Week 5 – Waiver Wire Pickups

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Ginger King

God damn right.

We’re a quarter of the way through the season…the only way you’re going to weather the storm of injuries (Dez, Big Ben, Shady McCoy) and disappointing players (CJ Anderson, Demarco Murray) is to master the art of the waiver wire. We’ve been called a lot of things…mostly derogatory ginger-shaming things…but one loyal Machine reader referred to us as the Fantasy Whisperer. We’ll take that shit, and if you followed us last week and started Coby Fleener, you know why.

Note: Running back is by far the toughest position to gauge. If you’re without a stud like Jamaal Charles or Leveon Bell, you’re likely in a week by week search for a quality starter. Here are few running backs that could help fill that void.

Antonio Andrews, RB Tennessee (11%)

Starter by default.

We don’t know what to make of Tennessee’s backfield, other than it’s a mess. It’s the worst RBBC in the league, with disappointing running back (Bishop Sankey) after disappointing running back (Terrance West) after disappointing running back (Dexter McCluster). The lone bright spot is Andrews, who by default moves to the top of the “depth chart.” This is really a boom or bust pick. Even if Andrews gets the bulk of the carries (which we think he will) he’ll still split lots of time. Good news: He should take over goal line duties and has fresh legs coming off a bye week.

Charles Sims, RB Tampa Bay (18%)

On the rise.

Charles Sims makes sense for a lot of reasons. First, he’s got a great match up this week against the Jags. Second, he’s been getting more opportunities thanks to Doug Martin’s inconsistent play. Third, he’s good for 3-5 catches, making him even more attractive in PPR leagues.

Thomas Rawls, RB Seattle (34%)

Beastmode’s pain is his gain.

Rawls is a must add this week. Rawls will be the feature back this week against the Bengals. Seattle loves to run the ball, and Rawls already has a 100 yard game under his belt. Given that Marshawn Lynch has a bum hamstring (not a good sign) and Fred Jackson is 60, Rawls could be in line for more action going forward. We like his chances to see the endzone this week.

Nelson Agholor, WE Philadelphia (47%)

Fly, Nelson, fly.

A highly touted rookie out of USC, Agholor hasn’t had much to success thus far. Granted, no one on the Eagles has had much success thus far. That could change this week against the Saints. We like his chances this week against a very giving New Orleans secondary.

Gary Barnidge, TE Cleveland (48%)

Quickly catching up to LeBron as Cleveland’s most popular athlete.

We’re now believers in Gary. His name screams accountant more than NFL player, but he’s averaged over 20 points over the past two weeks, with 12 catches and 2 tds over that span. He has more points through four weeks than Jimmy Graham. Those numbers don’t lie. He’s a low end TE1 this week against Baltimore.

Bills v. Giants – Party with The Machine

Posted on October 3, 2015 by Ginger King

Party with The Machine!

GAME OF THE YEAR!

What do you do when you have a website that’s run by one Giants fan and one Bills fan? You throw a party! Let the epic trash talking begin! First, the details:

When: Sunday, October 4, 2015

Where: Wintonaire (if you don’t know where that is, then we don’t like you)

Time: Noon to ???

Come class it up for an afternoon, chug Coors Light with The Machine, and eat an impressive amount of chicken wings! How much better can it get?

Now, let’s have a quick preview of the game. We don’t like to overstate things, but this game is going to be the Must See Game of the Year! As Roid Rage has (obnoxiously) informed me several times this week, the Giants will actually play a game in New York when they come to Buffalo. If I had a nickel for every time I heard that stupid comment. And, not to be a dick about it, but the Buffalo Bills play in Orchard Park.

Geography aside, this game is a must win for both teams. The Bills are sitting nice at 2-1, with wins over the Colts and an absolute thrashing of the Dolphins last week. However, Rex still can’t shake his New England inferiority complex, and Buffalo is still looking for its statement win. It could come Sunday, as Rex tries to exercise his other demon…the team he infamously referred to as the little brother while he was with the Jets.

