Last year, it was easy.

In addition to cash prizes for the top-two teams in the league, eight of the 12 teams in the 2013 edition of the Beat DVR League won free RotoWire subscriptions for having a better team than mine.

It's hard to believe that a roster built around MJD (3.1), Hakeem Nicks (4.12) and Greg Jennings (7.1) would fail, especially with the wait-on-a-QB combo of Russell Wilson (6.12) and Josh Freeman (12.12).

It makes me wish that I had written about my picks and the poor logic behind them as they happened in order to avoid the same mistakes again this season.

Compound the draft-day failure with the lack of valuable in-season pickups (Nick Foles, Zac Stacy, Keenan Allen,  and Julius Thomas all found their way to other rosters), and you've got a roster bathing in mediocrity all year long.

Last season, I ended up with the 12th position in the draft order, which in the NFFC-style leagues (third-round reversal, where the third-round order mirrors the second) returns the 12th, 13th and 25th overall picks before following a traditional snake order after the end of Round 3.

My KDS preferences in 2014 were simple, I ranked 1 through 4 as my first four choices,  flipped 12 through 10 as my next three selections, and that went back to 5 through 9 as my last five. Even with the 3RR format, I valued getting an elite receiver or one of the top three running backs more than the earlier selection in Round 3. As it turned out, I was assigned the third overall pick, leaving me with the 3rd, 22nd, 34th, and 39th overall picks.

It played out as follows.

1.3 Calvin Johnson, WR, DET -- In a full-point PPR league, I prefer Matt Forte to Adrian Peterson, but this format also adds value and depth in the running back pool. With that in mind, I took the best receiver on the board, who happened to rank second behind LeSean McCoy in the (iOS) RotoWire Draft Kit with the parameters of this league.

2.10 Arian Foster, RB, HOU --The consideration in this spot was actually at quarterback. With Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees on the board, I was leaning heavily toward locking up elite production in that spot on a weekly basis. Instead, I looked past the back surgery, contemplation of retirement, and the undisclosed injury that is currently keeping him off the field during training camp, and saw the workhorse only one year removed from 1,641 yards from scrimmage, 17 TDs and 391 touches. With a 4.5 YPC mark last season before his campaign was cut short -- on a team that showed a surprising offensive ineptitude, no less -- there should be plenty left in the tank even with the fear that the offense won't be special in Year 1 of the Bill O'Brien era. Le'Veon Bell was the other running back considered, and he was taken three picks later, before Brees, Shane Vereen and Rodgers were selected.

3.10 Victor Cruz, WR, NYG -- Without a knee injury and concussion last season, Cruz would have topped 80 receptions for the third straight year. I'm buying into the idea that he fits the Giants' new offense very well, getting the ball on short and intermediate routes, which will limit Eli Manning's opportunities to make catastrophic mistakes deep. Even if he's more 2012 Cruz than 2011, this is good value.

4.3 C.J. Spiller, RB, BUF -- Often playing through an ankle injury last season, Spiller didn't show the same burst that pushed owners to consider him as a first-rounder this time last year. He still averaged 4.6 YPC, and it wouldn't take a huge workload spike for him to crack 1,200 yards on the ground even with Fred Jackson remaining in the picture. The contributions in the passing game should return as well, as the Bills are still breaking in EJ Manuel, and the arrival of Bryce Brown should hurt Jackson more than Spiller.

5.10 Jordan Cameron, TE, CLE -- The AC joint injury he's dealing with presently is a minor one. Cameron either receives less attention from opposing defenses if Josh Gordon's suspension appeal (or settlement) is a success, or more targets if Gordon is on the shelf. In either scenario, the Browns should get better QB play week in and week out with Brian Hoyer or Johnny Manziel under center instead of Brandon Weeden and Jason Campbell.

6.3 Nick Foles, QB, PHI -- I've never viewed Foles as more than an average talent at quarterback, but Chip Kelly's offense will at the very least shred mediocre and bad defenses. Based on the early returns from 2013, he belongs high up in the second-tier of quarterbacks.

7.10 Eric Decker, WR, NYJ -- After getting burned by Greg Jennings around this spot in the draft last season, I am hopeful things will be different with Decker. Whether it's Geno Smith or Michael Vick, the Jets should have a better option under center than the Vikings did a year ago, but it's a big drop-off from playing with Peyton Manning. Still, Decker's 6-foot-3 frame and physical tools should make him a frequent target when the Jets get into the red zone.  I'm looking at a floor of 70 catches for 950 yards and 7 TD, but his 2012 numbers (85/1064/13) with fewer TDs aren't completely out of the question.

