How to Draft From Picks 5-8

We’re a few weeks into training camp, we’ve seen some preseason action, and every major media outlet is starting to talk about fantasy football again. Your draft strategy, of course, depends on what pick you have. This week, we’re running a series on how you should attack your draft depending on when you pick in the first round.

Last time, we dove into strategy (with a focus on structural drafting rather than which players to take) from an early pick, which we defined as 1.01-1.04 in a 12-team league. Today, we’ll investigate what you should do from the middle (i.e. 1.05-1.08). Let’s get right into it.

ROUND 1 STRATEGY

Most drafts this year will start with at least three or four straight running backs. That means fantasy players picking from the middle will have their choice of a second-tier RB, a first-tier WR, or Travis Kelce. All are viable options. Let’s go through the pros and cons of each.

Christian McCaffrey and Dalvin Cook are the consensus top-two picks. After that, some combination of Alvin Kamara, Derrick Henry, and Ezekiel Elliott is likely to go with the next two picks. That’s not exactly how I’d play it – you can read how I’d approach things from an early pick here – but that’s what ADP indicates will happen in most leagues.

That means one of those backs will fall into the middle of Round 1. Kamara becomes much more valuable if Jameis Winston is named the starter, but he should have a monopoly on Saints targets regardless, especially with Michael Thomas sidelined. Those drafting closer to the start of the season will have a better idea of who’s going to be under center in New Orleans, but Kamara would be my third overall player on account of his massive target ceiling.