steal as I think they might, this team could contend for everything this league has to offer. The obvious flaw in this team then is at QB  where Wonder waited forever to address the position. Will that strategy prevent an otherwise very solid squad from excelling? As with all things No-Hassle, time will tell.

Key to No-Hassle Success: As was just noted, the QB duo of Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold must hold up. It’s hard to imagine Murray not holding on to the job in Minnesota for the duration of the season, but nothing is guaranteed. Likewise, Seattle is likely to rely on a great defense rather than Darnold’s arm, so his fantasy value is muted some despite coming into his own the past couple of seasons. I also think Rashee Rice has to stay out of trouble. That sounds simplistic, but Wonder cannot afford to have Quentin Johnston and Josh Downs competing for WR3 duties assuming Burden takes a big leap forward. Finally, Wonder did a great job acquiring good RB depth with two additional ball carriers who could lead their team in touches. All that said, the key is not falling too far behind opponents in terms of QB scoring. Everything else is secondary to that.

Favorite Pick: I think I addressed this prematurely, but I was so excited about Wonder’s picks in Rounds Four-Six that I couldn’t wait to mention it via the opening paragraph. Rashee Rice has so much to lose by not staying on the straight and narrow that I think he’ll lock in during the season and put up top-10 numbers. TreVeyon Henderson isn’t going to explode each and every game, but every time he does in the No-Hassle format, it’s going to propel Wonder to a big week. And, I was hoping against hope that Burden made it to me at 6.12. He didn’t and that pick ended three rounds of stellar drafting in my opinion.

Least Favorite Pick: I would have done some things differently in relation to what Wonder did in this draft. I wouldn’t have made Kyler Murray my starting QB. And, I would have picked Nacua or JSN at 1.05. But, neither of those preferences represent truth. Truth be told, James Cook is a great player on a very good team in the prime of his career. So, some of my take here is nit picking.

Overall outlook: This season is going to be a testimony to just far and long you can wait on the quarterback position in a redraft and still compete for a title. In doing that, however, Wonder loaded up on talent at all of the other positions and I suspect that was his primary objective in the first place. All in all, I thought this draft started so-so for Wonder and I didn’t necessarily like some of  his picks during the second half of the draft, but oh how he shined in those three rounds noted previously. If players like Croskey-Merritt and Johnston can produce consistently, it only adds to the potential that’s already in place with the team’s more prominent options. Mixed feelings about this team abound for me, but I think it’s well constructed overall.

ICEMAN:

1.06- RB Christian McCaffrey, SF
2.07- WR Drake London, Atl. 
3.06- RB Josh Jacobs, GB 
4.07- WR Tee Higgins, Cin. 
5.06- WR Garrett Wilson, NYJ
6.07- QB Jayden Daniels, Was. 
7.06- RB Rhamondre Stevenson, NE
8.07- RB Aaron Jones, Min.
9.06- TE George Kittle, SF 
10.07- QB Bo Nix, Den. 
11.06- TE Mark Andrews, Bal. 
12.07- WR Stefon Diggs, FA 
13.06- RB Alvin Kamara, NO
14.07- K Ka'imi Fairbairn, Hou. 
15.06- D/ST, New England Patriots 
16.07- WR Calvin Ridley, Ten.

Analysis: ICEMAN and White Wonder must’ve been thinking the same thing in this draft in Round One. Must. Get. Running back. With both Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba still available, ICE instead opted for Christian McCaffrey, hoping that his era of being a top fantasy running back extends for at least one more season. Then, just as Wonder did, he added a WR in Round Two and a second RB in Round Three. That RB, Josh Jacobs, carries some risk with him based on off-field issues which is why he fell as far as he did in this draft. If Jacobs can avoid league discipline, he could easily out-produce many of the backs picked before him including McCaffrey. Unlike Wonder, though, ICE didn’t wait forever to address the QB position, making this team a bit more balanced in terms of dispersed value between positions. Jayden Daniels gives this team the upside it needs alongside the solid veteran starters at RB and WR. Where this draft then got a tad weird was when ICE used the second half of his draft to basically grab older players sans Bo Nix at the QB2 spot. Aaron Jones, George Kittle, Mark Andews, Stefon Diggs, Alvin Kamara, and Calvin Ridley are all well outside of their prime years except Kittle potentially. As such, this is probably the oldest team drafted.

Key to No-Hassle Success: It’s not rocket science. Josh Jacobs has to avoid discipline and Garrett Wilson has to avoid injury. Wilson has such potential as a top-5 WR talent, but he’s been cursed by both poor health and subpar QB play all throughout his career so far. Geno Smith is not the answer to the latter problem, but should be able to bring out more in Wilson than his Jet QB predecessors. Thus, a trouble-free Jacobs and injury-free Wilson would give this team exactly what they need from an upside standpoint. I also think Kittle is going to be needed for success to be maximized and how well he’s able to jump back in this year after an injury is going to matter quite a bit. Again, this is a team full of veterans. Is that a good thing or will it end up a reality paired with frustration? That’s what we’ll be finding out this fall as we track this unit.