Giants fans will remember that Rex’s trash talking turned into a 99 yard Victor Cruz touchdown and (another) Super Bowl. However, 2012 seems like a long time ago. The Giants are all over the place this year. They are good, but not that good where they can blow 4^th quarter leads, and they did exactly that in losses against Dallas and Atlanta. If only they could play the Redskins each week.

Coaching wise, these teams couldn’t be more different. Currently, Rex is getting his truck detailed and putting the finishing touches on his Bills tramp stamp. Meanwhile, Tom Coughlin just finished a glass of warm milk and is already asleep.

We could go on and on breaking down the teams, but we’ll do that for you in person tomorrow. See you there, and bring you A game chugging skills.

Week 4 – Waiver Wire Pickups

Posted on October 3, 2015 by Ginger King

Are you ready?!?

First, let’s get the self-congratulatory stuff out of the way. Again, The Machine nailed last week’s waiver wire picks. Rishard Matthews (whom everyone is telling you to get now) was only owned in 28% of the leagues last week. He get a shout out from The Machine and boom, he’s now owned in 67% of leagues. That’s the type power we have here. Ok, maybe it’s the fact that Rishard had a monster week, going 6/113/2. He has more yards and tds than Jarvis Landry. Continue to ride that waive. Also, Blake Bortles turned in a serviceable start last week, throwing for 242 yards, 2 tds and 1 int. Don’t let those ESPN fools fool you…we tell you who to pick up before it’s obvious. So let’s get to this week’s picks.

Robert Woods, WR Buffalo (2% owned in Yahoo! leagues)

Beautiful feet.

Listen up, because you haven’t heard this sentence used much, if ever: The Buffalo Bills have fantasy worth players. It’s true. Two weeks ago, we recommended Tyrod Taylor, when he was only owned in 13% of leagues. Tyrod is now owned in 70% of leagues, and is a legitimate Top 10 fantasy qb. And this brings us to Robert.

Woods has seen his targets increase each week, which is a good sign. Sammy Watkins is dinged up again (can we call him oft-injured now?) which means more opportunities for Woods.

Plus, don’t forget: Rex Ryan is crazy. Like the Patriots, he wants to beat the Giants so bad, in his never-ending quest to prove he’s no one’s whipping boy (ironic he’s making that stand in Buffalo). Anyway, we expect the Bills to air it out this week. Woods is a touchdown dependent WR4/FLEX.

Coby Fleener, TE Colts (23%)

Coby should see his targets increase.

Fleener gets a bump this week thanks to Dwayne Allen and his bum ankle. With Allen out last week, Coby had six targets, and ended up with 4 catches for 51 yards. Not bad for a fill in TE. The goal of waiver wire pickups is either (a) weekly band-aid for your team, or (b) picking up a player for the long haul before everyone else does. Coby fits the former. If you’re looking for a stop-gap TE this week, Fleener’s your guy.

Brian Quick, WR St. Louis (24%)

Welcome back.

Quick will make his season debut for the Rams this week. He instantly becomes the Rams top option at receiver. Although the match up isn’t great against the Cardinals, it’s not often you see a #1 WR sitting on waivers. He’s definitely worth a spot on your bench, and if you’re desperate at receiver, plug him in but please temper expectations.

Bonus Pick

Antonio Gates, TE San Diego (52%)

Antonio will soon see the endzone again.

We normally only focus on people who are owned in fewer than 50% of leagues (it’s stupid for us to tell you to pick up Karlos Williams when he’s owned in 80% of leagues). Anyone that mentions him as a waiver wire pickup should be quickly met with a “no shit” comment.

But we will break from tradition slightly to tell you to look at your waiver wire, and if Antonio Gates is still there, pick him up immediately. Gates tied for the league lead in tds by a TE with 12 last year, and was a Top 4 TE overall. He’s finishing up his four game suspension, and next week will resume his place as a TE1. By next week, he will be owned in 80% of leagues. Get him now.

Week 3 – Waiver Wire Pickups

Posted on September 27, 2015 by Ginger King

Giddy up!

