All-Time Oregon Ducks Fantasy Football Draft

The Oregon Ducks have survived their first Big Ten media days, which means all eyes are on Year 1 of the new-look college football experiment. 

Before we officially usher in the new era, we’re out to have some fun while honoring the program’s past. To do so, we call upon OSN’s Casey Mabbott and Bryant Knox to take us on a wild ride through Oregon football history with an All-Time Ducks fantasy draft. 

Here’s how it worked.

The Method

The No. 1 overall pick was determined using a virtual dice roll. Team Mabbott won the honor. 

From there, both teams engaged in a snake-style draft. Each team needed 2 QBs, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 1 TE, 1 FLEX, 1 DEF, 1 OL and 1 KR/PR. That’s 12 total roster spots. 

The player pool included every Ducks football player of all time. 

That’s right. Our general managers, Mabbott and Knox, chose a player each round from any season in Ducks history (i.e., Marcus Mariota—2014). Then, that player was removed from the player pool going forward. 

For DEF, you could choose one collective team from any season. GMs could use their own reasoning to select a defense. It was up to their discretion whether to draft around a team that had a great year or a star who made the biggest difference.

The same story goes for the OL

For special teams returners, GMs chose one of their previously drafted skill players to fill the spot as the final move of the draft. And then, it was time to compare depth charts.

Think you know who goes No. 1 overall? Think you could draft a better roster than our armchair GMs?

Check out Team Mabbott and Team Knox below, then hit the comments to share who ya got. 

*You can find the full draft order at the end of this article.

The Draft

No. 1 Pick: Marcus Mariota (2014), QB1 (Team Mabbott)

There have been so many great players in the Ducks’ fabled history, but Mariota is on an island—in a good way. 

He is the only Heisman Trophy winner the program can claim and one of the greatest dual-threat players in the game’s history; no one deserves the top spot more than he does. A force against any defense and capable of elevating the players around him to national title contenders, no one did it better when the game was on the line or, more importantly, kept games from ever being close enough for there to be any doubt of who would win.

No matter who he gets to play with, Mariota is our Super Mario, and he’s the first and best player I’m taking to beat Bryant.  

Team Mabbott So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
11QB 1Marcus Mariota2014

No 2 Pick: LaMichael James (2010), RB1 (Team Knox)

No. 3 Pick: Jonathan Stewart (2007), RB2 (Team Knox)

I can’t blame Casey one bit for taking the Ducks’ only Heisman winner out of the gate. I think I would’ve done the same. But there’s also an inherent team-building risk in drafting a QB first, with skill positions bound to fill quickly. So I’ll try to take advantage of not needing a quarterback for a bit by going with two big-time running backs right up front. 

LaMichael James is my RB1, and Jonathan Stewart is my RB2. But really, that could flip as this draft progresses. And really, really, it’s more 1A vs. 1B anyway. 

With “Thunder & Lightning” the theme here, LaMike’s sheer speed will keep defenders on their toes, and his catch-and-run skills should help if I end up with a shallow receiving core. Then there’s J-Stew, who gives us a punch without sacrificing any skill whatsoever. He also caught 22 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns in 2007 from QB Dennis Dixon. 

Going forward, I’ll have to find the right time to take a QB1, knowing Casey can swoop in and snag his QB2 any time. And that we probably have our eyes on the same guy. But for now, I’m happy building around maybe the two best tailbacks in program history.

Team Knox So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
12RB 1LaMichael James2010
23RB 2Jonathan Stewart2007

No. 4 Pick: Bucky Irving, RB1 (Team Mabbott)

No. 5 Pick: Troy Franklin, WR1 (Team Mabbott)

With our QB locked and loaded, we immediately get him the help he deserves with guys who can make plays and, more importantly, take the pressure off. Irving could run the ball and catch passes, and only a couple of players on the national stage could compete with Franklin’s size, speed, and catching ability. 

Mariota won’t have the issue of wondering where his help is coming from. If anything, he will need to worry about keeping everyone involved with a loaded roster. 

Irving also won’t have to be a workhorse like he was in 2023, but we know he’s capable of doing that if the situation calls for it. 

