Best Ball Championship Data
Fri Aug 19 10:58am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Kupp won a lot of leagues in 2021
We like to revisit the past to help us in the future, so here is a look at some interesting Best Ball Championship data from our site. This is our big best ball contest, that gives out a $25,000 grand prize. For this year, the contest is about sold out (90 percent), so if you still want to get in it, sign up now (click here). So use the data below to help you build that winning team come draft day.
| BBC 2021 Winners Draft Slot | |
| Draft Position | % Won |
| 7 | 14.1% |
| 6 | 12.4% |
| 8 | 11.9% |
| 9 | 11.8% |
| 10 | 10.1% |
| 4 | 9.5% |
| 5 | 9.5% |
| 3 | 8.2% |
| 2 | 7.1% |
| 1 | 5.2% |
TAKEAWAYS: Christian McCaffrey was the first overall pick in nearly all drafts last year, so his injury-plagued season was a disaster for many of those owners. And these numbers clearly show that with just 5.2 percent of owners that drafted first overall won their leagues. It was not a good season to be picking first overall. . . .Normally, drafting right in the middle is not an optimal spot for fantasy owners. It can be a tricky position to be picking come draft day. Well, the owners picking near the middle had a lot of success last year. The seventh spot saw 14.1 percent of owners win it all and the sixth position had 12.4 percent of the winners. If you look at the players that were drafted around that area last year, they were Aaron Jones, Davante Adams and Jonathan Taylor. . . . .The big takeaways from the draft slot data is you can win from anywhere. The first through third draft slots were not great last year, but still had plenty of winners. But after those three spots, the last seven saw at least 9.5 percent of the winners. It was pretty even after that. You can build a championship roster no matter where you pick.
| BBC 2021 Winners Roster Build | |
| Position | # Drafted |
| QB | 3.0 |
| RB | 6.6 |
| WR | 7.5 |
| TE | 2.9 |
| K | 2.0 |
| DEF | 2.0 |
| BBC 2021 Non-Winners Roster Build | |
| Position | # Drafted |
| QB | 3.1 |
| RB | 6.6 |
| WR | 7.6 |
| TE | 2.9 |
| K | 1.9 |
| DEF | 2.0 |
TAKEAWAYS: There is nothing earth shattering here with this data. The big thing is both winning and non-winning teams drafted nearly identical rosters. There was next to no difference between the two roster builds. The most interesting aspect was seeing how teams handled the kicker and defense positions. That is really the only big debate when it comes to roster build for best ball leagues. Should you take two kickers and defenses come draft? It seems most think this is the way to go, not missing out on points any given week. It seems pretty logical, making sure you don’t get a zero at any position any given week.
| BBC 2021 Players on Most Winning Rosters | % Owned | |
| 1. | Cooper Kupp | 28.5% |
| 2. | Jonathan Taylor | 21.4% |
| 3. | Deebo Samuel | 18.6% |
| 4. | Mark Andrews | 18.2% |
| 5. | JaMarr Chase | 17.2% |
| 6. | Austin Ekeler | 17.1% |
| 7. | Leonard Fournette | 16.7% |
| 8. | Mike Williams | 15.2% |
| 9. | Najee Harris | 15.1% |
| 10. | Joe Mixon | 14.7% |
| 11. | Justin Herbert | 14.6% |
| James Connor | ||
| 13. | Tom Brady | 14.4% |
| 14. | Joe Burrow | 14.2% |
| 15. | Justin Jefferson | 14.1% |
| 16. | Keenan Allen | 13.9% |
| 17. | George Kittle | 13.8% |
| 18. | D’Andre Swift | 13.6% |
| 19. | Rob Gronkowski | 13.5% |
| 20. | Damien Harris | 13.4% |
| Jaylen Waddle |