Favorite Pick: Rhamondre Stevenson isn’t going to set the world on fire with TreVeyon Henderson around to eat away touches. But, at 7.06, I thought he represented great value given that the Patriots need to be able to run the ball to make their overall offense work. I also liked where Daniels and Kittle fell as both could be top-3 at their positions in terms of points scored. Finally, while Jacobs is a question mark due to possible misconduct, he’s another solid value as a mid-third round pick.

Least Favorite Pick: No one pick stands out, but the overall trend of not mixing in some younger, high upside players with the vets would have been my preference. Aaron Jones  and Alvin Kamara are on their last legs as a RB duo and I question whether either will make much of a contribution to this team ultimately.

Overall outlook: When you stack this starting lineup up against other teams drafted, it’s hard not to like this team. Two proven running backs. A quarterback who demonstrated such high upside two years ago as a rookie that he’s still regarded top-5 in rankings everywhere despite last year’s struggles. And, a trio of wide receivers and a tight end who are elite, ability-wise. That group includes Drake London, who many people think is set to enjoy a career year with a new QB possibly throwing him the ball and a new coach designing the plays. All that said, there really is a lack of youth on this team and I don’t know if that was by design or not. My feeling initially is that this team is not a top contender per se, but is also not likely to fall out of the top-six due to all the proven track records. I will be curious to hear from ICE what the overall strategy was here. Plenty of solid stuff.

Worm:

1.07- WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sea. 
2.06- RB Kyren Williams, LAR
3.07- QB Josh Allen, Buf. 
4.06- RB David Montgomery, Hou. 
5.07- WR Davante Adams, LAR 
6.06- WR Courtland Sutton, Den. 
7.07- RB J.K. Dobbins, Den. 
8.06- TE Travis Kelce, KC 
9.07- WR Michael Wilson, Ari. 
10.06- RB Jonathon Brooks, Car. 
11.07- TE Juwan Johnson, NO
12.06- QB Jacoby Brissett, Ari. 
13.07- WR Jalen Coker, Car. 
14.06- RB Keaton Mitchell, LAC 
15.07- K Wil Lutz, Den. 
16.06- D/ST, Detroit Lions

Analysis: The flip side of what iCE did in his draft came about via Worm’s draft, but it happened during the first half of the selections, not the second half. More on that in a moment. First, it’s worth noting that Worm had to be thrilled with getting Jaxon Smith-Njigba as his top pick. He didn’t take another WR until Round Five, but that’s what getting a stud can do for your options. It was a defining pick for this team just as being the first team to grab a QB was. The June Mock is often a contest among many to see how long one can avoid taking a QB, but Worm had seen enough of that by pick 3.07. As a result, you’ve got two stars anchoring this team in JSN and Allen and then a bunch of other solid options alongside. Now, back to the flip side thing. ICE used the second half of his draft to draft older veteran players and that’s what Worm also did during the first half of his. Davante Adams and Travis Kelce are well into their thirties age-wise and Montgomery, Dobbins, and Sutton aren’t exactly spring chickens, either. The good news for Worm is that this is not a dynasty league and all of those pieces could still fit nicely into the puzzle this season. And, Worm did choose youth and upside during the draft’s second half.  

Key to No-Hassle Success: Taking a quarterback before everyone else does mean you believe the guy you’re choosing can separate himself from the pack in terms of scoring impact. So, it’s safe to say that Worm believes that Josh Allen is the best QB to be had and that the scoring he can attain makes him worthy of the pick. Allen needs to live up to that to make it valid. In addition, the RB group that Worm has put in place is not as rock-solid as Worm would likely want it to be. Kyren Williams is very solid overall, but more of a prototypical RB2 than a RB1. That means Montgomery and Dobbins have to make significant contributions. Montgomery likely will, but Dobbins is stuck in a three-headed committee in Denver that could render him less useful. The rushing attack doesn’t need to be top-4 league wide to contend with JSN and Allen onboard. But, they must be top-8 to be sure.

Favorite Pick: I know it’s simplistic to say that one’s top draft choice was their best, but Worm getting Smith-Njigba was really a coup in this draft in my opinion. I would be thrilled to get that sort of certain production from my 1.07 selection. I also loved the pick of Michael Wilson later in the draft as Wilson demonstrated fantastic chemistry last year with Jacoby Brissett. Worm stacked Brissett with Wilson also which I thought was great given that Arizona is going to be playing from behind a lot this season and garbage time points from both guys could be plentiful.

Least Favorite Pick: I can’t fault any of Worm’s top four picks as I thought they were extremely solid, but I struggled a bit with the selections of Adams and Sutton as well as Travis Kelce further down the road. Adams is almost certain to see significant touchdown regression and Sutton has Waddle now hogging targets in Denver. Kelce’s just old.

Overall outlook: Can a team with below average rushing attack still win a title in the No-Hassle league? The answer to that is yes as we’ve had all sorts of winners over the years, but it can be challenging. Josh Allen needs to produce more through the air to make him the unquestioned top fantasy signal caller and maybe the addition of D.J. Moore will help bring that about. Worm also needs to see a replication from JSN, Adams, and Sutton to be a viable contender and while that’s a likely result from Smith-Njigba, getting 2025 numbers out of Adams and Sutton may prove tricky. In the end, injures to Omarion Hampton or Chuba Hubbard would elevate the run game as it would make Keaton Mitchell and/or Jonathon Brooks valuable. As such, those were smart picks down the stretch in the later stages of a smart overall draft.

