Easiest #1 fantasy pick

[TruffleShuffle]

An ESPN article made me think of this - say we've considered hockey and basketball over this year. So looking ahead to the next fantasy draft in each of the four major sports - no snide comments about hockey, please - if you were participating in fantasy leagues for each, which would be the easiest #1 overall pick to make?

 

If you wouldn't take any of these guys #1 overall, say who you'd prefer.

[Drew Doughty]

Baseball, though I don't play fantasy basketball or football much.

[tkenm356]

I say baseball, because Pujols has been consistently the best player for a while. Tomlinson has been extremely good, but he's not a #1 pick because to me there's no clear cut winner. Each year it's different. Tomlinson won't replicate those numbers, the same way Shaun Alexander won't replicate his own numbers.

 

I don't watch a lot of basketball or hockey, and I only play fantasy footbal and baseball.

 

If I have the number one pick in baseball, I take Pujols hands down. If I have the #1 pick in Football, I choose between Manning (as much as I hate him), Tomlinson, and Larry Johnson

[CuseCubFan69]

Wow Truffle, no Josie Moran to pick from? What kind of fantasy is this?

[Garwilly]

Wow Truffle, no Josie Moran to pick from? What kind of fantasy is this?

 

 

Oooooh, so his name is Jose Moran. I think we all owe this poor chap an apology after all these years.

 

http://bigpicture.typepad.com/writing/images/morans.jpg

[Andy]

Pujols and it's not even close.

[TruffleShuffle]

Pujols and it's not even close.

 

I beg to differ... I picked Crosby.

[rawaction]

I picked Crosby. I think there is a lot of competition for Pujols' #1 spot. Depending on the league, I could see Howard, Reyes, Soriano or even Santana picked. The fact that Pujols plays 1B, the easiest position to fill with a good player, makes it even less necessary to have him.

 

I didn't pick Lebron, because the NBA leagues I have played in count rebounds, shooting %, 3pt %, assists, etc. I think Dirk and Nash and Dwight Howard could all be better picks.

 

I didn't pick LT, because he wasn't even the #1 pick for most leagues last year. Larry Johnson was the trendy #1 and depending how the league values QBs, P Manning is the top pick. In recent years, Shaun Alexander has also been arguably a more frequent #1 also.

 

I've never played fantasy hockey, and don't follow the sport much, but I believe Crosby is the highest scorer in the league. I don't know what other stats there would be that matter that much for an offensive hockey player.

[TruffleShuffle]

I've never played fantasy hockey, and don't follow the sport much, but I believe Crosby is the highest scorer in the league. I don't know what other stats there would be that matter that much for an offensive hockey player.

 

There's usually goals, assists, penalty minutes, plus/minus, power play points, and game winning goals. Crosby's leading the league in assists and is and power play points. He's a little down the list in goals (and GWG) and has a solid, but not spectacular, plus/minus. He'll take a decent number of PIMs for a skill player as well.

 

I'd take him because he's so young and is still improving, and between Malkin, Recchi, Staal and Whitney, the Pens are loaded with offensive talent, much of it still quite young.

 

I'd definitely take Pujols and Tomlinson #1. Basketball is not as easy. I think good arguments could be made for Garnett, Wade, Kobe, Nowitzki, even Shawn Marion.

[soccer10k]

I would say Pujols but that's only because I don't know much about fantasy hockey leagues and what goes into the scoring (and yes I know that Truffle just posted it but I haven't done a fantasy hockey league before). As has been said, I could see Tomlinson going #1 in a lot of leagues but it's not a slam dunk (you know, since you could pick Reggie Bush :D) and there are a number of players would would get picked just as often as LeBron at #1 in basketball.

[wolf stansson]

LT

[Drew Doughty]

Pujols and it's not even close.

 

I beg to differ... I picked Crosby.

 

Crosby doesn't have staying power yet. Out of the 4 leagues I'm in, he went first overall once. I'm sure several people will still take Brodeur, Kiprusoff, or Luongo over him, especially if those teams do good things with their defense. I'm not entirely sure if I'd take Crosby first overall yet.

[CubColtPacer]

When's the last time in the NFL that there was a consensus #1 pick 2 years in a row?

[Productive Outs]

in most leagues, shawn marion and dirk are better fantasy players than lebron.

[Guest]

Pujols and it's not even close.

 

I beg to differ... I picked Crosby.

 

Crosby is the face of the NHL, Pujols is ONE of the faces of MLB. So, I agree Truffle, Sidney is a clear easily #1 pick in a fantasy draft, in all the major sports.

