Position rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Cheat Sheet
The libations at Casa de Evans are about to generously flow.
Saturday is Draft Day, amidst the corn, soybeans and swine of Central Illinois. Fourteen jackasses of various backgrounds — old friends, fellow fantasy aficionados (Hello, Andy Behrens!) and other media folks — will congregate in my Fighting Illini-themed basement barroom to partake in a salary-cap exercise best described as debaucherous.
(By the way, the odds Pat Bryant goes for an outlandish sum opened at -10,000,000 on BetMGM.)
Before the draft, some league members will create sizable divots at the nearby golf course. Others will frolic their dad bods shooting hoops in the on-property pool. And inevitably a cornhole tournament will break out. Smack talk and bags will fly as monetary wagers are placed. Throughout the day, tavern-style pizza from Monical’s and deliciously seasoned brisket will soak up the good times.
[ Gamer's Guide to the Gridiron: Fantasy football forecasts and NFL betting picks ]
We’ll catch up on life, reflect on wish-to-forget moments (I spent how much on Kerryon Johnson in 2019?!), run mouths, imbibe way too heavily and, of course, construct teams each member will stupidly believe earns them bragging rights when the January chill hits.
The best part is that every member will be in attendance. Zoom-styled drafts during COVID are mercifully long in the past. Frankly, there’s no better camaraderie than hanging with your people throwing around fake dollars and sipping fine tequila for hours on end in a room together.
The Red Grange Invitational has gone through many iterations during its 25-plus years of existence. League members have parted ways, replacements have filled voids and roster requirements have changed, but the sheer idiocy has never left.
Before the bidding begins, league matters and proposed alterations are always discussed. As a group, we constantly strive to enhance gameplay in an attempt to maximize our season-long experience.
With the backdrop set, here's how the Galloping Ghost rides. In our very biased opinions, it’s one of the best league setups imaginable. (And if you're wondering how the draft turned out, here are the Red Grange Invitational Draft results.)
1. 14 teams. It’s an ideal number. We universally feel it isn’t too shallow or ridiculously deep. In total, 224 players will be selected with the following starting roster requirements — QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, SuperFlex, K, and D/ST. It’s challenging, but not laborious to construct.
2. Salary cap auction. This is the only way to draft fairly. It’s equal opportunity at its finest. If you draw the 10th overall pick in yawn-worthy snake exercises, there’s no stinkin’ way you’re landing Ja'Marr Chase and his bevy of targets. That’s not the case in auctions. Each manager has a $200 budget and the means to buy whoever they want … until the coffers run dry. Bottom line: Snake drafts are for rookies. Real strategists slam the gavel. Once you salary-cap, you’ll never go back. Never. It’s more time-consuming, sure, but the complexities and nuances create unrivaled engagement — especially when done in person.
3. SuperFlex with a standard Flex. Single-QB leagues are for Neanderthals. True homo sapiens incorporate multiple flexes, including one where a passer has eligibility. The modern-day NFL is a passing league after all. Using pass attempts as a measuring stick, 13 of the top-15 most prolific vertical seasons in NFL history have occurred this century. Hey, Aaron Rodgers' elderly ass deserves a home -- and not of the Shady Acres variety.
4. Five bench spots. Most leagues require six standard bench members. Cutting it down by one and adding a second starting FLEX amplifies league moves. Essentially, it keeps participants active and on their toes, particularly when the bye-heavy weeks kick in. Zombies need not apply.
5. Two keepers. Each team is allowed to retain two players from the final 2023 roster. Whatever the purchase price was on draft day for Player X, it’s the same the following year. If it’s the third year of rostering a player, an extra $5 is attached. If a player was picked up off waivers, he’s $10. The total dollar amount of both keepers cannot exceed $55.
We feel the structure is clean and easy, and by limiting teams to a pair of protections each year, it allows for proper replenishments to splash in the draft-day pool.
Whenever and wherever your draft commences, enjoy it. This industry mouthpiece, like you, relishes every moment.
Let the bidding begin! Saquon Barkley for $20. Going once, going twice …