2018 CRFL Mock Draft 3.0: Desert Takeover

The Cards are no more. After laying the groundwork for an important 2017 1st round, the Cards have left the CRFL. The Desert Dreamers take over the dreadful squad, but do have three 1st round picks to play with. Another change: the Northern Lights have traded into the 1st round, and Huskerfan now owns the 10th overall pick.

For this fantasy mock draft, I've chosen to base each player's chosen landing spot on the USA Today's post-combine seven-round NFL mock draft

2018 CRFL Mock Draft

1.01. The Valley Bulls select...RB Saquon Barkley CLE (Penn State)

A lot can and will change between now and the Cinco de Mayo CRFL draft day, including who might be picking #1 overall. What is unlikely to change is who will be taken #1 overall. Saquon Barkley is being hyped up to be potentially better than recent Top 5 RB picks Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette. VERY bold proclamation, but the Bulls will be hoping the hype is real. The Bulls would likely see a lot of offers for the 1.01, but whoever owns this pick should stick with it and draft Barkley. Draft Wire has Barkley going #4 overall to the Browns in this mock draft, a trendy pick now that Jets have moved up, likely forcing the Browns to draft a QB with the first pick.

1.02. Desert Dreamers select...RB Derrius Guice BAL (Louisiana State)

The Cards very clearly entered the second half of the 2017 season with the intention of losing. That tanking was successful and landed them here at 1.02, with two more 1st round picks later in the round. This week, the Cards changed owners and are now the Desert Dreamers. Much like the Bulls, the Dreamers are bad and should draft with the BPA (best player available) strategy in mind. Draft Wire is projecting Derrius Guice to be drafted 16th overall, much earlier than most expect. The fantasy world is once again rules by RBs, and the Dreamers would gladly draft Guice with this pick should be truly be drafted that high in the NFL draft. 

1.03. Tri-State Raptors select...WR D.J. Moore DAL (Maryland)

The Raptors traded Dak Prescott away in order to retain their original draft pick from Connell Conquistadors. The Raptors just might be the worst team in the league, but two early wins last season leave them picking at 1.03 for now. They won't complain too much, nabbing D.J. Moore with this pick. The combination of Moore + the current QB depth (Garoppolo, Luck, Winston) should help the Raptors be semi-competitive early on. The Prescott-to-Moore combination would be cunning. 

1.04. Wind River Bison select (via Kaneohe Ikaika Warriors)...QB Josh Allen NYG (Wyoming)

The Bison had a shocking 2017 campaign. The loss of David Johnson killed the season, even with Alvin Kamara becoming a star. Jordan Howard was traded away to improve WR depth with T.Y. Hilton, but that position is still rather sketchy for Wind River. That said, sources tell us that the owner of the Bison, a huge Wyoming Cowboys fan, will not wait around and risk losing Josh Allen to another team.

1.05. Brucey's crew selects...WR Calvin Ridley ARI (Alabama)

A quiet off-season in which the Crew forgot to set their keepers rankings correctly has suddenly set back one of the CRFL's few remaining original franchises. Assuming Bruce reemerges, he'll be thrilled with this development. Calvin Ridley at 1.05 is robbery, especially in this scenario where he's the first WR drafted. He falls here because of the Allen and Moore selections. I went Moore over Ridley for Raptors because Moore lands in the better situation. 

1.06. Northern Lights (via Wind River Bison)  select...RB Sony Michel TB (Georgia)

The Lights from the North Pole traded away Dolphins RB Kenyan Drake to draft in this position. The Lights won't be a fan of this edition of Draft Wire's 7-round mock. Good news? Courtland Sutton is available! Bad news? He's been drafted into the suddenly crowded Browns receiving corps. The Lights already have Jarvis Landry, they wouldn't add another Browns WR. Christian Kirk, another favorite of the Lights, goes to the Bears. Also not an ideal landing spot after the Bears just signed Allen Robinson. In this freakish scenario Draft Wire has presented, the Lights are forced to draft a RB. After drafting Joe Mixon in the 6 slot in 2017, they draft Buccaneers RB Sony Michel in this edition. 

1.07. Desert Dreamers select (via Spokane Spartans) select...RB Ronald Jones WAS (Southern California)

The RB revolution continues for the Dreamers. After adding Guice with the second overall pick, they add Ronald Jones five picks later. This WR class is considered to be weak. Add in these unfortunate landing spots (Sutton to Cleveland, really?), and the RBs will fly off the shelves. The Dreamers don't have any roster strengths, so they won't care about grabbing a second WR. Best player available. 