TAKEAWAYS: Cooper Kupp was clearly the most owned player on championship rosters. This is not a surprise at all as he had one of the greatest fantasy seasons ever and was around the WR19 on draft day last year. This is unbelievable value for a fantasy player. . . . .Jonathan Taylor was not far behind Kupp as he led the way at running back last year. He was the top scoring back and a guy selected near the end of the first round (ADP was nine). Just like Kupp, he had a huge year and was on a ton of fantasy winning teams. . . . So you didn’t have to have Kupp or Taylor on your roster last year, but if you had them, it made a big difference. Just 54 percent of championship teams did not own either Kupp or Taylor. So nearly half of the winners had a share of Kupp or Taylor. That is a pretty remarkable number and shows how big of difference makers both those players were last year. And there were 4.6 percent of teams that had both Kupp and Taylor. Those teams had to dominate last year. Kupp and Taylor won a lot of leagues for owners in 2021. . . . .There are just three quarterbacks on this list and the top scoring quarterback (Josh Allen) didn’t make the cut. This is an interesting note, showing you can win with a variety of quarterbacks on your roster. The most owned quarterback was Justin Herbert at 14.6 percent and he was about the eighth quarterback off the board come draft day. Tom Brady and Joe Burrow also were on the list and not one of the higher drafted quarterbacks. Brady was the QB9 and Burrow was the QB13. If anything, this data shows that the teams that waited on a quarterback last year had more success. This could be something to keep in mind when draft this year. . . . .Mark Andrews was the most owned tight end on this list, coming in at 18.2 percent. He was another decent value, being the TE5 on the ADP list. Andrews was first overall in fantasy tight end scoring. George Kittle and Rob Gronkowski were other tight ends to crack the top 20 most owned by championship teams. Kittle was a high draft pick but Gronk was the TE10, so he was on a lot of teams that waited to draft a tight end. Andrews and Kittle show that teams going early on tight end can pay off come draft day.
There is always a lot debate when to take certain positions, so we thought we would look a little more closely at that, mainly the quarterback, tight end and defensive slots. The average winning team picked a quarterback in Round 6, pick three. That means they didn’t go for one of the elite options like Patrick Mahomes, Allen or Kyler Murray. The winning teams waited a little longer, getting second tier guys likes Justin Herbert, Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford. And as you remember with the most owned data, none of the early drafted quarterbacks made that list, so this data makes even more sense. Waiting a little longer on a quarterback was the right strategy come draft day.
The tight end spot had a very similar draft spot for the winning teams. The average first pick of winning teams for tight ends was Round 6, pick four, just one spot after the winning quarterback slot. This is pretty amazing. It seems a similar strategy worked for a lot of championship teams. Spending early draft capital on Travis Kelce and Darren Waller didn’t pay off for a lot of teams last year. You also have to keep in mind that in this best ball format, a lot of owners take three quarterbacks and tight ends, which is another reason you see many owners wait on these positions. The thinking is at least one of the three will hit each week, helping maximize points for the position while not spending high draft picks on those players. This seems to be a good winning strategy for both positions.
Lastly, we wanted to look at defenses to see if going early on one makes sense. Well, this data shows it really doesn’t. The average first pick of a defense by winning teams was Round 17, pick seven. There is not a huge difference in scoring between the top rated and 10th rated defense, so many owners just wait on the position. Plus, most owners draft two defenses, giving their teams a decent chance of points each week as the best score is inserted into their lineup. It makes sense to wait on the position, take two and hope for the best each week.
In closing, it is always good to look at past data to come up with a good game plan for the next season. The aforementioned information should really help you formulate a winning strategy for this coming season. Things do change from year-to-year, but there are always good takeaways from every season. Last year was no different. Put it to use and go win your best ball league!
