This article is part of our 2020 NFL Breakout Watch series.
What's the recipe for fantasy football nirvana? The Pro Football Hall of Fame- ✅. About 30 of the best fantasy analysts in the business- ✅. Five-hundred or so fantasy football fanatics in town for parties, drafting, networking at The Fantasy Football Expo- ✅. Yep, all of those ingredients were present at the fourth annual King's Classic Draft & Salary Cap event at which I was honored to represent RotoWire.
(Side Note: here is my King's Classic Draft Preview article)
After arriving in Canton, it was quickly time to socialize at an informal party on Friday night. But the following morning was all business. Yes, the competitors in this draft were happy to see each other, especially after being virtual last year. But aside from the sincere pleasantries, we were stoked to draft. Of course, when the former champions received their title belts, yes, pro-wrestling style belts, everyone else in the room had to think that they need to win more than ever this year. And like that, we were onto the snake draft…
Remember, this was a full PPR, 14-team draft with one QB, two RBs, 3 WRs, 1 TE and three flexes with no defenses or kickers, so 224 position players were about to be drafted. This would be the same setup for the salary-cap draft that was to follow. Good luck getting help on the waiver wire next month and beyond! And in this draft, players don't fall and become great values. Think you have an unearthed gem? At least three other competitors in this room value that player the same, so the point is- get your guy! Throw ADP out the window- it doesn't matter here. Go big or go home! And by the way, click here to see the draft board and the salary cap results. I'm in the Jim Brown Leagues. (Look for the "KingsClassic Brown Snake" tab for the snake draft)
For my snake draft team, I always have players separated in tiers. I'm happy to get any player in a tier if the value is right. But it's also important to chart the scarcity of certain positions and have an idea if you need to address that position with urgency or if it can wait until later. These are concepts that all fantasy players can use to lower the emotion of the draft and make it all business. So how did my team turn out?
Everyone should be happy with the first three rounds of every draft. I picked 10th and was happy to start with Antonio Gibson, Stefon Diggs and Amari Cooper. I would've liked two RBs here, but even in the second round, the RBs available were not worth those second and third-round picks. I then got hammered both on SiriusXM and social media for my fourth pick. So, 24 RBs were off the board at pick 47, and I wouldn't pick again until pick 66. I did like Tee Higgins in this spot, but in this 14-team league, the odds of a decent RB getting back to me was bleak. Knowing that Michael Carter has very little competition for touches, and is an accomplished receiver on a team that should trail often, I have him ranked as my RB22. So yes, without hesitation, I took him as my RB2. Had I not, my choices would've been Damien Harris or James Robinson in the next round. In my mind, the choice was optimal.
(FYI, here's the draft room, in the Gold Coat Lounge of the Hall of Fame)
I won't go through every pick I made since you can see the draft board, but the WR values frequently missed me when I was targeting the position. Ultimately, I picked four straight WRs in the 11th-15th rounds. All can bust, but all have a path to targets, leading to potential upside. They'll likely determine the success (or failure) of my season. I selected Bryan Edwards, Parris Campbell, Nico Collins and Travis Fulgham. Time will tell how that goes.
After a lunch break, the salary cap draft (formerly known as an auction) was next. Fantasy managers who are in larger leagues with many starting positions may consider the strategy I used. Spending (from a $200 budget) more than $50 on a RB, $40 on a WR, or $15 on a QB or TE will likely force you to have too many holes on the roster. Every extra dollar that's spent on high-salary players is a dollar less to use for the three flexes that are critical to competing in this league. I wanted a team without weak links until the very last couple roster spots.
As a result, my likely flexes in this 14-team league project to come from the group of DJ Chark, Darnell Mooney, James Conner, David Johnson, Blake Jarwin and Travis Fulgham. Along with what I feel to be a strong group of positional starters, I considered the draft plan to be met well.
Once the drafts concluded, we had some fun time as a small group at Buffalo Wild Wings for our annual tradition of food and beverage while weaving tales about the draft. There's always time to talk trash to the competitor who seemingly overpaid for a player, or the competitor who price enforced, only to be stuck with an unwanted player. Or the fool who drafted Michael Carter in the fourth round of the snake draft!
After dinner, we headed over to the Centennial Village in Canton for an amazing pre-Expo party, where almost 500 people were in attendance. What an event it was. Lots of socializing. A massive TV screen with the Browns game on. A DJ rocking some great tunes. Many new friends were made, and more friendships were deepened. The only sad part was when it ended.
And to cap off the weekend, the Fantasy Football Expo was held on Sunday. Hundreds of people were in attendance. And it wasn't just the usual set of booths with companies having a single rep who was overloaded with guests. There were breakout strategy sessions. There were panel discussions with some of the heavyweights in the industry. Mock drafts with industry giants were held as well. And most importantly, everyone learned something new while making fantastic connections.
Not only did the founder of this weekend, Bob Lung, hit another home run, but he's grown an event that will only get bigger every year. And everyone is welcome to be a part of this event via The Fantasy Football Expo. Join us next August in Canton, Ohio to be a part of the fun. Meet others who eat, breathe and sleep fantasy football! And don't be surprised just how approachable some of the biggest names in the industry are - they (we) really enjoy meeting everyone and hanging out.
So the big question is- who's going to attend next year? I know I'll be booking my room the day the King's Classic is announced next spring! And let's hope there is a championship belt waiting for me!
Here are some more fun photos...
Dinner with (L to R) Lawrence Jackson Jr of Lord Don't Lose podcast, Corey Parson of NBC Sports Bet, me, Mike Clay of ESPN and Bob Harris of Football Diehards:
After lunch with Drew Davenport of Football Guys:
Enjoying some of the awesome stuff around the Hall of Fame:
And, finally, enjoying the Expo festivities with Steve Rapin of Fighting Chance Fantasy:
