First Round Picks. The first block of every championship team. Don’t believe me? Of the league’s 26 champions, only four teams won it all without a first-round pick in their starting lineup. Matt twice won it all without his first round pick, because he traded that player for another team’s first rounder, so we won’t include those in this tally.
The teams that won it all without their first round picks were…
2002 – Robio Murray
I drafted Priest Holmes with the 7th overall pick. He was the league’s top back, but got hurt in the quarterfinals. Luckily I had William Green, his handcuff, on my pine. He ended up being just as productive as Holmes. In the finals against Molly, the Browns back scored 436 fantasy points, which remains the fifth most in title game history. His points helped me secure a third title in four seasons in this league.
2006 – Don Vozzola
No one would have believed that Don would win it all in 2006, especially when his first round pick, Domanick Davis, got knocked out for the season in the preseason, after our draft. Don never managed to find another worthy back to replace him and went three-wide all season long, before picking up Ron Dayne for the semifinals. Led by Dayne, who scored 366 points in the finals, Don pulled off the first 7-seed championship in league history.
2011 – Bob Castrone
The defending champ heading into the 2011 season kept Andre Johnson. It would be the third straight season he had him in round one. It worked out well before, as Johnson finished those seasons as the 4th and 8th best receivers in 2009 and 2010. Unfortunately, three years was one-too-many as Johnson couldn’t stay healthy and missed nine games, including any potential postseason games.
Not having his first round pick hurt Bob that season. He managed to only win six games and needed a week 13 victory over me just to make the playoffs. Still, during the season, Bob pulled off two important trades. He traded away Tom Brady and Antonio Brown for Jordy Nelson and Mike Wallace. The pair would be his starting wideouts in the postseason. He also had traded away Andre Johnson for Steven Jackson, who would become his starting running back. Those three players helped lead Bob to the promised land, as he shocked 2-seed Masterson by just two points in the quarterfinals, thanks to a late TD and run by Jackson. A week later, starting the two receivers he got from Colby, Bob beat the Quarter Pounders by just 21 points. In the finals against Burrier, he pulled out an easy win, thanks to 614 combined points from Jackson, Nelson and Wallace.
2016 – Rich Calderon
After missing the postseason in 2015, Calderon took A.J. Green with the fourth overall pick. The Bengals receiver was the best receiver in football, delivering 964 yards and four scores through nine games. Unfortunately, he went down in his 10th game and was out for the year.
Despite the loss of the top wideout in football, Rich still faced little resistance. He crushed his foes in the quarterfinals and semifinals and in the finals, easily defeated Jeff by 666 points, in large part to his receivers. Doug Baldwin (4th rd pick) and Cameron Meredith (free agent pickup) combined for 744 points, leading Rich to his second career title.
2020 – Jeff Greenblatt
Jeff snagged Saints All-World receiver Michael Thomas with the fourth overall pick. It made sense, as he was coming off an first-team All-Robio season. However, Thomas wouldn’t survive the first week, getting hurt and missing the next five games. He would eventually play in six games, before going on the IR after our quarterfinals.
Jeff, who won eight games and earned the five-seed that season, despite never really replacing Thomas with any good receivers. He started DK Metcalf (4th rd pick), but players like Amari Cooper and T.Y. Hilton failed to deliver. By the time Jeff reached the playoffs, he was rolling with Marvin Jones, who he selected in round nine.
The Lions receiver had 112 yards and a score in the semifinals, but he failed to repeat those stats the following week. In the finals against me, Jones only managed 38 points. Fortunately for Jeff, he didn’t need him. Thanks to 800+ combined points from Josh Allen and David Montgomery, Greenblatt beat me by just 89 points to win his first title.
WHO IS THE BEST IN ROUND ONE?
In six years in this league, Michael has had great success, missing the playoffs just once, reaching the title game twice and winning it sall this past season. One thing he has always done well is make a good decision in round one.
He took Dalvin Cook in his first season and then kept him the next two years. In that three-year span, the Vikings back earned two 1st-team All-Robio awards and then finished as the 8th best back in 2021. The next year, Cook went back to the draft pool and selected Joe Mixon, who finished as the 12th best back. In 2023, he selected Patrick Mahomes, who finished 5th among all arms and then this season he went back to the backs, taking Gibbs, who finished as the third best back. Thus, in six seasons, Mike has drafted three All-Robio backs.
On average, his first rounders’ average finish at their position is 5.2. How good is that? Next on the list is Burrier at 10.8.