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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- Broncos first-round QB Bo Nix signs rookie contract
- Cardinals, WR Zay Jones agree on one-year deal
- Aidan O'Connell is early leader in Raiders' QB competition
- It's official: Bears rookie Caleb Williams to start at QB
- Giants sign first-round pick Malik Nabers to reported $29.2M deal
- Coach Dan Campbell to miss Lions' rookie minicamp
- Raiders sign first-round pick Brock Bowers, others
- Saints sign first-round OT Taliese Fuaga to $17.3M deal
- Pro Football Hall of Fame CB Jimmy Johnson dies at 86
- Rams releasing veteran WR Ben Skowronek
- Lions GM: QB Jared Goff 'earned' extension, a high priority
- Giants sign WR Allen Robinson
- NFL to release 2024 schedule on May 15
The Paur Report
The Detroit Lions signed free-agent tight end Parker Hesse to an undisclosed deal on Monday. Hesse entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa in 2021 with the Atlanta Falcons. He has spent all three of his seasons in the NFL with the Falcons and has totaled 14 receptions on 17 targets for 132 yards and no touchdowns in 28 games played (eight starts). The 28-year-old tight end played in only three games last year in Atlanta while also playing 28 snaps on special teams. In his three games played, Hesse wasn't targeted at all in the passing game. He'll merely be hoping to stick around on Detroit's roster after training camp and the preseason while providing depth at the position behind Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright, James Mitchell and Shane Zylstra.
From RotoBaller
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. reached an agreement on a four-year, $84.1 million on Monday that will make him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history, according to sources. It's the first time in modern NFL history that a safety has set this mark. The deal was negotiated and confirmed by agent David Mulugheta of Athletes First. The new extension for the 25-year-old means Winfield won't have to play the 2024 season on the franchise tag, which would have paid him $17.1 million this year. The All-Pro safety is one of the most productive players at the defensive back position in IDP fantasy formats and had 122 tackles (76 solo), six sacks, three interceptions, 12 passes defended, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 17 stars in 2023.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed free-agent cornerback Anthony Averett to an undisclosed one-year deal on Sunday, according to a source. The deal for Averett comes after he worked out at the team's rookie minicamp over the weekend on a tryout basis. The 29-year-old split time between the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions last year but didn't play in any regular-season games. His last NFL action came in 2022 with the Las Vegas Raiders, when he recorded 13 tackles and a pass defended in seven games (six starts). He was originally a fourth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2018 out of Alabama. In his four seasons in Baltimore, he had 101 tackles, three interceptions and 22 passes defended. Averett will have plenty of competition at the cornerback position in training camp this summer as he tries to make the final roster.
From RotoBaller
The New York Jets agreed to terms with first-round pick Olu Fashanu on his rookie deal on Monday. The deal is for four years and $20,510,710 fully guaranteed and includes the standard fifth-year team option. It was reported on Sunday that Fashanu strained his quadriceps while running the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine and could miss some or all of the Jets' organized team activities this offseason. The Jets took the 21-year-old with the 11th overall pick in this year's NFL draft to give veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers some more protection in 2024. Barring a setback, Fashanu should be ready to go for the start of his rookie season this fall. So far, he's been working off to the side with trainers during the team's rookie minicamp.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | The Cardinals have signed wide receiver Zay Jones. Dynasty Analysis: Jones has had some nice moments over his seven seasons in Buffalo, Las Vegas, and Jacksonville, though he's never posted more than 823 receiving yards or seven touchdowns in any given season. Jones could be viable opposite Marvin Harrison, Jr. if he can beat out Michael Wilson but that's no given. At this point, Jones looks like a roster worthy player but a potential roster clogger at the same time.
