2018 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Auction results prove nothing's predictable
With 100 fictional dollars to spend, our crew built rosters in our final auction of the summer, a 12-team, 0.5 PPR format.
By
Dave Richard
•
8 min read
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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It's true in just about anything in life, Fantasy Football included. If enough people think a 33-year-old running back is going to be good, he's going to see his bids get inflated. If someone is desperate for a top-15 receiver from Motown, they'll spend for him. And if someone wants to get on a trendy sleeper receiver in Dallas, they'll drop the gavel to get him.
That was the case in our first go-round, which went down in August before the preseason, and it was the case again in our most recent 12-team, 0.5 PPR auction. If there's one thing auctions prove, it's that nothing is predictable!
We laid out some important auction strategies, but there's a quirky trend that a lot of bidders got in on: Min-bidding the essentials. Everyone must start a kicker and a DST, so people started nominating them early on. A handful of DSTs actually went for more than a buck and kickers quickly became popular nominations -- people locked up the best ones on their nominations knowing no one in their right mind would spend more than a single clam on a kicker. It's actually a clever way to use your nomination to help you -- bid the minimum on the kicker and DST you want (this could mean going $2 on a top-tier DST). If someone else bids, they're throwing their bills away. If they don't bid, you get the player or team you want.
There were plenty of predictable things that did happen -- Todd Gurley and Le'Veon Bell went for the most. David Johnson and Antonio Brown went for a single coin less, and Ezekiel Elliott went for two fewer pesos. Also, quarterbacks wound up being insane bargains -- other than Aaron Rodgers. All of this stuff figures to happen in every auction.
If you plan on splurging on high-dollar players, give a glance to the teams of Tommy Tran, Chris Towers, Heath Cummings, Jamey Eisenberg, Andrew Baumhor, Will Brinson and R.J. White.
If you're into getting one expensive player and being careful with how you spend otherwise, consult my team as well as those of Eric Chylinski, Jeff Tobin and Michael Kiser.
If you prefer to let others spend wildly and take a low-key balanced approach, George Maselli's squad deserves some attention.
Our bidders were all auction veterans, so we included the one or two players they just had to have:
- Dave Richard, Senior Fantasy Writer (Tyreek Hill)
- Jamey Eisenberg, Senior Fantasy Writer (Joe Mixon, Jaguars DST)
- Chris Towers, Fantasy Writer (Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham)
- Heath Cummings, Senior Fantasy Writer (Melvin Gordon)
- Michael Kiser, Senior Manager, Video Newsroom (Ezekiel Elliott)
- R.J. White, NFL Editor (Chris Thompson)
- Jeff Tobin, Director of Editorial (Julio Jones)
- Eric Chylinski, Director of Marketing (Kareem Hunt, Alex Collins)
- George Maselli, Fantasy Editor (none)
- Tommy Tran, CBS Sports HQ host (Le'Veon Bell)
- Andrew Baumhor, CBS Sports HQ producer (Dalvin Cook)
- Will Brinson, NFL Writer (Todd Gurley, Saquon Barkley)
Our owners had $100 to spend on 14 roster spots. Our scoring for all touchdowns is six points. We went with 0.5 points per reception. We award one point for every 10 yards rushing and receiving and one point for every 25 yards passing. We feature a starting lineup of a QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, TE, K, DST and a FLEX (RB/WR/TE). There are also be six reserve spots.
