Fantasy CPR recently sat down with Ben Standig of FFToolbox.com, a great site for free fantasy sports news and updates. Free cheat sheets are also available during the fantasy football season. We would like to thank Ben himself for taking the time to do this interview, as well as Jeff Christiansen, the owner of FFToolbox.com. He made this interview process simple and got back to us quickly.
(To view Ben Standig’s Mock Draft, click here.)
Fantasy CPR: First and Foremost Ben, Thanks for Joining us. The Super Bowl is now
behind us. Football is slowly taking a step to the back burner. There is
an Important event coming up- The NFL Draft. Explain to us what
FFtoolbox is doing during this time to get your subscribers informed?
FFToolbox: Joe thanks for having me. I’m always excited to talk football, especially at this time of the year. Of course, the immediate aftermath following the Super Bowl is always a downer for all us football heads, but it also means we are a step closer to another favorite date on the calendar, the NFL Draft.
Fantasy CPR: So even though the fantasy football season has come and gone _ though some of us are still trying to wrap a Playoff Fantasy title _ FFToolbox.com has not stopped providing wall-to-wall NFL coverage, with the primary focus on the upcoming NFL Draft. From player profiles, news reports and mock drafts from multiple writers, FFToolbox.com is committed to providing updates on the next wave of NFL and fantasy stars.
With that being said, Who do you feel is the true cream of the crop
fantasy wise in this NFL Draft?
FFToolbox: I think the 2007 rookie fantasy crop will be proven to be one of if not the high water mark for future first-year classes. Matt Forte, Chris Johnson, Steve Slaton, Matt Ryan. Just a silly amount of riches for observant and risk taking owners. Of course, like real estate, fantasy success is often based on location, location, location. In terms of this year, I’m not sure there is one player that I look at and think wow, he will have an instant impact regardless of where he lands in the draft.
Michael Crabtree is the highest rated playmaker in the draft, but rookie receivers are often erratic. Despite the success of Matt Ryan this past season, I’m not going to invest heavily in Matthew Stafford or Mark Sanchez, especially if they end up on low rung squads like the Lions. Now, running backs are usually the most productive rookies, but this year there may not be one picked in the top 15; in my latest mock draft, the first RB I have off the board is Knowshon Moreno at #16 and that could be revised if the Chargers keep LT and Darren Sproles. There is also the growing trend of teams using two-back rotations to consider. In the second half of the first round, the only spots where I see a running back given the starting job off the bat are Tampa Bay and Arizona.
So, with all that said, Gun to my head and based on my mock, I’ll go with RB LeSean McCoy out of Pittsburgh. If the Cards keep the core of the great offensive attack in place, McCoy will see few eight-man fronts and he has the power and speed to make defenses pay if they back off the line. Edgerrin James is likely gone and Tim Hightower looks best as a situational option. Otherwise, I’d say Crabtree or Morenodepending on where they end up.
**** There is talent in the second round and guys like Shonn Greene out of Iowa and Donald Brown from Connecticut could be this season’s Steve Slaton, especially if he ends up going to a team with a potent offense a la the Denver Broncos or the New England Patriots.
FantasyCPR: This year’s class is full of running back talent (much like always) Who
do you think will have a bigger fantasy value in 2009, Chris Wells or
Knowshon Moreno?
FFToolbox: I’d go with Moreno. The former Heisman front runner is the complete package; blazing speed, great vision, can run inside and is a factor in the passing game. Even in this age of teams using two-back rotations as I mentioned, Moreno should receive enough touches to be a viable fantasy option. Wells is a power runner and has the speed that scouts love, but the knock on him is that he tends to take plays off and he was a complete non-factor in the passing game with Ohio State. I’m not in love with either guy right now, but if they get selected in good situations, my fantasy football infatuation will grow quickly.
FantasyCPR: Another position we have to look at is Wide Receiver? Is Michael
Crabtree a can’t miss prospect? Would you consider drafting Jeremy
Maclin in your fantasy draft if he lands with a team weak at the wide
receiver position?
FFToolbox: The term “can’t miss” scares me, but Crabtree is about as close as you can get. He has all the measurables, but more importantly, he makes plays. That may sound obvious, but many players look great in their uniform and ultimately fail to post the numbers. As I said before, rookie receivers are often an inconsistent bunch, but if Crabtree lands with a proven passer like Matt Hasselbeck _ that is where I have him going, though the Rams could scoop him up at #2 _ then he could face a shorter learning curve. At this moment, I would project him to go no earlier than the sixth round in fantasy drafts, similar to where Calvin Johnson went his rookie year.
As for Maclin, I’m a big fan. Like Crabtree, he has all the tools and simply makes plays. Again, circumstances will dictate his first year numbers, but I think he can be worthy of a starter in leagues that start three receivers or a rotational option depending on matchups. Another guy I like and who is flying up draft boards is Hakeen Nicks out of North Carolina. His bowl game performance was unreal and in my opinion, he has moved into the first round.
Fantasy CPR: Tight end is never a sexy position, but this draft class is full of
talent. Who would you consider the best and most ready tight end of this
class?
FFToolbox: Brandon Pettigrew out of Oklahoma State is considered one of the better all-around tight end prospects in several drafts. Now, that hype factors in his ability to help as a blocker, not something that fantasy owners will care much about, though that skill set will keep him on the field often. I’ve heard him projected to be more in the Heath Miller mold than say a Kellen Winslow type, so Pettigrew should be more of a factor in non-PPR leagues.
**** South Carolina Junior-eligible Jared Cook runs a 4.4 40 and learned his trade under Steve Spurrier. He is a guy I’d keep my eye on, depending on where he lands.
FantasyCPR: How about the quarterback position? Do you see anybody making a big
impact in 2009?
FFToolbox: I suspect that the rookie QB’s _ and there could be as many as three going in the first round if the Josh Freeman hype continues _ will be overvalued based on the success of Ryan and Joe Flacco this past season. After battling the punishing defenses in the SEC, Matthew Stafford is probably the one guy with the ability to start day one. Nobody doubts his arm strength, though he was not always a consistent performer. In the end, I would not invest a lot in this crop of signal callers except in Dynasty Leagues, though come on, Stafford could get 10 TD passes just throwing jump balls to Calvin Johnson.
FantasyCPR: Finally Ben, one of our favorite prospects at Fantasy CPR is Pat White.
He is currently working out at the Quarterback position. Do you think he
has what it takes to be an every week starter in this league?
FFToolbox: I have used the phrase “simply makes plays” throughout this interview and I think that also describes White. I mean, other than Tim Tebow, who recently has been more of a winner in college than Pat White? Still, the trend appears to be going away from the Vince Young type of quarterback, a style that emphasis mobility over accuracy and arm strength. I doubt we will ever see White listed as the weekly starter on an NFL team’s depth chart, but in this era of the Wildcat offense, I do think will see him under center throughout his career.
(Ben Standig is a contributor to www.fftoolbox.com. To view his NFL Mock Draft, click here. To view the FFToolbox archive, click here.)
FanSided
Great interview!
This is a great interview, fftoolbox is one of my favorite sites in the football season. I'm curious who Ben thinks will be the #1 pick in the draft.