I was going through some of my old work and came across an article I wrote after the 2017 NFL Draft. Here is what I wrote regarding Mitch Trubisky after watching the Bears shock the world.

2. Chicago Bears (from SF): Mitchell Trubisky, QB, UNC
This was the first shock of the draft. The Bears traded away their №3 pick, their Third Round pick, one of their Fourth Round picks and a Third Rounder in 2018 to move up one spot to №2.

My first reaction (I am a Bears fan) was how can Ryan Pace make this mistake? Why give up so much to move one spot? Maybe teams were trying to move up to №3? Maybe they decided to go all-in on QB? Their off-season activity pointed to Deshaun Watson, but was that all smoke?

Trubisky’s draft profile states big arm, underrated mobility, good accuracy while outside the pocket and able to make the big throws. At first glance, it sounds like Jay Cutler. Oh boy! I know what myself and other Bears fans are thinking. However, he also usually gets the ball out on time, he rarely makes throws off his back foot and let’s face it, has a better on-field attitude.

Pace obviously liked Trubisky and if he pans out, Chicago will have won the First Round rather than have lost it. Time will tell with this one as Mike Glennon is the 2017 starter.

Strengths: Arm, accuracy, size, pocket mobility, and competitive attitude.

Weaknesses: Inexperienced, played 98 percent of his snaps out of the shotgun and struggles at times with pocket awareness.

Draft Grade: C- (Initial reaction was F, but I have calmed down)

The Love of the Game

What draft grade would I give Ryan Pace now after two NFL seasons? I am going to give him an A. Not just any A. I am going to give him an A+ grade. Pace saw something in Mitch that I was not able to see. Something I would have picked up on quickly though if I was given the chance to interview with him. Mitch loves football.

But come on Rob, every football player loves football. Eh, I’d stop you and say, no that’s not true. At some point in their lifetime, yes, every football player loves football. However, at some point, it becomes about becoming rich or famous. What I see in Trubisky is something that as a Bears fan I hated to see in Brett Favre. Favre loved football. He loved it every play of every game. You could see it on his face. The joy when he succeeded. The anguish when he failed. This is something I grew to respect of Favre. Even though from a football standpoint I find him somewhat overrated, Favre brought more to his team in leadership than anything else. I see the same in Trubisky.

Consistent Growth

Trubisky did not light the NFL on fire the same way that Patrick Mahomes did in 2018. That said, I think Trubisky’s first year under John Fox was more of a hindrance than a blessing. You cannot have your quarterback throwing the ball less than 10 times and expect success. You cannot have your team run on first and second down more than any other team in the NFL and expect your quarterback to have success. That said, even in Fox’s system, you saw flashes from Trubisky. Throws that made you think, wow, this kid has an arm. This kid can fit a ball through a keyhole (Shot at you Michael Lombardi). The flashes Trubisky showed in his rookie season were enough for me to get excited about his future if the Bears found the right coach. Hello Matt Nagy!

Willingness to Learn

Remember when I spoke about Trubisky’s love for the game? Something the Bears last “franchise” quarterback lacked despite all of his talents (looking at you Smoking Jay). Well, that love shines through when you look at how dedicated Trubisky is at learning. He has a great coach in Nagy who seems to work well with him too. They seem to have a mutual love for one another both on the field and in the classroom. Going back to the Patrick Mahomes comparison, do not forget Mahomes had a year to learn the system. And although Nagy is no longer in KC, the system Andy Reid ran in 2018 is very similar to the system Nagy called plays for in 2017.

This is why I fully expect Mitchell Trubisky to not only grow and succeed in 2019 but actually thrive. Nagy has said over and over again that it will take a full year for the team to grasp the system and play calling. Year two of the system will mean the guys can use their natural talents, think less and go out and make plays. You saw this at times throughout the season; especially the back half of the year. Bears fans should be excited. This city is very hard and usually crazy when it comes to the quarterback position (Bears fans still think Jim McMahon was a good QB), but I think Trubisky is slowly winning everyone over.

Great Personality

Personalities can only take you so far in life. Trubisky has a great personality that fits the city of Chicago and the talent to go with it (another shot at McMahon). Who could forget the Mike Ditka press conference? How about the Bears ugly sweater with the lights? That’s right Chicago, it’s lit! Now that I’m done ripping on Jim McMahon, the one good thing he had was the way he presented himself to the fans. Fans loved his off-the-wall personality and well, for the first time since 1988, the Bears have another quarterback with that same fun-loving, goofy persona.

Talented Enough to Win Rings

This will not go over well with most of the mainstream media. This will especially not go over well with Patriots’ fans. Trubisky has enough talent to win a Super Bowl, if not multiple Super Bowls in the same fashion as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. That is right, Mr. Tom Brady.

I know, I know…put the drugs down! But wait. Hear me out before you stop reading this! If you look at what the Patriots have done over the last two decades, the main thing here is consistency. Consistency from the top to the bottom. Consistency from the owner, the head coach and the quarterback. The Patriots organization runs like a well-oiled machine. Every team, and I mean EVERY team wishes they could run like the Patriots. And this is why I believe Tom Brady to be a system quarterback. But…BUT…he is the best system quarterback of all time. And possibly the best quarterback to play the game, but I am not sure about most talented.

Guys like Dan Marino, John Elway and Joe Montana had more pure talent than Tom Brady. Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers and hell, even Andrew Luck has more pure talent than Tom Brady. That does not mean they are “better” though. As I say this, I am not saying Mitch Trubisky will ever achieve what Tom Brady has in his career. Although, it does not mean Trubisky cannot win, win often and win a ring or more.

If you look at what Trubisky did during the back half of the season, it reminds me of how Tom Brady plays the game. Great at deciphering the defense pre-snap, make your reads and take what the defense gives you. After the Rams game where he played awful, the last three games he became what many seem to hate — a game manager. He averaged 215 yards per game, threw three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He averaged a 75.62% completion percentage and a 106.6 QB Rating. The Bears won all three of those games.

Fast forward to 2019. This is the second year of the heralded Matt Nagy system. This is, in my opinion, Trubisky’s true second year in the NFL (I mostly throw out year one with Fox). I fully expect Trubisky to continue to grow, learn, and show off his talent. If you look at what I wrote about his weaknesses in 2017, he has taken plenty of snaps under center now and his pocket awareness has skyrocketed to almost elite levels. He should become more consistent and raise both his floor and his ceiling. If you play fantasy football, buy Trubisky. He will come cheap and pay off exponentially!

The Bears have not been a good team the last few years. If I am being honest with myself, the Bears have not been good for over a decade. That changed in just one season. I know, but what about the first year of Marc Trestman as Head Coach? That was a good year, but it was not the same as the 2018 season.

Matt Nagy is not Marc Trestman. Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace (and truthfully, John Fox) changed the culture of the Chicago Bears. The 2018 season was a true changing of the guard for this team. Fast forward to the Wild Card round. The Bears struggled in the first half against the Eagles but found themselves with the lead in the fourth quarter. A late touchdown by the Eagles left Bears fans speechless.