Bryant wanted a thunder-and-lightning approach, but I think he’s going to see a storm brewing across the field from his team. You go high, we go low. You go left, we go right. And there’s no stopping us—not tonight. 

Team Mabbott So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
11QB 1Marcus Mariota2014
24RB 1Bucky Irving2023
35WR 1Troy Franklin2023

No. 6 Pick: De’Anthony Thomas, FLEX (Team Knox)

No. 7 Pick: Ed Dickson, TE1 (Team Knox)

De’Anthony Thomas and Ed Dickson will be major assets for whoever we land at quarterback. Using “DAT” as our FLEX is essentially mimicking the role he played at Oregon. That “athlete” position let him slide between running back and slot receiver in virtually any situation, and *spoiler alert* his ability to return kicks only makes our team more dangerous. 

Dickson, on the other hand, keeps the “thunder” portion of our Thunder & Lightning attack prominent. And as he showed in Oregon’s classic 2009 upset over No. 6 Cal, he can be counted upon in big games to be a complete star. 

Team Knox So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
12RB 1LaMichael James2010
23RB 2Jonathan Stewart2007
36FLEXDe’Anthony Thomas2011
47TE 1Ed Dickson2009

No. 8 Pick: Ahmad Rashad, FLEX (Team Mabbott)

No. 9 Pick: Onterrio Smith (Team Mabbott)

With DAT on the other sideline, we brought in the kid who made that style of play famous before he was wowing us with Inside Stuff NBA features in the ‘90s. 

Originally a receiver before being moved to the backfield, Ahmad Rashad was the original dual-threat flex player defenses couldn’t figure out. Like Boobie Miles, he can run, he can catch, and he can pass. Good luck figuring out this offense. 

So we know the offense can air it out and spread it out, but what about those tough yards? With Stewart already off the board, we went back to the early 2000s and signed up Onterrio Smith, who was one of the best slashers in the game when he was on. And he was on a lot. 

With a bruising style and the ability to make defenders miss, no matter what offense we run, we will get into space. I don’t know if any defense is stopping either of these amazing teams, but we can play whatever style of game is needed to make it happen if the other side finds some ways to work against us. 

No matter what happens, we aren’t going to have a tired running back, that’s for sure. 

Team Mabbott So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
11QB 1Marcus Mariota2014
24RB 1Bucky Irving2023
35WR 1Troy Franklin2023
48FLEXAhmad Rashad1971
59RB 2Onterrio Smith2002

No. 10 Pick: Demetrius Williams, WR1 (Team Knox)

No. 11 Pick: Joey Harrington, QB1 (Team Knox)

Although I have an ultra-skilled FLEX and a TE1 with soft hands, I’m also getting desperate for a WR1. Or at least, I especially would be if I let another two rounds go by. So, it’s Demetrius Williams here, who became Oregon’s all-time leading receiver in total yards between 2002 and 2005 (remains No. 1), and who finished his career No. 7 in receiving touchdowns. 

It’s also time to snag a quarterback. If Casey jumped in and took his QB2 ahead of me, I’d be okay. After all, we still have the likes of Joey Harrington, Dan Fouts, Justin Herbert, Dennis Dixon, Darren Thomas and, oh yeah, some guy named Bo Nix on the board. My team would honestly be in great shape if I just held out to take both QBs with my last two picks. 

But we want Joey. If we can’t get The Heisman, we’re taking Joey Heisman.

Try stopping this offense.

Team Knox So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
12RB 1LaMichael James2010
23RB 2Jonathan Stewart2007
36FLEXDe’Anthony Thomas2011
47TE 1Ed Dickson2009
510WR 1Demetrius Williams2005
611QB 1Joey Harrington2001

No. 12 Pick: Samie Parker, WR2 (Team Mabbott)

No. 13 Pick: Jeff Maehl, WR3 (Team Mabbott)

We were going to take Joey and Demetrius this time, but like a carpenter who makes stairs, team Knox was a step ahead of us. 

That’s okay. There is no shortage of skill players in Oregon’s deep history, so we go right back to the well and take an absolute burner in Parker—a receiver even the strongest QBs can’t overthrow—and we go for the possession guy right after that in Maehl. Good luck finding a pair that accounted for more scores in their time at Oregon. 