Now, these kinds of rankings don’t tell the entire story. If someone drafts a lot of quarterbacks or tight ends, then their numbers are going to go up. Players get hurt and it drags the team’s average down a ton, but for fun let’s explore it anyhow.
** Domanick Dixon (Don 2006) and Le’Veon Bell (Matt 2018) never played, so they got a ranking of 100.
#1 Michael – 5.2
#2 Rich B – 10.8
#3 Colby – 11.6
#4 Robio – 11.9
#5 Eric – 23.6
#6 Rob M – 18.0
#7 Rich C – 18.6
#8 Griff – 19.9
#9 Bob – 23.3
#10 Don – 23.6
#11 Matt – 24.6
#12 Jeff – 25.1
ALL ROBIO PLAYERS
Let’s be honest, when you select a player in the first round, you’re hoping to land an All-Robio talent. So, who is the best at picking guys who finish the year as All-Robio players? For this exercise, I’m counting all three All-Robio teams.
ROBIO – 13 Total All-Robio Players (0.50 per season)
Until this season, I had six straight All-Robio first round players, including two first teamers. This season, James Cook only finished 15th, but I traded him away with others to land Bijan Robinson, who did earn an All-Robio award.
MICHAEL – 3 Total All-Robio Players (0.50 per season)
Officially Michael is tied with me when it comes to average, producing an All-Robio every other year. However, I stay ahead of him simply because doing it over 26 years is more impressive than six seasons. Having said that, two of Mike’s first rounders earned a first team award (Dalvin Cook in 2019-2020), while Gibbs landed him a second-team award this year.
ERIC – 11 Total All-Robio Players (0.46 per season)
Eric began his career drafting running backs. None cracked the top-10. Thus, in 2008, he selected Larry Fitzgerald first overall and he finished as the league’s #1 receiver. However, it was the drafting and keeping of Antonio Brown in 2015-2017, that changed Eric’s fortune.
In those three seasons, Brown earned three first-round All-Robio awards, finishing first overall twice. Since then, he has three other first overall guys with Travis Kelce in both 2019 and 2022, plus Tyreek Hill in 2020. Best yet, after producing just two All-Robio players in his first 14 years in the league, Erich has delivered nine in his last 10 seasons. The only exception was Patrick Mahomes in 2021. He finished fifth among all quarterbacks that season (must finish top-three at QB to earn an All-Robio).
MATT – 10 Total All-Robio Players (0.45 per season)
With Derrick Henry this season, Matt secured his 10th All-Robio first-round pick and his seventh career first-team player. He’s tied with Eric for most first-team players taken in the first, but all seven are either a running back or a receiver. Three of those players, Terrell Owens in 2004, Brian Westbrook in 2007 and Julio Jones in 2015), finished first overall at their position. Having said that, Neatock is one of only two teams to have three first round players finish sub-100 at their position. Don is the only team to have done it.
RICH B – 10 Total All-Robio Players (0.44 per season)
Burrier’s career in the first round began with a bang named Tomlinson. He drafted the Chargers back with the first overall pick in 2003 (winning the championship in his second season). He kept him the next four seasons. Tomlinson would earn five All-Robio awards, including four first-team awards (finishing first overall once), making him the greatest keeper ever in round one.
After that run, things dried up for Burrier. He would only produce three All-Robio players from the first round the next 15 years, but in his last two seasons, he has locked down Josh Allen and Ja’Marr Chase, who not only produced first-team All-Robio seasons, but both finished first overall at their position. On top of that, Rich is the only veteran team (not Michael) to never have a sub-50 player taken in the first round.
COLBY – 8 Total All-Robio Players (0.38 per season)
Colby is known for his variety, as he has produced an All-Robio player in round one at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end. His best years are his most recent years. Until Christian McCaffrey flopped this season (finishing 61st), he had produced an All-Robio in round one in five of the last six seasons. Could have been six out of seven, but LeSean McCoy missed a third-team All-Robio by just 14 fantasy points in 2017.
BOB – 8 Total All-Robio Players (0.36 per season)
Despite all his success in this league, Castrone has not been that successful at picking stars in the first round. Of course, he can argue that he rarely has a top pick in the round and that’s a good argument to make. In total, Bob has eight All-Robio players he has selected in round one. Of those eight, only Rob Gronkowski in 2015 earned a first-team award (finishing as the top TE). Half of his All-Robios have been wideouts, one was a QB. He has just two running backs taken in round one, who went on to earn an All-Robio. That’s the lowest in the league. Both Ezekiel Elliot (2018) and Najee Harris (2021) finished as second-team RBs.
