Gem State Bruins win league, draft update, Northern Lights relocation

The 2019 Columbia River Fantasy League season came to a conclusion last week as the #2 seeded Gem State Bruins knocked off #1 seeded Huskerfan 124.04 - 94 in the championship game. It completes the three-peat for the Bruins, who were also champions in 2017 and 2018.

Huskefan was largely let down by a meager performance from Jameis Winston, who picked a bad week to have an 11-point stinker. Patrick Mahomes and Mark Andrews (who has since been traded to the Tri-State Raptors) came up big for the Bruins.

In a cruel twist of fate, the Gem State Bruins will also be drafting from the 1.01 position in the 2020 CRFL Draft, thanks to Brucey's crew swapping their 2020 first round pick for an extra 2019 first round pick last April.
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The Northern Lights are no more. After a disappointing 2019 season plagued by injuries and bad luck, owner Scott Rodrigues felt a change of scenery was necessary. The North Pole located Lights are moving to Seattle and rebranding as the Emerald City Bucks.

The Eskimos and penguins are furious, threatening retaliation. Time will tell if Rodrigues and his team will find new energy in Seattle and if he'll escape violence.

2019 CRFL Draft Grades: Waiver Position 12-7

The CRFL was founded in 2011 with the hope that it would blossom into a thriving keeper fantasy football league. While it largely has, one of the lessons learned over the years is that even with solid engagement, there will always be winners and losers in the league. That's mostly how the 2019 CRFL Draft played out: the savvy teams got better, the struggling teams not so much. Here is a brief overview about how each team in the lower half did.

Waiver Position 12: Vito's Vikings (3-10 in 2018)

Nothing had to happen in the CRFL Draft for the worst team in the league to feel silly. Despite drafting at 1.02, the Vikings could not bask in prime draft position, considering they should have additionally been drafting at 1.01. A terrible trade in the 2018 off-season that involved Dez Bryant meant Huskerfan instead drafted first overall. Vikings watched Josh Jacobs go elsewhere, while Vito's team auto-drafted running back Damien Williams at 1.02. Not an awful pick, but not a smart one either. Vito would pick Robby Anderson at 2.01, an excellent selection with big upside. Drafting Robert Foster at 3.07 was also a solid pick. Latavius Murray at 3.01 was not. A mixed bag of free agents defined Vito's draft and while I do think this team improved, he once again completely ignores the value of rookies. Do not be stunned if the Vikings are in the 1.01 hole again in 2020. Here's hoping he hasn't traded that pick too. Grade: C

Waiver Position 11: Aloha State Warriors (4-9 in 2018)

The once proud Aloha State Warriors are paying for their "win now" strategy of the past. Once again, the Warriors traded away their first round pick in a previous off-season. This time, however, the consequence was heavy. The Warriors could have used their 1.02 pick to bolster an aging roster, but instead watched that pick be used by Vikings. From there, an auto-drafted nightmare pursued. Marvin Jones in the 2nd round was a blah pick, while Curtis Samuel is a decent add. No rookies were added as the Warriors stars get another year older. Positive: all of the Warriors' 2020, 2021, and 2022 picks are accounted for, so the bleeding has stopped, but the future of this team is depending on the longevity of ex-Steelers Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. Grade: D

Waiver Position 10: Brucey's crew (4-9 in 2018)

Bruce has always been engaged in this league, but results have been up-and-down. A surprising low was reached in 2018 that landed them in the 1.03 draft spot. Brucey had multiple first round picks, sending their 2020 first round pick to Gem State Bruins for an additional 2019 first, but immediately swapped that pick for Phillip Lindsay. Bruce took Jimmy Garoppolo at 1.03. Very high for Jimmy G, but Bruce found his quarterback of the future. Selecting the Bears DST in the 4th round also felt like a reach. Value picks of James Washington and Damien Harris could prove to be shrewd moves, but Brucey's team has an uphill climb to making sure that 2020 first round pick they traded away doesn't prove to be a high pick. Grade: C

Waiver Position 9: Connell Conquistadors (6-7 in 2018)

Damn you, Leonard Fournette. The Conquistadors traded for Fournette to the tune of three first round picks. THREE! Obviously in the hopes that the Jaguars running back would be a super star. While there is still hope that he will be, Connell finished fourth from last largely due to Fournette's inconsistency. Connell frustratingly watched Gem State Bruins draft N'Keal Harry in the Conquistador's draft slot, having seen that pick be moved between multiple teams. Connell wouldn't pick until 3.11, where they found an excellent value pick in Andy Isabella. Kansas City running back Darwin Thompson was also a solid dark horse addition. Connell did what they could with what they had and will hope to have better fortune this season. Grade: B-

