Anyone who has played Fantasy Football long enough remembers some of the best seasons of all time. And we're not just talking about Christian McCaffrey, Michael Thomas or Lamar Jackson from last year. We're talking about Marshall Faulk in 2000, Randy Moss in 2000 and Peyton Manning in 2013, among others.
All. Time. Greats.
Now, imagine getting the chance to have the best season of some Fantasy Football Hall of Famers and putting them all on the same Fantasy roster. We did just that. Welcome to the Ultimate Fantasy Team draft.
Eight members of our CBS Sports staff took part in this PPR draft over nine rounds. We were only allowed to draft players from 1997-2019, and you can only pick a player once. For example, you could not draft Moss in 2007 and Moss in 2003, even though those are two of the top-five Fantasy seasons for a receiver in this time frame. Once Moss was selected, he was off the board.
The reason we chose this era is because 1997 is when SportsLine first starting hosting Fantasy commissioner leagues. SportsLine turned into CBS SportsLine and eventually CBSSports.com. And here we are.
The lineup we had to fill was QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE and two flex sports (RB/WR/TE). And it was fun to break down the draft.
Of the 72 players drafted, the Chiefs had the most players represented with seven (Patrick Mahomes in 2018, Travis Kelce in 2018, Tyreek Hill in 2018, Jamaal Charles in 2013, Larry Johnson in 2006, Tony Gonzalez in 2004 and Priest Holmes in 2003). The Bills, Buccaneers and Bengals had no players selected in this draft.
The Rams (Todd Gurley in 2017, Steven Jackson in 2006 and Faulk) and Chiefs (Charles, Johnson and Holmes) had the most running backs drafted with three. The Packers had the most receivers drafted with three (Davante Adams in 2018, Jordy Nelson in 2014 and Antonio Freeman in 1998). And the Chiefs had the most tight ends drafted with two (Kelce and Gonzalez).
As we start to get into our teams below, in adding up the total points for each Fantasy roster, I had the best squad. Picking at No. 2 overall, I drafted LaDainian Tomlinson (2006), Kelce, Thomas, Terrell Davis (1998), Drew Brees (2011), Josh Gordon (2013), Ricky Williams (2002), Andre Johnson (2008) and Matt Forte (2014).
The order of finish in total points was me, Heath Cummings, Chris Towers, George Maselli, Ben Gretch, Adam Aizer, Ben Schragger and Dave Richard. But Dave had a different strategy when it came to selecting his players.
Dave opted for best points per game as opposed to just total points. For example, he drafted Faulk over Tomlinson at No. 1 overall, even though Tomlinson outscored Faulk 483.1-455.9. But Faulk only played 14 games in 2000 compared to 16 for Tomlinson in 2006, and Faulk averaged 32.56 PPR points per game compared to 30.19 for Tomlinson.
Dave also took the best average for Odell Beckham (24.58 in 2014) and Clinton Portis (23.57 in 2003) because both missed time due to injury. As a result, Dave's team had the best average points per game. He was followed by Heath, me, Ben Gretch, George, Chris, Adam and Ben Schragger.
Let's take a look at the draft and get some commentary for each manager about their roster.
Our draft order is as follows:
1. Dave Richard, Senior Fantasy Writer
2. Jamey Eisenberg, Senior Fantasy Writer
3. Heath Cummings, Senior Fantasy Writer
4. Chris Towers, Senior Editor, Fantasy
5. George Maselli, Fantasy Editor
6. Ben Gretch, Fantasy Editor
7. Ben Schragger, Podcast Producer
8. Adam Aizer, Podcast Host
Round by round
Round 1
1.01 Marshall Faulk, Rams - 2000