Happy football Sunday! Not to toot our own horn, but last week The Machine crushed it with our Fantasy advice. Tyrod Taylor threw for 3 tds (and rushed for 1), and both David Johnson and Larry Donnell scored. You’re welcome, America. Let’s look at who’s still out there that can help your team this week.

Dexter McCluster, RB Tennessee (5% owned in Yahoo! leagues)

Tennessee, like most of the league, has a running back by committee approach, with Dexter sharing time with Bishop Sankey and Terrance West. But Dexter has carved out a nice little niche as the pass catching running back. In a PPR league, he makes a lot of sense this week. He’s got a great match up against the Colts. Sankey and West aren’t exactly lighting it up, which equals more opportunities for the shifty McCluster. If you’re one of those teams already plagued with RB injuries (Andre Ellington) or on a team whose coach doesn’t like black people (Demarco Murray) Dexter could fill in.

Blake Bortles, QB Jacksonville (11%)

For the reasons we like Tyrod last week, we like Blake. It’s all about matchups, and there is much to like about Bortles this week. First, he’s going to be throwing a lot. The Pat are 13.5 point favorites and will probably cover. This means the Jags will abandon the run early and throw the ball. Second, New England’s secondary is weak, which will allow Blake to rack up yards. Third, Bortles is coming into his own. He played great last week against Miami – a team with a much better defense than New England – throwing for 273 yards, 2 tds and 0 ints. A repeat of those numbers this week isn’t out of the question. We like him better than guys like Alex Smith, Joe Flacco, and Carson Palmer this week. Fourth, see below.

Rishard Matthews, WR Miami (28%)

Tannehill’s secret weapon.

Matthews has put together two solid weeks, and he’ll look to make it three today against Buffalo. His problem is that he’s (at best) the #3 WR, behind Jarvis Landry and Devante Parker. However, if he keeps balling like this, they’ll have to find room for him. Devante Parker is still not 100%, which slides Matthews up to #2. We like him as a 3WR/FLEX today against a Bills D that gave up 466 passing yards last week.

Crockett Gillmore, TE Baltimore (45%)

New kid on the block.

If you asked yourself, “who the fuck is Crockett Gillmore”, you’re not alone. But he has established himself as a TE1 through two weeks. Averaging 5 targets a week, Crockett has become a reliable passing option for Joe Flacco. He grabbed 2 tds last week. Jason Witten’s status is iffy this week, so you’re looking for another option at TE, Crockett’s a good play.

BONUS PICK:

Rueben Randle, WR Giants (28%)

Here’s a sneaky play. Yes, the Giants already played this week, but if you got a spot on your bench, make room for Randle. With Victor Cruz’s status still uncertain, and with Preston Parker cut (thank you), Reuben will see plenty of action as the #2 receiver behind Odell Beckham, Jr. Rueben is streaky, but he pulled it together this week, catching all 7 of his targets for 116 yards and a touchdown. He will quickly be added in leagues next week, but because you read The Machine, he’ll already be on your team.

Even when Blake loses, he wins.

Week 2 – Waiver Wire Pickups

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Ginger King

Week 1’s in the books, and already, things are getting crazy. Key injuries (Dez) and busts (CJ Anderson) may already be affecting your team. Time to throw in the towel? Ginger, please! Fantasy championships are won by savvy waiver wire pickups. And, depending on how hung over we are, we’ll hook you up with weekly waiver wire grabs. Now, on to the show.

Tyrod Taylor, QB, Buffalo (% owned in Yahoo! league, 13%)

If he beats the Pats today, they will build a statute for him and he’ll become Mayor of Buffalo

This weird thing happens every year in Buffalo. Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Bills start out hot (“this is our Year!” mutters a drunk Buffalonian from beneath a pile of wings). Last year’s failures are forgotten. Bills have a big statement win (in September). Chris Berman trots out his “Nobody circles the wagons” shtick. The whole City gets filled with excitement…and then [note: Bills fans stop reading] the Bills go 2-6 down the stretch and New England wins the AFC East. Seriously, this happens every year.