Waiver Position 8: Desert Dreamers (6-7 in 2018)

Yes, yes. While having multiple early draft assets is great, the Dreamers deserve some grief for trading Patrick Mahomes away before he blew up. That aside, the Dreamers utilized their picks well. A perfect sequence of events that saw two free agents go at 1.02 and 1.03, followed by Gem State selecting wide receiver N'Keal Harry at 1.04 meant the Dreamers had their pick of rookie running backs, Josh Jacobs aside. They selected David Montgomery, who instantly becomes one of the team's best players. Montgomery and Derrius Guice could be the 1-2 tandem to boost the Dreamers into the conference race. The Dreamers also nabbed Kansas City wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who could be the successor to the disgraced Tyreek Hill. Noah Fant and Justice Hill also joined the rookie gang in the Desert. Tarik Cohen, another Dreamers selection, also offers spot start upside. The Dreamers took a big step towards making the postseason. Grade: A-

Waiver Position 7: Wind River Bison (6-7 in 2018)

The owner of the Bison is healing up from surgery and missed the draft, so his early selections were a combination of cheat sheet picks and later selections were auto-drafted. We'll cut him some slack on the grades. The Bison had some hard luck in 2018 and are way too talented to be picking at 1.06, but at 1.06 the Bison added Baltimore wide receiver Marquise Brown. A reach to some, the Bison were adamant in adding a young wide receiver talent. The off-season addition of Keenan Allen should make this team a title contender, but the rest of the Bison's draft was fairly dull. This is a team in win-now mode hoping for better luck this season. Grade: N/A

UPDATE: Josh Jacobs likely to be #1 pick

The 2019 CRFL Rookie/Free Agent Draft will take place Saturday, located mostly in Spokane, Washington, as well as many other locations in the United States. Unlike last year's selection of Saquon Barkley by The Valley Bulls, who would rebrand to the Elmhurst Bulls, there is no obvious #1 overall pick for rookie drafts in the fantasy community. It is playing out that way for Huskerfan, who obtained the 1.01 pick from Vito's Vikings during the 2018 off-season.

Here are some draft rumors going around...

• We're hearing talk that Huskerfan is actively attempting to trade out of the #1 pick. We'll continue to update as info becomes available. The Northern Lights are dangling Devonta Freeman in a possible swap. Update: As of Thursday evening, we're hearing the Huskers intend to draft Josh Jacobs at 1.01 should a trade not occur. If the Lights are able to move up to 1.01, they too intend to draft Jacobs. Jacobs will go first overall, but to who? UPDATE: As of late Thursday night, the trade is dead. Northern Lights reportedly offered Huskerfan Devonta Freeman, two 2019 2nd round picks, a 2020 2nd round pick, and a 2020 3rd round pick.

• Vito's Vikings and Brucey's crew tend to keep their agenda to themselves, and that hasn't changed this fall. The 2017 selection of Zay Jones is the only rookie selection Vito has ever made in the CRFL.

• The 2018 CRFL champions are on the move. After trading up into the first round at 1.07 earlier in the off-season, the Gem State Bruins have moved up again, this time to 1.04. The Bruins sent a 2019 4th and 2020 2nd to Tri-State Raptors, who now pick at 1.07. Bruins are rumored to be targeting one of N'Keal Harry, David Montgomery, or Miles Sanders. 

• Desert Dreamers are hoping for a running back at 1.05, feeling that's the team's primary weakness. Whether that's a rookie running back or free agent is TBD.

• The owner of Wind River Bison is in a rehab hospital after surgery and will not attend the draft, but will have auto-picks ready. Bison are rumored to be targeting Ravens rookie wide receiver Marquise Brown.

• Tri-State Raptors moved back to 1.07 with a purpose: to gain assets knowing very well the player they're targeting is likely to still be available at 1.07: Seahawks rookie wide receiver D.K. Metcalf.

• Elmhurst Bulls exploded in 2018 off the backs of rookies Baker Mayfield and Saquon Barkley. They'll likely target a wide receiver with talk that Doug Baldwin is retiring. 

We'll update this blog as info becomes available.