| Position By Position | Team by Team | |||
| Quarterback | Andrew Baumhor | |||
| Player | Price | Player | Price | |
| Aaron Rodgers | $10 | Matt Ryan, QB, ATL | $1 | |
| Drew Brees | $6 | Dalvin Cook, RB, MIN | $24 | |
| Jimmy Garoppolo | $5 | Christian McCaffrey, RB, CAR | $24 | |
| Tom Brady | $4 | Nick Chubb, RB, CLE | $4 | |
| Russell Wilson | $4 | Latavius Murray, RB, MIN | $2 | |
| Deshaun Watson | $3 | Austin Ekeler, RB, LAC | $1 | |
| Ben Roethlisberger | $2 | Stefon Diggs, WR, MIN | $14 | |
| Andrew Luck | $2 | Doug Baldwin, WR, SEA | $11 | |
| Matt Ryan | $1 | Chris Hogan, WR, NE | $9 | |
| Matthew Stafford | $1 | Devin Funchess, WR, CAR | $3 | |
| Alex Smith | $1 | Will Fuller, WR, HOU | $3 | |
| Philip Rivers | $1 | David Njoku, TE, CLE | $1 | |
| Kirk Cousins | $1 | Justin Tucker, K, BAL | $1 | |
| Derek Carr | $1 | DST Rams, LAR | $2 | |
| Patrick Mahomes | $1 | Eric Chylinski | ||
| Cam Newton | $1 | Player | Price | |
| Running Back | Philip Rivers, QB, LAC | $1 | ||
| Player | Price | Kareem Hunt, RB, KC | $27 | |
| Le'Veon Bell | $34 | Alex Collins, RB, BAL | $16 | |
| Todd Gurley | $34 | Jordan Wilkins, RB, IND | $4 | |
| David Johnson | $33 | Marlon Mack, RB, IND | $3 | |
| Ezekiel Elliott | $32 | Isaiah Crowell, RB, NYJ | $2 | |
| Saquon Barkley | $29 | Amari Cooper, WR, OAK | $11 | |
| Kareem Hunt | $27 | Allen Robinson, WR, CHI | $8 | |
| Alvin Kamara | $27 | Jarvis Landry, WR, CLE | $7 | |
| Leonard Fournette | $26 | Chris Godwin, WR, TB | $2 | |
| Melvin Gordon | $24 | Jamison Crowder, WR, WAS | $1 | |
| Dalvin Cook | $24 | Rob Gronkowski, TE, NE | $16 | |
| Christian McCaffrey | $24 | Chris Boswell, K, PIT | $1 | |
| Devonta Freeman | $18 | DST Chargers, LAC | $1 | |
| Alex Collins | $16 | George Maselli | ||
| Kenyan Drake | $15 | Player | Price | |
| Jordan Howard | $15 | Drew Brees, QB, NO | $6 | |
| Joe Mixon | $14 | Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT | $2 | |
| Jerick McKinnon | $13 | Jordan Howard, RB, CHI | $15 | |
| LeSean McCoy | $13 | Royce Freeman, RB, DEN | $12 | |
| Royce Freeman | $12 | Chris Carson, RB, SEA | $7 | |
| Adrian Peterson | $10 | Tevin Coleman, RB, ATL | $7 | |
| Derrick Henry | $10 | Mark Ingram, RB, NO | $7 | |
| Duke Johnson | $9 | Marshawn Lynch, RB, OAK | $4 | |
| Carlos Hyde | $9 | Marvin Jones, WR, DET | $16 | |
| Lamar Miller | $8 | Marquise Goodwin, WR, SF | $6 | |
| James White | $7 | Keelan Cole, WR, JAC | $1 | |
| Peyton Barber | $7 | Travis Kelce, TE, KC | $13 | |
| Chris Carson | $7 | Matt Prater, K, DET | $1 | |
| Tevin Coleman | $7 | DST Texans, HOU | $1 | |
| Mark Ingram | $7 | Heath Cummings | ||
| Jamaal Williams | $6 | Player | Price | |
| Jay Ajayi | $5 | Kirk Cousins, QB, MIN | $1 | |
| Nick Chubb | $4 | Melvin Gordon, RB, LAC | $24 | |
| Jordan Wilkins | $4 | Javorius Allen, RB, BAL | $1 | |
| Marshawn Lynch | $4 | LeGarrette Blount, RB, DET | $1 | |
| Kerryon Johnson | $4 | Devontae Booker, RB, DEN | $1 | |
| Dion Lewis | $4 | C.J. Anderson, RB, CAR | $1 | |
| Tarik Cohen | $3 | Bilal Powell, RB, NYJ | $1 | |
| Corey Clement | $3 | Michael Thomas, WR, NO | $26 | |
| Matt Breida | $3 | A.J. Green, WR, CIN | $23 | |
| Aaron Jones | $3 | T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND | $17 | |
| Giovani Bernard | $3 | John Brown, WR, BAL | $1 | |
| Marlon Mack | $3 | Kyle Rudolph, TE, MIN | $1 | |
| Rex Burkhead | $3 | Stephen Gostkowski, K, NE | $1 | |