1.08. Gem State Bruins (via Connell Conquistadors) select...WR Equanimeous St. Brown SF (Notre Dame)

The Bruins were involved of the blockbuster trade of the off-season in the CRFL, sending Leonard Fournette to the Conquistadors for two 2018 1st round picks and one 2019 1st round pick. This is the earliest of those picks. Courtland Sutton continues to fall?! Yup. Draft Wire's projection isn't reality of course, but we're playing by their projections so...in this case, Sutton joins a crowded Browns WR room. I'd rather draft Equanimeous St. Brown and hope he's Jimmy Garoppolo's go-to WR for the next forever. 

1.09. Huskerfan (via Vito's Vikings) selects...WR Courtland Sutton CLE (Southern Methodist)

To this point, considering the dominance of rookie RBs like Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette, Huskerfan has to be a little disappointed with how Christian McCaffrey has played to this point. In fact, Huskerfan briefly put McCaffrey on the trading block before the deadline, but no deal was reached. Cleveland landing spot aside, he'll be ecstatic that a talent of Sutton's caliber is available this late.

1.10. Huskerfan (via Gem State Bruins) selects...RB Nick Chubb IND (Georgia)

The Bruins traded out of this spot in favor of an additional 2020 1st rounder. Huskerfan makes back-to-back selections and will be happy to grab Chubb, a second round select to the Colts, with this pick. The acquisitions of Chubb and Sutton put the Huskers in a good position to make that jump to compete for the CRFL title.

1.11. Wind River Bison (via Northern Lights) select...RB Bo Scarbrough SEA (Alabama)

The Bison drafted Josh Allen with the 4th overall pick of this round, not wanting to risk losing the Wyoming QB to another team. Scarbrough is an interesting flier with this pick. Draft Wire has him as a 4th round pick to Seattle. It's not often that 4th round RBs go this early in a rookie/free agent draft, but he could genuinely start for Seattle in this projected scenario. The Bison will risk it and hope he revives the Seahawks' running game.

1.12. Desert Dreamers (via Gem State Bruins) select...WR Christian Kirk CHI (Texas A&M)

Their name is spot on, cause the Dreamers couldn't have dreamed of a better first round /rim shot. After selecting Guice and Jones earlier in the round, it's time to add some balance and draft a WR. I'd be willing to wager that Courtland Sutton and Christian Kirk land in better situations than what Draft Wire has projected, but in this scenario the Dreamers land Kirk.

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Disclaimer: yes, yes...I know. Everything will change by May 2018, but this is a fun exercise in the time being. I'll update this mock draft as the draft nears. The Valley Bulls are still on the clock...

2018 CRFL Mock Draft 2.0: Post-Combine

The combine has come and gone. Saquon Barkley stunned attendees. Players like D.J. Moore and D.J. Chark improved their stock. Calvin Ridley created some doubters, but of course the combine is only a part of the evaluation process. The Valley Bulls are still drafting first overall in the CRFL Draft, but with that likely being a formality, the real question is: what do the Cards do with the 2nd pick?

For this fantasy mock draft, I've chosen to base each player's chosen landing spot via Bleacher Report's post-combine seven-round NFL mock draft. Matt Miller is plugged in on the happenings of draft possibilities, and provides one of the more thorough, well-thought out mocks on the web.

2018 CRFL Mock Draft

1.01. The Valley Bulls select...RB Saquon Barkley CLE (Penn State)

A lot can and will change between now and May 2018, including who might be picking #1 overall. What is unlikely to change is who will be taken #1 overall. Saquon Barkley is being hyped up to be potentially better than recent Top 5 RB picks Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette. VERY bold proclamation, but the Bulls will be hoping the hype is real. The Bulls would likely see a lot of offers for the 1.01, but whoever owns this pick should stick with it and draft Barkley. Miller has Barkley going #1 overall to the Browns in this mock draft, a trendy pick nowadays. 

1.02. Coldwater Cards select...WR Calvin Ridley BAL (Alabama)

The Cards very clearly entered the second half of the 2017 season with the intention of losing. That tanking was successful and lands them here at 1.02, with two more 1st round picks later in the round. Much like the Bulls, the Cards are bad and should draft with the BPA (best player available) strategy in mind. While Ridley did struggle at the combine, Miller still has Ridley as the second non-QB fantasy eligible rookie in this mock draft. Ridley will serve as the base for the Cards rebuilding project. 

1.03. Tri-State Raptors select...RB Derrius Guice NYG (Louisiana State)

The Raptors traded Dak Prescott away in order to retain their original draft pick from Connell Conquistadors. The Raptors just might be the worst team in the league, but two early wins this season leave them picking at 1.03 for now. They won't complain too much, nabbing Guice with this pick. The combination of Guice + the current QB depth (Garoppolo, Luck, Winston) should help the Raptors be semi-competitive early on. 

