Back before most people knew what an Internet was and where to find it, SportsBuff.com started sending fantasy football winners out to Las Vegas for a grand prize playoff draft and whatever else they could manage to do. (Sorry, that part stays there.)

Thursday night brought the latest installment at the Monte Carlo, with the top eight finishers in the salary-cap contest vying for the $30,000 lead prize and the title of 18th annual Mr. Fantasy Football.

Ron Schoenbach of Muskego, Wis., opened the playoff fantasy draft with likely everyone’s top pick: Patriots QB Tom Brady. Playoff drafting, of course, introduces the strategy piece of having to guess which teams will advance. Thus, it wasn’t a surprise when Tim Kawakami of Chino, Calif., and Steve Krenek of Lisle, Ill., made New England the most represented team in the first round.

Rafe Wysham of Hanford, Calif., showed his belief in the Bears by selecting RB Matt Forte second overall, followed by three of Forte’s teammates. Krenek, with two teams among the top eight, could afford to take a chance with his second squad (drafted by his wife) going heavy on Falcons.

Experienced fantasy player and teacher John Lowery, meanwhile, started with the two biggest fantasy factors from Atlanta: Roddy White and Michael Turner. Shawn Foster of Huntington Beach, Calif., and Jeff Stanley of Springfield, Mo., chose to open with quarterbacks, helping take four off the board in the first round (half of the eight available).

The full teams are below, with players listed as they were selected (round-pick). We’ll see who prevails …