Shovelheadt:

1.08- WR Puka Nacua, LAR
2.05- RB Derrick Henry, Bal.
3.08- RB Travis Etienne, NO 
4.05- QB Joe Burrow, Cin. 
5.08- WR Jaylen Waddle, Den. 
6.05- TE Kyle Pitts, Atl. 
7.08- WR Xavier Worthy, KC
8.05- RB Blake Corum, LAR
9.08- QB Matthew Stafford, LAR
10.05- RB Rachaad White, Was. 
11.08- WR Matthew Golden, GB
12.05- D/ST, Houston Texans 
13.08- TE Pat Freiermuth, Pit. 
14.05- WR Andrei Iosivas, Cin. 
15.08- WR Dontayvion Wicks, Phi. 
16.05- K Evan McPherson, Cin.

Analysis: The obvious thing I loved about this draft right off the bat was that Shovel got Puka Nacua at 1.08. That just seems wrong to me and the fact that he was then able to turn around and grab two very solid RBs with his next two picks gave him one of the very best trios of all of us coming out of Round Three. Derrick Henry often gets underrated in non-PPR drafts and that was the case here in my estimation as he's probably worthy of being taken on the 1/2 turn. After the first three rounds, there were more picks that I loved (see Waddle, Jaylen) and a few I wasn't fond of (see Worthy, Xavier), but all in all, there is some serious talent assembled here. It also strikes me amazing that last year's top scoring QB in many formats (Stafford) lasted until the late ninth round. Burrow and Stafford could crush it in a best ball format like ours and even though I thought Burrow might have been taken a tad early, there's no beef with the powerhouse pairing he and Stafford are. The weaknesses on this team (WR3, possibly TE) are in places you can typically afford to be a little weaker, so kudos to Shovel for recognizing where you must be good and where you can afford to possibly not be. This team feels a bit disjointed to me in spots, but I do love many of the individual pieces here. 

Key to No-Hassle Success: No one really knows what Travis Etienne will look like in New Orleans from a productivity standpoint. He could be a top-10 back, in which case this team is going to flourish...or he could be something of a disappointment. He and Waddle are two of the biggest team changers in fantasy football this offseason and while I think Waddle is set up to succeed, I really don't know what to expect from Etienne. As such, he's my top key in terms of this team excelling. I also think everyone needs to stay healthy as the depth on this team worries me a bit. An injury to either Henry or Etienne would place Corum or Rachaad White in a starting role and that could be a major drop-off as far as production is concerned. Ditto for Worthy, Golden, or Iosivas having to play a significant role. I'm not sure the safety net on this team is very strong. 

Favorite Pick: Nacua is, again, the obvious choice for this, but I loved where Shovel got Jaylen Waddle and Matthew Stafford in this draft. Waddle has a chance with Denver to be something truly special, I think, and there's a reason they gave up so much to get him. Meanwhile, Stafford is being undervalued rather extremely because he doesn't run the ball like other top quarterbacks do. Will there be some TD pass regression this season after his MVP season of 2025? Of course. But, you're getting some serious value there nabbing him in the ninth. It is unfathomable to me that he lasted that long. 

Least Favorite Pick: Easy choice for me here and it's Xavier Worthy. If Shovel liked Worthy (which is fine), he likely could have waited another round or even two or three to get him. I think Worthy is just a gadget player whose value in fantasy football will never rise to what many think it should be. There are a host of guys at WR I would have preferred over him in that spot. 

Overall outlook: Again, while I question how this group of players will all fit together, I really admire many of the individual choices that Shovel made. The Stafford-Nacua stack is going to yield him some huge weeks when the Rams are forced to actually go toe to toe with another good offensive team. And that's not even taking into account the kind of weeks Joe Burrow sometimes enjoys. I know this gets said about every team, but as long as this group can stay healthy, they'll likely be a contender. But, few teams could fall as fast as this one will should some of the bigger "stars" get hurt. Nacua has struggled with injuries quite a bit in his young career to date and Henry, though durable, has a lot of miles on his tires. This team could then be great or be a cautionary tale. We'll just have to watch in unfold in a few months. 

Matt’s Eagles:

1.09- RB Omarion Hampton, LAC
2.04- RB Saquon Barkley, Phi.
3.09- QB Drake Maye, NE
4.04- WR Emeka Egbuka, TB 
5.09- WR Ladd McConkey, LAC 
6.04- WR D.J. Moore, Buf. 
7.09- RB Kyle Monangai, Chi. 
8.04- WR Michael Pittman, Pit. 
9.09- TE Dalton Kincaid, Buf. 
10.04- WR Jayden Higgins, Hou. 
11.09- QB C.J. Stroud, Hou. 
12.04- RB Kenneth Gainwell, TB
13.09- TE Dalton Schultz, Hou. 
14.04- D/ST, Philadelphia Eagles 
15.09- K Chase McLaughlin, TB 
16.04- WR Rashid Shaheed, Sea. 