1.04. Wind River Bison select (via Kaneohe Ikaika Warriors)...QB Josh Allen DEN (Wyoming)

The Bison had a shocking 2017 campaign. The loss of David Johnson killed the season, even with Alvin Kamara becoming a star. Jordan Howard was traded away to improve WR depth with T.Y. Hilton, but that position is still rather sketchy for Wind River. That said, sources tell us that the owner of the Bison, a huge Wyoming Cowboys fan, will not wait around and risk losing Josh Allen to another team.

1.05. Brucey's crew selects...RB Ronald Jones OAK (Southern California)

The Crew aren't a weak team, but could stand to add depth at RB and WR. Ronald Jones as the successor to Marshawn Lynch in Oakland's offense is an enticing scenario. Jones comes across as a bigger Jamaal Charles to me. This would be an excellent pickup in the five slot.

1.06. Wind River Bison selects...WR Christian Kirk CHI (Texas A&M)

The Bison secured favorite Josh Allen with the fourth overall pick. David Johnson and Alvin Kamara are a fearsome RB tandem, so expect the Bison to go WR with this pick. Kirk, in my opinion, will be this year's Alvin Kamara. Scouts/experts will be scratching their heads as to how he was available in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft.

1.07. Coldwater Cards select (via Spokane Spartans) select...WR Courtland Sutton BUF (Southern Methodist)

The Cards already grabbed Calvin Ridley with the second pick in this draft. The fantasy world belongs to RBs right now, but I think grabbing Courtland Sutton with this pick will be too much to ignore for the Cards. Both first round WRs end up on the same team.

1.08. Gem State Bruins (via Connell Conquistadors) select...WR Deon Cain SF (Clemson)

The Bruins were involved of the blockbuster trade of the off-season in the CRFL, sending Leonard Fournette to the Conquistadors for two 2018 1st round picks and one 2019 1st round pick. This is the earliest of those picks. I like D.J. Moore more than I like Deon Cain, but in this mock draft Cain becomes Jimmy Garoppolo's future go-to target. I can't ignore that.

1.09. Huskerfan (via Vito's Vikings) select...RB Kerryon Johnson DET (Auburn)

To this point, considering the dominance of rookie RBs like Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette, Huskerfan has to be a little disappointed with how Christian McCaffrey has played to this point. In fact, Huskerfan briefly put McCaffrey on the trading block before the deadline, but no deal was reached. He'll draft Johnson here and hope this improves depth.

1.10. Gem State Bruins (via Huskerfan) select...WR Simmie Cobbs DAL (Indiana)

Yup, I passed on Moore again. I really like him, he'll probably feature as a pick by Gem State sometime this off-season (and maybe even the CRFL Draft), but Miller has him going to Cleveland (bleh). I think the Cowboys cut Dez Bryant, and suddenly Cobbs becomes the potential #1 WR for Dak Prescott. 

1.11. Wind River Bison (via Northern Lights) select...WR D.J. Moore CLE (Maryland)

The Bison, however, will be ecstatic to see the fourth fantasy-eligible rookie among RBs and WRs available with the eleventh pick. The Bison and Cards, in this mock draft, account for all first four off the NFL Draft board.

1.12. Coldwater Cards (via Gem State Bruins) select...RB Mark Walton TB (Miami)

The Cards, like the Bison, are picking for a third time in this 1st round. This is the pick acquired in the Fournette trade back in the early fall. There are plenty of options available here, but the RB fever will catch the Cards this time around. Walton, in this case, looks to become the featured RB for the Bucs. 

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Disclaimer: yes, yes...I know. Everything will change by May 2018, but this is a fun exercise in the time being. I'll update this mock draft in a month or so. The Valley Bulls are still on the clock...

2018 CRFL Mock Draft 1.0

Several few weeks ago, the 2017 CRFL season concluded with the Gem State Bruins defeating the Northern Lights 130.02-99.24 in the 7th annual CRFL championship game. As is usual with keeper leagues, when the fantasy season ends, draft season begins. It didn't take long for shifting in the 1st round of the 2018 CRFL Draft to take place, and more changes are sure to come before draft day, but we'll debut our post-season CRFL Mock Draft in January. The Valley Bulls are on the clock...

For this fantasy mock draft, I've chosen to base each player's chosen landing spot via Bleacher Report's first two-round NFL mock of draft season. Matt Miller is plugged in on the happenings of draft possibilities, and this mock draft should include an accurate list of players now that the deadline to declare has passed. Miller indicated earlier that Bryce Love might be returning to school.