With less than a minute left, Tarik Cohen set the Bears up for a chance with a great return. Then Mitchell Trubisky hit Allen Robinson twice to set the team up for a 43-yard game-winning field goal. Enters Cody Parkey. A kicker who had made three previous field goals in this game despite a “doinkable” regular season.

Parkey lined up, the ball was snapped and the Eagles head coach Doug Pederson called timeout. Parkey took a practice kick and it went basically straight down the middle. The kicking unit lines up again. The ball is snapped, the kick is tipped and doink, doink. The ball ironically hits the left upright, then the crossbar and bounces out. The Bears go one-and-done and lose to the Eagles 16–15 to be eliminated from the playoffs.

Fast forward again to a press conference with Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace. Pace was asked many questions regarding the kicker position for 2019. He stated that there will definitely be competition, but never said if Parkey would be around or not. The team already held a few tryouts and signed Redford Jones to a reserve/future deal. Jones is not likely the answer though. He has not kicked in the NFL and his last kick in Tulsa took place in 2017. So who is the answer?

Many fans and media sources are screaming for the Bears to bring back Robbie Gould. Ryan Pace let Gould go during his first year as General Manager after Gould struggled almost as bad as Cody Parkey. The kicking position for the Bears has been what many call cursed since that move and Robbie Gould went on to make 82 of 85 field goals for the Giants and 49ers. He now hits free agency in 2019.

Unfortunately, here are GOULD reasons why Robbie Gould will not be a Chicago Bear in 2019, even if he could make the difference for this team.

eG.o of Ryan Pace

I know, I know. This does not start with a G, but I had to get this point across. If you look around the NFL, the majority of the people throughout the league have strong personalities. The more successful coaches, players and executives have the strongest of the strong. If Ryan Pace were to overspend at the kicker position by re-signing Robbie Gould, it would mean he would have to admit he made a mistake.

I am not saying Pace will not hold himself accountable and acknowledge he made poor decisions over his Bears’ tenure regarding the kicker position, but I doubt he will. He’d have to serve himself a big serving of crow, something most of these guys throughout the league would never do. This in itself, without taking money into consideration, might be the biggest reason why Gould will not be in a Bears uniform in 2019.

O.verpaying the kicker position

The Bears signed Cody Parkey to a 4-year, $15 million dollar contract that included $9 million in guaranteed money (ironically very similar to Gould’s last contract in Chicago). If the Bears decide to release Parkey, they will see over a $5 million cap hit for 2019. In fact, if the Bears keep Parkey on the roster, he will cost them around $4 million in cap space. That’s right, he will be less expensive staying on the team opposed to no longer on the team. With only an estimated $20-$28 million in cap space for 2019, cutting Parkey might not even be an option.

If the Bears make the right PR move (not necessarily the right business move) and cut ties with the doinker, it is more likely that they look at a cheaper option than Robbie Gould. Gould will be one of the three best kickers in free agency and could demand a big payday. Even if he did give the Bears a “hometown” discount, it will mean the kicker position will cost the Bears close to, if not more than $10 million dollars in 2019.

U.ndrafted free agent

The more likely scenario for the Bears is to bring in undrafted free agents (similar to Redford Jones) to compete with Parkey. One of the main guys I have seen Bears fans clamoring for (including me) was previously on the team already but lost the job to Conner Barth.

Andy Phillips was signed by the team in 2017, but never got a chance to kick in a game. He has been showing footage of himself working hard and making kick after kick to get another chance at the NFL. Here he is making kicks from 45, 54 and 63 yards out. He clearly has a stronger leg than Cody Parkey too.

Andy Phillips on Twitter

45 yards ✅ 54 yards ✅ 63 yards ✅ Sound ⬆️ RT 🙏🏼 https://t.co/GLcZ7u52ny

There will likely be plenty of other guys to choose from after the NFL Draft too. One kicker I am excited to see get a chance if he is not drafted is Matt Gay out of Utah. He has a strong leg and made 88% of his kicks in 2017 and 83% of his kicks in 2018. With some NFL coaching, he could prove to become even more consistent.

L.unch for Gould’s family

If you have been a Bears fan for a while, you should remember Robbie Gould’s quote about him having to feed his family during negotiations with the Bears back in 2013. Unfortunately for Gould, he struggled in 2014 and somewhat in 2015 before being released.

Since then, the Bears have not been able to fill the void at the kicker position, while Gould has been one of the most accurate kickers over the last two and a half seasons. Thus the “lunch for Gould’s family” shot. I would love to see Robbie Gould return to the Bears, but I think too many teams, including the 49ers, are going to throw too much money at him for him to turn down. Although his family still lives in Chicago and it seems his heart may still be here too, I would not blame him for taking a much larger contract than the Bears could afford.

D.rafting a kicker

This is likely to be a long shot. Honestly, I do not believe the Bears will use a draft pick on a kicker since they only have four picks in this year’s draft. That said, Kicker is going to be a need and to just ignore the draft would be unwise. The Bears could decide to use their seventh-round pick on a kicker if no one stands out at another position.

Instead of bringing in undrafted free agents, maybe they decide to grab a kicker they really like in the draft. This way they are guaranteed to lock him in for the offseason instead of giving the kicker the ability to choose which team he joins. I again would look at Matt Gay out of Utah. The problem though could be that the Bears also need a new Punter if they cannot come to a deal with soon-to-be free agent Pat O’Donnell. That seventh-round pick might need to be used on a Punter instead.

Now that I have listed out my GOULD reasons why Robbie Gould will not be in a Bears uniform, there is still a small chance this could happen. The Bears obviously hold a special place in Gould’s heart as seen here in his tweet while at the Bears vs. Eagles game in the Wild Card round this last season.

Robbie Gould on Twitter

Teaching these boys the history of da @bears #WPMOYCHALLENGEGOULD https://t.co/r7OdoczB7S

The problem is, there are more reasons on why Gould will not be here then will be here, and unfortunately for Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy, the cards are stacked against them heading into the 2019 offseason.

We are now reaching the end of the First Round. Some names to be had are still on the board as we get closer to day two. Can teams find the right fit and value down here? Only time will tell.

21. Detroit Lions: Jaraad Davis, LB, Florida
I am shocked Detroit did not go with Reuben Foster here. Defense is clearly a need for the Lions and linebacker is an obvious choice. However, Foster was definitely the bigger name. Jarrad Davis moved up draft boards after a solid combine, but injuries have always been Davis’ negative knock. He missed time in all three seasons at Florida. He suffered a leg injury in 2016 and a meniscus tear in 2014. Can this solid linebacker hold up in the NFL?

When not injured, Davis is a consistent player and will fill a void for the lions. Davis has decent coverage skills and will be a three-down player. He can shoot the gap with great instinct and hits the holes hard. Although not a rusher, he makes for a solid blitzing linebacker too. The one problem with how he plays is over-pursuing the play and whiffing on tackles. He is also susceptible to play-action. Overall, this was not a bad pick, but I do not see it making a big impact.

