Today, we have the top twenty draft picks of the decade. To be honest, I’m not even sure how I would classify a great draft pick, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try. Most of these were super sleeper picks, top players found in the late rounds. Some were early picks that I would consider game-changers. One think I’m not taking into account is what any player did after the season they were drafted (as keepers). That’s a whole different list. Anyhow, here are the 20 greatest draft picks of our first decade.
#20 – Eric Vozzola picks Kellen Winslow, TE – CLE (13th Round, 2006) Early on in Robioland, tight ends weren’t looked at as game-changers. All they were good for was good ‘tight end’ gay jokes during the draft. At best, you hoped they produced as well as a mid-to-low level No 2 receiver…think Wesley Walls. However, players like Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates changed everything. Elite tight ends suddenly were flying off the board as early as the 3rd round in more recent years, with almost all teams filling out their TE spot no later than the 10th round. Back in 2006 though, while 13th round picks were being wasted on Ryan Moats and Matt Leinart, Eric grabbed former Hurricanes and current Tampa Bay TE Kellen Winslow. Kellen was a stud coming into the NFL, but his first two years were devastated by injury. However, in 2006 Winslow led all tight ends in receptions with 86. Only eight wide receivers had more than 86 catches that year.
#19 – Griff Coomer picks Jason Witten, TE – DAL (13th Round, 2007) Maybe Eric started a trend in 2006 with Winslow in the 13th, because in 2007, three people grabbed top-eight tight ends. Dave took Owen Daniels, Molly grabbed Dallas Clark, but it was Griff would drafted the best of the bunch, with Jason Witten. In fact, Witten was the best tight end in the league, with 96 catches, 1,145 yards and seven scores.
#18 – Eric Vozzola picks Marty Booker, WR – CHI (14th Round, 2002) When you’re putting a list like this together, you have a choice, just the elite with a top-ten list, or expand the list to include solid picks that aren’t quite elite? Obviously, I went with the top-20. In 2002, two solid receivers were grabbed deep in the draft. In round 14, Eric grabbed the third Chicago receiver of the draft (David took Marcus Robinson, Griff took David Terrell, both in the 6th round). Robinson finished ranked 90th. Terrell finished 100th. With the last pick in the draft (yes, we only went 14 that year), Eric grabbed the 14th best receiver.
#17 – Justin Acerno picks Jerry Rice, WR – OAK (13th Round, 2002) Personally, I don’t know too many people who would draft a 40-year-old receiver, even this late in the draft, even if he was once the greatest receiver ever. Yet, that’s just what Justin did and he nailed down the 13th best receiver that year. Not bad for the 45th wide receiver taken in the draft. Rice was also one reason why Acerno led the league in scoring in his one season in Robioland.
#16 – Rich Calderon picks Steve Smith, WR – CAR (15th Round, 2003) The key to any successful fantasy football season is getting that player the season he breaks out. That would be Calderon and Steve Smith way back in 2003. Prior to that season, Smith was an unknown 5’1-ish receiver, few had heard of. In two seasons in Carolina, he had produced 64 catches for just over 1,000 yards, playing second fiddle to Muhammad. So few paid attention when Rich grabbed his fifth receiver of the draft in the last round (pick #178). While Calderon never really landed that elite WR, he got himself a boat load of No 2’s and the last one he took, was the best of the bunch…Horn (15th), Bruce (17th), Warrick (18th), Stokes (116th), Steve Smith (13th).
#15 – Molly Coomer picks Jake Plummer, QB – DEN (15th Round, 2005) >>> Cut, picked up by Don in Week 7 I don’t have a choice. I have to include the fifth best QB in 2005, taken in the last round (172nd pick). So what’s my problem? Well, I wanted to avoid ‘cut’ players, but as you’ll see on this list, I didn’t have a choice. Anyhow, Molly cut Plummer and Don picked him up in week seven. What happened? Don won five of his last seven, took the division and the top seed. Molly won her first post-Plummer three games, but failed to break 1,000 in two of them. She would lose her last four and again in the first round of the playoffs.
