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FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Best Ball Scout Championship

Wed Apr 17 9:26am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

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Get in the Scout Championship


RealTime Fantasy Sports is once again very excited to bring you the Best Ball Scout Championship this season. This contest is a little different from our normal Best Ball Championship. All these drafts take place before the NFL Draft, so you don’t know where any of the rookies are going this year. You are taking them blindly. This makes for even more strategy come draft day. Should you load up on rookies? Should you just avoid rookies? What is the winning strategy? We are here to help.

First of all, the winner of the Best Ball Scout Championship takes home $10,000. You also win money for finishing first or second in your 10-team league. The cost to enter the contest is just $20. There are a maximum of 10,000 teams in this contest. Rosters are 20 deep with starters consisting of a QB, two RBs, two WRs, one TE and two FLEX spots. There are no kickers and defenses. Remember, this is a best ball contest, so there is no roster management. Your roster is set once the draft is complete.

With that said, we thought it would be a good idea to look at the championship roster from last year to see what won it all. Here it is:

Round 1: Ja’Marr Chase, WR
Round 2: Davante Adams, WR
Round 3: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR
Round 4: DeVonta Smith, WR
Round 5: Deebo Samuel, WR
Round 6: George Kittle, TE
Round 7: Keenan Allen, WR
Round 8: Joe Mixon, RB
Round 9: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB
Round 10: Dak Prescott, QB
Round 11: Khalil Herbert, RB
Round 12: Jared Goff, QB
Round 13: Raheem Mostert, RB
Round 14: Ezekiel Elliott, RB
Round 15: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB
Round 16: Leonard Fournette, RB
Round 17: Tyler Boyd, WR
Round 18: Taysom Hill, TE
Round 19: Zach Ertz, TE
Round 20: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB

The big thing to notice on this roster is just one rookie was taken. Obviously, this owner hit big with that one rookie, taking Jahmyr Gibbs in Round 9. Gibbs was the 10th rated fantasy back last season. But the championship team from last year took just one rookie. This owner did not load up on rookies and waited until the middle rounds to take his one rookie target. This could be a good lesson learned for owners this season. Maybe going early on rookies or taking several is a losing strategy. Just something to keep in mind this year.

And like with many best ball owners, this roster had three quarterbacks and three tight ends. This owner did not take a quarterback early, waiting to take a quarterback until Round 10. But the owner did got a little early on a tight end, getting George Kittle in Round 6.

The other winning strategy for this owner was loading up on receivers early while waiting to get his running backs until later. This was a very interesting strategy that worked. The owner took five straight receivers to start the draft and didn’t get a running back until Joe Mixon was picked in Round 8. This is a little riskier but another strategy that can obviously worked. Take those sure thing receivers first and get a bunch of question mark running backs in the mid- to later rounds and hope some hit. The big hits for this owner was his pick of Gibbs and getting Raheem Mostert in Round 13. The Mostert pick likely was the big one that put him over the top, getting the fifth rated fantasy back in the back half of the draft. The owners also had some misses at running back with Leonard Fournette and Clyde Edwards-Helaire but that didn’t impact his team too much, hitting on some of those other backs. 

So overall, the winning strategy of last year’s Best Ball Scout championship team was going early on receivers, loading up on running backs with question marks in the middle to later rounds, take few rookies and wait on the quarterback spot.

There are numerous strategies to use but this was the winning one from last year. Just something to think about when drafting your team in this year’s Best Ball Scout Championship. Start drafting here.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
Sean McKeon May 16 4:50pm ET
Sean McKeon

The Detroit Lions signed veteran free-agent tight end Sean McKeon on Thursday, according to NFL.com. McKeon spent the last four years with the Dallas Cowboys after being undrafted out of Michigan. He appeared in 45 games over the last three seasons, collecting six receptions for 38 yards and one touchdown. Needless to say, the 26-year-old doesn't figure to be a factor in fantasy football, but he could compete for a roster spot with James Mitchell and Shane Zylstra behind Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright.