[MPrior]

So I know very little about fantasy sports, but I just participated in my first baseball draft, and I shocked the world and took Johan Santana with the first overall pick. My reasoning was that, while Pujols may contribute more, empirically speaking, to your team, Santana is so far ahead of the pack in pitching that the next best choice (probably Chris Carpenter) doesn't even compare.

 

Additionally, you have fewer pitching spots, so bang for your buck is more important in pitching than in hitting, as you can afford to spread the production around the lineup moreso than you can around your pitchers.

 

Just my opinion.

[wolf stansson]

So I know very little about fantasy sports, but I just participated in my first baseball draft, and I shocked the world and took Johan Santana with the first overall pick. My reasoning was that, while Pujols may contribute more, empirically speaking, to your team, Santana is so far ahead of the pack in pitching that the next best choice (probably Chris Carpenter) doesn't even compare.

 

Additionally, you have fewer pitching spots, so bang for your buck is more important in pitching than in hitting, as you can afford to spread the production around the lineup moreso than you can around your pitchers.

 

Just my opinion.

Pick number two in your draft was PUMPED.

[Banedon]

Too many people don't watch hockey. I know the name Sidney Crosby, but I know a lot of other hockey names too, and frankly other than "he's supposed to be good", I don't know jack about him, or most hockey players.

 

I voted for LT, as I really think pitching is more important in fantasy. While RB's that score TD's are HUGE in fantasy.

[MPrior]

So I know very little about fantasy sports, but I just participated in my first baseball draft, and I shocked the world and took Johan Santana with the first overall pick. My reasoning was that, while Pujols may contribute more, empirically speaking, to your team, Santana is so far ahead of the pack in pitching that the next best choice (probably Chris Carpenter) doesn't even compare.

 

Additionally, you have fewer pitching spots, so bang for your buck is more important in pitching than in hitting, as you can afford to spread the production around the lineup moreso than you can around your pitchers.

 

Just my opinion.

Pick number two in your draft was PUMPED.

 

No doubt. But I figured the surprise factor was worth it. That's why I chose Cesar Izturis and Royce Clayton (I thought I'd start a run on SS) with my next two picks.

[TruffleShuffle]

When's the last time in the NFL that there was a consensus #1 pick 2 years in a row?

 

Not sure. I don't think LT was a consensus #1 last season... Larry Johnson probably went #1 in more leagues, and Shawn Alexander was also in the mix.

[CubColtPacer]

When's the last time in the NFL that there was a consensus #1 pick 2 years in a row?

 

Not sure. I don't think LT was a consensus #1 last season... Larry Johnson probably went #1 in more leagues, and Shawn Alexander was also in the mix.

 

That was my point. LJ was the #1 last year (and then it was a fight between Tomlinson and Alexander for #2). In all my years of fantasy, the somewhat consensus #1 draft pick in football never ends up being the #1 fantasy scorer.

[TruffleShuffle]

When's the last time in the NFL that there was a consensus #1 pick 2 years in a row?

 

Not sure. I don't think LT was a consensus #1 last season... Larry Johnson probably went #1 in more leagues, and Shawn Alexander was also in the mix.

 

That was my point. LJ was the #1 last year (and then it was a fight between Tomlinson and Alexander for #2). In all my years of fantasy, the somewhat consensus #1 draft pick in football never ends up being the #1 fantasy scorer.

 

My guess would be that Marshall Faulk would be the last consensus #1 pick in back to back years. Not necessarily the year he was traded from the Colts to the Rams, but then the next three years he had big years. Before the 2001 season he was undoubtedly the consensus #1; I'd guess that he also was a #1 on most boards before the 2000 and/or 2002 seasons.

[imb]

If you're talking 2007 drafts, it has to be LT.

 

You could make an argument for Reyes or Santana over Pujols and Lebron isn't close to No. 1.

 

Of course, I don't know anything about Hockey, so maybe Crosby is Michael Jordan or something.

[CuseCubFan69]

If you're talking 2007 drafts, it has to be LT.

 

You could make an argument for Reyes or Santana over Pujols and Lebron isn't close to No. 1.

 

Of course, I don't know anything about Hockey, so maybe Crosby is Michael Jordan or something.

 

Crosby is more like a Lebron as he gets his teammates more involved than Jordan did.

[Rob]

I don't think Pujols has been a consensus #1 pick for that long now... especially when ARod still had SS eligibility.