1.02 LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers - 2006
1.03 Christian McCaffrey, Panthers - 2019
1.04 Rob Gronkowski, Patriots - 2011
1.05 Priest Holmes, Chiefs - 2003
1.06 Steven Jackson, Rams - 2006
1.07 Randy Moss, Patriots - 2007
1.08 Jimmy Graham, Saints - 2013
Round 2
2.01 Antonio Brown, Steelers - 2014
2.02 Arian Foster, Texans - 2010
2.03 David Johnson, Cardinals - 2016
2.04 Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs - 2018
2.05 Peyton Manning, Broncos - 2013
2.06 Marvin Harrison, Colts - 2002
2.07 Travis Kelce, Chiefs - 2018
2.08 Todd Gurley, Rams - 2017
Round 3
3.01 Lamar Jackson, Ravens - 2019
3.02 Michael Thomas, Saints - 2019
3.03 Aaron Rodgers, Packers - 2011
3.04 Edgerrin James, Colts - 2000
3.05 Shaun Alexander, Seahawks - 2005
3.06 Tom Brady, Patriots - 2007
3.07 Calvin Johnson, Lions - 2011
3.08 Chris Johnson, Titans - 2009
Round 4
4.01 Julio Jones, Falcons - 2015
4.02 Zach Ertz, Eagles - 2018
4.03 Jamaal Charles, Chiefs - 2013
4.04 Saquon Barkley, Giants - 2018
4.05 Torry Holt, Rams - 2003
4.06 Brian Westbrook, Eagles - 2007
4.07 Terrell Davis, Broncos - 1998
4.08 Odell Beckham, Giants - 2014
Round 5
5.01 Le'Veon Bell, Steelers - 2016
5.02 Drew Brees, Saints - 2011
5.03 Terrell Owens, 49ers - 2002
5.04 Brandon Marshall, Jets - 2015
5.05 Demaryius Thomas, Broncos - 2014
5.06 Steve Smith, Panthers - 2005
5.07 Wes Welker, Patriots - 2011
5.08 Larry Johnson, Chiefs - 2006
Round 6
6.01 DeAndre Hopkins, Texans - 2018
6.02 Ray Rice, Ravens - 2011
6.03 Ahman Green, Packers - 2003
6.04 Hines Ward, Steelers - 2002
6.05 Tiki Barber, Giants - 2005
6.06 Davante Adams, Packers - 2018
6.07 Josh Gordon, Browns - 2013
6.08 Clinton Portis, Broncos - 2003
Round 7
7.01 Anquan Boldin, Cardinals - 2008
7.02 Ricky Williams, Dolphins - 2002
7.03 Alvin Kamara, Saints - 2018
7.04 Jordy Nelson, Packers - 2014
7.05 Tyreek Hill, Chiefs - 2018
7.06 Muhsin Muhammad, Panthers - 2004
7.07 Barry Sanders, Lions - 1997
7.08 Rod Smith, Broncos - 2000
Round 8
8.01 Adrian Peterson, Vikings - 2012
8.02 Cam Newton, Panthers - 2015
8.03 Jordan Reed, Redskins - 2015
8.04 LeSean McCoy, Eagles - 2011
8.05 DeMarco Murray, Cowboys - 2014
8.06 Charlie Garner, Raiders - 2002
8.07 Andre Johnson, Texans - 2008
8.08 Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs - 2004
Round 9
9.01 Antonio Freeman, Packers - 1998
9.02 Matt Forte, Bears - 2014
9.03 Dallas Clark, Colts - 2009
9.04 Eddie George, Titans - 2000
9.05 George Kittle, 49ers - 2018
9.06 Jimmy Smith, Jaguars - 1999
9.07 Roddy White, Falcons - 2010
9.08 Daunte Culpepper, Vikings - 2004
Team by team breakdown
1. Dave Richard, Senior Fantasy Writer
Pos. - Name - Best year - Total points - PPG
- QB - Lamar Jackson, Ravens - 2019 - 488.9 - 32.59
- RB - Marshall Faulk, Rams - 2000 - 455.9 - 32.56
- RB - Todd Gurley, Rams - 2017 - 377.3 - 25.15
- WR - Odell Beckham, Giants - 2014 - 295.0 - 24.58
- WR - Anquan Boldin, Cardinals - 2008 - 257.5 - 21.45
- WR - Antonio Freeman, Packers - 1998 - 301.9 - 20.72
- TE - Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs - 2004 - 270.3 - 16.89
- FLEX - Le'Veon Bell, Steelers - 2016 - 309.4 - 25.78
- FLEX - Clinton Portis, Broncos - 2003 - 306.5 - 23.57
Favorite pick: Odell Beckham
Pick you regret: Antonio Freeman
Player you just missed out on: There were two — Brian Westbrook in Round 4 and Josh Gordon in Round 6. Westbrook would have been special, not only for his stats but because I used to work with him at CBS. And Gordon was incredibly special, and that specific year of his career deserves to be celebrated. I wish he could have been on my team.