2018 CRFL Mock Draft

1.01. The Valley Bulls select...RB Saquon Barkley CLE (Penn State)

A lot can and will change between now and May 2018, including who might be picking #1 overall. What is unlikely to change is who will be taken #1 overall. Saquon Barkley is being hyped up to be potentially better than recent Top 5 RB picks Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette. VERY bold proclamation, but the Bulls will be hoping the hype is real. The Bulls would likely see a lot of offers for the 1.01, but whoever owns this pick should stick with it and draft Barkley.

1.02. Coldwater Cards select...WR Calvin Ridley ARI (Alabama)

The Cards very clearly entered the second half of the 2017 season with the intention of losing. That tanking was successful and lands them here at 1.02, with two more 1st round picks later in the round. Much like the Bulls, the Cards are bad and should draft with the BPA (best player available) strategy in mind. ESPN's Mel Kiper was quoted as saying that Ridley is far and away the best WR in this draft. Ridley will serve as the base for the Cards rebuilding project. 

1.03. Tri-State Raptors select...RB Derrius Guice SEA (Louisiana State)

The Raptors traded Dak Prescott away in order to retain their original draft pick from Connell Conquistadors. The Raptors just might be the worst team in the league, but two early wins this season leave them picking at 1.03 for now. They won't complain too much, nabbing Guice with this pick. The combination of Guice + the current QB depth (Garoppolo, Luck, Winston) should help the Raptors be semi-competitive early on. Guice could blow up in Seattle too.

1.04. Wind River Bison select (via Kaneohe Ikaika Warriors)...WR Courtland Sutton BAL (Southern Methodist)

The Bison had a shocking 2017 campaign. The loss of David Johnson killed the season, even with Alvin Kamara becoming a star. Jordan Howard was traded away to improve WR depth with T.Y. Hilton, but that position is still rather sketchy for Wind River. Courtland Sutton could be this year's Corey Davis and ascend into the top 10 of the NFL draft. In this scenario, he becomes Joe Flacco's go-to WR.

1.05. Brucey's crew selects...RB Ronald Jones PIT (Southern California)

The Crew aren't a weak team, but could stand to add depth at RB and WR. In Miller's mock draft, this wild scenario means that Le'Veon Bell has picked up his football and gone elsewhere. Jones would become the do-it-all RB for the Steelers.

1.06. Wind River Bison selects...WR Christian Kirk DAL (Texas A&M)

The Conquistadors have been a dreadful team since joining the league, but are well-managed. Maybe too well-managed. This team is poor, but occupies to the 1.06 spot thanks to said solid management. Chubb wouldn't be a bad consolation prize with Jay Ajayi now in Philadelphia. 

1.07. Coldwater Cards select (via Spokane Spartans) select...RB Sony Michel OAK (Georgia)

The Cards already grabbed Calvin Ridley with the second pick in this draft. Here they balance out their haul with a RB. Michel was part of the dominant RB tandem at Georgia with Nick Chubb, and he could very well be this year's Kareem Hunt. Oakland would be a great landing spot. 

1.08. Gem State Bruins (via Connell Conquistadors) select...WR DJ Moore CHI (Maryland)

The Bruins were involved of the blockbuster trade of the off-season in the CRFL, sending Leonard Fournette to the Conquistadors for two 2018 1st round picks and one 2019 1st round pick. This is the earliest of those picks. Moore would look to become Mitchell Trubisky's primary target, and the Bruins would hope he becomes the heir to A.J. Green on the fantasy roster.  

1.09. Huskerfan (via Vito's Vikings) select...RB Kerryon Johnson IND (Auburn)

To this point, considering the dominance of rookie RBs like Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette, Huskerfan has to be a little disappointed with how Christian McCaffrey has played to this point. In fact, Huskerfan briefly put McCaffrey on the trading block before the deadline, but no deal was reached. He'll draft Johnson here and hope this improves depth.

1.10. Gem State Bruins (via Huskerfan) select...QB Josh Rosen NYG (UCLA)

We're running out of skill position players for this mock draft (especially at RB and WR). The Bruins are really high on Rosen and take a flier on the UCLA Bruin in the hopes that he can become an asset to the Gem State Bruins.

1.11. Wind River Bison (via Northern Lights) select...QB Josh Allen NYJ (Wyoming)

The Bison achieved their draft goals of improving their WR spot. Mission accomplished. They'll use this pick to draft a favorite of theirs: Wyoming's Josh Allen.

1.12. Coldwater Cards (via Gem State Bruins) select...RB Mark Walton SF (Miami)

The Cards, like the Bison, are picking for a third time in this 1st round. This is the pick acquired in the Fournette trade back in the early fall. Walton is the last remaining RB available from the first two round of Miller's mock draft. Ridley, Michel, and Walton would be a crazy good haul.

