2017 Fantasy Draft Recaps: D3NE vs. AVZ

Welcome, boys and girls, to the first Fantasy Draft Blogger Matchup. Just like last year, each team has been matched up with somebody else in the league, and we’ll be providing duel perspectives. Today you get a rematch of one of last year’s fantasy previews. I tell you this only because the artist formerly known as D3Central took his squad 7-2 over mine in that article. Now that we’ve crushed his credibility, click here to see the full results from the draft, click here to see the projected lineups used, or click here to see last year’s matchup. While the Fantasy Draft is fun for us, we want you all to be involved as well! Please comment, or tweet/email us to keep the discussion going.

D3NE Team Analysis: Last year I felt great about my team, and it ended up being middle of the pack. This year I only feel ok about my crew, but lots of people are lumping me into the top or 2nd tier. I appreciate the compliments, but am not sure that I’m worthy. Going spot my spot, I liked getting Chen in the final round of the 1st ½ of the draft. He’s a gritty competitor and if worst comes to worst I love having Hewlin there as a possible replacement. Liu at #2 is going to have to be my rock. I was really pulling for him against Brady Anderson the other day, but even if he moves back to #2 I think he’ll absolutely dominate there. Marchalik and Owens are high risk high reward guys because their very unproven. If they play well through the year, my singles lineup will be as good as any of the other 9 teams. Jiang at #4 is not only a fairly proven commodity with national championship experience, but a doubles guy as well. Gordy at #6 is going slightly underrated. We know the guy can play, and I think he could join the list of previous money #6’s for CMS.

My backup singles players are a bit of a mixed bag. Obviously most injuries in any fantasy sport are debilitating, but those games also use the waiver wire. Hewlin and Daniels are my favorite backup picks, especially because their starting counterparts have a higher likelihood of struggling than the other starters. Fischer and Neiss were taken for doubles, and Vanezis is more of a tricky final pick than anything else. I think he’ll start at some point this year for Midd, and a bottom of the lineup player for Midd is most likely better than 95% of other bottom of the lineup players, and better than 99% of who was available in the final round.

My doubles could be where we end up struggling, but I think we’ll be ok. Liu and Jiang should be monstrous at #1. They’re both doubles All Americans, and both fantastic returners. New partners and all that stuff, but both guys also play with fantastic returners (Chua and Wolfe), so I think they would gel nicely. My #2 doubles spot could be my weakest overall. Gordy is a good doubles player, and so are both Chen and Hewlin (who I was deciding between for this spot), but they’re all solid, not phenomenal. At #3, I love my Texas team. AVZ pointed this out in his take, but I’m a fan of that chemistry. If one struggles, I love having Hewlin lying in wait.

Finally my coach and team name. I considered going with a legend like Coach Hansen, or a now established former up and comer like Coach Fried, but I like finding the up and comers before they’re popular. I really like what @ColbyCoachCohen is doing at Colby, I really like that his players like him, and I really like that he interacts with us writers. I had a no brainer assistant coach choice. My team is young, and could use something of a hype man as well as a guy who simply knew how to win. Bringing some #FIGHT to my squad is exactly what the Doctor Rafe ordered. Now, some of you might be wondering why I went with the Hamsters as a team name. There is a very simple answer.

1) What team provides my fantasy squad the most players?

2) What is a simple anagram for that team?

3)https://www.amherst.edu/system/files/Amherst%2520Mascot%2520Semifinalists%2520Rationale%25201%25204%252016_0.pdf It appears to be a leading candidate. Viva la Hamster

AVZ’s Take: I get the pleasure of filling out my “take” before NE fills out his own thoughts which means I have no idea where he will take it. I think the strength of his team is in the singles lineup. When you likely weakest position is Steven Chen at #1, then you are doing some good things because he is a stud. He also has Hewlin sitting on the bench if needed. The lineup of Liu, Marchalik, and Jiang in the middle is absolutely murderer’s row. He is a little bit heavy on the Northeast, but let’s be honest, that is where most of the talent is outside of a few teams. Owens and Gordy at 5 and 6 are a bit of an unknown, but I don’t expect them to have too many problems.