Carolina Panthers rookie tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders said his goal in the NFL is to be as good as former All-Pro Greg Olsen. Sanders, a converted receiver at Texas, averaged 49.5 catches a year with the Longhorns with an average of 648 yards and 3.5 touchdowns. His role with the Panthers is not clear yet, but head coach Dave Canales said on Saturday that Sanders will play both the "F" and the "Y" roles, dependent on pass plays versus 12 personnel. "He's a guy, you can move around a little bit more, maybe play him in the slot a little bit," Canales said, adding, "we look for those versatile type of tight ends." The 21-year-old was taken with the 101st overall pick in the fourth round this year but could immediately become the team's best pass-catching tight end over both Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas. Still, fantasy managers in single-year leagues in 2024 should temper expectations for Sanders in Carolina's offense.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots first-year head coach Jerod Mayo said that rookie quarterback Drake May, who was taken third overall in last month's NFL draft, "has a lot to work on." Saturday's practice featured a heavy emphasis on footwork fundamentals, with Maye spending the first few periods of practice taking snaps directly under center instead of the shotgun, which he mostly used the last two years at North Carolina. "The guy can sling it, man," said wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk, the second-round pick from the University of Washington. "He's very confident. He's a leader, very vocal; he's setting the tone in practice, trying to get guys moving around and operating at a high level." Maye is expected to compete with veteran Jacoby Brissett for starting duties in 2024. The Patriots aren't going to rush Maye's development, so he's more of a dynasty/keeper asset in fantasy this year than a redraft one.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said he liked what he saw from rookie quarterback Bo Nix during practices at the team's rookie minicamp over the weekend. "He had two or three down the field throws [Saturday]," Payton said. "It's almost like watching a good golfer when you watch his game ... there's a patience to how he plays, the ball comes out." The Broncos took Nix 12th overall, which many thought was a massive reach, and hope he will become their next franchise signal-caller. With only Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson to compete with, Nix has a clear path to the starting job right away in his first season in the NFL, but the Broncos aren't getting ahead of themselves. "We'll figure it out, we'll figure it out ... We'll have a rotation and we'll go from there," Payton said when asked how the team's QB competition will unfold in the weeks ahead.
From RotoBaller
Free-agent tight end Tommy Sweeney signed an undisclosed deal with the Chicago Bears on Sunday after a tryout at their rookie minicamp, according to a source. Sweeney was with the New York Giants most of last year but sat out after he collapsed and had a "medical event" on the practice field. The 28-year-old was originally drafted in the seventh round (228th overall) by the Buffalo Bills in 2019 out of Boston College. All three of his NFL seasons came with Buffalo, and Sweeney has caught a total of 18 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown on 26 targets in just 24 games played (four starts). Sweeney will be competing for a roster spot in training camp this summer among a tight end group in Chicago that already includes Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett, Stephen Carlson and rookie Brenden Bates.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said the team will use a running back by committee approach this season, unlike the feature back approach used during RB Ezekiel Elliott's first tour of duty with the team. McCarthy said that he has not seen any drop off in the way Elliott moves but thinks it wouldn't be fair to give him a workload similar to what he saw in the early seasons of his career.
Fantasy Spin: Elliott had the least productive season of his career with New England in 2023, with career lows in carries (184), rushing yards (642), touchdowns (three) and yards per carry (3.5). Although he is expected to have a larger role in the Dallas offense in 2024, his days as an RB1 fantasy option are likely over. Elliott is most likely to see the field in short-yardage and goal line situations, making him worthy of consideration as an RB3 in many fantasy leagues. RBs Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn are behind Elliott on the Cowboys' depth chart but their fantasy value remains uncertain, as it remains to be seen how many offensive snaps they will see in a typical game.
From TheHuddle
Free-agent linebacker Bud Dupree has reportedly signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. Dupree met with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons in addition to the Chargers. The 31-year-old has played with both the Steelers and Falcons during his career so it appears Dupree was looking for a new home. The veteran linebacker still has something left in the tank. He recorded 6.5 sacks last season with Atlanta. Those 6.5 sacks were the most for Dupree since the 2020 season. His addition should be a solid boost for this defensive unit heading into next season.
From RotoBaller
The Denver Broncos have released wide receiver Phillip Dorsett. The veteran wideout was already a longshot to make the roster. The 31-year-old joined the Broncos last season and failed to make a catch during his two appearances. Dorsett has bounced around quite a bit throughout his time in the league. Dorsett is viewed more as a depth option than an actual impact player on a roster. He could sign elsewhere before the season starts, but his chances of having fantasy value are low.