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Disclaimer: yes, yes...I know. Everything will change by May 2018, but this is a fun exercise in the time being. The Valley Bulls are still on the clock...

Super Early 2018 CRFL Mock Draft: Fall Edition

The CRFL trade deadline has come and gone. The order of the standings will inevitably shift in the coming weeks, but owners of the picks can't begin to change again until trading reopens. There are always two races in every fantasy season: 1) the race for the league championship and 2) the chase for draft position for teams not realistically contending for a championship in a keeper league. Why not take a very, very early look at what might be come the 2018 CRFL Draft?

For this mock draft, I've chosen to base each player's landing spot via Draft Wire's three round mock draft.

2018 CRFL Mock Draft

1.01. The Valley Bulls select...RB Saquon Barkley SF (Penn State)

A lot can and will change between now and May 2018, including who might be picking #1 overall. What is unlikely to change is who will be taken #1 overall. Saquon Barkley is being hyped up to be potentially better than recent Top 5 RB picks Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette. VERY bold, but the Bulls will be hoping the hype is real. The Bulls would likely see a lot of offers for the 1.01, but whoever owns this pick should stick with it and draft Barkley.

1.02. Wind River Bison select...WR Courtland Sutton ARI (Southern Methodist)

The Bison have taken a huge tumble in 2017, largely thanks to David Johnson's season-ending injury. With Johnson, Jordan Howard, and Alvin Kamara in the fold, the Bison have no need at RB, but do need WR talent badly. Sutton would help fill that hole.

1.03. Schrute Farms selects...RB Derrius Guice WAS (Louisiana State)

The Farms traded Dak Prescott away in order to retain their original draft pick from Connell Conquistadors. The Farms just might be the worst team in the league, but two early wins this season leave them picking at 1.03 for now. They won't complain too much, nabbing Guice with this pick.

1.04. Coldwater Cards select...WR James Washington BAL (Oklahoma State)

The Cards made a controversial trade early in the season, parting with Leonard Fournette in exchange for DeVante Parker, who has since been injured, and 1st round and 3rd round draft picks. Not a meager return, but Fournette has been dominant since and would have served as the franchise cornerstone. Nonetheless, they'll draft grab the best player available in Washington with two picks available later in the round.

1.05. Brucey's crew selects...RB Damien Harris TB (Alabama)

The Crew aren't a weak team, but could stand to add depth at RB and WR. I'm guessing Harris would be replacing a cut Doug Martin in Tampa in Draft Wire's scenario. He would become the lead back for Brucey too.

1.06. Connell Conquistadors select...RB Nick Chubb MIA (Georgia)

The Conquistadors have been a dreadful team since joining the league, but are well-managed. Maybe too well-managed. This team is poor, but occupies to the 1.06 spot thanks to said solid management. Chubb wouldn't be a bad consolation prize with Jay Ajayi now in Philadelphia. 

1.07. Connell Conquistadors (via Gem State Bruins) select...WR Christian Kirk GB (Texas A&M)

Looks who is on the clock again! Connell acquired this pick at the deadline, shedding off excess QB depth to do so. The wise move leads to another top prospect going to Connell. A player of Kirk's talent with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball is an enticing combo. 

1.08. Wind River Bison (via Kaneohe Ikaika Warriors) select...QB Josh Allen LAC (Wyoming)

The Bison grabbed Courtland Sutton earlier in the round, and will be itching to draft local Wyoming hero Josh Allen with this pick. Allen would likely begin his career on the bench behind Philip Rivers to learn the ropes, but that won't stop the Bison from selecting him.

1.09. Huskerfan (via Vito's Vikings) select...RB Ronald Jones NYJ (Southern California)

To this point, considering the dominance of rookie RBs like Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette, Huskerfan has to be a little disappointed with how Christian McCaffrey has played to this point. In fact, Huskerfan briefly put McCaffrey on the trading block before the deadline, but no deal was reached. He'll draft Ronald Jones as insurance. 

1.10. Northern Lights select...WR Dante Pettis SF (Washington)

The Light have announced their presence, rising as one of the top teams in the league. There isn't really any weakness in the team, but T.Y. Hilton and Jarvis Landry have been inconsistent. Dante Pettis becoming Jimmy Garoppolo's #1 receiving target in Kyle Shanahan's offensive system? Sounds like an amazing value this late.

1.11. Coldwater Cards (via Spokane Spartans) select...RB Bryce Love OAK (Stanford)

As alluded to earlier, the Cards made a big mistake departing with Leonard Fournette. This pick will begin to plug that hole at RB. Love figures to the centerpiece at RB in an offense built to last with the Oakland/soon-to-be Las Vegas Raiders.