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Tyquan Thornton May 16 4:40pm ET
Tyquan Thornton

New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton has not gotten out to a great start since being selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Through his first 22 regular season games, he's racked up just 35 receptions for 338 yards and two touchdowns and rushed six times for 67 yards and a score. This offseason, the Baylor product is focused on adding muscle in hopes of turning his career around and staying healthy. "I'm putting in work. I feel like I've put on a lot of muscle in a lot of areas that need it. I'm just continuing to get bigger," Thornton said. "It's just so I can take more impacts. I feel like all my injuries came from the ground -; me hitting the ground. So, it's so I can be able to bounce back up when I do hit the ground." The 23-year-old weighed in at just 181 pounds at the 2022 NFL Combine and has missed 12 games in just two seasons due to injury. Although this could be promising for his future outlook, he could be a cut or trade candidate this offseason after New England re-signed Kendrick Bourne, signed K.J. Osborn, and selected Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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Tom Brady May 16 4:30pm ET
Tom Brady

The New England Patriots signed center David Andrews to a contract extension through the 2025 season, according to NFL insider Field Yates. The new deal gives Andrews a base salary of $12 million over the next two seasons with a maximum value of $13 million. He also gets $8 million guaranteed. Despite the organization's regression following the departure of Tom Brady, Andrews has remained one of the better centers in the league. He was named to the New England Patriots All-2010s Team and has been given a 71.2 or better PFF grade in each of the last three seasons. Protecting rookie quarterback Drake Maye will be a key priority for New England moving forward, so locking up Andrews is a good step in doing so.

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Kevin Byard May 16 4:20pm ET
Kevin Byard

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed veteran safety Terrell Edmunds on Thursday, according to NFL.com. The 2018 first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers spent last season with the Philadelphia Eagles before being traded to the Tennessee Titans in a package for All-Pro safety Kevin Byard. Through six NFL seasons with three teams, he has accumulated 458 tackles (310 solo), 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, six interceptions, and 28 passes defended in 95 games. Edmunds has not lived up to his hype as a prospect coming out of Virginia Tech, but he's a solid depth piece in the secondary and will likely play meaningful snaps as a reserve safety in 2024.

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Quintez Cephus May 16 3:00pm ET
Quintez Cephus

To make room on the roster for the signing of safety Dee Delaney on an undisclosed one-year contract, the Buffalo Bills released wide receiver Quintez Cephus on Thursday. The Bills added Cephus in free agency in April, but he's now back on the open market after missing all of last year due to a suspension for violating the league's policy on gambling. The 26-year-old was originally a fifth-round selection by the Detroit Lions in the 2020 NFL draft out of Wisconsin. All three of his NFL seasons have come with the Lions, and Cephus has recorded just 37 catches on 60 targets for 568 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 22 total games (six starts). If Cephus ends up being picked up by another team, he'll merely be attempting to make the active roster out of training camp this summer.

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Micah Hyde May 16 2:30pm ET
Micah Hyde

Free-agent safety Micah Hyde said he will either re-sign with the Buffalo Bills or choose retirement. Hyde has played in just 16 total games the last two years in Buffalo due to injuries, although he managed to play in 14 regular-season games in 2023 and recorded 54 tackles (37 solo), two interceptions and seven passes defended. The 33-year-old has been with the Bills since 2017 after spending the first four years of his career with the Green Bay Packers. The Packers took him in the fifth round in 2013 out of Iowa. Hyde's lone Pro Bowl season came in his first year in Buffalo, when he recorded a career-high 82 tackles (65 solo), a career-high-tying five interceptions, and a career-high 13 passes defended in 16 starts. If he returns to Buffalo and plays one more season, he'll bring a veteran presence to the Bills' secondary.

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MarShawn Lloyd May 16 2:20pm ET
MarShawn Lloyd

The Green Bay Packers signed rookie third-round running back MarShawn Lloyd to a four-year, $5.688 million rookie deal on Thursday. The contract includes a $959,284 signing bonus and a $50,000 workout bonus annually from 2025 to 2027. Even though Josh Jacobs is the Packers' unquestioned lead back and AJ Dillon re-signed for a complementary role, the Packers have plans to incorporate Lloyd right away in his rookie season in 2024. The 23-year-old is explosive and versatile out of the backfield, but he's going to need to hang onto the football tighter at the next level if he wants to see consistent touches as a handcuff for fantasy managers that draft Jacobs early this fall. In addition to being worth a late-round flier in deeper redraft leagues in 2024, Lloyd is an attractive dynasty/keeper stash.