Analysis: It surprised many, I think, that James Cook and McCaffrey went ahead of JSN and Nacua, but it was downright shocking in some respects when Matt opted for Omarion Hampton as his top overall pick in this draft. Then, Matt shocked a lot of people by going in so early on Drake Maye two rounds later. Sometimes, two picks like that get made and then you look at the overall make-up of the team and say "What happened here?". But, in Matt's case, he made such solid complementary picks that you hardly even notice Hampton and Maye's "early" selections. In many ways, this is an old school fantasy composition with two RBs right out of the gate, a potential stud QB, and a bunch of WRs with upside occupying Rounds Four-Six. Because Matt skipped any WR picks until 4.04, he went all-in on the position after that and even grabbed a sixth pass catcher in the last round to solidify the overall group. It is certainly possible that the trio of Egbuka, McConkey, and Moore consists of three guys who will all finish outside of the top-15 in scoring at their position. But, it's also possible that all three finish INSIDE that grouping and if that were to happen, this team could rise substantially. It is fascinating how Matt doubled up on so many teams here. He has multiple Chargers, Eagles. Buccaneers, Bills, and Texans. Nobody else did that. 

Key to No-Hassle Success: A couple of guys here that fell well short of expectations in 2025 are Saquon Barkley and Ladd McConkey. It's hard to know what to make of Barkley's season as the wear and tear of a sensational 2024 may have impacted him and/or it might have just been a poor offensive line. Whatever the case, Matt needs him to be better this year just as he needs Ladd McConkey to take a firmer grip on the WR1 role in the Charger passing game. This team's WR group is very deep in terms of talent, but both Moore and Michael Pittman are on new teams and it's always a bit risky to draft two guys at a position in that predicament. Matt doesn't need both to successfully transition to a new team and system, but he likely needs at least one to do so. Finally, the Texan passing game needs to improve as Matt has invested heavily there as was already noted. 

Favorite Pick: Considering who he has throwing him the ball, I thought D.J. Moore was a real steal for Matt in the sixth round. He could easily out-perform both Egbuka and McConkey and no one would blink an eye if he did. I also thought getting Kenneth Gainwell late was a sneaky good acquisition as Gainwell is a very versatile back and could prove more valuable to Tampa Bay in the long run than Bucky Irving. So, Moore and Gainwell are the notables here for me. 

Least Favorite Pick: I don't mind the Hampton pick even though it surprised me as Hampton is young and in a good situation to take a big step forward this season. What I did think was a bit ill-advised was taking Maye at 3.09 as even if you love him, he's likely still there at 4.04. That would have allowed for a better WR1 than Egbuka, who I don't think fits that bill. On a lesser note, I also thought Monangai was taken pretty early. 

Overall outlook: This team has a middle of the pack sort of feel to me, but I think it's well constructed in many ways. Going RB-RB-QB in a draft in which you must start three wide receivers can create havoc, but Matt handled it well with what he did in the following five rounds. My question would be: Do you ever see this team leading the league in points scored for even one week this season? Most contenders do that on multiple occasions over the 18-week grind and it's hard for me to see this team getting there without some more explosive scoring elements in place. That said, Matt has won multiple titles in this league and has won one more recently than I have, so maybe he knows a thing or two about putting a winning fantasy team together. I could just see Maye being the only player on this team who finishes in the top-8 at his respective position in scoring and that would be difficult to overcome if it comes into reality. 

Polecatt:

1.10- WR Justin Jefferson, Min. 
2.03- RB De'Von Achane, Mia. 
3.10- RB D'Andre Swift, Chi. 
4.03- WR Tetairoa McMillan, Car. 
5.10- WR Marvin Harrison, Jr., Ari. 
6.03- RB Tony Pollard, Ten.
7.10- QB Dak Prescott, Dal. 
8.03- TE Dallas Goedert, Phi. 
9.10- RB Chris Rodriguez, Jr., Jax. 
10.03- QB Jared Goff, Det. 
11.10- WR KaVontae Turpin, Dal. 
12.03- WR Wan'Dale Robinson, Ten. 
13.10- K Chris Boswell, Pit. 
14.03- D/ST, Seattle Seahawks 
15.10- TE Evan Engram, Den. 
16.03- RB Isiah Pacheco, Det.

Analysis: Another guy in this draft that waited on taking a quarterback (and tight end) until the middle rounds was Polecatt and by the time his pick came up at 7.10, he had already drafted three running backs and three wide receivers. Then, at that point, to land a QB of Dak Prescott's caliber just seemed borderline criminal. Prescott's inclusion on this roster makes the strategy extremely sound, so the obvious next question would just be: How does one feel about the six previous picks that were taken? Clearly, Pole is thinking that the addition of Kyler Murray is going to re-acquaint Justin Jefferson with fantasy relevancy as this is about as high as I've seen Jefferson go in mock drafts this spring. Pole also is counting on D'Andre Swift fending off Monangai for the lead role in Chicago, which is not a given. Finally, Marvin Harrison, Jr. is being drafted here as if he'll find another gear this season that wasn't uncovered in his first two. All of those assumptions seem to have merit, but they also underscore a fragility about this team that depends on some things that are far from certain. What is more certain is my mind is that De'Von Achane and Tetairoa McMillan are fantastic, high-level NFL skill position players and if they can overcome the teams they're on, they'll be key components, so great job there. 