#14 – Don Vozzola picks Joey Galloway, WR – TB (12th Round, 2005) >>> Cut, picked up by Griff in Week 2 While Plummer was a bonus to Don’s nine-win team in 2005, it was Galloway who could have drove him to a championship, if he hadn’t cut him in week two of course. Heading into the 2005 season, it was doubtful anyone was going to waste a pick on the veteran receiver. He hadn’t produced a 1,000-yard season since 1998 (around the time Don started to masturbate to his twelve speed). Galloway would end up having a rebirth in ’05, with 83 catches and 1,287 yards and 10 scores. He finished 7th among receivers. More importantly, he did it for Griff’s 2005 championship team. While Larry Johnson will always get most of the credit for Griff’s amazing 2005 run, we can’t ignore that he picked up a No 1 receiver in week two as well.
#13 – Robio Murray picks Drew Brees, QB – SD (9th Round, 2006) I always had a habit of taking quarterbacks late. I always had faith I could find a good one late after hitting the jackpot in 1999. However, by 2004 that theory had been debunked. In 2006 though, I decided to wait again and it paid off. I grabbed Drew Brees, the league’s No 2 QB in the ninth. He led me to a division title and the title game. However, I’ll remember this pick mostly as a negative, because the following year, I kept Travis Henry over Brees in Category Two. Yeah, you know how that all turned out. Brees got an MVP two years later, while Henry had about six more kids and was kicked out of the league.
#12 – Bob Castrone picks Santana Moss, WR – NYJ (10th Round, 2005) Every year someone grabbed Santana Moss and every year, you just never knew what you were going to get. In 2002, he caught 31 balls. In 2003, he became the 8th best receiver. However, in 2004 it appeared ’03 was a fluke, as he dropped to 45 catches, so he was shipped off to D.C. In 2005, we knew someone was going to grab him, but not too early. Hell, he wasn’t even the best Moss in the league. Randy Moss was taken in the first round, while Bob took his third receiver with Santana in the 10th. Bob would end up taking two more WR’s late, he should have saved his picks. While Randy finished 18th, Santana was the third best receiver in 2005. Too bad, it was about the only thing Bob did right trying to defend his 2004 title. He won only three games that year.
#11 – Matt Neatock picks Wes Welker, WR – NE (13th Round, 2007) I’ll admit, I gave Matt a hard time during the draft that year (Is it me or is the draft just not the same with Matt not in NY anymore?). Anyhow, I thought it was comical that Matt was grabbing every white receiver out there (before Matt gets too cocky, let’s not forget, it was Kevin Curtis that Matt was bragging about the most). Anyhow, we all know what happened with the Patriots that year, producing the greatest offense in league history, which means, even a tiny possession receiver like Welker can become a stud. He was the 10th best receiver in 2007, giving Matt two top-ten receivers (Randy Moss was No 1), which might help explain Matt’s championship team that year.
#10 – David Hightower picks Curtis Martin, RB – NYJ (5th Round, 2004) So far, a lot of wide receivers, a couple of tight ends and even a pair of quarterbacks, all taken late. Yet, football was once all about the running back and the chances of finding a stud runner later was nearly impossible. Still, Curtis Martin in the fifth should not be ignored. Despite having solid years in both New England and New York (Jets), in fact he was only two years removed from a 1,500-yard season, Martin kept getting passed up in the 2005 draft. Some how, some way, 25 running backs were taken before Dave took Curtis Martin (he himself took two; Portis and Suggs). Martin produced over 1,900 total yards, finishing 3rd among backs.