Strengths: Physical, hits hard, gap rush

Weaknesses: Injuries, play action, overruns plays, missed tackles

Draft Grade: B-

22. Miami Dolphins: Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
Like Detroit, Miami lacked defensive playmakers last season. Cameron Wake did not live up to expectations and this team needs some new defensive firepower. In steps, Harris. Harris is a bit undersized as a 4–3 defensive end, but that did not stop him in college.

Harris has great speed off the ball. That initial burst might be the best in the draft. He struggled to perform at the combine, but his tape was phenomenal. He should be a sack specialist for Miami and should see himself in on passing situations early in 2017. He has average rush moves and hands, and can even play the run well too. This was a great move by Miami who did not want to take some of the more coveted talent that came with more question marks than Harris.

Strengths: Burst off the ball, sack specialist

Weaknesses: One dimensional, focus

Draft Grade: A-

23. New York Giants: Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss
I honestly thought the Giants would have drafted an offensive lineman or linebacker. I understand this pick though. The Giants have not had a top-tier TE since Jeremy Shockey. How many of you fantasy players though Larry Donnell or Will Tye were sneaky late round picks? How did they pan out? Engram has the skill set to actually be worth one of those picks.

Engram was arguably the second best TE behind O.J. Howard. He is athletic and has good speed. He will be another weapon for Eli Manning to throw to this season. The problem is, will Eli have time to throw the ball. Engram cannot be counted on in the blocking game, which may limit his playing time. If the Giants can find a way to keep Manning off his back, this offense added even more firepower to their arsenal of weapons. Maybe not the right pick, but not the wrong pick either.

Strengths: Athleticism, speed, hands

Weaknesses: Inside blocking, route running

Draft Grade: B-

24. Oakland Raiders: Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
People were shocked by what the Bears did this round, but I am more surprised by the Raiders. Conley is the third defensive back to be drafted out of Ohio State in the first round. However, with his rape allegations, I thought for sure he’d fall. Conley has good size and speed, but I question his first round talent to go along with the off-the-field issues.

If we go on talent alone (it seems that now the rape allegations are either fake or going away anyway), this was a great pick for the Raiders. The Raiders secondary struggled too often in 2016. Giving up too many big plays happened on a regular basis and the offense constantly had to play with a shootout-type mentality. Conley has great ball skills. He had four interceptions for the Buckeyes last season and only allowed 14 receptions. He could develop into a solid shutdown corner.

Strengths: Size, man coverage, ball skills

Weaknesses: Off the field concerns, run support

Draft Grade: B+

25. Cleveland Browns: Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan
Is he a sports car or a Hummer? That is about the comparison I heard for months leading up to the draft. Peppers was talked about atop the draft and also falling down the draft. Many said he has no position. Well, although he played linebacker in Michigan, Peppers will clearly be a safety in the NFL.

Now, my only concern here is Peppers playing in Cleveland. I am not sure I trust the organization to do right by him. They have started to turn things around, but it is still the Browns we are talking about here. Peppers is an extremely talented athlete who should see playing time in nickel packages as a rookie. Expect to see him in the return game too. He has the talent to become a household name if given the opportunity and used properly.

Strengths: Freak athlete, versatility, return game

Weaknesses: Can Cleveland put him in the right spots to shine?

Draft Grade: A

26. Atlanta Falcons: Takkarist McKinnley, DE, UCLA
Just Google search 28–3 and after the Google calculator tells you the answer is 25, you will see a plethora of articles discussing the Falcons blowing a 28–3 lead in Super Bowl 51 (I refuse to use roman numerals). Obviously this team needed more help on defense. I would not have been surprised if they took Peppers here if available. Unfortunately, the Browns swiped him. Instead, the Falcons looked to grab a pass rusher.

I am not sure why they took McKinnley though. The end has almost as many injury concerns as Reuben Foster, but a lower ceiling. That said, the pick was not awful. McKinnley does grade out with low, First Round talent. He is a speedy edge rusher who has a relentless aggressive nature. Think of him as the Falcons new seek and destroy missile.

Strengths: Speed rush, aggressiveness, power, relentlessness

Weaknesses: Injuries, limited technique

Draft Grade: B

27. Buffalo Bills: Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
The Bills traded down and still grabbed a solid corner. It helps that the CB class was so deep this season, but Buffalo should feel happy about getting White here. White has decent size and athleticism. He is not going to jump in as the next Stephen Gilmore, but he will help soften the blow of losing him to New England.

White has good man-coverage skills and great ball hawking skills. Even against taller receivers, he has the ability to track the ball in the air. He has four years experience as a starter in the SEC, which could make the transition into the NFL a little easier. If this was a normal draft class, White would have been one of the first corners selected this year.

Strengths: Coverage skills, experience

Weaknesses: Avoids contact

Draft Grade: B-

28. Dallas Cowboys: Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
I have one word to describe how I feel about Taco Charlton — potential. Charlton could end up as a steal in this draft. The problem is, he could easily bust. Charlton has great size and length. He has seen improvement every year he joined Michigan. His final year was easily his best as he finished with 9.5 sacks.

The problem with Taco is that he is somewhat of a project player. He lacks technique and rush moves. He struggles against elite blockers with power. 29Charlton is also not the greatest against the run. All of that aside, size cannot be taught. If anyone can harness Charlton’s ability into production, it is Rod Marinelli. On upside alone this grade deserves an A, but I cannot grade it on upside alone. Although the Cowboys needed to add a pass rusher, I think their secondary needs help more. I could even have seen them take David Njoku here as a successor to Jason Witten — who is getting a little long in the tooth.

Strengths: Length, ability to maintain momentum downhill

Weaknesses: Inconsistent, lack of technique, run defense

Draft Grade: C+

29. Cleveland Browns: David Njoku, TE, Miami
Speaking of David Njoku, here he is at the very next pick. The Browns traded back up into the First Round and many though this would be for a quarterback. Boy were we wrong. Instead, they took a project tight end with unlimited potential. (We know now that Gary Barnidge is out and Njoku is THE guy)

Njoku is a freaky athletic guy who has a very muscular frame. He is an average blocker who has improved in that area every year. He has good speed and will be a mismatch for the Browns to exploit. He has big play ability as 17.2 percent of his plays at Miami were for 30-plus yards. He has great hands and highpoints the ball with his leaping ability. His biggest knock is focus drops and lack of experience.

Strengths: Leaping ability, hands, athleticism, game speed

Weaknesses: Experience, inconsistent, focus drops

Draft Grade: B

30. Pittsburgh Steelers: T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconsin
First of all, do not think the Steelers believe they are getting another version of T.J.’s older brother, J.J. Watt. T.J. and J.J. are two different type of players and play two different positions. T.J. had some health issues in both 2014 and 2015. He then moved from offense to defense and did well for the Badgers in 2016.

Watt has decent size, but could benefit from bulking up a bit more. Said to have a similar work ethic as his brother, but again there should be little comparison between the two. Watt has great technique and is able to battle off blockers with his hands. He is decent enough against the run too. The issue with Watt will be his athleticism and experience. I believe he fits in well though with Pittsburgh, and hopefully the Steelers finally found the edge rusher they need.