Key to No-Hassle Success: There are several key players on this team who either aren't playing on very good offensive teams or very good teams in general. Specifically, Arizona, Miami, and Tennessee profile as three of the least winningest teams of 2026 and putting a quartet of players from those teams on one's roster seems like risk to me. Achane is likely, for example, going to have to overcome teams stacking the box to try to stop Miami's only real weapon on offense and that would make me nervous if I was relying on him as my top back. As was noted above, though, he's an extreme talent and maybe he can overcome being the focal point of opposing defenses. I would say doing so is the key to his team's success alongside a fast-developing chemistry between Murray and Jefferson. I'll admit that I don't have much faith in Harrison or Pollard. 

Favorite Pick: There were two here. First, I noted that I thought Pole got great value in the form of Dak Prescott at 7.10 and I would be shocked if he wasn't thrilled to see Dak sitting there at that spot in the draft. Prescott has arguably the best duo of WRs in the league to throw to and if he stays healthy, top-5 QB scoring appears imminent. I also think Tetairoa McMillan is going to vault into the top ten at WR this year and I thought he was the right pick for Pole at the right time. 

Least Favorite Pick: There were several draft picks here that I found myself thinking "that's a bit early for him to be taken". Jefferson, Swift, Pollard, and Dallas Goedert all come to mind. It's not that I disliked any of those choices per se. I just thought that Pole may have jumped the gun on them by just a little bit. Also, I am not sure what role KaVontae Turpin will play on this team, but I can't imagine it being a significant one. 

Overall outlook: There are things I like and don't like about Polecatt's team and I think those were covered fairly thoroughly in the above. I will say this: If Justin Jefferson can re-establish himself as a receiver in the same fantasy class as Nacua, Chase, and JSN, Pole may be on to something here as that would give him a huge lift given that I think McMillan is also more of a WR1 than a WR2. I wish for De'Von Achane's sake that he had found a new place to play this offseason as Miami's offense is going to struggle, I think, but then again he's all they've got, so maybe the volume he'll see will propel him to new heights. Fantasy football is full of "maybes" each and every year and as I look at this team as a whole as the dust has settled, that's what I ultimately see. A team that can make some noise and come together as a contender...Maybe. For a team who spent two of their first three picks on RB, I am oddly concerned. 

Dan:

1.11- WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Det. 
2.02- RB Kenneth Walker, KC
3.11- RB Cam Skattebo, NYG
4.02- TE Colston Loveland, Chi. 
5.11- RB Jadarian Price, Sea. 
6.02- WR Christian Watson, GB 
7.11- WR Carnell Tate, Ten. 
8.02- QB Jaxson Dart, NYG
9.11- WR Parker Washington, Jax. 
10.02- QB Baker Mayfield, TB
11.11- TE Chig Okonkwo, Was. 
12.02- WR Tre Tucker, LV
13.11- D/ST, Pittsburgh Steelers
14.02- K Cameron Dicker, LAC 
15,11- RB Jonah Coleman, Den. |
16.02- WR Malik Washington, Mia. 

Analysis: Full disclosure: Dan is my favorite drafter in this draft year in and year out. And, I'm not talking about him just being an extremely nice guy (which he clearly is). It's how unconventional he is when it comes to players. Sure, Amon-Ra St. Brown was a sensible, conventional pick to open his draft, but Kenneth Walker in the second? Skattebo after that? Two rookies in the first seven picks? Jaxson Dart as a starting QB? I'll admit: it's a fun ride drafting with Dan as he doesn't appear to be using some sort of consensus rankings to make his picks- he goes and gets his guys and lives with the intrigue that comes alongside that. Would I have taken Kenneth Walker at 2.02 considering his injury history and tendency to be off the field on third downs? I would not have. Would I want a whole host of unproven players up and down my roster that I needed to count on for success this season? Again, the answer is no. But, that's the way Dan does things. And, it makes the absolute upside of his team undeniable. What if Walker was badly underutilized in Seattle? What if what we saw in spurts from Dart, Skattebo and Loveland last year is sustainable for a whole season? What if Price, Tate, and Coleman prove to be fantasy's top three rookies? This team is so fun. Not the one I'd assemble, but fun just the same. 

Key to No-Hassle Success: The Giants under John Harbaugh need to be improved on both sides of the ball, but especially the offensive side if taking both Dart and Skattebo is going to work out. Putting two eggs in one's best basket from that team takes some courage. I also think Dan spent a great deal of capital on Colston Loveland in this draft and to get proper return on that, he needs to be living in the same area code as guys like McBride and Bowers- something he's certainly capable of, but has not yet done before. With Baker Mayfield in tow, the Dart experiment probably works in a best ball format, but there are some question marks beyond St. Brown at WR. I think Christian Watson becoming Green Bay's undisputed WR1 probably shares honors then with the Giant duo in terms of keys to Dan being relevant this season in the title chase. 