1.12. Coldwater Cards (via Gem State Bruins) select...QB Josh Rosen CLE (UCLA)

The Cards have their clock reset and pick again. This is the pick acquired in the Fournette trade. Marcus Mariota has struggled in 2017, leaving the QB position exposed. They'll hope Hue Jackson turns Josh Rosen into a superstar and add depth at another position of need.

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Disclaimer: yes, yes...we know. Everything will change by May 2018, but this is a fun exercise in the time being. The race for the #1 overall pick continues.

2017 CRFL Hall-of-Fame Inductees

When I created the Columbia River Fantasy League on Fleaflicker in 2011, the goal was to begin a keeper league with a dynasty feel that would eventually have an established history, instituting a realness to the funny game we love to play. It's amazing to think we're going on season #7 this fall, and we've added memories along the way. Enough so, that I believe it's time to create the CRFL Fantasy Hall-of-Fame.

The rules are fairly simple. To be eligible for the HoF, the player must be retired. The player must also have made a significant impact on results in the CRFL, meaning won lots of games for the fantasy teams they played for.

I'll ask for input from league members on who should be inducted, and with the caveat that the player(s) needs to be retired, we'll likely induct 0-2 players annually.

With those rules out of the way, and asking for input, I've decided to induct two players into the CRFL Hall-of-Fame.

QB PEYTON MANNING

NFL teams played for: Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos

Manning's CRFL history: Drafted by Battle Creek Mayhem in the 2011 start-up draft, Manning was cut during the 2011 season and added by the Greece Spartans. One year and a name change later, Manning won the CRFL championship game for the Sparta Spartans. Manning totaled 23 points in the victory. To this day, the Spartans 2012 CRFL title is the league's only title won by a team other than what we now know as Kaneohe Ikaika Warriors and Gem State Bruins. Manning was traded to Pacific Warriors (now Kaneohe) in 2013 and went on to lead the Warriors to two championship victories (2013 and 2014). Manning remained with the Warriors until he retired, at which point Connell Conquistadors took a flier on Manning returning to the NFL. Manning was the starting QB for three different championship winning teams, but spent most of his fantasy career with what is now Kaneohe Ikaika Warriors. It only makes sense that Manning go into the CRFL Hall-of-Fame as a member of the Warriors.

WR Calvin Johnson

NFL teams played for: Detroit Lions

Johnson's CRFL history: Johnson was drafted by the Stockholm Lions (now Gem State) at 2.04 in the 2011 start-up draft. Becoming a rare mainstay on the team roster, Johnson played for the Gem State Bruins franchise for four seasons, winning a championship for the team in the league's inaugural season. While Johnson was on the roster, the Lions/Bears were always near to the top of the standings. A cornerstone of the franchise for several years, the Bears parted sold high on the Detroit receiver in 2015. Johnson spent that season and the last bit of his playing career with Wind River Bison before retiring. Gem State decided to trade for the retired Johnson so that he could retire with the Gem State Bruins. Johnson was drafted by Spokane Spartans in 2016 and briefly added to the Northern Lights in 2017, both hoping the former Lions product would be coaxed out of retirement, but as of the date of this post he remains retired.

2017 CRFL Breakouts, Busts

NFL training camps are up and running. With preseason games starting this upcoming week, football has finally arrived. With that in mind, I decided to field some questions about predictions for breakouts, busts, etc in the NFL and CRFL. Scott, the owner of the Northern Lights, also joined in on the discussion. Time will tell if we nail any of these predictions (or miss completely).

Who will be the breakout player of the season?

Jeremy - I cannot resist the allure of another dose of Ameer Abdullah hype. I loved Abdullah coming out of Nebraska. Whether it be via trade offers or draft, he has alluded me in the CRFL, but I'm still a huge believer in his talent. I'm predicting this is the year he stays healthy and gets the Lion's share (see what I did there?) of the carries for Detroit this season and ends up being a Top 10 RB.

Scott - In a system made for Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy had 2,200 rushing yards in his first two seasons with Green Bay, and then began to struggle with injury. Now with the Seahawks, this situation is scary reminiscent to when Beast Mode came to Seattle. This system is made for a RB like him, and if healthy, I think he could be a Top 7 RB this year.

Who will be the biggest bust of the season?

Jeremy - I'm going to go bold here and predict that Antonio Brown will be the biggest bust of the 2017 season. Ben Roethlisberger has been hinting at retirement for awhile now, and frankly his heart might not be 100% in football anymore. Add in the fact that injuries are a staple of Big Ben's career, and I'm going to predict that the combination of a lack of desire and injuries see Brown's fantasy stock plummeting to Earth this season.