Just like the post office, Maehl was always on time and could be counted on for a big play whenever needed, and Parker could run past the fastest corners and run circles around the best safeties. This offense is getting scarier by the second. We might just run the option with go routes the entire afternoon. 

Team Mabbott So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
11QB 1Marcus Mariota2014
24RB 1Bucky Irving2023
35WR 1Troy Franklin2023
48FLEXAhmad Rashad1971
59RB 2Onterrio Smith2002
612WR 2Samie Parker2003
713WR 3Jeff Maehl2010

No. 14 Pick: Kenny Wheaton and Co. 1994 Defense (Team Knox)

No. 15 Pick: Josh Huff, WR2 (Team Knox)

Knowing Casey’s skill positions were all filled and that defense would likely be his next priority, I also made sure it was my priority to get who I wanted. 

My first thought was Casey Matthews’ 2010 team that nearly took down Cam Newton and Auburn in the National Championship. After all, the everlasting image of Matthews Superman-punching the ball loose from Newton’s hands will replay in my mind until the end of time. 

But you know what else is burned into my memory? You know what specific play broadcasts on the jumbotron before every Ducks home game for the crowd to cheer on as if it’s happening live in front of their eyes? 

Kenny Wheaton’s gonna score! Kenny Wheaton’s gonna score!

The play is what we all remember, but Wheaton was an elite defender before he was ever a highlight, and that Gang Green defense was more than one player in its run to the Rose Bowl. 

Team Knox So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
12RB 1LaMichael James2010
23RB 2Jonathan Stewart2007
36FLEXDe’Anthony Thomas2011
47TE 1Ed Dickson2009
510WR 1Demetrius Williams2005
611QB 1Joey Harrington2001
714DEFWheaton and Co.1994
815WR 2Josh Huff2013

No. 16 Pick: Dennis Dixon, QB2 (Team Mabbott)

No. 17 Pick: Scoring Ngata, 2005 Defense (Team Mabbott)

Mariota will probably be on the bench by the 3rd quarter, and even if the game is in doubt, we want to know if our QB2 is the kind of hero that can win the game if the other side starts to find a way to come back. 

If Mariota is the wizard, Dixon is the magician, making unbelievable things happen right before your eyes. He was so electric that he had Oregon in the national conversation prior to getting injured in his senior year, and while Marcus and Joey and Bo and so many others have been a ton of fun to watch, it was just different with Dixon. The way he moved and the way he made plays made you assume you were watching a video game, but no, sir, this was real. That awkward no-contact injury he suffered that ended his season still makes Duck fans who were around to witness it cringe. He wasn’t just the leader of an amazing team; he was the team. 

The 2005 defense is who we will throw at team Knox, and he won’t have a lot of success running or throwing against this group. Led by Haloti Ngata, Darius Sanders, Anthony Trucks, Aaron Gipson, and Patrick Chung – this team had it all. You can’t run, and you can’t hide; you better hope you get out alive ’cause you ain’t scoring Ngata, son. 

Team Mabbott So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
11QB 1Marcus Mariota2014
24RB 1Bucky Irving2023
35WR 1Troy Franklin2023
48FLEXAhmad Rashad1971
59RB 2Onterrio Smith2002
612WR 2Samie Parker2003
713WR 3Jeff Maehl2010
816QB 2Dennis Dixon2007
917DEFScoring Ngata2005

No. 18 Pick: Max Unger and Co. 2008 OL (Team Knox)

No. 19: Jaison Williams, WR3 (Team Knox)

This is not to bash the entire existence or concept of an offensive line, but the way my team is built, I’m starting to think I could take a pass on this category and be just fine. (NFL Street style!)

Alas, we just watched Casey take a Ngata-led defense, so we’re calling upon Max Unger and the 2008 offensive line to lend a hand.

Speaking of hands…Jaison Williams earned the not-so-flattering nickname of “50-50” by the end of his Oregon career. It was due to the “50-50” chance he’d drop a ball…according to mean nickname-giving college kids. 

Williams, though, was also a big-bodied, high-leaping monster of a receiver at times for Oregon, especially during that 2007 season.