Favorite Pick: I didn't love any of these picks and that's kind of the point. I'm a fairly conservative thinking person and Dan may be too in much of his functioning, but when it comes to drafting, he's a renegade. Feet to the fire, I think the upside of Loveland and Price in back to back rounds was my favorite thing Dan did here. I also think Parker Washington has an opportunity to seize top honors in the Jacksonville passing game, making him a solid pick on an ascending offense. 

Least Favorite Pick: Again, I love drafting with Dan and while I can't say he makes the picks I would, I can't really say that I have a least favorite pick, either. Again, feet to the fire, I guess it would be Walker who I think is ultimately more of the kind of fantasy player at you look at for the 2-3 turn than early second round. Beyond that, though, there's nothing that stands out as overly distasteful. 

Overall outlook: This team could finish dead last. They're rooted in some things that I view as quicksand. It's also possible that this team gets into contention early in the No-Hassle season and stays there all year long. If you go back to all the 'what ifs" in the opening paragraph, many exciting possibilities get brought forth and all of those things represent possible occurrences. When you are picking at the end of Round One, one of the best things you can do is to pick someone who is totally solid/reliable (St. Brown) and then start swinging for the fences after that. It's something Dan is really good at and with young players filling up so many key spots on this roster, no team in this draft has nearly as much upside as this one does. Some guys draft a bunch of veterans to fill out their squad. Some guys are afraid to go after guys whose ceilings and floors are far apart. Dan appears to be afraid of nothing in this draft and I love that. Here's to finishing first, dead last, or maybe somewhere in between. 

Vikings4Ever:

1.12- RB Ashton Jeanty, LV
2.01- WR CeeDee Lamb, Dal. 
3.12- WR DeVonta Smith, Phi. 
4.01- RB Bucky Irving, TB 
5.12- WR Mike Evans, SF
6.01- TE Tyler Warren, Ind. 
7.12- RB Jaylen Warren, Pit. 
8.01- WR Chris Godwin, TB
9.12- QB Patrick Mahomes, KC
10.01- QB Brock Purdy, SF 
11.12- TE Jake Ferguson, Dal. 
12.01- WR Romeo Doubs, NE
13.12- RB Woody Marks, Hou. 
14.01- D/ST, Minnesota Vikings 
15.12- K Will Reichard, Min. 
16.01- WR Khalil Shakir, Buf. 

Analysis: Last, but certainly never least, we come to our defending and five-time league champion who always seems to be picking in this draft from the position of late first-round, early second. And, he's always in competition with White Wonder seemingly on who can wait the longest before picking his first quarterback. That strategy in this case has allowed him to nab who he hopes will be a top-5 RB (Jeanty), a top-5 WR (Lamb), and a top-5 TE (Warren). Throw in some proven vets to bolster the WR group like Mike Evans, DeVonta Smith, and Chris Godwin and you've got a pretty typical V4E team here with depth being held in high esteem and the top two picks being utilized to establish the team's ultimate foundation. What you think of the duo Vikes has chosen to be his quarterback room likely paints how you feel about his strategy here, but it's hard not to see how comfortable he is picking from this spot and using it to put together a team with a nice mix of veterans and youth to form a very deep squad. I do have some questions about the strength of this team's running backs and will get to those shortly, but the wide receiver group is undeniably outstanding as is typically a staple of a V4E team. 

Key to No-Hassle Success: Vikes needs to finish top-6 in points by his running backs to win another title and I'm not certain that he'll get that out of this group. Both Ashton Jeanty and Bucky Irving struggled last season with YPC and I think they're still being drafted more on potential this year so far than on what their likely production will be. Throw in the fact that Vikes only has two other running backs on his roster and that each could end up the poor side of a committee (Marks almost certainly will) and to me, you've got a team here with great strength at WR and TE, but average production coming at best from both the RB and QB positions. Vikes can likely live with QB production that falls outside of the top-5, but clearly he's thinking his run game will be in good hands. Whether he's right about that or if my fears are realized probably seals this team's fate, good or bad. 

Favorite Pick: I mentioned the race between V4E and White Wonder with respect to holding out on QBs earlier and I would have to say that I would much rather have the duo of Mahomes/Purdy coming out of that than Murray/Darnold. So, I really like what ended up being V4E's duo here and I think he very much liked it, too, based on his personal draft commentary. I also think Kyle Shanahan might milk one more great year out of Mike Evans and think Vikes may have gotten a steal there. 

Least Favorite Pick: Vikes probably liked his 3-4 turn just fine, but I wasn't as fond of it. DeVonta Smith is being drafted as if he can become a legitimate WR1 in the Eagles offense and I'm not certain that's going to happen. I also think Kenneth Gainwell is going to end up being Tampa's better RB, so Bucky Irving is a "Do Not Draft" candidate for me. Both players may turn out to be great picks- they're just not on my radar at those spots. 

Overall outlook: I often don't see the teams that Vikes assembles as the title contenders/winners that they end up being and I guess that's the case here as I'm not really in love with anything aside from the wide receiver group, which I think is ultimately fantastic. I think the top four picks here are uneasy players for me as I wonder if Jeanty, Smith, and Irving can take a big step forward this year and I also wonder if Lamb will do what so many other highly paid WRs have done in past years- that is, get paid and play less hungry as a result. Vikings track record in this league is unmatched and he's using a similar formula to put together another great team here. But, it's not the formula I'm questioning as it is the best in the business and our prototype as a league. It's just about some of the individual pieces that make up the whole. I wouldn't trade my team for this one, but I would trade my success in this league for Vikes in a hot second. We all would. 