BUT, according to Roid Rage, this year it’s different. This year really is THE YEAR. He has the excitement and innocence of a puppy…I just don’t have the heart to break his spirit (and I’m certainly not going to stand in the way of his Rex Ryan back tat).

Having said that, we like what we’ve seen from Tyrod. He was solid last week against the Colts, throwing for nearly 200 yards with a touchdown and 0 ints. He also added 41 rushing yards. You know Rex will be fired up to play the Pats at home. That means plenty of gimmick plays for Tyrod (yes, the read option is a gimmick). There are points to be had against the Pats secondary…who gave up over 350 yards to Big Ben last week. We like Tyrod to lead the team in rushing, and lead the Bills to the Super Bowl (edited by Roid Rage). If anything, he’s worth a spot on your bench ahead of guys like Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton.

Lance Dunbar, RB, Dallas (17%)

Forget Terrance, Lance will be the main benefactor with Dez out.

Yes, yes, yes, we know, Terrance Williams was the biggest pick up of the week, with Dez out for 4-6 weeks. But don’t overlook Lance. In fact, you should pick him up right now, because that 17% is going to change quickly. Care to guess who led the Cowboys in receptions and yards last week, even with Dez in the game? Lance, who was targeted 8 times, caught all 8 balls for 70. A no brainer pickup, especially in a PPR league.

David Johnson, RB, Arizona (32%)

You’re up, rookie!

The pride of Northern Iowa, rookie running back David Johnson is in a prime position to see plenty of action. With oft-injured Andre Ellington injured again, Johnson will slide right in to split carries with Chris Johnson, who is days away from being on the wrong side of 30. David only caught one ball last week, but he made the most of it, taking it to the house for a 55 yard touchdown. He’ll get more chances to shine in the upcoming weeks. Low risk, high reward pickup, especially in PPR leagues.

Larry Donnell, TE, NYG (39%)

Safe. Boring. Money.

Larry’s problem (for now) is that he’s splitting time with Daniel Fells. He will win that battle, and become Eli’s main safety valve. Larry burst onto the scene last year with 63 receptions, good for a tie for 9^th place among TE. We like him to finish in the Top 10 again in this year, not bad for only being owned in 39% of leagues.

Go Bills!

Tuesday Teabag, July 7, 2015 – Jason Pierre-Paul

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Ginger King

Boom goes the dynamite…and long term NFL contract.

That’s right. The Machine is back with a brand new teabag. And this one’s going to blow you away (pun intended). So let’s light this candle and get this party started.

First, happy belated Fourth of July. The Machine went full ‘Murica over the weekend: we caught a major league game, drank a wheelbarrow full of beer, and of course, fireworks. We were a Toby Keith concert away from hitting the ‘Murica cycle. Yes, we love the Fourth. To us, it’s the official kickoff of summer. The days are longer, the beer is colder, baseball is starting to become slightly more relevant, and training camp is right around the corner. But it’s inevitable that someone will take their love of the Fourth a bit too far, and that leads us to our Tuesday Teabag winner…Jason Pierre-Paul.

Is there anyone that’s having a worse post-Fourth hangover than JPP? Well, maybe Jared. Or Donovan. But JPP’s right up there. If you haven’t heard, JPP spent his Fourth of July with a U-Haul truck full of fireworks. What could possibly go wrong? As it turns out, a lot. Pierre-Paul allegedly injured himself setting off fireworks, causing severe burns and significant damage to his hand. The extent of the injury is unknown, some reports say there’s possible nerve damage. Thanks to social media (and nosy neighbors) we got the play by play.

So this Jason Pierre-Paul thing sounds pretty bad. pic.twitter.com/EVKrqPgzLU

— PastADivingFlores (@_mistermet) July 5, 2015

While JPP’s injury may not be career threatening, it’s certainly going to be career limiting. This couldn’t possibly come at a worse time for JPP. The Giants designated him as their franchise player, meaning he would play this year at a (fully guaranteed) price of $14.8 million. JPP has not signed his franchise contract yet…preferring to hold out while trying to agree to a long term deal. All franchise players have until July 15 to sign a long term contract with their team. After that, their only option is to sign their one-year franchise contract.