Scott - While I adore him as a person and loved watching his time in Seattle, I believe Marshawn Lynch is going to get hurt very quickly and be a big bust. He struggled very much in his last 2 years in the NFL staying healthy he is only older, and had time away from the game. While as fan I don't want this to be true, I don't think he will last very long before he falls to the injury bug.

Who will be the breakout rookie of the season?

Jeremy - Of course the homer in me wants to say Dalvin Cook, but I'm going to break a fantasy football rule and predict that O.J. Howard beats down past trends of rookies TEs and thrives immediately. I think the Bucs offense is going to blow up this fall, and Howard might grab 7-9 TDs this season. I expect the pool of top TEs to thin even further this season, making Howard a valuable commodity.

Scott - I want to be a homer and say Joe Mixon, which I don't believe is a far off idea at all. But for the sake of not choosing someone that I have on my team, I'm going to stick with Leonard Fournette, because I think his talent will overwhelm teams, quite like AP did when entering the league. He is still an absolute top talent. He could reach as high as Top 6 RBs this year in my opinion.

Who will be the biggest disappointment among the rookies?

Jeremy - Will not hesitate: Christian McCaffrey. I put my money where my mouth is with this pick by drafting Dalvin Cook ahead of McCaffrey, despite C-Mac going a full round before Cook did in the NFL draft. Bottom line: I think McCaffrey isn't built for an extensive role at RB. He'll be a weapon for Carolina, but I don't think he sees even action to ever warrant RB1 status. He's a Reggie Bush, C.J. Spiller type.

Scott - This is the easiest answer, Christian McCaffrey. He is all hype, and a talented player, but not even close to the value you should get for a early round pick. I don't think he falls in the Top 15 RBs this year.

Who will be the surprise breakout team in the CRFL this season?

Jeremy - Huskerfan has fought well enough to be in the playoff discussion every season, but hasn't broken through when it comes to genuinely contending. I think with Ajayi anchoring the squad and reinforced receiving depth (including Gronk), I think this is the year Huskerfan breaks out with anywhere from 8-10 regular season wins.

Scott - Huskerfan is loaded at WR, which truly helps win games. His only downfall could be Hyde falling early in the season and lack of reliable RB depth. But if his WRs pan out, he could be upgrading at RB in the early parts of the season.

Who will be the surprise bust in the CRFL this season?

Jeremy - I'm going to play the statistics here. Historically, the Wind River Bison have been a league doormat. 2-5 win team almost every season from 2011-2015, but then shocks the league with a 10-3 season in 2017. I'll take a random stab and say that was an aberration and the Bison regress.

Scott - Since reaching the Championship last year, the Spokane Spartans has taken a hard hit from core players on his roster getting old, or replaced. Big Ben is barley alive, Rawls is losing his starting job, and Stewart is on his way out, things are not looking promising for the Spartans this year.

Point blank: Who wins the CRFL in 2017 and why?

Jeremy - Well, the Kaneohe Ikaika Warriors seem to avoid misfortune and bad luck every season. Even though I'm predicting a down year for Antonio Brown; Aaron Rodgers, LeVeon Bell, and Julio Jones are still a terrifying combination. I think the Northern Lights give them a real push in conference, but once again the Warriors manage to win the league.

Scott - Gem State Bruins. Period. He has Top 10 talent at almost every postion. Gem State's RBs, WRs, and Defense (did you forget how important that is this year?) are ALL better than Warriors RBs, WRs, and Defense. And they are equal at QB. I also believe Gem State won't see the Warriors in the Championship this year. Warriors players are too old, and his depth his weak. I believe Northern Lights overthrows Warriors this year.

Final 2017 CRFL Mock Draft

The 2017 NFL Draft has come and gone, signalling the one week countdown to the 2017 CRFL Draft. As is tradition our fantasy draft that includes rookies and free agents will occur the Saturday following the draft. Badgerhawks has been on the clock since December. Will they draft Leonard Fournette? Who knows, but as of now I'm basing this mock draft off of what I think teams should do, not necessarily what I think they'll actually do.

2017 CRFL Mock Draft

1.01. Badgerhawks select...RB Leonard Fournette JAC (LSU)
Badgerhawks might have all the time in the world to make this pick, but it's unlikely he has much to think about. Unless something crazy happens (and some people have suggested McCaffrey goes before Fournette), Fournette is the obvious #1 overall pick in dynasty/keeper rookie drafts. Fournette landed with the Jaguars on draft day and figures to be a bell-cow talent right away for Jacksonville. 