[Fumbleweed]

Apologies for some of the font disparities. Site is not working well for me today, so I have been cutting and pasting from a Word document to be safe. 

[WhiteWonder]

Thanks, as always, for the analysis 

 

just to note, I have 5 RB not 4. But health will still be key 

[Fumbleweed]

1 hour ago, WhiteWonder said:

Thanks, as always, for the analysis 

 

just to note, I have 5 RB not 4. But health will still be key 

My bad. That’s what I get for trying to write and watch golf at the same time. 

[Fumbleweed]

All done. Enjoy! 

[Vikings4ever]

As always, thanks to Fumble for doing this and running the No Hassle league.

I'm kinda so-so on my team. That run of RBs in the third round really focked me. I like Bucky to rebound this year, but I took him a good half round earlier than I expected him to go. But given what was left at the 5/6 turn, I can't say it was the wrong decision there.

The QB duo I love. Mahomes sounds like he's on track to start week 1. If he's not, Purdy it a more than capable backup. They can both put up big games (a major plus in this format). If they can both stay healthy, I'll put this duo against any other in the league.

RB, not so much. I like the upside of both Jeanty and Bucky this year, but there is risk and I'll admit it's one of the weaker duos in this league. Warren and Marks I felt were safe, though low upside, backups.

WRs, great. Loved Smith as my WR2. If Evans can stay healthy, he can be big in SF. Godwin is another health issue, but if he and Baker stay healthy, he's a great WR4. Doubs and Shakir represent safe/low upside backups who will get some points, but mainly contribute when my top 4 have bye weeks/down weeks.

TE, really good. Warren's pretty much a consensus top 5 TE. A solid 6th round pick. Ferguson I think lasted longer than he should have, and was pretty much the last one taken with any upside.

K & Defense: Reichard is a dependable, big legged kicker. If the Vikings offense improves this year, he improves. A Flores lead D is always dangerous, and was solid last year even with putrid offense and a startling lack of INTs.

If I had to do it again, I would have taken Achane in the 2nd, then Tet in the 4th. But we'll see how things shake out come January.

[RLLD]

Well, you nailed my approach to this one perfectly. This is exactly how I laid out my approach. 

 

Analysis: Have you ever seen an assembled team in which nearly every single player has wild upside? 

Ray Lewis’ Limo Driver:

1.03- WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cin. 
2.10- RB Jeremiyah Love, Ari. 
3.03- RB Breece Hall, NYJ
4.10- WR Malik Nabers, NYG
5.03- WR Jameson Williams, Det. 
6.10- QB Caleb Williams, Chi. 
7.03- TE Harold Fannin, Jr., Cle. 
8.10- RB R.J. Harvey, Den. 
9.03- QB Trevor Lawrence, Jax. 
10.10- WR Jayden Reed, GB
11.03- TE Isaiah Likely, NYG
12.10- D/ST, Denver Broncos
13.03- K Brandon Aubrey, Dal. 
14.10- RB Nicholas Singleton, Ten. 
15.03- WR Tre' Harris, LAC 
16.10- RB Tyler Allgeier, Ari.

 

[Dan]

Thanks, Fumble. Appreciate all the effort you put into this.

Here's a crazy fact for you. I'm probably more prepared at this point this year than I have been for the past 3 or 4. The upshot of that is . . . I really like my team.  

Now, I didn't anticipate drafting the youngest team in the league, but it worked that way, and I don't regret it.  Fumble's analysis is very right. I don't really have an interest in drafting off a consensus list. That really doesn't do a service to the people who then look in afterward. But with that mindset, a couple of thoughts should be put into the strategy.

St. Brown shifted things a little, because I didn't see him falling to me.  But the goal was leaning to the practical upside, instead of worrying as much about the floor. So risks, to be sure, but not without research or forethought.

QB: Jaxon Dart's issues are a new coaching staff (Nagy, blech) and the dreaded sophomore slump. But last year, working around late start and dealing w injuries . . . his stats projected over the season to 27 TDs (total) with 4000 yards (pass/rush). That's a decent pace for a rookie. Even with regression. Mayfield has been solidly on an uptick since leaving Cleveland, and is dramatically undervalued IMO this year because of last year's injury-plagued disaster.

RB: Kenneth Walker is loved by KC. Injury is a concern, but his talent, and projected workload boosts him hard. Mahomes comes back healthy, Walker can be the next Shady. Skattebo was injured last year (again, the biggest pitfall here), but when he was on the field, he was top 5. Price will be fine for a #3 with upside, and Coleman is a dart throw, but honestly, I think he's the best RB in Denver.

WR: Weakest position on the team; it's not close. I'm least comfortable with Christian Watson. I like the arguments for him, but I need #2 WR from him, really, and that's not comfortable. Tate's a rookie, but in a great situation. He was the best potential on the board, and he's a pretty clean #3. Washington might end up sharing that responsibility. The last two were planned as a concept. Take dart throws at guys that could be the #1 WR on their team. Bad teams, to be sure, but I don't need them to "start" every week. I considered Concepcion, too.