Strengths: Technique, hand battling, high motor

Weaknesses: Experience, injury history, strength

Draft Grade: B-

31. San Francisco 49ers: Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama (From SEA)
Foster was originally considered a top-five pick. However, after his failed drug test and being kicked out of the combine medical exams, Foster started falling down draft boards. Teams wanted to get a look at how well Foster was recovering from rotator cuff surgery (something now rumored could keep him from playing at all in 2017).

Now, if we can take the injury concerns away and the off the field issues, this could (I emphasize could) end up being a fantastic pick. If I were grading the selection purely based on talent then this is easily an A. However, more factors must come into play here. Foster and Solomon Thomas were great additions and could help rebuild a struggling defense. The key however being Foster’s ability to stay on the field.

Foster has good speed and pass coverage skills. He also hits with aggressiveness and power. He has a hard-hitting, alpha-type mentality. His footwork is decent too. The only problem is he gets too reliant on his speed that he finds himself too slow to react at times. He also takes on too many hits with poor tackling technique (part of the problem with his rotator cuff). All-in-all this is a risky pick that could pay off big time for the 49ers.

Strengths: Speed, toughness, burst

Weaknesses: Injuries, off-the-field concerns

Draft Grade: B+

32. New Orleans Saints: Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
Wisconsin always seems to have offensive lineman being drafted into the NFL. Unfortunately, for every Joe Thomas there have been a few more Gabe Carimi type players. The Saints are hoping they see more out of Ryan Ramczyk than what Carimi offered the NFL.

Ramczyk has good size and power. He fires off the ball with a solid burst and assertiveness, but edge rushers who have a good inside move tend to take advantage of him. Some say his arms are too short to play left tackle too. I think the Saints would have been better off taking a defensive player here as Ramczyk should only start in 2017 if an injury occurs.

Strengths: Size, power, ability to use his hands

Weaknesses: Blocking inside moves, inconsistent, plays to upright at times

Draft Grade: C

That wraps up the first round. Check out picks 1–10 here and 11–20 here. How did you grade your team’s pick(s)? Feel free to leave some comments or come on the Fantasy Life App to discuss it further!

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2017 NFL Draft: Round 1 Draft Grades (Picks 21–32) was originally published in Fantasy Life App on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

11. New Orleans Saints: Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
Here is another guy I thought the Bears would consider at No. 3, but alas I was wrong. Lattimore had some hamstring issues and actually had surgery on them. Finally healthy in 2016, he had a breakout season. He looks great on film and has all the right tools. He has great size and athleticism. He has great technique, too. If he can remain healthy, Lattimore will quickly become a top corner in the league.

He has some poor tendencies, but they are coachable. Needs to learn to get his head turned around. This was a fantastic pick for the Saints and they are probably overjoyed he fell to them. Lattimore should step in and immediately compete (and likely win) for the starting job. In terms of value, this one could end up being one we talk about in a couple years.

Strengths: Great technique, athletic, speed, size and instincts around the ball.

Weaknesses: Injury concerns, lack of experience and some minor tweaks he needs to adjust.

Draft Grade: A+

12. Houston Texans (From CLE): Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
Back-to-back guys off the board I had associated with my Chicago Bears! I know, I said I calmed down, but I am still somewhat upset about how things transpired. I’m giving Pace the benefit of the doubt here (do not ask me why, because I have no clue), but this is not about the Bears. No, this is not about the Bears giving up too much for a QB I had no interest in (hoping I’m an idiot). This is about allowing the Texans to re-write their screw up of overpaying Brock Osweiler. I think they made the first step in righting their wrong.

Watson has many flaws. Not major ones, but a lot of little ones. However, I do not even care about that. He is not Johnny Manziel or Tim Tebow. He makes great NFL-type throws when given time. What I love about Watson is just watching him without breaking down tape. He is a competitor and a winner. He is a leader and a playmaker. The key word in those two sentences being playmaker. Whether it be with his feet or his arm, he finds ways to win games. I think he will wind up somewhere between a Marcus Mariota and Russell Wilson. I like this pick for the Texans and now DeAndre “Nuk” Hopkins has a guy to throw him the ball.

Strengths: Natural playmaker, leader and competitor, decent arm strength, good pocket mobility and elusiveness.

Weaknesses: Careless with the ball at times, accuracy is hot and cold at times, needs time to acclimate to a NFL system.

Draft Grade: B

13. Arizona Cardinals: Haason Reddick, LB, Temple
The Cardinals missed out on all the top-tier quarterbacks in the First Round, and good for them for not panicking. Instead they draft another superb athlete who they can mold into a productive player. They were able to find spots for talented athletes like Deonne Bucannon and Tyrann Mathieu to produce at Pro Bowl levels. Look for them to do the same with Reddick.

Reddick was an under-the-radar guy until the Senior Bowl. He proved to scouts that he had good instincts and athleticism in that game. Then he followed it up with a successful combine. I don’t look at Reddick as becoming a big household name, but he will be a fan favorite for years to come in Arizona.

Strengths: Athleticism, versatility

Weaknesses: Transition to LB, may take time to develop into every down player.

Draft Grade: B-

14. Philadelphia Eagles: Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
This was a great pick for the Philadelphia Eagles. They needed an upgrade to play along side Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. Barnett has some similarities to Graham, but has the potential to be even better. He has great hand technique and a first step that allows him to rush from the outside. Hard hitter who plays both the run and pass well. Strong awareness and vision.

Barnett can struggle to get going at times. He gets inside his own head too much. Once he starts his attack, Barnett can struggle to redirect his motion. Also finds himself getting into penalty trouble as he tries to guess snap counts. The only question here is will Barnett be a better pick than Jonathan Allen who was still on the board? Only time will tell.

Strengths: Bull Rush, first-step burst, ability to use hands to get off blocks, strong motor.

Weaknesses: Over pursues and difficulty changing direction, offsides penalties from guessing snap counts.

Draft Grade: B

15. Indianapolis Colts: Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
As teams were fighting to take top offensive talent in a strong defensive class, the Colts made the wise choice of grabbing a guy who has top-10 talent. Well, he either has top-10 talent or is a one-year wonder. Only time will tell, but it seems he’s closer to the top level talent than a guy who benefited from being on a defense with NFL caliber players at multiple positions.

Hooker is raw, but he seems to have excellent instincts for a guy who has only played three seasons of football (two in high school and one in college). In his only year as a starter at Ohio State, Hooker recorded 74 tackles, seven interceptions and four pass breakups. He has average speed but makes up for it by reading the play well and above-average ball skills. The value here at 15 looks to be fantastic and he should work his way into the starting lineup in year one.

Strengths: Instincts, coverage on deep balls, hands

Weaknesses: Average speed, raw with little experience, better against the pass than the run.

Draft Grade: A (Great fit for the Colts)

16. Baltimore Ravens, Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
Humphrey was a solid choice here for the Ravens, but with other names on the board, I am going to be a little critical. Ozzie Newsome is known for his solid draft choices, but I think he missed the mark here. Humphrey is a great corner off the ball. He can jam receivers and is physical off the line. He is a solid tackler and run defender too.