From RotoBaller
Free-agent wide receiver Albert Wilson has decided to retire from professional football after seven seasons. Wilson joined the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent ahead of the 2014 season. He spent four seasons with the Chiefs, and Wilson achieved a career-high 554 receiving yards during his final season with the team. After that, Wilson joined the Miami Dolphins for the next three seasons. He was fairly lackluster during his time with the Dolphins. He bounced around with the Raiders and Vikings but hasn't seen the field since the 2021 season. Wilson will finish his career with 218 receptions, 2,499 yards, and 12 touchdowns.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is under investigation in relation to a night club assault,. Dynasty Analysis: An adventurous off-season continues for Rice, who already has a massive legal problem in relation to a street racing incident. This new investigation is looking like it's going to take some time to unravel but it's clear a suspension (and possibly a lengthy one) is coming sooner rather than later. Rice is a hold for now as his value is clearly in flux.
Dynasty | The Cowboys have released wide receiver Martavis Bryant. Dynasty Analysis: Marty B will likely attempt to resume his comeback with another team as Dallas just couldn't hold on to him. Bryant was once a highly regarded dynasty asset but suspensions derailed his career before it could really even get going. Bryant will look to latch on elsewhere but it's hard to see him being a worthwhile dynasty pickup until he makes a final roster.
Dynasty | The Giants have signed wide receiver Allen Robinson. Dynasty Analysis: Robinson had a 102/1,250/6 season for the Bears in 2020 but has fallen off the face of the earth since with just over 1,000 receiving yards and a total of four touchdowns in the three years since, including stops with Chicago, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. Robinson is a fringe roster candidate at best at this point and while he has a chance to re-emerge in New York, don't hold your breath.
Free-agent DE Bud Dupree (Falcons) agreed to a two-year deal worth $6 million with a total value of $10 million with the Los Angeles Chargers, according to sources Saturday, May 11.
From TheHuddle
Free-agent wide receiver Jarvis Landry spent an hour running around catching passes as a tryout player at the Jacksonville Jaguars' rookie minicamp on Friday. Landry was one of the league's top receivers in the first seven years of his career, making five Pro Bowls with the Dolphins and Browns. He led the NFL in catches in 2017 with 112 and had three 1,000-yard seasons in that span. But Landry only played in 12 games in 2021 with Cleveland due to a knee sprain, and he had a career-low in catches (52) and receiving yards (570). He played in just nine games with the Saints in 2022 due to an ankle injury and sat out in 2023. Landry looked healthy on Friday and was pleased with his workout, but it remains to be seen if the Jags will add him as receiver depth in addition to Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis and first-round rookie Brian Thomas.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels didn't have any "wow" moments during his first rookie minicamp practice, but he still managed to impress fellow rookies and the coaching staff. "He's a stud," third-round receiver Luke McCaffrey said. "I know he's one heck of a quarterback and a lot of fun to play with from a personality standpoint. I've had a blast in these 24 hours with him. He's just fun to be around; he's good energy." Daniels was the No. 2 overall pick in last year's NFL draft and is expected to take over as the team's starter under center right away in Week 1 this fall. The 23-year-old former LSU Tiger is a dual-threat QB with plenty of athleticism, and he could be the most NFL-ready signal-caller of all the rookie QBs not named Caleb Williams. In Year 1, Daniels will be a low-end QB2 in fantasy with considerable upside for his rushing ability.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers rookie first-round wide receiver Xavier Legette, who was taken 32nd overall in this year's NFL draft last month, has had trouble connecting with the team's rookie quarterbacks so far in rookie minicamp practices. Legette has always had the size-speed combination -- his 4.39-second 40-yard dash tied for the sixth-fastest among wideouts at this year's scouting combine -- but he kept hearing that he had to improve as a route-runner as he took part in Senior Bowl practices and the combine. At 6-foot-1, 221 pounds, some questioned Legette's ability to drop his hips and quickly get out of his breaks. Legette has been compared physically to DK Metcalf, who Panthers head coach Dave Canales worked with in Seattle. At the very least, Legette will give second-year QB Bryce Young a speed, big-bodied target deep down the field in 2024, but expecting much more than that might be unwise in 2024.
From RotoBaller