Team Knox So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
12RB 1LaMichael James2010
23RB 2Jonathan Stewart2007
36FLEXDe’Anthony Thomas2011
47TE 1Ed Dickson2009
510WR 1Demetrius Williams2005
611QB 1Joey Harrington2001
714DEFWheaton and Co.1994
815WR 2Josh Huff2013
918OLMax Unger and Co.2008
1019WR 3Jaison Williams2007

No. 20: Dante Rosario, TE1 (Team Mabbott)

No. 21: Adams and crew, 2001 OL (Team Mabbott)

We need a hybrid player at TE, someone who can block as well as line up in the backfield and catch some highlight reel passes when needed, and no one embodies that better than Rosario. He wasn’t used to his full potential at times, but when needed, he always came through. 

Adams and company were the wrecking crew that protected Joey and opened running lanes for Onterrio Smith and Maurice Morris in 2001. This team scored 48 touchdowns and averaged more than 8 yards per play. There’s a reason everyone wanted to see them in the national championship game instead of Nebraska, and there’s a reason they absolutely DESTROYED Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl. This offense couldn’t be stopped, and that was thanks to the amazing blockers they had up front. 

Team Mabbott Picks So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
11QB 1Marcus Mariota2014
24RB 1Bucky Irving2023
35WR 1Troy Franklin2023
48FLEXAhmad Rashad1971
59RB 2Onterrio Smith2002
612WR 2Samie Parker2003
713WR 3Jeff Maehl2010
816QB 2Dennis Dixon2007
917DEFScoring Ngata2005
1020TE 1Dante Rosario2006
1121OLAdams and crew2001

No. 22: Justin Herbert, QB2 (Team Knox)

No. 23: De’Anthony Thomas, KR/PR (Team Knox)

The good news here is that no matter who I choose at QB2, I’m getting an elite quarterback. 

The bad news is, no matter who I choose at QB2, I’m leaving an elite quarterback behind. 

If there was ever a good problem to have with your final pick, this is it. 

The problem is that there’s no way to justify not taking Dan Fouts, Bo Nix, or Darren Thomas. There’s no way to explain missing out on any of those elite collegiate performers. So I won’t try. 

Instead, I’ll say there’s also no way to fight someone for taking Rose Bowl champion Justin Herbert, who held off on the draft (despite being a highly projected prospect) to return for his senior season. So I’ll leave it at that. And I’ll also make De’Anthony Thomas my kick returner. Because that kid was a threat to score almost literally every time he touched a football. Black Mamba!

Team Knox So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
12RB 1LaMichael James2010
23RB 2Jonathan Stewart2007
36FLEXDe’Anthony Thomas2011
47TE 1Ed Dickson2009
510WR 1Demetrius Williams2005
611QB 1Joey Harrington2001
714DEFWheaton and Co.1994
815WR 2Josh Huff2013
918OLMax Unger and Co.2008
1019WR 3Jaison Williams2007
1122QB 2Justin Herbert2019
1223KR/PRDeanthony Thomas2011

No. 24: Ahmad Rashad, KR/PR (Team Mabbott)

There won’t be many punts in this game, but there will be several kickoffs—per quarter. 

You want your most dangerous athletes returning kicks, and that’s Rashad for this team. He may not have the world-class speed that DAT has, but he’s plenty fast and has a lot of moves. 

With his size and length, Rashad can run through, over, and around just about everyone. The other side might need DAT to be his shadow if they are going to catch him once he breaks loose. 

Team Mabbott So Far
RdOvrPosPlayerSeason
11QB 1Marcus Mariota2014
24RB 1Bucky Irving2023
35WR 1Troy Franklin2023
48FLEXAhmad Rashad1971
59RB 2Onterrio Smith2002
612WR 2Samie Parker2003
713WR 3Jeff Maehl2010
816QB 2Dennis Dixon2007
917DEFScoring Ngata2005
1020TE 1Dante Rosario2006
1121OLAdams and crew2001
1224KR/PRAhmad Rashad1971

Who Ya Got? 