The problem for Humphrey is deeper routes. He is impatient and allows separation. He needs to work on his footwork as he gets sloppy and off-balance at times. He may struggle to see the field as a starter his first year. He could be used in zone coverage packages where his responsibilities stay closer to the line of scrimmage. He has potential to become a solid corner if coaches in Baltimore can help him develop. Hard to warrant this pick though with Jonathan Allen and O.J. Howard still on the board.

Strengths: Athletic, physical off the line, strong tackler and run defender

Weaknesses: Speed, deep-route coverage, footwork

Draft Grades: C

17. Washington Redskins: Jonathan Allen, DE/DT, Alabama
When I was looking at the draft two months ago I wanted Allen to be picked by the Bears at No. 3. Then I looked into his medical history. With two shoulder surgeries, I changed my thinking to Jamal Adams. That said, if Allen’s shoulders hold up, he has the ability to be a perennial pro bowler.

Allen has some serious strengths and not many weaknesses. He is versatile and can play both inside and outside. He’s quick and has great hand techniques. His techniques are one of the best in the draft. His height is a problem for some teams, but it should not be that big of a deal. The guy is a beast and only his injury concern should be why he fell this far. The Redskins could be getting the biggest steal in this draft and must have been falling out of their chairs when they saw him available at No. 17. Allen should start immediately and fit in well with Ziggy Hood and Ryan Kerrigan. Look for Washington to compete for the division in 2017.

Strengths: Hand technique, strength, versatility, rushing technique, high motor and ability to read plays.

Weaknesses: Shoulder injuries, may struggle to produce numbers if double teamed constantly

Draft Grade: A+

18. Tennessee Titans: Adoree’ Jackson, CB, USC
Jackson is one of those freak athletes who made plays on both offense, defense and special teams. In his rookie season, Jackson had 49 tackles, 10 pass deflections, 10 catches for 138 yards, three receiving touchdowns and two kick-return touchdowns. In his Junior season, Jackson had five interceptions and scored four return touchdowns. The guy is a special talent.

All of that praise said, I am not sure his ability to contribute as a corner will carry over into the NFL. He reminds me of what Devin Hester was in Chicago. A trick-play type of weapon who will excel at the return game. He did improve drastically as a corner from his freshman year to his final year as a junior, so there is hope that coaches can help him develop. He does have excellent ball skills and takes great angles. However, he finds himself being to aggressive at times and can let up big plays. Look for him to win the return job, but he will need to develop more as a corner before having the chance to start on defense. Personally, I would have gone O.J. Howard here, but I can see the upside of Jackson.

Strengths: Speed, return game, athleticism, ability to score every time he touches the ball

Weaknesses: Size, over-aggressive, below average tackling skills

Draft Grade: C+

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
This was the Bucs taking a draft the best player available approach and I love it! I think Jameis Winston is on the verge of becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the league as we see guys like Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger contemplate retirement soon. The Bucs saw Cameron Brate come on strong last season, but that doesn’t mean they should not grab the highest graded tight end in the draft.

Howard has great size and massive hands. He has good acceleration and will be a mismatch against most defenses. He has great game speed and should see a lot of YAC. He can block too, which means he will not have to take running plays off. He will need to add some muscle handle in-line blocking, but that should not be a problem as he stands 6'6" and 251lbs. Winston now has Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Cameron Brate and Howard as targets. Not to mention they added Chris Godwin (WR) later in this year’s draft. The running game may be an issue, but look for the Bucs to improve on their 9–7 record in 2016.

Strengths: Size, hands, acceleration, blocking ability

Weaknesses: Competitiveness

Draft Grade: A-

20. Denver Broncos: Garett Bolles, OT, Utah
This was a weak class for lineman. Some had Cam Robinson as the top guy to go with, but his grade was all over the board, too. Bolles comes with many off the field issues. He turned his life around and interviewed well, though. The Broncos needed line help and I am not surprised they went this route. Just feel like Robinson had more upside than Bolles.

Bolles is athletic and has great feet. He has lateral quickness and can be very aggressive. He has good balance and keeps his blocks centered. Struggles against powerful bull rushes though and is inconsistent at sustaining his blocks. Another knock on Bolles is that he is already 24-years-old, and will be 25 by fall. The Broncos must see something here though and hopefully it works out for their sake.

Strengths: Feet, quickness

Weaknesses: Strength, age, off the field issues

Draft Grade: C-

That wraps up this section. To see the grades for picks 1–10, click here. The rest of the first round to follow shortly.

The Fantasy Life app is the best sports community app to talk fantasy football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, WWE, MMA, Nascar, golf, eSports, or anything else you would hear about at a sports bar. Find or post funny memes, polls, GIFs, or join chats about your teams. Matthew Berry (ESPN, The Talented Mr. Roto), the face of fantasy football co-founded the app as a place for fans to chat about sports, get fantasy advice, or find sleepers for your team. Find Matthew on the app @matthewberry

Download the iPhone or Android app at fantasylifeapp.com. Also available in theApp Store and Google Play.

2017 NFL Draft: Round 1 Draft Grades (Picks 11–20) was originally published in Fantasy Life App on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The First Round is in the books. How did your team do? There were some shock and awe moments. Did Draft Day live up to the hype and your expectations?

I am going to go through each pick and break them down. This will be a three-part series. Although we will not know how good the draft turned out for a couple years, I will also assign each pick a draft grade.

1. Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M

This was the obvious pick. Glad to see Cleveland did not screw it up. Garrett was the clear-cut option at No. 1 and it seems the Browns paid attention to Kevin Costner in Draft Day. As corny as it sounds, that movie somewhat laid out the road map the Browns needed to follow. Draft the guy who has day-one impact and ignore the QB hype. The Browns did just that and it was the right call.

Strengths: Athletic, speed off the line, instincts and awareness. Teams game planned against him because of his descriptiveness.

Weaknesses: Relies on his athleticism too much sometimes

Draft Grade: A

2. Chicago Bears (from SF): Mitchell Trubisky, QB, UNC
This was the first shock of the draft. The Bears traded away their No. 3 pick, their Third Round pick, one of their Fourth Round picks and a Third Rounder in 2018 to move up one spot to No. 2.

My first reaction (I am a Bears fan) was how can Ryan Pace make this mistake? Why give up so much to move one spot? Maybe teams were trying to move up to No. 3? Maybe they decided to go all-in on QB? Their off-season activity pointed to Deshaun Watson, but was that all smoke?

Trubisky’s draft profile states big arm, underrated mobility, good accuracy while outside the pocket and able to make the big throws. At first glance it sounds like Jay Cutler. Oh boy! I know what myself and other Bears fans are thinking. However, he also usually gets the ball out on time, he rarely makes throws off his back foot and let’s face it, has a better on-field attitude.

Pace obviously liked Trubisky and if he pans out, Chicago will have won the First Round rather than have lost it. Time will tell with this one as Mike Glennon is the 2017 starter.