8.3 Ben Tate, RB, CLE -- Amazingly, Terrance West was taken just five picks later. Tate and West may ultimately form a tandem, where both backs have limited value in some matchups. The Browns' much-improved defense should keep the Cleveland offense in a lot of tight games, which may create weeks where the backs have 30-35 carries to split up.

9.10 Danny Woodhead, RB, SD -- Mike McCoy's work in San Diego last season seems to get overlooked, thanks in part to what Chip Kelly accomplished in Philadelphia. The Chargers maxed out Woodhead's value for PPR owners a year ago by using him heavily in the red zone (22 targets, 19 carries), and he racked up 1,034 yards from scrimmage along the way. Think of Donald Brown as a better insurance policy than Ronnie Brown in the event of a Ryan Mathews injury, rather than a threat to take away targets and carries from Woodhead.

10.3 Cam Newton, QB, CAR -- It's easy to underestimate the value of rushing yards from a quarterback. The 3,379 yards and 24 TDs as a passer are pedestrian numbers in today's pass-happy NFL, but Newton's contributions on the ground add the equivalent of 1,170 more yards through the air and nine additional passing TDs. Would we be more excited by a QB who threw for 4,549 yards and 33 TDs without running, than we are by Newton? At this point, having protection for a Foles injury or collapse exceeded the value of the depth running backs and receivers I was considering.

11.10 Hakeem Nicks, WR, IND -- As bad as his 2013 was, it could have been much worse (8.9 YPT, 0! TD). Don't underestimate the degree to which Eli Manning caused Nicks to fall off. On a one-year deal, playing for a team with a bad defense, a better quarterback, and plenty of talent to keep defenses focused elsewhere, it's now or never for Nicks.

12.3 Seattle D/ST -- I was going to go running back here -- Andre Williams, Tre Mason and Ahmad Bradshaw were available, but my timer actually ran out. It was a complete error on my part thinking too much about a decision that should have simply been Williams. Fortunately, the Seahawks' defense is a passable consolation prize.

13.10 Roy Helu, RB, WAS -- Now that Mike Shanahan is gone, it's important to think in terms of how Jay Gruden used his backs in Cincinnati. Perhaps Helu will carry a role similar to that of Giovani Bernard? Lache Seastrunk could become a factor, although he wasn't used as a pass-catcher much at Baylor and it remains to be seen if he can handle the pass-protection duties necessary to serve as the third-down back in Washington.

14.3 Brian Hartline, WR, MIA -- There is nothing special about Hartline, but he's a useful bench piece in this format after averaging 75 catches on 132 targets over the past two seasons.

15.10 Stepfan Taylor, RB, ARI -- The Cards seem reluctant to make Andre Ellington a workhorse. Can Stanford's all-time leading rusher edge out Jonathan Dwyer for No. 2 RB duties in the desert?

16.3 Aaron Dobson, WR, NE -- It sounds like Dobson's recovery from foot surgery in March is progressing somewhat slowly. If he's not healthy by Week 1, he'll be cut.

17.10 Denarius Moore, WR, OAK -- The Raiders apparently like Greg Little more than Moore, which is pure Raiders. Here's to hoping he lands in a better situation before the end of the preseason. If not, he'll be cut.

18.3 Buffalo D/ST -- The Bills' front four is nasty, and the secondary can reap the benefits by racking up interceptions. It may be challenging to keep two defenses all season, but the Seahawks' Week 1 matchup against the Packers forced the issue somewhat for the beginning of the season, although the Bills get a similar tough opponent with the Bears in their opener.

19.10 Levine Toilolo, TE, ATL -- Most likely, Toilolo will be my first cut, but the 6-foot-8 target once started ahead of Coby Fleener and Zach Ertz at Stanford before tearing his ACL in 2010. If things click, he's a matchup nightmare on the red zone for a team should spend a fair amount of time inside the 20-yard-line.

20.3 Shayne Graham, K, NO -- The Saints' offense is good. If Graham can serve as their kicker, he will be good.

Follow me on Twitter @DerekVanRiper.