The draft is over. Week one is over. We're only 7.6% of the way into the Larkspur Bowl's tenth season. But with the trade deadline set for Saturday November 17th we've got less than ten weeks to swap assets outright, so the getting is only good for so long.
There have been sixteen deals in each of the past two seasons, with the years before that counting 19, 23, 29, 19, 14, and 9 deals, in reverse chronological order. In the inaugural season only a single trade was completed, although, only half the current league was present in that year, 2009: Phoenix, New York, Hill Valley, Orgrimmar, as well as the Atlanta Rage (now the Philadelphia), the Knee Deep Parrots (now the Savannah Petes) and the Levee G-Men (now the HCM City Lead Farmers) have been here since inception, piling up exchanges.
Anyway, this ain't a history lesson. It's a compulsion for wheeling and dealing! This morning the first round of waivers will be awarded, and the limited sample size is likely to leave cupboards bare. With injuries piling up, teams are in need... lets see who, of what.
01. Mar-A-Lago 1-0
The Grabbers have enviable depth, especially at WR. Sophomore TE Evan Engram struggled with drops in week one, but possesses the sort of rare playmaking ability at the position that makes upgrading on him difficult. When Alshon Jeffery returns to health, the team should be in a position to upgrade at RB2 if they desire to.
02. South Park 1-0
The Cows have a nice group of WRs, but if Amari Cooper continues to be such a boom/bust commodity, they will lack a true WR1. With two bellcows at RB in Gurley and Miller, and nice depth (Carlos Hyde) and upside (K. Johsnon) the team should have the bench spots to take flyers and punch lottery tickets in the early going.
03. Hill Valley 1-0
Aaron Rodgers appears to ready to play, although his hobbled leg might mean he is pulled early in blowouts. With plenty of solid QBs readily available, the position's trade value is low. The McFlys have a good group at WR; With Leveon Bell away, there are no must start RBs on the team, but plenty of credible starters- all five could slot in based on matchups. For being the last (starting) TE drafted, Tyler Eifert has healthy floor and upside if he can stay healthy.
The team's running backs are some of the least imposing in the league and the WR group drops off significantly after their top two (Allen/Green) as the team is counting on 100 year old Brandon Marshall to bridge the gap while Davante Parker heals and Dez Bryant waits to sign a contract. The team will count on its defense, and value picks Andrew Luck and Jordan Reed in the early going, and hope some of their RB committee comes to prominence sooner rather than later.
Big Ben is nearing the end of his career, and while no one would question his toughness, there may be some legitimate concerns about his turnovers- he had five in week one. Like their LBIX foe, the team's receiver group gets questionable in a hurry after the Thomas duo at the top; With eight ont he roster, the team will hope someone distinguishes themselves. All of their running backs appear to be time-share options for now, making each week a gamble on usage.
For the first month of the season, Buzz, your running backs, woof! Mark Ingram's return from suspension after that should give them at least one bankable asset, and they've already succeeded in winning a game without him. Duke Johnson and Buck Allen are unlikely to be volume answers, though each will have their moments; Frank Gore and CJ Anderson are past their prime but might have a few throwback performances up their sleeves. The team has a nice trio of WRs and an elite TE, with reasonable flex options. Marvin Jones Jr might be the best WR on the trading block, but is he worth a RB2?
Losing Delanie Walker and counting on David Njoku is a clear hole in the roster. The team has four exciting WRs, including the top three rookies from 2014; Odell and Mike Evans are elite options, while Kelvin Benjamin joins Terrelle Pryor in trying to regain previous form- but it's a nice group with plenty of upside. The other three WRs on the roster appear thoroughly replaceable, or if the Moose believe in them, might make one of the aforementioned targets trade bait for a TE. At RB it's a couple of clear starters in Ajayi and McCoy, a solid third in Isaiah Crowell, and an upside piece in Sony Michel. GOOD! Now they just need Deshaun Watson to meet expectations.
The team's young RBs has underwhelming starts to their season, but Kareem Hunt and Dalvin Cook are both expected to play big bellcow roles. Behind them are a bunch of spare parts, barely waiver wire options- if one goes down, there will be a clear need. The WR group has plenty of upside but a frightening floor... Gordon, Watkins, and Stills all have histories of pulling vanishing acts. Kenny Golladay gives them a good looking fifth option, and Phillip Dorsett is as good as anyone's sixth option. Jack Doyle is an underwhelming presence at TE, but he's not nothing.
The team's belief in Eli was misplaced in week one. While the reliable veteran should have some leash considering the weapons at his disposal, but the position can be swapped at minimal cost on the wire if the Finest decide to make a change- Joe Flacco joined the squad already. The rest of the roster looks good- Doug Baldwin's injury theoretically should be a boon to Tyler Lockett's value, mitigating some of the loss. DeSean Jackson and LeGarrette Blount are both questionable, but the team's offensive depth is fine. On defense the team has already been forced to address injuries, but this early the wire is still rife with possibilities.
The Snipers overcame a tough start to make the playoffs in year one, and they're in an early hole once again. The team's offense is deep: Dev Freeman and Joe Mixon are a superb options, and Chris Thompson has shown time and time again that he is a gamer, while Alfred Morris and Rex Burkhead each have a scenario where they ascend to bellcow roles. Greg Olsen's injury is unfortunate, but a shrewd Jared Cook pickup negates a positional need. Injuries will force this team's hand on the roster this week, but with plenty of options they can afford to be patient.
Injuries and ineffectiveness marred week one for the Horde's return, and there may be some lingering ramifications; Zeke is a must start, but if Beast Mode cannot go, there's no obvious choice between Nick Chubb, Theo Riddick, and Spencer Ware. Likewise, Marquise Goodwin's early injury hurt the bottom line in the opener and if he cannot go, his replacement Ted Ginn is also questionable. If Davante Adams and/or ASJ cannot go too, the team will have to rely on the ghost of Rishard Matthews, or make a deal for depth.
The Rum Ham's top WR Allen Robinson may take a few weeks to get going- which is bad news if Philly cannot get some early W's. The rest of the corps is steady, though aggressively unappealing- Robby Anderson has considerable upside, but Pierre Garcon, Mohammed Sanu, and Donte Moncrief are as ho hum a group of veterans as can be. However, Dede Westbrook, recently awarded off waivers, may have the upside to ascend to an every week role, as could Courtland Sutton if there are some injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. The team really needs Jimmy Graham to produce- he represents one of the team's few mismatch opportunities. Alvin Kamara did everything and more in week one, while Jordan Howard is a viable for totes every week; Gio Bernard as their only reserve will make bye weeks sting and an injury cataclysmic.
The youth of this team might put the Pride in an early hole this season- they'll have to hope several players "get it" sooner rather than later if they're going to make a run this season. That said, a best case scenario would have this team cresting into the playoffs, and playing their best football when it matters most. A worst case scenario... is very bad. There is little in the way of established trade value on this squad; Juice Landry could fetch a hall, and the team's trio of running backs (Saquon, Carson, Henry) are variously intriguing. Martavis Bryant's return is fortunate, though nobody knows how long he'll remain eligible.
The Van Halens have two problems at WR: There are not many good ones on the roster, and several of them are injured. Golden Tate is the only sure thing right now, and he's miscast as a WR1. Likewise, Trey Burton was drafted to start at TE, but has never been a primary weapon before. The skills are probably there but without the pedigree or the resume, there's a big risk and no safety nets. The team is set at RB: Melvin Gordon is a machine, while Leonard Fournette has unlimited upside; Owning both teams' talented handcuffs means they should only have to weather byes at the position in weeks 8 and 9.
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