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Quentin Johnston May 16 2:20pm ET
Quentin Johnston

The Los Angeles Chargers passed on drafting a wide receiver with the No. 5 overall pick in this year's NFL draft, which puts second-year wideout and former first-rounder Quentin Johnston in a spot to be the team's No. 1 entering the 2024 campaign. "We believe in it. He's a great kid, he's a great worker. Everyone here has a high opinion of him. I believe he's really going to launch. I really do. His skill set is great. We're gonna work with him, make him better and better," general manager Joe Hortiz said. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams left this offseason, leaving Johnson, who struggled with 38 catches on 67 targets for 431 yards and two touchdowns in his first NFL season, with a much larger role in 2024. Johnston is certainly going to have more opportunities to produce for the Chargers and fantasy managers, but the 22-year-old is going to need to gain more separation and clear up his issues with drops.

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Robert Tonyan May 16 2:10pm ET
Robert Tonyan

Former Green Bay Packers tight end Robert Tonyan signed an undisclosed deal with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday. Tonyan will stay in the NFC North after playing in all 17 regular-season games with the Chicago Bears in 2203, catching just 11 of 17 targets for 107 receiving yards and no touchdowns. The 30-year-old's addition in Minnesota will give the Vikings a little more depth at the position with T.J. Hockenson (knee) trying to return this fall from a serious knee injury. If Hockenson isn't ready to go for Week 1, Tonyan, Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt would be competing for playing time. Even if Hockenson is delayed to start the 2024 campaign, Tonyan probably won't be anything more than a touchdown-dependent TE2 option in fantasy for a short period of time. He has a total of 148 catches (193 targets) for 1,549 yards and 17 touchdowns (11 in 2020) in his six years in the NFL.

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Michael Brockers May 16 12:30am ET
Michael Brockers

Former Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers announced on Instagram on Tuesday that he is retiring from professional football after 11 seasons in the league. He was the heart and soul of the Rams defense for nine years before playing the final two years of his career with the Detroit Lions in 2021 and 2022. The Rams, then in St. Louis, took Brockers with the 14th overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft out of LSU. Brockers was cut in February of 2023 by Detroit and did not play last season. In his 11 seasons in the NFL, he recorded 451 total tackles (274 solo), 29 sacks, 52 tackles for loss, 64 QB hits, 10 passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 160 games (157 starts). In his nine seasons with the Rams, Brockers was as consistent as they come, only missing six total games.

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Jermaine Burton May 16 12:20am ET
Jermaine Burton

Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton has left a positive impression on the coaching staff despite being drafted less than two weeks ago. According to SI's Albert Breer, Burton has already shown the Bengals that he is a "competitive kid who has good ball skills and the explosiveness to separate from coverage in the NFL." Breer noted that Burton has worked through some off-the-field issues but has the talent needed to make an impact at the pro level. He's currently competing for the No. 3 receiver role behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Such a position on the depth chart was most recently occupied by Tyler Boyd. The Bengals would love to get production out of Burton in his first pro season, and as Breer points out, he could benefit from Chase and Higgins drawing away coverage.

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Cameron Heyward May 16 12:20am ET
Cameron Heyward

Pittsburgh Steelers six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Heyward hasn't attended the team's voluntary offseason workouts and doesn't plan to attend organized team activities as he seeks a contract extension, according to sources. Heyward is a long-time team captain who has never missed an offseason program. The 35-year-old former 31st overall pick by the Steelers in 2011 out of Ohio State is entering the final year of his four-year, $65 million deal. The 35-year-old has obviously been one of the faces of the franchises for a long time now, but he played in only 11 games due to a core injury in 2023 and finished with just 33 tackles (25 solo), two sacks, six tackles for loss and a pass defended. Contract issues aside, Heyward is expected to be a full-go for the start of training camp and the 2024 regular season. He has 80.5 career sacks and could be streamer in IDP leagues in good matchups if he's healthy in 2024.

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Anthony Richardson May 16 12:10am ET
Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (shoulder) has demonstrated more knowledge and maturity this offseason, quarterbacks coach Cam Turner told the media. "He's the same athletic Anthony that we know, but in the meeting room, he's taking that step as far as the knowledge and the maturity of the question he's asking now are the next level questions," Turner said. "As opposed to the questions he was asking a year ago were more basic. He's definitely grown in our scheme and then identifying defenses as well." This is a very positive sign out of Indianapolis as it suggests that Richardson is becoming more comfortable with his own abilities and the Colts' offensive scheme ahead of his second pro season. The former first-round pick is working his way back from a shoulder injury but has shown that he can be a real playmaker when healthy. Assuming he's ready to go for Week 1, Richardson (armed with the likes of Michael Pittman Jr. and Jonathan Taylor) will rank as a low-end QB1 in fantasy football.

