Knowing which players to target is only one part of the puzzle. To win your fantasy draft, we also need a strategy adapted to this year’s market.
This article will serve as a “Draft Strategy 101” as we take a macro-level look at the landscape to get you started on your way to a fantasy championship.
EARLY-ROUND STRATEGY & USING RANKINGS
The first-round is extremely flat this season. Yes, we feel good about having CeeDee Lamb 5th and Nico Collins 10th. But the underlying point projection between Ranks 1 and 15 is extremely tight. That allows us to break ties early with structural strategy in mind.
I believe the most mispriced players in the season-long market are early/mid-, and mid-round wide receivers. In most home leagues, we expect very strong wideout values to fall through the cracks. Last year it was Malik Nabers, Tee Higgins, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. In the WR section below I’ll note candidates for this year.
With that in mind, I am leaning into running back in the early rounds. I’d draft Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs before I took a WR. I am willing to bump up Christian McCaffrey, Ashton Jeanty, Derrick Henry in Round 1. I’m willing to start RB-RB when it includes De’Von Achane, Chase Brown, Bucky Irving, Josh Jacobs, Jonathan Taylor.
I want to be clear that I’m still excited to draft Ja’Marr Chase, Lamb, Justin Jefferson, Nico, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas. I’m not passig on those guys for significantly worse RBs.
My goal is to get two strong RB profiles in the first three rounds, and then load up at WR, TE, and QB. I do not want to be in a spot where I’m doing something vomit-worthy in the mid-rounds, such as taking David Montgomery over Pickens.
WHERE DO WE PREFER TO PICK?
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