2. Jamey Eisenberg, Senior Fantasy Writer
Pos. - Name - Best year - Total points - PPG
- QB - Drew Brees, Saints - 2011 - 481.3 - 30.08
- RB - LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers - 2006 - 483.1 - 30.19
- RB - Terrell Davis, Broncos - 1998 - 381.5 - 23.84
- WR - Michael Thomas, Saints - 2019 - 372.6 - 23.28
- WR - Josh Gordon, Browns - 2013 - 314.4 - 22.45
- WR - Andre Johnson, Texans - 2008 - 318.5 - 19.90
- TE - Travis Kelce, Chiefs - 2018 - 296.6 - 18.53
- FLEX - Ricky Williams, Dolphins - 2002 - 356.6 - 22.28
- FLEX - Matt Forte, Bears - 2014 - 342.6 - 21.41
Favorite pick: Terrell Davis
Pick you regret: Travis Kelce
Player you just missed out on: Todd Gurley in Round 2. The running backs dominated this draft, and I should have taken Gurley over Kelce. While Kelce is one of three tight ends in this era with at least 18.5 PPR points per game (Rob Gronkowski was at 20.68 in 2011 and Jimmy Graham was at 18.96 in 2013), I could have waited and still got a standout tight end later. However, it still worked out well because I scored the most total points of any team in this league.
3. Heath Cummings, Senior Fantasy Writer
Pos. - Name - Best year - Total points - PPG
- QB - Aaron Rodgers, Packers - 2011 - 485.9 - 32.39
- RB - Christian McCaffrey, Panthers - 2019 - 467.2 - 29.20
- RB - Brian Westbrook, Eagles - 2007 - 368.4 - 24.56
- WR - Marvin Harrison, Colts - 2002 - 382.2 - 23.88
- WR - Terrell Owens, 49ers - 2002 - 321.9 - 22.99
- WR - Davante Adams, Packers - 2018 - 327.6 - 21.84
- TE - Dallas Clark, Colts - 2009 - 271.7 - 16.98
- FLEX - Alvin Kamara, Saints - 2018 - 346.2 - 23.08
- FLEX - Charlie Garner, Raiders - 2002 - 347.3 - 21.70
Favorite pick: Terrell Owens. This isn't the first time I've felt like Owens isn't getting the respect he deserves. In 2002, Owens averaged 22.99 Fantasy points per game over 14 games. Randy Moss, Antonio Brown, Michael Thomas and Marvin Harrison are the only receivers to average more while playing at least 14 games. They were all gone by the third pick of Round 3. I picked up Owens a full two rounds later.
Pick you regret: Aaron Rodgers
Player you just missed out on: Michael Thomas in Round 3
4. Chris Towers, Senior Editor, Fantasy
Pos. - Name - Best year - Total points - PPG
- QB - Peyton Manning, Broncos - 2013 - 528.6 - 33.04
- RB - Edgerrin James, Colts - 2000 - 391.3 - 24.45
- RB - Tiki Barber, Giants - 2005 - 357.0 - 22.31
- WR - Torry Holt, Rams - 2003 - 357.1 - 22.31
- WR - Brandon Marshall, Jets - 2015 - 337.2 - 21.07
- WR - Jordy Nelson, Packers - 2014 - 327.9 - 20.49
- TE - Rob Gronkowski, Patriots - 2011 - 330.9 - 20.68
- FLEX - DeMarco Murray, Cowboys - 2014 - 349.1 - 21.81
- FLEX - Eddie George, Titans - 2000 - 332.2 - 20.76
Favorite pick: Torry Holt. I'm not quite sure everyone remembers just how good Holt was at his best. He averaged 94 catches, 1,385 yards and eight touchdowns per season over an eight-year stretch from 2000-2007, and only five wide receivers from 1997 through 2019 had more fantasy points in a season than Holt's 357.1 in 2003. He's one of just five players to have multiple seasons of 1,600-plus receiving yards since 1997, and Julio Jones, Randy Moss and Jerry Rice are the only players since the merger to have as many seasons of 1,300-plus yards as Holt's six. If I accomplish nothing else in this exercise except helping people remember how good Holt was, I'll have done my job.
Pick you regret: Edgerrin James
Player you just missed out on: Jamaal Charles in Round 4
5. George Maselli, Fantasy Editor
Pos. - Name - Best year - Total points - PPG
- QB - Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs - 2018 - 516.3 - 32.27
- RB - Priest Holmes, Chiefs - 2003 - 445.0 - 27.81
- RB - Shaun Alexander, Seahawks - 2005 - 368.8 - 23.05
- WR - Demaryius Thomas, Broncos - 2014 - 338.9 - 21.18
- WR - Hines Ward, Steelers - 2002 - 329.1 - 20.56
- WR - Tyreek Hill, Chiefs - 2018- 328.0 - 20.5
- TE - George Kittle, 49ers - 2018 - 256.7 - 16.04
- FLEX - Saquon Barkley, Giants - 2018 - 383.8 - 23.98
- FLEX - LeSean McCoy, Eagles - 2011 - 328.4 - 21.89
Favorite pick: Priest Holmes
Pick you regret: Most of them. Remember in school when you had a test that you should have killed but got a 78 because you didn't prepare? Maybe that was just me. Winging it is not a winning strategy most of the time. But hey, I needed some prep work to do this draft more deftly and never did find just the right reference on the web while it was ongoing.
