The Informer's 2019 NFL Fantasy Football Preview: Team One

Hello everyone that clicked the link to this article. My name is The Informer and I will be your self-glossed fantasy football expert for the day. 

My credentials are as followed: I have been playing fantasy football since 1998. I watch every single minute of NFL action every single Sunday of every single year (you can ask my wife and children; they will confirm my family neglect during NFL Sundays). And lastly, in 2018 I won money in 12 of my 17 fantasy football leagues.

Now, does watching an unhealthy amount of NFL football while managing 17 fantasy football teams actually make me an expert? I have no idea. What I do know is that for the 2019 NFL Season I have set a goal to manage at least 50 teams and I thought why not share (and analyze) the results from every draft I do while trying to reach that goal. Then hopefully -- by the time your draft comes later this summer -- you the reader should have all the knowledge, strategies, sleepers and tricks needed to have a successful draft. And do you want to know what the best part of this journey is? The fact that I am putting up real money for every team/draft that I write about (for today's article I am covering my team from a $10 auction draft). This is important because it means all the results from every draft will be legitimate. There will be no drafts where Dak Prescott goes #1 overall because some 12-year old Jabroni is doing a "Mock Free Draft" under his dads account. No, every draft/team covered in these previews will be the real deal, with real people, real results and real money on the line. Which means when it comes time for your draft these previews -- unlike other "Mock Draft" previews -- will actually be the closest representation to real life that there is. In other words: The Informer is going to spend a ton of money (don't tell my wife) so the readers can learn from my mistakes in the hopes that everyone will eventually draft the perfect 2019 Fantasy Football team. Anyways, now that we have all the particulars in order, here is "Team One" of The Informer's 2019 Fantasy Football Season. (The Informer note-- For today's article we are covering my team from a 10-person auction draft (.5 point ppr league) where each guy/girl had $200 to fill out a roster of 17 players: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, Flex, Flex, K, Def, Bench, B, B, B, B, B, B.) TEAM ONE:

QB: Aaron Rodgers ($14) Baker ($2) Tom Brady ($1)

RB: Christian McCaffery ($62) David Johnson ($47) Leonard Fournette ($29) Adrian Peterson ($1)

WR: Mike Evans ($34) Courtland Sutton ($1) Devin Funchess ($1) James Washington ($1) DK Metcalf ($1) Parrish Campbell ($1)

TE: Eric Ebron ($2) Trey Burton ($1)  Greg Olson ($1) Dallas Goedert ($1)

Starters:

QB: Rodgers

RB: Run CMC

RB: David Johnson

WR: Mike Evans

WR: Courtland Sutherland

TE: Eric Ebron

Flex: Leonard Fournette

Flex: Trey Burton or Greg Olson

D: TBD

K: TBD

Here are The Informer's five thoughts on this roster:

1. In lieu of drafting a kicker or defense on June 1st, I decided to grab as many skilled position guys — and  a couple of rookie lottery tickets — in the hopes that come September one or two will turn into draft day steals (I am looking at you Funchess, Metcalf & Parrish). With that said; what this strategy ultimately means is that I will have to drop at least two people from my team before the season starts so I can pick up a kicker and a defense. That is okay though, because right now I am holding lottery tickets (and injury protection) on my roster instead of a Gramatica brother or unknown defense.
   
2. You may have noticed my roster includes four tight ends. I want to assure all of you that this was by design. You see after I spent all my money on three RBs, Mike Evans and Aaron Rodgers (more on him in a second); I was really cash strapped for my second flex player so I decided I would try and grab as many top tier tight ends as I could. That’s how I ended up with Ebron (my favorite tight end last year who still plays with Andrew Luck), Greg Olson (if he is still Greg Olson he has Top 5 upside), Trey Burton (young top 20 tight end) and Dallas Goedert (young top 20 tight end who is also getting rave reviews heading into the season). I am not saying the strategy is a good one, but at the time it was the best way for me to hoard top 20 guys at their position.
3. Mike Evans is going to have a huge year. Keep that in mind when you are doing any fantasy football drafts. Also, since we are speaking of Evans: Did you know if he reaches 1,000 yards receiving this season he will join Randy Moss as the only players in NFL history to start his career with six straight 1,000 yard receiving years #TheMoreYouKnow.
4. Knowing what I know now; I would not have paid $14 for Rodgers when I could have gotten another quality position starter with that money while still drafting Baker & Tommy. With that said; I am def not going to regret having A-Rod on my team. And who knows, maybe I’ll be able to trade Baker for someone I could not have bought for a buck during the draft (Remember just because the draft is over doesn't mean the work stops. You always gotta be wheelin and dealing to win fantasy).
5. Again,  knowing what I know after the draft, I would not have spent $62 dollars on Run CMC. Instead, I would have used that money to get two players from a group that consisted of AJ Green ($26) Antonio Brown ($34) Sony Michelle ($23) Nick Chubb ($23) Derrick Henry ($26) or T.Y. Hilton ($23).

Let me expand on points #4 and #5 so I can show y 'all another way this draft could have turned out. You see if I would have kept the money from Rodgers and Run CMC I could have ended up with a team that looked something like this: QB: Baker Mayfield ($2) Tom Brady ($1) RB: David Johnson ($47) Nick Chubb ($23) Leonard Fournette ($29) Adrian Peterson ($1) WR: Mike Evans ($34) Julian Edelman ($16) Antonio Brown ($34) Marvin Jones Jr ($6) Courtland Sutton ($1) DK Metcalf ($1) Parrish Campbell ($1)

TE: Evan Engram ($5) Eric Ebron ($2) Dallas Goedert ($1) Greg Olson (#1)

Starting Line Up:

QB: Baker or Tom (Top 7 QB & GOAT Brady)

RB: David Johnson (Top 5 RB)

RB: Leonard Fournette (Top 20 RB)

WR: Antonio Brown (Top 10 WR)

WR: Mike Evans: (Top 10 WR)

TE: Eric Ebron or Engram (Both Top 10 Tight Ends)

Flex: Nick Chubb (Top 15 RB)

Flex: Julian Edelman (GOAT Brady's favorite target)

K: TBD

D:TBD

So what team would you rather have? 

I know the answer for me is the second team.

Does that mean I think the team I actually drafted can't or won't win? Absolutely not. I love my team. It has tons of protentional . But I am also man enough to admit that said team could have been better if The Informer had had a little more knowledge heading into the draft. 

Next time I will have that knowledge. And so will you. 

Now if you will excuse me, it’s time to open up a Natty and go find another team to draft.

#TheQuestFor50TeamsContinues.