| Sony Michel | $3 | DST Ravens, BAL | $1 | |
| James Conner | $2 | Jamey Eisenberg | ||
| Jonathan Williams | $2 | Player | Price | |
| Latavius Murray | $2 | Andrew Luck, QB, IND | $2 | |
| Rashaad Penny | $2 | Leonard Fournette, RB, JAC | $26 | |
| Ronald Jones | $2 | Joe Mixon, RB, CIN | $14 | |
| Chris Thompson | $2 | Lamar Miller, RB, HOU | $8 | |
| Isaiah Crowell | $2 | Corey Clement, RB, PHI | $3 | |
| Javorius Allen | $1 | Jonathan Williams, RB, NO | $2 | |
| Rob Kelley | $1 | Keenan Allen, WR, LAC | $26 | |
| Nyheim Hines | $1 | Josh Gordon, WR, CLE | $6 | |
| Jeremy Hill | $1 | Geronimo Allison, WR, GB | $2 | |
| LeGarrette Blount | $1 | Kelvin Benjamin, WR, BUF | $1 | |
| Devontae Booker | $1 | Pierre Garcon, WR, SF | $1 | |
| C.J. Anderson | $1 | Trey Burton, TE, CHI | $5 | |
| Austin Ekeler | $1 | Matt Bryant, K, ATL | $1 | |
| Bilal Powell | $1 | DST Jaguars, JAC | $3 | |
| Wide Receiver | Jeff Tobin | |||
| Player | Price | Player | Price | |
| Antonio Brown | $33 | Matthew Stafford, QB, DET | $1 | |
| DeAndre Hopkins | $29 | Devonta Freeman, RB, ATL | $18 | |
| Julio Jones | $28 | Kenyan Drake, RB, MIA | $15 | |
| Odell Beckham | $28 | Derrick Henry, RB, TEN | $10 | |
| Michael Thomas | $26 | Giovani Bernard, RB, CIN | $3 | |
| Keenan Allen | $26 | Rex Burkhead, RB, NE | $3 | |
| Davante Adams | $23 | Julio Jones, WR, ATL | $28 | |
| A.J. Green | $23 | JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, PIT | $7 | |
| Mike Evans | $17 | Michael Gallup, WR, DAL | $6 | |
| T.Y. Hilton | $17 | Michael Crabtree, WR, BAL | $3 | |
| Marvin Jones | $16 | Robert Woods, WR, LAR | $1 | |
| Tyreek Hill | $14 | Jimmy Graham, TE, GB | $3 | |
| Stefon Diggs | $14 | Dan Bailey, K, DAL | $1 | |
| Doug Baldwin | $11 | DST Lions, DET | $1 | |
| Adam Thielen | $11 | R.J. White | ||
| Amari Cooper | $11 | Player | Price | |
| Corey Davis | $10 | Russell Wilson, QB, SEA | $4 | |
| Larry Fitzgerald | $10 | Alvin Kamara, RB, NO | $27 | |
| Chris Hogan | $9 | Duke Johnson, RB, CLE | $9 | |
| Allen Robinson | $8 | James White, RB, NE | $7 | |
| Jarvis Landry | $7 | Rashaad Penny, RB, SEA | $2 | |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | $7 | Chris Thompson, RB, WAS | $2 | |
| Michael Gallup | $6 | Davante Adams, WR, GB | $23 | |
| Marquise Goodwin | $6 | Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI | $10 | |
| Josh Gordon | $6 | Golden Tate, WR, DET | $6 | |
| Golden Tate | $6 | Cooper Kupp, WR, LAR | $3 | |
| Brandin Cooks | $5 | Sammy Watkins, WR, KC | $2 | |
| Demaryius Thomas | $5 | Evan Engram, TE, NYG | $3 | |
| Kenny Stills | $4 | Greg Zuerlein, K, LAR | $1 | |
| Devin Funchess | $3 | DST Saints, NO | $1 | |
| Will Fuller | $3 | Dave Richard | ||
| Cooper Kupp | $3 | Player | Price | |
| Michael Crabtree | $3 | Tom Brady, QB, NE | $4 | |
| Julian Edelman | $3 | Cam Newton, QB, CAR | $1 | |
| Emmanuel Sanders | $3 | David Johnson, RB, ARI | $33 | |
| Geronimo Allison | $2 | Carlos Hyde, RB, CLE | $9 | |
| Robby Anderson | $2 | Peyton Barber, RB, TB | $7 | |
| Sammy Watkins | $2 | Tarik Cohen, RB, CHI | $3 | |
| Chris Godwin | $2 | James Conner, RB, PIT | $2 | |
| Nelson Agholor | $2 | Ronald Jones, RB, TB | $2 | |
| John Ross | $2 | Mike Evans, WR, TB | $17 | |
| Alshon Jeffery | $2 | Tyreek Hill, WR, KC | $14 | |
| Josh Doctson | $1 | Emmanuel Sanders, WR, DEN | $3 | |
| John Brown | $1 | Greg Olsen, TE, CAR | $3 | |