TE: I am counting on the Chicago offense to continue what they've shown. I'm counting on the second half of the year to be more illustrative of Loveland this year. And yes, I think he finishes with Bowers and McBride. In fact, I think he has a chance to surpass McBride (that hurts, because McBride is on my dynasty team). That's ranking, and I'll live with the consequences either way. Okonkwo was part of the upside-searching approach. I think he could look a lot like Zach Ertz this year alongside a healthy McLaurin.

The goal was absolutely to find the upside. Yeah, it could blow up in my face.  It feels over-the-top in the upside grabbing without foundational pieces. Well, traditional foundational pieces. But it's really hard to safely find one's way to the top.

 

Maybe my goal is to make it increasingly more challenging for you to evaluate my draft.

[WhiteWonder]

Fumble, I know you enjoy doing the weekly recaps sent out by email, and you could obviously still do them... but have you ever considered creating an MFL to load the rosters so we can follow along in real time each week?

[Mike FF Today]

Here's the shortened, edited version of Kirk's team by team analysis. Thanks to everyone for participating! 

[Dan]

3 hours ago, Mike FF Today said:

Here's the shortened, edited version of Kirk's team by team analysis. Thanks to everyone for participating! 

Always fun. Thanks for letting me be a part.

[Fumbleweed]

On 6/22/2026 at 11:47 AM, WhiteWonder said:

Fumble, I know you enjoy doing the weekly recaps sent out by email, and you could obviously still do them... but have you ever considered creating an MFL to load the rosters so we can follow along in real time each week?

If you guys prefer that, I am fine with it. 

[WhiteWonder]

10 minutes ago, Fumbleweed said:

If you guys prefer that, I am fine with it. 

i enjoy the weekly recaps, as just curious if you ever considered that in addition

[Fumbleweed]

16 hours ago, WhiteWonder said:

i enjoy the weekly recaps, as just curious if you ever considered that in addition

Sure. How would we set it up? 

[WhiteWonder]

6 hours ago, Fumbleweed said:

Sure. How would we set it up? 

great question! haha. I set one up for the geek club playoff game each season... let me see if I can figure it out again since each year I just kind of renew it.

[Dan]

The setup is simple. But it would cost. I'm trying to see if there's a free option to throw it on.

[WhiteWonder]

On 6/26/2026 at 2:34 PM, Dan said:

The setup is simple. But it would cost. I'm trying to see if there's a free option to throw it on.

interesting. if it costs, obviously no. 

I've never paid anything for the league I set up to track the geek club playoff game each year

[Dan]

On 7/1/2026 at 3:41 PM, WhiteWonder said:

interesting. if it costs, obviously no. 

I've never paid anything for the league I set up to track the geek club playoff game each year

Where do you do that one?

 

[WhiteWonder]

5 hours ago, Dan said:

Where do you do that one?

 

MFL 

[Dan]

3 hours ago, WhiteWonder said:

MFL 

Okay, so how do you track it without paying?

We use MFL in our home league, and Rick (rcssteeler) commishes that. He said that it will track week one, but after that, if it's not purchased, it doesn't track. I have a page set up on MFL that we could load stuff into, but what's the work-around?

 

 

[WhiteWonder]

Just now, Dan said:

Okay, so how do you track it without paying?

We use MFL in our home league, and Rick (rcssteeler) commishes that. He said that it will track week one, but after that, if it's not purchased, it doesn't track. I have a page set up on MFL that we could load stuff into, but what's the work-around?

 

 

I’m not really sure unless MFLs playoff leagues are free.

the nature of the playoff game is multiple people own the same players and I do believe it’s classified as playoff leagues by MFL 

I should reach out to Mr. Landry who sets up a league for the July PPR mock 

[Dan]

57 minutes ago, WhiteWonder said:

I’m not really sure unless MFLs playoff leagues are free.

the nature of the playoff game is multiple people own the same players and I do believe it’s classified as playoff leagues by MFL 

I should reach out to Mr. Landry who sets up a league for the July PPR mock 

So there is a way . . . 

I'll explore the page I've set up, see what I can figure out.

[Mr. Landry]

I responded in the other thread, but MFL will run a "Best Ball" style league for free.  You just put everyone's team in, set your scoring and roster requirements, and it picks your best starters at each position for you each week.  That's free.  If you want to be able to set your own line up, pick up free agents or any other kind of line up change then you have to pay.  

[Dan]

13 hours ago, Mr. Landry said:

I responded in the other thread, but MFL will run a "Best Ball" style league for free.  You just put everyone's team in, set your scoring and roster requirements, and it picks your best starters at each position for you each week.  That's free.  If you want to be able to set your own line up, pick up free agents or any other kind of line up change then you have to pay.  

Thank you, sir.

[Fumbleweed]

Here's where I am leaving this:

I will plan to do the usual weekly updates this year unless someone else wishes to put together a way that scores can be viewed more easily. If that reality comes to pass, I will still provide updates, but they will just be briefer and with a link to said scoring page.