Player you missed out on: Jamaal Charles in Round 4
6. Ben Gretch, Fantasy Editor
Pos. - Name - Best year - Total points - PPG
- QB - Tom Brady, Patriots - 2007 - 496.24 - 31.01
- RB - Steven Jackson, Rams - 2006 - 411.4 - 25.71
- RB - David Johnson, Cardinals - 2016 - 401.8 - 25.51
- WR - Steve Smith, Panthers - 2005 - 335.8 - 20.98
- WR - Muhsin Muhammad, Panthers - 2004 - 325.0 - 20.31
- WR - Jimmy Smith, Jaguars - 1999 - 313.6 - 19.6
- TE - Jordan Reed, Redskins - 2015 - 248.2 - 17.7
- FLEX - Jamaal Charles, Chiefs - 2013 - 374.0 - 24.9
- FLEX - Ahman Green, Packers - 2003 - 381.0 - 23.81
Favorite pick: Jamaal Charles. This was a fun exercise because we all lived these performances. The five-touchdown game Charles put up in Week 15 of 2013 helped me take down my longest-running home league for the first time — a championship that had eluded me since my brothers and I started the league in 1999. Odell Beckham's 2014, which Dave took later that round, helped me make it back-to-back the next year.
Pick you regret: Steven Jackson
Player you just missed out on: Priest Holmes in Round 1
7. Ben Schragger, Podcast Producer
Pos. - Name - Best year - Total points - PPG
- QB - Cam Newton, Panthers - 2015 - 465.58 - 29.09
- RB - Arian Foster, Texans - 2010 - 390.0 - 24.37
- RB - Ray Rice, Ravens - 2011 - 374.84 - 23.42
- WR - Randy Moss, Patriots - 2007 - 385.3 - 24.08
- WR - Calvin Johnson, Lions - 2011 - 359.2 - 22.45
- WR - Wes Welker, Patriots - 2011 - 333.9 - 20.86
- TE - Zach Ertz, Eagles - 2018 - 280.3 - 17.5
- FLEX - Barry Sanders, Lions - 1997 - 346.8 - 21.67
- FLEX - Roddy White, Falcons - 2010 - 312.2 - 19.5
Favorite pick: Randy Moss
Pick you regret: Zach Ertz
Player you just missed out on: Tom Brady in Round 2. I passed on a quarterback in the first two rounds hoping one of my top three guys (Mahomes, Manning and Brady) would make it back to me in Round 3. Instead, five quarterbacks went off the board after my second pick. Brady would have been a huge addition, as he averaged over 31 points per game and scored 82 more points than the second best quarterback that season — good for the biggest margin ever. Brady only had one game under 20 Fantasy points all year, and my squad would have benefitted from the Brady to Moss combo that totaled 23 touchdowns.
8. Adam Aizer, Podcast Host
Pos. - Name - Best year - Total points - PPG
- QB - Daunte Culpepper, Vikings - 2004 - 450.58 - 28.16
- RB - Chris Johnson, Titans - 2009 - 390.9 - 24.43
- RB - Larry Johnson, Chiefs - 2006 - 370.9 - 23.18
- WR - Antonio Brown, Steelers - 2014 - 380.9 - 23.80
- WR - Julio Jones, Falcons - 2015 - 365.1 - 22.81
- WR - DeAndre Hopkins, Texans - 2018 - 333.5 - 20.84
- TE - Jimmy Graham, Saints - 2013 - 303.5 - 18.96
- FLEX - Rod Smith, Broncos - 2000 - 322.1 - 20.13
- FLEX - Adrian Peterson, Vikings - 2012 - 341.4 - 21.33
Favorite pick: Larry Johnson
Pick you regret: Adrian Peterson
Player you just missed out on: Randy Moss in Round 1. In my mind this might be the single greatest season of the last 20 years. Moss was coming off an abysmal 2006 with Oakland when he erupted for 98 catches, 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2007 with New England. He caught 20 more touchdowns than he did the previous season, which is incredible. I am still quite mad at Ben Schragger for taking Moss just before I could.