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Damiere Byrd May 16 12:00am ET
Damiere Byrd

The Washington Commanders have signed free agent wide receiver Damiere Byrd following a workout, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. The veteran is entering his ninth season in the league, but he's never finished higher than the WR67 in fantasy football. He spent the last two years with the Atlanta Falcons but registered just two targets during one game in 2023. Byrd represents a low-risk signing for the Commanders, and he'll be tasked with competing for a roster spot while leaving his veteran impact on some of his younger teammates in Washington.

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Tee Higgins May 15 11:50pm ET
Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins continues to grow frustrated as his trade request from last month has gone unanswered. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Higgins is "pissed" about the lack of a shared vision between himself and the team. Higgins was once said to be seeking a deal similar to Michael Pittman Jr.'s three-year, $70 million pact, but Cincinnati reportedly never came close to that price tag. This prompted the talented receiver to request a trade, but the Bengals made it clear (via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN) that they have "no plans" to trade him. Therefore, the stalemate continues between Cincinnati and Higgins. One has to wonder if too many bridges have been burned and a holdout might be in the cards.

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Caleb Williams May 15 4:40pm ET
Caleb Williams

Chicago Bears quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams will begin his career at home against the Tennessee Titans, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. The former USC star will have no shortage of weapons to work with to begin his career, so he could get out to a hot start with Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, and Rome Oduzne out wide. Tennessee was a middle-of-the-pack team against the pass last season, but the organization signed former Baltimore Ravens defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson as their defensive coordinator and added cornerbacks L'Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie to the back end of the defense. Overall, it should be a great first test for one of the highest-regarded quarterback prospects of the 21st century.

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C.J. Stroud May 15 4:20pm ET
C.J. Stroud

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Kansas City Chiefs will square off against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Houston Texans will host the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day during the 2024 NFL season. For different reasons, all four teams will be interesting to monitor this year. Kansas City is aiming to be the first franchise to win three straight Super Bowls, Pittsburgh will be led by Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, Baltimore looks to get over the hump in search of a Lombardi Trophy, and Houston was one of last year's big surprise teams to contend in the playoffs. With no shortage of disappointing primetime matchups over the last few years, games featuring stars like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, C.J. Stroud, T.J. Watt, and more on Christmas should be exciting. These two Christmas Day games will be streamed exclusively on Netflix.

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Daniel Jones May 15 3:00pm ET
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The New York Giants will debut on the HBO show Hard Knocks: Offseason in 2024 in their 100th season in the NFL. The show will feature the Giants for the first time since the series' debut in 2001 as the four-time Super Bowl-winning franchise prepares for its 100th season. It will be the first iteration of Hard Knocks to document the NFL offseason, chronicling the G-Men's moves from January to July. The five-episode season will debut on Tuesday, July 2. Hard Knocks has been in New York twice before with the Jets in 2010 and 2023 and has also followed the Dallas Cowboys three different times (2002, 2008, 2021). In New York, this will be their first year without running back Saquon Barkley while quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) tries to come back from a torn ACL in 2023. New York took receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in this year's draft.

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Rodney McLeod May 15 2:20pm ET
Rodney McLeod

Cleveland Browns safety Rodney McLeod said that he will retire following the 2024 season, which will be his 13th year in the league. "This is the last lap for me," McLeod said Monday during an appearance on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access." He will turn 34 in June and signed a one-year deal this offseason to return to the Browns for a second season. McLeod entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia in 2012. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Rams before joining the Eagles from 2016-21. McLeod was with the Colts in 2022 and had 29 tackles (16 solo) and a pass defended in 10 regular season games (five starts) last year. He suffered a season-ending biceps injury in Week 11. It sounds as though McLeod is now healthy as he looks to provide veteran secondary depth for Cleveland in 2024.

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Velus Jones Jr. May 15 2:10pm ET
Velus Jones Jr.

Chicago Bears wide receiver/return man Velus Jones Jr. should only benefit from the new kickoff rules in the NFL that will start for the 2024 season. "How it pertains to our team, you can only think about a guy like Velus Jones. Great example," special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said. "A guy like that with his type of skill set, with the speed and the power that he has, and he's coming full speed ahead at you, it's like a damn freight train running at you." Jones' average of 27.4 yards per return trails only Keisean Nixon over the last two years. He hasn't worked out as a punt returner and also hasn't had much of a role in the offense since entering the league in 2022, but the 27-year-old's size/speed combo could come in handy for the Bears on kickoffs this year. The Bears could also use running back Khalil Herbert on kickoffs.

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