Strengths: Arm, accuracy, size, pocket mobility, and competitive attitude.

Weaknesses: Inexperienced, played 98 percent of his snaps out of the shotgun and struggles at times with pocket awareness.

Draft Grade: C- (Initial reaction was F, but I have calmed down)

3. San Francisco 49ers (From CHI): Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
Early indications say John Lynch and the 49ers won this draft. I tend to agree. They gained three picks and still got the guy they wanted. Thomas is easily the second-best end in the draft. Some think Thomas could end up better than Myles Garrett. Thomas will look great lining up next to DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead. He has a constant motor and loves getting after the quarterback. Can play both the inside and outside. Will be the leader by example of this new 49ers team.

Strengths: Versatile, high-motor, great spin move, strength and size.

Weaknesses: Considered a “tweener”, needs to be more consistent with his hands and cut back on his offsides penalties.

Draft Grade: A

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
I think seeing the success of Ezekiel Elliott last year has warped the minds of some NFL GMs. Fournette looks to be a clear upgrade for the Jaguars and should start on Day One, but do not expect him to see the same production as Elliott.

Fournette is a downfield runner who is going into a system that runs a lot of plays out of the shotgun. He is built like a linebacker, but still has good speed. He can hit his second gear quickly and punishes defenders by plowing through them rather than eluding around them. He is an average pass-catcher.

Strengths: Powerful back with great size and strength, stiff arm and ability to switch gears.

Weaknesses: Struggles with making cutbacks and eluding defenders in the open field. His bruising running style could shorten his career.

Draft Grade: B

5. Tennessee Titans: Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
I am on the fence with this one. Many debated between Corey Davis and Mike Williams as the best wide receiver in this draft class. I am on the side of Williams, but that does not mean I do not like Davis. Davis has great size and decent route-running ability. He has great focus, but did have 16 drops in 2016. Taking a wide receiver was a solid move by the Titans. Only Rishard Matthews produced for them last season and they lost Kendall Wright to free agency. Davis will make a great red zone target for Marcus Mariota.

The other issue I have is that he is coming from the MAC conference. The competition he faced was not as elite as guys playing in the bigger conferences.

Strengths: Size, deep ball tracking, vertical routes, jump balls and solid hands.

Weaknesses: Needs to improve quickness in and out of breaks, blocking, may struggle to separate against NFL talent.

Draft Grade: B-

6. New York Jets: Jamal Adams, S, LSU
This is the guy I was predicting to go to Chicago had they stayed at No. 3. Adams is going to be an elite play maker in the NFL. He will be the leader and ambassador rather quickly for this Jets’ defense. (Not going to lie, I’m jealous)

Adams is a natural-born leader. He also leads by example on the field. He has great size and hits hard. Intelligent and a field general. Even as a rookie, he will likely be lining guys up in their proper positions. He can be a little to physical at times and veteran wide receivers will look to pick on him for flags early in his career.

Strengths: Size, leadership skills, physical, disruptive and solid tackler.

Weaknesses: Too aggressive at times and struggles to retreat, deep ball coverage is average, too physical at times and not the best hands.

Draft Grade: A

7. Los Angeles Chargers: Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
This is a great pick and the Chargers chose to draft based on talent and not need. One could argue though, with Keenan Allen’s injury history, wide receiver was a need. If Allen stays healthy, Phillip Rivers will have a plethora of weapons at his disposal.

Some are saying the Chargers should have looked at Jonathan Allen or Malik Hooker here. I was high an Allen until I found out about his medical issues. His shoulder may not hold up for long in the NFL and I am not surprised he dropped. I think Hooker made more sense here, but I do not fault the Chargers for going Williams.

Strengths: Big receiver who fits the mold of a No. 1 option, jump ball ability, strong hands and can play all over the field.

Weaknesses: Loses focus at times, needs to have crisper routes, average release quickness and can disappear when facing a in-your-face, physical corner.

Draft Grade: B

8. Carolina Panthers: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
This was not a shocker as the Panthers were linked to Fournette and McCaffrey for awhile now. Some think McCaffrey ends up better than Fournette. Personally, I think Fournette is better, but McCaffrey could turn into something great too.

McCaffrey is a little small and people are concerned he won’t hold up as a three-down back. He also has 300-plus touches over his last two seasons. McCaffrey is versatile and has good vision. Has decent agility and can run inside and outside. Overall, this filled a need for the Panthers and gives Cam Newton another toy to play with.

Strengths: Vision, ability to run through the tackles and outside, ability to make cuts and change direction and excellent hands.

Weaknesses: Many miles on his legs could shorten his career, size and speed is just average and lacks the power needed for the NFL.

Draft Grade: B-

9. Cincinnati Bengals: John Ross, WR, Washington
I am actually surprised the Bengals went receiver here. The Bengals must be disappointed with the production they saw out of Tyler Boyd last season. Needless to say, this move gives them a deep threat guy. Ross can run passed almost anyone. He also has the ability to contribute in the return game. He has decent hands, but is still somewhat raw.

Ross has potential and could be similar to DeSean Jackson or Kenny Stills. Guys who do one thing great — run fast and catch deep balls or touchdowns. Can also be used in slant routes and has the ability to generate YAC. Just thought the Bengals would look at the defensive side of the ball first, but this pick could be more impactful.

Strengths: Speed, vertical route running, quickness, play making ability and did I say speed?

Weaknesses: Size, confidence falters after missed opportunities or drops

Draft Grade: B-

10. Kansas City Chiefs (From BUF): Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
The Chiefs moved up 17 spots to draft the quarterback of their future. The question is, did they need to make this move? The Chiefs had some bigger needs to fill on paper, but Andy Reid wanted the next Brett Favre. Yes, that is the comparison being thrown around. The Chiefs needed to move up to guarantee Mahomes because a couple other teams (Cardinals and Browns) were also in need of a QB. This move is for the future and I would not expect to see Mahomes on the field (barring injury) for the next couple seasons.

Mahomes is a project, but if groomed by Andy Reid, he could become something special. He is a confident player who has decent size. He has a strong arm and can throw from multiple angles. He has improved his accuracy every year since his freshman year too. Unfortunately, he can get too cute and start playing backyard ball. He needs to learn to trust the offense and let plays work themselves out.

Strengths: Arm strength, mobility and able to make throws from all over the field.

Weaknesses: Chooses to abandon the play too quickly at times, not afraid to throw the ball into coverage, and inconsistent judgment.

Draft Grade: C

Picks 11–20 coming out soon!

The Fantasy Life app is the best sports community app to talk fantasy football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, WWE, MMA, Nascar, golf, eSports, or anything else you would hear about at a sports bar. Find or post funny memes, polls, GIFs, or join chats about your teams. Matthew Berry (ESPN, The Talented Mr. Roto), the face of fantasy football co-founded the app as a place for fans to chat about sports, get fantasy advice, or find sleepers for your team. Find Matthew on the app @matthewberry

Download the iPhone or Android app at fantasylifeapp.com. Also available in theApp Store and Google Play.

