Fantasy Draft

[Clay Dreslough]

I'm in the process of adding a Fantasy Draft feature to Football Mogul 2002. In other words, you will be able to start the game by putting all players in a pool and then drafting them. If you want, the computer-controlled teams will make their own picks. I think this will add another dimension to the game and I'm excited about it.

Anyway, as I evaluate the Artificial Intelligence, I'd like your feedback as to how the game should behave. So I have two questions I'd love to see answered in this thread (in the form of two lists).

1. If the entire league were drafted in such a fashion, who do you think would be the first 10 players drafted?

2. Ignoring other teams' picks, who are the first 10 players YOU would draft?

Note that this questions are somewhat different. While #2 requires you build a team (e.g. 1 QB, 1 Fullback etc.), your answer to #1 could be all Quarterbacks if you think those are the most valuable players to build a team around.

Clay

[wwrigleyfield]

i think all NFL GM's will tell you the hardest positions to fill are Qb(the franchise), OT(your qb's weak side), RDE(pass rush), LCB(shut down corner). I Think for sims it's alittle different, but for the most part the same. to answer your questions...

out of the first 10 players drafted i would expect 7 to be Qb's, and thats for humans or cumputers.

my first 10 picks would be the Qb, DE, OT, CB i mentioned above. my other 6 picks would be just the best player avab. ideal i would like to add a top Rb, LB. and another OL, DB, DL. that would be 9 picks. i haven't taken a wr yet b/c i think there are a ton of decents one's in the mogul sims. if i had the #1 pick in the draft right now based on this years stats, i'd pick micheal stranhan from Giants.

[mikeh5]

I tend to agree with wwrigleyfield's (as much as it pains me to agree with an apparent Cubs fan) strategy for the draft. It's probably easier to draft WRs and RBs but there tend to be enough of those to get the job done, especially if you have a good offensive line and someone to get the ball to the WRs and RBs.

If the entire league was going to be drafted though, I think you would see picks that would favor QBs, WRs, and RBs as people would pick the players the recognize the most easily (and in real life they might pick the players they thought would draw the most fans). In this year's draft, Bryant McKinnie may be the best long term value for a team, but I doubt he will be the first overall pick.

[wwrigleyfield]

i think thats a very good point by Mikeh5 (as much as i hate agreeing w/some who doesn't like the loveable loser). human owners will be drawn to superstars they already know, they want to see TD's. that means humans will take more skill players, QB's, WR, RB even when they shouldn't.

the best draft plan in the world is to take the player who dominates his position the most. example, you and me do a draft w/4 players: wr Randy Moss(score=10/10), wr Marty Booker (score=8/10), qb Jim Miller (score=6/10), qb Ryan Leaf (score=0/10). who would you take w/the first pick? if you said Randy Moss you are WRONG. i'd pick Miller, you'd get Leaf, and Marty and Miller beat you everytime 14-10. the point i'm trying to make is there are lots of good players at some positions and very few at others, guess who runs out first. Clay, if you want to make a good AI use that drafting principle(i bet you already know it). thats what i used when i claimed de Marcus Stranhann should be the #1 pick right now.

hope this helps, i'd like to hear more about the new game, escpically now that Will's Football Mogul league is on hold till the new game comes out.

[mikeh5]

Good point wwrigleyfield.

But on another note, although I don't like the Cubs, I do seem to follow some losers - the White Sox in baseball and the Cardinals in football. It doesn't get much worse than that.

[Miketay77]

Most people are gonna pick a QB (a young star) or a RB (a young star) as there 1st pick.

[slingblade731]

In no particular order these are the players I would consider building a franchise around.

Peyton Manning
Edgerrin James
LaDaninian Tomlinson
Terrell Owens
Chris Samuels
Ray Lewis
Charles Woodson
Champ Bailey
Shaun Alexander
David Carr

Youth of course for the future. I cant wait to get the new game Clay!

[ramsfan125]

There's only two players to build a team around, that is Marshall Faulk and Brian Urlacher.
Marshall is one of the greatest weapons to play the game, he does everything: run, catch, block, be a leader, he can even throw a tad bit.
Urlacher is only like 24, and he's got a great defense built around him. He's very fast and hits like a rock.

[ramsfan125]

Here are the guys you would want to have to build a team around and why.

QB: Michael Vick, because he's Ryan Leaf, except he has a brain, AND he can run like the wind.

HB: Marshall Faulk, because he's Marshall Faulk, he does it all, and he isn't exactly old.

FB: Lorenzo Neal, because age isn't a question, he can open holes better than anybody in the NFL.

WR: Randy Moss, because even though I hate him, I don't think one of the categories will be "character".

TE: Tony Gonzalez, because even though he's a basketball player, I think he could play at tight end a little bit.

T: Orlando Pace: Arguably the best at what he does, and he isn't old either.

G: Larry Allen: Two words, Emmitt Smith

C: Matt Birk, because I like him, he's undervalued and likely a very very good late round pick.

DE: Jevon Kearse, because The Freak is very fast and is a sack machine, but has been defending the run more the last few years.

DT: Warren Sapp, because he's by far as good as they get and is Mr. Sack.

OLB: Lavar Arrington, because he's possibly the best outside linebacker in the game, and what is he, 24?

ILB: Brian Urlacher, a future Hall of Famer if I ever saw one, a cornerstone on any team for many years.

CB: Charles Woodson, because he is gonna have a
Aeneas-esque career, leading a defense and being the cornerstone.

S: Adam Archuleta, because I like this kid, and you watch, he will make John Lynch jealous in a year or two.

K: Jason Elam, because the kicker will just end up getting released quick, so might as well get the best.

There you have it, guys to build around.

P.S. I've never played Football Mogul, and I'm looking forward to it!

[Nittany Lion]

If I was a NFL GM, these would be my 1st 10 Picks...

1) Marshall Faulk
2) Edgerrin James
3) Kurt Warner
4) Terrell Owens
5) Brian Urlacher
6) Peyton Manning
7) Ray Lewis
8) Mike Vick
9) Champ Bailey
10) David Boston

Note: This list doesn't contain any lineman

[cptrguru]

Almost everyone in this thread has suggested drafting players from the offensive side of the ball. Do you think Marty Schottenheimer would take a QB first? Ha! He'd go straight for the best cornerback. What about Bill Cowher, Tony Dungy, Brian Billick, or any of the other defense-minded coaches?

Offense puts fans in the seats... but defenses win championships. Cliche or reality? I think the Rams are believers after the Patriots beat them last year. What about the year the Rams won? All that offensive firepower and the game was won on the last play on the 1 yard line by a defensive play. I can go through the NFL's history about the greatest dynasties built on rock-solid defenses... even the most explosive offensive teams in history have won their championships due to a great defense.

Just some food for thought.

[ramsfan125]

Brian Billick is more offensive-minded, but he gave Marvin Lewis the defense to control, and he perfected it. I bet the defense falls on their face this year. I couldn't agree more with your take on the Rams. Won the Super Bowl with the 5th rated D, lost in the first round with a 25th ranked D, and lost the Fluker, I mean Super, Bowl, to the Patriots. They got there with a 3rd ranked D. The Rams offense was always #1. If that isn't proof, what on Earth is?

[BAS52186]

um yeah, brian billick is not defensive minded. He was the offensive coordinator of the 1998 Vikings, one of the best offenses ever. Thats why he became the ravens head coach.