ROB M- 8 Total All-Robio Players (0.35 per season)
Rob has drafted both an All-Robio RB (Henry in 2023) and WR (Jefferson in 2024) the last two seasons. Jefferson was Rob’s third career first-team All-Robio. Priest Holmes did it back in 2003 and Christian McCaffrey did as well in 2019. For Rob, the lowlight of his first round has to do with guys he keeps for a third time. That’s happened three times. Each time, there was a major drop on that third try.
After finishing as the 9th best back in 2004, Priest Holmes fell to 24th after being kept by Masterson. In 2014, Marshawn Lynch finished as the fourth best back, but finished 2015 as the 50th best back. Then in 2020, one year after McCaffrey finished first, he fell to 45th among all running backs.
JEFF – 6 Total All-Robio Players (0.35 per season)
In just his second solo season, Jeff selected Randy Moss in the 2009 first round, who not only earned the first-team All-Robio award, but he was the top player at his position. He wouldn’t pull that off again until Tyreek Hill finished first overall in 2023. However, his first round keepers have not always panned out. In fact, he’s kept a player three times in the first round and they have gotten worse each year.
In 2013, he drafted Jamaal Charles in round one and he finished as the second best back. He kept him in 2014 and he fell to 8th (still good). He kept him again in 2015 and Charles fell to 30th. This past season, a year after Tyreek Hill finished as the top receiver, he fell to 15th among all wideouts.
GRIFF – 8 Total All-Robio Players (0.31 per season)
He’s had three total first-team All-Robio first round picks, but only one since Shaun Alexander in 2005. His last All-Robio first round pick was Ezekiel Elliot back in 2020. That’s a nine-year run without one and that’s the longest streak in league history.
RICH C – 6 Total All-Robio Players (0.27 per season)
Like Bob above, it’s harder to land All-Robio talent in the first round when you almost never pick among the top-four, so Rich’s first round picks have not been dominant. Overall, between 2003-2020, Rich only had three All-Robio players: Ahman Green in 2003 was second-team. Roddy White in 2010 was a first-team receiver, while LeSean McCoy was kept in the 2013 first round and he finished the year as the top running back.
Calderon then went seven years without an All-Robio in the first round, until 2021, when he finally got hot, delivering an All-Robio in three of his last four years. Davante Adams was a second-team WR in 2021, while Saquon Barkley earned both a second team and first team award in 2022 and 2024. Having said all that, 15 of Rich’s 22 first round picks failed to crack the top-10 at their position. That’s the most in league history.
DON – 6 Total All-Robio Players (0.25 per season)
Don averages an All-Robio in the first round once every four years. In fact, it took him nine years to get his first when Maurice Jones-Drew finished as first-team All-Robio in 2009. Calvin Johnson is the only player Don has drafted in the first round, who ended up as the top player at their position (2013).
WORST FIRST ROUND PICKS
Here are the three worst first round picks for each team.
ROBIO – Jamaal Charges (#101 in 2016), Dez Bryant (#26 in 2017), Marion Barber (#25 in 2009)
GRIFF – Adrian Peterson (#102 in 2016), Devonta Freeman (#93 in 2018), Justin Jefferson (#42 in 2023)
DON – Domanick Davis (IR in 2006), Fred Taylor and Marshall Faulk (#105 in both 2001 and 2003)
ERIC – Randy Moss (#59 in 2010), Brian Westbrook (#58 in 2009), LaMont Jordan (#45 in 2006)
ROB M – Marvin Harrison (#85 in 2007), Marshawn Lynch (#50 in 2015), Christian McCaffrey (#45 in 2020).
RICH B – Leo Fournette (#46 in 2018), Larry Fitzgerald (#39 in 2012), Brandon Jacobs (#19 in 2009)
RICH C – Dez Bryant (#75 in 2015), Rudi Johnson (#50 in 2007), Larry Fitzgerald (#35 in 2006)
BOB – Keenan Allen (#141 in 2016), Nick Chubb (#75 in 2023), Andre Johnson (#52 in 2011)
MATT – Le’Veon Bell (Held Out in 2018), Ryan Grant (#121 in 2010), Saquon Barkley (#101 in 2020)
COLBY – Christian McCaffrey (#61 in 2024), Andrew Luck (#28 in 2015), Arian Foster (#24 in 2013)
JEFF – Calvin Ridley (#94 in 2021), Michael Thomas (#90 in 2020), Ryan Matthews (#47 in 2010)
MICHAEL – Joe Mixon (#12 in 2022), Dalvin Cook (#8 in 2021), Patrick Mahomes (#5 in 2023)
FIRST ROUNDERS BY POSITION
What position have you taken the most?