2017 NFL Draft: Round 1 Draft Grades (Picks 1–10) was originally published in Fantasy Life App on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Point Guards

Russell Westbrook $12,500: The Thunder and Knicks are involved in the second highest O/U of the night at 216, and the game only has a one point spread. Over Westbrook’s last 10 games he’s averaging 68 DK points. During that span he scored under 60 once, and had two games where he broke 80. The Knicks have done well versus PG but with Westbrook’s usage and the fact that he stuffs the box score I don’t think it will be an issue.

Kyle Lowry $8,100: I’m a little worried about the blowout factor here because the Raptors are currently 15 point favorites, but Lowry will be a big part of that blowout. PG who are projected to play at least 25 minutes have exceeded expectations 72% of the time with a +5.43 +/- versus the 76ers this season. I don’t think Lowry has the upside for GPP, but if you want to go more balanced in cash Lowry is a good option.

George Hill $6,600: Since coming back from injury Hill has picked up where he left off. In his first two games back he played 28 minutes in both (which is under his avg this season) and scored 37 DK points in both of those games. This is a big pace up game for the Jazz and PG have had good success against the Minnesota this season.

Remember…these are just a taste of the full article. For the rest of this article and more, head on over to House Money Fantasy! Also follow us on Twitter @HouseMoneyDFS

DraftKings NBA Slate Breakdown 11/23/2016

We have a huge 13 game slate tonight with a ton of options. Currently the Warriors, Cavs, Celtics, and Rockets are all implied to score at least 110 points. I’m writing this early in the day before news really comes out, so make sure you are keeping up with all the latest news. There will be a lot on a slate this big.

Point Guards

James Harden $11,700: With the slate being so big Harden isn’t a must play in GPP, but I think you should strongly consider working him into your cash game lineup. Harden is 2nd on the slate in usage rate and 3rd in PER. He is averaging a ridiculous 59 DK points per game, and has scored under 50 DK points only three times this season and never under 45. Not that matchup matters for Harden, but according to the Trends Tool on Fantasy Labs Toronto is allowing point guards projected to play at least 25 minutes to exceed value 82% of the time with a ridiculous +7.69 +/- on the season.

Kemba Walker $7,600: The matchup isn’t the greatest for Walker tonight. Charlotte is implied to score only 97 points tonight and the Spurs will look to make an example of the Hornets after how they played against Dallas the other night. However Walker’s salary has dropped $600 for this matchup and he has put up over 20 FGA in three out of the last five games played. The Spurs are allowing point guards to make 8.43 field goals per game which ranks them 8th in the league. All this equals up to Walker being a GPP only option for me tonight, but a good one who will probably go low owned because of this matchup.

Darren Collison $5,400: Collison and the Kings are in a good spot tonight. It’s a big pace up game, and the Kings are implied to to score 107 points. They also get the Thunder on the second night of a B2B in which they had a hard fought game against the Lakers that went down to the wire. After being eased in when he first came back from injury Collison has played 32,32,29, and 37 minutes in his last four. Assists and buckets are the way Collison will get you points and the Thunder allow the 5th most assists by point guards and the 13th most field goals made. The Thunder are allowing point guards to exceed value 83% of the time with a +8.98 +/- at 39.96 DK points per game. At his current salary Collison only needs 29 for cash value and 32 for GPP value.

Isaiah Whitehead $3,100: If you need a punt play (and you will) Whitehead is your man. Since coming back from injury his minutes have been creeping up, and he even got the start in their last game against Portland. This game is expected to be high scoring (tied for 2nd on the slate), and should be a decent matchup for Whitehead. At $3,100 he should easily hit value tonight.

I mentioned this earlier but definitely make sure you are taking advantage of the multi position eligibility for players on DraftKings. For example always play Harden at the SG position so you can pair him up with another PG. As always feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or just want to bounce some lineup ideas off of me. You can reach me on our Twitter account @HouseMoneyDFS or my personal account @TheRealCRFTV. You can also find me on the greatest fantasy app there is the Fantasy Life app. The best way to get a hold of me on there is in the DraftKings DFS Banter chat. Just tag me @crftv in there and I will get back to you ASAP.

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DraftKings NBA Slate Breakdown 11/23/2016 was originally published in House Money Fantasy on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Week 11 NFL Slate Breakdown

So I normally only break down the main Sunday slate. However, since this is my first crack at the NFL breakdown on House Money Fantasy, I am going to throw the Monday night guys in here as well. Obviously they will not work if you are not playing a Monday slate, but I figure, why the hell not?

Many of you have read my NBA slate breakdowns, but like most of you football is my favorite sport. Do not get me wrong, I love basketball, but if I had to pick any sport over the other it would always be football. (Except when my kids grow up and want to play, then it is all about baseball)

We have 13 games this week now that the big bye weeks have started to dwindle down. Well, 12 on the Sunday slate and that extra game I am throwing in here for free. I know, I am a great guy like that. Alright, I was forced not to charge you for any of this. If it was up to me you’d be paying $100 per view of this article. Yes, per view, not per article. Visit it twice and I’m more than a quarter of the way to my new television.

Alright, so you are probably asking why the hell doesn’t this guy shut up and get on to the games already? Well, this is my style and if you do not like it just scroll down to the the good stuff. Just know that there are no hard feelings. It isn’t like I will throw a fit and stomp my feet like a two year-old because someone did not like my article. Ugh, that’s it…the article is done! Good luck figuring out the plays of the week on your own!

argh

Okay…I calmed down now. Just know that I am a Bears fan so when it comes to football I have little to cheer about other than fantasy. From now on I will use the the Smoking Jay Cutler approach and just blow everything off like it doesn’t matter…

cutler-philosophy

Before I get started (I know, you are like what the hell man, just get on with it already!), I want to point out that we have a YouTube channel. On there we do live consensus lineup builders with some of our experts and although Week 11 ran into technical difficulties, the content was still on point. Click here to check it out and make sure to hit that subscribe button!

Okay, finally let us start out with tight end. Wait! What? Just kidding…onto the quarterbacks.

Quarterbacks

Upper Echelon

Tom Brady: $7,800 @ SF — Cash

Brady did not find the end zone last week. Instead, LeGarrette Blount scored three rushing touchdowns. I think this is an anomaly and we will see Brady score not once, but at least twice. He does not have enough upside for me to use in GPP lineups at this price, but I’m okay with him in cash. San Francisco is ranked 25th in Defense DVOA and has given up the eighth most fantasy points to the quarterback position over the last three weeks. Brady is obviously in play.

Aaron Rodgers: $7,600 @ WAS — Cash

As a Bears fan I am taking great pleasure in seeing the Packers fail most weeks. That said, I do not have a leg to stand on when making fun of their teams as the Bears look to be the second worst team in football. Rodgers has a plethora of weapons though and has been hitting the yardage numbers that we did not see from him late last season and to start 2016. Just like Brady, I think the matchup is decent enough for him to hit cash value, but I do not see the upside here for GPP lineups. Too many better options that are cheaper in my opinion.