#9 – Robio Murray picks Torry Holt, WR – STL (5th Round, 2003), Rob Masterson picks Chad Johnson, WR – CIN (4th Rd, 2003) Wait? Two picks in one spot? Plus, two wide receivers in the 4th and 5th round? How good can these picks really be? Let’s just say, pretty damn good. Holt was an elite receiver, finishing 2nd, only behind Randy Moss, while Chad Johnson finished one spot behind Holt in 3rd. While Holt’s and Chad Johnson’s (Ochocinco) names are familiar with everyone now (unless you’re Neatock in the 12th round in the 2006 draft), back in 2003, they weren’t. In fact, here are the receivers taken just ahead of Holt that year: Charles Rogers (92nd), Josh Reed (55th), Rod Gardner (38th) and Koren Robinson (34th). In front of Johnson, you had Dante “Killer” Stallworth (69th), Donald Driver (47th), Amani Toomer (16th) and David Boston (20th).
#8 – Molly Coomer picks Matt Forte, RB – CHI (6th Round, 2008), Bob Castrone picks Chris Johnson, RB – TEN (7th Rd, 2006) Yep, two picks in the same spot again. Sorry, I guess this is my top-22 picks of all-time. Anyhow, these two are so identical, they can only be mentioned together. Anyhow, one can argue that the 2008 draft, was the year of the sleeper running back (as you’ll see here and one pick below). In the mid-rounds, Molly and Bob each grabbed two game-changers. First, Coomer took rookie Forte in the 6th, while Bob grabbed Johnson in the 7th. Throughout the season, Johnson was flashier and had a couple of stunning games, but he had to share carries with some fat guy from USC. Forte was the sole provider in the Chicago backfield, so he actually finished five spots ahead of Johnson, as the 3rd best back in football in 2008. The two backs were key in helping Molly and Bob have a classic battle for the top of the division. The two teams combined for 19 wins in the regular season, but it was Molly who won out (and the division) with 10 wins, thanks mostly to Forte, a rookie All-Robio player.
#7 – Colby Hall picks Muhsin Muhammad, WR – CAR (11th Round, 2004) >>> Cut early and often Ten bucks says you nearly forgot about this one, didn’t you? I certainly almost did…actually, that’s a lie. I may forget your wife’s name or any favor you’ve ever done for me, but I don’t forget shit like this. Muhammad became second fiddle in Carolina, ever since Steve Smith broke out. Prior to 2004, he had cracked 1,000 yards only twice in his career (1999-2000). So when Jeff snagged him early in the 11th round, the only question was, how long would it take Colby to cut him? (We’ll get to that answer in a bit). By the time the season ended, Muhsin had one of the best late runs in league history for a receiver, coming out of nowhere to steal the crown for best receiver-2004. How good was this run? Let me document it for you. After three weeks, MM had 6 catches for 91 yards and one TD. After a week three bye-week, Colby cut him for WR, Tim Carter. That same week I picked him up and he went off with seven catches, 114 yards and a TD, yet for reasons only known to 2004 Robio, I cut him (despite that great game) the following week for RB, Artose Pinner. Four days later, Calderon claimed him. Excited, to land a 100-yard WR, Rich was crushed after MM produced a stunning 7 catches for 57 yards and one TD in two games. Rich cut him for QB, Kerry Collins. Of course, two days later, I picked him up again. Smart move, right? Oh just wait, we’re just getting started.
In week seven, MM dropped a third straight shit game, 3/28/0. That was all for me. I cut him for WR, Justin McCareins. So what does Muhammad do as a free agent in Robioland? He goes off with eight catches, 106 yards and two TD’s. What the fuck? Heading into week nine, both Molly and Matt were ahead of Colby on the waiver wire (both at 2-6), but it was the Pounders who grabbed up Muhammad for a second stint. The move would pay off. MM would finished the last eight games with 62 catches, 1009 yards and 14 total touchdowns. He finished the season as the number one WR in the league.
