Keeper Grades and Analysis

 

*Final edition
The picks are in.  We have first ever keeper picks from 12 franchises.  The League office did some scrambling but the renamed Shock_Pick's submission went through.  Following the keeper deadline, both Jamaal Charles and LeSean McCoy are available for auction.  Now let the grabbing war begin.

Below is Sun Tzu’s first analysis of the 2014 season.  The War Thinker analyzes and grades each keeper choice. 

1)Trichotillomaniacs ($39 2 spent)

The most obvious choice of all the league keepers may have been Julius Thomas for $1, a significant value for a top 3 fantasy TE.  The General elected to keep trade-acquired Brandon Marshall, arguably a top 5 WR, and his lofty $38 contract for the second keeper spot.    The second keeper is for IDP rising star Lavonte David ($1), with the General going for value over quality.  David scored 109.35pts (avg. 9.11pts/week) last year for the HairPullers, but will an IDP justify occupying a valuable dynasty roster position is the question he’ll answer this year.  At least it’ll only cost the Far East side a penny, even if this doesn’t pan out.  The team to beat for the upcoming season is Keeper-nick no more, (well for now).

--- A-

  

2) SanFranciscoFerries ($24)

The regular season champ from 2013 didn’t exercise their keeper rights, although there were some value on the roster, namely Eddie Lacy for $23. The Ferries got their pick in at the last minute, and the teasing was probably more strategic than anything.  At the end, it was rather a simple choice, Lacy for $23 and Cordarrelle Patterson for $1.  It shows the foresight of the TechCity Boatmen front office to be able to retain two then-rookies from last years draft.  That's really what dynasty leagues are about.   
--- A

3) PolkHighPanthers ($102)

Al Bundy’s team elected to keep the best WR tandem in PSAS intact for another year, with Megatron and AJ costing more than half of the draft budget at $58 and $44 respectively.  Megatron is an undisputed Numero Uno receiver, but AJ needs a bounce back year to justify the cost.  Overpaying local hero Matt Ryan last year ($35) and T-Gonz’s retirement limited their hands.

--- B

4) PhatGirlz ($14)

Monique is keeping Garcon ($11) and Ben Tate ($3) around.  Both are good values for arguably top 10 players in their respective positions.  Garcon has D-Jax to share the ball thrown by RGIII/Cousins, which is a possible downside.  Tate’s Browns have neither QB nor WR, plus he’s promoted to everyweek starter from the most talented handcuff status, so a huge upside there.  Good foresight by Monique to target a back-up FA-to-be RB last year.

--- A

5) TakingTigerMountain ($46-16=$30)

The consolation winner barely missed the main playoffs in 2013, but the bittersweet end to last season pays dividends with the Interim being awarded both Moral Victory and Consolation prizes, allowing them to keep #1WR-esque contract of JimmyG ($41) essentially for $25.  That’s value for the best fantasy TE.  Antonio Brown ($5), the other keeper choice, was a steal last year and still is this year. 

--- A

6) AEthernauts ($78-4=$74)

Last year’s disappointing team chooses to bet on the core of their unit from 2013 with Cam and DeMarco being kept.  They come with a price tag, each for $39.  It was partially these two’s lack of consistent offensive showing and injury concerns that was undoing for the Space Travelers last year, but the Nauts are banking on a more consistent performance by these two, just like that of LynchMob, whose $66 contract the team couldn’t swallow. 

---B

7) ThePelicanBrief ($37-2=$35)

The Grishamites are keeping Brady ($29) and Seattle DEF ($8).   Legion of Boom was probably an easy choice and the only team defense worth keeping in the entire league, but they don’t come cheap for the position.  While certainly not over-spending, Brady’s disappointing 2013 performance wouldn’t deserve nearly 15% of the total budget plus he’s in the twilight of his career.  This was more a sentimental choice for the Brief and Brady, whose contract will likely be void after this season unless he has a Flutie-esque resurgence.  Welker was left to concuss, for the time being. 

---C+

8) BldgDW3LL1NGTh1nk1ng ($52)

Boys in Chico are hoping for a bounce back year, but they didn’t exercise the keeper rights.  Will Romo-Dez titration make a return through the draft?  It has emerged that El Chico did inform of his intention to retain Romo-Dez double titration to the Interim Commissioner well before the deadline, but the paperwork slipped through cracks of real life.  Well this is fantasy football so things that disappear can reappear, which it has (hush Monique).  Romo's $5 retainer fee is a value for a top 10 QB thanks to the early-season trade with ThePelicanBrief for R-burger.  The Boyz paid premium for Dez's service last year ($47) and will carry that over this year.
---B-

9) Dijonnaise All-Stars ($47)

Colonel Mustard will ride on the shoulders of Aaron Rodgers in 2014.  Colonel’s is the only franchise exercising just one keeper choice.  It’s probably not wrong to choose a top 3 QB to retain as a foundation to the sophomore club, though it comes with a $47 tab.  More of a concern is Colonel’s draft status for this Thursday, as he’s scheduled to be in the Land of Disappearance.

---B-

10) HomeSpunNeckBloodz ($31)

Thirsty for blood, the Spinnerz elected to keep Vincent Jackson ($30) and Joique Bell ($1).  Hometown favorite V-Jax comes with a price tag, but in the inflated WR market it’s a decent value for a sure-handed top 10 receiver, especially if McCown experiment pans out in Tampa.  Joique Bell is a great value here, although at this point he’s a Flex player rather than a weekly starter with Reggie Bush ahead of him in Detroit depth chart.  Still, you really can’t go wrong with a buck. 

--- B+

11) Pr1m0rdi4lLyfestylz Schock_Pick ($40)

You-know-who didn’t report keepers to commish, though there was some value on the final roster.  Christine Michael is a popular handcuff to LynchMob, and Last minute submission came from the Primordial Onez, and we have full house.  Demarius Thomas’s $40 tab was a value compared to that paid by PolkHigh to Megatron and AJ.  Nevertheless, New franchise name nonetheless, if the GM of this club can maintain his presence for the course of the season, that’s all the rest of the league asks for from him at this point.  
---B

12) Homoerasmus James ($37)
Sun Tzu is a bit perplexed as to how an expansion team gets to "keep" any players, English is a strange language.  But what's done is done, and Peyton Manning ($34) and Alshon Jeffery ($3) will be the starting pieces of this otherwise little-known franchise.  And what value!  Arguably the top QB and a top 10 WR is off the board.  Now the league will gradually find out what the rookie is made out of.  Next stop, draft.
--- A-