The Giants reportedly had a multi-year, $60 million contract on the table. Care to guess what happened to that? Yup, the Giants have withdrawn that offer, obviously wanting to see the extent of the damage that was caused.

Making matters worse is that JPP had some leverage in his negotiations with the Giants. He was coming off a very good year, re-establishing himself as a top tier defensive end. The Giants maybe would have moved up their offer a little, in hopes of him signing a long term deal now…but there’s zero chance of that happening. Even if he plays up to the level he did last year, this injury will just add to the growing list of injuries…which will further drive down his price if he becomes a free agent. Now, JPP will have to prove himself even more this year. And if he has to miss any games because of this, his price tag will continue to drop.

Making matters ever worse is he could stand to lose $14.8 million for this season. Generally speaking, the franchise contract is fully guaranteed. So, if JPP were to hurt himself in Week 1 and miss the rest of the season, he would still receive all of his $14.8 million. There is one, minor exception to that rule…for a non-football related injury. In that situation, the franchise money is not guaranteed. The Giants could cut him and not owe him a dime. FYI, this is why players and the league fight over CBA negotiations.

And that’s what’s most troubling at this point. While reports say JPP should be fine, he’s (a) still in the hospital, and (b) the Giants medical staff has not been allowed to see him. Those are not exactly promising signs. Update: he’s not fine, in fact, he had his right index finger amputated.

JPP needs to get over himself and get his ass back to NY for some serious damage control. Is he going to be ridiculed by his teammates and the entire city of New York? Yes. Should he be? Yes. JPP can certainly dish it, but these next few weeks will determine if he can take it. He needs to play the part of the embarrassed, humiliated and humbled athlete. If instead he takes the spoiled child, I’m beyond reproach route (a/k/a the Tom Brady) then he risks severing more than just his finger.

Let this be a lesson to you kids: wait until after you sign your long term contract before you buy a truckload worth of fireworks. Also, find a friend to light that shit up.

Enjoy your teabag.

2015 NFL Mock Draft (Ginger King FINAL)

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Ginger King

Here it is friends, my final mock. Enjoy.

Round 1	Team	Pick	Position
1	Buccaneers	Jameis Winston (FSU)	QB
2	Titans	Marcus Mariota (Oregon)	QB
3	Jaguars	Dante Fowler (Florida)	EDGE
4	Raiders	Leonard Williams (USC)	DL
5	Redskins	Kevin White (WVU)	WR
6	Jets	Amari Cooper (Alabama)	WR
7	Bears	Brandon Scherff (Iowa)	OL
8	Falcons	Alvin Dupree (Kentucky)	EDGE
9	Giants	Trae Waynes (MSU)	CB
10	Rams	Devante Parker (Louisville)	WR
11	Vikings	Todd Gurley (Georgia)	RB
12	Browns	Danny Shelton (Washington)	DT
13	Saints	Vic Beasley (Clemson)	EDGE
14	Dolphins	Kevin Johnson (Wake Forest)	CB
15	49ers	Arik Armstead (Oregon)	DE
16	Texans	Nelson Agholor (USC)	WR
17	Chargers	Ereck Flowers (Miami)	OL
18	Chiefs	Cameron Erving (FSU)	OL
19	Browns	D.J. Humphries (Florida)	OL
20	Eagles	Jaelen Strong (ASU)	WR
21	Bengals	Dorial Green-Beckham (OU)	WR
22	Steelers	Jalen Collins (LSU)	CB
23	Lions	Malcolm Brown (Texas)	DT
24	Cardinals	Shane Ray (Missouri)	EDGE
25	Panthers	Andrus Peat (Stanford)	OL
26	Ravens	Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin)	RB
27	Cowboys	Marcus Peters (Washington)	CB
28	Broncos	Eric Kendricks (UCLA)	LB
29	Colts	Byron Jones (UCONN)	CB
30	Packers	Bernardrick McKinney (MISS ST.)	LB
31	Saints	Breshad Perriman (UCF)	WR
32	Patriots	Randy Gregory (Nebraska)	DE

Final Thoughts: Lots of risers and fallers. Guys that were Top 10 locks a few weeks ago have fallen to the late first round (Vic Beasley, Shane Ray, Randy Gregory) and some have completely dropped out (Landon Collins, La’el Collins). For La’el, having to leave the Draft to be questioned in the death of your pregnant ex-girlfriend means you don’t get drafted tonight. Great value in the 2^nd though.