#6 – Richard Burrier picks L. Tomlinson, RB – SD (1st Round, 2003) Yes, I know what you’re going to ask, how can I not only put a first-round pick on this list, but the top f-ing pick that year on this list? First, we need at least one first-round pick, right? Second, think back to 2003 and it really wasn’t that simple. Go ahead, think back. It was a simpler time in Robioland Fantasy, when running backs owned the league. If you didn’t have two solid backs, you didn’t win championships. In 2004, 10 of the first 12 picks were running backs, as were 17 of the first 21. With the first pick, you had to get it right, or your season would be over. The problem was, there were so many to choose from. You had Robioland MVP, Priest Holmes, Ricky Williams coming off a 2,200 total yard season. Don’t forget about Portis, who had just produced nearly 1,900 yards in Denver. Tiki was becoming a all-purpose stud, Travis Henry was young, had only half-a-dozen kids at that point and 1,700 total yards in 2002. Let’s not forget other 1,300-yard backs like Garner, Alexander, McAllister, George, Fred Taylor and Jamal Lewis. Rich also could have grabbed Marshall Faulk for one final run for glory, or a newcomer, William Green, who exploded in the 2002 playoffs, leading Robio to a championship.
In the end, Rich picked Tomlinson, who produced over 2,300 total yards and 17 TD’s. Despite those amazing numbers, it was still Priest Holmes who led all running backs, thanks to his league record 27 touchdowns (which earned him Robioland’s only back-to-back MVP trophy). Yet again, we are giving LT the spot on these rankings. Why? Because not only did he come up big in the regular season, he went off in the playoffs, single handily leading Rich to the title. In his three Robioland playoff games, LT produced 554 yards and six touchdowns, producing 1,273 total fantasy points, 424ppg.
#5 – Rich Calderon picks Steve Slaton, RB – HOU (10th Round, 2008) If you just look at the numbers, it’s the second greatest sleeper pick in the history of the league (the best one is below, see #1). However, the top one (as you wil see is a quarterback) and in my personal, God-fearing opinion, sleeper running backs are much harder to find after the 10th round. For Rich, prior to 2008, he had always failed to land an elite player; dare I say, a stud for all to admire. While keeping Brees (the league MVP) was impressive, it was the drafting of Slaton that gave him his first divisional crown. Don’t underestimate how important this pick was though. Rich grabbed two running backs with his first two picks (L. Johnson and J. Lewis) and both were busts. Instead, he landed the sixth best back of the year in the 10th round and it literally saved his season.
#4 – Matt Neatock picks Adrian Peterson, RB – MIN (2nd Round, 2007) While there are some pretty solid picks and players on this list, only one so far actually led their respective team to a title. That would be Wes Welker for Matt in 2007, but in reality, even though it was a great pick, Wes Welker didn’t lead Matt to the title that year, Adrian Peterson did. Purple Jesus was a stud rookie. While we all knew he was good, he was hampered by injuries while at Oklahoma, so predictions had him going somewhere in the third. Matt decided to steal him early, grabbing him with the 22nd pick in the second round. The move paid off. The rookie was spectacular. In fact, his third place finish among running backs doesn’t really do him justice. He was the best back all year. Some minor injuries were the only thing that kept him from the rushing title.
#3 – David Hightower picks Tom Brady, QB – NE (3rd Round, 2007) Tom Brady was a great NFL quarterback. He had three Superbowl titles to prove that, like me! He also was quite handsome, like me! Yet, he was never really a superstar in Robioland. Prior to 2007, he had only been drafted in the top five rounds twice and he only cracked the top-five for quarterbacks once (in 2005). The word on the street was always, if only he had some receivers. Well, in 2005, the Patriots gave Tom three new receivers; Moss, Welker and Stallworth, as well as stolen defensive signals from his opponents, so it wasn’t too shocking when Dave reached a bit to take a homer pick like Brady in the third round. The result? The greatest fantasy season of all time. Brady threw 50 touchdowns on the season, but more importantly, he averaged 433ppg in Robioland, 22 more points than Manning’s 2004 campaign. Brady, almost single handily led Dave to an 11-2 season and a semi-finals appearance.
