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 fifth 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.
The most mispriced players in the season-long market are early 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, and 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, and Derrick Henry in Round 1. I’m willing to start RB-RB when it includes De’Von Achane, Chase Brown, Bucky Irving, Josh Jacobs, and 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, and Brian Thomas Jr. I’m not passing on those guys for significantly worse RBs. They are awesome Round 1 or 2 picks.
But 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 George Pickens, or Breece Hall over Tee Higgins.
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