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Week 11 NFL Slate Breakdown was originally published in House Money Fantasy on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Another 11-game slate filled with 22 teams! With so many players to choose from I am going to focus on a high-priced, mid-level and punt play option at each position. I may sprinkle in some random notes from time-to-time too, but only time will tell as I break this bad boy down.

Before I do, I want to take the time to thank all of you for reading our content. We know you can go to other sources for material and we value that you have faith and trust in our systems. We are continuing to grow and as we do we will be able to provide more content.

So without any further hesitation, let us get to good stuff. Wait. Stop the train! I have something very important to discuss with everyone. We here at House Money Fantasy would like to point out a strategy most of us agree with regarding large slates like these. If you want to play the full slate we suggest only doing so in GPP tournaments. Doing so in cash leaves so many variables that can affect you being able to cash. You could have a stacked lineup that gives you a score near 300, but the guy you are playing just so happens to hit 330. I am not saying we have bad information (I stand by everything I say and write), we just like to recommend playing cash on the smaller slates where you have a higher percentage chance of winning.

That is all….back to the show!

Point Guards

I think this is a Russell Westbrook over James Harden night. Or if you are playing in a GPP tournament you may want to roster both. Either way, I’d play Harden at shooting guard over point guard.

Russell Westbrook ($11,900): Cash and GPP

Do I really need to put anything here? Westbrook and Harden are equivalent to Kershaw day in MLB DFS. You play them without hesitation. The only problem is when they both are playing. What is even worse is when they are playing each other. Vegas has the spread at 219 with an implied team total of 111 for the Thunder. Who is going to score all those points? Victor Oladipo? (Please notice the sarcasm in my voice as I write this!) Westbrook is dominating the NBA in usage rate and although the matchup favors Harden on paper, I think both hit over 60 DK points and I like the $300 savings with Westbrook. With Bradley Beal out, John Wall ($9,200) could make a decent pivot.

Eric Bledsoe ($6,900): Cash and GPP

I cannot believe I am recommending Eric Bledsoe again, but for a mid-range guy I love his matchup. He is going up against Emmanuel Mudiay who is averaging almost five turnovers a game the last ten games. I am on a mission to bash Mudiay as much as possible since I went back to the well for the first time this season and he burned me. He did it a few times last year and my selective memory showed up and caused me to forget how much I cannot stand him in cash. Well, now I will just take the guy against him. Denver is allowing the most fantasy points per game to the point guard position and Bledsoe has been very consistent all season. Sign me up for this price! Still not sure? Well the implied point total for the Suns is 115 in this game and I think Bledsoe hits 5x value or more. Kyrie Irving ($7,600) now that LeBron James is OUT.

Jameer Nelson ($3,800): GPP

I am close to throwing him in cash too. As I stated, Mudiay has been awful as of late and Jameer Nelson should start at shooting guard again with Gary Harris out. The Suns have given up the second most fantasy points to the SG position the last five games too! Not to mention, Nelson has averaged over 4x value his last 10 games and if he gets hot he can reach 6x value. If you are going to punt or you want to throw out a Harden and Westbrook lineup, Nelson may be your third guard option. By the way, the Denver versus Suns game is a good contrarian game stack in GPP tournaments as most people will be going after the Houston versus Oklahoma City game. Other guys: Langston Galloway ($3,400) and Jamal Murray ($3,700)

For the rest of this article and more visit our site at http://housemoneyfantasy.com

NBA Slate Breakdown 11/16/2016 was originally published in House Money Fantasy on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Bears

The Bears are once again coming off a disappointing loss and need a win to keep their season afloat. They will be facing off against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6 who also only have one win. Chicago needs to make less costly mistakes if they have any chance at winning. The line has looked better but too many penalties have killed drives. Turnovers, specifically fumbles, have also been a problem. Jay Cutler has yet to fully practice so it looks like Hoyer should start again. A QB controversy looms and Cutler’s days may be numbered even though the Bears are only 1–2 with Hoyer under center.

Fantasy Impact

Despite a bad record, the Bears have significant fantasy players. Hoyer is a low-end QB1 and could be the Bears short-term answer for 2017 too. Alshon Jeffery and Hoyer need to get on the same page, until they do that Jeffery is a high-end WR2. Cameron Meredith and Eddie Royal will remain a WR3 with WR1 upside and Jordan Howard should be locked in as a RB1 the rest of the year. Finally, Zach Miller will be a high-end TE2 in this game.

Titans

The Titans are coming off an impressive win over Miami and find themselves in a very favorable matchup with the Browns. Mariota scored four touchdowns last game and although he will struggle to throw for more than 250 yards a game, he should have a chance to match that output. The one guy standing in his way though is DeMarco Murray. Murray has been spectacular this season and should have a big game Sunday. If Mariota is not scoring I expect it to be Murray. The one other guy who should finish with a big game is Delanie Walker. Walker is Mariota’s go-to target and the Browns struggled against the TE position last week versus the Patriots.

Fantasy Impact

DeMarco Murray is a clear cut RB1 in this game. He should be starting for anyone who owns him and is a great option in daily fantasy. Mariota is a high-end QB2 in this matchup and has QB1 upside if he can score multiple touchdowns. Delanie Walker could be the highest scoring TE in Week 6 and is an obvious TE1 most the year. Derrick Henry has flex appeal in deeper leagues because of bye weeks and Rishard Matthews could sneak into a WR3 spot depending on the size of your league.

Chargers

The Chargers continue to lose close games and one must wonder if the team will implode soon. They have another tough matchup this week against the Broncos. The key to winning this game is getting to either Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch — whoever starts at quarterback for the Broncos. Joey Bosa had a big first game with two sacks and if he can do that again the Chargers will have a chance. If the Chargers cannot generate pressure, this game will likely not go their way.

Fantasy Impact

Philip Rivers will be a low-end QB1 in this game. He might not be the answer for your team depending on if you own another QB and who that QB may be. Melvin Gordon is a low-end RB1 and should do okay only because of opportunity. Travis Benjamin and Tyrell Williams should be downgraded to WR3 status because of the matchup. One or both have higher upside than that if the Chargers throw it in garbage time, but hard to predict something like that will happen. Not to mention, which receiver benefits? Finally, with both Gates and Hunter Henry playing, both are a TE2 with TE1 upside.

Saints

The Saints are coming off a bye week and face off against the Panthers in Week 6. With the game at home and the Panthers defense struggling, I fully expect Brees to have a big day. This could be a close game and somewhat of a shootout if Cam Newton starts. The Saints defense has been awful all year and the offense will have to make up for it like usual. With an extra day of rest the Saints have a real shot and I think they upset the Panthers 34–31.

Fantasy Impact

Drew Bree’s is a must start at home. His splits at home versus on the road are crazy. He should throw for over 300 yards and is a QB1. Brandin Cooks has the best opportunity to help Brees and is a low-end QB1. Although as owners of Saints receivers know, it is difficult to predict which guy goes off. Willie Snead and Michael Thomas should both be a WR2 with WR1 upside because of that reason. Coby Fleener will be a TE2 this week, while Mark Ingram a low-end RB1.