Doubles is slightly weaker in my humble opinion. I am a bit surprised to not see Hewlin appear in his lineup because Whitman tends to create great doubles play. Liu has a new partner this year so we will see how much success he can have, but his hands and returns are nasty. I like Joey Fischer at #3 doubles and partnered with a fellow Texas guy doesn’t hurt. Overall though, I think this team will be down after doubles, but be able to make their comeback in singles and particularly at 2, 3, and 4. They just need to find that elusive 5th point.

AVZ Team Analysis: Let’s get this out in the open before D3Northeast steals my thunder. My first round pick Ninan Kumar started out slated at #10 for Chicago. That wasn’t great news, but let’s be honest, Chicago is just that deep. That took a little wind out of my sails in terms of having confidence behind my team. I have a good mix of upperclassmen and freshman that should go well together. Buxbaum is a beast at #1 and even if he falters, I feel more than comfortable throwing Parodi in there. The biggest strength of my team is going to be on the doubles side. Bux and Derbani at the top spot will be better than most of the teams put together on here if not the best. While Jeremy Bush has had a rougher ride in singles, he is a doubles stud and pairing him with Parodi throws a ton of talent at that position. Finally, I am indecisive on what my #3 team will look like. Burney is a lock, but who he partner will be will be a match day decision. Whaling has mono so I didn’t see anything from him yet. Jackson probably has the least talent of the three, but the best doubles pedigree and Kumar is an enigma at this point.

In singles, I think I have the best #6 in the country with my last pick in the draft with Sven Kranz. He started out as #7 on the Chicago lineup, but he is too good to keep out of the lineup and I expect him to play a lot this year. The freshman Burney could be boom or bust, but his junior career is a sign of good things to come. Derbani will solid #3 for Middlebury and it seems like he has only a couple of players that are his kryptonite. I have a hunch that Bush is going to have a good season for Wash U and as I previously stated, Kumar is a top 50 freshman recruit. Even though he currently is behind a lot of his teammates, any one of those Chicago guys will win at the back half of the lineup. Overall, I am a bit disappointed in this draft, but it is pretty early to declare much. If Kumar and Bush play well and Burney is a big timer this season, my team looks really good.

D3NE’s Take: When you start out the analysis section FOR YOUR OWN TEAM with “Let’s get this out in the open before D3Northeast steals my thunder,” then you know something may be a bit off. Doubles-wise AVZ’s team could be the best in our little league (perhaps with the exception of D3West). Buxbaum and Derbani at #1 is nasty, but I think Parodi and Bush comprise a fantastic hypothetical #2 team. I see we’re allowed to put 4 different players at #3 doubles, and if that were the case then Hewlin can step in for either Texas guy if need be. Even if AVZ were to take a doubles lead on my squad, I don’t think it would hold into singles. As he mentioned, the big IF for him are his Chicago guys. I don’t care how talented they are, if neither of them get into the Maroons’ lineup, he’s done. Personally, I like the Burney pick, but I think it’s just a slightly worse version of my Amherst picks! Bux and Derbani have the capability to beat anybody in the country at their spots, but also take some questionable losses and their streakiness is both a pro and a con.

I think #1 doubles would be a war, AVZ gets the edge at #2 doubles, and #3 is a toss up. I’ll give him a slight edge with Bux at #1 just based on Chen’s mediocre fall, but that could be very different come springtime. I like Liu at #2 over Burney and think Marchalik and Derbani is a wild card match at #3. I love Jiang against Bush for the matchup (two doubles stalwarts who should have good years at #4, but Jiang matches up well with Bush), and think Owens is not only the better freshman, but gets his chance to prove it! If Sven plays 6, give AVZ the nod, but as we’ve established, that’s a big IF. Overall I like my squad to get a close W against Hale’s Hype Train, but am not sure either of our teams will competing for a trophy come May.

Now for the best part! WHAT DO YOU THINK?! Whose team do you like better and why? Tell us in the comments, through email, on Twitter, via smoke signal, or your favorite method of communication. This was only the first of five blogger matchups, so stay tuned through the next few days. In addition, look out for DRAFT KINGS AT INDOORS, which is currently being made.