Team Mabbott Depth ChartTeam Knox Depth Chart
PosPlayerSeasonPosPlayerSeason
QB 1Marcus Mariota2014QB 1Joey Harrington2001
QB 2Dennis Dixon2007QB 2Justin Herbert2019
RB 1Bucky Irving2023RB 1LaMichael James2010
RB 2Onterrio Smith2002RB 2Jonathan Stewart2007
WR 1Troy Franklin2023WR 1Demetrius Williams2005
WR 2Samie Parker2003WR 2Josh Huff2013
WR 3Jeff Maehl2010WR 3Jaison Williams2007
TE 1Dante Rosario2006TE 1Ed Dickson2009
FLEXAhmad Rashad1971FLEXDe’Anthony Thomas2011
DEFScoring Ngata2005DEFWheaton and Co.1994
OLAdams and crew2001OLMax Unger and Co.2008
KR/PRAhmad Rashad1971KR/PRDeanthony Thomas2011

Team Mabbott

This is crazy close. Both of these teams are incredible with a capital “I.” I don’t think either team has the edge out of the gate, but I will say that when it comes to electric playmakers, Knox has the edge. But if you need some vintage clutch moments, I think Mabbott has the right team. 

It’s going to come down to the wire, and I trust this team to win. But I think both sides are more than capable of winning when it matters. 

In what will definitely be a show for the ages and an aerial onslaught, it comes down to the pilot in the box, and Super Mario will make it happen, even if the simulation says otherwise. This is like an all-time spring game; it’s a lot of fun, but no matter who wins, there won’t be a loser since everyone ends the day as a member of the Ducks. 

—Casey Mabbott

Team Knox

Not earning the No. 1 pick and the right to take Marcus Mariota as my captain hurt. But it also allowed me to build the way I wanted around both speed and strength, and I think Team Knox has the edge over Team Mabbott by landing Joey Heisman so deep in the draft. That was key.

Of course, Mariota wasn’t my only target Mabbott snatched up. I lowkey wanted to make Jeff Mahel my X-Factor in the receiving core. Because, like Casey Matthews on the defense I considered, Mahel made plays throughout his career—and in the National Championship—that are forever on loop in my memory. 

At the end of the day, I think controlling the rock is the one crucial element to the Team Mabbott vs. Team Knox “all offense, all the time” showdown. And while Casey has the ultimate rock protector in Mariota, my team has the most infamous rock thief of them all…

Kenny Wheaton’s gonna score! Kenny Wheaton’s gonna score!

No matter who wins this contest, one thing is painfully clear for the rest of college football: Y’alls all-time fantasy squads wouldn’t stand a chance against either of these powerhouses. 

The Oregon Ducks are stacked. They always have been. And if history truly does repeat itself, that won’t change any time soon as part of the Big Ten.

Bryant Knox

Complete All-Time Oregon Ducks Fantasy Draft Order

DRAFT
TeamPickPosPlayerSeason
ROUND 1
Mabbott1QB 1Marcus Mariota2014
Knox2RB 1LaMichael James2010
ROUND 2
Knox3RB 2Jonathan Stewart2007
Mabbott4RB 1Bucky Irving2023
ROUND 3
Mabbott5WR 1Troy Franklin2023
Knox6FLEXDe’Anthony Thomas2011
ROUND 4
Knox7TE 1Ed Dickson2009
Mabbott8FLEXAhmad Rashad1971
ROUND 5
Mabbott9RB 2Onterrio Smith2002
Knox10WR 1Demetrius Williams2005
ROUND 6
Knox11QB 1Joey Harrington2001
Mabbott12WR 2Samie Parker2003
ROUND 7
Mabbott13WR 3Jeff Maehl2010
Knox14DEFGang Green x Wheaton Defense1994
ROUND 8
Knox15WR 2Josh Huff2013
Mabbott16QB 2Dennis Dixon2007
ROUND 9
Mabbott17DEFHaloti Ngata’s Defense2005
Knox18OLMax Unger and Co.2008
ROUND 10
Knox19WR 3Jaison Williams2007
Mabbott20TE 1Dante Rosario2006
ROUND 11
Mabbott21OLAdams and crew2001
Knox22QB 2Justin Herbert2019
ROUND 12
Knox23KR/PRDe’Anthony Thomas2011
Mabbott24KR/PRAhmad Rashad1971