1.02. Gem State Bruins select...RB Dalvin Cook MIN (Florida State)
The Bruins traded up two spots from 1.04 to 1.02, parting with their 2018 1st to do so. Why such a drastic decision? The answer: to ensure that a 1st round RB goes to Gem State. This trade clearly didn't pan out for the Bruins, who probably should have stayed at 1.04. Behind Carolina's OL and a top 10 selection, Christian McCaffrey will be hard for the Bruins to ignore. That said, the Bruins have preferred Cook from a talent standpoint. They'll roll the dice with Cook and live with the results. 

1.03. Huskerfan select...RB Christian McCaffrey CAR (Stanford)
Oh my. What a blunder of a trade by The Valley Bulls to allow Huskerfan into this #3 slot. Huskers don't really have a weakness at RB or WR, so he'll go BPA (best player available). Who the best player available is arguable, but I've been told the Huskers are determined to grab a RB with this pick. I doubt two 2nd round RBs go ahead of McCaffrey. His slide ends here.

1.04. Juice Box Heroes select...WR Corey Davis TEN (Western Michigan)
Juice Box deposited an extra 2018 1st rounder in exchange for moving back two spots to 1.04. It's looking like a wise move after Dalvin Cook's poor combine and plummeting stock, surrounding the 1.02 pick with more questions than before. The Juice Box has several pressing needs, but young WRs are gold in keeper leagues. Davis is a huge steal at 1.04.

1.05. Connell Conquistadors select...RB Joe Mixon CIN (Oklahoma)
The CRFL Buccaneers moved back to 1.05 from 1.04 after acquiring Doug Martin in a trade. As usual, 1st round draft picks tend to early in our fantasy draft. There will be some cogitating for Connell at this pick, but RBs are always in demand in the 1st round of the CRFL draft. The last of the big four RBs comes off the board to the Conquistadors. 

1.06. Northern Lights select...WR Mike Williams LAC (Clemson)
The drama continues during draft week. Just when we thought the draft order was set and done, the Northern Lights shipped off Rob Gronkowski and Allen Robinson to the Huskers in exchange for Tyler Eifert and this pick. The result becomes Mike Williams, whom the Chargers drafted at #7. Young, highly-regarded WRs are hard to come by in fantasy. A solid addition for the Lights.

1.07. Brucey's crew select...WR John Ross CIN (Washington)
At this stage in the draft, owners start picking the best player available instead of by need. While there is an argument for a few other players at this spot, it's really hard to ignore a WR taken at #9 in the NFL Draft. John Ross has a Hall of Fame WR in his way to top fantasy status, but at 1.07 he's too great of a value here to ignore. 

1.08. Northern Lights select...RB Kareem Hunt KC (Toledo)
The Northern Lights departed with a 3rd round pick to move up three spots in the 1st round and it pay off. The 1st round products are gone, but there is hype building around the Toledo Rockets RB that he might be the 2017 version of Jordan Howard. The Lights would be thrilled if that is the case. The Lights, who only a few months ago had no 1st round picks, emerge from this round with Mike Williams and Kareem Hunt.

1.09. Vito's Vikings select...RB Samaje Perine WAS (Oklahoma)
The Lonestars, while finishing at 5-8, have rebuilt this poor roster in a very short time. A 2017 breakout is in store for this team under new owner Vito, and their team only gets bolstered by having this 1st round pick. In desperate need of a RB to compliment Jordan Howard, the Vikings will gladly take a gamble on 3rd round RB Perine with the Redskins. 

1.10. Brucey's crew select...TE O.J. Howard TB (Alabama)
Bruce seemingly finds a way to have multiple 1st round picks every year. After grabbing John Ross a few picks ago, I'm thinking the crew go best player available here. Brucey LOVES his TEs, and Howard at 1.10 will be too much to ignore.

1.11. Wind River Bison select...RB Marlon Mark IND (South Florida)
The Bison finally broke out! After years of being in the CRFL cellar, the 10-3 campaign came as a shocker. I have it on good authority that the Wyoming-based Bison are really, really high on Brian Hill. Unfortunately, Hill fell into the 6th round and was drafted by the Falcons. The Bison will wait to grab the Wyoming alum, and instead grab Mack here.

1.12. Juice Box Heroes select...RB Alvin Kamara NO (Tennessee)
Heroes found his franchise WR, now he'll go BPA. Alvin Kamara is a solid RB, but unable to shed his 3rd down RB title, he falls here. He has Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson ahead of him on the depth chart. That said, if those two get hurt, Kamara could explode onto the scene.

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Mock draft season for the 2017 draft is officially closed. Mind you, it's never as straightforward as this mock draft indicates. There will be autopicks, dare I say maybe even at 1.01. Some free agents might sneak into the 1st round. Last year, soon-to-be studs like Michael Thomas slipped into round 2. The dust will settle late Saturday night, but for now a week of suspense is ahead as we wait for the 2017 CRFL Draft.