I do think someone will make a trade with Tennessee at 2 to take Mariota. San Diego makes a lot of sense (especially for a franchise looking to rebuild in L.A.) but Philly and Cleveland are making a real push. Don’t count Chip Kelly out of this.

For some rises, Kevin Johnson is making a real push to be the first corner off the board. He is flying up draft boards, and now seems like a lock in the Top 15. Speaking of corners, the Giants surprise many and grab Trae Waynes. Reese wants an impact player at #9, and for that reason, I think the Giants will wait to find an offensive lineman in the later rounds (here’s looking at you, Ali Marpet).

A big riser is Todd Gurley. As teams are getting more and more comfortable with his medical checkup, he is continuing to climb up draft boards. He makes perfect sense for the Vikings, who (assuming they don’t trade AP) can slowly bring Gurley into the mix.

Receivers should be the story of the night. At least 5, and as many as 9, could go in the first round. I’m right in the middle with 7.

Get ready for lots of trades and plenty of action. We’ll be live tweeting the whole night from The Machine’s Draft Day Party. And, don’t forget to play our Draft Party Drinking Game. Guaranteed to enhance your Draft Day experience!

The Machine’s Draft Day Drinking Game

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Ginger King

Can’t make it to The Machine’s Draft Day Party? Well, that sucks for you. But have no fear…we got your back with our play at home game. How can you make the Draft better, you ask in amazement? By playing The Big Red Sports Machine’s Draft Drinking Game. It’s fun, it’s easy, guaranteed to impress the ladies, and you can play along at home or at your favorite watering hole. Here are the rules:

1. Draft catchphrases. There are certain phrases you only hear during the Draft. Why? We don’t know, but we love them. For this reason alone, we give ESPN the slight lean over the NFL Network for your draft day coverage. That, and, Kiper. Duh, winning!

The following phrases are worth a shot of beer:

Raw talent
Off-the-field or character issues
Live arm
High motor
Straight line speed
Great Value
Upside
Best player available
Intangibles or Measurables
Trade Down
War Room
New Regime
Read-Option
Edge Rusher
Gets to the Second Level
Quick feet
Plays in Space
Chip Kelly Guy (*new for 2015)

2. Videos/references. Each of these are beer-finishing worthy:

Reference to Mel’s hair
Player on-stage photo-op with family/entourage of 15+
Reference to Cleveland Browns front office ineptitude (cough, Trent Richardson, cough, Brandon Weedon, cough, Johnny Manziel)
First shot of Drew Rosenhaus in his newest client’s living room
First player to cry when their name is called
Reference to when Tom Brady was drafted (we’ll also accept Brady’s Combine picture)
Reference to Aaron Rodgers draft day slide
Video of Brady Quinn in the green room
Video of Bill Tobin’s infamous “who the hell is Mel Kiper?” interview during the ’94 Draft

3. On the Clock Chug. When your team is on the clock, you have to finish a full beer before the pick is called. Note: if your team trades down, they’re on the clock twice, meaning that’s two full beers. Cowboy up, it’s the Draft!

Basically, if it doesn’t look like this than you’re probably doing it wrong…..

Or this:

2015 NFL Mock Draft (Ginger King 2.0)

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Ginger King

It’s almost time!