ROBIO
QB – 1
RB – 15
WR – 9
TE – 1
I once went five straight years taking a back (2000-2004) and four straight years taking a receiver (2012-2015). Besides those runs, I’ve never gone three straight years drafting one position.
GRIFF
QB – 2
RB – 16
WR – 5
TE – 1
No Record of Griff’s first two drafts in 1999 and 2000. He’s only taken five wideouts. The first was Terrell Owens in 2002. He finished first among all receivers. The next four, including Jefferson and A.J. Brown the past two years, has failed to crack the top-10. Since winning it all in 2010, six of his last nine picks have failed to crack the top-10 at their position.
DON
QB – 1
RB – 21
WR – 2
TE – 0
Don’s 21 first-round running backs are the most. That’s 88% of his first round picks. The only time Don didn’t draft a back was Kurt Warner in 2002, Randy Moss in 2005 and Calvin Johnson in 2013. He has drafted or kept a back for 11 straight seasons.
ERIC
QB – 1
RB – 11
WR – 10
TE – 2
His 10 first-round wide receivers are the most in the league. He’s drafted or kept just one running back (Joe Mixon last year) in the last 11 seasons, after beginning his career drafting a back in his first seven years in the league.
ROB M
QB – 1
RB – 14
WR – 8
TE – 0
Masterson is one of two people in league history to twice draft a player and keep them for two more seasons. He drafted and kept Priest Holmes twice (2003-2005) and the same for Christian McCaffrey (2018-2000). He actually drafted CMC again in 2021, becoming just the third player to be taken or kept in the first round four straight years by the same team. The others were Tomlinson/Burrier (five years) and Shaun Alexander/Griff (four years), but for both of those situations, we had yet to put a limit on how long a player could be kept.
RICH B
QB – 3
RB – 16
WR – 3
TE – 1
His first eight 1st-round picks were all running backs (Tomlinson was five of them) and it took Burrier 11 years before he took a wideout (Fitzgerald in 2012). He’s the only person in league history to draft three quarterbacks in the first round and the only person to keep a QB in round one (Drew Brees in 2011).
RICH C
QB – 1
RB – 12
WR – 9
TE – 0
Rich is one of four people to never draft a tight end. The others are Masterson, Matt and Michael. Like Masterson, Calderon is one of two teams to draft a player and keep him the following two seasons. They were LeSean McCoy in 2012-14 and Saquon Barkley the last three years. Both, at least once, finished first among all backs during their three-year run.
BOB
QB – 1
RB – 11
WR – 9
TE – 1
Only Jeff has drafted a lower percentage of running backs in the first round. Bob actually took a running back for five straight seasons (2004-2008), but none earned an All-Robio award. Thus, he avoided a back the next nine seasons. However, he’s gone RB in six of the last seven years.
MATT
QB – 0
RB – 16
WR – 6
TE – 0
Neatock is the only team to never draft either a quarterback nor a tight end in the first round. At one point, he drafted running backs and wide receivers nearly equally, until 2017. Since then he has drafted a RB for eight straight years.
COLBY
QB – 2
RB – 13
WR – 5
TE – 1
While he has drafted three Chiefs in the first round (Jamaal Charles, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Travis Kelce), his favorite team is not the team he drafts the most from in round one. He’s taken a Colts player four times (Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne).
However, the most belongs to the 49ers at four and a half seasons. He drafted and Kept Frank Gore in 2010-2011 and he drafted and kept McCaffrey the last three. However, that first season he was a Carolina Panther when drafted, before getting shipped off to SF.
JEFF
QB – 0
RB – 7
WR – 9
TE – 1
53% of Jeff’s picks have been a wideout. That’s the highest percentage in the league, as he’s the only person to take more wideouts than running backs. He’s gone nine years without drafting a running back in the first round. Just one of two people to never draft a QB in the first (Matt is the other).
MICHAEL
QB – 1
RB – 5
WR – 0
TE – 0
Only six seasons in, but Michael has yet to draft a wide receiver or a tight end. When it comes to waiting the longest to draft a widout, he still has a ways to go. It took Eric eight years before he drafted a wide receiver in round one and Burrier took 11 seasons before he snagged his first 1st-round wideout.