#2 – Griff Coomer picks Larry Johnson, RB – KC (8th Round, 2005) Known in Robioland simply as “The Pick” (you can get a more detailed take on it here), this pick was so huge because it directly led to one teams success and another teams failure. Let me take you back (yet again). The year, 2005. Bob was defending champ. I missed the post-season for the first time ever the year before. Griff had lost back-to-back title games (making it four in his career). Burrier was basking in his back-to-back division titles, Calderon was still trying to figure out how to get over his Burrier hump, Jeff/Colby were ready to ride Tiki for the next five to eight years, Molly was coming to grips after her first losing season, Don was still dreaming of his first playoff win, while Eric was still dreaming about his first playoff trip. Matt was fresh off his record setting 24-straight 1,000-point game streak and Rob Masterson, he had a decision to make…whether to keep aging superstar, Priest Holmes, in the first-round.
You see, in 2002-2003, Priest Holmes was the greatest football player in the land, but a season-ending injury knocked him out in week eight the year before and Masterson watched his championship dream go up in flames (he was 5-3 at that point). He would finish the season 1-6 (including a first-round exit to Bob). So in 2005, he knew Holmes was an injury risk, but the talent was there, so he decided to keep him. However, it was critical, absolutely critical, that he landed Priest’s backup, Larry Johnson. It wasn’t even a question of “if,” but “when” he would take Johnson. Well, as we’ve all already been told a dozen times before, Rob waited too long. Griff grabbed him in the 8th round and the rest is history. Priest Holmes only survived seven games, only two weeks after Rob lost Ahman Green to a season-ending injury, and the only player that could have helped, was sitting on Griff’s bench. Coomer pulled Baby Johnson off the pine and into the starting lineup. L.J. would produce over 2,000 total yards and 21 touchdowns, despite only starting in seven games. Griff would win seven of his last eight, including his first championship over Jeff/Colby. Rob, on the other hand, crumbled with no backs. After a 5-3 start, he would drop six straight, finish last in points, missing the post-season for the first time in his career.
#1 – Robio Murray picks Kurt Warner, RB – STL (16th Round, 1999) Come on, you had to know I’d be number one? It’s an oldie, but it’s still the gold standard of sleepers. Let me take you on a journey, back to the 20th Century. The year was our first year in Robioland. After filling up with running backs and wide receivers early on in my draft, I took Vinny Testaverde to be my starting QB. He was getting older, but he was coming off his best year as a Jet. Later, I believe the 8th round, I took Troy Aikman as a backup. Of course I knew his best days were behind him, but it was a homer pick. Besides, he was only meant to be a backup. In the 16th and final round, I also grabbed an unknown former grocery bagger named Kurt Warner. If you’ll recall, the Rams were coming off a sad 4-12 year, but with Coach Vermeil in his third yard, the Rams were expected to improve, especially on offense with the addition of future MVP, Marshall Faulk, as well as new quarterback Trent Green (traded from the Redskins) and rookie wide out, Torry Holt. However, in the final preseason game, Green was knocked out for the season, after getting hit in the knee by Rodney Harrison. Most assumed the Rams season was over before it even got started when Vermeil put in unknown Kurt Warner.
Now, don’t expect me to brag. I had no idea what to expect when I grabbed Warner. I figured I’d cut him by week three. However, in week one, Vinny Testaverde, after producing 101 points for me, went down right before the half and just like that, his season ended. Now I was down to Aikman and Warner. Obviously, I put in Aikman as a starter and yes, he did just fine, but on my bench, Warner was blowing up. In fact, after five weeks (where he played four games), he had four 300-yard games and a total of 14 touchdowns. All that time, I just kept waiting for Warner stats to come down to earth. They didn’t and I had no choice. I put him in and of course, what does he do? He fucks me. He had his worst week at Atlanta, 111 yards and one touchdown. I lost, falling to 3-3, but I kept him in. I wouldn’t lose again. Warner would pass for over 4,000 yards and 41 touchdowns, with only 13 picks. He averaged 362ppg that season. Why is this the best draft pick ever? I got the League MVP with the very last pick in the draft and he led me to a title. It’s that simple.
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