Round 1	Team	Pick	Position
1	Buccaneers	Jameis Winston (FSU)	QB
2	Titans	Marcus Mariota (Oregon)	QB
3	Jaguars	Leonard Williams (USC)	DL
4	Raiders	Kevin White (WVU)	WR
5	Redskins	Dante Fowler (Florida)	EDGE
6	Jets	Vic Beasley (Clemson)	EDGE
7	Bears	Amari Cooper (Alabama)	WR
8	Falcons	Alvin Dupree (Kentucky)	EDGE

We’re convinced Marcus is going #2. Question is: to whom?

Ok, some big changes from our Mock 1.0. Chief among them: Marcus jumps up to number 2. Yeah, yeah, he doesn’t fit Ken Whisenhunt’s system. But the Draft is all about maximizing value. And while you can’t really trust trade rumors prior to the Draft, we do believe that the Titans will trade out of this spot. There are several rumored teams (Philly, Cleveland, San Diego) that want to move up. Tennessee could stockpile picks and still have a mid-first round pick. Ginger King’s prediction: San Diego trades up and sends Philip Rivers to Tennessee. It makes sense for many reasons.

Round 1	Team	Pick	Position
9	Giants	Danny Shelton (Washington)	DT
10	Rams	Brandon Scherff (Iowa)	OL
11	Vikings	Trae Waynes (MSU)	CB
12	Browns	La’el Collins (LSU)	OL
13	Saints	Shane Ray (Missouri)	EDGE
14	Dolphins	Devante Parker (Louisville)	WR
15	49ers	Arik Armstead (Oregon)	DE
16	Texans	Todd Gurley (Georgia)	RB

An undersized DE or oversized LB?

The Giants switch lines this round, giving Spagnoulo some much needed muscle on the defensive line. The Saints would love it if Shane Ray falls to them. It’s looking more and more likely that the Texans will draft Todd Gurley. Gurley needs to go to a team where he will not be expected to contribute a full load right away, given his knee injury. Whatever teams takes him will likely have an aging running back on their roster and looking to start the transition. This aptly describes the Texans, who could still rely on Arian Foster in the short term and let Gurley ease into the offense.

Round 1	Team	Pick	Position
17	Chargers	Andrus Peat (Stanford)	OL
18	Chiefs	Ereck Flowers (Miami)	OL
19	Browns	Malcolm Brown (Texas)	DT
20	Eagles	Jaelen Strong (ASU)	WR
21	Bengals	Dorial Green-Beckham (OU)	WR
22	Steelers	Landon Collins (Alabama)	S
23	Lions	D.J. Humphries (Florida)	OL
24	Cardinals	Randy Gregory (Nebraska)	DE

Puff, puff, give!!!

OL and WR will dominate the first round, and that will be more evident as we get into the second half of the first round. San Diego, if it decides to hold on to this pick (and Philip Rivers) would do well to try and bolster the offensive line. Character problems = No problems for the Cincinnati Bengals, as they take a chance on the supremely talented (yet supremely troubled) Dorial Green-Beckham. Finally, Randy Gregory’s rapid descent should stop with the Cardinals.

Round 1	Team	Pick	Position
25	Panthers	M. Gordon (Wisconsin)	RB
26	Ravens	B. Perriman (UCF)	WR
27	Cowboys	M. Peters (Washington)	CB
28	Broncos	T.J. Clemmons (Pitt)	OL
29	Colts	B. Jones (UCONN)	CB
30	Packers	E. Kendricks (UCLA)	LB
31	Saints	P. Dorsett (Miami)	WR
32	Patriots	D. Smith (OSU)	WR

After two years in a row with no RB taken in the first round, Melvin Gordon becomes the second back off the board. An argument can be made that any of these teams at the end of the first round (except maybe Green Bay) could use him, and don’t be surprised if a team like the Colts trades with Baltimore (to get ahead of the Cowboys where he’s sure to get picked). For this round, he doesn’t make it past the Panthers. Not one to shy away from character issues, the Cowboys go with a huge boom or bust pick in Marcus Peters. Peters is the best corner in the draft, but he’s a walking red flag, having been kicked off the Huskies team in November. As if that’s concern for Jerrah. Byron Jones and his ridiculous broad jump go to the Colts. The U makes it back to the first round, with Philip Dorsett the newest weapon for Drew Brees. And finally, the rich get richer as the Patriots end the first round with the multi-talented Devin Smith.