| Anthony Miller | $1 | Jake Elliott, K, PHI | $1 | |
| Courtland Sutton | $1 | DST Broncos, DEN | $1 | |
| Mike Williams | $1 | Michael Kiser | ||
| Kelvin Benjamin | $1 | Player | Price | |
| Randall Cobb | $1 | Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, SF | $5 | |
| Jordy Nelson | $1 | Alex Smith, QB, WAS | $1 | |
| Jamison Crowder | $1 | Ezekiel Elliott, RB, DAL | $32 | |
| Robert Woods | $1 | Adrian Peterson, RB, WAS | $10 | |
| Pierre Garcon | $1 | Jamaal Williams, RB, GB | $6 | |
| Keelan Cole | $1 | Kerryon Johnson, RB, DET | $4 | |
| Tight End | Sony Michel, RB, NE | $3 | ||
| Player | Price | Corey Davis, WR, TEN | $10 | |
| Rob Gronkowski | $16 | Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN | $5 | |
| Travis Kelce | $13 | Julian Edelman, WR, NE | $3 | |
| Zach Ertz | $10 | John Ross, WR, CIN | $2 | |
| Trey Burton | $5 | Jordan Reed, TE, WAS | $2 | |
| Jimmy Graham | $3 | Wil Lutz, K, NO | $1 | |
| Greg Olsen | $3 | DST Eagles, PHI | $1 | |
| Evan Engram | $3 | Tommy Tran | ||
| Jordan Reed | $2 | Player | Price | |
| George Kittle | $1 | Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB | $10 | |
| Kyle Rudolph | $1 | Derek Carr, QB, OAK | $1 | |
| Delanie Walker | $1 | Le'Veon Bell, RB, PIT | $34 | |
| David Njoku | $1 | Jerick McKinnon, RB, SF | $13 | |
| Jack Doyle | $1 | Matt Breida, RB, SF | $3 | |
| Kicker | Rob Kelley, RB, WAS | $1 | ||
| Player | Price | DeAndre Hopkins, WR, HOU | $29 | |
| Dan Bailey | $1 | Robby Anderson, WR, NYJ | $2 | |
| Chris Boswell | $1 | Alshon Jeffery, WR, PHI | $2 | |
| Matt Prater | $1 | Courtland Sutton, WR, DEN | $1 | |
| Robbie Gould | $1 | Jordy Nelson, WR, OAK | $1 | |
| Mason Crosby | $1 | Delanie Walker, TE, TEN | $1 | |
| Jake Elliott | $1 | Robbie Gould, K, SF | $1 | |
| Wil Lutz | $1 | DST Titans, TEN | $1 | |
| Matt Bryant | $1 | Chris Towers | ||
| Harrison Butker | $1 | Player | Price | |
| Stephen Gostkowski | $1 | Deshaun Watson, QB, HOU | $3 | |
| Justin Tucker | $1 | LeSean McCoy, RB, BUF | $13 | |
| Greg Zuerlein | $1 | Jay Ajayi, RB, PHI | $5 | |
| DST | Dion Lewis, RB, TEN | $4 | ||
| Player | Price | Aaron Jones, RB, GB | $3 | |
| DST Vikings | $3 | Jeremy Hill, RB, NE | $1 | |
| DST Jaguars | $3 | Antonio Brown, WR, PIT | $33 | |
| DST Rams | $2 | Odell Beckham, WR, NYG | $28 | |
| DST Titans | $1 | Kenny Stills, WR, MIA | $4 | |
| DST Lions | $1 | Nelson Agholor, WR, PHI | $2 | |
| DST Steelers | $1 | Mike Williams, WR, LAC | $1 | |
| DST Eagles | $1 | Jack Doyle, TE, IND | $1 | |
| DST Broncos | $1 | Mason Crosby, K, GB | $1 | |
| DST Saints | $1 | DST Steelers, PIT | $1 | |
| DST Texans | $1 | Will Brinson | ||
| DST Chargers | $1 | Player | Price | |
| DST Ravens | $1 | Patrick Mahomes, QB, KC | $1 | |
| Todd Gurley, RB, LAR | $34 | |||
| Saquon Barkley, RB, NYG | $29 | |||
| Nyheim Hines, RB, IND | $1 | |||
| Adam Thielen, WR, MIN | $11 | |||
| Brandin Cooks, WR, LAR | $5 | |||
| Josh Doctson, WR, WAS | $1 | |||
| Anthony Miller, WR, CHI | $1 | |||
| Randall Cobb, WR, GB | $1 | |||
| Zach Ertz, TE, PHI | $10 | |||
| George Kittle, TE, SF | $1 | |||
| Harrison Butker, K, KC | $1 | |||
| DST Vikings, MIN | $3 | |||
So what sleepers should you snatch in your Fantasy Football draft? And which huge running backs do you need to jump all over? Visit SportsLine now to get Fantasy Football cheat sheets from the model that called Alvin Kamara's huge breakout last season and find out.