12’3″ broad jump = first round.

2015 Mock Draft (Ginger King’s 1.0)

Posted on April 5, 2015 by Ginger King

Round 1	Pick	Analysis
1. Tampa Bay Bucs	Jamies Winston, QB	Unless Lovie and the boys are throwing a major smokescreen, this is going to be the pick. You may as well send the signing bonus straight to Mons Venus.
2 Tennessee Titans	Leonard Williams, DE	Williams is being touted as the best player in the draft, and we believe it. Tennessee seems content with Zach Mettenberg as their starting quarterback. Apparently they weren’t paying attention when he played last year. Anyway,
3. Jacksonville Jaguars	Dante Fowler, DE	The Jags continue their streak of Top 10 picks (6 years in row, btw). Gus Bradley values speed and defense, and he’ll get both with Fowler.
4. Oakland Raiders	Kevin White, WR	This pick will be a receiver, the question is, which one? Both White and Amari Cooper are neck and neck as the draft’s top wideout. How do the Raiders settle ties? 40 times. In that case, the edge goes to White.
5. Washington Redskins	Danny Shelton, DT	Washington has to get better up front defensively. Despite every coach they bring in hating RGIII, the offense is not their problem…at least not their biggest problem. Shelton’s the best tackle in the draft, drawing comparisons to Haloti Ngata.
6. New York Jets	Marcus Mariota, QB	The Jets would love it if Mariota were still here. It puts them in a great position to trade out of this pick, as a number of teams (Eagles, Cleveland, San Diego) are rumored to want to trade up. They could stockpile picks or move on from the Geno Smith era and draft Mariota.
7. Atlanta Falcons	Vic Beasley, DE	Atlanta needs to get younger and faster upfront. They should take the best edge rusher available. Beasley, Alvin Dupree, and Randy Gregory may all be available. Gregory smoked himself out of the Top 10, and we give Beasley a slight edge over Dupree.
8. Chicago Bears	Amari Cooper, WR	Chicago would run to the podium with this pick if Cooper falls to them here. With Brandon Marshall gone, Chicago doesn’t miss a beat by drafting this Julio Jones clone.
9. New York Giants	La’el Collins, OT	The smart pick is offensive line, because even with that makeshift line the Giants had last year, Eli Manning has one of his best years. The Giants will pick the best lineman that projects as a tackle. That’s why Collins gets the edge over Brandon Scherff. Plus, the G-Men love LSU players.
10. St. Louis Rams	Brandon Scherff, OT	A no brainer pick. With Jake Long gone, and Joseph Baksdale set to leave via free agency, the Rams need to reload on the offensive line.
11. Minnesota Vikings	Shane Ray, DE
12. Cleveland Browns	Alvin Dupree, DE
13. New Orleans Saints	Randy Gregory, DE
14. Miami Dolphins	Trae Waynes, CB
15. San Francisco 49ers	Andrus Peat, OT
16. Houston Texans	Devante Parker, WR
17. San Diego Chargers	Melvin Gordon, RB
18. Kansas City Chiefs	Malcom Brown, DE
19. Cleveland Browns	Ereck Flowers, OT
20. Philadelphia Eagles	Jaelen Strong, WR
21. Cincinnati Bengals	Eddie Goldman, DE
22. Pittsburgh Steelers	Landon Collins, S
23. Detroit Lions	DJ Humprhries
24. Arizona Cardinals	Erik Kendricks, LB
25. Carolina Panthers	Todd Gurley, RB
26. Baltimore Ravens	Arik Armstead, DT
27. Dallas Cowboys	Jalen Collins, CB
28. Denver Broncos	TJ Clemmons, OT
29. Indianapolis Colts	Cameron Erving, OL
30. Green Bay Packers	Byron Jones, CB
31. New Orleans Saints	Dorial Green-Beckham, WR
32. New England Patriots	Breshad Perriman, WR